Bjorn Phau may not be the tallest, the strongest or the fiercest competitor on the ATP World Tour, but he is regarded by a number of his fellow players as the quickest man in tennis.

At 5’ 9’’, Phau discusses how he’s needed to compensate for his lack of height, his similarities to one of his idols, Michael Chang, and the player he’d like to race in a 100m sprint as part of Compeed’s Form & Fitness series.

You’ve been named by several of your colleagues as the quickest player on the ATP World Tour. How do you feel about being given that distinction?
Of course, it’s an honour to be called that. I’m not that tall, so I have to be quite quick to compensate for it. I always try to get to the balls. That’s what I can rely on the most when I’m on the court.

What types of exercises and drills are part of your training program to work on having good court speed? 
Before and after practice, I do physical exercises. But for most of my footwork drills, I do them on the court with a ball.

How have you been able to maintain your quickness since turning professional 13 years ago? Is building strength (through lifting weights) part of this process?
I did weights a lot at the beginning of my career. I also think being fast is a talent God gave me. I try to train hard so I can maintain it.

Growing up, you admired the quickness of Michael Chang. Having similar frames, would you say you’ve emulated his style of play during your career?
A little bit. He was a very good baseliner. He was unbelievably solid from the back. He was very quick as well, but he played with a two-handed backhand. I play with one hand. That’s the main difference between our games.

How does having premier court speed benefit other areas of your game?
I think my strength lies within the rally. For example, if my opponent approaches and hits the ball into the corner, I’m able to get the ball back and recover.

What is a misconception that junior tennis players have in trying to improve their quickness and what would you suggest they do to correct it?
On-court exercises are really good because at the end, it’s all about tennis and getting to the ball. The best way to improve is to practise.

If given the opportunity to race one of your ATP World Tour colleagues in a 100m sprint at Olympic Stadium, who would you want to go up against and why?
Nadal, because he’s also one of the quickest players, so I think I’d want to go against him.

Which player on tour do you think…
Has the best footwork? Novak Djokovic
Has the greatest muscular endurance? Gael Monfils
Is the quickest? Rafael Nadal
Is the most flexible? Gael Monfils
Has the strongest core? Novak Djokovic
Has the best balance? Roger Federer

With assistance from Alison Kim. 

Has there ever been a time when you felt like you couldn’t move your legs on a flight? Or have you had trouble readjusting the height of a stationary bike at the gym?

Then spare a thought for Ivo Karlovic, who at 6’ 10’’, has really got it tough! The 33-year-old Croat, known for his imposing serve and presence at the net, not only has to find solutions to everyday problems such as travelling and sleeping, he has to work overtime in the gym just to keep his lengthy frame in shape.

Below, Karlovic talks to ATPWorldTour.com about the areas of fitness he works on the most, and the pros and cons of being the ATP’s tallest player.

How do you manage the intricacy in travelling long distances, given the combination of your height and the amount of leg room airplanes offer?
It is not easy. On the airplane, there is not a lot of leg room. I’m fortunate enough to be able to fly in business class. I remember when I was younger flying in economy class, it was very hard to fit my legs. I try to move around a lot during the flight and drink a lot of water.

As a taller player, what areas of fitness do you have to address more compared to your peers?
My legs of course. It isn’t easy to move on the court. And also endurance, because of my weight, it isn’t always easy to carry it. I always have to run with it, so it is a challenge. I try and work on endurance a lot.

Are there any particular exercises/stretches you do to help with your booming serve?
I stretch a lot to loosen it. And I do a lot of exercises with my upper body to stay strong.

What physical advantages and disadvantages do you possess as being the tallest guy on tour?
I’m stronger than a lot of the other guys. That’s what I like to think! I also have a lot more reach. I can hit the serve from a much higher point. But the big disadvantage is that I also have to go down. It can be hard to go up and down with how far I have to do it. And then movement is also tough.

Why do you think you’ve been able to find longevity on tour?
It’s because I didn’t start really young. I started as a professional when I was almost 22. It also helps that my game does not involve a lot of long points.

