January 14, 2022

Here’s your roundup of the five most interesting things I’m enjoying or thinking about this week.

1.) Australian Open’s Start

Coverage of the 2022 Australian Open kicks off this Sunday, January 16, for US viewers, and fans are getting excited. At the time of writing, it’s still unclear whether world No. 1 Novak Djokovic will be permitted to play, but regardless, I’m looking forward to the excellent tennis that awaits on both sides of the tour.

Check Out the Draws

2.) Rybakina’s Masterclass

Earlier this week, world No. 18 and US Open champ Emma Raducanu faced off against No. 13 Elena Rybakina at the Sydney International. Elena was all business and thoroughly outplayed Emma during the match, only giving up one game in the second set. Unfortunately, she retired from her second match due to a left thigh injury, so hopefully, she’s just taking precautions and is in good shape for the Australian Open.

3.) The MK Drill [Test Yourself]

High-performance coach Mark Kovacs developed a simple on-court test to evaluate tennis-specific endurance. To complete the test, players line up on the doubles sideline and sprint to the other side of the court and back, which counts as one rep. Players repeat, each time adding a rep with the rest time increasing along with the number of reps. Once at six reps with 120-second rest, players repeat the cycle, working their way back down to one rep. Check the link below to view a basic chart outlining the drill and a target time for completion if you’d like to give it a shot.

According to Mark, completing the drill in 17 minutes is a good target for competitive adult players.

4.) Gaël Monfils’ 11th Title

Last year, the tour took its toll on French tennis player and fan favorite Gaël Monfils. However, at the Adelaide International, he claimed his first title since 2020, overcoming Karen Khachanov 6-4, 6-4, and looked to be enjoying himself again on the court with a solid crowd. Unfortunately, a few days later, he had to retire due to a neck injury. Hopefully, it’s nothing serious, and he’ll be ready for his first-round match at the Australian Open.

5.) lululemon Taps Into Tennis

This week, lululemon announced US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez as their newest global ambassador who they’re working with as they develop a tennis-specific line of clothing for men and women, set to release this Spring. lululemon is also hinting at a footwear line, so plenty of new gear from a non-traditional tennis brand for players to look forward to this year.

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If you have a moment, I’d love to hear your feedback. Which topic is your favorite? What would you like to see more or less of each week?

Share your thoughts in the comments below and have a great weekend.