World Tennis Magazine

Unique Tennis Perspectives

roy emerson

From Bill Tilden To Novak Djokovic – A History Of The All-Time Men’s Major Victory Record

by

By Randy Walker

@TennisPublisher

In lieu of Novak Djokovic winning his record-breaking 23rd major singles title at Roland Garros in 2023, it is interesting to look back through the years to see how this record changed hands, whether the players actually knew it or not!

For almost 40 years, Bill Tilden “held” the record for the most major singles titles won with 10. The only issue with this record is that nobody really kept track and followed these type of records and it was not written about in the media. Tilden won his 10th and final “major” singles title at Wimbledon in 1930. In those days, Davis Cup was held in higher regard than any other tournament and the majors and the Grand Slam were just at the beginning of their evolution. It wasn’t until Jack Crawford won the Australian, French and Wimbledon Championships in 1933 that the concept of the Grand Slam and majors started to become part of the tennis vernacular. After Crawford fell on the last step of his “Grand Slam” journey in the final of the U.S. Championships, it was Don Budge who was the first to sweep all four of the major events in the same year. The history of the term “Grand Slam” and its beginnings is discussed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6L7CrpyVpLE&t=30s

In the 1960s, after Rod Laver joined fellow greats Ken Rosewall, Lew Hoad, Pancho Gonzales and others in the forbidden “pro” tour (read more about it in the book “The Pros: The Forgotten Era of Tennis” here: https://www.amazon.com/Pros-Forgotten-Era-Tennis/dp/1937559912/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=the+pros+the+forgotten+era+of+tennis&qid=1686661518&sprefix=the+Pros+Forgotten+%2Caps%2C116&sr=8-1 it was Roy Emerson who cleaned up the then “amateur only” major championships. Although he won his first two major titles beating Laver in the final of the 1961 Australian and U.S. Championships, he lost three of the four major finals to Laver during Laver’s 1962 Grand Slam run (Australia, France and U.S.) He then won all 10 of his major finals that followed. He won his 10th at the 1966 Australian Championships over Arthur Ashe in a four-set final. This victory tied Emerson with Tilden in the all-time lead, although not mentioned in the media. Emerson won his “record-breaking” 11th major 364 days later again at the Australian Championships and again against Ashe, winning much more comfortably by a 6-4, 6-1, 6-1 margin in the final. It was history being made, although not known or reported. Emerson went on to win one more major title at the French Championships later that year to give him a final total of 12 singles majors.

When the “Open Era” of tennis began at the 1968 French Championships – and professionals were allowed to play in the major tournaments – Laver quickly “threatened” the Emerson record by winning his 11th career major at the 1969 U.S. Open to complete his Grand Slam. Strangely, Laver never won another major after his dominant Grand Slam sweep in 1969 which ended when he had just turned 31 years old. Had there been more publicity and hype about Laver breaking the Emerson number of majors, would Laver had put more effort into winning more majors? He never played the French again after his 1969 triumph and only played the Australian Open one more time in 1971, losing in the round of 16.

Even into the 1970s, the Grand Slam tournament title count was not part of the conversation in tennis. In the 1970s, the Australian Open had fallen into such ill-favor that it did not even award Grand Slam level ranking points and Bjorn Borg and Jimmy Connors barely played there. There was talk, however, that if Bjorn Borg would win the U.S. Open in 1978, 1979 or 1980 – when he had already won the French and Wimbledon titles – that he would for sure go to the Australian Open, then held in November/December, to try and complete the Grand Slam. However, there was very little if any talk about Borg trying to break the Roy Emerson record of 12 majors after the Sweden won his 11th major (tying Laver in second place) at the 1981 French Open. Would Borg have played a little longer had the quest to break Emerson’s record of 12 major singles title been more part of the conversation in tennis?

It wasn’t until the 1990s when tennis stats and public relations became more professional, with the start of the ATP Tour, when more sophisticated records and stats were created and kept. This was at the same time that Pete Sampras began to pile up the major tournament victories. When Sampras won Wimbledon in 1995 it marked his sixth career singles major and Sally Jenkins in Sports Illustrated reported that he was halfway to the Emerson record.

“I didn’t even know I held the singles record until it came out in the press that Pete was chasing me,” said Emerson years ago of his record. “We didn’t pay any attention to records.”

Sampras would tie Emerson with his 12th major at Wimbledon in 1999 and he would break the record in dramatic fashion at Wimbledon in 2000, as documented in the “On This Day In Tennis History” compilation here:

July 9

2000 – Pete Sampras beats Australia’s Pat Rafter 6-7 (10), 7-6 (5), 6-4, 6-2 to win his record-breaking 13th major singles title, breaking away from Roy Emerson as the all-time leader in men’s singles major championships. Sampras clinches his seventh Wimbledon singles title in fading sunlight after a numerous rain delays threaten to extend the final to an extra day and while suffering from pain in his left shin that require him to get pain-killing shots before matches and preventing him from proper practice or warm-ups. Writes Steve Flink in the book Pete Sampras: Greatness Revisited book, “As he approached the net to shake hands with Rafter, Sampras was overcome by emotions. He crouched over and the tears would not be denied. He had his record breaking 13th major. He had the gratification of knowing that he had won this tournament despite having to move past his pain at the end of every match from the third round on. He had the pleasure of knowing that for the first time in his career his parents had been there in the stands to witness one of his major triumphs.”

Sampras would add one more major to the tally with his walk-off win at the 2002 U.S. Open and many thought his record of 14 majors would stand for a while. However, right on his heels was Roger Federer who dominated the sport even greater than Sampras did. Federer won three majors in his 2004, 2006 and 2007 seasons and by the time 2009 began, Federer was just one behind Sampras with 13 career majors.

After losing a devastating five-set final to Rafael Nadal at the 2009 Australian Open, Federer openly cried on court during the trophy ceremony after failing to equal the Sampras record, only to be comforted by Nadal and Laver, as documented in the “On This Day In Roger Federer” book here:

February 1

2009: Roger Federer is reduced to tears of disappointment after losing to Rafael Nadal 7-5, 3-6, 7-6(3), 3-6, 6-2 in four hours, 22 minutes in the final of the Australian Open. Nadal’s win over Federer – his 13th win in the last 19 matches between the two tennis titans – prevents Federer from equaling the Pete Sampras record of 14 Grand Slam tournament titles. In the on-court trophy ceremony, Federer tries to speak of the match, but tears well up in his eyes and he says “Maybe I’ll try later. God, it’s killing me,” before bursting in full sobs of disappointment. After being presented the champions trophy by Australian tennis legend Rod Laver, Nadal then hugs and consoles Federer and says to him, “Roger, sorry for today. I really know how you feel right now. Remember, you’re a great champion. You’re one of the best in history. You’re going to improve on the 14 of Sampras.”

At the next major at the French Open, Federer was able break through and not only complete a career Grand Slam, but tie the Sampras record with his 14th career major, as documented in the “On This Day In Roger Federer” book here:

June 7

2009: Roger Federer finally completes a career Grand Slam defeating Robin Soderling 6-1, 7-6(1), 6-4 in the final of the French Open in Paris. The title is Federer’s 14th major singles title, equaling the record of Pete Sampras. Writes Rene Stauffer in the book Roger Federer: Quest for Perfection, “Even before he won the last point he had tears in his eyes. He finally won the title that many thought he never would, and only a few weeks after a drastic low and a phase where most people already wrote him off. Federer became the sixth man after Fred Perry, Don Budge, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver and Andre Agassi to accomplish the career Grand Slam, to complete the quartet of major titles within the scope of a career.” This might just be the greatest victory of my career. I’m so proud,” Federer says after receiving the Coupe des Mousquetaires from Andre Agassi, who also clinched the career Grand Slam at the French Open 10 years earlier. “It really wasn’t easy to deal with my emotions during the match.” Writes Mark Hodgkinson of the Daily Telegraph, “Federer’s defeat of Robin Soderling gave him a first French Open title, made him only the sixth man to achieve the career grand slam, put him level with Pete Sampras on a record 14 majors, and surely brought confirmation that he is the greatest tennis player of all time.”

