Interview with: Mark Milne (Thirty30 Tennis)

Q.) To any of our readers that haven’t heard about Thirty30, give them an explanation of the rules and scoring etc.

A.) Thirty30 (or T30) tennis is the equivalent of cricket’s shorter faster-paced Twenty20 (or T20) format where a set is completed in 20 minutes.
Everything about the scoring in Thirty30 is identical to traditional scoring except that every game starts from 30-all, i.e. 30-30 – called a “SHORT GAME” – and is announced “thirty-thirty” – the clue is in the name!
If a set reaches 6 games all, a 9-point tie-break (first to 5 points) is played with ‘sudden-death’ at 4-4.
Change of ends is after the first two games then every four after that. All very simple!

Q.) What inspired you to start Thirty30?

A.) Three years ago for the winter months I started playing TouchTennis – similar to ‘Short Tennis’ but with a faster sponge ball – indoors on a badminton court in a one hour booking slot.

We used traditional tennis scoring and were constantly being frustrated that our ‘best-of-3’ sets matches were not being completed in the available time.
I had remembered that during my junior tennis days coaches had used 30-30 game starts as a method to give players more experience in playing the crucial ‘big’ points.

We started using the 30-30 game starts, tweaked the ‘change of ends’ rule and used the 9-point tie-break at 6-6 and found that invariably we would complete the best-of-3 sets match in the hour. The matches were shorter, faster-paced and more dynamic – the game-score ticked over more quickly and still felt, looked and sounded like traditional tennis.

I was very aware of cricket’s extremely successful shorter Twenty20 format that has taken the sport of cricket to new levels, and when I looked at “30-30” the obvious thing to do was to call the new shorter tennis scoring method “Thirty30” tennis – the name says what it does on the tin! Every game starts at “thirty-thirty”.

Q.) What benefits would it bring to the sport of tennis?

A.) Shorter scoring formats are being introduced in many sports in an effort to remain relevant in today’s fast paced world where people do not have the same time to devote to playing or watching sport – Even the die-hard tennis fans do not have time or patience to watch every second of ‘best of 5 sets’ matches that last 4 hours straight.

It is time for tennis to speed up. Speeding up matches by using Thirty30 will work well to generate more excitement and help players to rest and recover faster. It will also attract a younger generation to tennis which is vital for any sports to grow, and to capitalise on.

With the Thirty30 tennis format, sets are estimated to take no longer than 20 minutes, so a ‘best of 3 sets’ match can be completed in an hour (and a ‘best of 5 sets’ match in around 90 minutes). This is a perfect length of time for a sporting event to play recreationally or to stream and enjoy from anywhere in the world.

Shorter formats also provide the opportunity to innovate with tournament formats where round-robin and compass draws events can be utilised more often instead of traditional straight knock-out events – players will be guaranteed to play more matches, more opponents and have more fun.

Q.) Cricket has transformed to new level over the past years, due to the T20 and T10 formats becoming more entertaining and enjoyable for people to watch…do you think Thirty30 could have the same impact on tennis?

A) Yes, anything is possible! My dream is to see both T20 cricket and T30 tennis played at the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles or failing that, at the 2032 Games possibly in India! T20 and T10 are used as shorter alternatives to the traditional 5-day Test and the 1-day cricket matches. It is extremely important that these traditional versions still exist, as everyone’s taste is different.

Thirty30 tennis is similar to T20 cricket – it is only to be used as an alternative to traditional scoring. The Grand Slams, ATP 1000, Davis Cup and Federation Cup events should never change – they provide the ultimate tests. In a similar way to T20 cricket, alternative T30 tennis events can be introduced.

Lower level ATP and WTA events have fairly poor spectator attendances and the shorter, faster-paced T30 format can be used to improve this. Complete with its’ more “bite-size” intense periods of play, it can be more family friendly and is also ideal for television and streaming.

Using shorter scoring methods, many more combined men’s and women’s events are possible and this would be great for the fans.
A greater number of Thirty30 matches can be completed in the same time, e.g. a tournament ‘Session’ will have more matches and spectators will see more players compete.

Thirty30 matches are still long enough to provide a fair test of skill and ability where the better player still generally wins. This is very important to me going forward, as any shorter format has to be credible and accepted by the competing players, spectators and viewers.

Cricket has been very successful, T20 leagues are played all over the world but are called “Big Bash” in Australia. There is no reason why tennis cannot have equally successful Thirty30 (T30) “Big Smash” leagues played all over the world!

The match format for the “Big Smash” leagues could be:
Teams are mixed, consisting of 2 men and 2 women and include both singles and doubles players.
A “Big Smash” League Match consists of five matches:

Women’s Doubles (WD), Men’s Doubles (MD), Women’s Singles (WS), Men’s Singles (MS) and Mixed Doubles (MXD).
WD, MD, WS & MS matches are one Thirty30 “Tie-Break Set” and the MXD match is one Thirty30 “Advantage Set” (lead by two games).
WD & MD matches are worth one point each.
WS & MS matches are worth two points each.
MXD match is worth three points.

There are a total of nine points to be won ensuring that a drawn match is not possible.
Using one court, the five matches are completed in no longer than two hours and using two courts the five matches are completed in one hour – great for local clubs and for both adults and juniors.
Team tennis competitions are great fun with the recent USA World Team Tennis (WTT) mixed matches and the Laver Cup (Team Europe v Team World) Events proving to be very popular.

Q.) What are the next steps for Thirty30, do you want to trial it as a junior or ITF tournament for example?

