25 Random, Yet Sage, Thoughts on Tennis

Here below I have compiled a list of some of my most sage thoughts.  Enjoy!

1) If you think you can win, you have have a chance to win. If you think you won't win, you have no chance to win.

2) Without change there can be no improvement

3) Playing with one doubles partner for at least a year is the only proven way to play your best doubles.

4) Doubles and singles tactics are irrelevant if you can't get your serve or return of serve in.

5) You win the vast majority of points due to errors by your opponent. So try to force errors rather than hit winners.

6) Losing and winning are both states of mind

7) If everyone only played with people better than themselves, no one would play with anyone at any time.

8) If you can rationalize losing 45-55% of the points at the baseline and still play a counter punching game from the back of the court, why can't you rationalize that losing 45-49% of the points at net is a great result and keep attacking the net?

9) Respect everyone's game, fear no one's game.

10) Cheating is a display not only of poor sportsmanship, but more importantly, lack of confidence.
11) How you respond to and deal with events on court is more important than the events themselves.
12) A losing strategy is one that cannot win you more than 49.99% of the points.
13) Ball machine practice makes anything more permanent, including bad technique.
14) Power without consistency is like driving 120mph without being able to control the car - it ends badly for you.
15) Your opponents should not have a better idea of your strengths and weaknesses than you do.
16) The server's partner in doubles is more responsible for holding the serve than the server, provided the server is not a double fault machine.
17) The number one reason people don't poach or pick off enough balls is they fear getting passed up the line.
18)  The shots you use the least in a match require the most practice.
19) Bad footwork often causes bad technique, but bad technique never causes bad footwork.
20) Decide where you're hitting the ball BEFORE you move to the ball.
21) A low-percentage game will always yield you low-percentage results.
22) Right now, someone is working harder than you, and wants it more than you.
23) Learning from failure is the key to future success.
24) Spin the racquet and choose servers and sides BEFORE you begin to warm up for a match
25) When you do lose, focus you're ire on yourself - in singles and doubles.

Doubles 101 Tactics -The Three Ts

When playing doubles, or taking a doubles lesson, invariably you have heard your pro or partner say "get them (your opponents) out of position." Essentially, they are imploring you to hit the ball somewhere that forces your opponents to move in a way that should open up space for you to exploit on the next shot.  But what does this really mean?  HOW can you accomplish this?

What will allow you to do what is being asked of you is to target and exploit the three T's on the court.  They are the middle T where the service line and center line meet, and the two side T's where the singles line and service line meet.  The Bryan Brothers have used this theory of doubles to win a record number of grand slams, and it will help you win vastly more matches. Check out the diagram below

 Now you know visually the targets you are trying to exploit.  Next is to know which T to exploit and when.

Serve: At a high level, servers will attempt to hit their serves to either the middle T or the side T to get the returner out of position, either moving them outside the alley, or towards the center of the court.  This makes the "second shot" during the point self explanatory.  If the server serves out wide to the deuce court for example and the returner returns up the line, the server's partner should attack the middle T.  If the return goes cross court, and server's partner can pick it off, the ball goes to either the middle T or the side T on the ad court. If the return is low to the server as he comes in to net, he must put the ball back to the side T on the deuce court.  If the return is high to the middle of the court and the server has the shot, he should go to the middle T.  If the ball is high to the outside cross court toward the alley, the server should volley down the line to the side T on the ad court.

As you can see you are simply moving the ball from T to T, playing the high percentage shot each time.

Return of Serve - Returners should be aiming for the side T cross court.  This target should keep the ball away from server's partner and get your partner active in a "drift" (returner's partner poaching the server's first volley or groundstroke).  If the server volleys up the line and your partner is there, your partner attacks the middle T.  If your partner drifts to pick of the server's cross court volley or groundstroke he attacks either the middle T or the side T that is in the direction he is moving.

Poaching - Almost all poaches attacke either the middle T or the side T to the side you are moving.  What determines your shot selection is whether or not you have crossed the center line or not.  The middle T should be attacked if you pick off the ball but are still on "your side" of the court.  The side T to the side you are moving should be attacked if you are able to cross over the center line to pick off the ball, as volleying to the middle T in this scenario opens up space for your opponent to attack the space you vacated.

Overheads - Overheads should always be hit to the middle T or the side T to the "short side (side where the volleyer is)" if you are on "your side" of the court or the side T in the direction you are moving if you are crossing.  If both your opponents are at net or the person in front of you is at the net, then you may hit the overhead to the side T on your half of the court.

Approach Shots - Like the return of serve, approach shots should be hit to the side T cross court if you are engaged in a cross court ground stroke rally.  If the rally is down the line (after a switch for example) then your approach shot should attack the side T down the line.

There isn't much tactically to doubles when it gets broken down in this manner.  Attack the appropriate T to get your opponents out of position, then attack another to try to finish the point.  If you play the high percentage shot each time, you will not only get your opponents in poor positions, you will also reduce your own errors.

I encourage you to apply the theory of the three T's to your game, your match results and ratings will be happier for it. 

Giving Thanks - The Most Important Person in My Tennis Development

For most players who achieve even a fairly high level of play, either their mom or dad or their coach would be considered the most important person in their tennis development.  After all, some moms and dads spend literally hours a day on court with their children, driving their kids to tournaments, dealing with the aftermath of wins and losses, and helping shape the character of their child.  The Coach spends hours a week with the player, guiding and shaping their games into the flower that blossoms before our eyes on the court.

My parents, though supportive of my efforts to play tennis, did not spend hours on the court with me each week.  Yes, they drove me to the courts when necessary, took me to tournaments and club matches when necessary.  But they didn't stay on the court when I took clinics, or hover around practices, and aside from "mother or father son time" when I was 6 or 7, never took me out on the court to hit balls.  During my "formative years" 12-17, I was my own transportation to the swim and racquet club we belonged to.  I rode my bike everywhere;  to club matches at various clubs within our city, and got rides with other families if the club matches or tournaments were away and my mom couldn't take me.  I solely dictated when I played, how I played, and with whom I played, my parents never suggested that I go play.   And I played every day of every summer from 6-14, and virtually every day of the year from age 14-18.  If I wanted to go play, my parents always let me go.  But as far as being INVOLVED in my actual tennis development, neither played a vital role.

I never had a coach who was responsible for my tennis development.  Yes, I had team coaches, both at our swim and racquet club, and at our high school.  While great people, none of them were coaches in the sense of doing things that could help improve your game technically, tactically, emotionally, or physically.  I never took a private lesson growing up.  In fact the first lesson I ever took was at age 22 with nothing specific in mind.  The second and last private lesson I took was to learn how to hit a one handed slice at age 24 so I could pass the USPTA exam. I had the occasion to take two indoor high performance clinics sessions - One 8 week session at age 14 and another at age 17 that was cut short by an MCL tear.  About 5 times I went to a weekend High Performance clinic with the best players in our area, but I can't say they had a profound impact on my tennis.  None of those clinics or teams had a radical effect on my tennis development, other than to give me the opportunity to compete against different players than I normally played against.

I learned how to play primarily from watching matches on TV and then spending hours upon hours on the court trying to somehow replicate what I saw.  Some of this time involved me hitting against the wall at our swim and tennis club, and some of it involved me taking two cans of tennis balls with  me to the courts and serving for an hour. I did these things frequently.

However, there was also a person with whom I played tennis with four to five times a week for almost 6 years.  I met him when I was 11 and he was 10.  We met at the swim and racquet club as part of our club team.  Perhaps ironically, our older brothers were doubles partners for one year and during that season won the District high school championship and represented our high school at the state championships.  Like our brothers, Ken and Paul, respectively, Steve Soliday and I won the district doubles title two years in a row and represented the same high school two years in a row at the state championships.

Not only were Steve and I tennis practice partners, we were best friends.  His mother was essentially a second mother to me, as I spent a lot of time at his house.  We played tennis probably 320 days out of 365 together for 5-6 years.  Many times we would play for 3-4 hours at once.  It was my time on the court with Steve that I developed my game.  My father used to ask me "Can't you find someone else to play with?"  Perhaps, but he was always willing and available.  Reliable.  That was important to me.

As kids, through high school, we would read Tennis Magazine (wen it was actually interesting) and try out some of their games and drills.  The "ultimate game of touch" was a favorite.  We would play best 3 of five sets, thus pushing ourselves physically and mentally.  We did a lot of "pepper" or quick volleys, we both liked playing the net.  These games are responsible for what at one point were very good hands and pretty good volleying skills for me.

