Laurie's Tennis articles

  With the 2023 WTA season fast approaching, let’s take a look at the contenders for the big titles. https://lastwordonsports.com/tennis/2023/01/02/previewing-the-2023-wta-season/

  The 2022 season was a bizarre one in many ways. Starting off with the controversy swirling around Novak Djokovic, and ending with a teenager as world #1 in the shape of Carlos Alcaraz. This is something no one would have predicted. All the same, the established old men of Djokovic and Nadal won three of the four majors on offer. So, what will the 2023 ATP season hold? https://lastwordonsports.com/tennis/2023/01/03/preview-2023-atp-season/

2022 was an incredibly volatile year for professional tennis. Here are five crazy moments that stand out. https://lastwordonsports.com/tennis/2023/01/01/five-crazy-tennis-moments-in-2022/  

The 2022 tennis season proved a rather strange one. A season which started in January with Novak Djokovic getting sensationally expelled from the Australian Open . Women’s #1 Ash Barty retired completely out of the blue . Alexander Zverev was disqualified for cursing out an umpire and repeatedly smashing his chair with his racquet in the Mexican Open. And Russian and Belarussian players were banned from Wimbledon for the war in Ukraine, with the ATP and WTA tour awarding no points for the competition in retaliation.   https://lastwordonsports.com/tennis/2022/12/03/stefanos-tsitsipas-delusions-of-grandeur/

The Paris Bercy Masters 1000 is one of the top events on the tennis calendar. The last big event before the World Tour finals in Turin, the big boys tend to turn up and give a show. This was my first visit to Paris Bercy since 2003. Back then I saw the likes of Jonas Bjorkman, Tim Henman, Gustavo Kuerten, Roger Federer and the talented but forgotten Martin Verkerk. Great names indeed but from a totally different era in every sense. That particular event was held on fast indoor carpet. Today, indoor tournaments are primarily played on indoor hardcourt (plexicushion). Having watched live tennis for over 20 years, the big difference between carpet and plexicushion is the speed and the bounce. No doubt plexicushion is relatively slower and higher bouncing; players have to hit harder to penetrate defences.   This in turn has allowed counterpunchers to flourish, particularly counterpunchers with fast twitch fibres. This was my first visit to Bercy since 2003 but not live tennis in ...

  We have witnessed the most interesting US Open tournament for a number of years. There were great matches, individual stories and youngest #1 player to boot. However, my biggest takeaway from the US Open is the revival of a true all-court player at the top of tennis.   https://lastwordonsports.com/tennis/2022/09/13/carlos-alcaraz-next-gen/

Iga Swiatek is the player of the moment in women’s tennis. A two-time French Open champion, , Swiatek equalled Venus Williams’ record of 35 straight wins. By the time you read this; that will probably have extended. What makes Swiatek such a dominant player? Let’s take a look at her game. https://lastwordonsports.com/tennis/2022/06/26/iga-swiatek-an-in-depth-look-at-her-game/