A.) In early 2017 I completed the ITF’s “Application to amend The Rules of Tennis” application form. I was then informed that Thirty30 would be on the agenda at their next Rules of Tennis (RoT) Committee meeting to be held in Paris in June 2017.

In early July I received a letter telling me that the RoT committee had decided not to put Thirty30 forward to the Board for consideration as their Rules already had alternative methods for shortening tennis matches.

In Appendix V “Alternative Procedures and Scoring Methods” of the ITF’s Rules are listed the following: “No Ads” (i.e. ‘sudden-death’ deuce), Short Sets (to 4 games, T-B at 3-3), Match Tie-Break (7 points), Match Tie-Break (10 points) and “No Let”.

I pointed out that “Short Sets” (to 4 games, T-B at 3-3) with “No Ads” (i.e. Fast4) is not tennis as we know it and that that Thirty30 was possibly better as it retains the best bits of traditional scoring, i.e. sets to 6 games, tie-break at 6 games all, and the Deuce / Ad points are all still played.

I told them that I would go and get T30 trialled all over the world and then re-apply at some time in the future.

At the end of 2017 I started contacting people through social media explaining the Thirty30 tennis project and asking them to try T30 and to send me feedback.

Feedback has been very encouraging, with youngsters especially liking the faster-paced format, and there are now almost 270 Testimonials (April 2020) on the Thirty30 website.

Please see: https://www.thirty30tennis.com/testimonials 

The Foreword of the ITF Rules states:

In addition, on its own behalf or on application by interested parties, certain variations to the rules may be approved by the ITF for trial purposes only at a limited number of tournaments or events and/or for a limited time period.

My goal is to re-apply to the ITF with ‘Proposed Amendments’ to ‘trial of a variation of an existing rule’.

30-30 game starts are nothing new. All that I have done is taken them, tidied it up with regards to ‘change of ends’, used the 9-point tie-break, formalised it as a competition format and called it “Thirty30” tennis.

Q.) How can we support Thirty30 and help you grow the format?

A.) You can support Thirty30 very simply just by spreading the word via your blog and also by sharing on social media.

To take the format forward, I require more people to try Thirty30 tennis and to send me feedback.

I firmly believe that alternative shorter formats are the future of tennis and can help the sport attract younger people into the sport which can only be good for everyone involved with tennis.

Also, with the current corona-virus pandemic situation where the WTA, ATP and ITF tours are suspended for the foreseeable future, together with possible travel restrictions in the future, there is a big window for innovation because there’s no live sport and won’t be for a while for the players and fans.

An opportunity for some privately organised exhibition matches using alternative match and event formats may be possible to take place where and when local government restrictions allow, and these can be attractive opportunities for players to play some competitive matches and earn some income.

I would love to see the annual Home International Tennis (“Big Smash”?) matches between England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales resurrected and streamed live – the ‘auld enemy’ match between England and Scotland would be very interesting!

Any live sport which takes place in the months to come will be a novelty, and a welcome diversion during these days of restricted movement.

There is a window for innovation right now to create entertainment for fans and opportunities for players and alternative shorter faster-paced scoring methods can be trialled.

Big thanks to Mark for the interview, we wish him the very best with Thirty30 Tennis. Check out his website, social media accounts and if you have any questions, drop him an email.
Email: contact@thirty30tennis.com
Website: https://www.thirty30tennis.com

Also follow Thirty30 on Twitter and Instagram.

The importance of giving exposure to British Tennis

The whole of Great Britain is currently on lockdown, and will likely remain that way for at least a few more weeks. Consequently, people are reading more, trying to start new hobbies, using social media and learning new things. This is a time to do something positive, with a view to the future. Tennis in Britain is in such a good place right now, I’ll run you through a few of our players’ achievements later in the article. If you’re reading this blog for the first time, great. Get following the players, watching the Davis Cup/Fed Cup highlights, all the accounts related to British tennis and enjoy the ride. If you’re already a fan, enjoy the article and lets keep supporting.

It’s worth reminding people that tennis players rely on prize money and sponsorships to earn income. With all tournaments being completely suspended until June at the earliest, it must be a difficult and frustrating time to be a tennis player or coach. We fans can play our part, by supporting and following their careers. The more exposure we can give them, the better chance of finding sponsors and getting other media opportunities to raise their profiles. Anyway, lets jump into the article, I’ll tag every player with their Twitter account (give them a click and get following).

Andy Murray has been a brilliant flag-bearer for British tennis, and transformed it to new levels in recent years. A Davis Cup win, two Olympic gold medals, a US Open title, two Wimbledon wins and reaching world number one. What a career. With Murray struggling to return to full-fitness and unlikely to reach those heights again, offers hope and opportunity to the younger generation to become stars and top representatives of British tennis. 

Kyle Edmund has played a superb supporting role to Murray since that introduction at the Davis Cup in 2015. Despite leading David Goffin by two sets, Edmund cramped up and lost the match in a decider. Although, he won the hearts of British fans that week and has gone from strength-to-strength since. 2018 was the breakthrough year for Edmund. At the Australian Open, Kyle enjoyed a fantastic run to the semi-finals, before losing to Marin Cilic in the last four. Wins over Novak Djokovic and David Goffin, reaching his first Masters quarter-finals in Madrid and Shanghai and winning his first tour title in Antwerp. 2018 was a remarkable year for the Yorkshireman, climbing from just inside the top 50 to 14 in the world. Unfortunately, Edmund struggled for form in 2019, however, he won his second ATP title in New York to start 2020 and remains Britain’s number one ranked player.

