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Off the court <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=leander+paes">Leander Paes</a> might well be 42 years old, but on the court he keeps proving time and again that he is ageless. 
 We’re talking about a man who won his third <keyword id="44798" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="80" keywordseo="mixed-doubles">mixed doubles</keyword> crown in a year (with Swiss veteran <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/What-The-Tennis-Legends-Of-The-Past-Look-Like-Today/articleshow/41444357.cms">Martina Hingis</a>. We won’t erase that fact, unlike BBC) and after this <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=US+open">US Open</a> win, he also becomes the most successful male <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/searchresult.cms?query=tennis">tennis</a> player in the mixed doubles format. 
 
For our sake, let’s go over his achievements once again. As of now, Paes has won nine mixed doubles major titles and trails behind Martina Navratilova, who has ten titles to her credit. This comes after 25 years of sweating it out in a sport which has a modest following in the country he calls home. 
 There are no garlands from fans awaiting him at the airport when he returns victorious or the government awarding cash prizes in honour of him making the country proud at the world’s most prestigious <keyword id="6355013" type="SPORT" weightage="80" keywordseo="tennis">tennis</keyword> events. Neither is he provided a bus from where he can wave to the crowds assembled waiting to get a glance of him, nor does he have people waiting outside his house with placards. 
 
All of the above are reserved for a sport, often mistaken as the national and the only sport worthy of any adulation in the country- cricket. 
 
But, that doesn’t bother Paes. 
 
He has been slowly and steadily putting India on the global map as far as tennis is concerned, armed with his weapon- the racquet. 
 
It cannot be an easy journey for a player to excel at a sport which not only holds a secondary position in his country, but also has fans of the game rooting primarily for seasoned international players who’ve made their way to the top, aided by not just their talent but by world-class facilities and opportunities . 
 
But, again that doesn’t bother Paes. 
 
He ensures there’s a long list of firsts attached to his name. 
 Case in point- the fourth seeded mixed doubles duo of <keyword id="6371098" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Leander-Paes">Leander Paes</keyword> and <keyword id="6557911" type="PERSON" weightage="80" keywordseo="Martina-Hingis">Martina Hingis</keyword> is the first team since 1969 to emerge victorious in three of the four majors in a calendar year. 
 
Additionally, Paes has not just excelled in the mixed doubles format where his talents are complimented beautifully by Martina Hingis, his 24th mixed doubles partner, but has left his mark in the singles and doubles formats, as well. Apart from earning India a bronze medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Paes has also won eight men’s doubles grand slam titles. 
 
Achieving all this in a sport where he has to struggle to garner visibility owing to playing in a category that is not bestowed with the same kind of importance commanded by the singles title, is no mean feat. 
 
The stark difference between the prize money of the singles title and the mixed doubles is evidence. 
 
 
 
While <a href="http://www.businessinsider.in/Novak-Djokovics-Girlfriend-Is-The-Most-Intense-Fan-In-Tennis/articleshow/22191753.cms">Novak Djokovic</a>, the winner of the <keyword id="20485" type="SPORT" weightage="80" keywordseo="US-open">US Open</keyword> Men’s Singles title was rewarded with a whopping cash prize of 3.3 million dollars, with an extra 500,000 dollars just in bonus, Leander Paes and Martina Hingis together fetched a mere 150,000 dollars for winning the mixed doubles title. 
 
Paes however, plays on. 
 
Come to think of it, his contribution to the game assumes a sacrosanct role in the Indian context, wherein on one hand, he is leading the pack when it comes to Davis Cup while on the other hand, he’s battling it out in Grand Slams in order to be a force to reckon with. Both these developments come at a time when the fan-base for the sport is eyeing an increase. 
 
However, Paes doesn’t look like he’s anywhere close to being satisfied. His unflinching desire to represent India at the Olympics again and again is out there in the open. 
 
For someone who has made a fan out of Novak Djokovic himself, a trip to Rio De Janeiro next year doesn’t seem that far-fetched, does it? 
 
Image credit: Indiatimes

How Leander Paes is changing the face of Indian
tennis

<ul class="summary-list"><li>World No. 1 <keyword id="14099650" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="iga-swiatek" source="Orion">Iga Swiatek</keyword> beat American Coco Gauff in straight sets to win the 2022 <keyword id="6388398" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="french-open" source="Orion">French Open</keyword>.</li><li>With the victory at Roland-Garros, Swiatek broke <keyword id="11947343" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="serena-williams" source="Orion">Serena Williams</keyword>' 34-game win streak from 2013.</li></ul>Iga Swiatek won her second career Grand Slam title after steamrolling the competition at the 2022 French Open.But her straight-set win over American Coco Gauff in Saturday's final secured more than the iconic Suzanne-Lenglen Cup. It also gave the World No. 1 her 35th consecutive victory, which officially bests Serena Williams' 34-match win streak from 2013 and ties <keyword id="12003351" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="venus-williams" source="Orion">Venus Williams</keyword>' 35-match win streak at the turn of the century.And while she swears breaking those streaks "wasn't my target" because she didn't "have full control over doing that," Swiatek admits that matching the Williams sisters — particularly one with 23 Grand Slam singles trophies on her mantle — is surreal.<div type="image" title="Serena Williams poses with her trophy after winning the 2017 Australian Open." height="1655" width="2206" msid="92045645" hostid="261"></div>"It may seem pretty weird, but having that 35th win and doing something more than Serena did, it's something special," Swiatek told reporters after Saturday's victory. "Because I always wanted to have some kind of a record. In <keyword id="11897437" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tennis" source="Orion">tennis</keyword>, it's pretty hard after Serena's career. So basically that really hit me."Swiatek later told <a href="https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2640187/champions-corner-swiatek-in-search-of-new-goals-after-french-open-triumph">WTA Insider Courtney Nguyen</a> that "doing something better than Serena kind of, it's the best thing you can get in tennis, basically, after what she's done for so many years.""No one is going to take it from me, you know?" she added. "I'm pretty happy I could achieve that."<div type="image" title="Iga Swiatek." height="1666" width="2222" msid="92045649" hostid="261"></div>The 21-year-old Polish superstar joins elite company with her win streak, which dates all the way back to February. Only six women have enjoyed unbeaten streaks longer than Swiatek's and Venus Williams' 35-straight in the Open Era, and all six — Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, Margaret Court, Chris Evert, Martina Hingis, Monica Seles — are bona fide legends of the sport.While Swiatek has allowed for the possibility that her current streak could extend even further, she's admitted she's less confident heading into the upcoming stretch of the year. Grass season starts up immediately following Roland-Garros, and the surface has never been Swiatek's specialty."Honestly, grass is always tricky," Swiatek <a href="https://www.tennis365.com/news/french-open-champion-iga-swiatek-eyes-refreshing-stint-on-tricky-grass-but-first-some-rest/">said after her win in Paris</a>. "I actually like the part that I have no expectations there. It's something kind of refreshing."<div type="image" title="Iga Swiatek." height="1763" width="2350" msid="92045652" hostid="261"></div>The champ intends to spend a few days back home recovering before finding her footing on grass courts. With Wimbledon less than a month away, Swiatek's continued dominance will depend on it.