Steve was always a good returner of serve, so it forced me to improve both my first and second serve.  As a younger player, I was more of a "pusher" and Steve was a more aggressive player.  I would get the better of him just because of consistency.  When Steve would beat me, and this happened five or six times during those 5-6 years, I would get so irritated that I lost to him, that I would make some radical change so it wouldn't happen again.  One in particular I remember, was he beat me at an indoor tournament when I was 15.  Straight sets.  Was only the second time he'd ever beaten me.  The fallout from that match was severe.  I can remember my father saying to me when I got home (I rode my bike to the tournament) "How are you losing to Steve?"  Since I had no coach, I to come up with a solution.  In my mind, if he could beat me once, he could beat me again, and I did not want that to happen.

So after a few months of closer matches which I was again winning, but now in three sets instead of two, I decided that I needed to follow my heart and start serving and volleying, at least on the first serve.  I would also start attacking the net on second serves.  Soon I was again beating him as I had been prior to the indoor loss.  My game had improved.

Even though I got the better of our matches growing up, he was the standard by which I measured my game.  I knew that he could beat people I had no chance of beating, because his game was always "bigger" than my game.  The guys he struggled with, the guys he would lose to but "should" have been beating, I would always beat those players.  But he had wins against players I went 0-for against. Even then, I knew his ceiling was higher than mine.  At that time, all that was important to me was staying one step ahead.

He was more natural athlete, the more gifted player.  I was the workhorse.  To stay ahead of him I played and practiced perhaps twice as much as he did.  If that ever was to stop (which it did)  by virtue of me not practicing or he practicing more, I knew he would overtake me.  That's how much respect I had for him and his game.  You can just see things when you play someone alnost every day for that long a period of time.

Eventually he would overtake me.  He smartly left FSU and played four years of college tennis at Salisbury university.  Once that happened, he would either beat me or I would somehow get lucky and split sets.  Wins for me were no longer part of the dynamic.  But he was still the measuring stick by which I would judge my own success.

So fast forward to 2014.  I move to Charlotte to take a tennis teaching job, and Steve is living in Charlotte.  He invites me to play in a 12 person doubles "league" on Wednesday nights.  Knowing that he is playing at a higher level than me now, my sole goal in this league is to somehow play well enough to move "up" within the group in order to play on his court, and then to win one set of doubles AGAINST him.  He STILL is the measuring stick of my tennis at age 40.  Some things are just hardwired in your psyche.  Pretty unbelievable when I sit back and think about it.

So without a doubt, the most important person in my own tennis development is Steve Soliday.  I doubt he knows that, but it is the truth.  Without him being such a big part of my life, I'm not sure I'd even be a tennis teaching professional.  That's how important he was to my tennis.  So this Thanksgiving, I'm giving much thanks to having him as a friend and tennis partner.  Happy Thanksgiving.                .       

Improve Your Match Play By Changing How You Play Practice Matches

Regardless of what type of player you are - junior player, USTA league player, ladies' league doubles player, or recreational player - you can improve your play substantially by using your practice matches to improve some aspect of your game.

What is a practice match?  Any match whose result makes no difference to you or you and your partner whatsoever.  In other words, your overriding goal is not winning the match.  This is an important distinction for one reason - when you mentally choose to focus on winning - you stop focusing on improving, and instead just do what "feels right."  You resort to your normal habits.  If you can make improvement the overriding goal, and put winning on the back burner, then you can use match play to your advantage.

Players who always focus on winning in every match never improve their level of play.

So what to work on?  That is up to you.  You can choose something technical, tactical, or mental/emotional.  Let's tackle them one at a time, and give you some suggestions for each.

Technical - Regardless of what you are working on, your goal is the production of the correct technique on every point.  This means you attempt the proper technique every opportunity you have.  You do not waver from this approach, even if you are making errors.  The purpose is to get better at the new technique, not win the match.  The only way to make new technique "match tough," is to force yourself to use in in matches.  Plus, when you are learning new technique, if you resort beck to your "old" technique in order to win, you are making it more difficult to learn the new technique.  You would actually set yourself back.  Remember, it's OK to lose a match, and it's ok to make errors while you are learning a new technique.  If you play doubles, it will suffice for you to be upfront with your partner that you are going to be practicing a new technique.  This way, your partner's expectations for winning are lowered, and you might even convince them to work on something also.  If you are able to win or at least play well using the new technique, just think about the confidence that will give you.

Tactical - My personal term for this is called "playing with restrictions."  Essentially you force yourself to do certain patterns of play, no matter the outcome.  As an example, imagine you want to improve hitting your return of serve and attacking the net - "chipping and charging" so to speak.  Well, you would attempt this tactic on every service point, and force yourself to get to the net.  If you blow three returns in a row, or dump the volley in the net three times in a row, the fourth point you chip and charge again.  No conscience.  You are there to work on your game.  Even if your long term goal is not to use this tactic on every point, you are certainly going to get comfortable doing the tactic under match conditions.  In this case, you are playing the practice match with your "B or C" game, and improving it.  This will only serve to improve the effectiveness of your "A" game by giving you more options and variety.  If you start winning practice matches with your B or C game, you will know your overall game improved tremendously.

Mental/Emotional -  This part of your game needs to be practiced to perfect as well.  Whether you are working on routines between points, or working on breathing out wen your opponent strikes the ball and when you strike the ball, or working on staying calm through adversity, you must practice them to improve them.  Like the technical and tactical items, you must force yourself to practice them no matter the result or outcome of the point/match.  If you are working on a set routine between every point, then this is your focus for the match - not where your return serve, not how you serve, not the success or failure of your volleys.  Only the routines matter.

As you can tell, focusing on something in your matches rather than the outcome takes great mental focus and attention.  That alone will improve your ability to focus in a match that DOES count.

Improvement can happen in lessons, in the gym, or in matches.  No matter the venue, you must be attentive toward what you are trying to improve.  Most professional and top level junior players target certain events so they have their peak performance occur at those events.  As an example, Pete Sampras would use non majors to work on his game.  Hence a reason he only won 64 tournaments in his illustrious career that saw him win 14 majors.  But it is instructive that one of the greatest players of all time didn't make winning every event his priority.  Instead, his goal was winning one or more of four tournaments a year.

We are just as capable as Pete Sampras to not only target certain events/matches to play our best and focus on winning, but also use other matches and events as practice to help us improve enough to play our absolute best at the targeted events.  So next time you're playing a practice match, practice something, it will help you win later.

Playing Against Players Above Your Level

We've all been in this situation.  You're engaged in a match against players that are clearly above your level.  You probably realized this during the warm up, or you knew before you played that you had virtually no chance to win.  It is a tough mental hurdle to overcome for sure.  It's also an almost impossible task to ask you to try to win the match. 

So, what can you do?  How can you attempt to make the match competitive, or at least comport yourself in the best possible way - playing to your best capabilities?

First let's talk about the mental side of this.  You can only control a few things on the court - what you try to do with your shot selection and movement after each shot. The serve is the only time you have complete control of your own shot.  You also have control over your court positioning at the beginning of every point. Where players immediately put themselves in a deeper hole is by thinking about everything that is out of their control.  That the other team is at a higher level is a fact, and you can't change it.  You can't control when they ace you, or blast return winners, or hit majestic overheads.  You can't control the fact that their slice is difficult for you to return or that you can't handle their pace from the back of the court.

When you play players your own level, you might be the most consistent player from the back of the court, but against players above your level, your stroke inefficiencies come out due to the speed of the ball and quality of the shot that forces you to move into uncomfortable positions.  So engaging said players in groundstroke to groundstroke cross court rallies in a one up one back set is a recipe for a quick match. 

Chances are, because your opponents are at a higher level, they will move more at the net, poach more, and generally be more aggressive and successful wit that aggression.  So being in the "hot seat" is likely not where you want to be.

So here are some tactical considerations if you find yourself outgunned and over-matched -

Get to net - Hit the return and come in (unless you give them a short lob), serve, and hit the next ball and come in.  Lob the net player and get in.  Just don't engage in a losing crosscourt groundstroke rally.  This tactic assumes you can handle the pace of their groundstrokes with your volley.  If you or your partner simply cannot, you may have to choose the next tactic on the list.  Getting to the net eliminates your weakness (groundstrokes) from being an element of the match.  Now, you get to see who the better team is at net.  Chances are, you will still lose the match simply because the other team is better all around, but perhaps this tactic will win you a few more points.  Consider this, if your success rate (points won) at the net is 45% and your success rate at the baseline hitting groundstrokes is 20%, which position will make the match more competitive?  Always do what wins the highest percentage of points.

Play two - back - This is smart if the opposing team has really great serves that you might be able to get a racquet on, but can't consistently control the direction of the return.  Playing both back against big servers saves your partner from getting obliterated in the "hot seat."  It also may relax you just enough to start directing the return with more confidence, knowing you aren't setting up your partner to get another tennis ball tattoo.  In addition, if you cannot control your volley because you are being overpowered by the groundstrokes of your opponent, this tactic will allow you to get a few more balls back, lengthening the points.  Remember, the longer the point, the better chance they might make an error.  Of course, don't get upset when they start hit short angles and dropshots on you.

