'Roger Federer has shown players what...', says former No. 1

Regardless of the eternal debate surrounding the GOAT ('Greatest of all time'), there is no doubt that Roger Federer will go down in history as the most popular tennis player of all times. The former number 1 in the world, in addition to being one of the most successful players in the history of this sport, has represented a model for many young athletes who approach the sport. His class and elegance have made him a source of inspiration also for colleagues from other disciplines, without forgetting a longevity that has very few equals in the modern era (only LeBron James and Tom Brady come to mind, able to reach the Super Bowl with the shirt of Tampa at 43). The exponential increase in fame and media attention led King Roger to also work on the care of the image outside the tennis court. During a conversation on 'Australian Open TV', former ATP number 1 Jim Courier explained how Federer has also become a reference for his ability to interact with the public and the media.

Courier praises Roger Federer for his interview skills

Recently, Jim Courier was asked about his favorite players when it came to their post-match interviews. Jim said, “Well, the easiest person and the one who set the standard has been Roger Federer because he’s so talkative… He’s really shown all the other players what those interviews should be as far as how they can present themselves to the fans and draw a connection.” Since each court surface has unique characteristics, it affects the ball’s speed and a player’s style of play. Although both the Australian Open and the US Open are played on hard-courts, there is a difference in their surface composition. From 1988 until 2007, the Australian Open was played on Rebound Ace, cushioned tennis hardcourt. After the 2019 edition of Melbourne Park, the tournament changed its official court surface supplier to ‘GreenSet Worldwide’ but continued with the traditional blue-colored Plexicushion. GreenSet has fabricated tennis courts for events like Paris Masters, Swiss Indoors in Basel, and ATP Finals in O2 Arena, London. The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center upgraded to new Laykold hard courts made by Advanced Polymer Technology before the 2020 US Open. Since the courts become slower as the tournament progresses, Laykold comes with vapor barrier to provide consistency in court speed and performance. The court pace index (CPI) determines the speed of the court, which factors the speed of the ball before coming in contact with the surface and the speed at which it leaves the court.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2NSvlYh