Iga Swiatek says winning the French Open was extra spectacular after 'doing something better than Serena'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>19-year-old <keyword id="12065175" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="leylah-fernandez" source="Orion">Leylah Fernandez</keyword> said a teacher once told her to focus on school instead of <keyword id="11897437" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="tennis" source="Orion">tennis</keyword>.</li><li>Fernandez said she uses that teacher's word as motivation.</li><li>Fernandez has had an unlikely journey but is now in the US Open final.</li></ul>Like so many other professional athletes, Leylah Fernandez is fueled by those who doubted her.The 19-year-old Canadian has stormed the U.S. Open, knocking off three top-10 opponents in the last four rounds to make the final.<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/10/sports/tennis/us-open-womens-final-fernandez-raducanu.html">According to The New York Times' Christopher Clarey</a>, Fernandez is motivated by a teacher who told her she would "never make it" and to focus on school."Now I'm laughing," Fernandez said. "I'm just glad that she told me that because every day I have that phrase in my head saying that I'm going to keep going. I'm going to push through, and I'm going to prove to her everything that I've dreamed of, I'm going to achieve."Fernandez has an unwavering swagger and belief in herself. She told reporters earlier in the tournament that she believes she is going to win every time she steps on the court."From a very young age, I knew I was able to beat anyone, anyone who is in front of me," Fernandez said, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/reviews/out?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wsj.com%2Farticles%2Fleylah-fernandez-us-open-tennis-canada-11630935342%3Fmod%3Darticle_inline">according to The Wall Street Journal's Joshua Robinson</a>.She added that that confidence extends to all matters."Even playing different <keyword id="11893855" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports" source="Orion">sports</keyword>, I was always that competitive, saying I'm going to win against them, I'm going to win against my dad in soccer, even though that's, like, impossible," Fernandez said, according to Robinson. "I've always had that belief."That belief has been evident at the US Open, as she has dispatched Naomi Osaka, Angelique Kerber, Elina Svitolina, and Aryna Sabalenka, four players with physical advantages or more experience that could shake other opponents. Instead, Fernandez fought through nervy moments with cunning play, from well-placed serves to well-timed drop shots.Fernandez has had an atypical background for most tennis players. She has largely worked <a href="https://www.insider.com/leylah-fernandez-dad-swears-like-drunken-sailor-watching-us-open-2021-9">with her dad</a>, a former Ecuadorian soccer player, as her coach over going to prestigious academies. Her family faced financial hardships trying to keep up with her training schedule, and her mother had to move from Canada to California to take a job to support them.Fernandez and her family eventually moved to Florida, where Fernendez could train year-round at a number of facilities, according to Robinson.Now, a confident player with an unusual background has a chance to win one of the most unlikely US Open finals ever, facing off against 18-year-old Emma Raducanu of Britain. It's the first time two teenagers have met in a US Open final since 1999, when Serena Williams played Martina Hingis. At the time, however, both Williams and Hingis were top-10 players - Fernandez ranks 73rd and Raducanu ranks 150th.With the way women's tennis has produced new champions - since 2015, there have been 13 first-time Grand Slams champions, according to Clarey - there's no guarantee that Fernandez will make it back to this stage. But she has surely made it further than her teacher believed.

Surprise US Open finalist Leylah Hernandez said she is motivated by a teacher who told her to stop playing tennis and focus on school

