Other elements of his anatomy also helped. Hospital tests after an accident revealed the 6-foot-2 player has deep-sea diver-level lung capacity — larger, one of the technicians told him, than he had ever seen. “I’ve used it to my advantage ever since,” says Norrie.
“Any good cardiovascular training program, especially vigorous tennis training, dramatically improves heart and lung function,” says trainer Matt Roberts. “Twenty to 30 seconds of intense activity is enough to increase heart capacity and decrease the risk of dying.”
confinement training
After the lockdown ended the competitive season in March 2020, Norrie flew to her parents’ home in Auckland, New Zealand, where she spent much of the pandemic. There, she ran 10 km every day up steep hills, posting a personal best of 36 minutes and 45 seconds (and 17 minutes and 20 seconds for 5k), followed by beach swimming. (The fastest 10k ever recorded is 26 minutes, and the average among recreational runners is at least twice as long.)
Having run cross country in school, “it’s helped me to know that I’ve kept my fitness and my legs when I’m playing.”
Distance runs are atypical for tennis professionals, according to Matt James, Emma Raducanu’s former coach. Most sprint training happens within three to five meters, as “that’s where most of tennis is played. So you see a lot more changes of direction, acceleration, the ability to slow down and being able to push off and recover.
Family matters
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