Then, in dramatic fashion at the Wimbledon final weeks later, Federer was able to break the record, with Sampras in attendance, as documented from the “On This Day In Roger Federer History” book here:

July 5

2009: Roger Federer breaks the all-time record for most major men’s singles titles winning his 15th major title with a dramatic 5-7, 7-6(6), 7-6(5), 3-6, 16-14 win over Andy Roddick in the Wimbledon final. The match lasts four hours and 16 minutes, including a 95-minute fifth set, lasting 77 games — marking the longest major final in games in history. The tournament win, Federer’s sixth at Wimbledon, moves him past Pete Sampras, who won 14 majors from 1990 to 2002. Sampras flies to Britain from his home in California to watch the final and sits in the Royal Box along with other tennis legends Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver. “I am happy that I was able the break the Grand Slam record. Wimbledon is the tournament that always meant the most to me,” says Federer. Roddick, who loses to Federer in the 2004 and 2005 Wimbledon finals, nearly goes up two-sets-to-love in the match, leading by a set and 5-1 in the second-set tie-breaker and holds four set points in the tie-breaker, losing a critical one at 6-5 with a botched backhand volley into an open court. Writes Bud Collins in The Bud Collins History of Tennis, “The Yank might have won had he not bungled a set point volley in the tricky breeze that would have given him a two-set lead. Roger lifted himself from 1-5 in that tie-breaker, cancelling four set points, the Roddick-haunting one at 6-5, the misplayed volley. Never has such brutal serving illuminated a major final. They fireballed each other, scorching the court – Federer with 50 aces (a personal high), Roddick with 27 – while they crafted the lengthiest of major finals. Their 77 games topped the 71 consumed by Gerald Patterson in overcoming Jack Hawkes to seize the Australian trophy 82 years before. It was also a Wimbledon record, surpassing Nadal and Federer’s 62 games, merely 12 months previously.”  Writes Rene Stauffer in the book Roger Federer: Quest for Perfection, “His triumph was complete. He reached his dreams. He set new standards in his sport and his career was closer to perfection than ever before. While debating if he is the best player on earth, he provided overwhelming proof and most people gave him the nod as the greatest ever,”

Sampras held the all-time major record for almost exactly nine years – from 2000 Wimbledon to 2009 Wimbledon – a span of 35 majors. Federer held (or shared) the all-time record for men’s majors from 2009 Wimbledon to the 2022 Australian Open – a span of 48 majors and about 12 and half years. He was able to add on five more majors to get to 20 in all after his win at the 2018 Australian Open.

It wasn’t until the 2022 Australian Open when Rafael Nadal finally caught up to Federer and won his 21st major with a dramatic win from two sets to love down against Daniil Medvedev, winning 2-6, 6-7, 6-4, 6-4, 7-5 in five hours and 24 minutes, as written about here: https://www.worldtennismagazine.com/archives/20596

Nadal tacked on his 22nd major months later at Roland Garros and was eventually caught by Djokovic when the Serbian won the Australian Open in 2023, after not being allowed to play at the 2022 Australian and U.S. Opens due to his non-vaccination status against COVID. Nadal’s reign as the all-time leading men’s major title winner lasted about one year and four months and only four majors.

Will there be another chapter of the changing of the guard in the history of the all-time men’s major championship record tally? It’s hard to see it happening in this lifetime.

Inspiring Senior Tennis Players Profiled In New Book “Sport of a Lifetime – Enduring Personal Stories From Tennis”

by

New Chapter Press announced the release of the book “Sport of a Lifetime – Enduring Personal Stories From Tennis” written by long-time tennis enthusiast Judy Aydelott.

Featuring enriching and motivational stories about those who love and participate in tennis over the age of 35, “Sport of a Lifetime” is a volume of senior tennis through the stories and experiences of players from across the tennis spectrum – from late bloomers to seasoned champions. The book features 28 chapters of personal stories, including those of high profile players and personalities such as three-time Wimbledon champion John Newcombe, current U.S. Tennis Association and former WTA Tour player Katrina Adams and former New York City Mayor David Dinkins, as well as little-known but inspiring players such as Tony Franco, who has won 44 USTA national championships since age 75, and Betty Eisenstein, who won tournament titles into her 90s.

The book also features one of the last interviews ever given by International Tennis Hall of Famer and celebrated senior tennis champion Gardnar Mulloy before his death in 2016 as well as the riveting story of how Fred Kovaleski balanced playing international tennis while being a spy for the Central Intelligence Agency.

“Sport of a Lifetime” is available for sale and download wherever books are sold, including here on Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937559645/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_s7AizbEES0ZD3

Aydelott, a resident of Katonah, N.Y., is a graduate of Abbot Academy in Andover Mass., from Smith College and from Pace University School of Law. She became a trial attorney in the field of medical malpractice, a legal analyst for Court TV, a candidate for U.S. Congress in 2006 and a director of a NYS chartered commercial bank. A tennis late-comer starting in her twenties, Aydelott is married to former Dartmouth tennis standout Gordon Aydelott and also documents their personal story of her and her husband’s life and passion for tennis in the book.

Said 2017 International Tennis Hall of Fame inductee and author of “The Greatest Tennis Matches of All Time” Steve Flink, “Here is a book that must be read by everyone who celebrates the best of all lifetime sports. Judy Aydelott has reached out to both renowned players and those who are less well known, and the common thread that runs across the pages is the enduring passion they all have for tennis. Yet Aydelott’s superb and poignant book transcends tennis; it is equally about the larger game of life.”

Said Renee Richards, 1977 U.S. Open women’s doubles runner-up, “Judy Aydelott’s stories of senior tennis players, where they came from, where they’ve been – from World War II stories of Gardnar Mulloy and Mayor David Dinkins to the high jinks of the Australian legends, John Newcombe, Roy Emerson and Owen Davidson, to the tales of ‘The Saw Mill Boys’ – are a must read for all tennis players and would-be tennis players. You’ll laugh; you’ll be moved; you’ love this book.”

Said Ivan Lendl, three-time French and U.S. Open champion, “Sport of a Lifetime is a great read for tennis players and non-players alike. A terrific collection of life lessons.”

Said Nancy Richey, former French and Australian women’s singles champion, “My friend Judy Aydelott has authored a great book for serious tennis fans! A nice trip down memory lane – an inspiring read!”

Said Tim Mayotte, 1988 Olympic silver medalist, “This book is filled with entertaining personal stories filled with humor, adventure and an appreciation for the Sport of a Lifetime.”

Said Chuck Kinyon, former Dartmouth men’s tennis coach, “I greatly enjoyed reading Judy’s book. The cast of characters is diverse. As they progressed through their lives, the importance of being able to accept what comes their way and to learn and build as they moved on life’s path were shown to be essential over and over again. As a lifetime activity, tennis can bring great rewards on the court, but even greater lifetime bonuses and relationships off the courts.  Each individual is different and the stories are uplifting. A must read for tennis players and anyone interested in how people achieve happiness and stature as their lives evolve.”

Founded in 1987, New Chapter Press (www.NewChapterMedia.com) is also the publisher of “Andy Murray, Wimbledon Champion: The Full Extraordinary Story” by Mark Hodgkinson, “The Secrets of Spanish Tennis” by Chris Lewit, “The Bud Collins History of Tennis” by Bud Collins, “The Wimbledon Final That Never Was” by Sidney Wood, “Titanic: The Tennis Story” by Lindsay Gibbs, “Macci Magic: Extracting Greatness From Yourself And Others” by Rick Macci with Jim Martz, “How To Permanently Erase Negative Self Talk So You Can Be Extraordinary” by Emily Filloramo, “Acing Depression: A Tennis Champion’s Toughest Match” by Cliff Richey and Hilaire Richey Kallendorf, “The Greatest Tennis Matches of All-Time” by Steve Flink, “The Education of a Tennis Player” by Rod Laver with Bud Collins, “Roger Federer: Quest for Perfection” by Rene Stauffer, “The Days of Roger Federer” by Randy Walker, “Jan Kodes: A Journey To Glory From Behind The Iron Curtain” by Jan Kodes with Peter Kolar, “Tennis Made Easy” by Kelly Gunterman, “On This Day In Tennis History” by Randy Walker (www.TennisHistoryApp.com), “A Player’s Guide To USTA League Tennis” by Tony Serksnis, “Court Confidential: Inside The World Of Tennis” by Neil Harman, “A Backhanded Gift” by Marshall Jon Fisher, “Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games” by Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli (www.Boycott1980.com), “Internet Dating 101: It’s Complicated, But It Doesn’t Have To Be” by Laura Schreffler, “How To Sell Your Screenplay” by Carl Sautter, “Bone Appetit: Gourmet Cooking For Your Dog” by Suzan Anson, “The Rules of Neighborhood Poker According to Hoyle” by Stewart Wolpin among others.

"Sport of a Lifetime"
“Sport of a Lifetime”

Tennis Resorts Online Releases Annual Top 100 Tennis Resorts and Camps Rankings

by

Tennis Resorts Online, the web’s leading source of tennis-travel information, has released its annual rankings of the Top 100 Tennis Resorts and Camps worldwide. To guarantee an authoritative list, the results have been compiled from evaluations submitted by tennis vacationers themselves – avid players—who average more than 100 days per year on court—and frequent travelers. These elite reviewers not only have first-hand experience of the resorts and camps they rate, but also possess a highly-refined sense of what makes a tennis resort or camp great. It is their collective wisdom and judgment that underpin these Top 100 rankings and thus assure their credibility.

Thoughtful reviews take effort, so as an incentive Tennis Resorts Online will be giving away four tennis vacations in a drawing among those who filed a review during the last year. This year they were asked to rate their experiences in each of 20 categories. Those include the overall tennis experience, the quality of the teaching staff and instruction, the dedication to game arranging, the allure of the tennis complex itself, and caliber of its pro shop. However, because a tennis holiday consists of more than what happens on court, they were also invited to share their opinions about a wide variety of amenities and services, including lodging, cuisine, value for dollar, children’s programs, spa and fitness options, and other recreation. Using a formula that gives added weight to the tennis features, Tennis Resorts Online then computes a numerical score and uses that as its basis for determining the rankings. Any resort or camp having at least six tennis courts is eligible; however, in order to ensure statistically meaningful results, properties had to receive a minimum of 25 reviews to qualify as one of the Top 10 Resorts or Top 5 Camps and a minimum of 10 reviews to qualify for our Gold Medal Top 25 Resorts.

