Today's Tennis Tougher on the Body

Veteran tennis players may want to think twice before they change their classic strokes and adopt the open-stance forehand made popular by, for instance, the Rafael Nadals of the world.  Advances in  technology have made it easier to hit the ball harder and with more spin, but they haven't changed the body that has to propel that force.  Orthopedic surgeon George Branche, medical director of Washington, DC's top tier Legg Mason Tennis tournament and himself a former elite player, says that the open stance forehand puts tremendous stress on hips.  To get an idea of the difference in the impact of Nadal's game on his body compared to the impact of Roger Federer's game on his body, see this article from USA Today.