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Serena Williams announced on Tuesday that she is retiring from tennis.</li><li>The 23-time Grand Slam winner wrote in Vogue that she will retire after playing at the US Open.</li></ul><a href="https://www.insider.com/category/serena-williams">Serena Williams</a> — one of tennis' all-time greats — is retiring.In <a href="https://www.vogue.com/article/serena-williams-retirement-in-her-own-words">a column for Vogue</a>, the legendary tennis star announced her retirement from the sport in order to focus more on growing her family. But she said she'll still play in this year's US Open."I have never liked the word retirement," Williams said. "It doesn't feel like a modern word to me. I've been thinking of this as a transition, but I want to be sensitive about how I use that word, which means something very specific and important to a community of people. Maybe the best word to describe what I'm up to is evolution."Williams said she has made the decision because she wants to focus on her family life and growing her venture capital firm, Serena Ventures."I'm here to tell you that I'm evolving away from tennis, toward other things that are important to me," she added. "I started a family. I want to grow that family."I never wanted to have to choose between tennis and a family. I don't think it's fair. If I were a guy, I wouldn't be writing this because I'd be out there playing and winning while my wife was doing the physical labor of expanding our family."Williams dropped a huge hint on Monday that she was preparing to retire from tennis.After recording her first singles win in over 14 months in the first round of the National Bank Open in Toronto, the 40-year-old told reporters that she could "see a light at the end of the tunnel."Asked what that light was, she responded:"Freedom.""I love playing, though. It's amazing, but I can't do this for ever," she said. "Sometimes you just want to try your best and enjoy the moments and do the best that you can."<div type="image" title="Serena Williams holds trophy and her daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian" height="2000" width="3000" msid="93459970" hostid="261"></div><h2>One of the most successful tennis players of all time</h2>Williams is the most successful female tennis player of the Open era and second most successful of all-time having won 23 Grand Slam titles.Only Australia's Margaret Court has won more (24).But the American hasn't won a slam since the 2017 Australian Open and has since spent more and more time away from the court due to personal reasons and injury.In April 2017, she revealed that she was 20 weeks pregnant and would miss the remainder of the season. She returned in 2018 and went on to reach four of the next eight Grand Slam finals, but was unable to clinch a record equaling 24.<div type="image" title="Serena Williams poses with her trophy after winning the 2017 Australian Open." height="1655" width="2500" msid="93459971" hostid="261"></div>And her search for an elusive 24th slam was <a href="https://www.insider.com/serena-williams-scroes-comeback-win-refuses-to-rule-out-retirement-2022-6">brought to an abrupt halt at Wimbledon 2021 when she suffered an injury in the first-round.</a>She then <a href="https://www.insider.com/serena-williams-scroes-comeback-win-refuses-to-rule-out-retirement-2022-6">did not play until June 2022.</a>In her Vogue column announcing her retirement, Williams conceded that she did not know whether she would be physically ready for her final bow at the US Open, but that she would "try.""I'm not looking for some ceremonial, final on-court moment," she said. "I'm terrible at goodbyes, the world's worst."But please know that I am more grateful for you than I can ever express in words. You have carried me to so many wins and so many trophies. I'm going to miss that version of me, that girl who played tennis. And I'm going to miss you."<h2>A teenage star </h2>Williams won her first ever Grand Slam title at age 17, clinching the 1999 US Open by beating Martina Hingis in the final.She went on to dominate the game during the 2002 and 2003 seasons, winning all four majors consecutively, and beating her sister Venus in the final on every occasion.She suffered a slight setback in form thereafter, but again rose to the top in 2008.Following her win at the 2008 US Open, Williams went on to win 13 Grand Slams over the next seven years, with her most successful season coming in 2015 when she won the Australian Open, French Open, and Wimbledon.<div type="image" title="Serena Williams and Venus Williams in 1998." height="2247" width="3000" msid="93460583" hostid="261"></div>Alongside her sister Venus, Williams has been widely credited with changing the face of tennis and of women's sports.In 2021, their rise to fame under the tutelage of their father and coach, Richard Williams, was documented in the biopic "King Richard."Will Smith played the pair's father in the movie. He won the Oscar for Best Actor for his performance.<a href="https://twitter.com/amanpour/status/1499823108840214534?lang=en">In an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour in March,</a> the two sisters said they were aware that they were entering an "all-white sport" when they became professional tennis players, but that they relished the challenge of helping change that."We changed it from being two great Black champions to being the best ever, period," Serena said. "And that's what we did. We took out color and we just became the best. .... It is what it is, we changed the sport, we changed the fashion, we changed how people think, we changed how people think in business."

Serena Williams announces she's retiring from tennis, saying that as a woman, she must choose between 'tennis and a family'

<ul class="summary-list"><li>British tennis sensation <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/emma-raducanu">Emma Raducanu</a> continued her dominant run at the <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/us-open">US Open</a> as she reached the final.</li><li>In beating Greece's Maria Sakkari, the teenager became the first qualifier in history to reach the final.</li><li>Raducanu hasn't dropped a single set in the nine matches she has played at the tournament so far.</li></ul><a href="https://www.insider.com/category/emma-raducanu">Emma Raducanu</a>'s fairytale year continued on Thursday as she became the first qualifier to reach the <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/us-open">US Open</a> final.The 18-year-old Brit defeated Greece's 17th seed Maria Sakkari 6-1, 6-4 to set up a final meeting with fellow teenager Leylah Fernandez.Raducanu, who is making her first appearance at the US Open, and only her second Grand Slam appearance, is the first British woman to reach a major singles final in 44 years.After the win, Raducanu said the achievement was "mind blowing.""I never thought it would come this early to be in a Grand Slam final.<div type="image" title="Emma Raducanu during the US Open semifinal" height="2531" width="3375" msid="86093093" hostid="261"></div>"I'm really enjoying my time in New York and that's showing in my tennis. Tonight, being under the lights on Arthur Ashe Stadium, it's so iconic and I think I was just thriving in the moment."Crazy, cool. To be here in New York for three weeks is just absolutely mind blowing for me," <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/58510530">she told BBC Radio 5 Live.</a>Raducanu's run to the final began 16 days ago when she defeated Dutch player Bibiane Schoofs 6-2, 6-2 in the first round of qualifying. Since then, she has won eight more matches and only once been taken to a tiebreak. At no point in the nine matches she has played at the tournament has she lost a set.Raducanu started the year ranked 336th in the world, and was 150th before the US Open started.Her semifinal win means that after the rankings are next update she will be in the world's top 50 players.<div type="image" title="Leylah Annie Fernandez during the US Open semifinal" height="2935" width="3914" msid="86093095" hostid="261"></div>She will be joined in the final by 19-year-old Leylah Fernandez who defeated Aryna Sabalenka 7-6, 4-6, 6-4 in Thursday's other semi-final.Saturday's final will be the eighth time a Grand Slam final has been contested between teenagers, and the first since <a href="https://www.insider.com/category/serena-williams">Serena Williams</a> and Martina Hingis played in 1999.

