smash - summer 2010
DESCRIPTION
youth, tennisTRANSCRIPT
JOHN ISNER
SUMMER ’10
TALL ANDTALENTED
5 STEPS TO BETTER FOOTWORKWHAT COLLEGE COACHES WANTWOZNIACKI GETS IN THE RING
NEW KICKS TO KICK-START YOUR GAME
PLUS: HOW TO
THROW A TENNIS
BASHSUMMER ’10
STEPS TO ETTEROOTWOOOTWORKHAT COLLEGEOACHESOACHES WANTWANTSSOZNIACKITS IN THE RING
IT’S A TENNIS REVOLUTION
0210_COVER_rel.indd 1 2/28/11 12:51 PM
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VALE
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ES ON THE COVERJohn Isner earned All-American honors all four years he played for the University of Georgia, and now he’s America’s unlikely new hope on the pro tour. Read our interview with the big guy starting on Page 14. Photograph by Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images
JOHN ISNER
SUMMER ’10
IT’S A TENNIS REVOLUTION
TALL AND TALENTED
5 STEPS TO BETTER FOOTWORKWHAT COLLEGE COACHES WANTWOZNIACKI GETS IN THE RING
NEW KICKS TO KICK-START YOUR GAME
PLUS: HOW TO
THROW A TENNIS
BASHSUMMER ’10
IT’S TENNIS REVOLUTIONIT’S A TENNIS REVOLUTION
STEPS TO ETTEROOTWOOOTWORKHAT COLLEGEOACHESOACHES WANTWANTSSOZNIACKITS IN THE RING
SMASH 3
VOLUME FIVE NO. 2Contents
FEATURES14 GOING BIGJohn Isner is America’s unlikely new hope. Interview by Peter Bodo
18 THOUGHT PROCESSLearn to change your mind-set to suit the moment. By Stephen Tignor
20 SMASH BASHOur guide to throwing an awesome tennis party.By Sarah Thurmond
DEPARTMENTS05 PHOTO OPS
06 GAME ON
12 GEARBrighten your getup, and your game, with one of these colorful shoes
22 IN THE ZONEFive steps to better footwork
23 411What college coaches want
24 FINAL CALL
The acrobatic Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in
Monte Carlo
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0210_TOC_rel.indd 3 4/30/10 3:40 PM
ACE10
KSWISS.COM
DESIGNED INCALIFORNIA
SAM QUERREY IS SET TO BEAT SAM QUERREY’S WORLD
K-SwissFPSMsum10.indd 1 4/26/10 12:11 PM
PHOTO OPsHOT SHOTS FROM THE WORLD OF TENNIS
HEADS OR TAILS?Beauty met the tennis beasts when reality TV star Kim Kardashian handled the coin toss before Roger Federer
beat Florent Serra in the third round at the Sony
Ericsson Open in Miami.
SPICING IT UP
At the Sony Ericsson
Open’s kick-off party,
Glam.Set.Match, Novak
Djokovic and Spice Girl
Mel B were all smiles
despite losing to Ana
Ivanovic and recording
artist Jay Sean in a
mixed-doubles match.
KISSING FOOL
Fernando Gonzalez
shares a special moment
with one of the dolphins
at the Miami Seaquarium.
The dolphin didn’t turn
into a princess, and
Gonzalez lost in the
fourth round of the Sony
Ericsson Open.
COUPLE ALERT!
Serena Williams took
time off from tennis
to make a rare public
appearance with her
boyfriend, rapper-slash-
actor Common, at the
New York premiere of his
movie, Date Night.
SPICING
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WHAT NOT TO WEAR
No, it’s not Halloween.
Caroline Wozniacki and
Agnieszka Radwanska
just went wild with
their belly dancer and
cheetah girl outfits
at the Sony Ericsson
Open player party at LIV
nightclub in Miami.
KAR
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0210_photo_rel.indd 5 4/29/10 9:12 PM
00 SMASH
NAM
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EKAY
Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade schooled Andy
Roddick in a game of H.O.R.S.E. during a
tennis and basketball exhibition in Miami.
>>> 4: “Rules of Sporty Chic,” according to Maria Sharapova in the April issue of Glamour: 1. Own a bag that’s “hands-free”; 2. Let your jewelry be bold; 3. Know what works for you; and 4. Don’t spend too much time in front of
• TWEETS WE’D LIKE TO READ
• THE WOES OF THE PROS’ BIGGEST FANS
• 10 QUESTIONS WITH ERNESTS GULBIS
• WOZNIACKI STEPS INTO THE RING
THIS
PAG
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L BE
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0210_GO_Final_rel.indd 6 4/30/10 11:11 AM
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the mirror. >>> 30: Ranking spots climbed by Argentina’s Juan Ignacio Chela after he won the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship in April, his first ATP tour title in three years. >>> 93: Days off for Serena Williams between the
TRUE, BUT BLUE FANS SHARE THEIR SLUMPING PLAYERS’ PAIN
IT ISN’T EASY these days being a fan of Ana Ivanovic, Juan Martin del Potro, Maria Sharapova or Dinara Safina, what with their slumps and injuries.
Ivanovic has had a bad year, but she’s held up pretty well emotionally compared to her No. 1 fan, Courtney Nguyen of San Fran-cisco. The mild-mannered Ana didn’t flinch in March when the announcer at the Showdown for the Billie Jean King Cup called her a former No. 1 and French Open champion, and a current Sports Illustrated swimsuit model. But Nguyen admits to the armchair equivalent of smashing racquets.
“I’ve broken three remotes and learned to creatively conju-gate every cuss word known to
man, woman and beast,” she says about Ivanovic’s slump.
It hasn’t been a good year for Hannah Wilks of London, either. She’s a del Potro
fanatic who watched him upset Roger Federer in
the 2009 U.S. Open, only to be side-lined for months with tendinitis in his right wrist. “Injury is worse
than a loss of form,” she says. “A player
can switch coaches, change tactics, but I’m
pretty sure medical science hasn’t quite advanced to wrist transplants.”
