Lindstedt and Tecau talk compromise

 

Originally published on: 08/05/12 00:00

You spend a lot of time in each other's pockets playing on the ATP Doubles circuit. Do you ever have disagreements?
Lindstedt: Me and Horia are great friends and we get along great off court but sometimes, as with anything, you’re not yourself in practice, you’re not having a good day and you might get irritated. We haven’t had that many fall-outs but sometimes it’s like, ‘I’m having room service tonight, you do what you want.’ I think it’s healthy to do that. Have we had fights? No. Have we had heated discussions after matches? Yes, but who hasn’t?

Doest training for doubles allow you to have a little more fun on the practice court? 
Lindstedt: I tend to throw a lot of rackets.
Tecau: That’s fun to watch…
Lindstedt: (Grins) No, not really. We’re both very serious tennis players. We can’t go on a tennis court and just muck about. We go on and search for a feeling that, by the time we leave the court, we’ve gotten better and we’ve done something to improve ourselves.

How do you differ in your approach to training?
Lindstedt: I like to hit a lot of balls and make as few mistakes as possible. Horia likes to do a few more drills than I do but we try and find a balance and say, ‘Okay, you want to do this today, then we’ll do something different tomorrow.’ I don’t practice singles anymore because there’s just no point. Where I am now in my age and career means I almost spend more time in the gym than on the court, just trying to keep the body in good condition.

How do you look back on reaching successive Wimbledon finals in the last two years?
Lindstedt: They were the two toughest losses in my career but still the two best experiences I’ve ever had. Wimbledon is the first tournament you learn about. Wimbledon is tennis. It’s the tournament you want to win. To be in a position to actually play that final on Centre Court, a place that I call holy ground, is an amazing feeling.

Did you have to pinch yourself after reaching that first Wimbledon final in 2010?
Lindstedt: I had to pinch myself in the semis! It was a surreal feeling. You’re standing there, looking around at the people looking at you. It’s kind of weird at the beginning but then once you settle down it’s the best Centre Court in the world.

Give us your parting tips for aspiring doubles players hoping to emulate you.
Tecau: It’s all about patience. Don’t give up. Keep fighting. Have faith in what you are doing and just keep going.

This is an extract from a feature that ran in the April 2012 (Volume 3: Issue 1) issue of tennishead magazine. To read the complete article, why not subscribe or purchase the issue.

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