Jannik Sinner, of Italy, executing a picture-perfect backhand volley against Holger Rune, of Denmark, at the 2022 ATP Sofia Open tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria
Just as 6’8”, 265-pound basketball superstar Lebron James could never be a horse racing jockey, whose weight averages 108 to 118 pounds, former junior Wimbledon champion Noah Rubin conceded he was too short to make it on the ATP Tour. So the 5’9”, journeyman Rubin, whose ranking peaked at just No. 125 in 2018, recently quit tennis and announced he was switching to pickleball. In a video on Instagram, the 26-year-old American said, “The tennis court is just way too big and there’s way too much ground to cover.”
What will you miss most about Roger Federer—as a player?
In my recent career retrospective, “Roger Federer: A Champion’s Champion,” one section is titled “Tennis Brain.” It explains why Roger was clearly one of the most tactically intelligent players in tennis history. His shot selection was generally smart, sometimes very clever, and occasionally innovatively so, such as with his SABR (Sneak Attack by Roger).
Here is what I learned. As serves and groundstrokes increased in power this century, the need for running speed became greater. However, not every player uses speed for both offense and defense. Gael Monfils, one of the fastest players in tennis history, never fulfilled his vast potential partly because he seldom used his speed offensively to attack when he should have. Conversely, former world No. 4 James Blake, another speedster, seldom used his speed defensively to keep the ball in play when he was in untenable court positions. Instead, Blake attempted low-percentage shots and frequently missed them.
“Tennis matches are won by the man who hits the ball to the right place at the right time most often.” — All-time great Bill Tilden
If you take a complete break from tennis during the holiday season, play less frequently, or don’t compete either in league matches or tournaments, the break will help you in several ways. It will give your injuries vital time to heal. And it will recharge your tennis batteries. When you resume play, you’ll be fired up.
One of the most exciting aspects of playing tournaments—at any level—is checking out the just-released draw. Similarly, one of the most challenging aspects of writing about Grand Slam tournaments is predicting the winners and contenders. And . . . the dark horses.
Other Books by Paul Fein
