Author Archives: Anna

The Tennis Greats: Martina Navratilova

In common with the Williams sisters, Martina Navratilova has had to put up with a level of criticism that was out of all measure with her game and her personality. When one considers that in the course of her career Navratilova won titles as a singles, women’s doubles and mixed doubles player, one would be justified in asking why she would be criticised. When one hears that she won a total of fifty-nine Grand Slam titles across these three forms of the game, the question could be […]

Read more

The Tennis Greats: The Williams Sisters

Although each deserves to be remembered as a separate entity, there is no ignoring the phenomenon that is the Williams sisters. Still both active players at the time of writing, the sisters have won an amazing twenty Grand Slam singles titles between them as well as a further twelve as a ladies’ doubles partnership and two each as mixed doubles players. Their dominance of the women’s game has been criticised and lauded in equal measure, but only the most stubborn could fail to see how impressive it […]

Read more

Ultimate Secrets to Winning Matches

The goal is obviously to win when you are playing tennis, after all who really steps out onto the court with the goal of losing a match? If you are like most typical players you need all the help you can get to win some games because you may find yourself up against a player who seems to cream you the split second you serve the ball and has you feeling as if there is no way possible for you to really stand a chance at winning. […]

Read more

The Tennis Greats: Pete Sampras

Although not remembered with the same level of affection that is reserved for the likes of john McEnroe or Bjorn Borg, no-one can deny the quality of Pete Sampras’ achievements as a tennis player. Considered dour in personality and robotic in his playing style, it was perhaps Sampras’ misfortune to play during an era when tennis itself came under attack for being dull and serve-dominated. This tends to ignore the fact that he was possessed of a greater degree of touch than many of his opponents, and […]

Read more

The Tennis Greats: Bjorn Borg

In any pantheon of the finest tennis players ever to pick up a racquet, there is no excuse for leaving out the name of Sweden’s Bjorn Borg. Noted by many for his rivalry with John McEnroe as well as his eleven Grand Slam titles, Borg was in many ways McEnroe’s polar opposite. Cool where McEnroe was calm, patient while McEnroe was aggressive, Borg was the kind of tennis player who simply had greater natural talent than virtually all of his opponents. No coach tried to change his […]

Read more

The Tennis Greats: John McEnroe

Although tennis is commonly seen as a “gentleman’s sport”, one of its finest exponents in the men’s game is a man who few people would have referred to as a gentleman. John McEnroe’s career is remembered by casual observers of the sport as being notable as much for his tirades and confrontational approach to umpires and line judges as it was for the tennis he played and the tournaments he won. Now retired and in his early fifties, McEnroe himself admits that this reputation was well-earned, and […]

Read more

The Tennis Greats: Roger Federer

Roger Federer is widely heralded as the greatest tennis player of all time, earning the title from fellow professionals such as John McEnroe and Rafael Nadal. When one examines Federer’s incredible run of success as a player, it is hard to disagree.  Federer holds the world record for the number of Grand Slam victories; at time of writing, he held 16 Grand Slams. He also holds the record for the longest consecutive appearances in Grand Slam semi finals, a run that was only ended in May 2010 […]

Read more

The Tennis Greats: Rafael Nadal

Rafael Nadal is a Spanish tennis player, who has consistently ranked within the top two in the world. Nadal was born in Mallorca (an island just off the Spanish mainland) in June 1986. He played both tennis and football as a child, but chose to specialize in tennis when he reached the age of 11. He was (and still is) coached by his Uncle, Toni Nadal – and it is Toni Nadal who is credited with making the most beneficial change to Rafael’s game. Rafael Nadal is […]

Read more

Understanding The Tennis Basics: The Masters 1000 Events

While the four ‘Major’ Grand Slam tournaments punctuate the tennis calendar as the most prestigious tournaments, the vast majority of a professional players’ schedule is taken up by slightly lesser-known tournaments: the Masters 1000 events.  Men and women both player Masters events, though not always at the same venue at the same tournament (for example, the men play the Rome Masters around March, while the women play in May). To win a Masters event is to earn 1,000 points towards the world ranking of a player, almost […]

Read more

Understanding The Tennis Basics: The Grand Slams

The tennis calendar is almost year-round, with tournaments held on every continent of the globe for nearly the full 12 months of the year. This continual cycle is highlighted by four events, the Majors – or as they are better known, the Grand Slams. The Grand Slam tournaments are the pinnacle of a player’s career. Each tournament consists of two weeks of play, culminating on the final weekend with the ladies final on the Saturday and the men’s on the Sunday. The Slams are the focus for […]

Read more
1 2 3 4 5