Johanna Konta has been consistently very, very good over the past four years. Earning a top 10 spot in the world, reaching at least the quarter-final of every grand slam and winning three major WTA titles. In 2017, Jo had a fantastic run at Wimbledon that proved to the world she was one of the best players in the world at that time. I think she was the best player in that tournament, and missed a huge opportunity to win her home grand slam. After defeating Simona Halep in the quarter-final, we started to believe it was her year. Unfortunately for Konta, Venus Williams defeated her in the semi-final. However, it was still great to see a British player fighting it out in week two of Wimbledon with the world’s best. Konta is a great watch. She posseses quality ground-strokes and the ability to hit winners from anywhere on the court. Hopefully one day she will lift a grand slam title, a one she would richly deserve.

Great Britain had a fantastic Fed Cup in 2019. Captained by Anne Keothavong, Konta led the charge on the courts, she was brilliantly supported by Katie Boulter, Harriet Dart, Katie Swan and Heather Watson. The girls secured wins over Slovenia, Greece, Hungary, Serbia and Kazakhstan, all on home turf. The support and atmosphere in Bath and London definitely played a part in their winning performances. It was a special time for British tennis, and we certainly took advantage of the opportunity. 

Elswhere in 2019: Dan Evans won two British ATP titles in Nottingham and Surbiton, overally enjoying a successful year, while playing arguably the best tennis of his career. Sarah Beth Grey won three ITF doubles titles, two of which she was partnerred by Eden Silva, a player that is climbing the rankings and enjoyed a fantastic run in the Wimbledon mixed doubles with Evan Hoyt. Katy Dunne enjoyed a singles title win in Spain, early 2019, and is preparing well for a successful future after returning from injury. Jodie Anna Burrage is a youngster catching the eye, winning titles in both singles and doubles in 2019, before starting 2020 with winning the doubles title in Monastir.

The British player I have been most excited about for a good for years is Emma Raducanu. The 17-year-old has already won three ITF singles titles and represented Great Britain in the Fed Cup away tie in Slovakia. Raducanu is a great athlete and has real power on forehand and backhand. With the right guidance, scheduling and hard work, we could have a special talent on our hands. 

That’s a look at some of our excellent talents and their achievements over the past few years. There’s plenty more players to support and follow for a good few years, check out the GB rankings in the links at the bottom of this article. If you are thinking of becoming a tennis fan, do it. Our players work exceptionally hard on and off court, travel around the world to compete and we are lucky to have so many brilliant, young players that will achieve big things in the future.

We have interviews with some of our British players on the blog, more will follow. In the meantime, follow us on Twitter, other GB tennis fans, the LTA and players accounts.

Thanks for reading.

Mens GB rankings: http://www.britishtennis.net/gbtop25m/current.htm

Womens GB rankings: http://www.britishtennis.net/gbtop25f/currentf.htm

 

 

 

 

 

Naomi Osaka: A winning machine

Naomi Osaka has an air of invincibility about her right now. She doesn’t quite have the presence of Serena Williams yet, but she will in years to come. The Japanese star was one game away from defeat in the 2nd round of the French Open today, but I never thought she would lose the match. When it was Angelique Kerber or Caroline Wozniacki in the same position earlier this tournament, I didn’t expect a fight back, with Osaka it’s different. She’s a winning machine, and defeat seems out the question. I forget Osaka is 21 when I watch her play, she carries all the attributes of a player that is experienced and won multiple grand slams, like a Serena or Venus Williams.

Jelena Ostapenko burst onto the scene at this tournament in 2017, and won her maiden grand slam title. You either kick on from that, develop and use the winning experience to your advantage. Or, you crumble under the pressure of becoming a champion, and struggle to live upto new expectations and to perform at a consistent high level. Ostapenko has completely fell apart since winning the title at Roland Garros two years ago. The crushing winners have turned into wayward, erratic errors. It’s a shame, but it also highlights just how special Naomi Osaka is.

The thing about Osaka that impresses me most, is the way that she wins. Yes she’s a superb tennis player, we all know that. Her serve is a huge weapon, the devastating ground-strokes, shot variation, she’s got it all. But, when things aren’t going quite right, she seems to really dig in and find a way to win; which is a sign of a champion that could dominate the sport for many years.

Osaka excites me. Although I like to see open tournaments and new champions, if Osaka could dominate this era of women’s tennis, she will undoubtedly go down as one of the greatest ever women’s players. And I’m backing her to do it. We have seen many new women grand slam champions over recent years; Garbiñe Muguruza, Sloan Stephens, Jelena Ostapenko, Victoria Azarenka, Simona Halep, Angelique Kerber, Caroline Wozniacki, Petra Kvitova, however I’ve never felt as if any of them could truly dominate the game and win a string of grand slams. I feel different about Osaka. She’s bidding to become just the second women’s player ever to win three consecutive grand slams, after Serena Williams.

Despite entering this tournament on the back of poor performances on clay, and struggling with an injury, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Osaka in the final come next Saturday. Not because she’s the best player in the world, but because she’s a fighter and a champion. She’s proven time and time again in grand slams, that a comeback is never out of her reach. Go back to the Australian Open earlier this year, trailing 7-5 4-1 to Wei-Su-Hsieh in round three, then Osaka won 11 out of 12 games to win 5-7 6-4 6-1. I think only herself and Serena Williams could do that in the world. I don’t think any other player on the women’s tour would have that mental strength and belief in their game, to mount a fightback. Osaka went onto win the title after that, coming through three more final set deciders.

