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Last call for the gotta play tennis podcast

Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Tell us what YOU think...Has recreational tennis changed for the better?

Recently I read some comments from another tennis player about how the constants of tennis have not changed in the last 30 years or more such as dimensions of the court, height of net, etc. But some constants of tennis are not as obvious and are a bit harder to quantify and measure.

When did tennis become only a game of competitive play? Can't two (or 4) players just go out to the court and hit without playing a match? Working on groundstrokes and volleys does not require a finite score to contain them. And you cannot tell me that skills are not acquired simply due to a lack of point play. Learning how to play matches is a totally separate item and may or may not be of interest.

When did tennis, on a recreational level, become about outhitting your opponent with power? Sooner or later, the biggest hitter with the most skill will prevail. So if you are not a big hitter, does that mean you should hang up your racket? Or is it possible to learn how to counter such a barrage? With the variety of tennis shots available, I truly believe that a smart and skilled player can find their own level of success without cannons blazing.

When did tennis become so one dimensional with western-gripped topspin? If I understand correctly, this shot allows one to hit hard and keep the ball in the court. In my day, we did this with a flat shot, slice and sidespin and called it "skill". The better you got at it, the more successful you were. Maybe we didn't hit the ball quite as hard, but you didn't need to because you learned how this big court was ripe for controlled placement of the ball.

When did tennis get so snobbish? Try playing on public tennis courts next to some intermediate players and watch how annoyed they get from stray balls landing in their court from a mom and dad out with their kids. Hey, if you want a tennis club atmosphere, THEN PAY FOR ONE! These same people seem to forget how they began playing tennis. Most people who play tennis do so for free on courts located in a public park. And these are the same consumers who buy rackets, balls, grips, strings, headbands & wristbands, baskets, towels, and sports drinks. Thank goodness all these people exist since Grand Slam tournaments are not broadcast for just the club elite.

I've been playing tennis for over 30 years, and I love some of the innovations in the modern game. But tennis is about having fun, avoiding injury, learning skills and developing them, and becoming more competitive if you so choose. Let's not be too quick to throw out the baby with the bath water.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Episode 19: A little SLICE of backhand life

Slice your way through some tough spots on the tennis court

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Episode 18: Baselines & Alleys & Nets, Oh my!

Discover why tennis courts are one size fits all, and yet provide enough variety for all skill levels

Monday, July 13, 2009

Episode 17: Put the ball in play...serving basics

Let's focus on the serve...what many consider to be the most difficult shot in tennis
(see slideshow on sidebar)

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

LISTEN TO INTERVIEW...regarding Slice vs. Topspin

Recently I was interviewed by USPTA teaching professional Ian Westermann of the ESSENTIAL TENNIS podcast. We discussed the merits and pitfalls of learning and using SLICE vs. TOPSPIN on both forehands and backhands. It was retro vs. metro, old vs. new, and classic vs. trendy. Enjoy!

Monday, July 6, 2009

Tell us what YOU think...Is Roger Federer the greatest player ever in the game? Why or why not?

Now that Federer has surpassed the Pete Sampras record by winning his 15th Grand Slam title, is he the greatest player that has ever lived? Is it fair to compare tennis players across various eras?
And what defines GREATEST? Most Grand Slams? Most consistent record? Most weeks at number 1 in the world? Longevity in the game? Best win vs. loss record?

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Episode 16: The grass is always greener at Wimbledon

Wimbledon brings history, tradition, and a level of excellence to the tennis world each year.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

HOW TO…What challenges does tennis provide

TENNIS requires only two people, tennis courts are publicly available, and the equipment need is limited and low cost. But don’t be fooled by the seemingly casual face of this game. 

Assuming that you want to do your best, it is not a sport for those unwilling to put forth considerable effort. The learning curve is lifetime.

  • Tennis is an individual effort with no substitutions.
Unless you are playing doubles, you alone gain all the glory for great shot making, or take all the grief when things go wrong.