Once the calculations were complete, those rankings were broken out into two broad divisions: the Top 75 Tennis Resorts and the Top 25 Tennis Camps. Top honors have once again gone to Kiawah Island Golf Resort in South Carolina. Among the camps, Roy Emerson Tennis Weeks at the Gstaad Palace in Switzerland once again snared the No. 1 honors. The rankings aside, we’ve also highlighted the best in several specific categories, including Best Game Matching, Best Tennis Staff, Best Instruction and Programming, Best Junior Tennis Programs, Best Lodging, Best Cuisine, Best Spa and Fitness Center, Best Setting, Best Value For Dollar, Best General Children’s Programs, Best for Couples, and Best for Single Travelers.

The collective experience of thousands of vacationing tennis players goes into these rankings. But ideas of greatness necessarily differ, and thus the list as a whole mirrors the broad landscape of tennis-vacation options, from small properties where tennis is the principal amenity to grand hotels and multi-dimensional resorts and everything in between. The Top 5 in each category follow. To see the complete list visit www.tennisresortsonline.com/trofiles/top-100-tennis-resorts-and-camps.cfm and in the addendum below.

 

Gold Medal Resorts (Ranked In Order)

1. Kiawah Island Golf Resort, South Carolina

2. Rancho Valencia, California

3. Wild Dunes Resort, South Carolina

4. JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa, California

5. Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort, Florida

6. Sea Island, Georgia

7. La Quinta Resort & Club, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, California

8. Punta Mita, Nayarit, Mexico

9. Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Hawaii

10. Four Seasons Resort Nevis, Nevis, West Indies

11. The Boulders, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, Arizona

12. TOPS’L Beach & Racquet Resort by Wyndham, Florida

13. Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort, South Carolina

14. Topnotch Resort, Vermont

15. Bio-Hotel Stanglwirt, Tirol, Austria

16. The Resort at Longboat Key Club, Florida

17. Wintergreen Resort, Virginia

18. Ritz-Carlton, Key Biscayne, Florida

19. Kapalua Resort, Hawaii

20. Caneel Bay Resort, U. S.  Virgin Islands

21. Waterville Valley Resort, New Hampshire

22. Boca Raton Resort & Club, Florida

23. Saddlebrook Resort, Florida

24. The Broadmoor, Colorado

25. Four Seasons Resort and Club, Texas

 

Silver Medal Resorts (ranked 26-50, listed alphabetically)

•The Buccaneer, U. S.  Virgin Islands

•Carmel Valley Ranch, California

•Grand Cypress Resort, Florida

•Hawk’s Cay Resort, Florida

•Hidden Dunes Beach & Tennis Resort, Florida

•The Jumeirah Beach Hotel, United Arab Emirates

•La Jolla Beach & Tennis Club, California

•Lodge at Pebble Beach, California

•Mohonk Mountain House, New York

•Naples Grande Beach Resort, Florida

•Northstar California, California

•Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, California

•Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort & Spa, California

•Port Royal Racquet Club, South Carolina

•Reunion Wyndham Grand Golf & Spa Resort, Florida

•Rosewood Little Dix Bay, British Virgin Islands

•Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, Florida

•Sea Colony, Delaware

•The Sea Pines Resort, South Carolina

•The Seabrook Island Club, South Carolina

•Silverado Resort and Spa, California

•South Beach Racquet Club, South Carolina

•Taos Tennis at Quail Ridge Taos, New Mexico

•Thanyapura, Thailand

•The Tryall Club, Jamaica

 

Bronze Medal Resorts (ranked 51-75, listed alphabetically)

•The Bridges Family Resort & Tennis Club, Vermont

•Club Med-Sandpiper Bay, Florida

•Couples Swept Away Negril, Jamaica

•ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Florida

•The Fairmont Orchid, Hawaii, Hawaii

•Green Valley Resort & Spa, Utah

•Grove Isle Hotel & Spa, Florida

•Hanalei Bay Resort, Hawaii

•Hilton Head Island Beach & Tennis Resort, South Carolina

•Horseshoe Bay Resort, Texas

•La Manga Club, Spain

•The Lodge at Ventana Canyon, Arizona

•Makena Beach & Golf Resort, Hawaii

•Mauna Lani Bay Hotel & Bungalows, Hawaii

•Mission Hills Country Club, California

•Pinehurst Resort, North Carolina

•Reynolds Plantation and Ritz-Carlton Lodge, Georgia

•Rosemary Beach, Florida

•Shadow Mountain Resort & Club, California

•Shipyard Plantation, South Carolina

•Stratton Mountain Resort, Vermont

•Sugarbush Resort, Vermont

•Wailea Tennis Club, Hawaii

•Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa, California

•Westward Look Wyndham Grand Resort & Spa, Arizona

 

Top 25 Tennis Camps

1. Roy Emerson Tennis Weeks, Switzerland

2. Cliff Drysdale Tennis at Amelia, Florida

3. Saddlebrook Tennis (Hopman), Florida

4. New England Tennis Holidays at Sugarbush, Vermont

5. John Newcombe Tennis Ranch, Texas

6. Reed Anderson Tennis School, California

7. Topnotch Tennis Academy, Vermont

8. PBI Tennis Camp at Bio-Hotel Stanglwirt, Tirol Austria

9. Sea Colony Tennis Camp, Delaware

10. Wintergreen Tennis Academy, Virginia

11. IMG Academy Bollettieri Tennis Program, Florida

12. Court Think Tennis, Utah

13. Cliff Drysdale Tennis School at Stratton, Vermont

14. Northstar Tennis, California

15. Dave Marshall Tennis, Delaware

16. Peter Kaplan’s Westhampton Beach Tennis Academy, New York

17. Stan Smith Tennis Academy, Sea Pines, South Carolina

18. NIKE Amherst Adult Tennis Camp, Massachusetts

19. Desert Tennis Academy, Shadow Mountain, California

20. Van Der Meer Tennis, Shipyard, South Carolina

21. Club Med Academies at Sandpiper Bay, Florida

22. New England Tennis Holidays at The Boulevard, Florida

23. Brady Tennis Camp, California

24. Total Tennis, New York

25. Van Der Meer Tennis Center, South Carolina

 

Best by Category

 

Best Tennis Staff

1.Kiawah Island Golf Resort, South Carolina

2.Roy Emerson Tennis Weeks, Switzerland

3.Cliff Drysdale Tennis at Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort, Florida

4.Reed Anderson Tennis School, California

5.La Quinta Resort & Club, a Waldorf Astoria Resort, California

 

Best Game Arranging

1.Rancho Valencia, California

2.JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa, California

3.Cliff Drysdale Tennis at Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort, Florida

4.Resort at Longboat Key Club, Florida

5.Hidden Dunes Beach & Tennis Resort, Florida

 

Best Lodging

1.Rancho Valencia, California

2.Gstaad Palace, Switzerland

3.Kiawah Island Golf Resort, South Carolina

4.Sea Island, Georgia

5.Boca Raton Resort & Club, Florida

 

Best Cuisine

1.Gstaad Palace, Switzerland

2.Bio-Hotel Stanglwirt, Austria

3.Kiawah Island Golf Resort, South Carolina

4.Rancho Valencia, California

5.Mohonk Mountain House, New York

 

Best Value For Dollar

1.Taos Tennis at Quail Ridge Taos, New Mexico

2.John Newcombe Tennis Ranch, Texas

3.TOPS’L Beach & Racquet Resort, Florida

4.Waterville Valley Resort, New Hampshire

5.Hidden Dunes Beach & Tennis Resort, Florida

 

Best Pro Shop

1.Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, Florida

2.Resort at Longboat Key Club, Florida

3.Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort, South Carolina

4.Cliff Drysdale Tennis at Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort, Florida

5.The Lodge at Pebble Beach, California

 

Best Setting

1.Mauna Kea Beach Hotel, Hawaii

2.Bio-Hotel Stanglwirt, Austria

3.The Boulders, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, Arizona

4.La Quinta Resort & Club, California

5.Waterville Valley Resort, New Hampshire

 

Best Tennis Instruction and Programming

1.Kiawah Island Golf Resort, South Carolina

2.JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort & Spa, California

3.Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort, South Carolina

4.Cliff Drysdale Tennis at Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort, Florida

5.TOPS’L Beach & Racquet Resort by Wyndham, Florida

 

Best Junior Tennis Programs

1.Rancho Valencia, California

2.Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort, South Carolina

3.For Seasons Resort Nevis, West Indies

4.Wild Dunes, South Carolina

5.Sea Colony, Delaware

 

 

Best Overall Children’s Programs

1.Kiawah Island Golf Resort, South Carolina

2.Omni Amelia Island Plantation Resort, Florida

3.Wild Dunes, South Carolina

4.Sea Island, Georgia

5.Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort, South Carolina

 

Best Spa

1.Kiawah Island Golf Resort, South Carolina

2.Boca Raton Resort & Club, Florida

3.Sea Island, Georgia

4.Mohonk Mountain House, New York

5.Rancho Valencia, California

 