I was watching her today, and she was down 0-6 4-5, it felt like the 2019 Australian Open all over again. It’s almost like she wants to feel down and out, because it kicks her into gear and starts her tournament. It’s no fluke. Many players would think its not their year, I’m not playing well, not Osaka. She has that strength, physically and mentally, to fight and be aggressive until the very last point, and it’s proving to be a special weapon.

Whether she wins this years French Open or not, the Japanese superstar is demonstrating she has the steely attitude, battling qualities and talent to become a dominant figure in women’s tennis. I’m excited for her and Japan to see how much success will come her way. Right now, the sky is the limit, everything is going well at the grand slams. Wimbledon awaits. Then it’s back to her favoured hard courts in Flushing Meadows, which she is lightening quick around, and has the brutal ground-strokes to make her a clear favourite heading into the US Open.

Bravo Naomi Osaka.

Andy Murray: A legend

I’m writing this tribute following Andy Murray’s five set thriller against Roberto Bautista Agut, a match that gripped the sporting world and will live long in the memory. Two sets down, practically playing on one leg, he showed the most incredible heart, fight, passion and skill to win two thrilling tie-breaks. The crowd were going crazy, Murray jumping around as if he’d won the title, look what it means to him – it makes the retirement due to injury even more devastating. Yes he lost the match, but Murray won the respect of everyone and proved just how special he is. All his career he’s had doubters, doubt him now. Three time grand slam champion, two Olympic golds, a Davis Cup win and a former world number one. The stats look good, but forget about them for a second, Murray is a fighter – he leaves absolutely everything on the court. His attitude is why we’ve loved him over the years, the highs of that moment he beat Novak Djokovic in the 2013 Wimbledon final, to the lows of the post-match interview with Sue Barker after losing in the final the previous year to Roger Federer. What a journey it’s been, what a warrior and champion.

It all started back in 2005. 18 year old Murray became the youngest player to ever represent Great Britain in the Davis Cup,  he then turned professional in April that year, won his first ATP match at Queens, and reached the third round at Wimbledon. Even as a teenager, you could see the Scot had that grit and determination, he was a born winner and he’s proved it throughout his career.

In early 2006, Murray became British number one and achieved a world ranking of 42.  At Cincinnati, he became only one of two players, alongside Rafael Nadal, to defeat Federer in 2006, breaking the Swiss star’s 55 match winning streak on hard courts. He lost two rounds later to Andy Roddick, but broke into the top 20 for the first time. When the tour reached San Jose, California; Murray defeated a top ten player for the first time, Andy Roddick. Murray went on to claim the SAP Open title defeating world number 11 Lleyton Hewitt.

Skip to the 2008 US Open. If you didn’t rate Murray as world class before the tournament started, you certainly did after it. He produced two incredible performances to overcome Juan Martin Del Potro and Nadal, to setup his first major final against the great Federer. The final went the way of the 20 time grand slam champion, as he won in straight-sets with relative ease, however it proved to be a very good learning experience for Murray who was still just 22.

The Brit started to win tournaments regularly, and climb the rankings by beating world class players with stunning performances. In the first half of 2009, Murray won three tournaments in Qatar, Rotterdam and Miami, which saw him reach the highest ever ranking of a British male in the Open Era when he reached the number three ranking on 11th May 2009. Onto the grass, Murray was favourite to become the first Brit to win Queens since 1938. He duly delivered, defeating American James Blake in the final. Could he do the double and become Wimbledon champion? Not just yet, Murray lost a thrilling semi-final against Roddick.

In the first major of 2010, Murray lost his second final to old nemesis Federer. Again, the Scot performed remarkably well throughout the tournament, beating Marin Cilic and Nadal on route to the final in Melbourne. 

“I can cry like Roger Federer, it’s a shame I can’t play tennis like him.” Murray during his runner’s up speech at the 2010 Australian Open.

The next two years proved frustrating. Lots of brilliant tennis, plenty of tournament wins, but the grand slams kept eluding him. During the spell of 2010-2011, Murray reached two grand slam finals, losing to Federer and Novak Djokovic; while also reaching three semi-finals, losing them all to Nadal. Will he ever win a grand slam?

It was another defeat in a grand slam semi-final in Melbourne for Murray, when he was beaten by Djokovic in one of the greatest tennis matches ever, lasting four hours and 50 minutes. In July 2012, the Scot beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the semi-final in four sets to become the first male British player to reach the final of Wimbledon since Bunny Austin in 1938. In the final, he faced Federer, but after taking the first set, he lost the match in four sets. The interview that followed was one of the most iconic sporting interviews ever, as he broke down in tears, he had to win Wimbledon one day.

MURRAY WINS OLYMPIC GOLD IN LONDON. AND HE BEAT FEDERER. All of a sudden, he made winning look rather easy. He controlled the match and showed no signs of nerves in the final, losing just seven games and winning in straight-sets. You could see the relief, he had eventually won a major tournament. Everyone knew this was the breakthrough win, he was too good to not win grand slams.

Murray become a grand slam champion, at last. After defeating Tomas Berdych in a marathon semi-final, he met Djokovic in the final. The match was incredible, neither deserved to lose. However, nobody deserved a slam more than Andy Murray, and after winning a fifth set decider 6-2, he eventually got his hands on the coveted US Open trophy.

Djokovic got revenge at the Australian Open, as he beat Murray comfortably in the final. Fatigue was a factor after Murray won an epic five set battle against Federer in the semi-finals, his first win against him at a grand slam.

The waiting is over. Andy Murray is Wimbledon champion.