Lob - A lot  - Lobbing will eliminate two potential strengths from your opponent - their groundstrokes and their volleying. They may still beat you with good overheads, but at least you did something to take away their strengths.  For you and your partner, you effectively slow the game down to a more manageable pace.  You just might frustrate the other team enough into losing it mentally and making boatloads of errors.  Or you might lose every point after they hit their first overhead.  Wouldn't you like to find out?  If choosing this strategy, I would play both back on their serve AND yours.

Gamesmanship - Nothing gets a player out of the "zone" like having to think about what it is they're doing to play so well.  On the changeover, ask the other players "Man you're serving great today, what are you doing on your serve that makes it so precise?"  Or something like "I wish I had volleys like yours, what are you doing that makes them so good?"  These comments are benign really, but you may just get them to start thinking about how they hit the ball, which can be disastrous during a match.  You may just start seeing a few more errors creep into their game, or more first serves being missed.  People tend to frown upon "gamesmanship," but when framed as a compliment to your opponent, it usually goes undetected.

Gamesmanship #2 - Take extra time between every point.  Put your hand up like you're not ready to receive serve before every point.  Take extra time before you serve each point.  If the team is going to kill you, make them stay out there as long as possible.  The better players will usually want to play fast.  Don't let them dictate the pace of the match between points.  You dictate to them!  Don't give them what they want, give them what you want.  This slowed down pace of play may get them out their rhythm, or frustrate them just enough to get you a few more points and maybe even a few more games.  A lot of this can be done by simply meeting with your partner before every point.  After you meet, still put your hand up like you're not ready if the other team is serving.

You may try one or all of these in your match and still get blown out.  If that's the case, you had no chance to win, but at least you tried to do something different to make their life more difficult and yours a little more livable.  Sometimes that's all you can do.

Trouble - What to do in doubles when you're opponent is in trouble

In doubles, "trouble" as it pertains to your opponent, means anytime they are off balance, stretching, or retreating. It also means anytime the net player has a ball at their feet or at least very low in relation to the net.  In these circumstances, your opponent's ability to accurately control the direction and intent of their shot is limited at best.  What does this mean for you?

If you are playing at net, and are down the line from the ball, it means attack!  Close the net (move forward) immediately upon seeing your opponent's in trouble, before they strike the ball.  Look to cross and take the next ball wherever it may go.  This is your team's offensive opportunity to end the point now!

By not attacking, you allow your opponents to recover and get back into the point.  This lengthens the point, and increases your chance of losing the point.  Attacking when your opponent is in trouble increases the odds of you winning the point.

Here are a few examples of players "in trouble:"

 In the above photograph, David Ferrer is on the full stretch to the forehand side.  He is about to hit a squash shot of some kind, with a continental grip, which is not his normal forehand grip.  This is important, because anytime a player, especially a recreational player, switches their grip to hit a ball back, this means they are in trouble.  In the above picture Ferrer is also "in trouble" because e is on the full stretch and will be off balance after this shot.

 In the above photograph, Agnieszka Radwanska is about to hit a forehand slice from a slightly stretched out open stance position.  This is her "in trouble." Again, this is not her normal forehand by any stretch of the imagination.  In single she might get away with this shot, but in doubles, if you recognize the trouble, this shot is easy pickings for a net player.

In the above photograph, the player is fully stretched out to the backhand side, and the racquet and arm create a 180 degree angle.  He is "in trouble."  In other words, there is no L to create stability.  This will be a weak reply.  Your net partner, if they recognize this poor position before they strike the ball, will easily pick this off.

Learn to recognize when your opponent is in trouble, and attack, and your poaching rate of success will go up astronomically!

Au Revoir Tallahassee!

October 3rd, 2014 was my last day as a City of Tallahassee employee, and a Tallahassee resident.  I now live in Charlotte., North Carolina, having accepted the Head Tennis Professional/ Jr Development Coordinator position at Providence Plantation Racquet & Swim Club.

The new position offers greater opportunity to expand my knowledge base in the game, as well as to implement programming without the stringent bureaucracy of city government.  In other words, more freedom, opportunity, and potential earnings.

I leave behind my father, and many friends, coworkers, and clients that have helped make the past nine years in Tallahassee (last four with the city) some of the most enjoyable and wonderful times of my life.  I am grateful to so many people, I couldn't have made this move without your influence on my teaching, my outlook, and my life.

There were many successes over the past nine years - I helped usher in a slew of Super Series to Tallahassee for Junior Tennis in 2006.  I ran three Super Series, a local and a rookie USTA junior tournament. When I was hired by the City, Lenin Mongerie and the Tallahassee Tennis Association took over those same events.

Junior Match Play, first ushered in to Tallahassee when I was running my teaching business at Chiles High School was an enormous success.  18 kids on 6 courts for two hours on non-tournament Saturday mornings. It took nearly four years, but the City Of Tallahassee finally approved a similar program on Fridays, and with any luck and drive Lenin Mongerie will keep my program alive and well going forward.

In 2012, the City finally raised private lesson rates for the pros, for the first time in 23 years! Not sure if my complaining (and the complaining of the other pros) had any influence on this or not, but it makes a huge difference to the life of the pro to be making more money, even if the rate is still at least a 25% discount from the going private marketplace rate.

At Forestmeadows, I was able to put my footprint on the Adult clinic program, changing how the clinics were run from a court management perspective.  Cooperative drills, everyone active, lots of balls being hit back and forth, with lots of points and games,  Sounds "normal" but you'd be surprised how many clinics aren't run that way.  I can tell you, almost no one else in Tallahassee does their clinics that way.  The fact that at one point for two straight sessions I had 16 people in my intermediate class on Tuesdays with no help, and no one complained is a testament to my on court strategy for player management.

In addition, the assessments for adult clinics that every non-computer rated player must take prior to joining a clinic was at my urging.  Prior to the assessments, people were signing up for any clinic they desired, and the levels at the clinics were nowhere near accurate or consistent.  Today, I am proud to say the levels are much more even, which makes the clinics more fun for everyone.

The City now has a high performance junior tennis program.  Lenin Mongerie and myself had been pressing for this for sometime provided we got a pay and pricing structure that was commensurate with the private marketplace.  Thanks to the hard work behind the scenes of Glen Howe, Superintendent, we were able to begin High Performance this fall.

Brett Landau and Chris Perrigan, two of my students since 2006 won the Team State Doubles Title for 1A in 2012. Both played the 14's Zonals for Florida in 2008. Both play collegiate tennis, Brett at UNC-Asheville, and Chris at Florida Gulf Coast University.  They teamed up this summer and won the ITA summer circuit event at Florida State this year in doubles.

Estella Waczewski was the highest ranked 12 and Under girl in Tallahassee when she aged up, and played 14's Zonals, as well as numerous national events.  Very proud of her considering I started her as a raw beginner on my very first day with the city in 2010. 

I would like to credit Lori Cartwright for pulling out of me the equivalent of tennis lesson gold.  She began working with me weekly last fall, and was determined to ave a physical lesson, in which she would work on movement and shot selection in a fast paced, instinctual way.  The format I came up with to meet her needs, was the reason the search committee members I taught at my interview loved the lesson I gave - an identical lesson to what I did with Lori.  If you want to know what the lesson was like, talk to Lori - she might tell you unless she plays you frequently :-)

Working for the city expanded my friendships and helped me find some great friends I hope I never lose contact with. 

In hindsight, Tallahassee was the perfect place at the right time in my life.  I loved it - more and more the longer I stayed.  I will miss it and everyone I taught.  You are all part of me now, like it or not.

Au Revoir!





 

Choosing A Tennis Professional As An Adult

Choosing a tennis professional as an adult can be almost as daunting as choosing one for your son or daughter.  In Tallahassee in particular, there are numerous choices.  How can one make the best decision possible?

A few days ago I had a wonderful conversation with Gina Herring, Tallahassee's USTA adult league coordinator, about just this topic. She told me that she has taken lessons with virtually everyone in town (save yours truly). She explained that at different points in her tennis career, different pros were perfect for where she was at the time.

I know another person who is a frequent lesson taker, that has also taken from most of the pros in town, and she has told me that each pro has given her something that she finds useful to her game - even implying that in her mind every pro has their strengths, and when she feels her game could use a dose of a specific strength of a specific pro, she will do lessons with that person.

There are many ways to decide what professional is best for you.  The simplest way is to take a lesson from every person and make your best judgement based on those experiences.  However here is a simple checklist that may aid you in determining the best professional who can help improve your game.

1) Punctuality- Hopefully the professional arrives early if you are his first lesson.  Does your lesson start on time?  This is your first indication of how responsible the professional really is.