Best Fitness Center

1.Thanyapura, Thailand

2.Sea Island, Georgia

3.Boca Raton Resort & Club, Florida

4.Omni La Costa Resort & Spa, California

5.Rancho Valencia, California

 

Best for Single Travelers

1.John Newcombe Tennis Ranch, Texas

2.Nike Amherst Tennis Camp, Massachusetts

3.Total Tennis, New York

4.New England Tennis Holidays at Sugarbush, Vermont

5.Northstar California, California

 

Best for Couples

1.Rancho Valencia, California

2.Four Seasons Resort Punta Mita, Mexico

3.The Boulders, A Waldorf Astoria Resort, Arizona

4.Caneel Bay Resort, U.S. Virgin Islands

5.Rosewood Little Dix Bay, British Virgin Islands

 

About Tennis Resorts Online

Tennis Resorts Online (www.tennisresortsonline.com) debuted in 1999 with the goal of helping avid tennis players make better-informed choices about where to go on their tennis holidays. Its founder, Roger Cox, had spent the previous 17 years as Tennis magazine’s travel and resorts editor. During his long career in covering tennis travel he has visited more than 350 tennis resorts and participated in some 50 tennis camps on five continents. His expertise and advice underpins the website, and that has made Tennis Resorts Online the Internet’s leading source of tennis-travel information. Its hundreds of pages encompass both Cox’s personal reviews and the opinions of thousands of vacationers. A customized search form makes it easy for readers to find resorts and camps that meets their specific criteria, and they’ll find a calendar of tennis events, a selection of special tennis packages, a catalog of junior tennis camps, and a tennis-travel blog. Forbes named the site “Best of the Web,” and the Wall Street Journal calls it “A terrific resource for tennis players and their families.”

Center Court at Sea Island Resort in GeorgiaCenter Court at Sea Island Resort in Georgia
Center Court at Sea Island Resort in Georgia

Who Has The Best Volley In Tennis History?

by

 

Sergiy Stakhovsky’s upset win over Roger Federer on Centre Court at Wimbledon showcased some of the best serve-and-volley displays seen at the All England Club in years.

His volleying prowess against the 17-time major champion – and seven-time Wimbledon champion – stirred up a debate as to who had the best volleys in the history of the sport.

Steve Flink, the well-respected tennis journalist and observer, rates the best volleyers of all-time in his book THE GREATEST TENNIS MATCHES OF ALL TIME ($28.95, New Chapter Press, available here www.NewChapterMedia.com and where ever books are sold)

Flink’s rankings – for both men and women, forehand and backhand volley – are excerpted below.

 

FOREHAND VOLLEY

Men

1. JACK KRAMER The Californian believed fervently that a good offense would always overcome a tough defense. That is why he designed his game to go to the net whenever he had an opportunity. From close range, he was convinced that on a fast surface no one could stop him. Kramer volleyed phenomenally off both sides and had no weaknesses in the forecourt. But his forehand volley was the guiding light of his game, punched with not only control but power. He could handle the high forehand volley, dig out the low ones and close in tight to put away the sitters. Kramer did this better than anyone else.

2. JOHN NEWCOMBE The Australian’s philosophy was not far away from Kramer’s. He made his living at the net. He was comfortable and confident in that territory. He trusted his volley thoroughly. The seven-time Grand Slam singles titlist was quick to read the battle plan of his opponents whenever he was up at the net and was decisive in his execution, particularly on the forehand volley. Confronting great rivals like Laver and Rosewall, Newcombe knew he would have to make more than his share of difficult low forehand volleys. He was seldom found wanting in that department.

3. ROY EMERSON The reason this proud Australian captured no fewer than twenty-eight major titles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles was because of his renowned fitness and his uncompromising serve-and-volley style. Emerson was a terrific athlete and once he got his hands on a volley, he was not often going to make a mistake. Emerson volleyed with firmness and conviction and he had an awfully good forehand volley that was one of his primary attributes as a player.

4. PATRICK RAFTER In his two U.S. Open championship runs, and his two journeys to the finals of Wimbledon, Rafter exhilarated the galleries in New York and London with the spring he had in his step. He would propel himself forward swiftly behind his kick serve to play his first volley—no one could surpass him in that endeavor. I will never forget Rafter’s forehand volley display in dissecting Michael Chang in the semifinals of the 1997 U.S. Open. Rafter cast aside Chang in straight sets and, in my mind’s eye, I still see him punching away one forehand volley after another with absolute assurance.

5. JOHN MCENROE The New Yorker did wondrous things on the volley, off either side. What I liked about his forehand volley was his incomparable feel. Not only would he make his signature drop volleys off that side, but his touch was so astounding that he could take the low forehand volley off his shoelaces and deposit it at impossible angles and improbable spots. He kept his volleys low, making it difficult for his rivals to pass him. McEnroe was inventive at the net, a master of finesse and a genius in many ways.

 

FOREHAND VOLLEY

Women

1. JANA NOVOTNA The 1998 Wimbledon champion became one of the most proficient players ever at the net. She was agile in the forecourt, her technique was excellent and she was decisive in her execution. I felt her forehand volley was the best ever among the women because she could punch it with speed, depth, and precision—and she did it all in textbook fashion.

2. LOUISE BROUGH The winner of six major singles titles, and another twenty-nine in doubles and mixed doubles, Brough was one of the great female players of the late 1940’s and 1950’s. The primary reason she was so successful was her prowess on the volley. She was solid off both sides. Her forehand volley was first rate. She could make the low forehand volley more regularly than just about anyone in her era.

3. MARTINA NAVRATILOVA Early in her career, the forehand volley could be a glaring weakness for Navratilova, but during the 1980’s she improved that shot significantly. From that juncture forward, it became almost technically flawless.

4. MARGARET COURT. In her heyday, Court was always among the best on the volley. She had remarkable range at the net, and it was exceedingly difficult for opponents to find openings to drive the ball past her with more than sporadic success. They nicknamed her “The Arm” because of her capacity to cover the net so thoroughly. Her forehand volley was exemplary in every way.

5. BILLIE JEAN KING Like Navratilova, King could have off days when her forehand volley would let her down. But the fact remains that, at her best, King could get down to make the forehand volley better than anyone. She was never lazy in her approach to volleying, sticking assiduously to the fundamentals and producing those volleys as if she had been born to make them. No one understood good technique on the volley better than the ever inquisitive King.

 

BACKHAND VOLLEY

Men

1. STEFAN EDBERG The Swede was his era’s best at the net, by a considerable margin. He was the quintessential serve-and-volleyer, with a heavy kick serve designed to allow Edberg to get exceedingly close to the net for his first volley. His forehand volley was awfully good, but his backhand volley was stupendous. Edberg was supremely confident on the backhand volley, which he could “stick” better than anyone. Either high or low on the backhand volley, Edberg always had all of the answers, displaying finesse, precision and the capacity to put it away whenever possible.

2. TONY ROCHE The formidable Australian’s backhand volley was virtually on a par with Edberg’s—some would say that Roche’s was even better. His shoulder turn and soundness were his enduring virtues as a player. No one wanted to allow Roche to hit that backhand volley if they had a choice because he invariably would keep the low ones deep and put the high ones away emphatically. Roche played the backhand volley with clinical efficiency.

3. KEN ROSEWALL While the understated Australian was more revered in some circles for his backhand ground stroke, the fact remains that his backhand volley was every bit as impressive. Rosewall altered his game when he left the amateur ranks and turned pro, realizing he had to approach the net more frequently. Once that change occurred, Rosewall put his stellar backhand volley on display with growing assurance. It was ineffably good.

4. ROD LAVER The two-time winner of the Grand Slam was spectacularly versatile, capable of taking his place alongside any of the great shot makers of all time. But I believe no one gave him the plaudits he deserved for his backhand volley. This deeply humble left-hander had good feel and great control on that side and he never wavered when he was set up for a backhand volley.

5. PETE SAMPRAS Over the second half of his career, the American became more committed to following his second serve in at almost all times. Sampras made serious strides in his ability to volley with the best in his business. He had a very good forehand volley as well, but his backhand volley was outstanding. Even when he was stretched out or reaching down to his shoelaces, he would make even the toughest backhand volleys look remarkably easy.

 

BACKHAND VOLLEY

Women

1. MARTINA NAVRATILOVA This outstanding left hander’s athleticism was displayed most convincingly when she was stationed up at the net. Her speed and anticipation was second to none and her long reach on the backhand volley was phenomenal. It seemed almost impossible to get a ball by her on that side. Navratilova could not only pound her volleys for winners at sharp angles but also could use her touch for some astounding drop volleys.

2. BILLIE JEAN KING Her technique and flair on the backhand volley was comparable to Navratilova’s. King had a much better backhand than forehand off the ground. On the volley she was highly skilled off both sides, but her backhand volley was more of a weapon. She would knife it away with total conviction, go down the line as well as crosscourt and her footwork and forward movement was outstanding.

3. EVONNE GOOLAGONG Goolagong was very comfortable at the net, relishing the challenge to end points with her dazzling athleticism and staggering grace. Goolagong’s backhand volley was awesome. Navratilova and King were more adept at making the low volley in many ways, but Goolagong was the best on high backhand volleys and backhand overheads. She would leave audiences gasping when she played that shot.