 

If you didn’t cry that day, you’re lying. HE DONE IT. HE WON WIMBLEDON. YES. A year on from crying with sadness, he was crying with happiness. It made the win extra special. Henman hill went crazy, euphoria in the stands of centre court and Judy just couldn’t believe her eyes. All the sacrifices and dedication was worth it. A straight-sets win over Djokovic in the final sounds pretty comfortable, not when I remind you that the final game took over 12 minutes, but eventually he won it on his fourth championship point. The win made him the first British male to win Wimbledon since Fred Perry, in 1936. It was worth the wait.

Murray struggled with a lower back injury for the remainder of 2013, and after losing to Stanislas Wawrinka in the quarter-finals of the US Open, he opted for surgery. However, despite returning to action in January 2014, the year didn’t go to plan at all. Murray dropped outside the top 10 for the first time since 2008, after failing to reach any grand slam finals. His quest to defend the Wimbledon title was ended by Grigor Dimitrov in the quarter-finals.

The Brit returned to form in 2015, but ran into a formidable Djokovic, who was nigh on unstoppable. It’s easy to look back on Murray’s career and say he should have won more. He played at a standard that would win grand slams comfortably in another era, but having to beat two of Djokovic, Nadal and Federer to win a tournament is a huge ask. The Serb beat Murray at both the Australian Open and French Open, while Federer defeated him in the semi-finals at Wimbledon. Away from grand slams, GREAT BRITAIN WON THE DAVIS CUP. Murray won both his singles match, while also winning in the doubles with his brother Jamie partnering him. This was Britain’s first Davis Cup win since 1936, another record broken.

2016 was undoubtedly the best year of Andy Murray’s career – results and performance wise. Surprisingly, he lost in the final of the Australian Open final, to Djokovic again. Then, he done the unthinkable in Madrid, by beating Nadal ON CLAY. For those that didn’t know, Nadal’s win to loss record at the French Open (clay court )is 86-2. Wow. Unfortunately for Murray, guess who was waiting in the final? Djokovic. Of course Djokovic won again, he was unbeatable.

He’s won it again. Andy Murray has won it again.

 

After recording his fifth Queens title, Murray entered Wimbledon 2016 as a strong favourite. He played like a champion throughout the tournament, dominating his opponents and in the form of his life. ‘Muzza’ dropped just two sets on his way to the final, where he met grand slam final debutant, Milos Raonic. The match was tight, but Murray played the big points perfectly, and served brilliantly, winning the 6-4 7-6 7-6, to claim his second Wimbledon title.

Next on his agenda, becoming the first player EVER to win two Olympic golds in tennis, he couldn’t, could he? YES HE COULD. THIS IS ANDY MURRAY. He made us experience 1000 different emotions during the four hour war with Del Potro, but eventually he crossed the winning line again and won another Olympic gold medal. What an achievement.

A 26 match winning streak, saw Murray become world number one for the first time in his career. He reached the final of the ATP World Tour Finals for the first time before winning against Djokovic in two sets, and in doing so, becoming the first player to win a Grand Slam, the ATP World Tour Finals, the men’s singles at the Olympic Games and a Masters 1000 title in the same calendar year.

I’d love to continue writing about grand slam wins, because I’m certain it would’ve happened. He was sensational. But, injuries have prevented it. In 2017, Murray suffered from elbow and hip injuries. He lost in the quarter-finals of Wimbledon, but the real worry was his movement, the hip worsened throughout the tournament, to a point that meant Murray could hardly play a shot without grimacing in pain. Horrible to see a player that was destined to dominate, have it taken away because of injury.

Murray underwent hip surgery in early 2018. Sadly, he never fully recovered. There was attempted comebacks, but his movement was limited, the pain was still there and the quality was nowhere near of the standard he sets himself.

In early 2019, Murray announced he is going to retire after playing Wimbledon. How gutting. A player that deserved to go out on his own terms, had his career cut short due to injury. I’ve no doubt that he would of won more grand slams, but at least he won Wimbledon, the Olympic golds, conquered America, along with everything else he won in the sport. He’s been a pleasure to watch, gave us amazing entertainment. There’s been the highest of highs and the lowest of lows, but what a ride it was. It’s been good to look back on his glittering career, and it makes you realise just how good he was, in the best era ever. Take away the tournaments, you have a player that just loves playing tennis and gives everything to win. His game was perfect. Speed, power, aggression, but he also possessed the ability to play delicate delightful drop-shots, or slice for fun and tie his opponents in knots. I could write about him all day, but it’s important to sign off positively, yes it’s sad the way it’s ended – but look at the positives, remember the moments he won. People dream of seeing a Brit win Wimbledon, he made all our dreams come true.

What a player.

What a champion.

Thank you Sir Andy Murray.

 

 

 

 

Exciting times ahead for British tennis

With Andy Murray struggling to return to full fitness with his on-going hip problem, Kyle Edmund pulling out of Sydney International with a knee injury and facing a race against time to be fit for Australian Open, I look at the youngsters who could potentially spearhead an assault on the rankings in 2019. Great Britain is currently blessed with young, hard-working and talented players, that are on the verge of something special.

Two players that have started the 2019 season superbly well, are Cameron Norrie and Katie Boulter. The Brits formed the mixed doubles team in the Hofman Cup, and claimed a memorable win over America’s Serena Williams and Frances Tiafoe, after previously beating the Greek pairing Stefanos Tsitsipas and Maria Sakkari. A brilliant learning experience, that also proved hugely successful. Boulter performed admirably in her three singles matches too, notably taking Williams to a tie-break in a match she lost 6-1 7-6.

