Adelaide tournament director: 'Sharp' Novak Djokovic ready to take on all contenders

Novak Djokovic ready to take on all contenders

Australia Open to Djokovic for 2023 - Considers Banning Russians - Sports Minister

Australian Open

At some point, countries that ban athletes based on bad policy should have their events taken from them.  

Punishing Russian citizens for the actions of their country is bad policy.

Novak on-court and in-gym stretching regimen

Novak  on-court stretching regimen

 

Bands, Stretches, and warm-up

 

 

 

Giorgi under Suspicion for Fake Vax

 Giorgi

Definition:  Suspicion is suspecting something on little or no evidence.

How to Develop Volley Control from Beginner to Advanced

Imagine a  65 year beginner that can't learn the trick for volleys.   Do you make them do pushups when they fail.  Not likely.  65 year olds couldn't get up off the ground without help after trying to do one pushup. I'd suggest using carrot cake rather than the stick approach.    The cake is success without much pain and lots of encouragement.

I might show them racket drills for volley skills that they can practice at home. This allows them to improve their ability to control a ball in the air. I use this for kids and beginning adults. Dribble the ball on the court with the racket and then do the reverse just bouncing it in the air. They can learn to reverse the racket to each side, catch the ball with the racket l, and then graduate to moving short volley drills with a partner down the net. 

Or, you can send them to a wall and have them keep the ball in the air against a wall. Go to 3:58 on this video and it's something to show your student that they can practice on their own.   This is a good training video.   

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GU7mq8uZgJo

Was Federer Clutch? His performance in tough spots.

 An analysis.   This is good.

Tennisabstract

Copy Novak on the Return of Serve for Success

 

This statistic on points won after returning first serves confirms his top spot in this category. He returns the ball and places it well enough to create a better-than-even position for winning the point. It pays to copy Novak on this to win.

 

ATP Tour Article - Novak is #1 on Return of Serve

Who will ever pass Novak, Nadal, or Federer in Slams?

One person says it will happen.  I have my doubts that it will happen anytime in the next two decades.

 Slam History Leader - Will it happen?

Novak - AO Update - Support Increases

 Pushback Drops from Australians

Physical Conditioning for the Task - Old Age Tennis Conditioning -

Playing tennis or operating in any strenuous physical environment is best accomplished with activity specific conditioning.  As you age, it becomes even more important.

Here is a quick list of items you might consider for Tennis.

Morning pre-breakfast workout.

My first intake of the day is coffee and whatever initial supplements I take such as fish oil, Vitamin D, and a multi.  I get no food until my first strength and flexibility workout.  It's a deal I make with myself that considers eating a reward after the effort required to get through the 30-60 minute workout.

First effort:  Inversion table

The inversion table doesn't have to be a static stretch of your spine.  While you are upside down or at whatever angle of decline you put on your spine for disc decompression, you can still do other things with your hands while upside down.   

I use an assortment of fine motor skill repetitions to use the upside down time efficiently.  If you're involved in any sport that requires hand grip strength and dexterity there are a grip devices you can use.   These include grip strength trainers, finger strength trainers, and stress balls.  Use whatever you want but use the time to accomplish something that will improve your grip strength, finger dexterity, and endurance.

Second:   Curls

Using light weights like a 10lb or 15lb kettle ball I go for reps on both arms, one at a time.  I go until my arms are done, and then move to a heavier one for fewer reps.

Third:  Pullups and Chinups

A Pull-up/Chin-up bar in a door frame allows for shoulder and upper body use.  I don't have to lift your full body weight initially or ever to get some value out of this.   I use my feet to give an assist since I have some injuries that age has told me won't ever fully recover.  That doesn't stop the ability to use half weight limited-range-of-motion pull-ups and chin-ups.  I won't hurt myself if I choose more repetitions and less weight and range of motion to get maximum benefit.

How to Avoid Injury for Weight Lifting

Australian Open 2023- Will Novak Win

 Opinion - The odds go with him to make it #10 at the AO 2023.

Kim Clijsters

Australia Paying Price for Mistreatment of Novak Djokovic

 Potential tourists don't like what they saw.   I would never visit there based on what they did to a high profile visitor since I would never even be noticed if I were to be hauled away.  

Forget that place.

Australian Gulag

Big 3 Stats at End of Year 2022

 

Future ATP Finals on Clay?

That would be odd since a good majority of tournaments are on Hard Courts.

Clay?

Biggest Spread among ATP Finals Titles - Novak owns the record

The biggest spread between ATP Finals titles.

 
Novak Djoković 14
Roger Federer 8
Pete Sampras 8
Boris Becker 7
Ivan Lendl 6                                                                                                                                                       John McEnroe 6

Who is the Real Number One in the World of Men's Tennis

 I believe that this man has it right.

Novak would have passed 400 weeks at #1 if they hadn't wrecked his momentum with the mandates.

Rafa out of Turin

This may be Nadal's first expression of self-doubt. Once that creeps into your psyche, invincibility disappears. That is especially true once the other challengers in the pack sense weakness. The former Big 3 may soon become the Big 1.

Time is moving against Nadal. Alcaraz can thank political intrigue for denying his competition for #1 the opportunity to compete. More than one official has slipped when naming who is #1 when promoting his entry in their tournaments. Hint: his name rhymes with Slovak. 

Alcaraz YE #1 -  Rafa Joins Group Exit 

 

 

 

 

Med a Novak Fanboy?

 Rafa is not Amused

Holger Rune Wins over Novak Djokovic

This is a great win for Holger Rune over Novak so he deserves congratulations.  It's great to have more top talent out there.