  • Tennis moves fast, with rapid exchanges from the backcourt or net; most times there is little chance to ponder a shot.

One needs to consider all of the following simultaneously: the court boundaries, the type of oncoming shot, and the location of your opponent; you must make decisions within seconds

  • Tennis has a social aspect to the game.

You must use everything in your strategy and skill-sets to take the most points. Your ability to hit the most effective shot might be exactly what makes your friends, relatives, boyfriends/girlfriends or spouses frustrated at themselves, and then in turn, angry at you.

You must make all of THEIR line calls, within fractions of an inch on a swiftly moving ball, on your side of the net. Can you imagine if a batter in baseball could call balls and strikes for himself? And what happens when they disagree with the call?

  • Tennis is also generally an outdoor sport played under very inconsistent and ever-changing conditions. Particularly problematic are:

– Sun glare (especially on the serve and overhead)

– Light and Dark (as one moves from sunlight into shadow, or from daylight  to dusk, or playing under the lights which is again a whole new experience)

– Wind intensity and direction (that blows the ball around making your shots land long, or short, or simply moves the spot where you intended to make contact with the racket)

– Temperature (cooler temperatures harden the rubber inner-ball core and change the bounce)

– Humidity (which makes the outer fuzzy surface of the tennis balls feel heavier)

– Distractions on public courts in community parks (kids squealing on playgrounds, radios blasting, or just a lot of background movement seen through the fence behind your opponent)

  • Tennis has the most arcane scoring system and set of rules known to man.

Points are based on the face of a clock using segments of a quarter hour instead of 1, 2, 3, and 4

Even the quarter-hour segments are not consistent since the score is called as 15, 30, and then 40 instead of the expected 45

Matches last 6 games won, or 7 games won as in 7-5, or 6 games won with a tie-breaker played at 6-6 (which can be to 7 points as sudden death or "lingering death". The score is stated as 7-6. And don't even ask me to explain who serves, when, or where!

  • Tennis matches have no time limit and no time outs. Since the clock is not an issue, a player cannot use it to waste time while his opponent desperately tries to catch up.

You are always only one service break away from the match totally changing hands. If you play just a few loose points, you can find yourself behind by a set in moments.

Pressure stays focused on you non-stop. The amount of hits in a rally (hitting back and forth) are unlimited, and the length of a match can vary from an hour or so to best of 5 set matches that have taken almost 5 hours in professional tennis. Can you think of any other professional sport that comes close to matching this?

TENNIS is a game where you not only battle the opponent, but your inner-self as well. It is one of the true physical activities that are lifetime pursuits, and it can be shared with all members of a family at whatever level you so choose.

So give tennis a try. It might just be what you were looking for.

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Episode 15: Kids on the court...getting started with tennis

Teach kids some tennis basics by using several of these youth-friendly lesson strategies

Monday, June 22, 2009

Tell us what YOU think...Is Wimbledon 2009 a sure thing for Federer?

Now that defending Rafael Nadal is sidelined with knee problems for the annual grand slam tournament known simply as Wimbledon, does Roger Federer have a clear path, on these grass courts, to the final as well as the champions cup?

Episode 14: Something is afoot

Footwork is a critical part of even the most recreational tennis.

Monday, June 15, 2009

Episode 13: A challenging sport for many reasons

Tennis has its charm, but are you ready to pay the price to play this demanding sport?

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Tell us what YOU think...Long-term tennis health of Federer vs. Nadal

Roger Federer and Raphael Nadal are obviously the most talented and competitive professional tennis players of our time. How do you think their very differing styles of play will serve them long-term as the years move forward? Does one have a longevity edge over the other?

Sunday, June 7, 2009

Episode 12: Taking tennis for a spin

Dizzy about what spin to use on the court? Let’s break down the basics of ball rotation.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

Episode 11: If it's French, then it must be good

The French Open has history, drama, and some spectacular tennis.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

REFLECTIONS...3D vision without the glasses




Sometimes people have revelations in their game while they are playing or just afterwards. My hitting partner Freddie had just such an epiphany after a particularly rocky-to-incredible tennis session this week. I describe it this way because neither of us were hitting the ball particularly well when we began hitting, but we had both reached a plateau later that had us both scratching our heads as to where these shots were coming from. Basic shots were missed early on, and now we were hitting winners from all positions on the court.