An 18-year-old tennis phenom continued her 'mind-blowing,' dominant US Open run and became the first qualifier in history to reach the final

Trailblazing India <keyword id="43970" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tennis-star" source="Orion">tennis star</keyword> <keyword id="487" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sania-mirza" source="Orion">Sania Mirza</keyword> on Wednesday announced that she will hang up her racquet at the end of 2022 season as her body is "wearing down" and the motivation and energy for everyday grind is not the same anymore. Winner of six Grand Slam titles, including three mixed doubles trophies, Sania will retire as India's most accomplished woman tennis player. The 35-year-old made the retirement announcement after losing the Australian Open women's doubles first round with partner Nadiia Kichenok. They lost to Slovenia's <keyword id="4001087" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tamara-Zidansek" source="Orion">Tamara Zidansek</keyword> and Kaja Juvan. "There's a bunch of reasons for it. I do feel my recovery is taking longer and considering my son is three years old, I do feel I am putting him at risk by travelling so much with him. Unfortunately the pandemic is making us take certain decision for the well-being of ourself and family," Mirza said at the post-match press conference. "Also, my body is wearing down. My knee was really hurting today and I'm not saying that's the reason we lost but I do think that it is taking time to recover as I'm getting older," she said. Sania, who became world number one in doubles during her successful partnership with Swiss legend Martina Hingis, said there were a certain issues that influenced her decision. "Also for me to find that motivation everyday to come out, the energy is not the same anymore. Right this minute, it's there but there are days where I don't feel like doing that. "I've always said that I will play until I enjoy that grind, the process and not just winning but you have to enjoy the process and I am not sure I'm enjoying it anymore. "I am enjoying it enough to play this season. I've worked very hard to come back, get fit, lose the weight and try to set a good example for mothers, new mothers to follow their dreams as much as they can. Beyond this season, I don't feel my body doing it. It's beat," said the world number 68. She reached top-30 in singles with 27 being her career best rank. Sania quit singles after a wrist injury to focus on doubles and enjoyed exceptional results. Sania said she feels that she was playing at a decent level but she always knew that 2022 will be her last season and Wednesday's defeat was no trigger for it. "I am playing at a good level. First week in Adelaide (event), we (she and Kichenok) beat top-10, 20 players. I am playing at a decent level. I was pretty sure this is my last season, if I do finish it. I am sure I am not coming to Melbourne to play Australian Open again. "I had great memories here, singles, doubles and mixed doubles. It's been a great journey. I am not looking forward to June or July, I am literally going week to week, with my body, with virus, there is so much uncertainty." "Every time I play, I feel I have a chance to win, that's why I am here." "It is not because of disappointment of today's match. Just the way my body is. I am not sure if I can finish the season. I want to play full season, I am still (ranked) 50-60 in world, I do feel I have the level to play. "As an athlete I feel I can go deep in tournament. But I have a bit of a meniscus issue going on my right knee, I woke up with wrist pain couple of days ago. There is nothing wrong with it. "At 35, I am waking up with couple of things that I don't know where they're coming from. I want to finish the season, try to play until US Open, that is my goal. But I still have to take it week-to-week," she said. Talking about her first round match, Sania said the conditions were tough but they could have handled the match better tactically. "Definitely conditions were tough, very gutsy, sometimes it's not about tennis. We should have won the second set. "When the wind is blowing one side and the stadium is on the other side, the ball bounced on leave and changed directions when I was hitting the ball. It was tough conditions but when you come to Australia, you can have days like this. "On days like that, you should take a little bit more charge at net. That's where we made a mistake. SEE ALSO: <a target="_blank" class="c-link c-message_attachment__title_link" href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/best-deals-and-offers-on-gaming-laptops-accessories-at-amazon/articleshow/88995268.cms">Amazon Great Republic Day Sale 2022 — Best deals and offers on gaming laptops, accessories</a>

India's tennis star Sania Mirza announces retirement from the sport by the end of 2022 season