2) Brevity - Does the professional spend half the lesson explaining what he /she wants and expects of you? Do they give long winded explanations? Is half the lesson taken up with talking rather than playing and drilling? Your professional should be able to explain things succinctly and quickly, and transition you quickly between drills without needing a dissertation.  After all, you're there to hit balls, not chat.

3) Court/ player Management - Does the professional involve everyone in the activity? Do they have cooperative, interactive drills? Or, do they use lines where player stand around waiting for the person in front of them to finish the activity. The best professionals keep everyone active throughout the lesson.  The only appropriate lines during a lesson or clinic are the white ones on the court.

4) Corrective Techniques - Does the professional tell you WHAT to do, or HOW to do it? Most people know what to do, but the art of teaching is getting the student to do what it is you want them to do. That involves the HOW - how will I get Judy to poach on the deuce court? Telling her to move forward at an angle is the what, but how can I get her to remember that movement pattern? A good professional will have different HOWS for different types of learners. Some people are visual learners, while others are kinesthetic learners, and still others are auditory learners.  Your professional needs to be able to connect with the type of learner you are.

5) Progression - Does the lesson have a theme, and beginning, middle, and end?  Your lesson should be focused on one item, unless you choose to effectively take two half hour lessons in one hour.  That one item is the theme.  A theme is not "forehands."  A theme is specific to your needs.  A theme could be "cross court forehands for doubles focusing on point of contact." That's just a basic example.  In a strategy lesson, a theme could be " down the line lob returns focusing on court positioning after the lob."

6) Tailoring - Does the pro listen to what you say you want to learn or do they do what they want?  As professional and student, you are a team.  We need your guidance as much as you need ours.  At least that's how the relationship works best.  A good professional, always listens closely to your suggestions and problems, and tailors the lesson to fit your needs.

7) Price, Availability - While these things are important, they should only come into play if you feel you have two or more excellent professionals that you have taken from, and cannot decide between them because they are that close in your mind.  In that situations price and availability come into play.

As you search for the professional for you, take time to consider the above suggestions.  If nothing else, maybe it will open your mind to new possibilities.

Early Start NTRP Ratings - What They Are, What They Aren't

A few weeks ago the USTA published the Early Start 2015 NTRP Ratings for Adult League players.  If you played Adult gender leagues (combo excluded) in 2014, and your rating was either bumped up or down, your name appears on this list.

What does it mean?
The Early Start Rating means that if you plan to play in a 2015 league that starts prior to the end of year ratings that come out in December, then the rating listed on the early start list will be your rating for that league ONLY.  If your name does not appear on the list, it means that for early start leagues, your rating remains the same.

What DON'T they mean?

The Early Start Ratings do not mean that your rating has changed at all for 2015 leagues that begin in 2015.  In fact, just because your name appears on the Early Start list as having been bumped up or down, your rating might still remain unchanged from your 2014 rating when the FINAL ratings come out in December.  In addition, they also do not mean that you won't be bumped up or down once the final ratings come out in December.

Huh?  How is that Even Possible?

Remember that your rating is DYNAMIC.  Your current "Early Start Rating" is merely a snapshot in time.  It changes percentage points with each match you play, each match your opponents play.  So if your team played in an Adult League Sectional, and you played the team that won and went to Nationals, those players have yet to play Nationals, and those matches will affect your rating. 

NTRP Tournament matches also affect your final yearly rating.  The Early Start Ratings do not take tournament matches into account.  This is important not only if you yourself have played an NTRP tournament, but also if your opponents had played any NTRP tournaments.

Because of the above reasons, after Nationals, the USTA computer will take into account ALL the matches from 2014, including Nationals and tournaments (which are not taken into consideration for the Early Start Ratings), and will spit out your final rating for 2015 Leagues in December.  That will be the rating that actually counts.

Can I Appeal An Early Start Rating?

Yes, you can.  However, you can only appeal down.  You do this when signing up for an Early Start 2015 League.   Simply attempt to register for the league in question, and if you are ineligible due to your rating being too high, click the appeal rating button.  The appeal will be answered instantaneously.

Final Thoughts

As a player, it is easy to get excited, upset, anxious, or fearful about your rating going up, going down, or staying the same.  While the Early Start Ratings may be useful in giving you an IDEA if your rating is moving up, down, or staying put, at the end of the day it has little to no real value as Tallahassee does not have Early Start 2015 Leagues.  Ignore them, and by all means put no stock or emotional energy into them.  Be patient, and wait for the end of the year ratings to come out.  Those are the ratings that make a difference.  Though investing a ton of emotional energy into a rating isn't rational or worth it in the end, many players attach their self esteem and self worth to their rating.  For those players, save yourself three months of an emotional roller coaster of jubilation and/or turmoil and just wait for the end of year rating.

The Circle of Life - Reinventing Your Game At 40 - A Personal Story

For those of you who have known me and my tennis game for a long time, you are well aware of my affinity for the net, volleying, and the serve and volley style of play.  I have been a serve and volley player since age 16.

Prior to age 16, I was a very good counter-puncher who could run all day, play three matches in a day (back when the USTA had junior players playing 2 out of 3 sets) and be fine for the next day's tennis.  I would ride my bike 2 miles to get to the courts to play practice matches, club matches or just to hit on the wall.  Without having a private coach or being part of a group clinic, save for one two month stint at an indoor club in the winter of 1988, I was one of the best players in our area in Maryland.

John McEnroe was my favorite player growing up.  I never paid much attention to his explosions, I was enamored with how he played the game.  So much feel, so much thought went into his game.  He wouldn't overpower anyone, instead relying on great hands, great movement, great anticipation, and a keen sense for the geometry of the court.  It was on September 2, 1990, which happened to be my 16th birthday, that I watched McEnroe play a 5 set thriller at the US Open against Emilio Sanchez in the the 4th round on TV.  Immediately after, I called a friend, rode my bike to the swim and racquet club, and played a match against him, forever discarding my counter-punching game, and resolving to serve and volley like my idol.  I never looked back.  The style of play was exciting, creative, and I saw no decrease in my level of play at the time.

Now, fast forward to July 2014.  I play a match on court 19 against Brett Landau, a student of mine who I have taught since he was 12, who now plays collegiately for UNC-Asheville.  He literally does not sweat one drop in completely humiliating me 6-0, 6-1.  My worst loss in singles since I foolishly tanked a consolation match at the Maryland State closed tournament in 1991.  However, there was no tanking in this match versus Brett.  I was trying my hardest, but came to the realization that I just couldn't compete with him anymore.

I was tired after every point, serving and volleying as I have for 24 years.  I was slow, couldn't get into the net close enough to hit a volley - I was more likely to be trapped in no man's land at 3/4 court.  My lateral movement at the baseline reminded me of semi truck being pulled by an 8 year old.  I couldn't recover to get into position, and felt like a spectator rather than a player.

Something had to change.  It was embarrassing.  I came home from teaching that evening, and after showering, looked at myself in the mirror.  Where was the slender, athletic, younger version of myself that I remember from age 18-24?  From the look in the mirror, he was suffocating beneath layers upon layers of fat.  I weighed myself immediately: 231lbs.  Ouch.  I had weighed this much before, but I had been lifting weights and had more muscle mass.  Even in that case, I remember complaining about being slow and trying to play tennis with a 25lb dumbbell attached to my waist.  If you don't understand how that feels, try it sometime, I guarantee your level of tennis will fall off significantly.

My first order of business before I ever played another second of tennis?  Lose weight.  The goal?  Get down to 205.  Only then would I put myself through any tennis practices or matches for that matter.  The gut that had swelled in size over the years was public enemy #1.  I immediately instituted an 18 hour daily fast on the weekdays and Sundays, meaning I would eat food in a 4-6 hour window at night after I taught.  Water only throughout the day.  No bread, no candy, no soda, no beer - except on Friday night and Saturday.  Saturday would see me eat three squares.  My diet would shift to rice based meals almost exclusively and more fruits and vegetables.  I increased the amount of seafood I would eat as well.

For about a week, the fasting diet was difficult.  I was hungry, no doubt, I was used to eating far more than essentially one meal a day.  However, I felt better.  Drinking water throughout the day, especially when I felt hungry, had significantly improved my hydration level.  And after week 1 I had lost 3.5 lbs.  I continued the fasting diet for one month.  After that month I had shed 21 of the 26 lbs.

I would come back from vacation determined to lose the next 5 lbs, but by restoring a more normal eating schedule,but still reducing my caloric intake and limiting my food choices.  At 210 lbs, I chose to start hitting tennis balls, and playing matches as well.

The first order of business on the tennis court, regarding my game, was to see if I felt more spry, and to determine if my serve and volley game would improve now that I lost the weight.  After all I should move faster and more quickly without 20 lbs, right?

