The Australian Open once again got the tennis year off to a great start and whetted out appetite for the forthcoming season. The master they call Roger Federer once again lifted that famous trophy, sending out a warning to all his opponents that he’s still the man to beat.

There again, it’s still very early in the season, and way too early to write anyone off yet. Look at the surprises last year threw up, a prime example being Juan Martin Del Potro winning the US Open title by beating Federer in the final.

The red clay that is used as the surface on a tennis court originated right back to the origins of the game. If you play tennis yourself, you have been privileged to have a game on this famous surface. The history of the red clay court is particularly prevalent in Spain and the home of the only major played on clay; France.

This is a unique surface and makes the style of play completely different from other surfaces. To actually play on clay is an exhilarating experience.

There are qualities which are vital to any great tennis player and as the world of tennis progresses on, these qualities are debated over by fans and players alike.

There are arguments that can be made for a handful of different elements of the sport, and while it may all boil down to a matter of opinion, it’s still fun to look at the possibilities.

I have listed a few elements to consider. Which do you think are important?

What about volleying? A game that it going too smoothly can become a disadvantage for opponents as point may easily be lost. Just take a look back at players of the past such as John McEnroe.

As tennis continues to grow its fans and players will always be arguing on what determines a good player and which skills are the most important to have.

So it’s all just conjecture really, but it’s still worth having a debate over just for the fun of it and there are many aspects of the sport to choose from.

Here are the most important factors. Let’s see which one you think matters most.

What about volleying? A game that it going too smoothly can become a disadvantage for opponents as point may easily be lost. Just take a look back at players of the past such as John McEnroe.

Anyone who plays the sport of tennis knows that the surface of each court will have a profound impact on the way the game is played. Depending on the court type, your strategy will certainly change.

I’d like to write about the most popular surface in the world, and that is hard tennis courts. These are commonly used in both outdoor and indoor settings, and the fact that they’re easier to maintain than any other kind is the reason for this.

With the Aussie Open kicking off the just starting ‘10 tennis year, the action is officially here again. There are plenty of pros rounding out a field that finds itself more saturated than it has happened to be in quite a few seasons.

Long ago are the days of Roger and Nadal taking over each and every event. There are some additional participants on the tour who have legitimate chances each moment a tournament starts.

Although Federer and Rafael Nadal sit on the top two rankings in the world, there are some players that might end up 2010 atop the field at number 1. Why don’t we have a glimpse at the favorite prospects at this time.

It wasn’t too long ago that nearly every grand slam tournament was being dominated by Justine Henin. She was clearly the world’s best, and only a few players stood a chance at beating her every time she took the court.

Having sat atop the world rankings for a couple of years, Henin surprised many tennis fans when she retired at the very young age of just 25 years old in 2008. Many wondered why she would call it quits when she was at the top of her game.

If you’re an avid tennis player, perhaps you’ve enjoyed the privilege of playing on red clay courts. This is an old surface with a deep rooted history of tradition that dates back to the origins of the sport in parts of Europe like Spain and France.

Few things beat the experience of playing on this court style, as it’s truly unique as far as game play is concerned, and a genuinely beautiful sight to behold.

I thought it would be useful to throw together a quick guide for people playing tennis on clay courts, pointing out the areas of strength and weakness that arise on this surface.

After having performed many of sports physicals over the years, I have seen an ever increasing trend in poor posture. Often, the posture is compromised before a sport is undertaken, and frequently the posture is affected by repetitive motions of a certain sport.

You can easily perform an assessment of your own posture by having someone observe you from your back (six feet directly behind you). Does one shoulder look higher than the other? Does one hip look higher? Check to see if your feet are equal, is one flaring out more than the other? The knees should be in alignment as well, facing the same direction. Your head should be equally balanced, not tilting to one side. If some differences are noticed, you may have a biomechanical problem that is affecting your sports performance.

If you look at the state of tennis today as compared to 30 years ago, a lot has changed. Most of this change took place in the’80s, as both the racquets and playing styles underwent major transformations.

I’d like to take a trip down memory lane by writing about my favorite five’80s tennis players. These all come down to my personal preferences and they’re not based on merit. Nonetheless, I’ll be curious to see how these compare with yours.