Consistency Challenge
Roger Federer has an incredible streak of having reached 22 straight Grand Slam semifinals, but consistency is rare during the fall tournament swing. It feels as if many of the top players have more "bad losses" after the U.S. Open compared to other times during the
season.
There are several possible causes for the number of upsets at this time of year. Mental, as well as physical fatigue is probably the main culprit. However, it's also the last chance for certain players to salvage a poor season so they are highly-motivated and can capitalize on a good draw or sub-par performance by their opponent, e.g. Ivan Ljubicic or Feliciano Lopez, who are both playing well in Shanghai. There are also rising players who are feeling a boost of confidence after a strong summer, e.g. Marin Cilic, who led the Croatian Davis Cup team to victory over the United States and then upset Andy Murray at the 2009 U.S. Open. In Beijing last week, Cilic upset Rafael Nadal who is still struggling to find consistent form after a series of injuries.
One of Pete Sampras’ most impressive achievements was ending the year as the Number One ranked player for six straight years. To earn that honor, Sampras not only had to play well at the Grand Slams, but he also had to play, and win, during many of the regular weekly tournaments. In his sixth year as Number One, Sampras battled Marcelo Rios right to end of the season. As every Number One ranked player will tell you, the key to maintaining consistency and avoiding upsets is to learn how to win matches when you are not playing your best tennis. It may sound easy, but it is so much more difficult than hitting buckets of serves!
There are several possible causes for the number of upsets at this time of year. Mental, as well as physical fatigue is probably the main culprit. However, it's also the last chance for certain players to salvage a poor season so they are highly-motivated and can capitalize on a good draw or sub-par performance by their opponent, e.g. Ivan Ljubicic or Feliciano Lopez, who are both playing well in Shanghai. There are also rising players who are feeling a boost of confidence after a strong summer, e.g. Marin Cilic, who led the Croatian Davis Cup team to victory over the United States and then upset Andy Murray at the 2009 U.S. Open. In Beijing last week, Cilic upset Rafael Nadal who is still struggling to find consistent form after a series of injuries.
One of Pete Sampras’ most impressive achievements was ending the year as the Number One ranked player for six straight years. To earn that honor, Sampras not only had to play well at the Grand Slams, but he also had to play, and win, during many of the regular weekly tournaments. In his sixth year as Number One, Sampras battled Marcelo Rios right to end of the season. As every Number One ranked player will tell you, the key to maintaining consistency and avoiding upsets is to learn how to win matches when you are not playing your best tennis. It may sound easy, but it is so much more difficult than hitting buckets of serves!
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