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Young competitors swept the Olympic skateboarding events at the Tokyo games. </li><li>Experts told Insider that being young can be a significant advantage for skateboarding.</li><li>But as the <keyword id="6381828" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="sport">sport</keyword> becomes more competitive, this could all change, one expert said.</li></ul>At the Women's Park skateboarding champions at the Tokyo <keyword id="6360967" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="olympics">Olympics</keyword>, the podium was two teens and a 12-year-old.Bronze went to <a href="https://www.insider.com/sky-brown-olympic-bronze-medal-adam-peaty-teenage-story-2021-8">13-year-old Sky Brown of Great Britain</a>. Japan's Kokona Hiraki, 12, got silver and Sakura Yosozumi, 19, also of Japan, took gold. "Skateboarding is a great and strange and amazing sport," Neil Ellis, head of engagement for UK sporting body Skateboard GB, told Insider. The Tokyo games were the first time it has been an Olympic event."At the Olympics, the peak of a competitive skateboarding, you had people competing at the age of 12 competing, but you also had people at the age of 46."The success of young competitors in Tokyo is remarkable: here is a rundown of everyone under 20 who finished in the top 5 at an event:Men's park: Keegan Palmer, Australia, 19 - 1st Men's park, Kieran Woolley, Australia, 17 - 5thWomen's park: Sakura Yosozumi, Japan, 19 - 1st Women's park: Kokona Hiraki, Japan, 12 - 2nd Women's park: Sky Brown, Great Britain, 13 - 3rd Women's park: Misugu Okamoto, Japan, 15 - 4th Women's street: Momiji Nishiya, Japan, 13 - 1st Women's street: Rayssa Leal, Brazil, 13 - 2nd Women's street: Anup Soni, Japan, 16 - 3rd(No teens won big in the men's street event.)Insider spoke to experts about why this sport is well-suited to younger athletes who are still developing physically. Although it is an advantage now, one said that the sport could soon change to favor older skaters.<div type="image" title="Japan's Momiji Nishiya smiles after winning gold at Tokyo 2020." height="1790" width="2387" msid="85106592" hostid="261"></div><h2>Being smaller can be an advantage</h2>Having a smaller body can confer some physical advantages for a sport like skateboarding, said Anette (Peko) Hosoi, Associate Dean of the MIT School of Engineering and lead scientist on the MIT <keyword id="6356028" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="sports">Sports</keyword> Lab."For any tricks that require rotation, a more compact body will have a smaller moment of inertia," she told Insider.This basically means it requires less energy for them to spin."The classic example is a figure skater spinning. When their arms are out (so they're "bigger") they spin more slowly; when they bring their arms in, they reduce their moment of inertia and they spin faster," she said.The body's center of gravity is also closer to the board. "That definitely helps with spin tricks because you're close to the ground, you're close to your board," Ellis said. "But it isn't everything, because, with a lot of spin tricks, people will grab the board" to bring the center of gravity closer to the board and make the spin easier. As can be seen in Brown's routine below, rotation is a big part of skateboarding competitions.Phil Price, a lecturer in Strength and Conditions at St. Mary's University in London, who also coaches athletes, told Insider that a slim frame helps as well as being short.Think of comparing American football players to basketball players. Many football players have a wider rib cage and wider hips, which helps provide stability and that in turn helps developing force. Basketball players, on the other hand, tend to have narrow hips and rib cages. That helps with the rotation at the hips, which makes them be more springy and react quickly, he said.<div type="image" title="Keegan Palmer, performing a skateboarding trick" height="1333" width="1777" msid="85106595" hostid="261"></div><h2>Older athletes are stronger. That can be a blessing and a curse.</h2>According to Price, strength can be a limiting factor in a skill-based sport like skateboarding. "You need to be strong enough - and then anything above that could be detrimental to performance," he said.Because gravity plays a big part in the sport, and muscles are heavy, the strongest person won't necessarily be the best."Ultimately who makes it to the top? It isn't like all the stronger athletes are getting there or all the weaker athletes are getting there. It's how that athlete has the ability to find the way of performing that skill," he said, adding: "It's more of a problem-solving thing."Strength, however, gives you speed and height while jumping.To go faster, skateboarders can pump the skateboard, which is a way of accelerating without taking feet off the board, as can be seen in the video below (the relevant part starts at 1.08 minutes):"Being larger probably helps with this," Hosoi said.The stronger muscles you have, the higher you can go, said Ellis of Skateboard GB. "You will notice that with a lot of younger skaters, they will be able to get the nice 360 spins or the 540 spins," he said. But they lack the strength to get high enough for further rotations.<h2>Skateboarding lends itself to specializing early</h2>There is a reason why younger athletes tend to be found in certain sports, Price said. They are sports where athletes can specialize early."If the sport is very skillful and doesn't necessarily require a huge type of physical output for it to be able to perform those skills, then those skills can be learned earlier."In other sports that depend less on skill and more on power, like rugby or rowing, athletes have to develop their body before they can seriously start training.But for sports like rock climbing and gymnastics, the skills can be learned early, at four, five or six. "So by the time they're eight years old, they're incredibly competent. Give them another five, six years of practice, say that they're now 13, a bit like Sky [Brown], then all of a sudden they are at that elite level," Price said.Another reason for the success of younger athletes in women's skateboard could simply be cultural. Until recently, girls only started picking up skateboarding at around 13 or 14, <a href="https://inews.co.uk/sport/olympics/skateboarding-olympics-tokyo-2020-schedule-rules-team-gb-new-sport-sky-brown-bombette-martin-1107887" rel="nofollow sponsored">BBC commentator Ed Leigh told the i newspaper</a>. "So the skill acquisition process was taking longer," he said. "But girls have been starting to learn at four, five, six, the gender barrier has disappeared," Leigh said.Younger athletes can quickly pick up new skills, Ellis said, which could give an advantage to those who started younger."The likes of Sky Brown, for example, joined the GB team a couple of years ago...the amount she's progressed in those two years is absolutely phenomenal. Whereas myself, a 39-year-old skateboarder, I would see myself, like, getting worse in that two-year period," he said."Bombette Martin [who is 15] was another great example. She was almost unknown to the world about a year ago," he said. Martin was part of the UK's Women's park Olympics team this year.<div type="image" title="Kokona Hiraki doing a trick on a railing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics games" height="1325" width="1766" msid="85104824" hostid="261"></div><h2>Mindset is key, and younger athletes are less scared of getting hurt</h2>"There's a good saying: it doesn't matter how rich you are, you can't buy a trick, you have to pay with pain," Leigh, the BBC commentator, said.Falling is an essential part of skills acquisition in skateboarding, so being able to recover quickly is vital. Brown, the 13-year-old bronze medalist, had a terrible accident in 2020, leaving her with skull fractures, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/aug/04/sky-brown-olympic-medal-skateboard-bronze-2020">lacerated lungs, and a broken left arm.</a>"She is obviously someone with an excellent ability to avoid negative thoughts creeping in, to be able to get back to that level quickly," Price said. But beyond her natural ability, her youth probably also helped. Recovering from an injury well enough to be in a competing state is 50% physical and 50% mental, Price said. Athletes are distinguished by their ability to keep negative thoughts out of their head and focus on constructive thoughts like "I will not get injured again," Price said. <div type="image" title="Misugu Okamoto raises her hands while being carried on the shoulders of other skaters at the Tokyo Olympics" height="1333" width="1777" msid="85106600" hostid="261"></div><h2>Skating has great vibes, and competitors help each other</h2>Another factor that might have played in the success of those on the podium is that skateboarding is not a sport that is heavily driven by competition. "Every time I speak to a journalist, they're like always saying: 'can we speak to this person's coach... but in skateboarding generally, we don't have coaches," Ellis said. "In the US they do have coaches, but most people will just train with their friends."A big part of learning in skateboarding is just peer-to-peer, and so training with the frontrunners can be a huge advantage."The top three Japanese girls and Sky Brown all skate together. They hang out together in the US, Sky goes over to Japan and skates with them," he said."That helps them progress," he said<div type="image" title="Sky brown leans her head on Sakura Yosozumi as she holds her medal on the podium with Sakura Kokona Hiraki" height="1331" width="1780" msid="85104825" hostid="261"></div><h2>Elite contests could transform the sport</h2>Competition isn't a huge part of skateboarding. Early-specialization sports like skateboarding tend to be more about hanging out with friends than victory at all costs.What tends to happen as a sport becomes more popular is that <keyword id="41551" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="science">science</keyword> and money combine to optimize performance, Price said.With better funding, coaches can seek out advanced methods to better understand performance, and in turn lengthen the length of time their competitors stay on top.Price takes tennis as an example: in the 90s, younger athletes were winning grand slams. That was the case for likes of Boris Becker, who won at 17, and Martina Hingis, 15."Back in the day, people were: 'oh, you're 30. It's time to think about retiring the next few years'," Price said. But now elite tennis players compete well into their 30s."Will culture change, climbing or skateboarding the way it changed tennis, for example? It will be interesting to see where it goes."

