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4 AustrAliAn tennis MAgAzine | February 2011

FEBRUARY 2011

EDITOR Vivienne Christie CONSULTING EDITOR Alan Trengove ASSISTANT EDITOR Daniela ToleskiART DIRECTOR Naomi O’BryanADVERTISING MANAGER Jackie CunninghamADMINISTRATION &SUBSCRIPTIONS MANAGER Ben CarencoMY COACH CONTENT Travis Atkinson, Karen Clydesdale PHOTOGRAPHS Getty Images, John Anthony (All photographs by Getty Images unless specified)COVER PHOTO Getty Images

Australian Tennis Magazine is published monthly by TENNIS AUSTRALIA LTD, Private Bag 6060, Richmond, Vic 3121. Ph: (03) 9914 4200 Email: editor@tennismag.com.au

Distributed by Network Distribution CompanyPrinted in Australia by Webstar

The views expressed in Australian Tennis Magazine are not necessarily those held by Tennis Australia. While the utmost care is taken in compiling the information contained in this publication, Tennis Australia is not responsible for any loss or injury occurring as a result of any omissions in either the editorial or advertising appearing herein.

REGULARS7 Topspin

15 Your Serve

46 Court Talk

55 My Game

62 My Coach

76 Rankings

78 Scoreboard

FROM THE EDITOR

As the game’s top tennis names rallied to support victims of the floods that

devastated parts of Australia, there was a sense Australian Open 2011 was

going to showcase more than just the first major champions of the new

tennis season.

And how it delivered. While the multi-million dollar fundraising figure from that

day grew, new characters joined the game’s superstars in demonstrating a depth

of spirit that resonates long after the final balls are struck.

Lleyton Hewitt lost first round but showed heart in taking David Nalbandian

to five sets before his impressive commentary debut. Bernard Tomic silenced

the critics with a gutsy run to the third round, where he tested world No. 1 Rafael

Nadal. Aussie junior Luke Saville showed glimpses of a bright future in upsetting a

string of seeds on the way to the boy’s final.

Na Li made history and became a role model to millions as the first Chinese

woman – in fact, first Asian – to progress to a Grand Slam final, brandishing

personality aplenty along the way. Surprise quarter-finalist Alexandr Dolgopolov

showed he’s among those to watch in the future. Francesca Schiavone and

Svetlana Kuznetsova delivered a thriller in their four hour, 44 minute marathon.

World No. 1 Nadal, hoping to become the first man to hold all four majors since

Rod Laver in 1969, possibly showed the best qualities when injury contributed to

ending that dream in the semi-finals. Not only did the clearly-impeded Spaniard

resolutely finish the match, but he also refused to talk about the problem post-

match, giving credit instead to David Ferrer.

Kim Clijsters, meanwhile, was the poster girl for perseverance as her sixth

run to the semi-finals or better finally delivered a first Australian Open. Novak

Djokovic showed similar traits in finally claiming his second major.

It was fitting that both champions ended with such heart-warming speeches

– Clijsters thanking everyone from her dentist to her support staff and family,

Djokovic remembering the flood victims. It was form that made them the

champions, but character that makes them such popular ones.

VIVIENNE CHRISTIE, Editor

48

FEATURES

FEbRUARY 2011VOL 36 No. 2A $7.50 (inc. GST) NZ $8.40 (inc. GST) US $7.50

16 You Say You Want

A Revolution? If a change will do

you good then the Australian Open, delivering charming new characters and fresh champions, is in very fine shape indeed.

AustrAliAn tennis MAgAzine | February 2011 5

19 The Djoker Gets

Serious Can the “big two”

become the “big three”? It’s a question many are asking as an awe-inspiring Novak Djokovic halted the trend of Nadal and Federer finals to claim a second Australian Open.

24 Crowning Aussie Kim

Kim Clijsters showed she’s the top player on the women’s tour – even if the rankings don’t quite show it.

48 Starting Strong There’s no better kick start

to a new season than first-time success in the Australian summer.

50 Justine Henin: a world

of her own Just a year after restarting

her career, Justine Henin has announced that injury is forcing her second retirement.

24 AustrAliAn tennis MAgAzine | February 2011

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Happy to be an honorary Aussie, Kim Clijsters wore a Carla Zampatti dress as she celebrated at Melbourne’s iconic Brighton Beach.

With charming new characters and established stars stepping up, Australian Open 2011 was all about showcasing the women’s tour at its finest. Ultimately, though, it was Kim Clijsters’ title to claim as she set about showing she’s the top player in today’s game – even when the rankings don’t quite show it. By Vivienne Christie

However tenuous the connection might have become, Kim Clijsters knew that “Aussie Kim” was a tag

she was never going to shake easily. Even if she spends the most time in her native Belgium and has a stronger link to her husband’s American homeland, Clijsters has been travelling to Australia for too long – and leaving too significant an impression – for devoted supporters to surrender their adopted favourite now.

With a broad smile and eager-to-please

demeanour, being “Aussie Kim” suits Clijsters too – especially given the fact that beneath the good humour and laid-back approach there’s a steely individual who’s not afraid to make her point (just ask Todd Woodbridge following their much talked about centre court exchange). While accepting her setbacks graciously, Clijsters also tackles them with a fierce resolve.

And so it was at this year’s Australian Open, a major that until recently seemed confined to Clijsters’ might-have-been files. In eight appearances she’d been a semi-finalist or better five times, falling to red-hot countrywoman Justine Henin in

the 2004 final and felled by injury in the third set of her semi against eventual champion Amelie Mauresmo in 2006. Fresh from her victory in the US Open, Clijsters’ comeback tournament of 2010 promised much but ultimately delivered little, the favourite suffering a baffling third-round loss to Nadia Petrova.

They’re the setbacks that can build character, though, and Clijsters showed plenty of it at Melbourne Park, starting with

a 6-0, 6-0 demolition of former World No. 1 and 2009 finalist Dinara Safina that took just 44 minutes to complete and ending with her three-set win over surprise finalist Na Li, the only player to test the champion in a superb final that will be remembered among the best in recent Australian Open history.

Experience showed for Clijsters, who admitted that even if she’s not always comfortable being title favourite, she’s learned to handle the pressure. Asked if she agrees she’s a more complete player than in

her previous eight Australian

Open attempts, the Belgian had

a slightly different viewpoint.

“I don’t know ‘better player’. I think a more mature person. I think that’s also something that has an impact on the way that you feel on court. So I think my best tennis, you know, I could do it then, too,

AustrAliAn tennis MAgAzine | February 2011 25

Crowning Aussie Kim

“I’m not the youngest one out there anymore. I’m going to have to use it to my advantage.” – Kim Clijsters

A smart switch ... Na Li, Asia’s first Grand Slam finalist, originally planned a badminton career.

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