Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic, and Danira Safina.

What do these players have in common?

Improved fitness levels.

What has this done to their game?

• Andy Murray has rode a wave of results into the #4 ranking, arguably the overall #2-3.
• Djokovic is having a solid clay court season, dumping Federer twice, and holding Murray (barely) thus far, while making a charge at Federer’s ranking.
• Safina has slid into the #1 ranking and her results are far more consistent than in past.

All players have had a target improving their past fitness levels. Murray and Safina have both spent significant amounts of time on this, and the results have fantastic. Novak’s improvement has been much more recently as noted in Rome this week, however there’s no mistaking that he really should be considered the #2 clay-courter in 2009.

Physical fitness on the tennis court is double edged.
1) You can endure longer matches, position yourself better, strike harder, get to more balls…etc…
2) You send a message to you opponent that nothing will be easy, short or long term.

The second point is critical. Rafael Nadal is probably this generations best example of someone so fit and enduring that it can literally break a player. Nadal’s speed & quickness can regularly make the other player hit 2-3 extra balls while on offence, regularly you’ll see the 3rd offensive shot resulting in an unforced error. Why? It eats your mind. “This guy gets everything!”…”This guy doesn’t give up!”…”What do I have to do to win a point?!”…

The longer the match runs, the worse it gets for the opponent.

This isn’t it though. Rafa Nadal also “showcases” his physical fitness in obvious and not so obvious ways constantly throughout a match, silently asserting himself as the Alpha Male out there on court.

Everything from the opening boxer hops, the sprint to the service line, bicep bulging fist pumps, and extremely up tempo body language, it reeks of dominating physical fitness (relative to opponent). Believe me, the players notice, and it’s in their head.

Safina is a great example of a player who really lacked the high level of physical fitness. Sure she could crank the ball, but she wasn’t known for her movement, her defence could be improved, and overall endurance was only fair.

Safina has since slimmed down, toned up and look at the results it’s provided her. She had a fantastic 2008 season, and has faired well thus far in 2009. Her #1 ranking is a great debate across tennis circles, but Danira deserves credit for putting herself in position to “steal” it.

Players can benefit in so many ways from an increased level of fitness, directly improving their game, and in extreme cases, creating a mind-storm for opponents. It’s amazing to see that not all top players take this piece as seriously as they could.

Original post by Mark Oskar