4. MARIA BUENO The Brazilian’s elegance and grace were reminiscent of Goolagong. This fierce competitor hit a heavy ball off the ground, but her forte was the volley. Bueno had wonderful touch and vision at the net, which made her such an estimable grass court player. She knew exactly what to do with the backhand volley and had one of the best ever.

5. VIRGINIA WADE The winner of three singles majors on grass courts—including Wimbledon in 1977—Wade possessed a terrific first serve. It was among the most potent of her time and she followed it in persistently. Up at the net, she was comfortable and usually in command, exhibiting very good lateral movement. Her backhand volley was first rate. Wade could knife that shot crosscourt with extraordinary regularity.

Stefan Edberg
Stefan Edberg

“Tennis Fantasies With John Newcombe and the Legends” Celebrates 25th Anniversary

by

NEW BRAUNFELS, TEXAS – Camaraderie and competition were the watchwords for the 25th rendition of tennis’ longest-running and most successful fantasy camp, “Tennis Fantasies with John Newcombe and the Legends.”

This year’s camp was held October 21 – 26 at its longstanding location, the John Newcombe Tennis Ranch in New Braunfels, Texas (30 miles from San Antonio). As befits a silver anniversary, the event was rapidly sold out, with 100 campers in attendance – including 79 alumni.

“Tennis Fantasies embodies the spirit we Aussies created during the years we were circling the globe,” said Newcombe. “We looked out for each other and made new friends wherever we went. By day, we practiced and pounded each other’s brains in. By night, we enjoyed our mates.”

For this year’s silver anniversary, founder and director Steve Contardi gathered the biggest cast in the event’s history.  Thirteen legends were in attendance — all of whom have won Grand Slam titles or represented their nation in Davis Cup play (often both). Legend captains were Hall of Famers Newcombe, Roy Emerson, Fred Stolle, Owen Davidson, Mal Anderson and Mark Woodforde, as well as such notables as Rick Leach, Brian Gottfried, Marty Riessen, Charlie Pasarell, Ross Case, Dick Stockton and rookie legend Murphy Jensen.

Said Jensen, “It’s amazing to be around people who I grew up watching as a kid – players who built the game. To be with them here, coaching and playing, has made for a wonderful experience.”

COMPETITION REVEALS CHARACTER

What makes “Tennis Fantasies” so distinct is its emphasis on competition. Certainly there is plenty of time for campers to hit, drill and learn from the legends in numerous clinics, fantasy matches and practice sessions. But the spine of the week is its three days of competition. Attendees are drafted on to one of four teams and play two matches each day – singles and doubles or, if desired, strictly doubles.

Familiar as veterans are with the format, it remains nerve-wracking to play a match with a Grand Slam champion coaching the opponent. Rookies also savor the chance to prove themselves – and become veterans within minutes of competing.

“I’ve done thousands of clinics and pro-ams but it’s a whole different way to get to know someone when you watch them compete,” said Davidson. “There’s something very powerful about seeing how people deal with pressure – not if they win or lose, but how they handle each moment.”

According to Emerson, “This week is all about effort. From Davis Cup to someone playing for my team, to me it’s all the same – competition, people putting themselves into the thick of battle and showing all the sportsmanship and fighting spirit that this game is all about.”

“It’s quite nerve-wracking and compelling,” said Stolle. “I think I’ve lost five years off my life watching these campers compete.”

“It’s very simple,” said Contardi. “Each day, half the people there win, half the people lose – and then they all have every meal together. The next day they go out and do it again.”

A COMMUNITY LIKE NONE IN TENNIS

But the spirit of Tennis Fantasies goes far beyond the lines, towards the affinity built by campers and legends as teammates, rivals and friends – often sharing in many of life’s passages, from love and marriage to birth and death. “We’ve come to care about each other, to know each other in a very close, special way,” said Newcombe. “Tennis is what we all love, but we all know it’s just a game – and what matters most is the way we relate to one another, not just as competitors but as people.”

So it is that at the close of each year’s camp, all of the Australian legends commence a sing-a-long with the campers of that exemplary Aussie song, “Waltzing Matilda.”

2013 EVENT TAKES PLACES OCTOBER 20-25

The 2013 rendition of Tennis Fantasies takes place October 20 – 25, 2013. Newcombe, Emerson, Davidson and Ross Case are also the headliners for a mixed doubles Tennis Fantasies event that will take place March 7 – 10, 2013.  For more information, contact Steve Contardi at 1-800-874-7788 or 513-489-9700 or stevec@towneproperties.com or visit www.tennisfantasies.net

 

John Newcombe with Charlie Pasarell
John Newcombe with Charlie Pasarell

Winning! Charlie Sheen-esque Novak Djokovic still well shy of all-time records

by

By Bob Stockton

Winning!

It’s not only Charlie Sheen who can make this claim, but, for real, Novak Djokovic who can beat his chest and exclaim these words.

The Serbian tennis icon won his 34th straight match with his 7-5, 6-4 win over Rafael Nadal in the final of the Madrid Open in Spain on Sunday.

Where does Djokovic’s win streak stack up all time?

As documented in THE BUD COLLINS HISTORY OF TENNIS ($35.95, New Chapter Press, www.NewChapterMedia.com), the all-time record belongs to Suzanne Lenglen who won an incredible 182 matches from 1921 to 1926. Among men, the record goes to Bill Tilden, who won 98 straight matches during a stretch in 1924 and 1925.

The following are the all-time records for consecutive singles match victories, as documented in THE BUD COLLINS HISTORY OF TENNIS.

Men

98 Bill Tilden 1924-1925

92 Don Budge 1937-1938

55 Roy Emerson 1964

* 50 Guillermo Vilas 1977

44 Ivan Lendl 1981-1982

42 John McEnroe 1984

41 Roger Federer 2006-2007

41 Bjorn Borg 1978

* Includes four wins at an even in Rye, NY not recognized by the ATP

Women

182 Suzanne Lenglen 1921-1926

158 Helen Wills Moody 1926-1933

116 Suzanne Lenglen 1919-1921

111 Alice Marble 1938-1940

74 Martina Navratilova 1984

66 Steffi Graf 1990

Nancy Richey, Roy Emerson, Owen Davidson receive commemorative Hall of Fame rings

by

Extraordinary clay court competitor and Texas native Nancy Richey and Australian tennis legends Roy Emerson and Owen Davidson have achieved success at the greatest levels of tennis, ranging from capturing Grand Slam victories to setting world records and achieving top world rankings. In recognition of their success, the three stars have already been honored with the highest honor in the sport – induction to the International Tennis Hall of Fame. In a special ceremony today at the US Men’s Clay Court Championship in Houston, this important achievement was celebrated once again with the presentation of their official Hall of Fame rings.

Photo by Aaron M. Sprecher/ROCC

The one-of-a-kind rings will be presented to Hall of Famers at tennis events around the world over the next several years to mark their achievement of Hall of Fame induction. The personalized rings bear a green stone set in gold, to complement the Hall of Fame’s brand colors. In addition, the rings are etched with each honoree’s name and induction year, and the Hall of Fame logo. Richey was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 2003, Emerson in 1982 and Davidson in 2010.

Christopher E. Clouser, chairman of the International Tennis Hall of Fame & Museum presented the rings to Emerson, Richey, and Davidson on Center Court at the US Men’s Clay Court Championship. Also participating in the ring ceremony was Van Barry, tournament director for the Houston tournament.

“Nancy, Roy and Owen have all won the most coveted titles in tennis and have achieved rankings among the best players in the sport. As Hall of Famers, they are among an elite group of athletes and contributors. We are pleased to be able to recognize this achievement with this special ring, which only the most successful and influential individuals in tennis will have the honor of wearing,” said Clouser.

The International Tennis Hall of Fame rings have been generously underwritten by The Bruce T. Halle Family of Scottsdale, Arizona. Bruce, founder of Discount Tire, and his wife Diane, a philanthropist, are tennis enthusiasts and they have generously supported communities in the areas where Discount Tire is located, and beyond, for many years.

Nancy Richey

Nancy Richey, a Texas native from San Angelo, recorded a remarkable 69 singles titles during her career, including a record six consecutive U.S. Women’s Clay Court Championships. Richey won the Australian Championship in 1967 and the French Open in 1968, and also captured four doubles titles at Wimbledon (1966), the French Open (1968) and the U.S. Nationals (1965, 1966). She was an active Fed Cup player and helped lead the United States team to victory in 1969. Richey and her brother, Cliff, were the first brother-sister pair to rise to the top of American tennis, having both attained the No. 1 ranking among United States players. Richey’s highest world ranking was No. 2, and she was within the world Top 10 for 11 years, spanning 1963-1975.

Roy Emerson

Australian legend Roy Emerson was regarded as tennis’ model of fitness and sportsmanship during his successful career that spanned amateur and open eras. Fondly known as “Emmo,” he captured a staggering 12 Grand Slam singles titles and 16 Grand Slam doubles titles between 1959 and 1971, and he is still the only male player to have won both singles and doubles at all four Grand Slams. Emerson was ranked in the world Top 10 nine years in a row, beginning in 1959 and achieved the No. 1 ranking in 1964 and 1965.

