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With So Much to Lose, Will Emma Raducanu Be Able to Handle Life at the Top?

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Professional tennis is a sport that tends to be extremely lonely at the top. Indeed, once a player has got there by winning a grand slam, the awful reality is that the only real way is down if they aren’t able to remain at the summit of the sport. You could even go as far as to say that in many ways, the hard part only really begins once a player has won a grand slam given that the expectations get turned up dramatically.

For Emma Raducanu, her biggest battles are still ahead and the latest betting on tennis at Betfair indicates that nothing will come easily with the 19-year-old priced at long odds of 14/1 to win the Australian Open in early 2022.

Indeed, the most up-to-date tennis tips for the showdown in Melbourne favor local hero Ashleigh Barty to claim the first grand slam of the year and if truth be told, Raducanu’s outside odds do tell their own story of the upcoming hurdles. Of course, this doesn’t mean that Raducanu can’t win but in general and going forward, it is going to take a Herculean effort to stamp her mark on the women’s game like someone like Serena Williams was able to do.

Some may argue that this is an unfair comparison to make at such an early age but their paths at this stage of their respective careers are eerily similar as Williams also won her first Grand Slam before 20. In fact, the harsh reality of the situation is that it doesn’t particularly matter if this is an unjust comparison that heaps pressure on Raducanu, given that this is the nature of life at the top of professional tennis. Indeed, once you take the spotlight and center stage after bursting onto the scene as a new sensation, there is no stopping the tidal wave of attention and comparisons that inevitably follow. It is an automatic response to what could be the next big thing in the world of not only tennis but sport itself.

MORE FROM TENNIS LIFE:

The Real Reason Why The French Open Doesn’t Use An Electronic Line-Calling System

The biggest challenge ahead as briefly touched on isn’t so much executing an exquisite backhand or serving for the match to win a grand slam, but rather being able to cope with the prior expectations of doing that. So, how does one effectively achieve that in a day and age where your every move is scrutinized?

It’s almost impossible to say given that players don’t respond to pressure in the same way. In other words, some professionals are able to take pressure in their stride while others fall apart at the seams once it is applied. You only have to look at a list of tennis’ one-hit grand slam wonders to realize that the heat does sometimes get unbearable in the kitchen and forces people to get out.

MORE FROM TENNIS LIFE:

King Of Clay Rafael Nadal Reveals Reason Behind Using Brightly Colored Tennis Racquets

The warning at the end of the day has to be that irrespective of the fact that the brilliant Emma Raducanu has won her first grand slam, there is absolutely no guarantee that she will be able to do it again now that the real test has arrived.





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Four Fabulous (And Healthy) Prep-Ahead Smoothie Recipes

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Today we’re sharing four fabulous, (mostly) vegan/dairy-free healthy smoothie recipes, all of which can be made ahead so you won’t be late for your tennis match or work, or wherever you need to be. Each one of these healthy AND delicious smoothies has no added sugar, which means no juice, no maple syrup, no honey…nada. Just the natural sweetness of the fruit in the smoothie!


Prepare the smoothies ahead of time:

You can use freezer bags, but mason jars are perfect since they are reusable. Jars do require more space in your freezer to store, and they collect frost faster, so it’s best to prepare the smoothies no more than 2 weeks prior to drinking them.


  • Place the frozen fruit chunks at the bottom, and follow with your add-ins: extracts, flax, chia seeds, spices, etc. are all totally fine to add in!
  • Top the jars with any greens like kale or spinach (great nutrition and fiber that you CAN’T taste!!), and seal with the jar lids.
  • NOTE:  DON’T use fresh fruit as any moisture will freeze the fruit to the jar itself, making it difficult to get out of the jars.
  • These smoothies will keep for about 2 weeks in the freezer.