Olympic skateboard medalists in Tokyo are as young as 12. Experts explain why youth is a huge advantage in the sport.

<div class="KonaFilter image-container float_right"><div class="image"></div></div>Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal and the Williams sisters have dominated tennis in the last decade.
But not too long ago the world was obsessed with another crop of leading men and women that set unrivaled Grand Slam records and left a lasting impression with their style and determination.
Many of the stars of the 70s, 80s, and 90s - John McEnroe, Stefan Edberg, Martina Hingis, Martina Navratilova - are still a part of the tennis world today.

What The Tennis Legends Of The Past Look Like Today

Women dominated this year's <keyword id="6391019" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Padma-awards">Padma awards</keyword> for sports with tennis star Sania Mirza and ace shuttler <keyword id="30618" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Saina-Nehwal">Saina Nehwal</keyword> getting the nod for the Padma Bhushan, while archer <keyword id="86231" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Deepika-Kumari">Deepika Kumari</keyword> was chosen for the Padma Shri here today. 

	All three were in sublime touch last year and brought the country laurels in their respective sports. 
 Sania enjoyed the most sensational run, clinching nine titles -- including two Grand Slams last year with Swiss great Martina Hingis. The exceptional performance propelled her to the top of the <keyword id="935171" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="WTA-doubles-rankings">WTA doubles rankings</keyword>. 

	The 29-year-old is currently competing in the Australian Open in Melbourne, where she has reached the women's doubles quarterfinals with Hingis. 
 Saina has also been in spectacular touch, winning silver medals at the All England and World Badminton Championship last year besides clinching the India Open Super Series and <keyword id="2039194" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Syed-Modi-Grand-Prix-Gold">Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold</keyword>. 

	Deepika, on the other hand, won a silver at the Archery World Cup Final besides bronze medals at the World Cup Stage II and the Asian Team Championships. 
 

	Saina, who is in the country to compete in this week's Syed Modi Grand Prix Gold Tournament, said the honour has left her surprised. Interestingly, the 25-year-old had expressed her displeasure at being ignored for the award last year. 
 
 

	"It is a great honour and I want to thank the Ministry for giving me the award. I am very happy with the way the last year has gone, I have been performing well. I reached World No.1 last year and now I am World No.2. I am sure this award will give me more motivation to do well further this year," Saina said. 
 

	"It came as a complete surprise to me. I had no clue. I did not expect at all. There was no news of it at all. When I think that I am just 25 and I have received this award, it makes me feel great. But it is still a long way to go." 
 

	Saina was left disappointed after the Sports Ministry decided to reject her application for the award in January last year, citing norms. 
 

	The ministry had picked two-time Olympic-medallist wrestler Sushil Kumar for the honour last year. 
 

	Saina was bestowed the Khel Ratna and Padma Shri in 2010 and also received the Arjuna Award in 2009. 
 

	The 21-year-old Deepika, meanwhile, had also won the team silver along with Laxmirani Majhi and Rimil Buriuly in the World Championships. 
	 
	
		Superstar Rajinikanth, founder of the Reliance empire late Dhirubhai Ambani, Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and media baron Ramoji Rao have been chosen for Padma Vibhushan, country's second highest civilian award, this year. 
	 
	
		Former Jammu and Kashmir Governor Jagmohan, former DRDO chief V K Aatre, cancer specialist and chairperson of Adyar Cancer Institute Dr V Shanta and eminent Bharatnatyam and Kuchipudi dancer Yamini Krishnamurthi and classical vocalist Girija Devi and Indian-American economist Avinash Dixit have also been named for Padma Vibhushan on the occasion of this year's Republic Day celebrations. 
	 
	
		Noted actor Anupam Kher, singer Udit Narayan, former CAG Vinod Rai, chairperson of media group Bennett, Coleman &amp; Co. Indu Jain, sports star Sania Mirza and Saina Nehwal, spiritual leaders late Swami Dayanand Saraswati, Swami Tejomayananda and former US Ambassador to India Robert Blackwill are among the 19 eminent people chosen for Padma Bhushan. 
	 
	
		Industrialist Pallonji Shapoorji Mistry, Maruti Suzuki chairman R C Bhargava and eminent architect Hafeez Contractor also figure in the list of Padma Bhushan awardees. 
	 
	
		Senior lawyer Ujjwal Nikam, who was the prosecution counsel in the Mumbai terror attack case, actors Ajay Devgn and Priyanka Chopra get Padma Shri.
	
		 
		Renowned sculptor Ram V Sutar, Manipuri theatre personality Heisnam Kanhailal, Hindi and Telugu writer Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad, Sanskrit scholar N S Ramanuja Tatacharya, Punjabi journalist Barjinder Singh Hamdard, gastroenterologist D Nageshwar Reddy and scientist A V Rama Rao have been chosen for Padma Bhushan. 
	 
