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"&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Have a question or comment for Jon? Email him at jon_wertheim@yahoo.com or tweet him&amp;nbsp;&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;@jon_wertheim&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em&gt;.&lt;/em&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;As a huge Nadal fan these past 10 years, it is obvious that he is losing (even on clay) because his court coverage has decreased due to age/wear and tear. He used to make players win points 3x to actually win the point. Now some are able to hit it by him, even on clay. The young Nadal established this aura primarily (not exclusively) because of his unbelievable defense. Most opponents were psyched out because his perseverance in each point was overwhelming. He will never get this back. Tweaking his forehand, backhand and serve will only accomplish so much, and therefore it will be difficult for him to regain that aura/confidence. It is always surprising when writers and commentators focus so much on his strokes. They are missing the main point. What say you?&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n\u2014&lt;em &gt;Ben, Queens&lt;/em&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 The \u201CWhat\u2019s up with Nadal?\u201D questions hit the double-digit mark this week, after his latest loss to a lesser-ranked player\u2014on clay, no less. This time it was Pablo Cuevas, the kind of journeymen Nadal would dispatch 6\u20132, 6\u20132 not long ago.&amp;nbsp;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We want easy solutions and explanations. &lt;em&gt;Fire Toni! Take a year off! Quit now!&lt;/em&gt; But this doesn\u2019t lend itself to hot takes. We are, undeniably, witnessing an athlete in decline. And tennis is both the cruelest of sports and the most accommodating. You can\u2019t handpick your opponent the way an aging boxer can. You can\u2019t accept a lesser role or specialize. You go out there and play and\u2014without fig leaves to spare you embarrassment\u2014you are completely exposed.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;In the case of Nadal, his declining confidence is apparent in all kinds of ways. You see earmarks (especially on clay, where those marks serve as forensic evidence) that his shots are not penetrating the court, that his positioning is passive. You see it on the stat sheet, too. Reader Rohit Sudarshan noted: \u201CIt was a tough South American trip for Rafa Nadal. The problem is twofold; he's showing vulnerability to lower ranked players, and he's struggling to win decisive points/deciding sets. From 2013 to 2014, 21% of his matches went to deciding sets but he won 83% of those matches. Since the start of 2015, 30% of his matches end in deciding sets, but he's winning just 57% of those matches.\u201D\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The good news about tennis: decline is seldom irreversible. Confidence and aura can return quite easily. It only takes seven matches in a two-week window to completely reframe your career. The transience of the sport can be exhilarating in its way. (It\u2019s not like you're going to the same lousy arena every day; surfaces and conditions and locales are always changing.) Nadal is not yet 30. His body, improbably, is holding up. Nadal may never win a 15th major. But I don't see how you flatly write off a player of his caliber. The first step is regaining that self-belief and translating that on the court. Taking more risks on the serve, in the rallies and on big points. Playing closer to the baseline. Finishing off third sets. Right now, he doesn\u2019t need a new coach so much as needs Stuart Smalley reminding him of who he is.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u200B&lt;strong&gt;You may be in the minority not being outraged with Gael Monfils. Imagine if you were a teacher and there was a middle of the road kid, but then out of nowhere, he excelled, only to drop off again. And the cycle kept happening. Wouldn't you be a little troubled? That is how many tennis fans feel when Monfils and Gulbis (have to throw him in this conversation) go through their productive times and they do not last.&amp;nbsp;You expect more and when it does not happen, you are left shaking your head. I just hope Nick Kyrgios becomes the next young Slam winner and not the next underachieving Monfils/Gulbis, because he could go either way.&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n\u2014&lt;em &gt;Shlomo Kreitman, Passaic, N.J.&lt;/em&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 I hear you and agree that I am in the minority and you are not. But my spin on your school/teacher analogy: Monfils is the kid who &lt;em&gt;could&lt;/em&gt; potentially get straight A\u2019s but prefers the entertainment of the school band to the rigor of academics. He\u2019s not a tortured soul\u2014he is conscious of and comfortable with his decision and his preference. He is not mean to the other kids; on the contrary, he\u2019s a popular member of the student body. He does not get into trouble. He simply prefers a path of artistry to a path of singular focus pure empirical achievement.