The Federer vs Nadal Rivalry

Why we can't have tennis without them for now
It's been a long time since Fed and Raffa have been at this peak and facing each other in the final and it is wonderful to see.  I own some of their matches on DVD and like other great matches have to replay them periodically.  It is something tennis lovers must do.

Can Fed Hit 18 Grand Slam Events - his path
He can do it simply because if he can win the one he just took he might be able to take another.  This is coming from a Fed fan of course so it is in my interest to hope he can do it.

Serena Williams

Margaret Court
I watched Margaret play when I was young.  She was superbly aggressive and graceful at the same time.  Her dominant approach to play was not normal for that era in her time so she rolled over many other women players.  Her record stands for the moment as the top women player in terms of major wins and total wins of majors.

Serena has a very good chance of catching her now that she is within striking range of the number 23 and then 24 which would put her on top.  Such is the thing of records.  Serena is so dominant among the women that I wonder what has happened to the rest of the pack.  Have they no answer?  Once or twice a player gets smart and plays for guile and touch rather than trying to out-slug Serena because that simply won't get the job done unless Serena has an off day.

Serena is back on top
This is no surprise since she sort of owns the spot.  It is as if she had taken a vacation and rented out the spot for a while and has moved back in.  Will she stay there?  For now it looks clear that she has all the prowess that she ever had on the court and the newest crop of women still can't measure up except for a now and then win when her game is off.

How to Beat Serena

What would I do if I were a woman trying to win against Serena?  Good question.

Serving: I suspect that my only focus would be on superb serve placement work that includes lots of slice to keep the ball low and moving to one side or the other.  The serve targets would be a mix of body serves and wide slices with nothing in her strike zone.

Groundstrokes:  Work on the the slice/underspin backhand skills and for that matter work on chip shots from both sides since the only way to hurt her is to bring her up short and low and then wide.   I would only give her high balls when sending up a moonball exchange to alter the pace and bounce height.

Slice backhand - Evonne Goolagong  -

Serena Williams vs Steffi Graf - check out the commentary on the Graf Backhand giving Serena problems.  Still, Serena wins this match with total power.  As much as Steffi had power Serena has more.  You can't outhit her, but you might be able to outwit her with tactics and an all court strategy.  Take a cue from Roger Federer revitalizing his game by using chip and charge along with more and more variation in his game.

Return of Serve:  Have strong serves against you hit from inside the baseline to increase speed and train closer and closer to the service line as a form of overtraining.  This can emulate a very heavy serve.  You need to be able to face down her serve and take it early even if it is simply to chip it back.  Her serve has to be neutralized.  In fact, I haven't seen anyone step in on her regularly to try to distract and intimidate her as I know some men would do against the same serve.  You need to find a way to block the serve back and attack.

The Tempo:  I'd give her no power except when or if I ever saw a mid court ball and could hit it deep to a corner.  Nothing short of that is anything but feeding her strength.  Instead, I'd mix the game up.  Picture a Steffi Graff backhand slice with lots of bite on the bounce.  The groundstrokes have to stay out of her strike zone either above her shoulders and down at her ankles at varying speeds.

All that said:  Meditate and contemplate facing off against your ultimate challenge because that is what she is for most of the players that come up against her.

Finally.  Congratulations to Serena.  She earned it again and again.  My only desire is to have some other players give her a challenge so that the tennis will seem more interesting.  This is the one thing the men's tour with epic five set battles between Fed and Raffa continues to offer.

Tennis Diet: Don't Skip Breakfast

Skipping Breakfast a bad idea

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/news/skipping-breakfast-bad-us-new-study-finds-links-heart-disease/

If you want to have a good start on the day eating a good breakfast seems like a good idea.  This research appears to back up what is common sense.

What I do every day:  I didn't always eat this way though I wish I had.

I always go for the first item of the day as protein and chase it down with a high fiber and low glycemic carbohydrate.  The fats that accompany the protein are the balance of energy that will slow absorption and give you a slow burn rather than a fast uptake and then blood sugar crash later.  As you age blood sugar issues and insulin resistance can become a problem if you go with the standard American breakfast of cereal and milk with sugar on top.

