Top 5 Wimbledon Early Upsets - Men's Singles

How the mighty fall... sometimes. Here's a selection of the biggest early upsets in the men's draw.

1. George Bastl d. Pete Sampras, 6-3, 6-2, 4-6, 3-6, 6-4, 2nd round, 2002

Who was George Bastl? The answer to that, as far as tennis history goes, is solely in this match result. Ranked 145 in the world at the time, the unknown player knocked out the record-equaling 7 times champion. Bastl never won another match at Wimbledon. Sampras never played another. The great one did, however, reportedly seek medical imaging of his brain following the match, which may have helped him make his last match be a US Open victory.

And where are they now?

2. Peter Doohan d. Boris Becker, 7-6 (7-4), 4-6, 6-2, 6-4, 2nd Round, 1987

Boom Boom Becker was the two time defending champion made the earliest exit for a trophy holder for over 20 years. He had also crushed a man by the name of Peter Doohan just weeks earlier at Queens. But Doohan - a career battler with a win-loss record balanced heavily towards the losses - had Boom Boom right where he wanted him, catching him complacent, sending the young superstar home without goldware, silverware, or even wear on his shoes.

3. Sergiy Stakhovsky d. Roger Federer, 6-7 (5-7), 7-6 (7-5), 7-5, 7-6 (7-5), 2nd Round, 2013

Ok, Rog is getting on a bit. But these top guys just don't lose in the early rounds. This is a guy with 17 grand slams, 23 consecutive semi finals, and was on a streak of 36 quarter final grand slam appearances. This guy just doesn't lose this early in a grand slam. Especially not at Wimbledon. Especially not after winning the first set. And especially not to S Stakhovsky. 

4. Richard Krajicek d. Pete Sampras, 7-5, 7-6 (7-3), 6-4, QF, 1996

Ok, so a quarter final isn't so bad, and Krajicek is much more than an ordinary player. But consider that Krajicek is to Sampras what Robin Soderling is to Nadal at the French Open. In eight CHampionships, Krajicek was the only player to defeat Sampras. He did so convincingly too, and deservedly won the trophy.

Both are classic players suited to grass. But before you bemoan the loss of such grass court style, consider as well that ace-fests are a bit rarer in the final rounds. 

5. Roger Taylor d. Rod Laver, 4-6, 6-4, 6-2, 6-1, 4th Round, 1970

This is going back a bit. Like Krajicek, Taylor was an excellent player. But any victory over Rocket Rod at this stage was an upset. He had won the last four Wimbledons in which he had played, and he had taken out his second grand slam - note, that is grand slam, and not just grand slam title - the previous year. 

Alas, Youtube was not forecast in 1970!

Best 5 Tips for Hitting a Slice Backhand

The slice backhand can be a consistent shot, add variety, and expose those players who forget to bend their knees. See the great tips below that will help you improve this shot.

1. How the shot works

Nothing like public broadcasting dollars going towards the public good. This BBC guide gives a good introduction to the shot. The pictures are instructive because they show that the slice backhand is not a defensive shot. On the contrary, it is a tactical shot, and an attacking shot.

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2. Variety is the slice of life?

This site shows that there are different types of slice backhands - the attacking slice, the defensive slice, and the normal rallying slice. It's important to practice each of these, as they all add something constructive to your tennis repertoire.

But with anything in tennis, the attacking shot is usually the one that pays in the long term. Think of the shot as an attacking weapon first.

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3. Let's see how it's done

Federer isn't usually the greatest example, mainly because he makes difficult shots look easy. But the slice is a shot that does entail ease and finesse rather than force. This video shows the different uses of the slice, including when stretched wide, to maneuvering, to attacking the net.

 

4. Make the slice a weapon

Fortune favors the brave. It generally does not favor those who use the slice merely to keep in a point, nor to retrieve. Here are some useful tips on turning the slice into a weapon. Like anything in tennis, whether we are defensive or attacking is a state of mind. Change your thinking about the slice - make it bite.

5. A Drill for the Slice Backhand

The slice backhand is there for variety as much as anything else. This simple drill forces one side to play solely slice backhands during practice points. This will ensure that they can use it in all situations, whether it's defending, attacking, or just playing a different shot against an opponent's topspin strokes.

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Best 7 GOAT Opinions - Men's Tennis

Who is the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time)? Let's hear what the pros think.

1. Pete Sampras' view: Federer... maybe

Ten years ago, Pistol Pete was a chapter heading in the GOAT book. Now he gets passing references and footnotes. So it must be tough when people ask him who outranks him.

"I think if you look at the numbers, you have to look at Roger, what he's been able to do: 17 majors, been No.1," said Pistol in January 2014.