You like to come in to net. How has stretching helped you get down for the lower volleys?
I do a lot of stretching exercises, because of that reason, and because it also helps prevention from injuries. It’s very important overall for my game and body.

For taller recreational players, what would you recommend he/she add to their training program?
They should do a lot of exercises for the back. It is an easy place to injure when you’re tall. Also work on the knees. Weightlifting and endurance should also be addressed.

Which player on tour do you think…
Is the most flexible? Novak Djokovic
Has the strongest core? Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Has the best balance? Novak Djokovic
Is the quickest? Gael Monfils
Has the greatest muscular endurance? Gael Monfils
Has the best footwork? David Ferrer

Gluten-free diets are all the rage given Novak Djokovic’s success in 2011. Learn about the benefits and also some pitfalls to avoid.

Prior to reaching the 2010 US Open final, Novak Djokovic found out he had coeliac disease, which affects about one in 100 people. It means he is intolerant to gluten found in many grains.

Four months ago, the Serbian revealed his secret.

Only then did his ATP World Tour rivals fully realise his success and subsequent rise to No. 1 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings was not just down to his agility, baseline aggression and strong serve, but to his diet.

Under the guidance of his nutrionist, Igor Cetojevic, Djokovic was steered away from wheat, barley and rye. He went onto compile a 41-0 start to the 2011 season.

Speaking in April, Djokovic admitted, “He’s done a great job in changing my diet after we established I am allergic to some food ingredients, like gluten. It means I can’t eat stuff like pizza, pasta and bread. I have lost some weight but it’s only helped me because my movement is much sharper now and I feel great physically.”

So should everyone go gluten-free? Hold on. You shouldn’t jump on the bandwagon too soon. First, you must understand why people are on this diet.

What is Gluten?

Gluten is a protein, which is present in grains like rye, oats, wheat and barley. A gluten-free diet means staying off of foods comprised of these grains, eliminating staples such as bread, pasta, cereal and certain snack foods. “Eating a gluten-free diet is mainly a treatment for people suffering from Celiac disease, who have intolerance to gluten,” said Page Love, Registered and Sport Dietitian Consultant for the ATP World Tour, WTA and United States Tennis Association.

Players who have an allergy to gluten, such as World No. 1 doubles player Mike Bryan and WTA star Sabine Lisicki, stick to a strict gluten-free diet to prevent gastrointestinal reactions. “By avoiding the gluten containing foods, players minimise their GI distress,” explained Love.

It’s not an easy diet for players like Djokovic and Bryan to follow, as it requires a limitation in the consumption of many common complex carbohydrates, a vital resource for athletes.

“For the tennis player this is possibly the most important energy source for their working muscles, since these foods comprise the mainstay of muscle energy foods in the tennis training diet.

“If you don’t eat enough carbohydrates, your energy level will decrease, causing early fatigue on the court, especially during intense tournament play.” 

How to get Carbs on a Gluten-free Diet?

“It is crucial that anyone who goes on this diet makes sure that they adequately replace the missing carbohydrate sources with alternative non-gluten foods such as corn, potatoes, rice, and legumes,” adds Love.

The diet can be limiting at first, but you have lots of choices for complex carbohydrates that are naturally gluten-free, such as:

• Rice
• Beans
• Potatoes
• Buckwheat
• Sweet potatoes 
• Winter squash
• Lentils

Common Misconception

In addition to ensuring one ingests enough gluten-free carbohydrates, Love stresses that this diet is not for those seeking weight loss or healthier living.

“While the average consumer or tennis player may think this approach can improve their health or weight loss, he/she may risk cutting out too many of his important energy sources in the diet,” said Love. “The diet is not meant for weight loss; it is simply a diet to avoid GI irritants such as an allergy diet.”

This was written in conjunction with Page Love, MS, RD, CSSD, USPTA. Visitwww.nutrifitga.com for more information.

by Matt Fitzgerald

by Matt Fitzgerald

Kei Nishikori began the 2011 season ranked 98th but reasserted himself as one of the game’s future stars with an impressive year. The 21 year old posted a 36-22 record, reaching finals in Houston and Basel, and recording wins against World No. 1 Novak Djokovic, and Top 10 players Jo-Wilfried Tsongaand Tomas Berdych.