The answer of two weeks time was yes and no.  Yes, I was moving faster, better.  No, it still wasn't good enough to continue utilizing a style of play that demands you be at your most athletic an quickest to succeed.  I felt I would not only continue to lose the practice matches I was losing, but I would be doing a disservice to the style of play that I love and respect so much.  In other words, continuing to play serve and volley without being physically capable anymore was disrespecting the game.  After losing a practice match to Allen Vinson, I decided that both my style of return of serve, and my style of game must change.

So how would I proceed?  Those who know me and my game know I do not have overpowering groundstrokes by any stretch of the imagination.  So transforming my game to that of an aggressive baseliner just wasn't going to happen.  So my next practice match, I decided to go back to the 15 yr old version of myself.  You know, the one who was a good counter-puncher who stayed back all day and retrieved balls.  That guy, I thought, had pretty good results.  So I played the practice match from the back of the court.  I served and stayed back for the first time in 24 years.  I stopped moving forward on my split step on returns, and instead began backing up as I split step, to give me more time to see the ball and give myself more time to take a bigger swing.  I ran down all the balls.  No more spectating.  Low and behold, 15 yr old Matt finally won the almost 40 yr old version a practice set!  I weighed myself that night...205lbs!  My goal attained!

The good news was I also wasn't getting all that physically tired anymore.  Thank you diet. Now, truth be told, I learned that staying back and retrieving all day is extremely mentally taxing.  Mentally, I was exhausted.  However, I was committed to continuing with this change.  Next practice match, I again played from the back of the court.  Again, I won!  Happy birthday me!

My tennis has essentially come full circle.  What once was old is new again.  The past has become the present.  For me, the net is a place I will always love, but like a beautiful woman with whom you have a bad relationship, sometimes you just have to let her go.  I will live vicariously through Brett Landau, who carries my serve and volley torch at the collegiate level.

I feel better about myself for having not only lost the weight, but also sticking with the goal and seeing it to fruition.  I had thought for sometime that my tennis wasn't that big a deal to me, but I learned the truth is, my esteem is directly linked to my tennis.  This process is bringing me much joy, and needed exercise.  I'm having fun playing tennis again, which in and of itself is a gift.

Anything is possible if you put your mind to it.  No one can make you do it, it must come from within.  

How to Use USTA Combo League Matches To Improve Your Game

USTA Combo doubles league is now upon us.  This is the league where (generally) you play with either a player one level below you or with a player one level above you.  If you are fortunate enough to play in both scenarios, chances are you will see the greatest overall improvement, provided you follow a few simple suggestions.

If you are the lower-rated player

In this scenario, what is most important is to be consistent, especially when you are engaged in baseline rallies with the higher rated player on the other team.  Your opportunities to outright win a  point will be few and far between, so don't play outside of your limitations.  Use the match as an opportunity to work on your consistency at a higher level.

Returning the serve of the higher rated player will also be challenging.  Again, don't try to win the point with the return.  Follow the sage advice - "make them play" - just put it in play somewhere.  Cross-court is always best, but it's ok if you accidentally make the net player hit volleys.  Just don't try to crush the returns out of a need to match pace and prove you belong.  You are rated lower for a reason. 

Your goal is to set up the higher rated player on your team so THEY can hit winners and try to outright win the point.  As the lower rated player, this is your opportunity to "play up" and challenge yourself.  Make the most of it by simply trying to be a complimentary player to your higher rated partner.

In addition, write down every part of your game that broke down when playing against the higher rated player.  These are the parts of your game that need the most work if you want to get to the next level.

If you are the higher rated player

In this scenario, you must play slightly outside your comfort level if you really want to improve.  What this means is when you are at the net, poach and cross more often, damn the consequences - especially against the lower rated player's groundstrokes.  This is the best way to gain confidence and become more confident as a poacher.

You must work on "taking over the court" and work at being the best player on the court.  Any "50/50" ball is yours.  Don't let your weaker partner hit a groundstroke if you even have an inkling you can get to the volley.   

Learn the word "Mine" and the words "I got it" and use them frequently and without hesitation.  You should take more balls - you're the better player. 

Attack the weaker player - strategy 102.  Especially if you have a volley above the net and the weaker player is at the net.  This applies to overheads as well.

Go for bigger serves against the weaker player, in order to improve your first serve pace.  You'll be less nervous serving to the weaker player, so there is less pressure. 

Focusing your game on being more aggressive will help you improve, and you will see the results once regular adult league rolls around and you see yourself moving slightly more, taking more poaches, and putting away more balls,

Write down every part of your game that broke down when you increased your aggressiveness.  These are the parts of your game that need to improve if you want to get to the next level.

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At the end of the day, combo league, if used properly, can vastly improve your game if you choose to look at the game in the above manner.  Remember, between now and next USTA Adult league season is the time to be making necessary changes to your game in order to improve upon your individual success in Adult League play.  Talk to your pro about your game, and work on the areas you and he/she feel are necessary to get to the next level.

There Can Be Only One - US. Open Preview

Bonsoir Rafa!  The King is dead!  Long live the king!  Uh...Wait a minute, who is next in line to the throne?  I don't know - let us have a tournament of knights to determine the heir to the throne!

And so it begins.  128 enter, one remains.  Many have a good claim to be named the new King of New York.  However, as it usually does, it boils down to three or four who have a chance at the semis, and only a few have what it takes to win.

Pretenders

1. Anyone who has the letters USA (Used to Succeed Annually) next to their name.  Don't expect any great showings.  Isner will be out before the 4th round begins, and that will be the best showing by an American.''

2. All the rest of the Spanish Players, including David Ferrer.  I include Ferrer because he can't beat Djokovic or Federer, so he may make the semis, but he has zero shot to go further, unless he gets divine assistance.

3. Jo-Wilifried Tsonga.  Yes he won the Canadian Masters series event.  Yes he beat Djokovic, Murray, and Federer along the way.  He followed it up with a first round loss in Cincinnati.  That is normal for Tsonga.  In a three out of five set format, he loses to Djokovic, Ferrer, Murray.  He might have a chance against Fed.  Quarterfinalist.

4.  Anyone in the top 10 not named Djokovic, Federer or Raonic.  No one in the top 10 is getting by these guys.  Murray is still not 100% in my opinion.  He's not moving as well as he did when he won Wimbledon last year.  Mauresmo thus far has not been the answer for him.  Stan Wawrinka seems content now that he's won a major.  He's done absolutely nothing since, and I expect that trend to continue.  Berdych has an outside shot at a semi-final depending on the draw, but he's fragile in the early rounds.  Don't count on him being there on Semi-final Saturday.

Contenders

Milos Raonic - He's having an  incredible year is he not?  A semifinalist at Wimbledon, and he's risen to #6 in the world.  He's got a huge serve, and has seriously improved both his return game and his fitness, footwork, and movement.  I love the fact that he says his current success is not his goal.  He wants to be #1 in the world.  I foresee multiple slams for him, is first coming by 2016.  Could it be this year's open?  If and ONLY if Federer and Djokovic lose before they would play him.  If that scenario happens, look for the Canadian Cannon to win his first slam.

Roger Federer -  Heck of a summer for the old man.  Unfortunately all it has proven to me is he still chokes in big matches against Djokovic, and can't beat him at all in a final, and still struggles to beat anyone else in a final.  He's 4 for his last 13 finals.  I don't expect Federer to win, even if I think he'll make the final.  And save for Fed-Raonic final, I expect him to lose to whomever he might face.   Agassi won his last major at 33, at the 2003 Australian Open, but he had fewer miles on his body than fed, and was a better player later in his career..  Fed is 33 now, and is a shell of himself.  I hope he wins, but I wouldn't bet a dime on him.

Novak Djokovic - Has marriage and a pregnancy changed the crazy man's perspective on life?  He wins Wimbledon, gets married, and subsequently loses early in the master series hard court events.  The good news is he didn't play too much leading up to the open, so his body got a nice break.  He should be in tip top physical shape.  Nadal isn't here, so his biggest obstacle mentally isn't here.  He's got Federer's number in majors now, so he has no fear of a "hot" Roger.  Plus he knows he's got celebratory crack courtesy of Boris Becker should he hoist his second Us Open trophy. (This is called historical sarcasm)  Should he avoid an early upset, he should win the title.  Prediction: Champion.

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For the women, I will make this brief.  There are really four women who can win the title this year:

1. Simone Halep - She has the game, but does she have the belief?  If she can get a win vs Sharapova, having lost in 3 sets the last few times they've played, I like her chances.

2. Maria Sharapova - Se won the french, but fizzled out early at Wimbledon.  She has never won two majors in the same year.  Will she buck the trend?  Not if she plays Serena Williams, who has beaten her 14 times in a row.  There's no overcoming that for Sharapova, save an on court coaching visit from Tonya Harding.  Check her coaches' box Serena!

