The open question for Sabalenka and other players is how their individual choices during the first weeks of the season might play into the unusual routines for this Australian Open. They will also get to spend about two hours in the gym, and one other hour at the tennis center in Melbourne. After the quarantine, the men’s and women’s tours will hold three competitive events in Melbourne in the week before the Open. Tennis players are constantly searching for the optimal rhythm — to hit the ball cleanly on nearly every shot and to feel confident about their strokes regardless of the situation. It’s not something that can easily be turned on and off, and for many players that zone is reached through the right combination of practice and match play.

Source: New York Times January 10, 2021 06:00 UTC