He also became the highest Japanese ranked player in ATP World Tour history after advancing to the semi-finals of the Shanghai Rolex Masters. Nishikori finished the year ranked No. 25 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings and will look to break further ground in 2012.

ATPWorldTour.com sat down with Nishikori at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy in Bradenton, Florida to discuss his off-season training for Form & Fitness presented by COMPEED.

How are you preparing for the 2012 season?
This off-season, I used two weeks for just training. I’ve played tennis as well, but my first goal is to get a strong body, so I’ve been working on becoming more physical. I also hope to have a healthy season next year with no big injuries.

Are there specific areas that you’ve been targeting in the off-season?
I’ve done a lot of core and balance exercises. I’ve done heavy weights too, but balance is something I’ve been working on a lot.

How much of an impact do you believe your level of endurance contributed to your rise in 2011?
It’s hard to say because I think it’s something I need to have. I’m not a big guy so I have to get as many balls back as possible to win the points. So having good endurance is important. It’s something I’ve been working on improving this off-season too.

What area of fitness do you think you need to work on most and how do you plan on addressing this?
I think I need to get my entire body bigger in terms of strength. But I also need to have better balance when players are moving me side-to-side as I’m often on the run.

What makes the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy a good training base?
A lot of things. I can concentrate on just tennis here. Also, a lot of top players come down, especially now during the off-season, which allows us to train with a number of guys. There are also tons of great coaches here. It’s nice to be able to play tennis and train, and sleep. It’s not a situation we get to be in often.

What are some exercises or stretches you’d recommend a tennis fan implement into their training program?
I’d recommend adding in a number of groin stretches. The adductors are used when changing directions and moving around the court, so players should remember not to forget about this area.

Which player on tour do you think…
Has the strongest core? Roger Federer
Is the quickest? Rafael Nadal
Has the best footwork? David Ferrer
Is the most flexible? Novak Djokovic
Has the best balance? Gael Monfils
Has the greatest muscular endurance? Rafael Nadal

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by Matt Fitzgerald

Tommy Haas is one of the most experienced players competing on the ATP World Tour. At 34, he’s played nearly 750 tour-level singles matches, maintaining his standing despite numerous injuries and changes in generations, technology and physicality.

Speaking with ATPWorldTour.com, Haas discusses the way his approach to fitness has changed over time, and how he’s overcome several injuries to continue playing the game he loves.

How has your training programme evolved since you first turned professional?

It’s changed a lot. Tennis has become so much more physical, so I’ve put in a lot more hours off the court to stay fit. I do so many things in the gym now, whether it’s weights, yoga or Pilates. Whatever it takes to feel comfortable. I work on endurance and strength. You can always work on something to feel good. You have to see what helps you to feel better. I’ve had a lot of injuries as well, so I’ve had to step back and try to get back into shape a number of times.

You’ve definitely had your share of misfortunes when it comes to injuries. Talk about the struggle in recovering from setbacks and how you dealt with that physically.
Every time you have an injury, you compensate. First of all, it has to heal and get strong again. Your mind has to be there in order to regain confidence. The latest one I had was my hip. I had the surgery two years ago. It took a really long time to become confident again. I had to work on getting my strength back. Early on my lower back and my knee started compensating, because the body is all connected. It involved a lot of exercises, hard work and dedication to get back.

What is the most difficult part about training off the court now, compared to 10-12 years ago for you?
I think I just dedicate myself to it more seriously now, knowing I have to do it more to get into a certain type of shape. To be able to stay there, you have to be committed. You can’t just go to the gym every other day and expect to be ok.

How imperative is scheduling? You have tournaments, off-court workouts and travel to juggle.
You always need to be aware of your schedule. There are certain times where you have to push more, and times, like before a tournament, where you take a step back because you don’t want to feel like you’ve worked too hard and not have the feel of the ball. That’s the tough thing about tennis, when you’re playing tournaments every other week. If you win matches, it’s tough to go to the gym and pump iron for two hours or do a number of hard exercises off the court. You have two or three weeks out of a year to really work on and figure out your fitness.