3.  Eugenie Bouchard - The girl doesn't do very much unless it's a major.  She has been the most consisten player in the slams this year, having reached the semi-finals of the Australian and French Opens, and the final of Wimbledon.  Her hard court prep leading in the Open doesn't lend me to be super excited about her chances, but even I can see she trains to peak at the slams, not win the tune-ups.  I expect a semi-final.

4.  Serena Williams - As long as she's playing, you have to go with her.  Though she's had a terrible year by her standards, her hard court tune-ups after Wimbledon has produced much improved results. Her serve looks to be getting back to the weapon we all expect from her, and if that's the case, just write her name on the trophy now.   When Serena says she has no pressure, it means she's put in an enormous amount of extra work in order to win a slam, and she wants it badly.  I remember her saying she had no pressure in 2007 before the Australian open, when her ranking had dropped to 81 in the world due to injury and lack of play.  She dominated the tournament, and the final against the reigning US Open Champion Maria Sharapova 6-1, 6-2. I see a similar result.  Prediction: Champion         

How To Win At Sectionals And Nationals (USTA Adult Leagues)

The time of the year is upon us when the victorious teams from the Tallahassee USTA Adult Leagues (18 & up) head to various locations throughout the state to play in the USTA-FL sectionals. At the Sectional, our local champions first have to navigate themselves out of their round robin group,  and then win two matches in single elimination format.  This means winning 5-6 matches during the course of three days.

For captains, this task can be daunting, if not overwhelming.  The first rule of captaining, in my opinion, is to get your entire team on the same page BEFORE  the local season actually begins.  Your entire team must "buy in" to your goals.  Is your team going to try to win the sectional and try to win nationals?  Is your team going to play to "have fun?"  Is the goal at sectionals to let "everyone play," or is it to put your "best team forward."   You can see the unasked question.  Do we want to win this or not?

If the goal is to win, then here is a list of things that must occur before you go to sectionals/nationals, and what must occur at the sites.

Before Sectionals

1) Before the local season begins, get the commitments from everyone about sectionals and nationals. If someone cannot commit to both, it may be best to leave them off the roster, and let them play for someone else's team that year.  Ensure that everyone knows that the weakest players and weakest doubles teams will not play too often, and at sectionals and nationals they likely won't play at all, save for fatigue, injury, or illness.
2) Designate your singles players (3-4).  These players will not play doubles unless they play with they're designated partner, who will also be one of these singles players.
3) Designate 4-5 doubles teams.  These teams cannot be broken up. If one teammate is unavailable, then the other teammate does not play either.  Teams play only with one another.  Period.  If team 1 cannot play because Judy can't be there that night, you play one of your other teams. This way your doubles teams know who they're playing with at all times for the entire season, can practice and do lessons with that teammate, and can develop the chemistry necessary to win at sectionals and nationals.
4) Prior to the season starting, play matches against everyone (singles and doubles) within your team to determine your hierarchy in singles and doubles.
5) Play your strengths throughout the local season, ensuring that everyone on your team plays the requisite two or three matches needed to qualify for sectionals.

During Sectionals/Nationals

1) Play your strengths EVERY match.  Only substitute your weaker singles players or doubles teams if fatigue, injury or illness occurs. Remember that if one player on one of your starting 3 doubles teams cannot play, that team is out (both players), and your next best team should play.
2) Do not be tempted to attempt to determine what teams in your round robin bracket aren't any good. There is really no way to know. Your team goal is to beat everyone like a drum so you win the group outright.  Don't leave a "wildcard" position (one of the 2nd place teams) to chance. When you play your weaker teams on purpose, you open yourself up to losing the team match and falling behind in the tiebreaks (matches won, sets won, games won).  Leave nothing to chance.
3) Ignore your weaker teammates' pleas to play.  You already discussed what your team's goals are, and by their commitment to the team, they agreed to the rules and standards by which you are running the team.  Winning and letting everyone play are incompatible.  It's just the harsh reality.  On any team there are starters and subs. The subs play either very little or not at all.

The key to a successful run is impeccable ORGANIZATION, and proper COMMUNICATION of goals, standards, and procedures. The teams that have captains that follow these simple rules, will have the best chance to win at sectionals AND nationals.

City of Tallahassee Offers NEW Junior Elite Performance Program

The City of Tallahassee is pleased to announce that beginning August 26th, it will be running a new Junior Elite Performance Program at Forestmeadows.

It will run Tuesdays and Thursdays 4:30-6:00pm, and all instruction will be done on clay courts.  Each session will run eight weeks.  Each class will be broken into three segments.  Segment 1 will incorporate dynamic warm-ups, as well as footwork/fitness/athletic skill work.  Segment 2 will focus on technical/tactical adjustments.  Segment 3 will be point play/match play.

In addition to the above segments, each player will be video taped hitting the various strokes, and receive a detailed analysis of what changes must be made in order to maximize their potential.

In order to participate in this program a player must meet the following minimum criteria:

Play full court tennis with tennis balls
Have already played in at least one tournament at the local level or higher

In addition, a player who registers for this program must commit to playing in at least 5 tournaments a year.  Failure to comply will unfortunately result in expulsion from the program.  This program is for players who are serious about improving and have a desire to play at a very high high school level and/or desire to play collegiate tennis.

Each player will be strongly encouraged to play all tournaments that are held in Tallahassee, as well as tournaments within at least a 2-3hr driving range.  Each player's USTA ranking will be tracked and compared to other players within the program on our junior board.  Players that win tournaments will  have their names and successes posted for all to see at Forestmeadows.

Finally, each player will be given "homework"  that will include, though will not be limited to, playing matches against fellow students, sit ups, pushups, running, and watching tennis.  A ladder will be maintained during each session.

All players must be APPROVED by the coaches prior to registering.

Matthew Cory and Lenin Mongerie are the coaches for this program.  You can view their bios and contact information at www.tallahasseetennisvoice.com.  To get a registration form, or if you have any questions regarding the program, please feel free to contact Matt or Lenin.

We look forward to seeing you on court August 26! 

My Plan to Fix USTA Junior Tournament Tennis in Florida

The USTA has been on a mission over the last 7 years to essentially do to junior tournament tennis what it has already done to USTA league and Adult tournament tennis.  First the USTA implements a new match format in USTA adult league tennis, the intended purpose being to reduce the court time per match of each individual and team match, thus allowing the USTA and the facilities they use to cram more people on the court, maximizing their own profits.  After they see that adults are still playing despite receiving less of the actual product they're paying for, they then implement that format or rule change into junior tournament tennis for the identical reasons, and under the same guise of "player protection."  The rub is, they look at Junior Tournament tennis at the sectional level as purely recreational rather than competitive.

Now, the ITA, the intercollegiate tennis association is also utilizing shortened match formats under the guise of player protection.  Again, players get to participate less in the competitive activity they train for, and seemingly no one cares or sees the harm these decisions are doing to the end product, which is player development.

While in Alaska on vacation, I discussed with my brother, an ardent USTA adult league player for many years in North Carolina, my two theories about the evolution of the game and the fitness level of players.

My first theory is that if you take a 14 yr old player from 1984, and put him through two, two out of three set matches, every day for three days, and then put a 14 yr old from 2014 through the same rigor, with each player playing within their own time period, the player in 1984 would be able to last through that rigor, while the player today could not. The reason the player in 2014 cannot, is because we are not demanding that they be able to do that.  Instead, we have lowered the demands of the player to only be able to last through two sets and a match tiebreak.

Of course, at the pro level, there are no match tie breaks in singles.  However, throughout a player's junior development through USTA tournaments in Florida, regardless of age, we keep our formats to two sets and a match tie break.  Players train for that less rigorous demand, and thus fitness levels suffer.

My theory is that the as the game has evolved to become more physical, athletes have become, bigger, stronger, faster.  An athlete today can do far more than the athlete of yesterday, in part because the game is more rigorous physically.  The human body adapts over time to meet the physical demands of the sport.  I suggest that there is no reason to lessen the demand on players as juniors.  They are more than capable of going through the same rigor in match format as players did 30 years ago.

If you raise or lower the standards of excellence for players, they will adjust their training appropriately to meet those demands.  Right now, we are in this phase of lowered standards for physical fitness, because the match formats are not challenging enough.  I submit a player in 1984 would be more tired in his time after a long two out of three set match, then a player today after a two set and match tie break match.  Yet back then they got one hour between matches, and today they get two hours after less of a match.  We have created players that are more concerned about amount of rest, rather than players who are fit enough to simply keep playing if necessary.  Look no further than the designated tournament we host here in Tallahassee every July.  Players are more concerned about getting their two hours even if the match was a 50 minute 6-0, 6-0 match.  It has gotten absurd.

So here is my plan to restore USTA junior tournament tennis to a system that promotes and demands that our players be more physically fit, and have the mental toughness to go three full sets.