Or shoulder replacements. Maria Noble of Los Angeles shared Sharapova’s pain when she lost close to a year with a bum right shoulder. A bone bruise on her heroine’s elbow hasn’t made 2010 any easier. The worst moment for Noble came when she watched Sharapova hit 21 double faults in her U.S. Open loss last year to Melanie Oudin. “I feel like I’m going to have a minor cardiac arrest every time that ball goes up,” she says. “It’s a constant struggle with my health and sanity.”
But perhaps no player’s fans have strug-gled more with their health and sanity than Safina’s. The Russian has imploded in three major finals. Her No. 1 fan, Christina Beck of Alexandria, Va., had to endure her favorite player becoming “an international punching bag [in the media] for the better part of a year.” To make matters worse, the Russian suffered a serious back injury in 2009 that kept her off the tour for months.
But all four fans are staying true to their slumping idols. To jump ship now, Beck says, “would be like leaving an injured puppy to drown or something.”—James LaRosa
21 AGE
6-FOOT-6 HEIGHT
180 LBS WEIGHT
YOUNGEST IN THE ATP TOUR TOP 50. HE’S FIVE DAYS YOUNGER THAN JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO
BY THE NUMBERS…MARIN CILIC
5CAREER TITLES
COACHES, AUSTRALIAN BOB
BRETT AND FORMER WIMBLEDON CHAMP GORAN IVANISEVIC,
CILIC’S BOYHOOD HERO AND FELLOW
CROAT
two
WORLD JUNIOR RANKING IN 2005, BEHIND AMERICAN DONALD YOUNG, WHO’S NOW RANKED NO. 155
AndyMurray Getting pumped about Davis Cup. Just kidding! Anyone seen @jamiemurray lately? Ha! Gotta go, Kim’s waiting. No PlayStation for me tonight.
anaivanovic fell out of the Top 50. bummer. I could be working on my toss but I’d rather watch golf #FF @adamscott @adidas @yonex @rolex @juiceplus
VenusW Counting down the days till @Wimbledon. Just finished “designing” my @Eleven dress. Sorry #justinehenin but I’m going to rule on grass!!
MCIvoKarlovic RT @JohnBulldogIsner If one more person comments on my height, I’m going to hit them with an ace, if you know what I mean.
GOAT Another match, another fabulous performance by the maestro!!!!! #justsaying #FF @mirka @tigerwoods @gwenstefani @gavinrossdale @annawintour
mlarcherdebrito Lost again!!!!! AAAAUUUUGGGGGGHHHHH!!!
AndreAgassi @Steffi You’re right. I should stop talking for once in my life. ;)
Rrrrrrafa Just finished press conference. The old “my English not so good” excuse got me out of a jam again! Journalists are so stupid. #FF @Shakira
CaroWozniacki How much longer do I have to keep up this Miss Congeniality persona? I’m soooooo sick of being nice. Sigh. Anyway… #FF @Vika and @Serena
44 minutes ago via twitterfeed
1 hour ago via twitterfeed
2 hours ago via twitterfeed
8 hours ago via twitterfeed
12 hours ago via twitterfeed
1 day ago via twitterfeed
2 days ago via twitterfeed
1 weeks ago via twitterfeed
2 weeks ago via twitterfeed
] Nguyen
[ Sharapova
7-6 (4), 6-3, 3-6, 2-6, 6-3SCORE OF HIS QUARTERFINAL WIN OVER ANDY RODDICK IN THE AUSTRALIAN OPEN. CILIC WAS THE FIRST CROATIAN TO REACH AN AUSSIE SEMIFINAL
COMBINED HEIGHT WITH IVO KARLOVIC. THEY TEAMED UP TO HELP CROATIA DEFEAT ECUADOR IN THE FIRST ROUND OF DAVIS CUP (NEXT UP IS SERBIA IN JULY)
12
-FO
OT
-4 2NINEHIS RANKING FOR MOST ACES ON THE ATP TOUR,
AS OF APRIL 26.
HIS RANKING IN FIRST-SERVE PERCENTAGE
[ Ivanovic
0 Noble
IT’S NO SECRET that tennis players have embraced the Twitter revolution. But sometimes we wonder if there’s more than tweets the eye. Here’s what we think the pros really want to say.
—Sarah Thurmond
Tennis Is A-TwitterTWEETS WE’D LIKE TO READ
0210_GO_Final_rel.indd 7 4/30/10 11:11 AM
8 SMASH
10 QUESTIONS WITH
ERNESTS GULBISAFTER FIVE YEARS of trying, Ernests Gulbis won his first tour event in Delray Beach in February, becoming the first player from Latvia to win an ATP tour title. Two months later, the up-and-down 21-year-old beat Roger Federer in Monte Carlo. He shares his best and worst moments as a pro, laments his lack of mental toughness, and talks literature.
1 When did you start playing tennis? I was 4, living a lot with
my grandmother because my father [an investment businessman] and mother [a stage actress] were working, and there were tennis courts a half hour walking distance from her apartment in the Soviet Union. I could immediately hit the ball over the net. Some coaches saw me and they said, “Oh, this guy doesn’t need to clean the courts, he’s too good.”
2Who were your tennis idols growing up? I didn’t have interest
in watching other people. . . . I like to play. No matter how much I went to the courts, every time [I was] happy.
3 What’s your proudest moment so far as a pro? Winning my first ATP
title [in Delray Beach] and when I made the quarters in Paris, Roland Garros [in 2008]. It’s my best result in a Slam.
4 What about your most painful moment? There’s a lot. Too much.
I lost so many first and second rounds to guys who I shouldn’t lose [to] when I didn’t feel good, when I played bad. Too many.
5Do you think it was a lack of mental toughness? All the time
something’s [going on in my] brain. I’m trying to keep my brain stable [because] sometimes it’s like a fight between myself—I do want to be on court, I don’twant to be on court. I want to win, I want to lose and go home.
6What are your favorite tour stops? I like all the Grand Slams.
[And] all the Masters because, you know, they’re a different feeling. I like tournaments which are in a nice city where there’s a lot to do, like Paris, New York, London. I like St. Petersburg, Moscow. Yeah, in nice cities.
