Renaming the AO now that entry is restricted to only the fully vaxxed

Renaming the AO: The Aussie Open might soon be known as the Semi-Open in honor of the common Semi-Open Stance in Tennis. Some suggest naming it the closed once only fully vaxxed citizens of Australia are eligible to play it due to travel restrictions.

Ana Ivanovic - Hall of Fame?

 She's been nominated.

Beginner Private Student that doesn't Practice. What to do.

I'd get the student into a group class of the same beginner level where you can introduce practice and play and she can meet other students. This is a tried and true approach and will keep her in the game. To me, part of your job is to do that and also not lose paying students. She will thank you if you accomplish that.

Pantheon of Tennis - Novak is in the Temple now.

This is an interesting perspective on Novak in that it might help explain the disdain many have for him that may be very much attributable to his playing style combined with his personal style. I've adjusted myself to both and see the precision he has achieved as an equally superb attribute. I am still also a Fed and Rafa fan among many other top tennis players. They all have their place in the Pantheon of Tennis Greats. 

 Novak Now at Another Height

His critics can claim what they want. Unfortunately for them, he has made his place in the front of the Pantheon of Tennis Greats. Even his worst critics are now forced to admit it even if only with backhanded and underhanded commentary.

 He leaves Alcaraz Speechless for his praise.

 

What happens to old Tennis Champions at the end of their career? What to do. Solution - play doubles.

I see Fed is hoping to come back to play singles again.   He's a few years ahead of Novak in age so this will be a portent of what Novak may face.

For Fed:  As long as he can move past the injury I can see some flashes of his old self, but it will be hard to keep it up. Recovery at this age is the problem especially if you're in a tournament for a couple weeks and have matches day after day. I would actually like to see him and many other top singles players shift to doubles play to extend their careers and also popularize that aspect of tennis again. He could also take some trophies with the right partner that would add to the tally. That is how they are counting it still right, slam title wins, not broken down by singles and doubles.

As for Novak, I think he has years left on the singles court and I hope that when that time comes when he finds trouble getting to the finals of big tournaments.   I'd like to see Novak play doubles at the end of his career as well to prove that in every category that he can rule the court.   

Med Changes the Order of Tennis - 1st outside of the Big 3 to Finish Year End in Top 3

 Medvedev

Stefanos undergoes elbow Surgery

 Stefanos undergoes Elbow Surgery

Best luck to him.  

A Monster Novak Point

 People were amazed.  Not me only because I've seen him do this before.

WTA - Gabby wins final

Gabby 

Basketball and Tennis - How the Ready Position/Stance is the same

Visualize how a basketball player prepares to defend against a player with the ball coming their way. It looks the same as a tennis player about to receive. The requirements are the same to prepare for a fast break in Basketball and a ready stance/position in tennis.

Osaka and Djokovic shocked at Peng Shuai Disappearance

Shocked 

Kyrgios - Vax mandates morally wrong

 Nick

 This is a surprise.  

Should AO be cancelled

Peng

 Missing Since Accusation

What Novak Reaching 7 Means to Sampras

What it means to Sampras

Great words of praise coming from Pete for Novak's achievement.   

 

 

What it means to a tennis fan.

My response is admiration and the understanding that I'm witnessing sublime mastery.

It means even more to you if you worked very hard yourself at the same sport and believe you know how difficult this is to accomplish.

 

Rafa Lays down the Gauntlet for Novak

 Rafa

This isn't a good look for Rafa.  He should reconsider his judgement toward those who question the narrative for the necessity of an experimental medical treatment.

Mats Wilander on Novak's Comeback in Paris

 Mats

Coming from Mats, this has the perspective of actual experience and insight. Novak does seem to remake himself after every disaster or defeat. Few have that resiliency.

 Can Novak Prove Himself in Turin?

 

Novak the GOAT - at the top since 2011

21 or True Love?

 He has love enough from his ardent fans.   I believe that he should only worry about 21 slams and that is it along with staying at #1 as long as possible.

 

Novak wants to break all records

 Novak

BJK on Rafa and total slams

 BJK  on Rafa and her admiration for him

I agree with BJK on Rafa as a very good model of behavior and self control. It's fun to consider the numbers might have been if another player wasn't around to compete for the titles. Guessing on this gets you nowhere because there are so many other factors. Saying that Chris or Martina would have 40 slams without the other is probably to diminish Margaret Court who she never mentions. Without Rafa and Fed, Novak might already have 30+ and so would the other two if their direct rivals didn't exist. Oh, and Rod Laver would have had another dozen or more for thos 7+ yeas he was kept from competing by turning pro, and same for Ken Rosewall. Woulda coulda!

Is the Upcoming Australian Open in trouble as the decision to mandate the Vax is still undecided

I think that the AO won't give in after the way they have been mercilessly treating their citizens over mandates of both masks and the Vax. Then the question is will Novak and the others submit. Someone mentioned that they can just get a jab of water and call it a Vax with enough money. That is plausible. What are the AO authorities going to do, challenge the documents? Then the whole thing falls apart. As it is, they don't include the Sputnik Vax or the Chicom one as far as I know. This is a mess.

 AO 2022 Up in the Air over Vax 

  Med is in.  He says he'll attend. 

 Is Novak Stranded now that Med is in at the AO

Following the style of top players to become a tennis player - Is it a good idea?

 I posed this question to other coaches.

Coaches: Something came to mind this morning as Novak took another record at the top of tennis. Some of you don't like his style and I understand that. We all enjoyed Fed's elegant style of play and Rafa's physicality on the court. 

 

My question is, if Karsten Braasch were the man taking all of the records right now how would it change your teaching, especially the serve. 

 

Or would you change nothing other than maybe having to convince students that his style isn't the best way to go to become a great player? Just wondering.

 

 

Novak Goes to Serve and Volley

 He does whatever it takes within the rules.   This is commitment. 

Novak Adapts to Win

Novak playing doubles recently now makes sense in hindsight. It was part of a grand strategy to become an all-court-player. I think that he has arrived. Reminder: Fed took the same route along with a racket change as he lost a step to age. This is also the path of Ken Rosewall who was a dominant back court player who used it to stay competitive into his late 30s. He made it to two GS finals at age 39 only to be beaten by a young Jimmy Connors. Then of course there was Laver who relied on his serve and volley more and more as age slowed his step.

Time vs Timing in Tennis

Americans focus on time when it comes to tennis.  

I saw a post online that mentioned that the Spanish focus on timing while Americans focus on time when it comes to tennis.  I believe he had a point.

Take no prisoners and fight to the last man. No retreat. I used to tell those students that tended to back up and move in to never give up ground. Having a great deep volley also made the court smaller so that you were closer to the net than you believed. 

I remember myself telling students that they can compress time by moving forward and thus remove time from their opponent.  Americans are time focused.   Imagine when hey played some matches on parquet back in the '60s. Time was everything. There wasn't time for timing. 

Novak Djokovic Domination Continues

 New Records

"Stat of the Day: Novak Djokovic has now reached at least the final at 50 of the last 100 Masters 1000 events he’s played."

Novak's 2021 Season - One for the record books

 The best matches of Novak DJokovic 2021

Most people don't know how hard this is to accomplish.  Even your average tennis player has no idea the improbability of this.  It takes an exceptional effort especially when you look at the total number of matches that a player must play in a year to get this result.