Afterwards, Freddie mentioned an observation in his own game. He said that sometimes he only saw the ball, other times only the court, and then only me. But when he felt that he was seeing the bigger picture, and putting all of these things in perspective, his shots reflected the best he could hit. When he said this, it immediately struck me as to how profound these statements were about the game of tennis and our ability to control it in our own personal space. 

Seeing the ball relates to technique and our ability to use our unit turn, shoulders as power and direction generator, and forehand or backhand routine. Seeing the court is tied to movement and our approach to the ball using long strides to get there and short adjustment steps to position ourselves in the right striking zone. And seeing only me–his opponent–in his sights, means that he is mentally aware of strategic shotmaking and ball placement relative to my position on the court.

If your game is firing on all cylinders, then this 3-D vision is working FOR you and AGAINST your challenger. I'm getting a vision now myself. I see these concepts being verbalized in a podcast in the near future.

Thanks out to Freddie for his insight.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Episode 10: Deep in the backcourt and no place to go but forward

High, deep backcourt shots are tough to handle. Here are some ways to fight back.

Friday, May 15, 2009

Episode 9: Be CAREFUL what you watch for...

We can learn great things from watching the pros if we know what to look for.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

HOW TO…single or double-handed backhand

There are some very good reasons to consider a double-handed backhand. It provides more stability on a less-comfortable side of your body, and it also eliminates strength as a factor since two hands, arms and shoulders provide a very solid connection to the body core. Many also believe that the two-hander becomes more of a weapon and thus provides a greater dilemma for the opponent. High balls in the backcourt tend to be easier to handle when hitting flat or with topspin, and some believe that the nature of this shot helps mask the players’ directional intent of cross court or down-the-line. Although these are realistic arguments, one can find both strengths and flaws in both single and double handed shots.

Single vs. two-handed backhand:

Body Mechanics

  • More connections to the body core create a stronger foundation
  • Hitting hard for a one hander is a product of more shoulder rotation and less arm and therefore eliminates strength as an issue
  • The additional support of two arms probably provides more protection from injury
  • A one hander never needs to change his grip in order to grasp the racket with two hands
  • All two-handed players will need to let go with the opposite hand for the very wide balls that just cannot be reached when the second hand holds onto the grip

Shot making

  • The amount of shoulder rotation determines placement on the court on both shots
  • The same preparation for down-the-line or cross-court keeps the opponent guessing on the one hander; similar for the two hander
  • Low balls are more difficult to handle with two-handed shots
  • The slice shot is easy with one hand but challenging with two
  • Topspin is easier to generate with a two-hander, but no better in quality than a good one-handed topspin (just watch Roger Federer)
  • Volleying is usually always done with only one hand on the grip

Positioning

  • Deep, high balls are easier with two hands if you insist on returning the ball flat or with topspin
  • A high ball to a one hander is easily handled by using the slice or underspin, but it carries less  power than flat or topspin (but usually great control)
  • Since the racket is pulled closer to the body while holding with two hands, the reach of the player is shortened

One of the greatest players of all time, Roger Federer, hits one handed. And even better, Federer is chasing the record of six-year world #1 champion who began his career as a two hander but gained prominence only after switching to a one handed backhand in his late teens. His name? Pete Sampras.

But one could counter with the incredible records of two-handed backhand champions Chris Evert, Bjorn Borg, Andre Agassi and todays Raphael Nadal.

You should try both types of shots with all their variations of flat, topspin, underspin and sidespin and see which works best for you.

(Note: I may add more to this at a later date)

Sunday, May 3, 2009

Episode 8: A hand, or two, with backhand grips

Debating between a one-handed and two-handed backhand? Lets review some facts and opinions.