What’s the most valuable fitness lesson you’ve learned on the ATP World Tour?
You have to keep getting fitter and stay there. And try and avoid injuries as much as possible.

Which player on tour do you think…
Is the most flexible? Novak Djokovic
Has the best balance? Roger Federer
Is the quickest? Bjorn Phau
Has the greatest muscular endurance? Novak Djokovic 
Has the strongest core? Rafael Nadal
Has the best footwork? David Ferrer  

- COMPEED is an official supplier of the ATP.

by Matt Fitzgerald

Max Mirnyi has been one of the most imposing figures on the ATP World Tour since turning pro in 1996. His 6’ 5’’ ripped body and lengthy arm span at the net helped him reach the Top 20 in singles, but having elite flexibility and agility to complement his strong build has enabled the Belarusian to find even greater success on the doubles court.

Mirnyi has captured five Grand Slam men’s doubles trophies, most recently at Roland Garros last year with Daniel Nestor. The two closed out 2011 by going undefeated at the Barclays ATP World Tour Finals to win the year-end championship in their first season together.

ATPWorldTour.com spent a day with Mirnyi at the IMG Bollettieri Tennis Academy in December, gaining insight on the types of exercises he does and his commitment to fitness in order to maintain his Top 5 doubles ranking.

Why is having a consistent fitness regimen one of your main priorities on the ATP World Tour?
It’s a pretty easy question, because tennis is a physically demanding sport. The player or team that does better is normally the fitter of the two. Plus, it’s been a part of my life for a long time. I love to stay fit and train, whether I’m on the road, at home, or training in Bradenton.

What are you most proud of in terms of your fitness, being one of the strongest and most flexible players in the game?
The flexibility part has certainly been a big part of my fitness. It allowed me to recover quicker and it’s a big reason why I’ve been able to be out on the court for many years, basically injury free, due to me being pretty mobile.

You’re naturally flexible, but what sorts of exercises have you done to keep it up and continue extending your muscles?
More than anything, it’s attributed to doing the exercises every day. You have your dynamic stretching, you have your cool downs, but stretching my body, trying to be loose has been a part of me for many years. I don’t go a day, whether I’m on vacation or have a tough match, without dedicating 20 to 30 minutes working on my most important areas. These are my hip flexors and the shoulders. I like doing it and you can sometimes even find me doing some exercises front of the TV when I’m watching a show or movie.

Doubles has different styles of shots to singles. More angles are used, lower shots are played and teams have to be able to pick up the half volley. Do you believe you have a big advantage in having that extra flexibility to compensate your powerful game and imposing frame?
Being strong and flexible is going to benefit anybody, whether you’re walking or playing tennis. I’m aware of my strengths, but I put in a lot of work to maintain them. You don’t just become fit or flexible because you’ve put in some work in December. I like hitting the gym before and after practises. I dedicate more than 50 per cent of success on the court to a fitness program. Most players, coaches, academies and agents realise this. They look at who’s able to be physical and stay out there the longest.

Since transitioning to doubles full time, in what ways have you adjusted your fitness program?
If I am doing sprints, in the past for singles, I’d do them from 60 to 100 yards. Today, though I do them as frequent, I only go from 30 to 50 yards. In terms of weight training, I lift a little more now because I’m older but also stronger. From the nature of doubles today, it’s a much more explosive game than 20 years ago.

Which area of fitness do you find contributes most to success in doubles?
I’d have to go with agility, because doubles is a lot of up and down, whether you explode for an overhead, come back to run down a lob, or reach forward to try and cut through no man’s land on the first volley. These situations are why I believe being agile is the most important thing in doubles.

What exercises or stretches would you recommend a recreational tennis player add to their fitness program?
I think many don’t realise to have a good serve, it’s important to have all joints and muscles around the shoulders flexible. For those that like to play tennis on a regular basis, some don’t pay enough attention to warming up and cooling down. One of my favourite stretches to recommend is the sleeper stretch. You get on your side and try to point your elbow 90 degrees from your shoulder. Then, gently pushing on your wrist, you try to bring your hand down towards the floor. Three sets of eight repetitions are good for that. I also like to take a baseball bat, grabbing it on both ends and swing it over my head, holding the position. This lets the chest stretch out.

