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The conditions have become like that as the average height of the players has increased way too much. During my time, I was one of the tallest players but now someone of my height will be in the below-average category. The racquets have become very aero-dynamic and instead of changing the racquet , we have slowed down the surface. Also, the ball has been made a little heavier. So, now the game has become more power-centric instead of skill-centric. It is just like hockey where after the playing surface was changed from grass to astro-turf, the game became more dependent on power and stamina instead of skills. Tennis, too, has become increasingly a tall and powerful player’s game.

Andy Murray broke down in tears after winning his first singles title since career-saving hip surgery by beating Stan Wawrinka at the European Open.

The Briton, 32, launched a stunning comeback from a set and a break down to win 3-6 6-4 6-4 in Antwerp to take his first title for more than two years.

Murray had surgery in January and was playing in just his seventh tournament since returning to singles.

He described it as “one of the biggest” wins of his career.

“It means a lot,” the three-time Grand Slam champion said. “The last few years have been extremely difficult.

“I didn’t expect to be in this position at all. I’m happy, very happy.”

Read more at: https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/50117953

Roger Federer will check off another landmark on Monday when he starts his bid for a 10th Basel title by playing the 1,500th match of his career. The 38-year-old begins his bid for his 103rd title against German qualifier Peter Gojowczyk.

Despite not adding to his tally of majors, he still stands at 47-8 for the year, a record bettered only by eternal rival Rafael Nadal, whose triumphs at Roland Garros and the US Open have taken the Spaniard to 19 Grand Slams. Federer made the final at Wimbledon in July where he had two match points before losing to Novak Djokovic in a five-set epic.

Read more at: https://www.hindustantimes.com/tennis/in-a-career-of-landmarks-roger-federer-set-for-1500th-match/story-ZAF9Mu5ioCYXtT46jhe4yJ.html

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Canadian Denis Shapovalov has his first ATP Tour title.

The fourth seede from Richmond Hill, captured the Stockholm Open on Sunday with a 6-4, 6-4 win over Serbian Filip Krajinovic.

Not only was it his first ATP title, but he becomes the first Canadian men’s singles winner on tour since Milos Raonic of Thornhill in Brisbane in January 2016.

It marked the first time Shapovalov had ever faced the No. 60-ranked Krajinovic.

The Canadian was ranked No. 34 in the world prior to the event, but will crack the top 30 with this result for the first time since July.

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In an interview the CEO of the Roger Federer Foundation Janine Handel spoke about the upcoming Match for Africa 6 between the Swiss and Rafael Nadal that will take place on February 7 2020 in Cape Town, South Africa. Handel said: “This match in Cape Town means the world to Roger.

It is a real dream come true, playing in the country of his mother’s home and bringing high-class tennis to Africa. That was really his motivation. That’s why he picked Rafael Nadal, his lifetime rival but also friend, sharing the cause for helping the less privileged and empowering children.”

More at: https://www.tennisworldusa.org/tennis/news/Roger_Federer/78567/-playing-in-africa-with-rafael-nadal-is-a-dream-come-true-for-federer-/

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Roger Federer has announced he will compete at next year’s Tokyo Olympics in a bid to claim the men’s singles gold medal, the only major prize he has yet to win.

“I’ve been debating with my team for a few weeks now, months actually, what I should do in the summer time (of 2020) after Wimbledon and before the US Open,” he said at a promotional event in Tokyo on Monday.

“At the end of the day my heart decided to play the Olympic Games again.”

Read more at: https://au.sports.yahoo.com/roger-federer-tokyo-2020-olympic-games-announcement-193134638.html