Owen Davison

Owen Davidson, also an Australian tennis great, is one of just 13 people who have won a calendar-year Grand Slam at the Tour level, which he achieved in mixed doubles in 1967 when partnered with Lesley Turner Bowrey and Billie Jean King. His 15-year career was highlighted by 12 Grand Slam titles. “Davo,” as he is known, went on to win the Australian Open Doubles with Ken Rosewall in 1972, and the US Open doubles with John Newcombe in 1973.

Additional International Tennis Hall of Fame rings will be presented at tennis events around the world in the coming years. Presently, there are 84 Hall of Famers living in 16 different countries, a testament to the global reach of the game. Upcoming ring presentations are scheduled for the Barcelona Open BancSabadell, during the annual Hall of Fame Weekend in Newport, which celebrates Hall of Fame Induction, and at the Farmers Classic in Los Angeles.

Located in Newport, Rhode Island, the International Tennis Hall of Fame is a non-profit institution dedicated to preserving the history of tennis and honoring the game’s greatest heroes. The International Tennis Hall of Fame has inducted 218 individuals from 19 different countries since 1955. In addition, the Hall of Fame provides a landmark for tennis enthusiasts, offering an extensive museum that chronicles the history of the sport and its stars, historic grass tennis courts that date back to 1880 and are open to the public, an ATP World Tour tournament and the annual Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony in July, and numerous public events year-round.

To learn more, visit tennisfame.com.

Who is going to stop Novak Djokovic?

by

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. — Who is going to stop Novak Djokovic?

The man from Serbia continued his incredible assault on the ATP World Tour Friday, dispatching Mardy Fish 6-3, 6-1 to win his 25th straight match and advance into Sunday’s final at the Sony Ericsson Open.

Djokovic, ranked No. 2 in the world, will face world No. 1Rafael Nadal in Sunday’s final. Nadal defeated chief rival Roger Federer 6-3, 6-2 Friday night in the second men’s semifinal.

Novak Djokovic unstoppable?

The turning points in the match came when Djokovic broke Fish’s serve in the sixth game of the first set with a furious baseline rally, highlighted by some dramatic defensive play from the Serbian. Fish had an excellent chance to square the match with two break points at 15-40 with Djokovic serving for the set at 5-3. On his first break point, Fish had a chance to put away a swinging cross-court forehand volley, but instead chose to try and hit the shot behind Djokovic. The Serb was able to change directions and hit a strong backhand back at Fish at the net. The American was unable to handle the shot and hit a backhand volley wide. Fish then missed a forehand into the net, hit an unforced error off the backhand side before Djokovic hit a service winner to close out the set.

“I don’t feel invincible. I don’t feel that I can’t lose on the court,” said Djokovic. “What I feel is confidence. What I feel is that I’m playing the best tennis of my life. This is as simple as that.”

Where does Djokovic’s winning streak match up against the best of all time?

Looking through THE BUD COLLINS HISTORY OF TENNIS ($35.95, New Chapter Press, www.NewChapterMedia.com), Djokovic is still a long ways away from the all-time record, as documented below from the book.

Consecutive Singles Match Victories

Men

98 Bill Tilden 1924-1925

92 Don Budge 1937-1938

55 Roy Emerson 1964

50** Guillermo Vilas 1977

44 Ivan Lendl 1981-1982

42 John McEnroe 1984

41 Roger Federer 2006-2007

41 Bjorn Borg 1978

Women

182 Suzanne Lenglen 1921-1926

158 Helen Wills Moody 1926-1933

116 Suzanne Lenglen 1919-1921

111 Alice Marble 1938-1940

74 Martina Navratilova 1984

66 Steffi Graf 1990

58 Martina Navratilova 1985-1987

** Includes four match victories at an event in Rye, NY in August of 1977 not recognized by the ATP, but counted by Bud Collins and other historians

The Djokovic-Fish match was delayed by rain by 54 minutes at 2-2 in the first set.

A 900th ATP Match for Federer, But What About his First?

by

Much was made of Roger Federer’s 900th career ATP World Tour singles match Thursday – a 6-1, 6-2 win in 50 minutes over American Taylor Dent at the Stockholm Open in Sweden. But who did Federer play and what were the circumstances in his first ATP match?

Rene Stauffer, the author of the celebrated Federer book ROGER FEDERER: QUEST FOR PERFECTION ($19.95, New Chapter Press, www.RogerFedererBook.com) discusses Federer’s ATP debut in Gstaad, Switzerland in 1998 in this exclusive book excerpt below:

Roger Federer

As a reward for winning the Wimbledon junior title, Federer received a wild card entry into the Swiss Open in Gstaad from tournament director Köbi Hermenjat. Federer received his first chance to play in an ATP tournament, even though he was not qualified to play since his world ranking stood at No. 702. Gstaad, the clay court tournament that traditionally takes place the week after Wimbledon, is played in a picturesque jet-set vacation area in the Bernese Alps. It is one of the oldest professional tournaments with a history dating back to 1915. It is loved by players and spectators alike because of its idyllic location in the little village with many chalets, the majestic Palace Hotel—whose courts previously hosted the tournament—and its postcard ambiance. Hermenjat was one of the most senior tournament directors on the ATP Tour and well acquainted with everyone in the tennis world. He embodied a piece of tennis history. He was a ball boy for the tournament when he was 11 years old and had been the tournament director since 1965. Tennis legends such as John Newcombe, Tony Roche, Ilie Nastase, Ken Rosewall and Roy Emerson—after whom later the Centre Court was named—are all past champions of the Swiss Open.

Federer very reluctantly declined taking part in the traditional and prestigious Wimbledon Champions Dinner and left London that Sunday. He flew to Basel and continued by automobile to the Bernese Alps. It was well after midnight when he arrived at the luxury resort.

Federer’s ATP tournament debut proved difficult. At Wimbledon, he played on grass courts and almost at sea level. In Gstaad, he found himself on slippery clay courts and at over 3,000 feet above sea level. At Wimbledon, the balls bounced low, but in the high air at Gstaad, the balls bounced high and fast. The clay surface also demanded a completely different running technique than on grass. At Wimbledon, he competed against inexperienced junior players. An array of world class players were in the draw at Gstaad. There was no doubt that the tournament was a few sizes too big for him. His purpose, however, was just to gather some experience and be presented, on this grander sporting stage, to a larger portion of the Swiss public.

Federer drew German Tommy Haas, ranked No. 41 in the world rankings, as his first-round opponent, scheduled to play on Tuesday, the second day of the tournament. On Monday, due to great demand, Federer held a press conference to discuss his Wimbledon junior success and his ATP debut. “I would have preferred to play on the Centre Court than on the secondary court,” he said confidently of where the Gstaad tournament officials chose to schedule his match. There was so much interest in the Wimbledon junior champion that the thousand seats in the grandstands at Court No. 1 in Gstaad were not enough to accommodate the storm of spectators. As it turned out, Tommy Haas was not Federer’s opponent. The German withdrew from the tournament a few minutes before match time due to stomach trouble. Lucas Arnold, a lucky loser from the qualifying tournament, was Federer’s opponent. The Argentine clay court expert, ranked No. 88 in the world, defeated Federer 6-4, 6-4, but Arnold admitted that he was impressed by the 16-year-old, saying “he plays like Pete Sampras and he has a great serve.”

Federer was disappointed but he had no reason to be crushed. “I competed very hard, but did not play well. If I had played well, I would have won,” he said in an upbeat tone. “You have to do more running with the professionals than with the juniors and pros are not going to make as many mistakes.”

ROD LAVER: CHANGING YOUR GAME AS YOU GROW OLDER

by

Many eyes remain on Roger Federer as the 16-time major tournament winner turned 29 years old on August 8, 2010 with an ATP World Tour ranking for No. 3 – his lowest ranking since 2003. Will the Swiss maestro change his game, his strategy and this style of play in the latter years of his career to continue to win major singles titles well into his thirties?

Rod Laver, the only player in the history of tennis to win the Grand Slam of tennis twice, won his second Grand Slam in 1969 at the age of 31. In his newly re-released and updated memoir THE EDUCATION OF A TENNIS PLAYER ($19.95, New Chapter Press, www.NewChapterMedia.com), Laver discusses “changing your game as your grow older” in this exclusive book excerpt below.

In 1963 at Adelaide, when the American team of Chuck McKinley and Denny Ralston took the Davis Cup away from Australia, the pivotal victory was the doubles match.

The Yanks beat Neale Fraser and Roy Emerson largely because Fraser couldn’t hit his overheads. McKinley and Ralston obliged by feeding him lobs whenever they could, and Fraser’s failure caused an astute observer, Jack Kramer, to say: “The first thing that goes in an aging tennis player is not his legs—but his overhead.”

Rod Laver
Rod Laver

Now Fraser was by no means an antique. He was thirty, but he hadn’t been playing quite as much as the others. It was a good lesson to remember. The overhead is the most tiring stroke to hit, and if you can make older opponents hit a lot of them, you’re going to cause a breakdown. (Unless the older opponent you have in mind is Pancho Gonzalez—although Pancho could be wearied a bit by good lobs, too.)

