The stressful long-distance race of tennis | Sports

Tennis is a long-distance race. With seasons of up to 11 months, some of the biggest goals of the year are fought on tired legs. The body has a fair margin for rest, the mind accumulates emotions with trips and efforts around the world. It is a test of constant hardness in which staying afloat is a challenge.

Although August is associated with vacations and disconnection, on the circuit it represents one of the most stressful months of the calendar. The big tournaments of the American hard surface tour are chained together, with some of the biggest tournaments of the year in a handful of days. Canada, Cincinnati and the US Open challenge players like a succession of mountain passes, each peak reached with less oxygen than the last. At times like this, with the body pushed to the limit of its capabilities, the importance of the team gains strength, of a professional group that is capable of maintaining the performance of the athlete based on recovery, specific work and rest.

This year we have seen Pablo Carreño triumph in Montreal, lifting his first major title after an almost perfect week. Winning a tournament of this category is a huge milestone, which places the Spaniard in the history of Spanish tennis. It is a time of the season where he usually competes at his best level, with the Olympic bronze medal in Tokyo or the two semifinals of the US Open being great examples.

In one of the few tournaments in which the Big 3 has not been present, Pablo fulfilled a maxim of the competition: take advantage of the opportunity. The Cincinnati tournament served to demonstrate the great depth that the sport has reached, increasingly professional in every way. The French Carolina García lifted the tournament from the previous phase and the Croatian Borna Coric signed the great result of his life from 152nd place in the ranking, leaving behind a shoulder operation that kept him out of the circuit for a year. Never before have we seen so much talent in the locker room, with a huge number of athletes capable of competing for everything.

The sight is already set on the US Open, the last Grand Slam of the year. After his return to Cincinnati, Rafa Nadal will seek to recover the competitive rhythm that has led him to be the best player of the season in the first half of the year, with the emergence of Carlos Alcaraz following in his footsteps in an exciting way. We continue with the unknown about Novak Djokovic’s participation and we witness Daniil Medvedev’s challenge to protect number 1 in New York, where one of the most open editions of recent times is approaching. The women’s team will have a clear role: Serena Williams’ farewell will be a historic moment for the sport. In addition, there will be that relief that Iga Swiatek embodies, determined to look for a first big on hard surface.

And we will look at the Spanish, with Paula Badosa and Garbiñe Muguruza as the main assets of The army. Tennis does not rest. Take the opportunity to do it. A great end of the year is approaching.

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