REFLECTIONS: an inch is a cinch to make a change in your game

It's amazing how differently you can hit the ball when you look at it. While hitting the court this weekend, things were going pretty well at the onset of a hitting session. When I'm moving my feet and keeping the ball in play, while moving my partner around, all is well and I'm happy. 

     But things don't always stay status quo. His game picks up, he hits a few good shots that gives him more confidence, and things begin to change. He starts hitting deeper, with more angle and even more pace. This of course make my shots more defensive and thus gives him space to step in and hit a winner. 

     So the evaluation and calculation process begins. What was I doing earlier in our hitting that I am not doing now? Is he simply playing better, or did my shotmaking drop off and open the door for him to take over? This process of discovery is not all that easy for recreational players in general. There can be so many things wrong, or right, at any given moment. 

     We sometimes talk about over-thinking the shot, and we tell ourselves to just let it happen. "Trust your swing, positioning, distance, and racquet face." These are the words we force into our minds. But there is a caveat to letting it "happen." In some cases, we do what I did–I stopped watching the ball. After running through a variety of possible reasons for my letdown, I decided that my focus on the ball had been compromised. So what did I do? I committed to looking intently at the ball on every shot and fine tune my focus to achieve a better "minds-eye" measurement.

     Guess what happened? I did better. I started hitting deeper, with more pace and better direction, and created a more defensive response from my partner. Can you now predict what happened as a result? His defense fed me a better chance for even stronger offense. And all this came from simply realizing I was not watching the ball well enough.

     How simple are your difficulties on the court to fix? Are they a result of something very small? Most times they are. Do don't berate yourself when things are going wrong as if your tennis ability is miles away. You are usually only within inches of better success.

EPISODE 80 (Podcast): Seeing the ERROR of your ways–Part 2

In episode 67 of the GPT podcast, we discussed ERRORS and how important they are to the win/loss column. Here we identify some additional types of mistakes and take a look at how costly these can be in our own game and to the pros as well.

Subscribe in iTunes:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/gotta-play-tennis/id310096949

REFLECTIONS: Aerobic fitness burns brightly

A report by Jack Groppel, Ph.D., and the USPTA, entitled Tennis for the Health of It, states the following: The American College of Sports Medicine has cited that more calories may be burned in high-intensity intervals of exercise interspersed with low to moderate intensity levels. That’s exactly what tennis provides. It is interval training, due to the nature of how points are played. Because the heart rate gets into a fat-burning zone and then can easily go higher, tennis has been recognized as one of the leading activities that help to burn fat. Also, because the intensity of tennis can get fairly high, depending on how hard a player works while playing, and because tennis is purely an interval sport, more fat is burned after working out than during the time on court.
    Now I'm neither a scientist nor a doctor. But I can tell you that years ago I recall tennis being low on the list for activities that were considered a good aerobic workout. Doctors determined that the nature of the sport, stops and starts between points, did not provide an adequate sustained heart rate for aerobic benefit when compared to something like running. HORSEHOCKEY! After decades of playing tennis, I can tell you that when I move through a crowd, I'm always the one moving the quickest and without the associated shortness of breath I regularly see from adults even 10 to 30 years my junior. 
    After another solid hitting session this past Sunday morning, 1-½ hours of heartpounding forehands, backhands, volleys and overheads, I was dripping sweat in the midst of the east coast's low 50's temperature this time of year. But even better, according to the above study, I'm burning fat AFTER I leave the court due to the interval nature of the sport. In a society where we are constantly battling our weight-to-snacks ratio, I say HURRAH to that.
    I liken tennis to a candle. When you light it, the flame starts small but grows with intensity as the wick burns into the candle wax. The flame continues to consume all resources available, and even when the wick is extinguished with a puff of air, its embers continue to smolder for some time. I know that when I leave the court, my body is still working overtime as the body's cooling system of perspiration and evaporation do their job. I may burn brightest on a tennis court, but I would like to think that the health benefits of tennis will help me burn for a very long time ahead.

EPISODE 79 (Podcast): How to make tennis MAGIC out on the court

Wouldn't it be nice to have some simple tricks to call upon with the wave of your magic tennis wand? Author Steve Mallory may have just the right set of spells for you.

Also available in Kindle edition


Referenced in the podcast: 
David Ferrer vs. Andy Murray displaying a difference in balance

Gloucester Twp. Tennis Info

Gloucester Twp. Tennis Fall 2011 lessons are cancelled for Saturday, October 29th, due to inclement weather.

