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Rankings Mini-Quiz: Week of 02-13-12

2012-02-13T22:00:02Z

Who jumped up to #2 in the WTA rankings between last week and this week?

Who is the highest-ranked ATP player this week whose point total, but not ranking, has changed since last week?

Rankings Mini-Quiz: Week of 02-13-12 originally appeared on About.com Tennis on Monday, February 13th, 2012 at 22:00:02.

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The Topspin Serve: Photo Lesson

2012-02-10T22:33:49Z

Photos illustrate this step-by-step lesson on how to hit the topspin serve, the easier to learn of the two kick serves used most often as second serves in tennis.

The Topspin Serve: Photo Lesson originally appeared on About.com Tennis on Friday, February 10th, 2012 at 22:33:49.

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Soft Tennis

2012-02-07T23:03:02Z

Soft Tennis is gaining popularity all over the world, and for good reason; it's better exercise, gentler on the arm, and easier to learn than regular tennis.

Soft Tennis originally appeared on About.com Tennis on Tuesday, February 7th, 2012 at 23:03:02.

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Rankings Mini-Quiz: Week of 02-06-12

2012-02-07T22:42:51Z

Who is the highest-ranked ATP player this week whose ranking has changed since last week?

Both last week and this week, how many players in the WTA top thirty are not from Europe?

Rankings Mini-Quiz: Week of 02-06-12 originally appeared on About.com Tennis on Tuesday, February 7th, 2012 at 22:42:51.

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Advanced Doubles Tactics Illustrated

2012-02-03T22:08:43Z

This illustrated guide to advanced doubles tactics includes the positioning and roles of the server, the receiver, and the partner of each. Intermediates too will have fun trying these tactics.

Advanced Doubles Tactics Illustrated originally appeared on About.com Tennis on Friday, February 3rd, 2012 at 22:08:43.

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Rankings Mini-Quiz: Week of 01-30-12

2012-01-30T23:33:07Z

The Australian Open really shook up the rankings at the top for the women, but not so much for the men. For roughly the first half of the 2012 ATP Tour calendar at least, the top five especially should remain as they are. Point differences are small enough at the top of the women's rankings though, that even the smaller events on the WTA Tour calendar could cause significant turbulence.

Who is the only WTA player in the top five whose ranking did not change between the last rankings (two weeks ago) and this week?

Which ATP player stepped into the top ten between the last rankings (two weeks ago) and this week?

Rankings Mini-Quiz: Week of 01-30-12 originally appeared on About.com Tennis on Monday, January 30th, 2012 at 23:33:07.

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Djokovic Wins Epic Final

2012-01-29T15:28:16Z

Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal 5-7, 6-4, 6-2, 6-7(5), 7-5 on Sunday to win the 2012 Australian Open in the longest final, 5 hours 53 minutes, in Grand Slam history. Novak had played 4 hours 50 minutes on Friday night to defeat Andy Murray, and the accumulated exhaustion showed in the fifth set against Nadal, as his legs were clearly weakened. Rafa's legs never gave out; he stayed in the last two sets by continuing to run down one angle after another that took him well wide of the doubles sidelines. Novak had to hit unbelievable shots to get the ball out of Rafa's reach.

Tiredness doesn't always show where you'd expect it, though. Although Rafa's running continued undiminished throughout, his accuracy fell off. Up a break, at 4-2 and 30-15 in the fifth set, Rafa had a backhand sitter that would normally be an easy winner, and he missed it wide. Novak broke to get back on serve, and in the remaining games, Rafa sprinkled in just enough uncharacteristic misses, added to plenty of winners from Novak, to cost him the match. Novak missed a couple more shots than usual in the fifth set too, but for the most part, his accuracy held up. As his legs weren't faring as well, he went for bigger shots to end points sooner. Novak's inability to run at full throttle forced him into the only strategy that was likely to succeed; had his legs felt fresher, he might have been a bit less aggressive and lost.

