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Saturday, October 16, 2010

Want to support GOTTA PLAY TENNIS?

There are now several ways you can support my work at Gotta Play Tennis.
  • Amazon links: you can make purchases from your existing Amazon.com account from my site and Amazon will reward me with a small commission for displaying links to their site.
As a long time Amazon.com customer, this was a no-brainer for me. It also gives me a chance to recommend things that I like and use myself from their store. So instead of going directly to their site, do it through my link and help support Gotta Play Tennis
  • PayPal Donate button: you can make a donation to support my efforts of tennis evangelism using a credit card through YOUR PayPal account
If you like what you read, enjoy my GPT podcast, participate in the Forums, or gain insight from the Slide Shows, consider a small donation to my cause of bringing quality and experienced tennis instruction to families, friends, kids, tennis teams, or any others who enjoy the lifetime activity of tennis.


Thanks for your support.

Friday, October 15, 2010

NEW CONTENT OF NOTE: Tennis Stroke Slideshows

Recently I have expanded on my Tennis Stroke Slideshows available as a link from the sidebar under PAGES. Here is an opportunity to see, slide-by-slide, how I produce various types of tennis strokes.

By clicking the link under each picture, you are taken to my Picassa site where the slideshow can be viewed. As time permits, I will add captions to each slide explaining what is taking place.

I hope you can gain some insight into your own tennis game from this informative content.

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

REFLECTIONS...why did I miss that shot?

When we miss a shot, do we know why? As a commissioned salesmen at one time in my multiple careers, I was told that the sign of a good salesman was not that he closed every deal. That would be great, but it is a bit unrealistic. No, I was told that a good salesman knows why a sale DID NOT happen. He can visualize in his mind's eye just where things went wrong. He may not be able to fix it, but he can at least learn from what occurred and carry that knowledge with him to help with the next potential customer.

I believe that a good tennis player is very much the same. One should know why the shot was missed. Was it positioning, shot selection, willingness to make adjustments, fatigue, or a loss of mental clarity? It could be many things. Even though I cannot take the shot back, here is what I do with my hitting partner (this is of course during practice and not a match): I attempt to make my next feed shot a replica of what I just missed. If my swing was too low, I adjust. If I did not get low enough, I adjust. If my feet were not correct, I adjust. If the racket path was offline, I adjust. I make whatever adjustment I believe would have made the shot successful. And if I hit the shot well, then I have just proven to myself the ability to identify the flaw and make the adjustment.

This would not work on things like a drop shot, etc. as there are limits to a hitting partner's patience. But if you have good rapport with your associate, then they will understand what you are doing and perhaps even admire you for your always striving to improve your game.

FAVORITE SITES: Timeless Tennis by Gary Bala

Posted: Monday, October 11, 2010
QUANTUM TENNIS: A Path to Tennis Mastery
Quantum Tennis is a system intended to capture this fluidity in the game of tennis. It is both a mental philosophy...read more

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Episode 55: Gettin' Down leads to good volleying

While I may not be the cat's pajamas on the dance floor, I'm not afraid to get my knees dirty for great net play on a tennis court. Let's discuss those really-low volleys from the shoe tops that wreak havoc at the net. (see slideshow of low backhand volley)

Sunday, September 26, 2010

FAVORITE SITES: Timeless Tennis by Gary Bala

Posted: September 22, 2010
For God and Country: The Davis Cup–USA vs. Colombia 2010
In tennis, playing for God and Country means The Davis Cup, which carries a very special history of pride and passion.
I had the unique opportunity...read more

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

Episode 54: You should see what I see...or maybe you already do

            U.S. OPEN 2010           

Vision is something we take for granted, but exactly what do we see or not see with our own two eyes?  I take a good look at the men's semi-final and final at the 2010 US Open and share some thoughts on what my eyes captured.

FAVORITE SITES: Timeless Tennis by Gary Bala

Posted: September 15, 2010
2010 U.S. Open: The Rafael Nadal Story & the Lessons of Rod Laver
The story of this U.S. Open is the career Grand Slam win by Spain's best player of this or perhaps any generation...read more

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Advancements occurred in tennis thanks to old school tennis fans

Tennis today is better than ever. So is technology. We have tennis players who are wonderful athletes–I think the best in the business–and play a game that is faster, harder, and more difficult to succeed at (at a professional level) than any other time in history. Technology has come a long way as well. I remember when a computer came out by a small company named Apple Computer. The year was 1984, and the computer was the Macintosh. It was revolutionary in design, user interface, and ease of use. But a funny thing happened on the way to Apple's success. Windows. An obvious and blatant copying of what had already come before it, Windows owes its existence to that which paved the way for its success.

We have many wonderful players in today’s game of tennis much like we have a great multitude of computing devices to choose from. But someone had to pave the way, and for that, we need to respect and revere what standards were set in the past. Players love to debate over old legacy tennis vs. newer contemporary skills. When those of us who have been around a while recall what a beautiful and craft-filled sport this was, the newbies call us winers. I say to those people that perhaps you are the one who needs to button the lip. We older players were on the court when you were in diapers. We blazed the trails in recreational tennis, clubs, and audience support for the game. We have an appreciation for what you will never know. When someone twenty years younger says "I can understand where you are coming from", to be honest, you really cannot. You see, we were THERE, and we are still HERE TODAY. We older players are more than aware that the game has changed, and I have certainly seen my own adjustments in play over the decades I have chased around a fuzzy yellow ball. I love seeing the athletic performance of these lean and mean tennis machines on the court today who can hit at over one hundred miles per hour 3+ hours into a match. But I beg to differ when it comes to saying that today's tennis is better. What we enjoy for ourselves is what is better–for us. So when we express our opinion about it, must we be branded as winers? Maybe we simply have a broader perspective from which to judge. 