The Tropical Turmeric Smoothie

This smoothie is PACKED full of anti-inflammatory promoting ingredients including the turmeric, pineapple and leafy green spinach (or kale). And you can’t taste the turmeric or the leafy greens, just pure tropical bliss! This makes a perfect post-match or post-workout treat as the anti-inflammatory properties help your body to recover more quickly.

smoothie

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Michelle Bell

Serves 1  |  Total calories: 305  |  Total protein: 5g  |  Total carbs: 49g

INGREDIENTS

  • 1-1/4 cups almond milk
  • 1 cup kale or spinach, packed
  • 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
  • pinch of black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 1-1/2 cups frozen pineapple chunks

PREPARATION

  1. Combine the first 5 ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

  2. Add the pineapple chunks and blend again until completely smooth.


Blueberry Coconut Protein Smoothie

This smoothie is packed full of antioxidant rich blueberries, hydrating coconut water, and gets a boost of protein thanks to a scoop of hemp hearts. The blueberries, coconut water, nutty hemp hearts and greek yogurt pair perfectly together for a protein-packed post match/workout snack!

smoothie

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Michelle Bell

Serves 1  |  Total calories: 300  |  Total protein: 17g  |  Total carbs: 49g

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup spinach, packed
  • 1 cup coconut water
  • 1/2 cup yogurt (full-fat plain or Greek)
  • 1-1/2 cups frozen blueberries
  • 1/4 teaspoon coconut extract
  • 1 tablespoon hemp hearts

PREPARATION

  1. Combine the first three ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
  2. Add the blueberries, coconut extract, and hemp hearts. Blend again until smooth.

Green Mango Antioxidant Smoothie

This smoothie is PACKED with superfoods: mango, spinach, chia seedsground flax…so many antioxidants in one drink! A touch of almond extract pairs surprisingly well with the mango and really takes the flavor up a notch. And a big YAY for the antioxidants! We want all the antioxidants we can get because they can lower the risk of cancer and fight against aging!

smoothie

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Michelle Bell

Serves 1  |  Total calories: 289  |  Total protein: 8g  |  Total carbs: 41g

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup spinach, packed
  • 1-1/4 cups almond milk
  • 1-1/2 cups frozen ripe mango chunks
  • 1 teaspoon ground flax
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 1/8 teaspoon almond extract

PREPARATION

  1. Combine the spinach and almond milk in a blender and blend until smooth.

  2. Add the mango chunks, flax, chia seeds and almond extract. Blend again until smooth.


Goji Peach Cherry  “Good Night” Smoothie

Goji berriesare linked to a huge list of health benefits including longevity, calmness and improved sleep, and weight loss. Interestingly, cherries are a good source of melatonin and are linked to improved sleep as well. What a tasty way to get a good night’s sleep before your morning match!

smoothie

Image Source: POPSUGAR Photography / Michelle Bell

Serves 1  |  Total calories: 229  |  Total protein: 6g  |  Total carbs: 36g

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 cup spinach, packed
  • 1 1/4 cup almond milk
  • 1 cup frozen cherries
  • 1/2 cup frozen peach slices
  • 1 tablespoon goji berries

Optional:

  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 1 teaspoon ground flax

PREPARATION

  1. Combine the spinach and almond milk in a blender and blend until smooth.
  2. Add the cherries, peach slices, and goji berries. Blend again until smooth.

IMPORTANT NOTE:

Goji berries can have some side effects, particularly with Warfarin and diabetes drugs, and should be avoided entirely if you’re pregnant.



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5 Tips To Neutralize A Net Rusher In Tennis

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Rushing the net happens more often in doubles tennis, and occasionally you’ll come across a team in which not just one, but BOTH partners will not only serve and volley, but will also come in to the net with their returns. EVERY. FRICKIN. TIME.

Uuuuugh! It’s so frustrating! They move in to the net and mentally slap you with intimidation, putting you in defensive mode, forcing you to think fast and make a passing shot.

But DON’T FALL INTO THEIR TRAP. Only the very best volleyers cope well at the net, and even though they might seem they can handle it, the odds are strongly in your favor that they can’t. Matter of fact, sometimes this intimidation is merely masking some other weakness.