7 Who are the funniest players on the tour? I don’t know. Nowadays,
they’re not funny anymore [smiles]. I think everybody’s into winning. They don’t
care about funny. But off court, I have really good relationships with Russian guys. Marat [Safin] left tennis; he was a funny guy. I mean, really nice guy.
8What’s the biggest difference between juniors and the ATP?
Just some guys tanked against me when I was playing junior tournaments. Nobody’s tanking now, everybody’s tough.
9Who are you close friends with on
the tour? I don’t know if you call it friends. Maybe you can call it your, I don’t know, partners. I don’t have a good name in English for it. Russian guys, like [Igor] Kunitsyn, [Dmitry] Tursunov.
10What do you do when you’re not
playing tennis? I like to think [smiles]. No, I mean, just to read books, watch movies, go out with my friends. Every normal thing for a young guy my age. I really liked—there’s a book, it’s like the Bible to Russians. It’s called The Master and Margarita [a satire about greed and corruption in 1930s Soviet Union]. They made a TV series about that. That’s what I like. Tennis is a profession, it’s like a job. —M.M.
AFTER A DISAPPOINTING fourth-round exit at Wimbledon in 2009, Caroline Wozniacki decided she’d need to change her fitness regimen to advance beyond the fourth round at a Slam, which she hadn’t done in 10 tries. So she put on the gloves.
“I wanted to do something different for fitness, outside of tennis, so I tried boxing,” says the 20-year-old Dane. “The motions, the footwork, it reminds me of tennis. And I like how boxers get in great shape. So I wanted to try it.”
She asked a good friend for help, her countryman Mikkel “The Viking Warrior” Kessler, who is the World Boxing Council super-middleweight champion with a record of 43-2, including 32 knockouts. “He found someone for me and it’s working great,” she says. “I started just after Wimbledon doing it almost every day, with a one-day-a-week break.”
Wozniacki’s boxing program works her feet, legs, core and hands. “It always starts on the treadmill where I run for 40 minutes, then I go in the ring and shadowbox,” she says. “We do a lot with the medicine balls, where you throw them and do a lot of work for the core and back as well.”
Her favorite part is the punching. “I love being in the ring where
the coach has the pads. I think that’s a lot of fun. I also like hitting the big heavy sandbag.”
All that fun Wozniacki is having in the ring seems to be paying off for her on court. Since taking up boxing, she’s won two tournaments, reached the U.S. Open and Indian Wells finals, and improved her ranking from No. 9 to No. 2. “I’ve become faster,” she says. “I see the ball differently because [with boxing] you always need to be prepared for what’s coming next. It helps you concentrate, as well.”
She plans to continue boxing, except during tournament weeks. “I prefer to relax the upper body,” she says.
The sport may be in Wozniacki’s blood. “My dad [Piotr] is a huge boxing fan. He loves to watch all the fights,” she says. “I went to see [Mike] Tyson when he was boxing in Copenhagen against Brian Nielsen when I was 10. I remember Tyson won and how exciting it was to see them live and how hard they were actually hitting each other. I like the atmosphere, how all the people around were totally into it. It was so intimate.”
But that doesn’t mean she wants to become a two-sport counter-puncher. “I like to hit on the pads and the heavy sandbag. But I don’t like when somebody has to hit me.”—MARK MALINOWSKI
The Counter-puncherCAROLINE WOZNIACKI MAY LOOK DELICATE IN HER HIGH-FASHION TENNIS DRESSES, BUT SHE TRAINS LIKE MAYWEATHER
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Australian Open and her next scheduled event in Rome in May. >>> 30: Minutes between Fed Cup singles and doubles matches for Bethanie Mattek-Sands in April, during which she took hot and cold showers and iced down her
0210_GO_Final_rel.indd 8 4/30/10 11:12 AM
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SMASH 15OUR TAKE ON TENNIS AND THE WORLD AROUND IT–BUT DON’T TAKE OUR WORD FOR IT
Want to know who’s dating who and other juicy off-court gossip? Check out The Daily Spin at TENNIS.com.
Smarter or smart-mouthed? No. 66Regina Kulikova on why Russia dominates the Top 200: “We are really much stronger mentally.”
Sibling rivalry, the sequel: Patrick McEnroe, who’s in charge of developing the next American tennis champ for the USTA, vs. his older brother, who has the same mission as owner of the new John McEnroe Tennis Academy in New York.
1 Splitsville: Novak Djokovic dropped coach Todd Martin in April, saying, “Todd found it difficult to understand
who I am, how I like to work.”
1 It took Samantha Stosur just 52 minutes to beat Vera Zvonareva in the Charleston final, a tournament record. It would’ve been more like 40 if not for Zvonareva’s racquet-smashing tantrum.
Test your string tension on the cheap with the racquetTune app for iPhone and iPod touch. $1, appmaker.se/racquettune
Pop quiz: Who is the WTA tour’s most popular and prolific tweeter?
Star search: Former British No. 1 Tim Henman was saddled with identifying 75 British tennis stars of the future for his soft-drink sponsor. Meanwhile, the country only has one star of the present.
A number of favorites for the USTA National Campus Championship were upset early this year. The University
of California, Berkeley, won the coed college team extravaganza, which was held, fittingly, in Surprise, Ariz.
Sam Querrey was the third American in a row to lose in the final of America’s only ATP tour event on clay, Houston. The last U.S. winner was Mardy Fish in 2006.
Melanie Oudin, 18, dismissed Jill Craybas, 35, 6-3, 6-1 in the opening round of the Family Circle Cup. Have a heart, Mel, she’s twice your age.
0 That one star, Andy Murray, was flickering in the spring. He dropped to No. 5 after back-to-back second-round losses at Miami and Monte Carlo.
1 Answer: Serena Williams, with 1.6 million followers. She used the site to ask fans how many Grand Slams she had won (12) because she couldn’t remember. Or so she said.
weary legs. She won both matches to lead the U.S. to a 3-2 win over Russia. >>> 20: Retirement age for Nicole Vaidisova. She was fed up with tennis, but not tennis players—she plans to marry Radek Stepanek this summer. <<<
Congrats to 2009 U.S. Open champ Kim Clijsters, who beat out Lance Armstrong and Brett Favre for “Comeback of the Year” at the 2010 Laureus World Sports Awards.