Week 5 lessons will move to November 5th.

FAVORITE SITES: Timeless Tennis by Gary Bala

POSTED: Tuesday, October 25, 2011

34 REASONS TO PLAY TENNIS

From Ron Miller at Gotta Play Tennis: 

"THIS MAY BE THE MOST IMPORTANT POST I HAVE EVER SHARED FROM ANOTHER SITE"

Full booklet available
from link

There are 34 powerful and compelling reasons to play tennis, according to an initiative by the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA), Tennis - for the Health of It!...read more

REFLECTIONS: Don't oversell the idea of being "so competitive"

"I'm a very competitive person", the tennis player said, worn like a badge of accomplishment as if sewn to the shirt of a cub scout. The truth is that we are all competitive to a certain degree. Some are more so than others. But simply being the person who will race with another over the consumption of a peanut butter sandwich does not make them a better competitor than anyone else. No, someone who likes to compete should understand the value of preparedness and patience as well as understanding when, or not, scored competition is necessary to achieve their goals.
      In a recent interview heard on the Tennis Psychology Podcast with Dr. Patrick Cohn, he asked a question of his guest, Joe Doniffer, author of 16 books, founder of the company OnCourt/Offcourt, and both a PTR and USPTA master professional. The question focused on the kind of player who does not get motivated by practice but by competition alone. Mr. Doniffer shared that typically, but not always, this type of person has stroke and technique limitations, and their ability to improve is compromised by their mentality which is "let's just play."
      We all have our own reasons or motivations for playing tennis. For some, it may be winning points. For others, it might be getting a good workout. And yet for many it could be a stress release from a hard day at work. But for those who look down on others who choose, for whatever reason, to not play for a score, may I suggest that you be true to yourself and let others be themselves. I personally do not need a scoreboard to motivate my efforts on a court. Every hit of the ball might as well be match point at Wimbledon. No one is harder on me than me, and I believe there are lots of people out there who feel the same. And I would need to laugh at anyone who thinks that it is only being "so competitive" that makes one tough and motivated. You've obviously never seen me off the tennis court in the real world. USTA rankings or game and set score may mean the world to some, but to others, these are no more than numbers on a page just like the years on a calendar which make people pre-judge other far too frequently.
      Remember that you win some and you lose some. As Kenny Rogers said in song, you've got to know when to hold them, know when to fold them. When practicing and playing for enjoyment, hold your own as best you can using every ounce of what you know and have worked on. When competing, be aware of your limitations and learn from them as they become more obvious against a better player. And sometimes the effort may just not be worth it with the wrong opponent who only brings you down, regardless of the score. 
      Competitive, by definition, is "as good as or better than others of a comparable nature." I suppose that makes me competitive. How about you?

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The BRIT, the BRIT, the BRIT IS ON FIRE!

What is going on with Andy Murray lately? Does he finally believe he can go all the way and take titles? It seems that Murray has been the bridesmaid so many times and not the bride. I almost began to feel embarrassed hearing his opponents sing his praises and then mention how some day he would definitely be taking home the trophy. 
    Now don't think that you maintain number four in the world for three years in a row by losing all the time. It's just that he has been so close to taking the big prize over and over again to no avail. If we take a look at 2011, we find the following: he lost in the finals of the first Grand Slam of the season, the Australian Open, to Novak Djokovic. He then made it to the semifinals of the French Open where he lost to Rafael Nadal in straight sets. At Wimbledon, the third Grand Slam, he did very well but once again lost to Nadal, this time in four sets during their semifinal matchup. Last but not least, Murray made it to the semifinals of the U.S. Open where he once again faced Rafael Nadal. But in a repeat of the French, Andy lost in four sets. 
   Then began the Asian swing and suddenly something changed. In traditional Chinese culture, qì (also chi or ch'i) is an active principle forming part of any living thing. It is a life force or energy flow generated and it is tied to breath or air flow from the body. Is it possible that Andy has somehow found his inner force or vital energy that has turned on the  winner switch?
   In the last few weeks, he first won the Thailand Open over Donald Young in straight sets. He then went on to take the title at the Rakuten Japan Open where he finally beat Rafael Nadal in three sets. Murray capped off his run as the defending champion at the Shanghai Masters with a difficult but nonetheless straight sets win over David Ferrer. Not only did he play some inspired tennis to achieve these successive wins, but in the rankings, he overtook Roger Federer and now holds the position of number three in the world.
    I think the Asian people would say that Andy Murray used his chi very well indeed. 