Meanwhile, Norrie played at a level that would trouble anyone in the world, which saw him claim two of his best careers wins to date against Tiafoe and Tsitsipas, both in straight-sets. Although, the highlight of his week was probably sharing the court with Roger Federer.

A lot is expected of Harriett Dart this year, her fantastic performance against Karolina Pliskova at Wimbledon 2018 caught the eye of many British tennis fans. Dart is a very well-rounded player, quick around the court and has great desire to win. She started the season with four consecutive wins, seeing her reach the second round of Brisbane international, before she lost to Anastasija Sevastova. At just 22 years old, she has a huge future in the women’s game.

Katie Swan is another Brit enjoying success in Australia already this year. The 19 year old has reached the $25,000 semi-finals in Playford, after three consecutive straight-sets victories. Swan has a very high-level of fitness, and possesses powerful groundstrokes on both sides, which can result in her dominating many of her opponents.

Sarah Beth Grey formed a brilliant doubles partnership with Olivia Nicholls last year, resulting in the British pair winning three tournaments, including Shrewsbury Open. 2018 was also a successful year for Scottish star Maia Lumsden, who won the singles Shrewsbury Open, along with two other $15,000 events. All British fans are pinning hopes on Jack Draper being the next Andy Murray, particularly after his stunning performances in Wimbledon juniors, which sadly ended with defeat in a memorable final.

The player I am most excited about watching develop this year, is Emma Raducanu. At 16 years old, she is an amazing talent that is destined for great things. Last year, she won two $15,000 events in Turkey and Israel. On top of that, she went on a 20 match winning streak, winning four lower level tournaments in a row. Raducanu is brilliant to watch. Very strong from the back of the court, has a solid serve and plays shots that should be way beyond her years. For her sake, and the fans, I hope she stays fit and continues to light up the courts in 2019, because I believe British tennis has a very special player on their hands,

I think we have a seriously talented crop of players that can have huge success in 2019. From following them on social media, you see how hard they are training to reach the top, coupled with the talent they possess, I expect some big runs at the top events from our young superstars. It’s without doubt an exciting time to be a British tennis fan. I wish all our players the very best of luck for 2019. Keep working hard and the success will follow.

Novak Djokovic: The greatest Tennis player ever

Novak Djokovic IS the greatest Tennis player of all time.

Before I start this Djokovic lovefest, I’ll touch on two other greats, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. Federer transformed Tennis and completely dominated through the 2000’s; playing with grace, precision and pure class, the Swiss attracted fans from across the world and took the sport to new levels. The majority of Tennis fans would call Federer the greatest player of all time, and with 20 grand slams, it’s difficult to argue against that. However, if you compare eras that Federer and Djokovic have won their Grand Slams, there’s no comparison. Federer has never beaten Djokovic in a Grand Slam final since 2007, their head to head reads 24-22 in the Serb’s favour, including eight wins in the last 10 matches against Federer in Grand Slams. Look, Federer has been sensational to watch for 20 years. He plays shots that are nigh on impossible, his nonchalant style makes the game look so easy and he returned from seven months on the injury sidelines, at the age of 35 to win the 2017 Australian Open. An absolute artist, a master. Tennis will miss Federer, it will never be the same without him.

Onto, the most entertaining Tennis player of all time. The Spanish matador – Rafael Nadal. The king of clay. Has a team or sportsman ever dominated an event, like Nadal has the French Open? Definitely not. 11-time champion. 86 wins, two losses. Just crazy numbers that will never ever be repeated. So, what makes Rafa so entertaining and gripping to watch? The water bottle perfection, the most brutal forehand our sport has ever seen, roaring reactions to involve supporters or just his attacking playing style? Take your pick. Every time Nadal is on court, you have to watch him – he just has that attraction. What actually impresses me most about Rafa, is how a Spaniard can beat some of the best players ever, on grass. There are virtually no grass courts in Spain, and playing Tennis on grass and clay, is like playing a different sport. How he has adapted his game between surfaces over the years, is remarkable and very underrated.

Roll back 10 years, 6th July 2008. Roger Federer vs Rafael Nadal. Wimbledon final. The best match in the history of Tennis. A tarzan look-a-like, blooding forehands at 90+ mph for nearly five hours, against ‘unstoppable’ Federer who had won the last five Wimbledon titles. With four hours and 48 minutes on the clock, both players dead on their feet after the most extraordinary match you will ever see, Nadal claimed his first Wimbledon title – centre court erupted.

A mention to Andy Murray, Stan Wawrinka, Juan Martin Del Potro and everyone else who has contributed to the greatest era in Tennis. There have been many matches that will stay in my memory forever, and it’s been a privilege to watch players of such quality.

Now, I get to talk about my favourite ever sportsman, the man with the perfect balance between passion and quality. I’ve run out of superlatives to describe Novak Djokovic, but I’ll do my best to explain to you why he’s the best to ever play the sport.

The first Grand Slam win came in 2008, aged 20, Djokovic beat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the Australian Open final. It was 2011 when he emerged on the scene as a real champion. The Serb was playing at a ridiculous standard, that nobody could compete with, on any surface, which resulted in him winning 43 matches in a row. Djokovic won the Australian Open for a second time, beating Murray in the final in straight sets; before winning his first Wimbledon and US Open titles. At that time, he was simply jaw-dropping to watch, nobody had ever seen this standard of tennis. Nadal, who lost to Djokovic in six finals on three different surfaces, described Djokovic’s performances as “probably the highest level of tennis I’ve seen.” Pete Sampras declared the Serb’s 2011 season as the best he has ever seen in his lifetime, calling it “one of the best achievements in all of sports.”