How would you like a shot to face John McEnroe or play doubles with Martina Hingis? That’s what 18-year-old amateur Alex Domijan gets to do this summer as a member of the Albany-based New York Buzz of World TeamTennis.
“He embodies what we’re looking for,” says Buzz owner Nitty Singh, “a great role model for the kids, a very hard-working and strong team player who has had tremendous success as a junior and understands what it takes to be a champion.”
For the 6-foot-7 Floridian, who was ranked No. 1 in the USTA boys’ 18s in 2009, the Buzz assignment is a reunion of sorts. He played on a team of top junior prospects for the Buzz last year. Although he didn’t play against any marquee players, Alex did pick off pros like Mike Russell, who’s ranked No. 73, and No. 160 Robert Kendrick.
This year, the only amateur in WTT is scheduled to compete against the legendary McEnroe of the New York Sportimes. “It’s definitely an honor to play against [him],” Domijan says. “I’ve watched him on TV. He’s one of my favorite players.” Domijan may also run into Venus and Serena Williams of the Washington Kastles when he partners with former No. 1 Hingis in mixed doubles. Domijan is banking on his big serve and even bigger forehand to help him hold his own. “[Hingis has] won some Grand Slams at doubles,” he says. “Hopefully I don’t drag the team down.”
Domijan also hopes playing the WTT’s format of five-game sets and loud crowds will help quiet his nerves as he travels to Futures events to improve his ATP tour ranking, which was No. 585 in April. For now, the giant from Gainesville knows his biggest matches this summer will be his two against McEnroe.
“I think I can get him,” Domijan says. And if he does, tennis fans will see for themselves why it was this kid who got the call.—Jennifer Johnson
From USTA Boys to MenALEX DOMIJAN AIMS FOR ANOTHER STELLAR WTT SEASON
Domijan (far right) with his Buzz teammates and coach in 2009.
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Sam Querrey was the third American in arow to lose in the final of America’s only ATPtour event on clay, Houston. The last U.S. winner was Mardy Fish in 2006.
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0 Brooklyn Decker better watch her modeling jobs. Her husband, Andy Roddick, has replaced actor Hayden Christensen as the face of Lacoste’s Challenge fragrance.
0210_GO_Final_rel.indd 9 4/30/10 11:18 AM
Have you ever dreamed of
playing on the famed red clay
of Roland Garros? 20 girls, 11
and 12-years old, recently had
that extraordinary opportunity
as they competed for a chance
to play in Paris courtesy of the
Swiss watchmaker, Longines.
REPORT:
LONGINES JUNIOR TENNIS CHALLENGE
The Longines contest asked the 20 girls to write essays on the importance of giving back to their community and helping others. A team of panelists, including tennis legend Stefanie Graf, evaluated the essays and picked the best eight. Those girls were awarded
the opportunity to compete in a tournament at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, home of the US Open, on April 17th. Lauren Fishbein of Livingston, New Jersey, rocked the tournament and will be going to Paris in June to compete at Roland Garros against 7 other girls from Poland,
China, Hong Kong, Russia, Germany, Singapore and Taiwan. Pretty cool, huh?
Longines is a company dedicated to giving back to the community, so after the Roland Garros fi nals they will be donating $100,000 to support the Agassi Foundation for Education and Children for Tomorrow, charities of brand ambassadors Andre Agassi and Stefanie Graf.
Lauren Fishbein (Champion)“This fall, I was asked by a family friend to come to her school and help teach kids with autism to play tennis. I was afraid this would not be something I would be good at…I decided to overcome my fears and try to help the kids in need. These kids had no experience with tennis, and had diffi culty learning the basics of the sport. I worked with other volunteers, and together we broke down some tasks such as serving a ball into small components… Although I was afraid at fi rst, this was a great way for me to become exposed to the experience of helping my peers while teaching a skill that I posses and a sport that I love. When I attend high school, I hope to volunteer for an organization that teaches various sports skills to children and teenagers with autism. Autism is an illness that could be overcome with understanding, patience and love.”
Gaby Pollner (Finalist)
“In the past year, I have had much experience in com-munity service. With the Lord’s Pantry, I delivered dinner to people with AIDS that live in my community. I was nervous to deliver food to a complete stranger but as I walked up to these people’s homes, I only thought about the good, and only good came…”
Jessica Livianu (Consolation Draw Winner)
“Together with my brother Jacob who is 9… we joined the UNICEF organization which supports needy children. We tell everyone how easy and important it is to help, whether you volunteer or give a little bit of money… I am grateful for the things I have today; many children hope to get another game station while others pray for their next meal.”
Check out the pics from the day at the National Tennis Center and parts of
what some girls wrote in their essays. Perhaps they will inspire you to get
involved and help others!
Back Row Left to right: Z. Sampson (Longines), M. Blake-Wilson (USTA Eastern), A. Milner (TENNIS Magazine), J. Judkins (Longines), Luke Jensen, L. Fishbein, J. Livianu; Middle Row: M. Herrmann, A. Graham; Front Row: G. Pollner, A. Sabe, S. Barisano, J. Cruz
Lauren Fishbein (left) and Gaby Pollner (right) shake hands after the championship match
ADVERTISEMENT
Left to right: G. Pollner, J. Cruz,
J. Livianu, L. Fishbein, M. Herrmann, A. Graham
Back Row Left to right: Z. Sampson (Longines), M. Blake-Wilson (USTAEastern), A. Milner (TENNIS Magazine) J JL Fishb i
ke
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0210_SMASH_Longines_rel.indd 10 4/30/10 9:17 AM
Longines supports the Andre Agassi Foundation and Children For Tomorrow.
Andre AgassiStefanie Graf
Elegance is an attitude“It’s time to give a little bit of your time to others.”