Starting the day with a solid protein breakfast such as salmon, chicken, eggs, ham, bacon, cheese or some other type of protein with some carbohydrates in the form of beans or bread in the form of an English muffin can give you the energy for a solid workout and also prevent snacking on junk.  Even having some vegetables or green items such as green beans or spinach can improve your nutrition but of course it not considered normal by most.  Find something that works for you and your performance.

Moderate intake of good fats prior to a workout also seems to work well where saturated fats are as always not the ideal for heart health.

Bottom Line:  Eat your breakfast rather than skip it.

Disclaimer:  I'm not a dietician or medical professional so consult one of these if you want professional advice on the subject.  The information above is simply my response to a new study and observations I have made with my own experience on food intake.

Tennis Pro Retirement Planning: A book you should read "The Gone Fishin' Portfolio" By Alexander Green

If you are a tennis Pro meaning tennis teacher you need to plan for the day when you can no longer put in 8 hour days on the court.  I did that for years and now find it impossible.  Thankfully, I put aside savings.  I hope you are in the early stages of your teaching career and take some suggestions regarding this.  Learn about investing.  That is my advice.  I'm not a financial advisor so all I want you to do start reading and learning.

Here is a good start and having read many books on the subject.

As someone who worked very hard for their money I didn't trust others with my savings so I took the approach of self investment.  I have other friends who did the same successfully.  The important thing is to start early and consistently set aside savings while putting off gratification for things like fancy cars and big homes.  All of these things are common sense.

What follows in the book is specific information on where and how to invest the money you save.

The review below is reprinted from my personal blog which is primarily about reviewing books that I read since reading is one of my biggest pastimes other than tennis which is my lifelong passion.

Review: The Gone Fishin' Portfolio By Alexander Green

This book boils down to two or three simple pages.  These list the portfolios you would use to safely diversify your investments while limiting the effort involved.

Simplicity and Brevity best describe the concept.  I have seen similar recommendations before but not in such a precise and complete discussion with a logical reasoning for this to work.

If you want to just set money aside and let it work then this approach makes sense.

The author also wisely suggests that only you care about your money like you do.  It is true.  Brokers and investment advisors are there to serve their interests and not yours no matter how much they profess otherwise.

Having read so many other investment books in the past I feel jaded on the subject of personal finance. I still found many of his points refreshing and honest as if from a man with no need to worry about what stating such things might cost him in the industry.  He has all he needs according to him so this may explain it.

Regardless, I like the choices involved such as the Vanguard group index funds which have always been my favorites.  His reasoning makes perfect sense based on reducing fees and expenses which over time become a major part of your return.

4.5  Stars **** 1/2   Strongly Recommend

Australian Open - Federer defeats Nadal, Serena defeats Venus

Australian Open

Congratulations to both Roger and Serena.

Roger Federer beats Rafael Nadal giving him some arguments against the Nadal owns him narrative.  It also gives Roger some hope that he can take another Wimbledon.  The one thing that is certain is that every day of Roger Federer still in Professional tennis is a great day for those of us who love his game.  Rafael is another favorite just because of his style of play that invokes epic struggle in every point.  Sadly, his style of play is also hard on his body and this may be why his game seems to be fading from the amazing levels he once managed to reach.  Watching them play against each other is still one of the most enjoyable moments available for tennis spectators.

Serena Williams beats Venus Williams in another all sister final.  The outcome was expected based on past results.  Venus is a charming personality while her sister Serena is a dominant force of nature.  Aside from her physical strength which gives her a serious advantage against all other women players it is also her force of will that takes it across the finish line or in this case match point.


Regarding Roger

He Wins

Hints at retirement or possible injury risk

Fed Wins Twitter goes wild

18th win For Fed



Video - Was this Australian win Federer's Greatest Ever?
It is clearly noteworthy and proof he is unequaled in his long term viability as a top player.

Cancer Breathalyzer Test

New Test will help avoid more intense procedures and give earlier diagnoses of stomach and throat cancers.

It seems that certain cancers are prevalent based on habits.  Others such as throat cancers may have a relationship to other digestive issues such as acid reflux that is common among aging people.  This test is a helpful option for anyone concerned about this.  It will help you avoid an endoscopy unless necessary.

Maintaining your health is a major reason to participate in sports and knowledge of how to stay on top of your health issues is an important aspect of that.