The form didn’t drop in 2012. Players were getting closer to beating him, but Djokovic is a born champion – he ALWAYS finds a way to win. Nadal was the victim again in the final at Melbourne, with the 14 time Grand Slam champion, coming from a break down in the final set to win 7–5. At five hours and 53 minutes, the match was the longest final in Open Era Grand Slam history.

Eventually, Rafa got revenge. At his home in France, Roland Garros. Djokovic was bidding to become the first man since 1969 to hold all four grand slams. After beating Federer in the semi-final, up stepped Nadal to spoil the party. The king of clay reinforced his dominance, brushing him aside in four sets. That match highlighted just how good Rafa is on that surface. Djokovic was unstoppable against any opponent, on any surface, until he ran into Nadal on clay.

2013 proved to be a disappointment for Novak. He only won one Grand Slam (Australian Open, again), reached two finals (Wimbledon and US Open) and the semi-final in the other (French Open), not forgetting him winning three Masters titles. This was a genuine failure in his eyes. At the standard he was at, winning three Grand Slams was the minimum he wanted every year.

Djokovic entered 2014 looking to win his fourth Australian Open. One man stood in his way at the quarter-final stage, none of the big four, but Wawrinka. The Swiss produced one of the most complete and high-quality performances you will ever see, to down Djokovic. Despite coming back from two sets to one down, Djokovic fell 9–7 in the fifth set, ending his 25-match winning streak in Melbourne, as well as his streak of 14 consecutive Grand Slam tournament semi-finals.

That seemed to fuel the fire. Knowing a win at Wimbledon would put him back as number one in the world, Djokovic was flawless all tournament, breezing to the final, before meeting ‘old nemesis’ Federer in the final again. Locked at two sets each, Federer’s beautiful backhand in full flow, Djokovic in machine mode and the crowd rooting for King Roger to win his 8th Wimbledon title. Djoker prevailed in a thriller. This win put him up there alongside Federer and Sampras. He was playing on Federer’s home court, in the Swiss’s favourite conditions, when in the form of his life – but even he could not stop the winning train.

In the World Tour Finals, Djokovic created a record by winning three round-robin matches with a loss of just nine games. By reaching the semi-final, he also secured the number one ranking for the third time. Novak was awarded the World Tour Finals trophy after Federer withdrew before the final. This marked the seventh title of the season for him and the fourth title at the World Tour Finals.

After a shock quarter-final exit in Melbourne at the hands of Stan Wawrinka, Djokovic came flying back to form on the hard courts in 2015. Reaching the semi-finals without dropping a set, he gained revenge over Stan by defeating him in five sets. This set up another blockbuster final against Murray, the opening two sets were high quality and shared thanks to tie-breaks. Suddenly, Djokovic kicked into beast mode and reeled off 12 of 13 games to win comfortably in four sets, making him the first ever Open Era player to win five Australian Open titles. That signified his superiority in class. Murray was challenging Djokovic in the opening couple of hours; however, when Djokovic decided to increase the tempo, Murray couldn’t cope. It’s like he flicks a switch. The shot variation, minimal errors and killer shots that nobody can return emerge.

Then, Djokovic achieved the impossible. He beat Nadal at the French Open, in the quarter-finals. Swiss rival Wawrinka stopped the dream after he beat Djokovic again in the final over four sets. It was a classic, but as we all know by now, the Swiss is very hard to beat in finals. He plays without fear or expectation, always the underdog and when he’s firing, he’s hard to beat. Even Djokovic couldn’t outclass him.

Novak resumed winning ways. Defending his Wimbledon title by defeating Federer again in the final, this time in more comfortable fashion. It was a repeat of the Australian Open, in terms of the opponent competing with him and sharing the opening two sets. Then, like he always does, the Serb turned up the heat and proved untouchable, even for Federer on centre court. He switched into robot mode – when he doesn’t make mistakes, hits the lines with pace and precision, coupled with serving of the very highest order. That combination sees Djokovic at his supreme best, and at a standard that defies belief.

At the 2015 US Open, Djokovic reached the final for the sixth time in his career, achieving the feat of reaching all four Grand Slam finals in a single calendar year. In the final of the tournament, he faced Federer once again, defeating him in four sets to win his third Grand Slam title of the year, his second title at Flushing Meadows, and his tenth career Grand Slam singles title, becoming the fifth man in the Open Era to win ten or more Grand Slam singles titles. It was becoming inevitable that if Djokovic turned up at a tournament, he won it. Everything looked so easy. He would coast through 90% of matches playing in first gear, then when it came to big moments in career-defining matches, he had the ability to just up the gears and blow anyone in the world away. It’s like he was driving a Ford Focus in the first week of a tournament, then changed into a Ferrari in the second. He had the luxury of being able to reserve stamina, for when he needed it. Not just stamina, but class and poise too. A lethal combination.

He beat Federer in straight sets winning his fifth World Tour Finals title and he became the first player to win four consecutive end-of-year finals tournaments. A third win in a final over Federer in 2015. Who’s the greatest player ever? One man. Novak Djokovic.

Djokovic then proceeded to win his sixth Australian Open. On his road to his Open Era record sixth title in Melbourne, he defeated Roger Federer in four sets in the semi-finals, and in a rematch of the 2015 final, he defeated Andy Murray, in three straight sets.