Available at shop.us.longines.com
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LonginesFPSMsum10.indd 1 4/30/10 10:36 AM
W NEW BALANCE MC900WT/WC900SLWith its touches of neon trim (lime green on the men’s MC900WT and hot pink on the women’s WC900SL), the 900 doesn’t just look like it’s built for speed—it is. It’s nearly as light as a running shoe without compromising on the stability that you need for quick side-to-side movements. As for comfort, the 900 has ample shock absorption from the toe box to heel, and both the men’s and women’s versions are available in variable width options. The best parts? It’s the least expensive of the shoes reviewed here, and it comes with a 12-month outsole guarantee, which is double the length of most other brands’ warranties. $95, newbalance.com
GAME-DAY GLOW THIS SUMMER’S COLORFUL SHOES WILL KICK-START YOUR GAME WITH THE LATEST TECHNOLOGIES. BY BILL GRAY
X PRINCE REBEL LS/POISE LS The menacing yellow of the men’s Rebel LS screams “performance” for aggressive movers. Not only is the shoe light, it also has a low-to-the-ground ride that keeps your center of gravity closer to the court and your feet moving when you’re wrong-footed by an opponent. Its marquee feature is a heel-to-midfoot thermoplastic frame, dubbed the “Propulsion Plate” by Prince, that’s designed to propel your foot forward. The white and pink women’s version, the Poise LS, is equipped with the same high-performance features as the Rebel. Six-month outsole guarantee; $110 for the Rebel, $105 for the Poise; princesports.com
GEAR
PHOTOGRAPH BY RAINER BEHRENS
0210_DEP_Shoes_rel.indd 12 4/29/10 8:56 PM
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U NIKE AIR MAX COURTBALLISTEC 2.3 Are your playing style and fashion sense as aggressive as Rafael Nadal’s? Then you’ll dig the Air Max Courballistec 2.3, which comes in versions for both women and men (men’s pictured here). It has a reinforced midsole and a big, cushy Max Air bag in the heel. While the shoe is heavy, it at least weighs less than last year’s 1.3. Nike says it reduced the weight by replacing some of the hard synthetic leather of the upper with a more breathable, porous framework. The tongue is attached to the sock liner, which provides a snug fit and makes your foot feel like a driver in the cockpit of a racecar. Once you’re in, you’re ready to roll. Six-month outsole guarantee, $120, nike.com
V WILSON TOUR VISION The Tour Vision comes in cool color combinations, like white, blue and silver, but the flashy red, black and white of the guys’ version best reflects the bold moves you can make in this low-platform lightweight shoe. The Reactive Gel inserts in the heel and forefoot deliver good cushioning, and stability is outstanding thanks to the soft-yet-sturdy thermoplastic that wraps across the upper, and the arch bridge that runs from the outsole to the midsole. Toe-draggers and serve-and-volleyers will appreciate the reinforced toe and the extra traction of the outsole, which performs well on clay and hard courts. Six-month outsole guarantee, $110, wilson.com
W YONEX POWER CUSHION 307/POWER CUSHION 307L If you want the quick-step benefits of an ultra-lightweight shoe that also has comfort features for sore and blistered feet, check out the Power Cushion 307 (the men’s version is pictured above). Yonex added extra padding from heel to toe, but kept the weight in check with a light and pliable upper. The tradeoff is a slight lack of stability, so if you have knee or ankle problems, look elsewhere. Yonex also makes a women’s version, the 307L, but here’s something to keep in mind: SMASH shoe adviser Dr. David G. Sharnoff says it’s too wide in the back for the typical female foot, which tends to be narrower at the heel. One-year warranty, $130, yonexusa.com
SMASH 13
0210_DEP_Shoes_rel.indd 13 4/29/10 8:56 PM
GTHE SMASH
INTERVIEW
0210_FEA_Isner_rel.indd 14 4/29/10 8:57 PM
Given that you’re known for your big serve and high-risk game, is this trip to Europe just to stretch the legs and meet your ATP obligations? Not at all. I don’t mind playing on clay. If you look at my record, a lot of the matches I’ve lost on clay have been close. For some reason, I haven’t been able to pull out the kinds of matches I win on hard courts. But with my serve, I feel I can, or should be able to, hold serve every time, even on clay. So that’s going to keep me in matches. I think I can do well on clay.
You’ve officially been in the Top 20 now. How do you feel about that? I feel like I deserve to be where I am now. I feel I put the work in, but a lot of it is still new to me, for example, this whole spring clay thing in Europe. But I know that I’m better than ever before because I’ve definitely gotten stronger and fitter.
Given your game, it’s hard to imagine that Wimbledon isn’t in the back of your mind. It is, but not right now. I missed the grass-court season last year, but if I can get a good run leading up to Wimbledon I can position myself pretty well. And with C.B. [Craig Boynton, Isner’s coach since the beginning of 2009] in my corner, I’ll know how to play on the grass. Guys like me—big guys with big serves—usually do well there.
Some would think a four-year college man like you couldn’t make it on today’s tour. Are you surprised by your success? I am—very surprised. I had no aspirations to become a pro until I was 21. I wanted to finish school and get my degree in any event, and I knew that whatever else happened that was my ticket to having a career of some kind or other.
Also, growing up in North Carolina, I only practiced three, four times a week, and maybe an hour to 90 minutes max. I did pretty well in the juniors, but I stayed mostly close to home. I played for my high school team, all four years. Within this little tennis
bubble at school I was well known and popular, but that’s as far as it went.
Are you a Georgia Bulldog or a University of North Carolina Tar Heel? Tar Heel? No way, I was never a Tar Heel. My dad and my two uncles went to North Carolina State, the forgotten school in North Carolina. I grew up not liking the Tar Heels. I really enjoyed it when they didn’t do well.
I loved it at the University of Georgia. Tennis is big at Georgia, so we always drew a lot of fans to our matches. I would have gone back for another year if I could, I really didn’t want to leave, but my four years were up and I had to go.
Were there any advantages in going to school and not rushing out on the tour? Sure. A lot of guys were turning pro at 17 and 18, and let’s face it, you aren’t real mature at 17, and you’re not as physically or mentally strong. The way you build confidence is through winning, and the way you get better is by spending a lot of time on the court playing competitive matches. I had all I wanted of that at Georgia.
People often say you have a great temperament; you’re in control, but tough. Is that innate or learned? Some of it may be innate, but I think a lot of it is learned. For me, toughness was something I needed in college. I think that team experience makes you that way. You’re in match situations where the whole match is riding on you. You’ve got guys on the bench pinning their hopes on you, and you don’t want to let them down. But I think my record in close matches is pretty good. I don’t really know what it is,
but I seem to find a little higher level sometimes in the nitty-gritty part of a match.