Episode 78 (Podcast): Champions Series shows the power of a solid foundation

Did you think that older tennis champions disappear to some farm where they can have fun and run free all day? Guess Again. These former Grand Slam winners are hardly out-to-pasture.

http://www.championsseriestennis.com/

REFLECTIONS: What is a GOOD hitting session?

Define GOOD! Something that is not bad. Perhaps tasteful. Maybe entertaining. Definitely satisfying. I was wondering if this was the correct adjective to describe my hitting session last night. We had been at it for one hour when first checking the clock, but it seemed so much longer. My partner mentioned something about us being in a time warp. I know my body felt as if more time had passed. But when balls are being struck with pace, intention, and successful placement, time does seem to change somewhat. One would think that, as the old expression goes, "time flies when you're having fun." We were having fun. Sweating profusely in high 60's weather on the east coast in the evening, being forced from corner, up and back, topspin to topspin and slice to slice, we were enjoying the moments. 
   But how was it that it seemed, at the one hour mark, to feel like about 30 minutes more? We know what that typically feels like since we always hit for about 1 hour, 30 minutes to about 2 hours. After some head scratching, I made my explanation of the phenomena. When we began, after about 10 minutes of getting the kinks out, I starting hitting my groove. Power, control, placement, and spin variety. All were present like a wedding party at your nuptials. As time went by however, I began to tire a bit. It becomes obvious in the footwork first, as always, since shots I was hitting before for winners were now just landing safely in the court. And other shots just beyond reach that earlier found their way back over were now finding the net or the back fence. 
   It was about then that my partner started coming on strong. Now no longer being held hostage by depth and power forcing him into a defensive posture, he got his offensive groove on. Winners were suddenly bunched like grapes. He attacked the net and forced me back. It was my turn to start considering how to counter this onslaught. And that I did. A bit winded and forced into my own defensive shell, I dug into my bag of tricks and began using what he has referred to in the past as my "wiley" game. Short slices, lob volleys, deep moon balls, and droppers were all on the list to break his stride. I started once again to see more balls laying on his side than mine. That is always an indication that something is going right.
   The tide was not totally turned however. He continued to pound, but with renewed confidence and a second wind, I began my own counter-attack. We gave it everything we had, and the end result were rallies of longer length and less unforced errors. This was no doubt why the session seemed longer than it was. We were two backgammon players, on either end of the game board called a court, strategizing each shot and making instantaneous decisions about how to handle each ball. It became a thing of beauty. 
We both walked off the court after about 1 hour, 45 minutes and it felt GOOD! 

FAVORITE SITES: Timeless Tennis by Gary Bala

Posted: Sunday, October 9, 2011
The Three Tests of Tennis Athleticism
Watch this video of the 3 tests of tennis athleticism, as explained by Coach Pat Dougherty of the Bollettieri Academy...see more

SPECIAL EDITION: the loss of a true champion

Steve Jobs 
1955-2011
Chairman of the board at Apple, former CEO, and visionary of the Macintosh computer, iMac, iPod, iPhone, and iPad.


I know this is a blog, website, and podcast home for tennis. But as much as Jimmy Connors probably changed my life in a profound way in tennis, Steve Jobs affected my entire mindset of technology. Steve Jobs, age 52, passed away yesterday stemming from a physical battle originally from pancreatic cancer. 
There are many places to read about his incredible contribution to the world we live in, but let me share what he did for me.
In 1987, I used my first Macintosh computer. This was in the early stages of what was referred to as desktop publishing. It was the early beginnings of my career, and Apple was there. Now as I have moved on to other things, Apple and Steve Jobs are still here...well, at least until October 5th of 2011. I heard the sad news from a text message on my iPhone and then used the Safari browser on the device to read more. I write this today on a MacBook Pro, and both these devices were made possible thanks to Steve Jobs and his incredible teams at Apple. 
    I never met him or saw him in person, but my life and lives of my loved ones have been touched in a very profound way by this man. And for what he brought to us, including the courage to dream big dreams, I will be forever grateful. 
    Let me close with this early career message from Steve and Apple:
Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... the ones who see things differently -- they're not fond of rules... You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them, but the only thing you can't do is ignore them because they change things... they push the human race forward, and while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius, because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do.

   You have changed the world Steve, and the world will miss you!