Pancho, by the way, was a good example of a prudent change by a man over forty. He used a much lighter racket than he did years ago, barely 13 ounces. Red Hoehn, former teaching pro at the Badminton & Tennis Club in Boston who did stringing for Pancho, was jolted back in the day when he weighed Pancho’s rackets. “This is the same weight my twelve-year-old daughter uses,” said Hoehn.

The lighter racket is easier to whip around, causing less strain. Pancho became a devotee of the metal racket. Again, it can be swished easily, offering less resistance with the split shaft. Serving with the metal rackets is not as tiring.

On the serve, it’s doubly important for the older player to get the first ball in, for this is a fatiguing stroke, too, and you want to hit as few serves as possible. Elderly players — there are people in their nineties who continue to play — might consider using VASSS (Van Alen Streamlined Scoring System) rules, in either single-point or no-ad form. Single-point is similar to table tennis scoring, with the serve changing every five points. No-ad eliminates deuce; thus the first to reach four points wins the game. Both reduce the strain of serving long deuce games or sets. Jimmy Van Alen, the audacious enemy of conventional scoring, also conceived the sudden death tie-breaker, a revolutionary newcomer at Forest Hills in 1970. This outlaws deuce sets, going into force at 6-6 in games. Sudden death is a best-of-nine sequence of points ending the set. The professional tours have adopted no-ad for doubles, and a tie-breaker in place of a decisive third set. Jimmy would be delighted. Complete rules of VASSS are available on request from the International Tennis Hall of Fame, Newport, Rhode Island.

Older players may be surprised at finding themselves better in many ways than as youths, having learned not to blast away all the time with the gusto of bygone days, and to must play more thoughtfully, mixing up strokes. Hitting the ball on the rise takes advantage of the pace the opponent puts on the ball and uses less energy. Don’t run for a ball obviously out of reach, or on a point that probably doesn’t mean much, say at 40-0 or 0-40.

Gonzalez was a good example, mustering his energy, saving the big serve for when he really needed it. He kept his returns low and soft, and used the lob often and well. When he came to the net he made sure it was behind a worthwhile shot. He felt that his eyes and reflexes had gone just a little and had trouble with balls hit directly at him at net. This is always a good tactic to use with a volleyer—bang it right at him—and it pays off more against an older opponent.

Older players are more likely to pull muscles, so they should be sure to be warmed up properly, and should take it easy if they haven’t been playing regularly. It’s a great game at any age. So take it easy and enjoy it.

DOWN MATCH POINT, LAVER GOES ON TO WIN 1962 FRENCH TITLE…AND THE GRAND SLAM

by

It was 48 years ago on Friday, May 28, 2010, that Rod Laver was down his only match point in either of his two historic Grand Slam runs (1962, 1969). In the quarterfinals of the French Championships of 1962, Laver faced fellow Australian Marty Mulligan, who nearly turned the tide of tennis history with one swing of the racquet.

Here’s how Laver recollects the famous match in his newly updated and re-released memoir THE EDUCATION OF A TENNIS PLAYER($24.95, New Chapter Press, www.NewChapterMedia.com), co-written with Bud Collins.

I realized that this was the hardest championship for me to win, and because of that it probably meant more than the other three. It was certainly the toughest in 1962 when either Marty Mulligan, an Australian who revels on clay, or Roy Emerson should have beaten me, and Neale Fraser could have. Those were three straight five-set matches beginning in the quarters with Mulligan. Fraser in the semis went to 7-5 in the fifth, and Emmo in the final won the first two sets before I began to wear him down. Mulligan—or Martino Mulligano, as his pals sometimes call him now—had the best chance, leading me two sets to one and holding a match point in the fourth set.

How do you make an instant Italian out of an Australian? Add two o’s and stir some remote Italian blood in the genealogical pot. We kidded Marty about his conversion to the Italian Davis Cup team in 1968, but he was only doing the best he could with his tennis talents and nobody blamed him. Marty came out of Sydney and was a mate of mine on the Australian Cup team of 1959.

Rod Laver
Rod Laver

He’s a little fellow, very steady, and he took to the European clay better than he did to his native grass. His strokes were accurate and consis­tent, but he lacked the booming game that intrigued Harry Hopman, our captain. He also came along at the wrong time, in the midst of some of the best tennis players any country has developed. So Marty wisely moved to Italy to live. There he went on the payroll of a large club in Milan, becoming available for the interclub matches, very popular in Italy. The Italian clubs buy players from all over to compete in these “amateur” affairs.

Marty fitted well in Italy, learned a few words, fell in love with an Italian girl, and accepted a bid to play on the Italian Davis Cup team. Since he’d never competed for Australia, he was eligible, after declaring himself a resident. This caused a furor in Italy. One faction, backing Marty, wanted only to win, like the Americans in 1958 who broadened the Good Neighbor Policy to include Alex Olmedo of Peru on the U.S. team. But an opposing faction was horrified to think that an Australian would take the place of an Italian boy in representing the homeland.

All Marty wanted to do was play tennis and make as much money as he could. Europe was the place to do that in the amateur game, and he could make even more by playing for Italy, probably as much as $30,000 a year all told, with very favorable living conditions too. Luckily, he discovered an Italian grandmother in his family tree. She had immigrated to Australia. That made it reasonably okay, and Martino Mulligano wore the insignia of Italy in 1968, for one year. Italy wasn’t able to win the European Zone, so Marty was dumped. They figured they could lose just as easily with full-blooded Italians.

But this was in 1962 when we played. He was just plain Marty Mul­ligan, promising young Australian—and he was one point away from cancelling out that Grand Slam. I was down two sets to one and serving at 4-5, 30-40, the only match point against me in either Grand Slam.

It’s hard to get a bunch of Frenchmen excited about two Australians playing tennis, but I was the favorite, the top seed, and here was this nice-looking nobody named Mulligan about to pull the big upset. Mo­mentarily the customers adopted him as though he were St. Martin, the Patron Saint of France.

If Charlie Hollis had been there, he’d have screamed: “Get your first serve in!” It was the only thing to do in a tight spot, and I got mine in all right—into the net. So now I was down to the second serve. I spun the ball to his backhand and came sprinting in to the net behind it. Maybe I should have stayed back, but all through the match he’d been sending his backhand return down the line, and I wanted to move right to the spot and cut off the return. Sure enough, he stuck to the pattern, and I was there to bang a winning volley. It was deuce. The match point was gone, and I held serve for 5-5. I was still in there, but Marty was fighting hard to close it out in four sets, and the crowd let him know they felt that way too.

The set stretched to 8-all, and then a linesman’s eyesight was ques­tioned by Marty, and this quiet, polite Australian erupted uncharacter­istically. He was serving and I hit an approach shot that sailed over the baseline. At least Marty thought so, and I’ll take his word for it. His word didn’t count, only the linesman’s who said the ball was good. My point.

This was too much for Marty. He began screaming at the man on the line and the umpire. I was shocked. I’d never heard him raise his voice before. Then I was stunned as Marty picked up a ball and smacked a high-speed drive at the linesman. The fellow’s eyes were definitely all right; he ducked, avoiding a headache at the least. The ball hit the grandstand loudly and rebounded across the court.

Marty wasn’t the only one shouting now. The umpire was shouting back. Neither understood what the other was saying, but they didn’t need an interpreter for most of the remarks. The referee marched out to try and stop the argument. You’d think I’d written the script, the way things worked out, but I stood by uncomfortably until Marty got it all out of his system.

When we resumed he’d stopped complaining, but he’d lost his con­centration—and he’d lost his followers. Suddenly he was no longer St. Martin to the crowd, and they began jeering him. They had been carry­ing Marty but now they got on his back, and he couldn’t resist that load. I won eight of the last ten games.

LOOK WHO’S 40!

by

Andre Agassi, one of the most colorful and talked about tennis champions of all-time, will turn 40 years old this coming Thursday, April 29.

Agassi is definitely in the conversation when discussing the all-time greats with eight major singles titles (4 Australian Opens, 2 US Opens, 1 Wimbledon and 1 French Open) and being one of only six men to win all four majors in a career, joining Fred Perry, Don Budge, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson and Roger Federer. He’s the only man to win all four majors and the Olympic gold medal in singles as well, but his wife, Steffi Graf, can make the same claim in women’s tennis.

Bud Collins, the Hall of Fame journalist and personality, summarizes the life and career of Agassi in this excerpt below from the authoritative tennis book “THE BUD COLLINS HISTORY OF TENNIS” ($35.95, New Chapter Press, www.NewChapterMedia.com)

A player of irresistible flair, appeal and shot-making ability since appearing on the professional landscape as a 16-year-old in 1986, Andre Kirk Agassi, was the first Nevadan to make an impact on the game. And what a tremendous impact, although it took longer than expected for him to make the predicted leap to his first major championship, Wimbledon in 1992—and even longer to re-dedicate himself to his profession so that he was solidly established at the heights. At age 33, he was playing better than ever, winning his fourth Australian championship, his eighth major.

