Tennis Tips, Tricks And Gear

Roger Federer and Juan Martin del Potro take the Court in Round of 16 action and the top half of the women's draw contests quarterfinals. Keep up with the action in the BNP Paribas Open Live Blog presented by Tecnifibre.

Round of 16 on the women's side, and the completetion of the third round on the men's side. Keep up with the acton in the Tecnifibre Live Blog!

The Williams Sisters, Roger Federer and much, much more. Keep up with all the action from Day 6 of the BNP Paribas Open with the Tecnifibre Live Blog

Keep up with all the action from Day 5 of the BNP Paribas Open, first ball to last, with the Live Blog sponsored by Tecnifibre.

Roger Federer, the Williams Sisters, Victoria Azarenka and more. Keep up with all the action from Day 4 of the BNP Paribas Open with the Tecnifibre Live Blog.

Keep up with all the action from Day 3 of the BNP Paribas Open with the Tecnifibre Live Blog.

Keep up with all the action from Day 2 of the BNP Paribas Open, from first ball to last on the Tecnifibre live blog.

Welcome to the BNP Paribas Open Live Blog sponsored by Tecnifibre.

Sharapova aims to channel "LA’s high style" in Nike shoe.

Maria Sharapova laces up her love for LA in a new Nike shoe.

Sharapova said she set out to create "LA’s high style" in a classic Nike shoe.

Bartoli: Comeback Key For Psychological Recovery

The result is the Nike LA Cortez, Sharapova's revision of the iconic 1972 swoosh shoe.

The Sharapova-designed shoe hit retailers on March 1st.

 

“Introducing LA Cortez x Maria Sharapova 🤗. On March 2nd, join us (us = my cute new shoe on center stage…and I 😉) at the Grove in LA for a fun event. RSVP at link in bio. Shoe is available March 1 at @Nordstrom x Nike boutiques + Nordstrom.com/xnike and March 2 on nike.com, Nike The Grove & Nike Santa Monica.

A post shared by Maria Sharapova (@mariasharapova) on

Feb 28, 2018 at 1:39pm PST

The pale pink shoe, which layers suede and leather, sprung from Sharapova's strides to practice.

Photo credit: Nike

Photo credit: Nike

"I love how it’s minimal and understated in certain ways, yet there’s so much attention to detail with the finishes, materials and even color," Sharapova said. "I was inspired by my morning walks along the coast on my way to practice, and I think we captured that peaceful essence in this shoe."

Photo credit: Mark Peterson/Corleve

World No. 9 explains why his backhand is stronger these days.
Even champions can use a helping hand every once in a while.

Renewed confidence in his two-handed backhand has helped Juan Martin del Potro crack the Top 10 again.

Watch: Handle With Care

Del Potro, who opened the season advancing to the Auckland final, re-entered the Top 10 last month—his first Top 10 appearance since the week of August 4th, 2014.

These days, del Potro is thumping his two-hander with more pace providing a stiffer contrast to his one-hand slice backhand.

During del Potro's loss to eventual-champion Frances Tiafoe in Delray Beach last week, Tennis Channel analyst and former Top 10 player Jimmy Arias said del Potro was hitting his two-hander the best he has since his comeback from wrist surgery.

While Del Potro says it's an improved shot, he knows must sharpen it to beat the elite: he was 0-7 vs. the world's Top 2 last season.

"I improve it a lot my two handed backhand so I now I have the chance to choose between the slice and the two-handed backhand it's good thing for my game," del Potro told Tennis TV. "But I know I need to keep improving a lot if I want to win good tournaments and beat the best players in the world."

Multiple wrist surgeries, including two surgeries to his left wrist in 2015, sapped the sting and conviction from del Potro's once dangerous two-handed backhand.

Returning to the tour two years ago, del Potro primarily played the one-handed slice backhand in his initial comeback.

Photo credit: Guillermo Sanchez

The 2017 Stockholm champion hit his backhand harder during his 20-5 run over the final weeks of the 2017 season while showing superb control over his one-handed slice.

The sixth-seeded Argentine will put his two-hander to the test against veteran war horse David Ferrer in tonight's Abierto Mexicano Telcel second-round clash.

The 35-year-old Spaniard has won six of their 11 encounters, but the 2009 US Open champion has beaten Ferrer three times in a row—all in straight sets. Ferrer will be feeding a steady stream of inside-out forehands to del Potro's weaker wing.

Photo credit: Guillermo Sanchez