REFLECTIONS: From humble beginnings, the sky is the limit

Recently, professional tennis instructor and podcaster Ian Westermann of the Essential Tennis podcast interviewed former U.S. tour player Todd Martin–a player who had been ranked as high as number four in the world when playing on the pro tour in the 90's. This ranking reflects his accomplishments of 8 career singles titles and five career doubles titles. In addition, he reached the finals at the Australian and U.S. Opens in 1994 and 1999 respectively and was a semifinalist at Wimbledon in both 1994 and 96. He continues to play on the Champions Tour with many of the other greats from the last few decades.
   We have seen many quality U.S. players that have achieved much in the world of tennis. Just take a look at a roster that includes such names as Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Pete Sampras, and Jim Courier. Most of us would consider them to be special cases with silver-spoon beginnings at the best tennis clubs and in the best tennis programs money can buy. But in Todd Martin, we hear a different story. During his interview, when asked about how he got started in tennis, he mentions that his parents went to the local park tennis courts to play as recreational players. At age 5, his father cut a wooden racquet down to his size and let him hit what Martin referred to as "batting practice" on the courts. Martin continues in his story to mention "...before long, I was doing the once-a-week on the weekend park lessons..." 
   Now you might imagine that at this point in the interview a huge smile covered my face. Here was child who got his humble start on a tennis court with both his parents and public park lessons in his local Ohio community. This is exactly the kind of service I have been providing to recreation programs in Southern New Jersey for the last 30 years. I have introduced hundreds of kids, and their parents, to the joys of tennis. Low barrier to entry is key, and low-cost recreational programs are the doorway. There needs to be someone that will ignite a child's interest at a young age. I'm proud to have been one of those people, and I continue to do so every Spring, Summer, and Fall.
   So I ask you...what will your child do with the gift of tennis? As you can see from Todd  Martin, the sky is the limit.

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REFLECTIONS: Waiting for intentionality

While sitting on the sidelines at the local public tennis courts, I waited patiently for a court to open up. As it turns out, this ran about an hour, and it gave me time to reflect upon what players I had in front of me. Two young guys, perhaps between 18 and 20, were slugging it out on the court closest to my sight. They were playing a match, and even though I was within earshot of their announced score, I cannot tell you what it was at any given time. My attention was focused on their groundstrokes, volleys, serve, and overall game play. Two-handed backhands and one-handed topspin groundstrokes ruled the night. There was the occasional foray into the net, but it seemed either out of desperation or due to a ball landing unintentionally short in the court with no other play but to run forward.


What I was looking for was intentionality. They both played quite well, and the usual suspects of unforced errors took their toll on both players. But I didn't even worry about those since they are standard fare at this level of play. What I ran out of patience for though was their lack of purpose. Anyone can play this game by picking up a racquet, hitting balls over the net, learning how to keep score, and running around in reaction to any given shot. But in order to play real tennis, as in any game, their needs to be intentionality and not simple reaction. The brain needs to be firing as much if not more than the muscles and fibers in our legs and shoulders.


Interestingly enough, after I had been playing a while on our own court, these two gentlemen finished and three other young guys took their court. While they were obviously more at a beginner level, they hit most balls with purpose. They didn't know enough yet to be on automatic. They had to craft each movement since those motions were not yet ingrained and natural. In other words, the shots they attempted were hit with purpose. Certainly none of them would have been a match for the other two previous players, but they retained something in their tennis innocence that we should all keep in our hearts and minds on the court. Place each shot for a reason, attempt a variety of spins for a reason, hit hard or soft for a reason. Enjoy the great shot for all its glory. Respect the missed shot for what it can teach you. Always do things with a purpose in mind. And if that does not really make sense, learn how to play the game of chess and see how playing on automatic, without intentionality, works for you. Hopefully you'll be back to the court with an entirely new mindset.

Episode 77 (Podcast): Is the "modern game" fad-tabulous or rooted in tradition?

Has tennis really changed, or have we simply redefined some things and thrown the baby out with the bath water? We'll look at the responsibilities of those who teach the game as we consider the old with the new. (see book below referenced in the podcast)

Tennis Beyond Big Shots

by Greg Morgan

Tennis Beyond Big Shots presents a bold back-to-the-future approach. A new game that moves away from power and big shots yet is more lethal to opponents than any booming serve. Greg Moran shows players of all ages and abilities that, with simple and small changes, you can not only maximize your tennis wins and play longer, but also have much more fun doing it. A book for every tennis enthusiast!

Serena Williams crosses the line–AGAIN!