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The flaw in the analogy, of course, is that sports is/are not school. It is competition. There is a loser for every winner. You\u2019re not there to hang out and play \u201CTwenty-five or six two four\u201D in the band room. And if you\u2019re not fully committed to being a winner\u2014for residing on the left-hand side of that d. designation\u2014why even bother?\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Still, it\u2019s hard for me to work up much outrage about Monfils. The cast is, in the end, richer for his presence. Plus, he\u2019s not an a$%hole.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Is it too late for Indian Wells to add a small mixed doubles tournament this year? With the Olympic mixed doubles coming up and the excitement of teams like Federer/Hingis, an 8-team draw of potential Olympic pairings would be great. Raonic/Bouchard. Williams/Isner.&amp;nbsp;Lots of possibilities.&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n\u2014&lt;em &gt;Ken Wells, Mole Creek, Tasmania&lt;/em&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 Boom. Great idea. And you\u2019re right: especially in the year of Olympic tennis \u2014to be played on hard courts, no less\u2014it makes all the sense in the world. Larry Ellison, you have a call on line one\u2026.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u200B&lt;strong&gt;Dear Jon. I liked your podcast with Justin Gimelstob a lot. He was honest and I respected that when you asked him some hard questions, he gave you real answers. I\u2019m just wondering, as you talk about conflicts of interest in tennis what would you do to change things? And is it realistic to think that things will change?&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n\u2014&lt;em &gt;Peter, Philadelphia, Pa.&lt;/em&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 What was it Big Country once sang? \u201CI\u2019m not expecting to grow flowers in the desert.\u201D But I am expecting management groups not to both represent players and events. And that no one serving on the USTA board should derive salary from USTA-funded projects. And that wild cards are distributed equitably.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;To me, part of it is about establishing some basic policies and best practices. This isn\u2019t a moral crusade, so much as it\u2019s about doing what\u2019s best for the business. All the coziness is a growth stunter. It\u2019s also about disclosure. (And to his credit, Justin, unlike others, is very up-front about his various and sundry duties. At least everyone knows that he has a financial relationship with one player, John Isner, while serving on a board designed to oversee the best interests of all players.) \u201CTransparent\u201D\u2014apart from being the name of the best show on Amazon\u2014has become a term so laughably overused it has lost meaning. But the principle stands.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;I\u2019m 49, former D-III college participant, and avid tennis fan (for now). After Federer retires, I expect my interest in watching to drop to near zero. I think I\u2019m typical of many fans, especially in my age group. Do you agree? IMO, the technological advancement of the racket, coupled with fewer variations in playing surfaces and the tennis ball itself, as compared to a generation ago, has resulted in a homogenous, boring-to-watch game with no contrasting styles. Almost all of the players below the top five are interchangeable. It\u2019s amazing to watch Wimbledon and at the end of the tournament to see that the T at the service box is not worn out. If you could force all of the current players to use a Dunlop Maxply Fort racket for a grass tournament, who do you think would win?&amp;nbsp;Who would be hurt the most by a return to the 1970s? I think Nadal would be most greatly affected in a negative way. I think a Fed-Djokovic match would resemble vintage McEnroe-Borg.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n\u2014&lt;em &gt;Bill in N.J.&lt;/em&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 There\u2019s no question men\u2019s tennis will have an adjustment period after Federer and the Big Four depart. In a circular kind of way, it will be worsened by the fact that so few other players are significantly accomplished. (Of course, if they were accomplished, that would diminish the greatness of the Big Four.) But I urge you to hang around. Sports have a great way of regenerating. It\u2019s like when starfish lose limbs. \u201CThe NBA is over when Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson leave. No, wait, there\u2019s this teenager from Akron with the body of a man\u2026.\u201D\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;As for your question, there\u2019s no doubt that equipment has played a role in the homogenization. Players will tell you it\u2019s more about the strings than the racket. The shrinking differences among the surfaces has also exacted a price. But a) I still see lots of diversity. We can cherry pick. Dustin Brown versus Ferrer! Radwanska versus Pliskova! But just look at all the body types. If tennis were simply this mono-sport, it would weed out body types. b) I tend to think we overrate the impact of equipment of rankings. If everyone suddenly had to play with graphite or wood (or long-handled skillets) I suspect the top of the spot would look much as it does now.