In Kenin’s case, there was Sharapova, another Russian who had migrated to Florida.īut the real mystery is where the tactical acumen comes. Then there was four-year-old Madison Keys, inspired by Venus Williams’ dress. Recall the trip the 10-year-old Justine Henin took with her mother to the 1992 Roland Garros final between Graf and Monica Seles.
Or there might be a WTA or ATP competitor that young player finds particularly engaging-for such random reasons as wardrobe, manner, a notable match witnessed at a formative stage. For Kenin, the local wise man was Rick Macci, the longstanding Florida instructor who has worked with such power baseliners as Jennifer Capriati and the Williams sisters. 1 in the world-Tracy Austin, Pete Sampras, Lindsay Davenport, Maria Sharapova. From his base in Southern California’s South Bay, Robert Lansdorp has taught hundreds his beloved brand of flat, penetrating groundstrokes, including four who became No. Watch, turn, hit.īut beyond that, how does someone build a playing style? At one level, it’s as random or expedient as the geographic convenience of a nearby instructor.
Kenin was taught this way too, on many an early Florida morning, through the hot afternoon, into evening, fed ball after ball by her father, Alex. Stroke production is what the aspiring youngster first learns, often directed by a parent who probably never played tennis but studied it closely enough to mimic technique-particularly, the contemporary game, which over the last 40 years has emphasized concussive groundstrokes. The ball-striker is a familiar tennis archetype, easily recognizable, appraised by his or her ability to generate pace. Heck, Kenin is even willing to occasionally toss in a slice forehand, a shot that last enjoyed widespread popularity circa 1935. And in that word “maybe” is revealed Kenin’s deceptive asset. While the American’s fellow pros are too skilled to spray the incoming slice wide, long, or into the net-the way such spin can affect recreational players-there’s the possibility they will not be able to inflict as much damage to Kenin as they would versus a flat ball. Better yet, it will force her opponent to address the ball from a slightly different contact point than the customary flat drive. The Kenin slice is not merely a form of desperate retrieval, though that has value too. For that reason alone, there is much to be learned about a lesser-recognized, pleasing dimension of the 2020 Australian Open champion. Nor will it be deployed with the stiletto-like accuracy of the approach shot that helped build Martina Navratilova’s trophy case.īut with this slice, Kenin will surely accomplish something. Nor is it likely to bounce millimeters off the ground, a la Stefanie Graf’s highly stylized slice. When it comes to a technical evaluation, the Kenin slice backhand is scarcely as elegant as Ashleigh Barty’s carefully sculpted stroke. She’s preparing to hit a shot rarely seen in contemporary women’s tennis-a slice backhand. The racquet face clearly indicates what Sofia Kenin is about to do to the ball.
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