Later that year, at Roland Garros, came the win that “completed” his career. A French Open champion. Holder of all four Grand Slams. In that era, a truly special achievement. Words can’t do him justice. Murray was also bidding for his first French Open title, but Djokovic knew this was his chance to get his hands on the coveted trophy. He was never losing. Ruthless, mesmerising, brutal. A real champions performance, and a deserved French Open title for Djokovic. It had been a long wait, but he never gave up. His mentality has improved throughout his career, he always knew his time would come, and it did.

Unfortunately, an elbow halted the Serb for the next 18 months. A massive drop in performance levels, frustration shown on court and a split with his long-serving team. It was gutting to see. Whether you were a Djokovic fan or not, no Tennis fan could argue that we were witnessing masterclass after masterclass. It was astonishing to watch. To see it ended with injury, was horrible for all parties.

Was that the end of Novak Djokovic? A serious elbow injury, no chemistry with coaching staff? A newly born son…was the dream of surpassing Federer’s 20 Grand Slams over?

Djokovic showed a return to form in Melbourne 2018, but lost to Hyeon Chung in straight sets in the round of 16. Elbow surgery followed.
Skip to Wimbledon, he couldn’t, could he?
Never doubt this man. Djokovic won Wimbledon 2018, looking back to his absolute best. Apart from an enthralling battle with Rafa which took two days to complete, he eased through every round, including a straight sets win in the final against Kevin Anderson.

He didn’t stop there. Moving onto Flushing Meadows, the Serb steamrolled every opponent with minimal fuss, winning his third US Open, dropping just two sets. It gets to a point now, that whatever Djokovic does, is normal. But to return after months out with a serious elbow injury, and dominate two Grand Slams as if he’s never been away, is an achievement, even by his standards. Still, the winning trail didn’t stop. He won his fourth Shanghai Masters title, without dropping serve all week. The stats don’t do him justice.

In the famous words of Martin Tyler: “Watch it, drink it in, because you’ll never see anything like this ever again.”

I don’t think I can praise him anymore. I’ve grown up watching Djokovic, and I’ve lived every moment. The heartache, joy, passion and excitement. We’ve been through it all as fans. I truly believe he is the best to ever play this game. At times he has dominated, the best era ever in Tennis, with relative ease. Forgetting that: 99 weeks consecutive at number one, a winning head to head against every player in the world, 14 Grand Slams at the age of 31, 43 match winning run streak, returned from injury to so far win two Grand Slams and of course – have undoubtedly the greatest shot ever, in his return of serve. The list is endless. I haven’t even mentioned him being the best defensive player ever, his balance and poise, the double-handed backhand that is as reliant as water remaining wet and the flat forehands that continues to find the lines, and beat opponents racquets on a regular basis.

Stats and records don’t lie.

Novak Djokovic IS the greatest Tennis player of all time.

Credit to Juan Ramos

Well done Juan Ramos.

Ramos, in the umpire’s chair for the US Open women’s single’s final between Serena Williams and Naomi Osaka, will today be reflecting on one of the most iconic outbursts in sporting history.

He handled the situation absolutely perfectly. Let’s just look at Serena Williams for a moment, not forgetting her power off the court, shouldn’t make any difference to how she’s treated on it. She is one of the greatest sportswomen ever, had to deal with adversity/racism/sexism all her life, and has inspired millions of women across the world to be better people everyday. Her will, strength and class will put her into history books as one of the best to ever play our game.

Does that mean she shouldn’t be punished if breaking the rules? No. Would the media and public have made such a reaction if this happened to Osaka? No. Serena Williams is not bigger than the sport of tennis. The same rules apply to her, as every other player.

Serena and her team broke the rules. It’s as simple as that. The first warning came for Patrick Mouratoglou gesturing to her to move up the court, which is coaching.

Mouratoglou stated after the match that coaching from the stands happens all the time from many different coaches, I’m sure it does. But if it’s spotted by the umpire, they must punish it, otherwise how will it ever stop?

The point penalty was triggered when Williams smashed her racquet on the court, which all players know is an instant breach of conduct.

The game penalty was given after Williams, in a lengthy tirade, loudly accused the umpire of being a “thief” stealing points from her. Ramos never responded to Williams’ outburst, showing great composure until Williams accused him of cheating. She was the antagonist.

All players know that publicly attacking the honesty of the umpire is going to result in an immediate code violation.

Ramos made absolutely the correct calls as a chair umpire in each of these three incidents.

A player of Williams’ experience, should have had the audacity to regain composure, accept the two penalties and re-focus. Instead, she completely lost her mind and crossed the line. This was not a racist or sexist attack from Ramos, and it’s ridiculous to even suggest so. Everything he done was in line with the rule book.

It doesn’t matter if it’s Serena Williams or Joe Bloggs, once you step on that court, you are treated the same as your opponent. The umpire, ball staff and players have jobs to do and rules to oblige by. Serena broke hers, Ramos didn’t.

Spare a thought for Naomi Osaka on the other side of the net. Bidding to become Japan’s first ever Grand Slam winner – up a set and a break against her idol in the US Open final, and having to stand for 10 minutes while Williams berates the officials. To see Osaka crying because of fans booing the trophy presentation was completely wrong, she probably dreamed of that moment from being a young girl, and has had it all destroyed because it always has to be about Serena Williams.

Finally, well done to Ramos. Many umpires wouldn’t of had the courage to punish Williams on such a big stage – but he was right to do so and stuck by his decision. He has been let down by fellow colleagues over the years, who have failed to punish coaches clearly breaking the rules. Maybe we’ll see coaching from the stands punished more often now, which will benefit everyone in the long run. Juan Ramos, making the game fair.