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Hope winter is treating you well. So, Simona Halep just lost another early round match. (Although Vesnina is a solid player.) Could a ranking plummet be just what Halep needs?&amp;nbsp;Her results seem best when the expectations are low.&amp;nbsp;Her talent and personality are great for the game but I'm starting to wonder about her long-term prospects. Is it time for her fans to panic?&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n\u2014&lt;em &gt;Cainim, now in Minnesota&lt;/em&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 There\u2019s no panic in tennis. Mild concern? Yes. Halep sent that grim Facebook post after her Australian Open loss. A member of her camp told me that during the offseason, she had days when her virus was so bad, she struggled to get out of bed. She vowed to take time off. And then\u2014poof\u2014she\u2019s showing up in the Middle East to play February events. I suspect she just needs time off. (Indian Wells starts in just two weeks!\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u200B&lt;strong&gt;In what has been a great week for Italian Tennis\u2014Roberta Vinci breaking into the Top 10, Sara Errani winning her first Premier title in Dubai and Francesca Schiavone reaching her first final since 2013 (and potentially winning her first title since then too as this was written before the final was played)\u2014I just wanted to get your view on this great generation of Italian players who along with Flavia Pennetta have had an incredible impact in the world of tennis. They have all been ranked in the world's Top 10. Combined they have won 36 WTA Tour titles (37 if Schiavone wins this week too) including two Grand Slam singles titles and have also reached another three Slam finals, have collectively won six Grand Slam doubles titles (including a full sweep of all four as a team for Errani/Vinci) and also been Fed Cup champions four times. What a record! So often I read articles or commentaries on tennis players not reaching their full potential. How refreshing therefore to see a group of players who have maximized their talents, made the most of the opportunities which have come their way and seemingly used each other's successes to spur them on to reach their own.&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;What do you make of this remarkable quartet and how do you think they will be remembered once they all decided to hang up their rackets?&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;I look forward to hearing your views.&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;Love the column.&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n\u2014&lt;em &gt;Christopher, a loyal reader from the U.K.&lt;/em&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;\u2022 &lt;/strong&gt;&lt;em&gt;Bravissima&lt;/em&gt; or &lt;em&gt;brave.&lt;/em&gt; Or whatever the correct plural female ending is. That\u2019s a really good point and I can't recall it being made quite like that. This has been a\u2014what\u2019s the equivalent of belle \u00E9poque?\u2014for Italian women\u2019s tennis. And there\u2019s similarity and symmetry among the players. None is physically imposing. All have their quirks. And each maxed out their talent. Put another way: no one is sizing up Schiavone or Errani or Vinci or Pennetta and saying, \u201CToo bad they didn\u2019t fulfill their potential.\u201D (Note to self: there is a good Tennis Channel feature here.) Another good point you raise: in no small part because of the 2015 U.S. Open final (as well as the Errani-Vinci doubles partnership), these players benefit from the cluster. They will be recalled as an Italian collective, an Olive Garden combo meal as it were.&amp;nbsp;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u200B&lt;strong&gt;Enjoy your tennis podcasts. Requested interview question: As a tennis player I\u2019m interested in the players thoughts while playing. I suspect most will tell you they think tactics or just play instinctively. However, at the lower (much) level instructional thoughts (watch the ball, move your feet, etc.) tend to happen while the point is going on. I\u2019d love to hear if some pros do this (perhaps while things aren\u2019t going well) and if they do what their thought mantras might be.&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n\u2014&lt;em &gt;Joe Basco, Tx.&lt;/em&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 Great idea. Cutting-and-pasting your email will serve as a remind that we should do a podcast with a pro aimed at helping recreational players.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Great interview with&amp;nbsp;Pearlman. More Beyond the Baseline Podcast interview&lt;/strong&gt; &lt;strong&gt;suggestions: cancer survivors Victoria Duval, Corina Morariu.&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n\u2014&lt;em &gt;Wilbert (Wil) Lewis Blake Jr.&lt;/em&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;\u2022 &lt;/strong&gt;Hey thanks. A few of you asked about it\u2014including a loyal reader who saw me in person last night\u2014so grudgingly, I\u2019ll link this. (There\u2019s actually some tennis riffing). I like your ideas for the podcast, too.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;You say Kvitova could quit tomorrow + have a Hall of Fame career. Surely Mary Pierce achieved more but you aren't sure of her?