	
		Actor the late Saeed Jaffrey, CEO of MasterCard Ajaypal Singh Banga, archer Deepika Kumari, Bharatanatyam dancer Prathibha Prahlad, Gujarati folk musician Bhikhudan Gadhvi, Goa's musician Tulsidas Borkar and scientist Onkar Nath Srivastava were among those who were named for Padma Shri awards.

Padma Bhushan for Sania Mirza, Saina Nehwal

<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div><ul class="summary-list"><li>Serena Williams is being attacked by an Australian newspaper.</li><li>The American tennis player recently lost the 2018 US Open women's final to Naomi Osaka, after getting slapped with three code violations.</li><li>These violations were criticised, perhaps fairly, by The Herald Sun.</li><li>But the paper has continued a mean-spirited crusade against Williams. It has lampooned her in a vulgar cartoon, and a headline in a conservative columnist's article claimed she "is no feminist hero."</li><li>Here's why they're dead wrong.</li></ul>Serena Williams is under attack.She has been accused of going <a href="https://www.skynews.com.au/details/_5832918159001" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"nuclear"</a> during the 2018 US Open women's final by a conservative columnist at The Herald Sun, the Australian newspaper that published a vulgar cartoon <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/serena-williams-cartoon-angry-baby-us-open-herald-sun-2018-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">grossly exaggerating her weight, lips, and nose</a> and depicting her as an angry baby. The paper has also attempted to discredit her character.According to the headline of an Andrew Bolt column in the paper, Williams <a href="https://www.heraldsun.com.au/blogs/andrew-bolt/why-serena-williams-is-no-feminist-hero/news-story/db8e88c9c1395e32e293e30d62822c1c" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"is no feminist hero"</a> - but he's wrong.Williams has been put under the microscope for smashing a racket and calling the chair umpire, Carlos Ramos, a "liar" and a "thief" for punishing her during Sunday's showdown against Naomi Osaka at the Arthur Ashe Stadium in Queens, New York. Ramos singled her out for receiving <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-coaching-in-tennis-and-why-is-it-banned-2018-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">coaching</a>, which she denied. Ramos docked her a point for throwing her racket on the ground, and a game for verbal abuse when she channeled John McEnroe.The heat of elite competition can make even mild-mannered athletes lose their cool. Just ask Roger Federer, who <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/roger-federer-yelled-at-an-umpire-before-losing-indian-wells-final-2018-3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">argued with the match umpire, smacked his racket on the ground, and lost the 2018 Indian Wells Masters final</a> earlier this year.Williams is not the first to do so, and she will not be the last. This happens in sport, and it was fair for The Herald Sun, in its own way, to criticise her for that.But the publication did not stop there. It has embarked on a mean-sprited crusade by republishing the cartoon - a drawing that has been <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/serena-williams-cartoon-herald-sun-drawing-on-front-page-2018-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">rebuked for perpetuating racist tropes - on the front page of its Wednesday edition</a>. And it wants to tell you that her behaviour last weekend means she can no longer be considered a feminist hero, if she ever was.Williams has suffered on-court meltdowns before, sure. She was fined $10,500 for "unsportsmanlike behavour" when she verbally attacked a lineswoman who called a foot fault during her 2009 US Open semi-final against Kim Clijsters. "I swear to God I'll f------ take the ball and shove it down your f------ throat," <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2009/sep/13/serena-williams-tirade-us-open" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Guardian quotes her to have said at the time</a>.But that was nine years ago. And an athlete, high on adrenaline, in the middle of a high-stakes and high-pressure competition can act in ways they otherwise would not. If it happens irregularly, it does not detract from what that person does off the court or the field. If that were the case, then Federer, also a racket smasher, would not be thought of so highly for his philanthropy - helping raise <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kurtbadenhausen/2018/08/27/highest-paid-tennis-players-2018-roger-federer-aces-competition-with-77-million/#37bf40601fb3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$40 million to educate approximately one million children in Africa</a>.Likewise, regardless of sporadic "unsportsmanlike behaviour," Williams remains a feminist hero - and I'll tell you why.<h2>Williams is a tutu-wearing badass</h2><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>A 23-time Grand Slam champion, Williams won her first major aged 17 in 1999. Considering she is a two-time Grand Slam finalist in 2018 alone, it would not be a shock to watch her lift a 24th major next year - 20 years after lifting her first.It is longevity rarely seen at the upper echelons of sport and, because of it, she has become an inspiration to many - <a href="https://apnews.com/35b19acc952d4d2ca3a135b6f1e1fbdd" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Osaka included, who grew up idolising Williams</a> and even wrote a report about her when she was in third grade.Williams has dominated tennis in a way that few have dominated any sport - and she comes equipped with clear messages.In August, the French Open made a&#xa0;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/serena-williams-wakanda-inspired-catsuit-banned-from-the-french-open-2018-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bizarre decision to ban her iconic "Black Panther"-style catsuit</a>, a neck-to-ankle skintight outfit that was designed to help prevent bloodclots - something she has a history of, and an issue that <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2018/01/10/health/serena-williams-birth-c-section-olympia-bn/index.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">proved problematic after the birth of her child</a> when she developed clots in her lungs.Williams said the catsuit had another advantage - it made her feel like a "warrior princess" from Wakanda, the fictional nation in the smash hit Marvel Comics film. The French Open thought differently, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/serena-williams-wakanda-inspired-catsuit-banned-from-the-french-open-2018-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stating</a>: "Serena's outfit would no longer be accepted. You have to respect the game and the place."Her response? To wear <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/serena-williams-us-open-tutu-outfit-2018-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a series of headline-grabbing tutus at the 2018 US Open.</a>Williams, renowned the world over because of her fashion choices, is a competitive badass, and has enjoyed rivalries with former five-time Grand Slam champion Martina Hingis, former world number one women's player Jennifer Capriati, and clay queen Justine Henin.However, one athlete she would beat begrudgingly is her sister, fellow tennis star Venus Williams.Serena Williams dumped Venus out of the 2018 US Open earlier this month, and said of her best friend:&#xa0;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/serena-williams-says-its-tough-to-beat-venus-williams-us-open-2018-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">"When she loses, I feel like I do."