Many of us believe that the serve and volley should be reborn. Some of us just want more variety in the "new" game. Maybe this is old fashioned thinking, but everything that is current is not always better. Windows 7 tries to compete and match the Macintosh OS X operating system in the computer world and does pretty well. But how were computers with DOS before we had a graphical user interface that introduced a mouse, folders, and point-and-click like the Mac did in '84? Android-based smart phones are all the rage in tech today and they are getting better all the time. But what phones worth mentioning existed before the iPhone? Once again, something had to set the standard.

Time brings innovation and new generations advance us forward. But sometimes it is three steps forward when we could actually benefit from two steps back. And when it comes to whether or not old school tennis fans have it right or wrong, just remember that we were here first. We're happy to have given you the benefit of our experience for you to grow with. Now if we can only get you to use our gift wisely and actually show some respect to those who laid the groundwork for what you enjoy today. That is why what we say is still relevant, and the apprentice would be wise to learn from the perspective that the older master might be able to provide.

FAVORITE SITES: Timeless Tennis by Gary Bala

Posted: September 4
A day at the 2010 U.S. Open
I had the wonderful opportunity to visit the 2010 U.S. Open in Flushing, NY on Day 5, Friday, September 3, 2010...read more

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

FAVORITE SITES: Timeless Tennis by Gary Bala

Posted: August 31, 2010
THE 2010 U.S. OPEN: FOUR INSPIRING STORIES.
Last night, the U.S. Open's Opening Night Ceremony "Reach & Dream" celebrated and honored the inspiring stories of four people...read more

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Episode 53: Fish or cut bait...tennis maturity makes a difference

Tennis players, like fine wine, get better with age. So let's discuss WHY, over a little white wine, how player Mardy Fish is a NEW/OLD contender at this year's US Open.

FAVORITE LINKS: Timeless Tennis by Gary Bala

The 2010 U.S. Open is HERE! Enjoy this great promotional video of last years action...see more

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

REFLECTIONS...never having to say you're sorry

I've heard it said that tennis players are held to a higher standard of courtesy with unwritten rules and lofty expectations. I will agree that from the earliest times of tennis history–where royalty were the main, in not the only, participants in this activity–there has been an air of class to what began as lawn tennis. But in the end, if one is being competitive, there is a winner and a loser. The winner is happy to have done whatever it took to win, and the loser understands that only one can walk away victorious.
This brings me to the question of apologies. If I'm hitting with my partner, and the ball hits the top of the net and trickles over, am I required (as tennis courtesy would dictate) to raise a hand in apology for winning the point in this way? Well, let's evaluate the situation and ask some basic questions: Did I mean to hit the top of the net? NO. Then there is no intended malice. Did I cheat? NO, it is legal to win a point in this way according to tennis rules. Did I mean to win the point? YES, and in fact I did. Am I sorry the point ended this way? NO, since it could have happened on either side as it is simply by chance. 
So if I meant to win, and I did not cheat, then why should I be sorry? Oh, I know. It is so I can give the appearance of courtesy even though it is a phony display of etiquette. I myself would rather abide by the principle of HONESTY. I'm thrilled I won the point regardless of how pretty it was. If this makes me a bad tennis player in your eyes, then perhaps you should look in the mirror a few more times before you judge others.

THE BOTTOM LINE: follow what feels good to you.

FAVORITE SITES: Timeless Tennis by Gary Bala

Posted: August 23, 2010
QUICK TIP: A FAST WAY TO PLAY BETTER TENNIS


Do you like cinnamon? Cinnamon has a long history as a spice with medicinal benefit. In fact, it is one of the oldest spices known...read more

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Gotta Play Tennis Forums

Check out the GPT FORUMS as a link from my site. This is the place to share your tennis insights, questions, personal anecdotes, and love of the game.

If you've never posted on a forum before and need assistance navigating the interface, please feel free to contact me. Although it is relatively self-explanatory and works like most other forums, I would be happy to walk you through it.

Friday, August 20, 2010

FAVORITE SITES: Timeless Tennis

Gotta Play Tennis welcomes: 
Timeless Tennis (a blog site that provides insight into both past and present history through reviews of books, DVDs, websites, attended tournaments and personal experiences on the court)

Profile: Gary Bala
I'm an immigration lawyer with a passion for the sport and hobby of tennis, especially tennis history and collecting memorabilia. I played in high school, and briefly in college. I'm now an avid recreational and club player, and attend many local clinics and classes. I enjoy watching many professional tournaments. Happy tennis... and may all your serves be Aces!
My E-Mail Contact: gb@garybala.com

Posting: August 16, 2010
The 11th Dimension of Tennis - the Super Relaxed State
In current theoretical physics, the 11th dimension is a characteristic of space-time proposed by physicists who study "quantum mechanics". It is used... read more

Episode 52: Swing away Merill...at least from the baseline

When is it time to swing away at the ball, and when is it prudent to simply guide the shot for a winner? Hitting all out may not always the best solution.

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Check out the NEW Gotta Play Tennis Amazon.com Support Program

As a way to support Gotta Play Tennis and the efforts of all the podcasts, technique slideshows, book and DVD reviews and sharing of tennis experiences, please make purchase at Amazon.com though my link.


Amazon will provide me with a small percentage of your purchases as a way to help cover my operating expenses associated with the site.


As always, thanks for your support.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

Episode 51: It's in the bag...I hope.

We once again take a look into the the experience of Brad Gilbert and discuss his suggestions on what to bring to the court. We also take a look at why even beginners need to be prepared in order to maximize their enjoyment of tennis.