10 and under 

Format: Two sets and a match tiebreak (no ad scoring)
Rest period between matches: 
Duration of match dependent.
If match time is between 0-90 minutes, player must be ready to play again in one hour
If match time is greater than 90 minutes, player must be ready to play in 90 minutes
Maximum matches per day singles per singles event: 3 matches per day

12 & under

Format: Two out of three sets, regular scoring
Rest period between matches:
Duration of match dependent.
If match is 60 minutes  or less, player must be ready to play in one hour
If match is 61-120 minutes, player receives 90 minute break
If match is greater than 2 hours, player gets two hour break.
Maximum matches per day singles per singles event
Depends on results.
If player plays 5 sets or less in two matches, must be ready to play a 3rd match.
If player plays 6 sets in two matches, he may not play a third match.

14 & under

Format:  Two out of three sets, regular scoring
Rest period between matches:
Duration of match dependent
If match is 90 minutes or less, must be ready to play in 1 hour
If match is over 90 minutes, player must be ready to play in 90 minutes
Maximum matches per day singles per singles event
Depends on results.
If player plays 5 sets or less in two matches, must be ready to play a 3rd match.
If player plays 6 sets in two matches, he may not play a third match

16 & under, 18 & under

Format: Two out of three sets, regular scoring. 
Rest time between matches
Duration of match dependent
If match is two hours or less, must be ready to play in one hour
If greater than two hours, player must be ready to play in 90 minutes.
Maximum matches per day singles per singles event
Depends on results.
If player plays 5 sets or less in two matches, must be ready to play a 3rd match.
If player plays 6 sets in two matches, he may not play a third match

Other Necessary Changes 

Allow players to play two singles events where applicable.

In Florida, this is ONLY allowed in locals in Region 1, and is banned for all other tournaments in the state.  It should be noted it was banned to make tournament directors' lives easier.  Get rid of the ban at ALL local and super series level tournaments in the state..  This encourages players to play more matches, challenge themselves at the higher level, while going for wins at their own level.  It builds confidence and stamina.  Players choosing to play two events, would only be given a max of 60 minutes between matches, regardless of outcome.

Eliminate the 12 hour rule for 12 and under and up.
The 12 hour rule mandates that a player must receive 12 hours of overnight rest between the time his match on day 1 ends, and his match on day 2 begins.  This is another rule that should be match dependent.  There is no reason a player needs 12 hours if their match was only an hour long.  10 hours is sufficient.  If the match is between 1-2 ours, then an 11 hour break would suffice.  If greater tan two hours, then and only then would the player get 12 hours.

Stop having doubles at tournaments, except as stand alone events.
This would allow the cumulative physical toll to lessen some, as players would not have to play extra matches on top of singles.  In addition, eliminating doubles would allow time for players to play two events in singles. Plus, doubles is the first draw to get eliminated, and is always fraught with problems such as, pull-outs, walkovers, and directors constantly having to hold players over while they wait for people to finish, infuriating the players and their parents who get irritated when they don't know when they play next.  At the Florida state closed doubles, these problems do not exist because everyone is there to play doubles.  Simply schedule more doubles-only tournaments to promote doubles.     

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So there you have it.  My "common sense" approach to Junior Tournament Tennis if I were ever elected King of USTA for the day. 

Should you stretch before, or after a match?

There is a common misconception regarding stretching and preparing yourself to play a match.  The misconception is that static stretching is warming up, and a secondary misconception is that static stretching right before you go on court has any positive benefit to you whatsoever.

First lets discuss what static stretching actually does to your body when you engage in the activity.  When you do static stretches, the effect on your ligaments, tendons, and muscles is much like what happens to a rubber band when you stretch them.  Once the stretch is released, your muscles, ligaments, and tendons react exactly like the rubber band, by getting shorter, which is why immediately after static stretching you are LESS loose than you were prior to the stretch.  Unlike a rubber band, your muscles, ligaments and tendons do not then instantly return to their original size.

So, if you static stretch right before a match, physiologically you are actually making yourself tighter.  Certainly this is not what you want to achieve in order to get ready for your match.

Secondly, the activity of static stretching does not constitute a warm-up in any shape or form.  A proper warm-up will not only get your heart rate up slowly to prepare you for the upcoming physical activity, it will also get your muscles, ligaments and tendons LOOSER for the identical goal.

The key to this type of warm-up is low impact activities like jogging, shuffling, and skipping.  Also important in this process is dynamic stretching.  Dynamic stretching consists of activities that engage your muscles ligaments and tendons constant movements. Check out he link below to see Novak Djokovic doing a dynamic stretching routine:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VWtVQmJTXk     

So dynamically stretch before your match in order to warm-up.  Eliminate the static stretching before your matches.  Save the static stretching for after your matches have ended.  The benefits of static stretching are not immediate, but will show up over time, as you will become more flexible.  Static stretching workouts both after matches and as a daily routine are the best way to prevent injuries in the long term.

Ten USTA League Changes I'd Like To See

USTA Leagues in all forms has long since obliterated Adult tournament tennis.  There has been a steady decline in tournament play as the proliferation of league tennis has exploded to incorporate the entire calendar year.

However, the over-saturation of USTA league is not the only part of league tennis that, in my opinion, should be addressed at the national/state/local levels.  Below are a list of ten changes I'd like to see in USTA League Tennis, to both improve the overall product, and compliment other parts of the game.

1) Eliminate the 40 & over Leagues

Your rating determines your playing ability.  Age is but one minor factor in determining that level.  By having yet another age denomination that counts towards your rating, NTRP ratings get more skewed than they already are with senior league matches counting.  The whole point of the NTRP is that your age has zero effect on the result of the match.  If you are 70 and cannot win at 3.5 adult league, then you are not a 3.5.  You are likely a 3.0.

It is normal for a player's skill level to decline as they advance in age, because their athleticism wanes and the ability to move decreases.  The age divisions eliminate this from being factored in to your ability level, thus skewing everyone's results.  I understand someone's desire to keep their 3.5 rating well into their 50s and 60s.  However, at some point we all must face the facts that we just aren't the same player we were in our 30s and 40s.  We have to play a level or two down to remain competitive.

Another solution to the skewed ratings would be to not have the age division ratings count toward your rating at all, or have them ONLY count within your age division.  If you played normal 18 and up Adult league, that would be the true standard of playing level, and if one played 18 and up AND the age division leagues, ONLY the 18 & up would count toward the rating.

2) Shorten the League Season(s)
Shorten the league seasons to September through November and March through May.  Combine all the Adult/Age division Leagues in the spring, and have combo and mixed doubles in the fall.  All sectional and national events must also be played within these windows.  The remaining windows (December-February, and June-August) are used to promote TOURNAMENT USTA tennis, as well as encourage players to utilize those off segments for game improvement classes.  I think players will get better more quickly, and tournaments can schedule events without fear of league conflicts.

3) Get rid of the "Mixed Only and Tournament Only" rating
Why give someone a computer generated rating that doesn't count when they play adult league?  If you are adamant that  mixed doubles should have zero effect on one's rating, then simply don't count them, and leave self-rated individuals as self-rated.  Too many times players receive a mixed only or tournament only rating, only to play USTA adult league, and get disqualified, which screws everyone up.  Either mixed doubles and tournaments count, or they don't, no gray areas necessary.

4) Make National and Sectional League Events FREE to every competitor.
Frankly, since you pay your CEO $9 million a year, it is clear your non-profit is rolling in the dough.  Help the people that help you make enormous sums of money, by making the sectional and national events FREE.   Participants already have to pay for hotel and food and travel, at least make the events no charge. 

5) Every State should have the identical rules for Combo
Some states allow a 1.5 level difference while others require a .5 difference. I believe the structure should be a 1.5 level difference in Florida.  Southern section uses this format.

What this would mean is that for a hypothetical 7.5 combo team, you could have a 4.5 and a 3.0 play together.  While some may scoff at that, I will submit that our current format allows a 3.0 to play with a 3.5 in 7.5 combo despite their combined rating being an entire level below. 

If the goal is competitive matches, then we must either allow the 1.5 level differential or restrict registration to combo leagues to specific levels - ie 3.0 and 3.5 ONLY for 6.5, 3.5 and 4.0 ONLY for 7.5 etc.

6) Mandate that local leagues must be played on the same surface as the sectional and National events

Surface consistency would be a great thing.  It is silly to have a local league that is played on clay, when the sectionals are played on hard.  Simply alternate each year between men and women with the surface.  So if, for example, in 2014 women's' 3.0 is on hard for all league competition, and men's  3.0 is on clay for all league competition, then in 2015 the women get clay and the men get hard.   I understand that in some locales clay is not an option, but in places like Tallahassee where you have options, keeping things consistent would benefit our winners when they go to the next level.  There is a reason each major at the pro level has a warm up series of events on the SAME surface.  USTA leagues, were possible, should follow that example.

The sectional level events should be identical to the National level events as far as surface as well.

