Five things you can learn from Sharapova s win over Serena in the 2004 Wimbledon final
from tennis.com issues.tennistuesday.net/6-17-2014-jr/p/1
Tennis Tuesday Juniors: Summer 2014
Powered By Back in 2004, a 17-year-old Maria Sharapova stunned defending champion Serena Williams 6-1, 6-4 to win Wimbledon for her first Grand Slam. Sharapova became the first Russian to win in London, the lowest seeded player to ever win the title (at No. 13), and the fourth-youngest Grand Slam champion ever. But she has only beaten Serena once since then (also in 2004) and is now 2-16 against her biggest foe. So what were the keys to her biggest win over Serena, and what can be learned from it? Serena is known for putting her opponents on their heels, but in this match she was the one hitting off her back foot. Sharapova’s groundstrokes had tremendous pace, but equally important was how deep they were. Her shots landed just inside the baseline, and she created a large margin for error by only occasionally going for the sidelines. That’s the epitome of “controlled aggression.”Hitting with depth also knocks your opponent off balance. Time and again Serena would lift her front leg or even fall over trying to return Sharapova’s shots. To deal with such power, you have to hunker down and get control over your center of gravity. That requires using little adjustment steps to get in ideal hitting position. Serena has always been great at using long strides, but she can struggle with smaller positioning steps. Sharapova’s now more known for serving problems, but back in 2004 it was surprising how much more effective her second serve was than Serena’s. Sharapova outpaced Serena on the second serve (she averaged 97 m.p.h., compared with Serena’s 86 m.p.h.), and she won a higher percentage of points with it.Sharapova didn’t just pound the ball; she also used guile. Serena isn’t especially comfortable in the forecourt, and the last thing you want to do against an insecure volleyer is hit her the same kind of passing shot each time. So Sharapova would hit a rocket right at Serena and then dip a slow-paced angle that would force a backhand volley error. And when Sharapova really needed a point late in the second set, she threw up a topspin lob.If Sharapova is down in a game, set or match, you’d never know it by looking at her. Between points, she focuses on her strings to stay composed. So many players burn energy getting emotional about the score. Sharapova saves everything she has for her shots and her strategy, and it works. Welcome to the Summer 2014 Juniors Quarterly issue of Tennis Tuesday, the second of this year’s four special digital issues created especially for junior players. In it you’ll find not only news and insight about the pro tour, but also the latest in gear, instructional videos and tips to help you improve your game. Enjoy Tennis Tuesday’s Juniors Quarterly on your desktop, tablet or mobile phone by clicking, scrolling and swiping your way through the issue.
Have a great summer!