Despite a seemingly disastrous slump during which he plummeted to No. 141 in 1997, and finished the year at No. 122, Andre rebounded sensationally to rise to No. 6 in 1998—a record turnaround. He nailed down five of his majors between 1999-2003. The piece de resistance was his French triumph in 1999, evicting the defender Carlos Moya in the fourth round, 4-6, 7-5, 7-5, 6-1, and finishing in a dazzling recovery over Andrei Medvedev, 1-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 The win catapulted Agassi into the select company of Fred Perry, Don Budge, Rod Laver and Roy Emerson as only the fifth man to own all four majors.

Andre’s first major title, Wimbledon, came after he’d failed as the favorite to beat Pete Sampras for the U.S. Open title in 1990, and Andres Gomez and Jim Courier for the French in 1990 and 1991. After a quick, unhappy thrashing by Henri Leconte, 6-2, 6-1, 6-2, at Wimbledon in 1987, Agassi assiduously avoided the grass until 1991, a successful reappearance ending in a quarterfinal loss to David Wheaton, 6-2, 0-6, 3-6, 7-6 (7-3), 6-2. Realizing the greensward wasn’t that forbidding, he returned a year later to take it all, his No. 12 seeding making him among Wimbledon’s lowest regarded champions at the starting gate. “This was not the one people looked for me to win,” he said correctly, after his buzzing groundies outdid the missile attack of 36-ace-serving Goran Ivanisevic in the final, 6-7 (8-10), 6-4,6-4, 1-6, 6-4. Ranked low again in 1994, No. 20, he became only the third non-seed to win the U.S. Championships, taking it on his ninth shot, over German Michael Stich, 6-1, 7-6 (7-3), 7-5 joining Aussies Mal Anderson (1957) and Fred Stolle (1966) in the exclusive unseeded club.

Andre Agassi
Andre Agassi

He had also made excuses for skipping the long trip to Australia, yet won it on his first try in 1995, spectacularly over Sampras, the defender, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (8-6), 6-4. Following his French title in 1999, Andre won his second U.S.—fifth major—in a five-set battle with Todd Martin, 6-4 6-7 (5-7), 6-7 (2-7), 6-3. 6-2. He then won the 2000 Aussie over Yevgeny Kafelnikov, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4, after being two points from defeat in a fourth-set, semifinal tie-breaker against Sampras, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (0-7), 7-6 (7-5), 6-1. His third and fourth Aussie titles were both in straight-set finals, over Frenchman Arnaud Clement, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2, in 2001 and German Rainer Schuettler, 6-2, 6-2, 6-1, in 2003. (He missed 2002 with a wrist injury.)

A brilliant shot-maker and thoughtful attacker from the baseline who took the ball so early that he seemed to be playing ping-pong, Agassi needed time to sort out whether being a commercial success was enough. As the most widely marketed player of all-time—“Image is Everything” was one of his sales pitches—he has made more millions off the court than on it. Fortunately, he decided to utilize his gifts to attract as much attention by winning. Never has there been such a controversial figure so broadly associated with the game, thanks to TV commercials, his ever-changing hairstyle, brightly hued attire. Such items as black shoes and denim shorts, considered garish by traditionalists, lured countless buyers as hip or avant-garde.

His engagement to actress Brooke Shields (granddaughter of Hall of Famer Frank Shields), whom he married in 1997, didn’t hurt. Andre’s visibility transcended the sports page. That marriage was short-lived, but he made another high-profile pairing when he wed champion Steffi Graf in 2001 (they have two children, Jaden Gil and Jaz).

But beneath the peacock and the pop idol was a tennis player whose timing, anticipation, coordination and determination enabled him to deliver withering, top-spinning barrages with flicks of the wrist. “When Andre’s on, forget it,” said Sampras. “He does practically everything better than anybody else.”

Agassi, born April 29, 1970 in Las Vegas and grew up there, although he was farmed out to Nick Bollettieri’s Tennis Academy at Brandenton, Fla., at age 13. His father, Mike Agassi, an Iranian immigrant and naturalized U.S. citizen, was a strict taskmaster determined that Andre would be a top tennis player. Papa pushed the kid from cradle onward, then gave the prodigy over to surrogate father Bollettieri. An Olympic boxer for Iran in 1952, Mike fell for tennis and taught Andre the new game, “based on the way a fighter throws punches, plus a two-handed backhand for added power.” A right-hander, 5-11, Andre played at, 170 pounds.

Andre had his own Olympics in 1996 in Atlanta, where he made off with the gold medal by thumping Spaniard Sergi Bruguera, 6-2, 6-3, 6-1. He and wife Steffi Graf are the only players in tennis history to have all four major championship titles—and a gold medal—in their trophy cases. By lifting the Australian crown from Sampras in 1995, Agassi also took Pete’s No. 1 jersey, and they dueled throughout the year for the top. But Pete ended Andre’s excellent summer streak of four tournaments and 26 matches with a 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, title-round defeat to regain his U.S. Open title and the top ranking.

That loss seemed to deflate Agassi, and 1996—other than the Olympics—was a downer: Ghastly first and second-round losses respectively at Wimbledon (No. 186 Doug Flach) and the French (No. 73 Chris Woodruff), and desultory semifinal losses to Michael Chang at the Australian and the U.S. Opens. His was an uneven course through the first 11 years, up one year, down another (four first-round losses at the U.S. Open for instance), but  the sheer firepower within made him a threat to blast anybody off any court at any time.

A world Top 10 inhabitant 16 times between 1988 and 2005, Agassi finished 1999 as No. 1, and was No. 2 in 1994-95, 2002. Bollettieri, feeling Andre didn’t work hard enough, severed their decade-long relationship in 1993, but he won six majors with Brad Gilbert as coach. Plunging to No. 24, his lowest adult ranking at the time, after losing the first round of the 1993 U.S. Open to No. 61 Thomas Enqvist, he required surgery to repair a damaged wrist—“I thought my career was over.” But he came back strong. Aussie Darren Cahill became his coach in 2002, and fitness guru, fellow Las Vegan Gil Reyes, directed Andre’s superb physical conditioning.

In 1988, as one of the youngest U.S. Davis Cup rookies at 18, he won all his singles on Latin clay (historic trouble ground for gringos) at Peru and Argentina to spearhead his fallen nation’s recovery from the perdition of relegation. He became a valuable hand in the Cup triumphs of 1990, 1992 and 1995, but played sporadically thereafter, a total of 22 ties. Registering four singles wins in 3-2 decisions over Zimbabwe and the Czech Republic in 2000, he sat out Davis Cup play until making a cameo in 2005 against Croatia, losing what became his Cup swan-song to Ivan Ljubicic 6-3, 7-6 (0), 6-3 in the surprising 3-2 U.S. loss. He finished with a 30-6 singles record, representing the U.S. in 1988-1993, 1995, 1997- 1998, 2000, 2005.

Andre made his first splash at Stratton Mountain, Vt. in 1986 as a 16-year-old, beating Tim Mayotte en route to the quarterfinals. He won his first title at the end of 1987 in Itaparica (Brazil), over Brazil’s Luiz Mattar 7-6, 6-2. The last title (the 60th) was Los Angeles in 2005, 6-4, 7-5, over Gilles Muller of Luxembourg. His most productive season was 1995: seven titles on a 73-9 match record, but two of his five titles in 1999 were the French and U.S. His feat of playing U.S. Open finals 15 years apart (1990 and 2005) is unequalled. Andre’s last genuine hurrah was fending off close defeats.

In 2005, he was two sets down and two points from defeat in defeating James Blake in an epic Open quarterfinal 3-6, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3, 7-6(8-6), en route to climbing to the ultimate of his 15th major final, a very combative four-set loss to Roger Federer, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6(7-1), 6-1.

Establishing the Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation, he has shown responsibility and concern, donating millions to such worthy projects as building the Agassi College Preparatory Academy, and the Agassi Boys and Girls Club in the troubled sector of West Las Vegas. Call him a humanitarian champion.

Won eight major singles titles: Australian, 1995, defeating Sampras, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (8-6), 6-4; 2000, defeating Yevgeny Kafelnikov, 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4; 2001, defeating Arnaud Clement, 6-4, 6-2, 6-2; 2003, defeating Rainer Schuettler, 6-2, 6-2, 6-1; French, 1999, defeating Andrei Medvedev, 1-6, 2-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4; Wimbledon, 1992, defeating Goran Ivanisevic, 6-7 (8-10, 6-4, 6-4, 1-6, 6-4; U.S., 1994, defeating Michael Stich, 6-1, 7-6 (7-5), 7-5; U.S., 1999, defeating Todd Martin, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-7 (2-7), 6-3, 6-2.

He lost seven major singles finals: French, 1990, to Andres Gomez, 6-3, 2-6, 6-4, 6-4; 1991, to Jim Courier, 3-6, 6-4, 2-6, 6-1, 6-4; Wimbledon, 1999, to Sampras, 6-3, 6-4, 7-5; U.S., 1990, to Sampras,6-4, 6-3, 6-2; U.S., 1995, to Sampras, 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5; U.S., 2002, to Sampras, 6-3, 6-4, 5-7, 6-5; U.S., 2005, to Roger Federer, 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7-1) 6-1.

During a 21-year pro career, ending emotionally at the U.S. Open of 2006, he won 60 singles titles (of 90 finals), one doubles title and $31,152,975 prize money. His career singles won-loss record was 870-274.