"Roger's had a tough record against Rafa. He lost some of those matches on clay, which is Rafa's best surface, but there is that argument - Rafa has won all the majors, he's been No.1. You could argue that he's well up there."

And then there's the difficulty of comparing generations.

"You can talk about it for 20 minutes on the different comparisons. What Rod (Laver) did back in the '60s - five years he didn't play any majors when he was in his prime, so he could have had over 20 majors. I feel like every decade there's the guy."

You're one of those guys, Pistol.

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2. McEnroe's view: Nadal

‘If he stays healthy, he can easily win four or five more slams, no question about it. To me, he’s better than ever,’ said McEnroe in September 2013.

‘It’s amazing how badly he wants it. Let’s hope he stays healthy because it will be great for our sport.’

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3. Becker's view: Nadal, inevitably

"If you'd asked me that a few years ago, I'd have said no. But this year he (Nadal) has returned to his top form and now has 13 titles to his credit," Becker said. "He's 27 and doesn't intend to stop there. He's capable of getting more"

Asking Becker now though? My guess is that he'd go with Novak.

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4. Laver: Federer

"When I look at Federer, with what he's accomplished, against the competition that he's accomplished it with, I'd have to say I would think that Roger is the greatest player," said Laver in October 2013.

You can't choose yourself, right?

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5. Agassi: Nadal

"I'd put Nadal No. 1, Federer No. 2," said Agassi in May 2014. "It's just remarkable to me what he has done, and he has done it all during Federer's prime. Nadal had to deal with Federer, (Novak) Djokovic, (Andy) Murray in the golden age of tennis. He has done what he has done and he's not done yet."

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6. Nadal: Federer or Laver

In declaring Federer the GOAT, despite pounding him time and again, is the humble Spanish bull dog whistling? Doesn't matter - you can't choose yourself.

“I believe it is 100 percent fair that people say [Federer is the best] because he is today, and it will be very difficult for any player to improve his numbers,” said Nadal in November 2014.

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7. Federer: ???

So there we have it - 3 for Nadal, 3 for Federer. I guess the casting vote comes down to the Swiss maestro himself. Too often, however, he has avoided the question. Perhaps as the humble Spanish bull closes in on him, he'll speak out more vociferously.

Top 10 Drug Scandals in Tennis

The sport isn't as clean as people think, even though there hasn't been one as prominent as Lance Armstrong caught yet. 

1. Andre Agassi

Agassi revealed in his book 'Open' just how closed the ITF kept his own drug revelations from the late '90s. Admitting to methamphetamine usage, it took a self-serving autobiography years after the event to bring the events into the open.

The fact that the authorities kept this hidden does as much damage for the sport by implication than the shadow that Lance Armstrong cast across all sports. The question is, what else have they been hiding?

2. Petr Korda

Korda tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone during the Wimbledon Championships in June 1998. This was publicly revealed in December 1998. 

Why the delay in revealing the result? Was there a connection with this positive test and Korda's sole major championship at the Australian Open just months earlier?

Korda was beautiful player with late success, a positive test, and a quiet retirement.

3. Guillermo Coria

In April 2001, Coria tested positive for nandrolone. The news was publicly revealed on 10 July 2001. Coria was initially banned from tennis for two years, Coria said that the supplement he was taking was supposedly a multivitamin. Private lab testing conducted by his family found the multivitamin to be contaminated with steroids.

Coria went on to reach the final of Roland Garros in 2004.

4. Mariano Puerta

Puerta was banned for two years in 2003 after testing positive for clenbuterol. The ban was reduced to nine months after he claimed that it was for his asthma.

Puerta reached the final of Roland Garros in 2005, being out-lasted by Nadal.

Puerta was again banned in 2005 following a positive test for the cardiac stimulant, etilefrine. The suspension was for 8 years. 

5. Martina Hingis

In 2007, Hingis revealed in November that she was under investigation for testing positive for cocaine, some five months earlier. 

One of the most talented women to have ever played the game - and perhaps pound for pound the best of her time - In January 2008, an ITF tribunal suspended Hingis from the sport for two years. Hingis retired from tennis as a result.

6. John McEnroe

"For six years I was unaware I was being given a form of steroid of the legal kind they used to give horses until they decided it was too strong even for horses."

Those are the words from McEnroe himself. They came some 20 years after the steroid taking, and again, showed that a big name is more likely to be pinged by admission rather than by an authority.

A seven time grand slam champion, the controversial player is still more renowned for his genius and tantrums. His drug taking amounts to a footnote.

7. Wayne Odesnik

In 2010, Odesnik was guilty of importing human growth hormone into Australia. The ITF banned him for two years. The ban was later reduced to one year following his "substantial assistance" to authorities.