7) Reduce warm-up time to 5 minutes in local leagues.
I played in the District tournament for 4.5 four years ago.  The officials give you 5 minutes.  Here at the local level your "time" that is allotted for your match is essentially 1.5 hours.  If you warm-up, as some do, for 15-20 minutes, there is no way on God's green earth you will finish in 1.5 hours from the time you walk on court.  It just isn't mathematically possible.  The 5 min warm-up should be strictly enforced by simply have someone from each time starting a timer on each court when you hit the first ball.  When the alarm goes off you must begin play.

Another solution to this problem, which invariably pushes the matches of the second league group coming to the facility, is to ask for 2 hr blocks of time, which would allow the league coordinator to actually schedule the matches in a more time efficient manner, where fewer people would have to wait 30 minutes to an hour for their court to open up.  Of course this would increase your league fees by 33%.  Right now, everyone is paying for 1.5 hours despite playing much much longer than that.

8) Use Tom Brown Park and Winthrop Court more for non-senior (18 and up, 40 and up) leagues

Most people, I believe, are extremely neurotic when it comes to planning and knowing what time to set aside each week for their tennis.  Having worked at the front desks at Forestmeadows as well as in my time at William & Mary, I can tell you that people HATE when they can't get a court at the time they normally play.  It's like someone shot their dog, or perhaps it more closely resembles how one might react to an imminent apocalypse.

My point is people like to know that their league is a 6.  Not 6 one week, 730 the next, etc.  Mixed doubles in the past has had matches at either 5:30, 6, 7:00, 7:30,or 8:30.  And you could be playing at all of those times during the course of the league.  Hard to have a life that way.

The issue in the past has been not using the hard courts that the city has around town to offer.  Sure, most people want clay courts, but people also like consistency in scheduling times.  You love it for personal reservations, why wouldn't you love it for your once or twice a week league play?  Of course you would.  Easier to get a babysitter every Tuesday at 7, or every Friday at 6, rather than trying to lineup babysitters for a different time every Friday night.  I don't even have kids, and that sounds exhausting.

In order to make the usage of clay courts fair, simply rotate teams around so every team (to the best of the coordinator's ability) plays on clay the same number of times, while playing on hard courts at Tom Brown or Winthrop for the other matches.  Understandably, this may not be logistically possible for adult league, but it is feasible for mixed doubles on Friday nights.  After all, with only 3 courts needed per match, you have 12 at Tom Brown and 6 at Winthrop which gives you 6 mixed matches at every time slot in addition to the 12 clay courts you currently use at Forestmeadows. That means at any time slot, you can schedule 10 mixed matches.  Just food for thought.

9) USTA National should have an online match lineup app that takes the player inputs from the captains, and then spits out the line-ups based on STRENGTH.

This would be very easy for USTA to come up with, they already have everyone's dynamic NTRP ratings in their computer database (which you are not allowed to see).   A captain would input their lineup, designating who is playing singles, and who are doubles partners.  The program could then do an instant comparison and list who your #1, and #2 singles players are for the match based on strength, as well as compare all 3 doubles teams and rank them 1,2,3 based on strength.  This would have three effects.

First, every team match would be strength vs strength, the same way a college match is strength vs strength.  Second, the practice of "sacrificing" would be eliminated.  Third, you would always have the most competitively possible matches based on players' actual dynamic ratings.   No more gamesmanship lineup garbage?  I think that's a big plus.

10) Eliminate a player's ability to appeal their computer generated rating

There are two reasons this should be done away with.  One, either you believe in your system or you don't.  Two, when you grant an appeal to play down a level, their rating is NOT a computer rating, and the person is subject to the three strikes and you're out policy.  This by its very nature is unfair both to the player, their team, and the teams that play them.

Essentially, even if a player is injured, they have the choice to play at their computer generated level, sit out a season to heal if necessary, and let the system adjust their rating based on results.  Anytime you are adjusting ratings based on emotion, you are looking for trouble. 

  

Reader Suggested Topic - Why Are No US Men or Women competing for Slam Titles?

The last American man to win a Grand Slam singles title was Andy Roddick in 2003 at the US Open.  Mind you he was greatly assisted in winning that title by the weather delays that year, which caused numerous players, including his finals opponent Juan Carlos Ferrero, to play 3 best 3 of 5 matches back-to-back-to back.  Meanwhile, the USTA ensured Roddick got his days off, and played every one of is matches at night.  Be that as it may, after this generation of tennis fans passes away, no one will remember anything other than Andy Roddick was the 2003 US Open Men's Singles Champion.

The last American female NOT named Venus or Serena to win a major was Jennifer Capriati at the 2002 Australian Open.  Venus is done as far as winning majors, and once Serena hangs up her racquet, tennis will be dominated by foreign players like the men's side.  There are no upcoming American players ready or able to take the leap to the next step.

Why?  Why can't a country of 350 million people produce any top contenders in the men's or women's games?  Numerically speaking, we should have far more players than Spain, France, and the like.

The common issues reported by the media as to why are as follows:

1) Our best athletes don't play tennis - instead they are playing football, basketball, and baseball.

This has always been the case.  Even when American tennis dominated the game from the 30's through the mid 80s and again with Sampras and Agassi in the 90s, the United States' best athletes were always playing football, baseball and basketball.  However, the game was not as phtsically demanding as it has become, and with modern technique and the power of the game, better athletes will be better at tennis.  To counter that argument, I submit athleticism evolves with the game, and better athletes are being developed as we speak.  The US athletes playing tennis today are far superior to the athletes of yesteryear (save Isner).

2) It is too expensive to play tennis, thus minorities don't have the same opportunity to play.

This has also always been the case, even when we were a dominant country.  The only remedy to this "problem" is to offer free tennis training, and pay the coaches who give it salaries, which goes against every capitalistic bone in our collective bodies.  However, this will also not solve the problem, because it isn't the core issue.

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In order to understand what has transpired, you must first examine the changes the professional game undertaken over the past 20 years.  First, the court surfaces have gotten slower, with more clay court events, slower, higher bouncing hard courts, and slower higher bounce grass courts.  In previous iterations of American tennis, it was a style of quick points, big serves, serve and volley, and hit the forehand big.  That won our players lots of majors over time, because those styles of play suit lower bouncing, faster courts.  Those styles do not work on slower, higher bouncing courts, where your footwork, movement and fitness now play a major role in you're ability to win and lose.  We must change how we teach the game to our kids, because the game itself has changed. 

Second, the world caught up to us, and surpassed us as far as developmental coaching.  In almost all other countries the government funds/supports developmental programs for tennis.  They pay coaches salaries, and those coaches follow that country's system of instruction.  The fact that their coaches aren't trying to make tons of money, means they devote their time to actually teaching the kids "correctly" within the framework of that country's system.  It also frees them to focus on one child that is a star, without fear they won't make any money.  This also eliminates the family's need to pay the coach for their time, because it is free.

Other countries have a system of development, not a loosely defined pathway like the USTA.  They have actual systems for what to teach, when to teach it, for how long, and in proper progressions.  America does not have such a system.  One coach may have one, but go online and try to find a system of teaching the game.  You won't find one.  In France and Spain, as an example, no matter what tennis club a child goes to, they WILL be taught from the same exact system.  Pro selection comes down merely to personality match.   In the US, there is no universal system, either by consensus or by force of government.  One might argue capitalism should promote the creation of such a system, and even a better one than these other countries have.  In theory this may be true, but what is also true, is that in a capitalistic society, it's every man for himself, and sharing such information is bad for business.  If I came up with the best system in the world, why would I share it and help you compete against me?

The USTA is also part of the problem.  On their website they strongly discourage the goal of playing professional tennis.  In fact they promote college tennis as the proper pathway for American kids.  This is also backwards from how the rest of the world views competitive player development.  You may have seen US National Soccer Team Coach Jurgen Klinsmann make this exact argument as to why US soccer is behind the rest of the world.  He said, and I'm paraphrasing, that the US sets high school and college scholarships as the developmental goals for the kids, rather than professional soccer.  This attitude in soccer, and unfortunately, tennis, is partially to blame for a lack of top professional players.  You are always limited by the goals you set for yourself.  In other countries, the goals are to produce professional players, and those who don't cut it, get college scholarships.  It is a mindset, and this country does not have it.

We must change our attitudes collectively if we want to be a nation that dominates tennis again.  We seem to take our greatness as a nation for granted, and then get surprised when things aren't working out they way we would hope.  To win at the highest levels, you must have a commitment to be the best above all other things.   The countries that dominate now have set their goals, and their developmental pathway and teaching systems flow logically from the stated goal to put out the best players in the world.  We would be smart to follow their lead, although the likelihood of a government funded elite tennis program that would be free to the participants is highly doubtful.  Save for that, everything else the rest of the world is doing, can easily be transferred and incorporated here.