Australian Open News

Old Gang all in the finals
Williams Sisters, Fed, and Raffa all in singles finals at the Australian.  It's an amazing show of the elders out there.

The hottest looking at the Open

Back Pain

Here is a slideshow on back problems and pain.

I've had my own share of back problems and can tell you that once it's there you'll usually always have it around lurking in the background waiting for a chance to take you down.

First it helps to know what the problem is.   This slide show gives you some idea of the various problems that can crop up.  The most important one for tennis players is to know the difference between muscle and disc injuries.  Usually with muscle injuries your back stiffens up as a form of protection.  The weakened back is then more vulnerable to disc injuries and those are your nightmare.  Usually disc injuries show up in leg and arm pains that radiate.   Lifting too much weight is often the a cause of back injuries or lifting incorrectly.

Here is a WebMD informational on proper lifting.

I learned from experience that keeping my hamstrings well stretched cut down on my injury risk and the pain of recovery once I did get a back injury.  There are ways of stretching correctly and ways to do it incorrectly.

Here are a few links for proper stretching methods.

http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/sport-injuries/thigh-pain/tight-hamstring-muscles/stretching-tight-hamstrings

http://www.popsugar.com/fitness/5-Easy-Hamstring-Stretches-1983373#photo-1983373

https://breakingmuscle.com/learn/stretching-your-hamstrings-isnt-always-best

http://www.menshealth.com/fitness/tight-hamstrings-0

I'm not a doctor or physical therapist so only use this for informational purposes and consult a physician if you experience any symptoms discussed or shown above.

Emotional Stability and Tennis: How to Master Yourself and the Game

Is winning at tennis all about being in touch with your feelings and being one with the ball.  Or maybe you can improve your game by fixing stroke problems by simply becoming one with the swing.  Well maybe.  Somehow I don't see Nadal, Federer, or Djokovic spending a lot of time on areas like this when physical improvements and mechanical fixes probably took them to the next level.  The psyche is a big key to getting there but more in the way of how you see problems and solutions.  I can bet that each of them used the time proven method of improvement to the highest levels which was sustained and focused effort on improvement of a specific area of their game.

In the mental realm it also becomes an issue as to how do you cope with the rigors of competition where someone must lose and someone must win.  Some experts might say you should always maintain a positive mental attitude and smile through all of the challenges and defeats.  I see that as problematic.  More likely the best way to survive in the realm of such intensity is to factor in a sense of humor.  Humor can be found in almost anything if you can see the positive aspects of even the worst situations or those where all seems lost.

A Personal Example

I can give you a personal example.  I had a friend in childhood whose father took him to play tennis regularly so he had a big edge on me whenever we played.  He beat me for years and it seems I could never take him down.  It got to be a joke with me.  I'd tell him every time we played and I lost as he gloated and smiled that these losses were a wonderful opportunity for me.  I explained that when the day arrived that I began the winning against him it would be that much more glorious.  He'd laugh and laugh.

Then one day it happened.  Oh the joy.  It was true.  That one win was equal and in some ways superior to all his dozens and dozens of wins.  For that one win to me said I had finally overcome him.  Those losses were no different to me than being behind the leader in a race until the end when you took him in the straightaway.

How did I learn that strategy?  Well, my same friend taught it to me.  You see, I had a pool table in the basement of our house so I was a pretty good pool player.  He couldn't beat me no matter how he tried or so it seemed.  One day I had beaten him seven games in a row and was getting bored with the whole thing and somehow made a mistake that let him win.  As soon as he won that game he started laughing, smiling, and said "Ha, I finally am better than you.  I gotta leave now."

I was so bummed out from that moment that I felt that I had lost the whole day since it was the final game that mattered in the end just like in tennis.

Tennis is about Today

In tennis it is "What have you done for me lately."

Ask Murray right now.  He's at the top.  All those years of being an also-ran among the Gods of Tennis clearly had him struggling with the concept of how to cope with losses since until his first Wimbledon it always seemed he'd come up short.

Federer is now number 17.  How do you think he feels?  I actually think he is handling it well considering he knows that no matter how great you once were your time will come.

