As players and fans anxiously await the Wimbledon draws, we turn our lens towards the snakes in the grass: dangerous lurkers who won’t hoist the trophy but from whom the top competitors hope to keep their distance. Often quirky and typically opportunistic, this group spans a spectrum from grizzled veterans (only figuratively grizzled, in one case) to surging newcomers eager to brand their imprint onto the pristine lawns of the All England Club. Ladies, gentlemen, and Jelena Jankovic, meet…

Having discussed the five tournament favorites, one of whom won’t even enjoy his own quarter, we turn our lens towards the group of players who might produce a slightly unexpected champion or champions. Once again, this article breaks down each challenger into causes for confidence and causes for concern. You might find one or two surprises in the list!

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Reaching your best playing level is your main objective, but if you can’t do it consistently, you still have work to do. To aim for consistent results with your game, begin by establishing consistent habits. Players who play the game within themselves, that is, the game they know they know they are capable of, develop strokes they can count on in practice. You…

It seems like only a week or so ago that Schiavone was ingesting particles of crushed brick and Nadal was crying softly into his towel. Well, it was only a week or so ago. Nevertheless, another Slam looms on the history-laden lawns of Wimbledon, which means that another preview is straight ahead. We start at the top with the tournament favorites, profiling causes for confidence and concern in each of their individual circumstances.

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Like many other teaching pros, when I look for a youngster’s potential talent in tennis, I look for three things – the desire to win, a good attitude, and most important, good footwork.…

Loose some extra poundage and see what happens. Whether a pro or a twice-a-week enthusiast, every player needs a proper exercise program to play his or her best tennis. It will strengthen your muscles, build up your stamina and, combined with a few warm-up routines before matches, greatly reduce the chance of muscular injury. And of…

Coaching and teaching juniors can be a very rewarding experience. However, one thing I did not expect when I began my teaching career was how much time and…

What is percentage tennis? It means that, in any given situation, you would use the shot that has the greatest chance of success. Especially at the junior levels, playing the percentages is one of the fundamentals of successful tennis. Another way to look at percentage tennis is to play in a way that will make the most of your strengths and minimize your weaknesses. All to often, I see…

In the 2008 French Open, the new world #1 Ana Ivanovic proudly lifted the first Slam trophy of what seemed destined to be a career replete with such memorable moments. In the 2010 French Open, the world #42 Ana Ivanovic cowered helplessly behind the baseline as the burly Alisa Kleybanova crammed a second-set bagel down her throat in the second round. How did this precipitous two-year plunge from glory to misery accelerate with such alarming speed? We look at seven of the principal…

There are a lot of questions surrounding strength training, especially where children are concerned. The risk of injury is probably the primary concern of any parent or coach who has a child entering strength training programs. Many parents and coaches are hesitant to begin strength training with juniors for fear of damaging the bones and possibly stunting…

Now that the long and grueling clay court season, owned by one man, is done, we’ve now entered not only the midpoint of the season but for some tennis purists the only part of the season that matters. And although it’s probably premature to start analyzing the recent early exits by top seeds at the Queen’s Club event while Roger Federer cruises to what looks like another trophy at Halle, it’s probably more fascinating to try and analyze why this time of year, always so brief and almost…

When I was younger, I had no idea the human body was so fragile. How can tennis be so demanding? It’s really not until you begin to develop some skills. Ironic, isn’t it. The better you are, the harder it is on the body. When you watch the pros, they appear to breaking the biological laws of physical movement. But have you noticed that some pros seem to disappear…

Greetings to all.…

Understated and businesslike when she takes the court, Samantha Stosur represents a striking anomaly amidst the melodramatic, made-for-TV extravaganzas produced and directed by the WTA’s current elite. Although scowls, sneers, and sobs provide compelling entertainment, it’s also refreshing to observe a sturdy competitor who simply plays tennis in an unruffled, methodical manner. Dedication to the sport shines clearly from Stosur’s focused attitude, which should enable her to build upon the…