Don’t get me wrong, if you’ve got a solid ground stroke, you’ll get it by them a few times. But sooner or later (no doubt sooner), your opponent will be reading you like a cheap romance novel.

So what can you do?

You’ve gotta change up your game – and often. Call your opponent’s bluff and make her work for the point! These are some great things you can do (other than your passing shot) that will help neutralize your net rusher:

  • hit deep – keep your groundies low and close to the baseline, which will keep them back.
  • lob – force the net rusher back by lobbing over the head of the person already at net. Both players should then move back, which will allow you and your partner to take control of the net.
  • hit a dipper – using heavy topspin, hit a short return to the net rusher’s feet as she’s coming in, which will result in her hitting a shorter, higher and softer ball, thus setting up your passing shot.
  • get aggressive – give the net rusher a taste of her own medicine. As she’s coming in, hit the ball as hard as you can, keeping it low and aiming for her abdomen – and move in. At best she’ll only be able to block the ball back, setting up your passing shot.
  • mix it up – keep you opponent guessing by dishing out all of the above.

If you succeed in discouraging a net-rusher, you often find that all their ammunition miraculously disappears!





















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Review: The Babolat Pure Strike 16 x 19 3rd Gen Tennis Racquet

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I’ve been playing with the Babolat Pure Strike 16 x 19 3rd Gen Tennis Racquet for a month or so, and what sets the Babolat Pure Strike series apart from many others is its wide range of styles for all play levels. The Pure Strike 16 x 19 has an 11.4 oz strung weight and 98 in² head size, making it very appealing, indeed.

The Babolat Pure Strike 16 x 19 is perfect for all-court players who want a well-balanced tennis racquet that performs consistently across a wide range of strokes.

Babolat Technologies

Babolat’s Pure Strike 16 x 19 utilizes a number of key technologies that give tennis players a competitive boost on the court.

Woofer

Babolat’s patented Woofer Technology is the first dynamic system that makes the frame and the strings interact when striking the ball, allowing for a more generous sweet spot, additional power, and less shock.

Hybrid Frame Construction

The frame uses square and elliptical shapes in strategic locations, offering a highly responsive blend of control and power with excellent feel and precision.

FSI Power

Babolat also uses its patented FSI Power technology to increase the spacing of the cross strings. This results in more power, spin, and comfort when striking the ball.

C2 Pure Feel

New to this 3rd generation racquet is a thin rubber material applied at the frame’s three and nine o’clock positions. This technology creates a softer, more dampened feel.

What I Love About the Babolat Pure Strike 16 x 19

Babolat Pure Strike review

Based on my evaluation, here area few of the Babolat Pure Strike 16 x 19 attributes I loved the most.

Maneuverability

The Pure Strike 16 x 19 is easy to maneuver at 11.4 ounces and 327 swing weight, making it effortless to bring the racquet back for groundstrokes and transition for volleys at the net.

Groundstrokes

With its 98 in² head, the frame delivered plenty of power while its 16×19 string pattern helped produce crazy spin. Additionally, its flexible frame offered great control.

Returns

This highly maneuverable racquet delivered fantastic performance, especially when returning fast and deep serves that require you to react quickly and pull your racquet back fast.

Volleys

The Pure Strike 16 x 19 is unique because it also maintains high marks up at the net with volleys. Its light weight makes bringing the racquet head up for a quick poach a breeze!

Who is it best suited for?

Me! I’m a 4.5+ player who plays a little on the aggressive side. The Pure Strike 98 is for advanced players who like to play aggressively and go on the attack. The high swing weight makes it more suitable for players ranked NTRP 4.0 or above.

You can purchase your very own Babolat Pure Strike 16 x 19 3rd Gen Racquet from Do It Tennis, or many other tennis retailers. And if you like my dampener with ‘tude, you can purchase it (and many other other styles) on Amazon!



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