I'll give you a for-instance.  It's possible I could beat Rod Laver right now.  Some of you don't even know who he is and and need to do a Google search to find out.  I'll save you some time.  He is still arguably the Greatest of All time if you factor in his two Grand Slams since he mastered all the surfaces.  I hear he's stopped playing due to hip problems which I am well acquainted with myself.  Sure, he's older than me and probably can't run but what does that have to do with it.  From a totally objective point of view if I got him out on the court and took the match I could claim to have beaten him.  Of course it would be no different than if I had beat him when he was 6 years old and just taking up the game.  It really wouldn't mean much.   Now, if I took him at Wimbledon in his prime that would be something else, it would have never happened,  but it's definitely not gonna happen in this timeline.   He had his run as one of the best ever and that time comes and goes for everyone.  Some can't cope with it well, and I believe he does in a way that is superb and admirable.  I still see him as the Rocket who used to cover the court like no one else.  So all wins and losses are relative to the time and place.   I still revel in the matches that I was blessed to watch Laver play.  I even replay them on video now and then, and the same now for Federer matches.

Federer also appears to be on track to be a master of understanding when it comes to facing his inevitable decline.  He still loves tennis and that to me is what makes him so special and so wonderful to watch in play that I think I'd watch him play if he was reduced to nothing but stationary drills.  He has a joy in his game that comes through at every moment.  Lots of other players have it too, but not all of them.

Your Approach to Winning and Improvement Toward Mastery

If you have reached the apogee of your level and play and still can't beat the lowest guy on the ladder then sure you can admit that you might be a hack.  But if you're still on the rise and especially if you're a junior player with a decade or so of guaranteed improvement if you persist then you should take every point lost, every game lost, and every match lost as just another opportunity to excel down the road.  There is no losing if you take that attitude


Also, as an aside here is an interesting article on how those with morbid humor might be more stable than others.  I think it falls in alignment with the argument I made about eventually beating my friend.  Suppose I just waited until the day came when he had all but given up the game and then took him down for the win.  I could still claim victory and there it is.  Others that I might want to beat I might have to wait until they're on a ventilator and that of course might be problematic unless they're much older than me.  Do you get idea here.  Have fun with it all and focus on you and your improvement using any mental means of coping with the losses that are sure to arrive.
Emotionally Stable People Enjoy Morbid Humor
https://psmag.com/smart-emotionally-stable-people-enjoy-morbid-humor-25544fcb4a9b#.nauvi2nl0

Vitas Gerulaitis - "Nobody beats Vitas Gerulaitis  17 times in a row."

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2012/08/playing-ball-losing-them-all/37791/

Vitas said this after losing 16 matches in a row to Jimmy Connors and it least he showed his sense of humor on that day among many other times as well.  He won the 17th.   He was an entertaining guy. More importantly though, despite his bad luck of being on the tennis scene when some of the best players ever were out there to hand him loss after loss he was still exceptional.  We simply all can't be number one.  Even Bjorn Borg who was at the very top at the time saw his time come against John McEnroe as did he when rather than other players taking him down it appeared that married life did the job.

Just Keep Working on it, both your game and your joy of just playing.

Tennis Diet: Low Carb Snacks, Bringing Wheat Back into Your Diet

Tennis players often think they have an unlimited allowance for carb intake since they spend so many hours burning calories.  All you ever hear is pasta, pasta, pasta.

Though this is a great way to intake lots of calories it isn't necessarily the best way to limit inflammation and manage your overall health.  A few weeks of forced rest due to injury and you'll see some love handles and the beginning of a stomach bulge where fat is stored.

Here is a short slideshow of how to control your calorie intake while still satisfying your needs for carbs, protein, and fat.

http://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-low-carb-snacks?ecd=wnl_dia_012117&ctr=wnl-dia-012117_nsl-promo-v_1&mb=TmBTaYiWmCKEqZu9Db5wHihonS%2fH3cwygOZAA1me11s%3d


Bringing Wheat Back Into Your Diet
https://www.lewrockwell.com/2017/01/joseph-mercola/reboot-digestion/

Some people may have taken the step of not eating wheat due to worries about gluten and excess carbs that might also risk inflammation have taken a source of protein and carbohydrate out of their diets.  One thing you might do it follow some of the advice of people who know more about methods of eating wheat.  The article above is very detailed on the subject.  It seems that the less it is modified and refined and the closer it is to its original state the more likely you'll get the benefits of it.  Stay with organic and whole grain foods that include wheat and you'll experience some of the benefits of a natural diet that include good digestion, moderate sugar intake, high nutrients, and great fiber balance.  What's not to like.

