Jannik Sinner, of Italy, executing a picture-perfect backhand volley against Holger Rune, of Denmark, at the 2022 ATP Sofia Open tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria
Justine Henin, the seven-time major champion often called “the female Federer,” once said she watched men’s matches — rather than women’s matches — to improve her game. That didn’t surprise me because she abounded in talent and left no stone unturned.
In my view, tennis and basketball are the sports that have evolved the most in the past 60 years in terms of athleticism.
Like so many tennis players and fans, I was saddened when Florida Tennis magazine arrived, and on the front cover, I saw “In Loving Memory of Jim Martz." Jim, the founder and editor of this elite publication, died on December 30th at age 80.
John Stuart Mill, the 19th-century British philosopher, wrote, “Every man who says frankly and fully what he thinks is so far doing a public service. We should be grateful to him for attacking most unsparingly our most cherished opinions.”
With this advice in mind, let's evaluate some frank statements in the tennis world this year.
When coaches and teaching pros project the ideal future playing style of a promising young prospect, they consider several factors: athletic ability, physique, character, and so forth. Of course, the player has to buy into the technique and tactics the coaches are trying to inculcate.
Other Books by Paul Fein