I really don't like to get into the negatives of tennis. To me, there are not many bad things in this sport perhaps beyond the wear and tear your body takes over several decades of hard play. The competition and exercise is healthy, the athletes tend to respect each other's talent, and the message sent to our kids and other tennis players of all ages is usually a very positive one. 

Then enter Serena Williams. For those not aware, for the second time in her career at the U.S.Open. one of tennis' biggest stages, she verbally abused an umpire because she did not like the ruling handed down. The reality is that the umpires in both years were doing their job within the rules of tennis, and there was nothing wrong or inappropriate in their rulings. Serena lost a point, and because it was game point for her opponent Samantha Stosur, inevitably she lost a game. This was because she yelled out after hitting a shot before her opponent had a chance to play it. That is a clear violation of the hindrance rule in tennis of which a tennis professional at Serena's level should be aware. She lost her cool, and in the process, said nasty things to the umpire, Eva Asderaki, such as “You’re a hater. You’re unattractive inside." All this from a well-known role model who was just finishing up a 2-year probationary period for her threatening words to a linesperson at the 2009 U.S. Open Semi-finals.

I don't blame Serena for being upset, caught up in the moment, and even for being vocal. Lots of tennis players are vocal on the court. But there is a line one must not cross, and for the second time at a Grand Slam event, Serena crossed it, spit on it, and crushed it into the ground. Where is her professionalism? Where is her integrity? Do these things not count when you are famous and have boatloads of money?

What is far worse than the Serena incident is the reaction of the USTA who is fining her $2000 for the infraction. Game, set, match! Hello people, but just in case you hadn't noticed, she is a millionaire. Serena probably spends more than this on breakfast and lunch for a week. Someone wrote that, at her hourly rate, it was worth about 1 minute of her earnings. She walked away from this tournament, by the way, with a cool 1.4 million as a runner-up losing by the score of 6-2, 6-3.

What would you do if you were the USTA? Should she not be held accountable for her mistake? Is the chump change of $2000 a realistic fine for someone with her financial resources? How do you feel about suspension at a major event such as the next Grand Slam tournament–The Australian Open?

Let's record your feelings on this and be heard as a tennis fan, patron, parent, or even tennis professional in any capacity such as instructor, coach, or player.

FAVORITE SITES: Timeless Tennis by Gary Bala

Posted: Monday, September 12, 2011
The Greatest Year: Novak Djokovic wins the Men's Singles Championship U.S. Open 2011
"It's probably the greatest year ever in the history of tennis."
–John McEnroe, holder of 82-3 Win-Loss Record...read more

REFLECTIONS: Why Recreational players are NOT the Pros

We have got to start being realistic about our tennis games. We, the recreational tennis player, are not anywhere near the pro ranks. That is not to say that, on occasion, we do not hit a shot worthy of a professional player. Yes, it does happen and it always feels great. But how do we back it up? And from what level of opponent did we hit this wonderful shot? And can we repeat this incredible placement over and over again? 

I can watch Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic's forehand on video analysis until I turn grey and still never come close to owning such a weapon. Now I'm a huge proponent of watching the pros in order to learn more about our own games, and I have learned volumes over three decades of observation. But let's get REAL! These are highly trained, incredibly fit, and financially motivated individuals who chose tennis as a career. They don't need to sandwich their forays to the court between their 9-5 jobs, dropping the kids at soccer practice, mowing the lawn, or balancing their checkbook. 

Last night I watched an incredible match in the round of 16 at the U.S. Open between Joe-Wilfried Tsonga of France and Mardy Fish of the U.S. It began in the day session, and went on into the night with a score of 6-4, 6-7 (5), 3-6, 6-4, 6-2. Tsonga took the 3 hour, 45 minute match amongst swirling winds and an understandably pro-Fish (U.S) crowd.

These players both showed incredible will, stamina, flexibility, and shot-making ability to the delight of the audience who kept the night-session crowd at bay while enjoying their view of this battle between two outstanding titans in today's tennis. But we are NOT them.  We can only dedicate limited time, effort, finances, and willpower to what most do on a recreational level. 

Swinging the racquet at a ball successfully, or hitting with a certain spin with confidence, requires a lot more than seeing how the pros hit tennis balls. The foundation required of today's professional players is well beyond the reach of most of us. That does not mean we cannot learn from watching. It simply means that all must be tasted and digested within the realm of our own reality as an individual. 

But I for one am so glad that the pros can show us the possibilities from the best-of-the-best. It is very entertaining and instructive indeed, and the lessons learned from all-court-players such as Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Mardy Fish can only assist in the goal of being the best players WE can be!