You come from an upper-middle-class family. Were you spoiled? I never got a lot material-wise. But I guess my mom spoiled me by cooking me three great meals every day. My dad [a builder] never bought anything for himself, he just provided for us. That rubbed off on me a little. Up until five months ago, I was still driving the car I got when I was 16, a Chevy Tahoe. I sold out and got a new car. But it wasn’t some $80,000 car. It’s another Tahoe. I’m not going to lie, it’s a really nice car.
You struggled in 2008. Do you think it was sophomore blues? That early success was a curse in some ways, because after playing in four pro events I was able to skip Futures and Challengers. I was offered wild cards, too, but I wasn’t really ready for that. I wasn’t good enough to compete on the tour, day in, day out. After the U.S. Open of 2007 [where Isner reached the third round in his first major], I went as far as [No. 144]. Basically, I jumped way out ahead of my learning curve.
What have you and Boynton improved the most? C.B. has helped me get to the point where I can play a match on my own terms as much as possible. The way I want to win or lose a point is by going for a high-percentage shot, especially with my forehand. And when my opponent is serving, if I get a good return, I want to look to the forehand. If I miss it by this much [he holds his fingers about an inch apart] or make it by that much, no problem. I know I hit the right shot the right way and played a good point. That’s kind of my goal. I don’t want to get caught playing passively or defensively.
You’re friends with Sam Querrey, who can also be seen as a rival. Does
that create a strain? No, and remember we’re committed to playing doubles together. One of our joint goals is qualifying for
the ATP tour championships in London. Sam and I text each other every day. We played two pretty big matches so far this year, the Memphis final, which he won, and at Indian Wells, where I won. Both times, we went out to
dinner together that same night. The winner picked up the check.
JOHN ISNER, WHO was voted Most Improved Player of 2009 by his ATP tour peers, is poised to have a big year. He won his first tour-level title at Auckland in January, made the second week at the Australian Open, and lost to his buddy Sam Querrey in the final of Memphis. Plus, since mononucleosis kept him out of Roland Garros and Wimbledon last year, he has no ranking points to defend for the next two Slams due to the tour’s 12-month ranking system. “I’m playing with house money until the start of the hard-court season,” Isner says. We caught up with Isner shortly before the 25-year-old former University of Georgia Bulldog left for the European clay circuit in April.
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0210_FEA_Isner_rel.indd 15 4/29/10 8:57 PM
0210_FEA_Isner_rel.indd 16 5/4/10 12:41 PM
0210_FEA_Isner_rel.indd 17 5/4/10 12:41 PM
18 SMASH
The opening points may not seem terribly important. Nothing will be decided by them, so you can take a moment to ease into the match, right? Well, yes and no. While you won’t win or lose anything in the first game, you can still set a tone for the rest of the day.
It’s not a tone that exists between you and your opponent, but in your own head. How many times have you walked off the court after a loss and said, “It just wasn’t my day.” That attitude, which is an excuse like any other, can begin to form during the early stages. You miss an easy ball here, blow a break point there, and suddenly you’re wondering if fate is against you today. The key is to find a middle gear right away—don’t take it too easy or think of the match as a sprint—and get all of your shots working as soon as you can.
“You’re starting from a dead stop,” says Allen Fox, Ph.D., former coach of the Pepperdine University men’s tennis team, who now writes on his website, allenfoxtennis.net, “so you should be thinking about getting each part of your game functioning to start.”
Fox recommends that you mix in different service spins and placements, and take a little off of your first delivery so you have some success with it early. If one stroke doesn’t feel good, don’t avoid it. Try to put a few into the court. “With the right attitude at the start,” Fox says, “you can prevent an off day before it begins.”
Feeling good? Not so fast. We hate to remind you of this right now, but the time when you’re most likely to lose serve is right after you’ve broken your opponent. All of us are prone to unconsciously relaxing once we’ve gotten through the tension of a break.
“Stress is unpleasant, and we want to avoid it,” Fox says. “Once we come through a tense situation, we try to minimize that stress and go on a kind of mental vacation, which takes us out of our competitive mind-set. We feel like the hard work is done. It happens
without us thinking about it.”You can’t stop it. What you can do is understand
that this unconscious vacation is going to happen, and that you should do what you can to guard against it. Give yourself a new competitive goal by telling yourself that you haven’t really broken serve until you’ve held in the next game. This will keep you working, instead of taking the holiday your brain thinks you deserve.
It isn’t just the person who has broken who will run from the stress of the last game. The player who has lost serve is affected mentally, as well, and that reaction has the potential to be much more damaging.
“When you’ve had your serve broken,” Fox says, “one psychological tendency is to escape by becoming discouraged.” Getting down on yourself is another way of relieving pressure. You don’t have to fight as hard if you don’t believe you’ve got a chance, or that fate is against you, or that your opponent is just too good.
“Getting discouraged is natural, but you need to realize that it’s an escape, too, and that it can be countered,” Fox says. “The best way to do that is to remember that your opponent is likely to relax after he’s broken your serve.” Instead of looking at a break as a negative sign, look at it as an opportunity, one that may lead to a complete emotional turnaround in the match, with you on top.
“When a player breaks back, he feels like he’s ahead, not just even,” Fox says. “The player who breaks and then gets broken tends to feel like his good play may have been a mirage, and that he can’t hold you off.”
If you think you can leave stress behind as you build a lead, think again. Tennis doesn’t work that way. Typically, the tension you feel will only grow as you get further ahead and the thought of winning, rather than competing, enters your head.
“Now the stress changes,” Fox says. “You’ve left
your opponent behind, so you’re not fighting him for each game. Uncertainty comes into your mind as you get close to your goal about whether you’ll be able to reach it or not.”
The thought of choking away a big lead may be the most stressful aspect of tennis. There’s no clock in this sport; you must continue to win points, including the final one. But the natural reaction is to play like there is a clock, and that you’re running it out.
“When you’re ahead, you tend to come off the accelerator,” Fox says. “You tend to get conservative and hope you make it across the finish line.”