Substantial assistance? What the assistance entailed remains opaque, as with much of tennis' doping cases.

8. Victor Troicki

Is this a case involving drugs? We don't know that, just as we don't know whether the guy fleeing his car before being breath tested had consumed alcohol.

In 2013, Troicki was banned for not providing a blood sample. The suspension was reduced on appeal to one year, meaning that he is due to return in July 2014.

9. Richard Gasquet

Gasquet was provisionally suspended from tennis in 2009 for taking cocaine, but was later cleared. Gasquet's explanation was that his inadvertent consumption came after kissing a woman who had consumed it at a party. 

Surely Gasquet's backhand is the only stimulant a party girl needs.

10. Lance Armstrong

As with most sports, the Lance Armstrong case raises doubt over every extraordinary performance. When we see extraordinary endurance in a tennis match, we have to now ask if it's possible for this to be without assistance. When we see predictable success and players who peak on cue, and where we see other players without an answer, we are forced to question results. When we see the authorities opaque in their dealings and defensive on the subject of drugs, it is right to be suspicious. Lance Armstrong is not to blame personally, but his case and the sport of cycling does have similarities that should be questioned.

Best 5 Tips for Overhead Smashes

The overhead smash. You've done everything correct, have your opponent under pressure, get the easy lob, and then...

See the best tips below to ensure that you put that smash away for a winner.

1. Footwork

It all begins with footwork. This short video gets to the point - we can only hit a good overhead if we are in the correct position.

2. It's a fun shot

Brad Gilbert knows a thing or two about tennis. But the best thing about this video is that he sees the shot as a positive. It's the only type of shot in tennis where you get to slam dunk. It's a shot we should relish.

Brad Gilbert and Bob Bryan also present a comprehensive overview of the shot.

3. What would Roger do?

Some people can win a Wimbledon title with an overhead smash. Good footwork, sound technique, years of practice all help at this moment.

4. Drills for overhead smashes

The shot looks easy, but you really need to practice. These simple drills can give focus to your training sessions. Importantly, it stresses that you should practice the direction in which you smash. It may be like a slam dunk, but there is a bit of variation that you should understand and practice.

5. Checklist for hitting an overhead

Breaking the steps down into a checklist, this site writes down what we have seen in the above videos. Read this then analyze the videos again to see what others are really doing, other than making it look so easy. The key step mentioned here - practice this shot over and over.

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Best 7 Strategies for Singles

It cannot be stressed enough times that with tennis, keep it simple and enjoy playing. That said, winning can be part of that enjoyment, right? Below are some tips that will help you not just hit forehands and backhands, but also think through your matches.

1. Tennis Strategies and Tactics

Let's start with fundamental principles. For a player to be decent, these principles should be entrenched. Start with Hanck's 7 Laws of Tennis - you will instantly be more than a hack if you can master these. Then master the singles strategy. It is in many ways common sense; but a common sense so easily forgotten when taking to the court.

These principles are a must if you are to be a better than average player.

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2. Tom Avery's tips

Tom Avery delivers some fundamentals. Keep the ball deep. When in doubt, hit crosscourt. When attacking the net shade toward the down the line pass. These are tips that won't break the casino's bank in themselves, however they do put the odds in your favor.

3. Joe Perez - know thy enemy

"Well, you don't know what tactic you are going to use unless you know how your opponent plays...". Too true. Joe Perez's videos have an emphasis on how to play against different types of players, ranging from the pusher to the hard hitter.

Recognizing that your game will need adjustment depending on who you are playing is key to being a consistently good player.

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4. Playing against different types of players

So how do you beat those hacks who just lob the ball back and bring you down to their level? This article may give you a good hint. Like the above, before applying a strategy it is worth knowing what type of game your opponent plays. This article lists four different types of players, one of which, for those interested in archaeology, is the serve and volleyer.

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5. Analyze how the pros do it

It turns out that Nadal's wedge is a key tactic, and not just an underwear malfunction. For those looking to play with some advanced strategies, look at how the top pros do it. This video from Tennis Oxygen analyzes the best male players of the last few years - Nadal, Federer and Djokovic. Learn to play like they do.

6. Case study: Federer vs Roddick 2007

It happens too often in the space of a ten minute highlight reel for this to be an accident on Federer's behalf. Hitting the short ball, often sliced and awkwardly to the backhand side, Federer draws the tentative Roddick into the net then passes him with ease. Tactically, Federer exploits the weakness of his opponent. The lesson is, do what works, do it often, don't overthink.

7. Case study: Nadal vs. Federer

Did I just say do what works and do it often? High, topspinning lefty forehand to the one-handed backhand. Again and again and again.