World ranking trends Elites & vanishing shakers
Global Tennis focus during European spring and summer seasons provide the best and exciting expressions to its enthusiasts. To the professional players, world rankings of WTA and ATP are their work platforms. European spring is most attractive.
In fifty years professional history, only a handful sustained their names in the top five spot of the world rankings exceeding five-year span. Often talents players shook the elites but could not remain there. In replacement of elites the issue talented shakers have is not plying skill but physical breakdown. Eventually in Sport, this is the dictating aspect of performance. Stroke making provides players with weaponry. Tactical denial of choice in shot selection to opponents derived with court positioning and speed of movements, these come with physical attributes.
WTA
Of the top, fifteen in WTA ranking only four established players have survived. They are Krejchikova, Pliskova, Mugurusa and Osterpenko. Eleven replaced after Barty’s retirement. Swiatek is women’s number one and she is performing to be so. Daughter of an Olympic athlete from Poland, just 20 years old possess a solid all court stroke making and athletic ability to be tactical.
The other new faces of the top fifteen are, Badosa of Spain, Sabalenka of Belarus, Sakkari of Greece, Jabeur of Tunisia, Raducanu of England and Pegula of USA returning after long break.
Sensational rise and unexpected fall can be quick in Tennis ranking. Noticeable absentees in the top fifteen of the women’s ranking are Osaka of Japan, Andreescu of Canada, Kennin and Coco Gauff of the USA. At present, they are way down in the rankings. Their issue is physical breakdown and mental burnout. Mental health is an issue. The Tennis world has not yet found an antidote to this repeatedly appearing syndrome. Noticeable in WTA ranking trend.
ATP
The men’s side is somewhat is the same. Djokovic is not playing but holds top position from last year’s performance. Medvedev, Zverev and Nadal are the current survivors in the top ten. Rublev of Russia is also from this group.
New comers are AliAssime of Canada, Tisitsipas of Greece, Berrettini of Italy, Rud of Norway, Norrie of Briton, Alcaraz of Spain. Sinner of Italy, Hurkacz of Poland and Fritz of USA. These names have not been there long enough to give a face to a reader as Nadal and Federer. In a team game, player replacement is possible. Tennis players have to face the consequences. Many play doubles as an insurance.
Effects of Miami Open 2022
This year’s Miami Open had a disastrous number of withdrawals due to player physical breakdown. The total was 15 withdrawals. The tournament organisers had to bite dust in explaining matters to event ticket holders and sponsoring big names. The event had one of the biggest prize money purse in the post Corona comeback period. It was supposed to be a turn-around event but turned out to be otherwise. The event reached the press, unfortunately not only for its Tennis.
Tactical Grit
Two names are consolidating their growing reputation as queen and king to be in Miami Open.
Swiatek of Poland is having longest winning streak. She won Miami comfortably. In men, it is Alcaraz of Spain. He has been knocking on the door and in Miami-Open he won his first ATP 1000.
The playing style and tactical employment shows a few similarities in Swiatek and Alcarz. In Tennis, a player’s position to play a shot depends on opponent’s shot. Time and target availability dictates every player’s tactical efficiency. These are severe constrains considering a player will get less than a second to select and execute a shot. What more, players will have to survive over 200 rallies hitting over 2000 shots in long encounter. What matters here is not only the player’s personal grit but also the tactical grit in execution.
Swiatek is 20 years of age and Alcarz is 18. These two show maturity even at their age a strong strait in tactical grit. Having said this, I have to warn myself that many have appeared and with this in recent past and disappeared. Whocan- say is a good way to conclude predictions on these two players future.
Local development; the inadequacy
It is true our players do not get international level tournament exposure. The few matches I witnessed showed below average speed, stamina, strength, suppleness and stability in court coverage and positioning for the game they play. Unlike stroke making, these cannot be detected even using audio visual aids. There was a set of opportunities providing platforms for this. We had it and lost it. The result is our players provide great deal of opportunities to overseas players than they get to win.
Tennis and the world in 2022
One count shows there are more than ten corona war related hot spots in the world. Adding to this are the armed conflicts. Tennis, sports in general, has been dancing in the in-between spaces and time of the globe-armed conflicts and pandemic the past three years. This is keeping sporting expressions alive, amidst unacceptable realities. It has come to that.
Two nations in conflict recently agreed on a ceasefire during a motor-racing event. War resumed immediately after the prize giving. Making people undecided, whether to cry or laugh.
George Paldano, European and Asian competition player; Coach for German Tennis Federation; National coach Brunei and Sri Lanka; Davis-Cup, FederationCup; coached top 200 ATP,WTA & ITF top 50. --- WhatsApp - 077 544 8880.