Fox says that many coaches will tell you that you need to “have the nerve” to go for your shots in these situations, that you need to stay aggressive to counter the tendency toward conservatism.
“That’s iffy advice,” he says. “You have to know what you can do at that moment. If you’re feeling good, swing freely. If you’re nervous, you’re not going to be able to make your shots the way you would when you’re looser. You need to gauge your shot selection by what you think you’re capable of doing.”
“This is a tricky one,” Fox says. “There’s no perfect solution. You can’t make your nerves go away. All you can do is make the situation a little better.”
As you get closer to winning, you may get more conservative, but that can flip completely when you reach match point. The tendency is to try to end it quickly. You’re so close to celebrating and relaxing that you may rush to get there, which will take you out of your normal, most effective, game. You’ll experience more hope, nerves and stress when you reach match point than at any other time in a match. That means you must narrow your focus as much as you can.
“You can’t pretend that it’s not match point,” Fox says. But you can push it as far back in your head as possible. “Go through all of your normal rituals, whether you’re serving or returning, and take a little extra time so you counter that feeling of wanting to rush to win the point and end the match.”
ILLUSTRATION BY JUDE BUFFUM
0210_FEA_Thinking_rel.indd 18 4/30/10 9:20 AM
SMASH 17
0210_FEA_Thinking_rel.indd 19 4/30/10 9:20 AM
THE SMASHBASH
2. THE ACTIVITIESKeep guests entertained with games and reward winners with prizes like wristbands, tennis balls and vibration dampeners.
BY SARAH THURMONDPHOTOGRAPHS BY JOYCE LEE
BACKYARD TENNIS You don’t need a court to play matches during the party. The Street Tennis Recreational Plus Kit ($170, tennisderue.com) comes with four racquets, three balls and a net that can be set up on a lawn or driveway.
TRIVIA During changeovers, throw out tennis trivia. For material, download the official rulebook, Friend at Court (you can find it at usta.com), or try The Bud Collins History of Tennis ($36, amazon.com).
WII TENNIS Set aside a station for Wii tennis or Grand Slam Tennis with Wii MotionPlus. Guests can play a
match or two to pass the time during rain delays.
PIN THE BALL ON THE SWEET SPOT Instead of pinning a tail on a donkey, have guests try to stick tennis balls made of felt in the center of a racquet.
MATCH POOL Have your friends pick a winner, score and match length for the final you’re watching. In the case of a tie, use the length of the match as a tiebreaker.
COSTUME AWARDS Give out trophies (inexpensive ones can be found at crownawards.com) for best and worst costume and best pro look-alike outfit.
FOUR WEEKS Send invitations. Anyone can go the Evite or Facebook route. Why not go old-school and mail tennis-themed stationery? Check out bloomdesigns.com and boatmangeller.com for options. Tell guests to RSVP by two weeks before the party and to come dressed in their best tennis ensembles.
THREE WEEKS Round up supplies, including decorations, prizes and your outfit.
TWO WEEKS Remind friends who haven’t
responded about the RSVP deadline. Make your party playlist.
TWO DAYS Purchase and cook food that can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated overnight.
THREE HOURS Decorate and set up activities. Rearrange furniture, if necessary.
30 MINUTES Make sure you have everything in place and heat up the food. Take a few minutes to chill out before your guests arrive.
1. THE TO-DO LISTPlanning a party takes, well, planning. Here’s what to do before the big day.
There are plenty of Grand Slam finals coming up. You don’t want to watch them all by yourself. Instead, invite your friends over for a tennis theme party. Our guide has tips to help make your summer shindig a success.
PROP
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AND
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140;
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$88;
TRE
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95; P
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20 SMASH
0210_FEA_Party_rerel.indd 20 4/30/10 11:14 AM
AUSTRALIA
Men at Work “Down Under”
INXS “The One Thing”
Kylie Minogue “I Should Be So Lucky”
Jet “Rip it Up”
Crayon Fields “You Could Wind Up Anywhere”
FRANCE
Charlotte Gainsbourg “Trick Pony”
Telephone “Juste un Autre Genre”
Daft Punk “Digital Love”
Phoenix “Lisztomania”
Plastiscines “Loser”
Air “La Femme d’Argent”
ENGLAND
The Beatles “Revolution”
The Rolling Stones “Jumpin’ Jack Flash”
The Kinks “Picture Book”
The Smiths “Panic”
The Libertines “Boys In the Band”
UNITED STATES
Velvet Underground “I’m Waiting for the Man”
The Ramones “Beat on the Brat”
Blondie “Sunday Girl”
The Strokes “Soma”
TV on the Radio “Wolf Like Me”
3. THE PLAYLISTNo party is complete without some background music. Our sample playlist contains tunes by bands from the Grand Slam hosts.
4. THE MENUFor food to nosh on, choose treats you might find at the Slams.
● Wimbledon strawberries and cream
● Crepes à la Roland Garros
● New York-style cheesecake
● Aussie lamingtons
● Eleni’s tennis-themed cookies (elenis.com)
● Tea, lemonade and punch
$88;
TRE
TORN
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SHOE
S, $
95; P
OLO
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PH L
AURE
N LI
SLE
STRI
PE P
OLO,
$85
.
0210_FEA_Party_rerel.indd 21 4/30/10 11:14 AM
Feet FirstYOU PRACTICE YOUR STROKES. NOW IT’S TIME TO WORK ON YOUR MOVEMENT. BY KEN DEHARTIN TENNIS, PERFECT technique means nothing if you can’t get to the ball. Yet players usually spend more time learning how to swing than learning how to move. That’s the wrong approach. You’re only as good as your footwork; without it, you won’t be able to balance yourself before you swing or hit the ball at the ideal contact point, out in front, consistently. The good news? You can practice footwork just like you can practice serves and forehands. Here are five ways to get your feet in shape.
Jump-start. Do 20 jumping jacks, clapping your hands over your head each time. Rest and repeat. This is a great warm-up that stretches most of the key muscles used on the court and gets your heart pumping.