Which doubles player on tour do you think…
Is the most flexible? Daniel Nestor
Has the best footwork? Leander Paes
Has the best balance? Daniel Nestor
Is the quickest? Michael Llodra
Has the greatest muscular endurance? Nenad Zimonjic
Has the strongest core? Mark Knowles

- COMPEED is an official supplier of the ATP.

by Matt Fitzgerald

At 30 years of age, Jurgen Melzer remains one of the fittest players on the ATP World Tour. He’s achieved significant results in recent years, advancing to his first Grand Slam singles semi-final in 2010 at Roland Garros and ascending to a career-high ranking of No. 8 in April 2011.

In February, the Austrian captured his first ATP World Tour 500 trophy in Memphis, cooling off a red-hot Milos Raonic in the final. With the European clay-court swing fast approaching, ATPWorldTour.com sat down with Melzer to discuss what players need to do in order to successfully transition from hard courts to the dirt.

When preparing for the European clay-court season, what do you do different with your fitness training?
You try to work a little bit on your abductor and adductor, because that’s probably the area that changes the most. You have to do a lot of sliding. You want to try and do some sliding and work on your legs before you start playing on clay courts. The first hours you have, it’s always going to be tough, but after a while, you adjust to it and are fine.

You’ve had great success on both hard and clay courts. You beatNovak Djokovic at Roland Garros to reach the semi-finals in 2010, took out Roger Federer last year in Monte-Carlo and won the title in Memphis this year. What do you need to do to find positive results early on in the surface switch like you did in 2011?
We have the Davis Cup against Spain right after Miami, so there’s not a lot of time. Spain has the best clay court players in the world, so I better get ready quickly. Usually, it takes me a little bit to adjust. I like to have two weeks of just practice on clay courts, but that’s not an option this year. I probably have five or six days. But it’s nice to have the Davis Cup, to get match fit on clay early on.

With clay-court matches generally running longer in comparison to the other surfaces, how much emphasis do you put on training your endurance?
Endurance is very important. I started working on it in Indian Wells. Whenever you have time off between tournaments, you have to work on it, because the matches are going to be longer and physically more demanding, so you need that extra level of endurance. I always try to get ready in the preseason, looking to get my endurance level high, and then try to maintain it during the season. Between Indian Wells and Miami, there are four or five days where I try to focus on it. But you can’t do much when you play a tournament, as it’s the most important thing.

Which part of your body feels the effect of changing surfaces the most and what do you do to make sure it doesn’t get overworked or injured?
This varies. Usually with the sliding, it’s the abductor that gets most of the damage. When you win a lot of matches on clay, it’s actually better on the body as you have less stress. So it comes with winning that makes it a lot easier.

What sorts of exercises do you do to ensure your footwork maintains its level during long matches?
Since I grew up on clay, it’s a lot easier for me to adjust to sliding. There are players that grew up on hard courts and it’s probably more difficult for them. But for me, it’s just natural, so I don’t do anything in particular.

What you are you most proud of about your fitness and why?
I know I can run at least as long as the guy across the net. I’ve put a lot of hours in on the bike, so it’s nice to be able to walk on the court and know I’m at least as fit as the guy on the other side.

How would you advise recreational players to effectively and safely change surfaces?
The first hours you play, take your time. Get used to the sliding and the surface. That’s more important than trying to go out there from the first point and giving 100 per cent. Don’t push the limit too early.

Which player on tour do you think…
Has the best footwork? Gael Monfils
Has the strongest core? Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
Has the greatest muscular endurance? Roger Federer
Is the most flexible? Novak Djokovic
Is the quickest? Bjorn Phau
Has the best balance? Roger Federer

- COMPEED is an official supplier of the ATP.

by Matt Fitzgerald

At this time last year, Bernard Tomic was ranked No. 185 in the South African Airways ATP Rankings. He was playing his second full season on the ATP World Tour, working to translate his success as a two-time junior Grand Slam champion to the professional tennis world.