</a><div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>Out of all the rivalries, Serena Williams has always come out on top - against Hingis, Capriati, Henin, and yes, against Venus. There is little question that she is the best women's tennis player of her generation and, very likely, of all time.But her prowess perhaps transcends her own sport.Trailblazing former mixed martial artist Ronda Rousey bulldozed through many of her Strikeforce and UFC opponents during a thrilling and captivating run in the cage, marathon icon Paula Radcliffe ruled long distance and cross-country events for over a decade, and Alpine skiier Lindsey Vonn is mesmerising on the slopes.All three are extraordinary athletes but Williams, with her powerful and accurate serves, her signature forehand, and her wildly competitive spirit, is in a class of her own.Williams is a tutu-wearing title-winning badass on the court - but she also uses her profile to raise awareness for key causes off of it.<h2>'I like to stick up for women and women's rights'</h2>Like Federer, Williams has a passion for helping children around the world have access to education and her Serena Williams Foundation was crucial in the construction of two schools in Kenya. She also built a school in Uganda and another in Jamaica. Wearing a safety hat, goggles, and with a hammer in her hand, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BBmDVhuMTG1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">she literally helped build one of the schools herself</a>.According to <a href="https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/serena-williams-builds-schools/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Global Citizen</a>, a website designed to help people learn about issues that trap people in extreme poverty, Williams' school in Jamaica imposes "strict guidelines and rules to support gender equality in access to education."Referencing her schools across the world, Global Citizen adds: "Serena's gender ratio rules work toward addressing a major problem around the world, particularly in developing countries where girls and women frequently bear the burden of household chores, like collecting water and caregiving responsibilities, which forces girls to leave school."Williams has used her profile to elevate causes elsewhere. <a href="https://www.wired.com/2015/10/serena-williams-guest-editor-race-gender-equality/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">In 2015 she wrote an article for Wired</a> imploring Silicon Valley to employ "more women and people of different colours and nationalities in tech." And in 2017 <a href="http://fortune.com/2017/07/31/serena-williams-black-women-equal-pay/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">she wrote an article for Fortune</a> helping to shine a light "on the long-neglected fact that the gender pay gap hits women of colour the hardest."She also happens to be a mother - and a good one at that. Her Reddit co-founder husband <a href="http://uk.businessinsider.com/alexis-ohanian-billboards-serena-williams-greatest-mother-of-all-time-2018-2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Alexis Ohanian even installed four giant billboards in California</a> - which read "Greatest Mother of All Time" - to welcome Williams back to tennis after she gave birth.Ohanian has <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alexis-ohanian-marriage-to-serena-williams-is-a-front-row-seat-to-greatness-2018-7" target="_blank" rel="noopener">previously called his marriage to Williams "a front row seat to greatness,"</a> stating: "I really thought I was like the hardest working person I knew. I thought tech was the hardest working industry… but then I started talking to her and then realised, very quickly, just how wrong I was."<div class="KonaFilter image-container display-table"><div><div class="image on-image"></div></div></div>She returned to competitive tennis just six months after giving birth and has performed remarkably well in 2018. She has only played eight tournaments this year, but managed to reach the Wimbledon Championships final in July and the US Open final in September - and&#xa0;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/alexis-ohanian-responded-online-to-those-who-criticised-decision-not-to-celebrate-daughters-birthday-2018-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">her daughter only recently had her first birthday</a>.Considering her track record, it is no surprise that <a href="https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/london-life/serena-williams-on-feminism-and-motherhood-there-are-barriers-i-hope-to-break-a3605476.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Williams told The Sunday Telegraph's Stellar magazine</a> last year that she likes "to stick up for women and women's rights."Despite her US Open outburst there's no denying she's an inspiration to young girls.&#xa0;<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/serena-williams-us-open-nike-ad-9-year-old-home-video-father-2018-8" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nike demonstrated this perfectly in its ad for the US Open,</a> which shows her as a 9-year-old being coached by her father Richaed Williams on a tennis court. He's heard telling her to play "like you're at the US Open" seconds before the film flicks to her on a US Open court, a six-time champion of the tournament still gunning for more success.At 36, Williams makes time to show off her extraordinary athleticism on the court, and to deliver her message of equality for women both on and off it - a message that even The Herald Sun cannot erase, try as they might.<div> </div> <div class="margin-top"> <h3>NOW WATCH: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kaman-kmax-helicopter-intermeshing-dual-crossing-rotors-2018-8">An aerospace company reintroduced its precision helicopter with two crossing motors</a></h3> <div> </div> </div>

You Searched For "Martina Hingis" and got 10 results

How Leander Paes is changing the face of Indian tennis

Poulomi Das

Iga Swiatek says winning the French Open was extra spectacular after 'doing something better than Serena'

Meredith Cash

Surprise US Open finalist Leylah Hernandez said she is motivated by a teacher who told her to stop playing tennis and focus on school

Scott Davis

Serena Williams announces she's retiring from tennis, saying that as a woman, she must choose between 'tennis and a family'

Rebecca Cohen,Barnaby Lane

An 18-year-old tennis phenom continued her 'mind-blowing,' dominant US Open run and became the first qualifier in history to reach the final

Sam Cooper

India's tennis star Sania Mirza announces retirement from the sport by the end of 2022 season

PTI

Olympic skateboard medalists in Tokyo are as young as 12. Experts explain why youth is a huge advantage in the sport.

Marianne Guenot

What The Tennis Legends Of The Past Look Like Today

Kamelia Angelova,Tony Manfred

Padma Bhushan for Sania Mirza, Saina Nehwal

BI India Bureau

The newspaper that published the 'angry baby' Serena Williams cartoon ran a hit piece saying she is 'no feminist hero' - here's why they're dead wrong

Alan Dawson

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