Alley shuffle. Stand in the middle of the doubles alley and shuffle to the left until you cross the alley sideline. Change direction and shuffle right. Keep
going until you have crossed 20 lines. This will build stamina, improve coordination, and make you realize how difficult and important it is to keep your feet moving and take small steps over the course of a match. Try this drill before every practice, and before practice matches, too.
Cone drill. Place six cones around the court at various distances from the baseline, spaced about 3 feet apart. Start at one corner of the baseline and run to the first cone. Shuffle step around it twice with small steps while facing the net. Return to the baseline, run to the second cone, and circle it twice. Continue this until you have circled all the cones. Repeat, starting at the opposite corner of the baseline and circling the cones in the other direction. This will build stamina, help you change directions quickly, and improve your coordination. Like the alley shuffle, this drill should be a consistent part of your practices.
Catch and hit. This drill helps you move to the ball with proper spacing so you don’t stop short of the ball or crowd it. Toss a ball about 4 feet in the air with your non-hitting hand. Get into position to hit the ball with a forehand, but instead of swinging, extend your off arm and catch the ball before it bounces. This is your ideal contact point. Practice dropping it and hitting it to get a feel for the distance.
Count them up. The pros average 10 to 12 steps between each shot they hit. How many do you take? Start counting and find out. Once you begin to add more small steps as you move to the ball, you’ll develop better balance and timing. Plus, it’ll be easier to make small adjustments so you can find the perfect contact point.
Ken DeHart, a USPTA and PTR Master Professional, is the tennis director of the San Jose Swim & Racquet Club in California.
22 SMASH ILLUSTRATION BY CHRIS WHETZEL
IN THE ZONE
0210_ITZ_rel.indd 22 4/29/10 7:42 AM
FACTS, S TATS AND CHAT ON THE JUNIOR GAME
NEW RECRUITS WHAT DO COLLEGE COACHES WANT? BY SARAH UNKE
THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS for college athletics can be complicated and long. How long? Some young tennis players start to get in touch with college coaches as early as their freshman year of high school. But be warned, NCAA recruitment regulations add plenty of twists in the labyrinth leading to a position on a college team. For example, players can contact coaches an unlimited number of times, but, according to NCAA rules, the coaches can’t call back until after the players’ junior years. So if you want to play college tennis, download the NCAA’s Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete at ncaastudent.organd study up.
“It changes year to year, so you’ve just got to be prepared for anything,” says Claire Pollard, the women’s coach at Northwestern University, a Division I school. “You need to be patient and ride the ups and downs of the process. If you’re not sure where you stand [with a coach], you should ask. You might not get the response you want, but at least you’ll know.”
We talked to coaches to shed some light on what they’re looking for.
ACADEMICSFirst and foremost, coaches need to verify that you’ll fit in at a school academically. “We want to make sure that they’re serious students and are willing to take on the responsibility necessary in the classroom,” says Brian Boland, men’s coach at the No. 1-ranked, D-I University of Virginia. So research
colleges and know what you need to shoot for at school and on your SATs, then study hard so you’re not ruled out on an academic basis.
LOVE OF THE GAMEWe know you love to play, but you better show that to the college coaches who are scouting you. The first question Pollard asks herself about a recruit is, Does she genuinely love playing tennis? “It’s really hard to figure out,” she says. “But it’s really important at the volume we play.”
EXPERIENCEA proven track record in competition is essential in a recruit. Coaches will look at tournament results and USTA rankings. Pollard tries to find out if players’ best tennis is ahead of them or behind them.
“I look at their experience, their results and their progress over the years,” she says. “Are they on the
up and up or are they just hanging on?” As far as your tennis, coaches are looking
for solid players who have no glaring
weaknesses. And don’t worry about your playing style; just play your game.
“When there are a variety of styles on a team, you have the opportunity to practice with players with lots of different styles,” Pollard says. “That can be advantageous.”
MATURITYWhen you’re being recruited, you better believe that coaches are doing background checks on you, so make sure you conduct yourself with class on and off the court. “I talk to private coaches, high school coaches, dig around and find out as much as possible about the player,” says Jackie Bagwell, coach of the top-ranked D-III Amherst College women. “I’m looking to get an idea of their temperament.”
You should also be responsive and mature during the recruitment process. Act like it’s one big job interview. In other words, be ready to answer tough questions when you meet coaches. One definite no-no: Getting crazy when you visit the team. “If a recruit acts inappropriately, I’ll hear about it,” Bagwell says.
HARD WORKPossibly more than anything, coaches want tenacious players. “I would like someone who loves to compete and is not afraid to challenge himself on a daily basis,” Boland says. “Someone who really can battle through the ups and downs on court.” The coaches you have worked with will be
able to tell the recruiters what your work ethic is like, but you can also show it on court by fighting hard in matches.
College coaches also like players who are independent. “I want them to stick to their guns,” Bagwell says. “I don’t want them to look to me to tell them everything to do.”
SMASH 23
Want to win an NCAA championship one day? Better get in good with a college coach.
No. 1 ranked, D I University of Virginia. So research colleges and know what you need to shoot for atschool and on your SATs, then study hard so you’re not ruled out on an academic basis.
is, Does she genuinely love playing tennis? It s?really hard to figure out,” she says. “But it’s reallyimportant at the volume we play.”
EXPERIENCEA proven track record in competition is essential in a recruit. Coaches will look at tournament results and USTA rankings. Pollard tries to find out if players’ best tennis is ahead of them or behind them.
“I look at their experience, their results and their progress over the years,” she says. “Are they on the
up and up or are they just hanging on?”As far as your tennis, coaches are looking
for solid players who have no glaring
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“COMING THIS SUMMER: KIM CLIJSTERS IN THE BLOCK-BUSTER ALFRED HITCHCOCK THRILLER, THE BIRDS II—THIS TIME IT’S PERSONAL.”Think you can beat that caption? Take a look at this photo and write your best one-liner. The winner will receive some Fila gear. E-mail [email protected].
2 4 SMASH
0210_DEP_FinalCall_rel.indd 24 4/28/10 2:25 PM
0210_FEA_Isner_rel.indd 15 5/4/10 10:40 AM
0210_FEA_Isner_rel.indd 14 5/4/10 10:40 AM
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