Time Flies on the Court: New research confirms it

Time Flies

For anyone who enjoys the game you know that time flies on the court when the play is fun.  On the other hand it seems to go slow if you're taking a beating out there.

As an added note specific to tennis.  Indoor tennis time flies two times faster than outdoor tennis.  It must have something to do with the apprehension and anxious anticipation of running out of time.  It always seems to go fast.

Free Tennis Book Promotion: Tennis Basics - Learning the Sport

 FREE TENNIS BOOK

January 17-21, 2017

Starting Tuesday January 17 - 21 when you go to the amazon site this book is available free for download.  Tell your tennis playing friends.  Even if you're an intermediate player you may find something in this book that is new or helps you improve your game.

Focus versus Multitasking: Practice One Thing - No Distractions

Multitasking reduces IQ 
It is less efficient.  I found many years ago that I don't multitask well and need to set everything else aside to do my best whether it is writing, reading, or learning a skill.  Your mind will benefit by having a full immersion in whatever you are trying to master.

I try to take this down to a micro level to get the most out of any practice and especially on a specific skill.

For instance, rather than just hitting down the line backhands no matter where the ball comes from I use a specific spin, speed, and target on a long repetition of shots to groove the stroke and refine it to perfection, or as close as I can get to it.  Especially on a new skill or shot it is best to isolate and develop it to understand the individual elements needed to make it work.

The Serve Practice in Isolation

Try this on serving as well.  Work on one thing such as a slice serve to the deuce court on the forehand sideline halfway between the service line and net.  Take it further and work on serving from a specific spot at the baseline that will make it work for you.  Most opponents won't even notice if you move a little farther to the right to get the angle on the shot.  I call it indexing your serve position much like a pitcher will find the same place on the mound before starting the windup.

Spend your whole practice session on that one thing and of course stop if you notice it's bothering your arm.   Not only that, but repeat this practice over the course of a week for some spaced repetition to own it.  This is how you add a new skill to your list of tools on the court.

Mental Health in Tennis and Sports

Half of Young People cannot focus due to emotional problems.

To think that this problem is new makes no sense since the human condition hasn't.  What has changed is the awareness of it and of course the sub-specialization in psychology that focuses on youth.  They needed to come up with a study so here it is and of course there may be more stresses on kids today so I'm not discounting the problem.  But here is the bigger problem.

Coping with such emotional problems in the past were not just a prescription away so unless you wanted to become addicted to illegal drugs, alcohol, or some other outlet you'd just flounder.

Just a quick tip. I don't know about you but I had stresses in youth.  I attribute my relatively unscathed survival during these times to sports participation.  Rather than relying on parties, alcohol, and a bunch of friends to get me into trouble I took to the focus of sports.  While some of my friends from earlier years became addicts,  other friends that took to sports instead skipped the bad outcome.   It seemed to be a universal outcome.

If you want an alternative or supplement to therapy and drug treatment to depression consider physical activity and based on recent information spend a lot less time on social networks and your phone.

Blood Test for Longevity

Now they say they can test your blood and predict how long you'll live.
I'm not sure I want to know and I'd sure like to be sure that it is accurate before I risk a panic attack once I found out and then lived a decade longer than predicted.

Here is one for you.

Play tennis and you'll extend your longevity simply by having a physical activity that puts you in a small active group past age 70.

Mediterranean Diet for Brain Health

Med Diet News
There are many good reasons to follow the Mediterranean diet and one now seems to be a benefit to the brain.

Needless to say, anything you can do to improve your cognitive health in later years will also help you on the tennis court.  Combined, your physical activity and healthy diet will pay dividends for enjoyment of life.

Chili Peppers: An anti-cancer cure?

New study on Chili Peppers

Taking supplements from the ingredients of this food has anti-inflammatory qualities.  It may be possible use this food for a cancer cure down the road but for the time being it may have protective qualities.  I don't do hot food well so a supplement that gives me some of the benefits is the only way I'll get there.

Check out your options on this.  Here is one I take for inflammation.