Thursday, December 28, 2017

The Federer Saga: When?

When will he retire?
I suggest he keep things even and just say go for 2020 and if he's still going well then he should add another two years.


Keeping his expectations in check.
We all hope he stays smart and well enough to keep the run going for another decade or so.   Expectations or not, can we as Federer fans not be blamed for our selfish desire for the Maestro to continue as long as possible.

Tuesday, December 26, 2017

Tennis News: Sloane Returns, Novak returns, Dog on Christmas,

Sloane looking for return after slump.
Come on Sloane, we want to see another Major Win. 

Novak learns hard lesson on injuries and layoffs
It's good to see him back.  He's been missed.

Dog opens his supersize tennis ball Christmas Present




Monday, December 25, 2017

Federer vs Sampras: A Retrospective

Federer vs Sampras in the twilight

In essence, Federer still loves just playing the game and from there springs his joy at winning and acceptance of losing.

Saturday, December 23, 2017

Tennis Career Changed Forever: Roger Federer

Career Changing Moment for Federer

This is a reality check for any athlete is the moment an injury occurs that you know is either career ending or will limit your performance in the future.  It happens to many before they are ever known and the ones you see in the upper levels of any sport are just the ones that avoided injuries. 

Thursday, December 21, 2017

Bartoli Back Out of Retirement: Great News

Welcome Back Bartoli

Bartoli was one of my favorite players on the Women's Tour.  Her energy and focus are legend and Watching her  Win Wimbledon Was Wonderful.


One Salad a Day Keeps You Young?

Salad gives 11 year brain boost

There are a lot of reasons to eat salads such as increased fiber for good digestion, fresh food that has many more nutrients, and of course reduced inflammation.  This can be seen as another reason to include at least one fresh salad in your diet daily.

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Kyrgious update

Kyrgious goes coachless

We'll see how this works out for him.  I wonder if it's because he doesn't like the discipline that comes with dealing with a coach or coaches don't want to deal with bad behavior.  He can be a great player, but his mind is the only thing holding him back.

Tuesday, December 19, 2017

Retirement Risk: Die Early, Loneliness

Dying Early Comes With Early Retirement Says Study

Two things here.  One is that many who retire early do so because of health issues rather than desire to stop working.  But for those who choose to stop working the other risk may be lack of activity.  This is where regular exercise, social engagement, and something that gives you purpose can keep you healthy both physically and mentally.  Here again is my argument for taking up tennis if you aren't a player or to get back into it if you can play and have stopped.  Those who stay with the game are the best candidates for long term health and overall happiness.

Loneliness Can Make You Sick

Stay social.  Go out and participate in something and of course my preference is tennis and I hope it might be yours.


Saturday, December 16, 2017

Vitamin Therapy - Does it work

Vitamin Therapy 

If it is possible to reverse pre-diabetes  with such a regimen then added to a regular exercise program which most won't do seems even more beneficial.

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

Novak Hires Specialist to Beat Nadal

Specialist

He needs to do something to get past Rafa. 

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Is Being Left Handed in Tennis an Advantage

Advantage or Not

The article says not really, but I suggest that especially in the lower ranks having a left handed slice serve is a great advantage.

The other big advantage a lefty has is that right handers don't see them as often on the court and many times don't figure out they're playing a lefty until the first set is over and soon the match.  Playing against a left handed player that has the strong ad court slice serve and a very strong forehand puts many right handers off their game because they tend to attack the backhand side for a right hander, the ad court, as a strategy.  Doing so feeds right into the strength of a lefty forehand while this allows for a strong crosscourt play to the right hander's backhand.  Add in a very strong two handed backhand like Rafa and you have a hard game play against.

If I were given a choice knowing I would be a tennis player I'd choose being born a lefty.  Consider yourself lucky if you love tennis and are a southpaw.

Friday, December 8, 2017

Tennis News: Muguruza on Nadal, Formula One or Tennis, Nadal and Muguruza ITF Winners

Muguruza

Spain has some class and powerhouse tennis players.  It's amazing how much talent they have.



Nico Roseberg Chose Racing over Tennis 

He chose Formula One but it seems his heart is still in tennis.  It doesn't hurt to be able to watch it from a box in Wimbledon.