Djokovic Wins Epic Final originally appeared on About.com Tennis on Sunday, January 29th, 2012 at 15:28:16.

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Victoria Azarenka Takes Australian Open and #1 Ranking

2012-01-28T14:40:19Z

Victoria Azarenka defeated Maria Sharapova 6-3, 6-0 on Saturday to win the women's singles final at the 2012 Australian Open, her first major title. Her victory will take her to #1 in the world when the new rankings are released on Monday. After a bit of a shaky start, Victoria played a clean, confident match, with 14 winners and 12 unforced errors. The depth and angles on Victoria's shots kept Maria scrambling, which she doesn't do well, and often made her meet the ball a bit late, but even when Maria had a chance to set up for a shot, she missed more than usual. Maria matched Victoria in winners, with 14, but she had 30 unforced errors in the 15-game match. An average of two unforced errors per game is half the number of points the opponent needs to win each game. All tennis players have better and worse days, some dramatically so. Maria had a rough Saturday; Victoria had possibly the best day of her life so far.

Victoria Azarenka Takes Australian Open and #1 Ranking originally appeared on About.com Tennis on Saturday, January 28th, 2012 at 14:40:19.

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Men's Semifinalists: Murray Much Improved, Federer Mixed

2012-01-27T23:38:38Z

Andy Murray may be disappointed to have lost to Novak Djokovic 6-3, 3-6, 6-7(4), 6-1, 7-5 in Friday's Australian Open semifinal, but he has to be quite happy with his performance, as he played much better than ever before against a top player in a major event. Andy has always been extremely quick on defense, but he was rarely as aggressive as he needed to be. Against Novak, he hit much harder than in his past, especially on the forehand, and created incredible angles that made Novak use all of his also extraordinary quickness.

Roger Federer has fewer reasons to be happy about his performance in the other semifinal, but he does have at least one. Rafael Nadal increased his edge over Roger in majors, taking him out 6-7(5), 6-2, 7-6(5), 6-4, but as it had in the final at Roland Garros last year, Roger's backhand held up against Rafa's immense topspin much better than in earlier encounters. It was Roger's forehand that let him down. Under pressure, he tends to aim it too low and hit it into the net; that's what cost him the US Open semifinal last year against Djokovic. Roger may be aiming low so that he can hit with more pace and put the ball out of reach of the amazingly speedy Rafa (or Novak), but he'd do better to use more topspin so that he can hit with the same pace, but with safer clearance--as do Rafa and Novak. Given how much Roger has improved his backhand in the last year, he should be able to improve the topspin on his forehand too.

Photo Stroke Studies

Men's Semifinalists: Murray Much Improved, Federer Mixed originally appeared on About.com Tennis on Friday, January 27th, 2012 at 23:38:38.

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Preview of Maria vs. Victoria

2012-01-27T01:58:00Z

Victoria Azarenka's exceptional power and solid athleticism have long promised to get her to a major final, and with crucial help from her improved mental toughness, they fulfilled that promise on Thursday, as she defeated defending champion Kim Clijsters 6-4, 1-6, 6-3. On Saturday, she will meet Maria Sharapova, whose ticket to the final was a tough 6-2, 3-6, 6-4 victory over Petra Kvitova.

Victoria's set scores against Kim reveal one of the keys to her chances against Maria. She'll almost certainly hit at least one wild patch like her second set against Kim; if it's brief and singular, she'll have a good chance; otherwise, the steelier Maria will take advantage too well. Maria can be streaky, but she rarely goes off as badly or as long as the other huge power hitters on the WTA Tour, three of whom were the other semi-finalists. Maria shouldn't make as many unforced errors as Victoria, but she also can't defend as well, so Victoria may have more winners. A key for both women will be the first serve percentage; a key for Victoria especially will be controlling her nerves.

Photo Studies

Victoria Azarenka's Strokes

Maria Sharapova's Strokes

Preview of Maria vs. Victoria originally appeared on About.com Tennis on Friday, January 27th, 2012 at 01:58:00.

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