[Play_Suspended]

Yeah that video shows everything she hasn't really done so far this season. Good positioning on shots, on her toes, alert and moving around the court. She's gone back to looking slow and slightly stuck in the mud, increasing the chances of missing her shots.

What's the difference between then and now? Tricky to say, especially as we don't know what kind of training they did over the off season. Her build which could affect her movement hasn't noticeably changed. Is it mental? For whatever reason she just isn't as 'in the zone' as before? Does the chest infection have anything to do with it? Perhaps consciously or not she's holding back because of it, but then she had it last year when that video was made and it doesn't appear to have been hindering her then, unless it's got worse. Is she concentrating on other aspects of her game and 'forgetting' about the movement? But then you would think movement would be the one thing Krajan would emphasize every match? Or it could be something else entirely....

It's always frustrating when you look back on vids like that and you see she can do it, but then I'm sure Laura is even more frustrated. It's odd in a way as movement is normally something that you can make yourself do (unless your carrying an injury) compared to having the timing on your serve right or the right amount of rotation on a forehand.

[allracquetsports]

Between the Olympics & US open, Laura spent time working with Andy Murray's fitness trainer and it was from then that everyone commented on how Laura's movement had improved around the back of the court. After a 2 month shutdown it may have been difficult for a young woman to take on the kind of physical work that Andy's team had given her when tournaments & ranking points are beckoning. Possibly Laura is what I would call a natural sporty person but maybe not a top class athlete, so she will need someone to monitor her and push her on the training side to complement the coach, who is probably more focused on shots & game strategy.

To see where she is at, look for bounce on the baseline and setting off on the balls of her feet. I get the impression that Laura is more on her heels than at the tail end of last year. When you are chasing from side to side, changing direction requires decent abs, quads & lower leg strength to cope with the deceleration and push off in the opposite direction while the extra agility & speed off the mark you get from bouncing on the balls of the feet also needs strong calves & ankles.

One thing is for sure, you don't get strong abs, quads & calves from practicing tennis all day - only targeted exercise routines will bring Laura back to where she was last October. Then the issue is not getting there but maintaining the physical level.

If Andy & Laura are both at Indian Wells, she should meet up with his team & write down the routines that she was working on late last summer.

[Play_Suspended]

Originally Posted by allracquetsports

Possibly Laura is what I would call a natural sporty person but maybe not a top class athlete, so she will need someone to monitor her and push her on the training side to complement the coach, who is probably more focused on shots & game strategy.

She does have her own fitness trainer though, Dejan Bojanovic as part of her team with Krajan, so in theory she should be getting that attention. Though perhaps Jez's workouts suited her better for some reason or something...

I get the impression that Laura is more on her heels than at the tail end of last year.

Totally agree with this,and tbh it's not as though I really see her moving well at the beginning of a match and fading, as though she can't sustain the effort. It's not there at the beginning either.

One thing is for sure, you don't get strong abs, quads & calves from practicing tennis all day - only targeted exercise routines will bring Laura back to where she was last October.

I'd be very surprised if she isn't doing specific workouts for these areas in the gym, you'd certainly expect it for a professional tennis player.

[Dawson.]

Play_S... did Laura just respond to you on Instragram?!

[BodyElectric.]

Originally Posted by e5dawsonj

Play_S... did Laura just respond to you on Instragram?!

I just saw that! Play_S you're really lucky!

[Play_Suspended]

Yeah! Totally wasn't the best moment of my year *cough* life *cough*

[guichard]

^^^ Just saw that too


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[lucas89]

Originally Posted by Play_Suspended

Yeah! Totally wasn't the best moment of my year *cough* life *cough*

lucky

[Dawson.]

Well jel

[Monzanator]

Laura entered Katowice

[Play_Suspended]

Yeah saw that...she's down to play in 3 different continents in 3 weeks..Charleston, Katowice and Fed Cup. Surely she won't do that??

[BodyElectric.]

Originally Posted by Play_Suspended

Yeah saw that...she's down to play in 3 different continents in 3 weeks..Charleston, Katowice and Fed Cup. Surely she won't do that??

She possibly could, if she loses early in Charleston. Heading to Katowice which is held on Red Clay will help her in the Fed Cup tie in Argentina and it's also extra French Open practice.

[Play_Suspended]

Originally Posted by BodyElectric.

...

Changed your username?

[Dawson.]

Fed Cup really throws a spanner in the works. Does she stay relatively close and practise on green clay or travel thousands of miles to get matches on indoor red clay, both of which will no doubt be different to the Argentine clay! I hope she doesn't decide to sit the tie out. Heather too (can't see that happening though)

[guichard]

But will she play Katowice? So far this year, she entered a tournament every week of the year but withdrew from 2 ( Pattaya and florianpolis)

Maybe it depends how she does in Charleston.


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Ghty