Exciting Women's Tennis

The power houses of Venus and Serena Williams, Sharapova and Henin have brought unpredictability and excitement into Women’s Tennis. Women’s tennis had always been branded as a monotonous one, so this situation is long awaited. These Ladies are the modern tennis icons whose names are listed in finals of the past 9 grand slam events. Svetlana Kuznetsova, Amelie Mauresmo and Ivanovic are tagging very closely, but are yet to match the records of the players above. Rivalries are always scrutinized closely, but with so many star players, it only makes for more exciting days ahead.Migrating to a foreign country at seven years to become a tennis star may be a page out of a fairy tale for some, but for Maria Sharapova the fantasy became a reality. Clutching on to nothing but a dream is downright scary in today’s world, but what gets them going is those streaks of genius that are visible from early on. 2005 was a stellar year for Maria having won the Wimbledon and US Open. Her speed on court is not one of her strengths, but her single-minded focus and intensity is admired by peers alike. Chris Evert says “Maria Sharapova is an excellent pressure player and she reacts the best of all the current players.” While Steffi Graf was busy winning her Golden Slam in 1988, eight year old Venus Williams recorded an astounding 5:30 minute mile and was matching shot for shot with older promising kids. Richard Williams declared to the world that his daughters Venus and Serena would rule the tennis world. The words of Richard were followed by an intense training regimen of six hours a day during their teen years at the Rick Macci Academy in Florida. Richard Williams dreamt of building an annihilating tennis machine in Venus and Serena and in terms of power and aggression. Many might have thought him a bit boastful, but his words came to light in 2002 when they were ranked 1 and 2 in the rankings.Venus almost defies the law of gravity when she pounds that swinging volley from mid air which is so effective on grass. Serena’s wing span combined with her sheer tenacity makes her a daunting opponent for any person. They have won 14 grand slam singles titles between them, with Serena leading in the winners tally. The downside to the sisters is that they have many off court distractions and have a limited playing schedule.In contrast, Justine Henin appeals to the common player as she is more slender and petite in size, but makes it up with her foot speed. A notable aspect in her game is her fluent single handed backhand which is a rarity among the women today. Her achievement at no. 1 in the ranking has come after winning 3 out of the past four grand slams. Wimbledon is the only grand slam that has evaded her so far. John McEnroe says she is the player on the tour whom he most enjoys watching, and has compared her career to his, in terms of her need to outsmart and outplay bigger and stronger opponents. Clay is especially her favorite surface having won the French Open for the past 3 years.Standing just 5 feet four inches tall, Billie Jean King captured six Wimbledon and four US Open titles with her serve and volley game .She was also monumental in starting the Women’s Tennis Association. Incorporating fitness into a regimen was first brought about by the legendary Martina Navratilova. Few might know that at one time she was called the GREAT WIDE HOPE by a journalist owing to her flabby structure. Her trademark serve and volley game needed extraordinary fitness and she thus ruled Wimbledon for nine years .Billie Jean King and Martina Navratilova had similar styles of play ,but are not easy to emulate in today’s tennis due to more powerful return of serves and ground strokes. Their compatriot and arch rival Chris Evert was completely the other end of the spectrum. She brought a feminine touch to tennis and was called Ice Maiden due to her cool composure. Her flat and precise ground strokes won her many French Open titles. Power was an element missing at that time.The next generation of players like Steffi Graf, Monica Seles and Martina Hingis had a blend of both power and finesse. Steffi Graf will be remembered as the only player in the world with a golden grand slam which includes the Olympics as well. Evert has said that Graf's forehand was "the best in women's tennis". Billie Jean King said in 1999 that she considered Graf to be the greatest female tennis player ever. Navratilova said in 1996, "Steffi is the best all-around player of all time, regardless of the surface."Steffi Graf’s array of accomplishments might have been a few less if Monica Seles had not been stabbed. Seles was the one nemesis for Steffi Graf even at her prime. Monica Seles’s acute angles combined with her signature double handed shots of both sides made her unequalled at one time. In my opinion Steffi and Monica were the two players who could have given the Williams sisters, Sharapova and Henin a run for their money. Martina Hingis could have been a threat with her magnificent ball feel and guile but against the Williamses power, she wilted. She also had her share of injuries to deal with.All the girls who play today may have stumbled upon the sport, but luckily for them they had been singled out and trained by professionals from a very early age. Sharapova, Henin and the Williams sisters have been known to have picked up a racquet as early as four years old. Incredibly, Serena won 46 out of 49 tournaments she competed in before the age of 12.Her first tournament was when she was four and a half years old!!!!In today’s Women’s tennis, consistency with power on the ground strokes is a must. Glaring weaknesses are immediately trampled upon and net game is almost void. Powerful racquets and stronger players have made the serve and volley style of game almost non-existent. Off-Court fitness like pliometrics, medicine ball drills, sand running are all normal training routines today. Weight lifting is equally incorporated not only to build muscles but also to avoid injury. Players travel with an entourage-a fitness expert, a physiotherapist, parents, coach, agent, psychologist, and so on. If we were to play fantasy match-ups, I would choose for a Navratilova-Serena Williams or a Graf-Venus Williams on grass, Chris Evert- Hingis on clay and a Sharapova-Seles on hard courts. It is only speculation, but Sharapova and the Williams sisters might have had the upper hand owing to their supreme power. But if you looked at the variety and guile of today’s’ women’s players, there is work to be done. Gone are the days when you could admire a short angles slice or a serve and volley put away. The odds are with the powerful and the fittest, but the grace and class that the past champions brought to the game is beyond compare.