Your questions answered with Sarah Borwell

A little while ago we asked for your questions that you wanted to ask the British number 1 in doubles and here are the answers!
A big thank you goes out to Sarah for taking the time out for us.

As a doubles player, how much time off court would normally spend with your playing partner?
I would usually spend a lot of time with my dubs partners because we are good friends and we hang out with the same people, so for me we live, eat, train, travel together

If you weren't a tennis player what would you be doing?
Playing football

What is your most memorable match?
Beating Stubbsy and Lisa Raymond who are grand slam winners and top 10 players at the Stanford tournament

If you could team with any player from the past, who would it be?
Not from the past but id love to play with Lisa Raymond

Who was your idol growing up?
I didn’t really have one im afraid

If your partner isn't playing very well, what's the best way to try and gee them up. Equally, if you're not playing well, what should your partner do to help you?
My coach Louis Cayer is the best in the world and the reason why Britain are now number 2 in the World for having the most dubs specialists in the top 100. He teaches the art of bouncing off from yorr partner so that you maintain a good intensity, to “rescuing” your partner if they get a bit down. If im struggling mentally I just like my partner to tell me don’t worry, you can do it, we can get through this.
(Both scenarios happen a lot when I play doubles!)

Who is the best doubles team you have played against?
Huber and Black

Just how good are the Bryans?
They are good because they do the basics very very well.

Which player(s) have given you inspiration during your career?
No players, but Jez Green (Andy Murray's fitness trainer) is the reason I am still playing at 32, Louis Cayer is the reason I was top 100 so its these people who changed my career track and what inspired me.

What do you think of the womens game in Britain and have you any ideas why they are achieving higher rankings than the men, in both Juniors and on the pro circuit ?
The womens game have people to look up too. Its hard for the guys because yes they have andy to look up too, but andy is so far ahead of anyone you don’t have someone you can kind of hang onto and ride their wave of success. We have annie k and bally and because of their amazing work ethic and determination it has rubbed off on the younger generation. They realize that hard work is whats going to get you some place and playing the ITF tournaments just isn’t good enough, you have to want more.

If there was one improvement the LTA could make in supporting British players on tour, what would it be?
Support the College players. College is a good developmental pathway. We have to many kids dropping out of education at 16, trying to go on the tour and then realizing they are not ready and quitting at 21. College helps you grow and learn in a safe environment, where all you think about is school and tennis. When you hit the tour at 22 you are ready for anything and more likely to move up the rankings faster.

Sarah; doubles used to attract the top singles players. This aided it's popularity.
Why do you think this is no longer the case? Do you have any idea what could be done to reverse this trend and get doubles back on the centre stage?
More people play doubles, more people therefore enjoy watching doubles. However if you don’t market doubles players no one will watch. If the Williams sisters were playing doubles the stadium would be full, its not doubles which is the problem it’s the brand marketing and image. I think if more money was spent on doubles and people knew the dubs specialists as much as they knew Sharapova, you would possibly find more people watching doubles.

If you could go back in time to watch any tennis match again live, what would it be?
Nadal v Novak at US Open 2011

What's your favourite film?
Don’t really have one, too many. I get bored watching films and usually do work during them

What was the last book you read?
4 hour work week

When you are not playing, what is a typical day for you?
Helping Brits into college, mentoring Brits in college or on the Tour, talking to parents about the benefits of college

What are the major challenges in going from junior level, where Britain seems to do well, to senior level?
You need a developmental pathway. The jump from junior to senior is massive. College gives you this next step. You basically have to learn to win at every level, winning at juniors isn’t too tough, winning week in week out in the seniors is hard and usually the reason people fade away.

What are the prospects for establishing a career in tennis coaching in Britain today?
I would imagine quite high, its an easy buck to make. However there are only a few truly great coaches.

What is your favourite meal?
My mums cooking

Do you follow any sports other than tennis?
I love football

In your opinion, can Andy Murray win a grand slam?
Yes I believe he can! Hes the best in the world, just takes time

How do you view the state of the womans game right now, at a singles and doubles level?
I think we have more depth than ever before, but the top 10 aren't as good as before so this is why you have so many different people winning slams. Doubles is a little bit weaker because singles players are allowed to use their singles rankings in to grand slams. So you get dubs specialists not making it in and singles players just entering for the extra cash.

In women's singles tennis does very loud grunting (e.g. Sharapova, Venus, Schiavone) put the opponent off?
No, you cant hear it

What techniques do you use to reduce stress during competitive tennis play?
Jumping around, breathing out as I hit

If you could have one player as your partner, who would it be (for womens and mixed)
Lisa Raymond and nadla for mixed

Do you think all women tennis players should be made to wear costumes designed by Venus Williams?
I would hope not, they are not exactly fashionable

What other sports are you good at?
Good at football and field hockey

There seems to be so few opportunities for women to make a career out of professional sport compared to the men (with all their team games) - do you think it will ever change?
This will never change.

What music do you listen to before a match?
Whatever im addicted to at the time, usually Kings of Leon

What was your most pleasing win / match at junior Level?
I cant remember back to junior level, so long ago and I concentrated more on my education.

What was your most pleasing win / match at senior Level?
Winning a round in singles at Wimbledon

What is it like to stand at the net and play through a rat-a-tat volley/*come at you* hit? - Is it frightening ?
Its frightening now after being hit in the head and having a contusion which forced me out of the game for a year.

Thanks again for putting this together YI Man


Answers that stuck out for me:
Recommendation for a collegiate system for the transition from junior (16) to senior level (21) - juniors get a structured education as well as staying in the sport (college level tennis plus ...).

Tennis doubles needs to be properly marketed. (I agree with both Sarah and Ken that doubles is fun to watch etc).

Only the doubles ranking should be considered when deciding entry into the female (or male) doubles tournaments of Grand Slam tournaments - as it otherwise limits the opportunity for serious year-round (professional) doubles pairings. (Anyway that is my interpretation of Sarahs answer).

Professional tennis players generally do not hear the grunting of their opponents .

That Sarahs most pleasing win on the senior tour was in the singles rather than in the doubles.

That it is quite "easy" to make a career out of coaching.