The Australian caught fire at Wimbledon, where as a 158th-ranked qualifier, defeated then World No. 5 Robin Soderling in straight sets en route to the quarter-finals, falling to eventual champion Novak Djokovic. The run propelled Tomic to No. 71, and he hasn’t looked back since then.

ATPWorldTour.com caught up with the 19 year old at the Delray Beach International Tennis Championships to discuss the physical challenges in competing on the ATP World Tour and his memorable comeback win overFernando Verdasco in the first round of the Australian Open this past January.

What’s the biggest difference you’ve noticed between the junior circuit and the ATP World Tour in terms of the physical requirements it takes to keep up with your competition?
It’s so tough. A lot of the guys in the Top 100 have very good movement and are stronger. It’s hard as it’s very, very different. To make that transition, it was difficult for me, but I’ve managed to do it at a pretty young age. It’s pretty tough breaking through, but once you’re there and settled, it’s a little easier to hold your ranking and get points. It’s tough to break into the Top 100, but that’s where I got a lot of confidence in the juniors, being ranked No. 1 in the world.

How has the transition been for you since turning professional, and what changes in your conditioning have you noticed?
Every year, I’ve gotten stronger. The stronger I get, the better I play. I think the last year has been good for me strength wise, and that’s why I’ve played well.

What has been the most physically challenging aspect of the daily grind against players who are generally more experienced than you?
Movement wise, and playing long matches is tough for me. I don’t move as good as these players. I’m a bit taller and lack the movement they do. I have a longer reach, but sometimes in tennis, it works in your favour to be a better mover to get around the ball, than to be tall and long. So it can be difficult when you have a long body shape, so what I’ve learned the most is that I need speed in this game, so that’s what I’ve been working on recently.

Have there been any instances where you pushed too hard, and how did you learn from those experiences?
There’s been a lot of days when I’ve pushed too hard, but that’s important. You need to push hard to get through the tough days. That’s where you learn the most. You get a lot of confidence on those days. You become a better player, better aware of yourself. So the more days you push through, the better you feel when it comes time to play at a tournament.

Where do you think you still need to improve and what are you doing to tackle this?
Speed and more fitness time in the gym. I think I’ve improved a lot the last year, but hopefully in a year, I’ll be much better than I’m moving now.

What area of fitness do you think has contributed the greatest to your rise up the rankings the past 12 months?
I’d say my upper body strength. Because it’s become stronger, it’s allowed me to serve better. I’m getting a lot of free points which helps out. Being stronger with my upper body will allow me to generate more power, hit bigger, and ultimately hit more winners, which enables me to finish off points quicker.

Where does your victory over Verdasco in Melbourne rank on your list of biggest wins… and what role did your fitness play in putting you over the top against one of the more robust players on tour in extremely difficult conditions?
Yes, that was a very tough match. It was very difficult to play Fernando in those conditions. Being two sets to love down, against an accomplished player like that, it was tough to turn it around. I knew if I was able to turn it around, it was going to be one of the longest matches I’ve ever played. He’s one of the fittest guys out there, so to win that sort of match gave me a lot of confidence, and a lot of good experience that I can take with me in my career. Especially with future matches where I’m up two sets to love and a player comes back, I’ll know how to deal with it. The hardest thing is to come back from two sets down… I’ve managed to do it a few times in my career already, so hopefully I can keep at it when I’m in the situation again.

Which player’s physical prowess are you inspired by and what do you need to do to achieve a similar level?
Nadal, for his speed and fitness, and Novak, for his athleticism. All the top guys are great and they are there for a reason. Maybe one day I can be as good as them.

For our fans that play tennis regularly, what is an exercise or stretch you’d recommend they add to their training program?
It depends. I think it’s good to mix it up. Squats are very important for tennis. But you’ve got to find what’s right for you and your fitness level.

Which player on tour do you think…
Is the most flexible? Novak Djokovic
Has the best footwork? Roger Federer
Has the greatest muscular endurance? Rafael Nadal
Is the quickest? Gael Monfils
Has the best balance? Novak Djokovic
Has the strongest core? Andy Murray

- COMPEED is an official supplier of the ATP.