ITF Winners

This is  a great milestone for Muguruza as it is proof that she has arrived along with her Championship wins, and for Nadal it is a testament to his indomitable will when it comes to winning on the court.   Both of them deserve this.

Sunday, December 3, 2017

Tennis News: Federer Hints at Retirement from Davis Cup and Olympics, Serena and Maria Make Cameo

Federer Hints at Retirement

So he's managing his time and inevitable decline as best he can by limiting the areas where he competes.  This sounds smart to me.  Anything is good to keep him on the tour.

Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova to make Cameo

Saturday, December 2, 2017

Wheelchair Tennis GB

Wheelchair Masters

Wheelchair Masters results 

The part of the sport isn't covered much so when I come across some results I like to post them. 

Retirement is one Third of Your Life - Think Tennis

Retirement is one third of your life

I don't agree with this time assessment since many will not be able to retire at sixty and live to ninety.  But keeping in mind that it might cover one fourth of your life then you might consider what pastimes you can participate in while you hit those so called golden years.  Think Tennis

Tennis Coaching: An Example of What It Can Be

Kendall Bolock excels

I'll let the article speak for itself.  Just read to see all the things this young lady has gained from tennis so far and credit has to start with a beginning on the tennis court by a coach.  Time, effort, and motivation supply the rest.

History of the Tennis Racket

The History of the Tennis Racket is something few tennis players know or consider.  Those of us old enough have been able to play with frames of every recent innovation.  The following links and comments should give you some understanding of what changes have come along in the past fifty to sixty years in tennis rackets.

Evolution
One thing left out of this article was that the inventor of the metal tennis racket was Renee Lacoste and this came out in the form of the T-2000 by Wilson and popularized by Jimmy Connors.  I never liked the racket myself but it did start a move toward metal frames that dominated the sport for over a decade until composite frames came along.

Then came the oversized rackets with the big heads.  First came the Weed.  It was huge and I think the reason it never took off was the balance and control issues that came with a racket that resembled a butterfly net that was tightly weaved.  It gave you power but control was something else.  Then along came Howard Head.  Howard Head Wiki

Obituary - Howard Head - 1991

This article strays from invention to make clear the title of the story really is about social causes which is not what I want to show you but the article does have some good information on Howard Head.   It's funny to see engineers go on about social issues.  Think of the real and actual benefit of the oversized rackets.  It did make life easier for many players.  But the tennis boom had occurred before the big rackets came along and it was dying because the sport was difficult among other things and disorganized.  The mistakes made were with governments who thought that if you built lots of courts everywhere that people would play and they did for a while.  What was really needed was the Junior programs, tournaments, and coaching to get people involved in the sport and get past the hard beginning.  The big rackets helped as well since they made up to some extent for technique and mobility but in the end those two things still carry the day once the big size rackets are factored in.   As a correction:  The Weed Racket was the first oversized frame and the details of it's invention aren't known to me, but it's possible that more than one person came up with the idea at the same time.

Racket-ball is an easy sport by comparison and you see how that has all but gone by the wayside as a means of recreation.  So making a sport easy is only part of it.  It also has to have enough complexity and benefit of continued effort to prove that someone is not just a jock but a disciplined athlete or at least a focused competitor.    We'll see how Pickleball fares over the long term but for now it seems that it is designed for Seniors who either have trouble moving as much or never really learned to play tennis.
Now with USTA leagues the sport at least has a strong following among adults but other sports such as soccer still have the greater support of county programs.

This is where the ITF gets some credit.  You have to strike a balance between making the sport easy and just taking away the essential elements that make watching good tennis so wonderful.   Thus the ITF defines the rules on how a racket must be designed to be allowed in amateur and professional play.


Big Bubba and other Outlaws - The 29 inch racket rule 


I always got a laugh looking at some of these frames.  The problem is that you have to change your game to accommodate them as even Roger Federer found out during his transition to a larger racket head but the positive outcome is hard to dispute.


10 Rackets that changed the Game


I've played with many of these and am quite happy to enjoy the Head Radical OS Series now.  In their day each of these frame contributed to some great tennis performances. 










Friday, December 1, 2017