&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n\u2014&lt;em &gt;@richardedoyle&lt;/em&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 I might go weasel on you and say that Kvitova\u2019s two Wimbledon titles exceed one Australian and one French. But I wouldn\u2019t be arguing with conviction. I think you are correct. If you admit Kvitova into the club, you have to admit Mary Pierce. I can\u2019t recall expressing ambivalence about her but I am pretty okay with her. Not only did she win majors but she did so at a time when the WTA was loaded. (Look at that French she won. Other players in the draw: Hingis, V. Williams, Davenport, Seles, Capriati, Davenport, Mauresmo Sanchez-Vicario.) I also give Pierce bonus point for overcoming a fairly horrific personal situation.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u200B&lt;strong&gt;I submitted the Laver vs. Rosewall question in response to your column re: tennis rivalries. See the subject field in my February 10 message.&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n\u2014&lt;em &gt;Mark Flannery&lt;/em&gt;&lt;em &gt;, Fullerton, Ca.&lt;/em&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 Got it. Fair enough. The subject was \u201CTennis Rivalries.\u201D&amp;nbsp;This rivalry predates me, but, wow: They played 144 times!?\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Can you tell us your top five left-handers of all time? Men and women, Nadal and Navratilova excluded. #mailbag&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n\u2014&lt;em &gt;@IgorWright&lt;/em&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 Laver, Martina, Nadal, Seles, tie: Connors/McEnroe. I\u2019m doing this off the top of my head and feel like a) I\u2019m leaving someone out and b) it would be dishonest to Google it. Feel free to send your own.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;When was the last time every single seed in a tournament lost her/his&amp;nbsp;first match? #dubiousindubai&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n&lt;strong &gt;And wow, what a missed opportunity for Madison Brengle.&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n\u2014&lt;em &gt;J.P. Anderson&lt;/em&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 What a missed opportunity for so many. Check out this decimated draw.\r\n\r\n&lt;h3&gt;Shots, Miscellany&lt;/h3&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 The most recent SI Tennis Beyond the Baseline podcast was with Justin Gimelstob. &amp;nbsp;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 Next guest on the Podcast will be Andre Agassi.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 Roger Federer + Infographics = this. &amp;nbsp;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;\u2022 &lt;/strong&gt;Tennis\u2019 version of Cannonball Run\u2014i.e. the derby to sign Francis Tiafoe now that he turned 18\u2014 has been won by\u2026.CAA.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 Bill Simons\u2014who will not be renaming Inside Tennis, \u201CThe Ringer\u201D\u2014has a short piece on Harper Lee and tennis.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 Maria Sharapova is coming to a Topps set near you.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 Frontrunner for best press release of 2016: \u201CNulo Pet Food is proud to announce a new ambassadorship with top ranked American tennis player, John Isner, and his dog, Magill.\u201D\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 More press releasing: Mary Edman has been appointed as the Intercollegiate Tennis Association's new Membership Coordinator. Edman, a 2015 graduate of Colorado College in Colorado Springs, Colorado, began her duties with the ITA on February 16.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 The two most recent champions of the Fayez Sarofim &amp;amp; Co. U.S. Men\u2019s Clay Court Championship\u2014Jack Sock (2015) and Fernando Verdasco (2014)\u2014will return to River Oaks for the 2016 tournament. Fabio Fognini, the top-ranked Italian on the ATP World Tour, has also committed to the April 4-10 tournament.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 Two young WTA players have joined the 2016 Volvo Car Open's player field: Sloane Stephens and Genie Bouchard. Stephens and Bouchard join Angelique Kerber, Belinda Bencic, Venus Williams and more in the April tournament, taking place on Daniel Island in Charleston, S.C.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 The Mardy Fish Children\u2019s Foundation will take over the management of the $10,000 \u201CFutures\u201D tennis tournament. The tournament will be called The Mardy Fish Children\u2019s Foundation Tennis Championships and will now benefit the Mardy Fish Children\u2019s Foundation, the non-profit tennis foundation benefiting children.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u2022 LT from Toronto has LLS: &lt;strong&gt;There's a contestant on this season of American Idol named Olivia Rox (doubtful that's her real last name). Anyhow, she looks about 10 feet tall and strikingly similar to Maria Sharapova.&amp;nbsp;&lt;/strong&gt;(Ed: I always thought Tea Leoni was a Sharapova double. Also, I see Ivanka Trump and I expect to see windshield-wiper forehands and hear grunting.)\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\r\n&lt;/p&gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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