Here is my suggestion to those who start making predictions and planning for Novak to retire now.

Just a reminder to those who now might say the torch has been passed with this win. Not yet.  I remember watching fresh faces taking out Laver, Rosewall, Connors, Mac, Sampras, Agassi, Fed, and Nadal. It's inevitable even at that level to lose matches to relative unknowns and outside of tennis enthusiasts, anyone lower than 1 or 2 is an unknown.  There are many really fantastic tennis players out there in the top 50 and even the top 100. On any given day, you can lose to any of them no matter how great your record. 

As for being a future best ever and stacking more slams than the big 3 have so far, I take all predictions in that area as chatter. First hit 20 slams and you can talk about someone surpassing them. In this case, first hit 1. He will probably do that soon which as always is good for tennis.

Alcaraz is out for the Season

Add this to the retirement against Rune.  He's out for the season based on this tweet. "Unfortunately this is the result of my injury: an internal oblique muscle tear in the left abdominal wall with an estimated recovery time of six weeks. After my withdrawal yesterday and having been evaluated by my medical team,@drlopezmartinezand@JuanjoMoreno_M"    Carlos Alcaraz

 

 

Novak - Ice in Veins and a Superior Record

 

 

 

 

Rune brings Alcaraz to Retire with Injury

I suspect that if Alcaraz saw a chance to win he'd have stayed with it.  Give Rune some credit.

 Novak walks through his matches.

 Turin News - ATP Finals

Stubbs Supports Following Rule that Allowed Novak to Play

 That is refreshing since most tennis commentators are still going on and on about the now dispensed vax rule.

Stubbs

The treatment of Novak - what is fair?

Tennis media has still lost the plot.  

Is it myopia or a willing inattention to facts?

 

Novak is not getting any more advantages to playing Turin due to the rules than the disadvantages he faced with point removals by the ATP and being banned from tournaments for his vax status.

 

After results showed it was wrong to require it, most countries have removed the requirement.

 

Can Novak Djokovic bail the ATP out of a jam?

 Norrie says it's a bit strange

Woodbridge suffers mild heart attack

 Woodbridge

Will Nadal Play ATP Finals

 ATP Finals

Novak has the highest win percentage in Men's Tennis

 Novak

Novak Looks to Australia 2023

Novak Looks to Australia

Patrick McEnroe enrages some fans for his comments

Happy Birthday to Fred Stolle

Happy Birthday to Fred Stolle A great serve and volley player who played and won many international tennis competitions throughout the 1960s. #FredStolle 

 

Tennis Hall of Fame

 

Big 3 - No Villains

 Any thoughts of labeling them, any of them, villains should be dispelled.  There may have been some politics along the way, but it seems that they set it aside.

No Villains

Novak Wins Israel

 He continues despite the roadblocks.

Tel Aviv Win #89 for Novak

Novak is only guilty of remaining true to his values. His punishment is unearned, but his ability to rise above it all may become the story of legends. I love his grit.

 

 

Tennis - The King of Racket Sports

Tennis is the King of Racket Sports. I've tried most of them and tennis skills always translated down while the others insufficiently transferred up to tennis.

 To Quote Brain Sport Bill from September 29, 2022 Facebook

 

Del Potro Retires - Injuries pile up - Can't accept life without tennis

I hope he finds a way past this in life beyond tennis competition. He'd be a great coach. He has the temperament needed to be effective.

 Del Potro

A simple tennis workout plan to supplement on-court training - Herschel Walker Workout

 Read and Learn - Herschel Walker

Fed to Retire with 20 slams

 Roger Federer to Retire - USA Today

 He had a good run. We all knew it was soon.

Alcaraz Snubs Nadal

 Alcaraz Snubs Nadal

Great US Open?

 Novak Djokovic fans won’t agree 

Correct, they won't agree.   The reasons are obvious.   State Sponsored bias against personal health decisions in this instance has support among the tennis media who have the same political desires.   Read the article and see if you can't determine by the words and tone that there is animus against Novak.  If you see that, you can then also see that all the words that accompany it are simply to bolster the position.  

Cold or warm water during a match?

I've read that cold water stops digestion which probably means it impedes blood flow and circulation, so it's less of a tax on the system to use warm water.

 Still, to say cold water is harmful runs up against nature since had to take water at whatever temp it was available such as in cold mountain streams or in winter from a well.. 

I'm guessing the negative effects are marginal for normal day-to-day consumption.

Rublev in Tears after quarter Finals Loss

I've begun to wonder if the money riding on a match doesn't sometimes add to the emotional turmoil. I could see Rublev thinking about how he just lost at least $700k not making it to the semis. Maybe I'm projecting.

Politics has ruined men's Tennis Rankings- US OPEN TENNIS

One player missing from the lineup would have likely changed this whole discussion.  How is Rudd OR Alcaraz justifiably looking at #1? The rankings are a mess thanks to politics.

Cameraman question - Iga changes on court.

 IGA - on court change

Alcaraz - US Open 2022

 US Open Instagram

Racket Smash Memorial - Nick Kyrgious

This may signal the end of any thoughts that Nick Kyrgious might win a slam or will ever be a #1 player.  I wanted him to get past his demons. It looks unlikely. It's a sad waste of talent. At least he can still earn a great living. I see now that his "I don't care" approach might be his best coping mechanism for making great money and still never reaching his potential due to this kind of outcome. It still seems good for tennis, either way.

 

Eurosport - Video

 SI.com

They need a racket smashing box where no penalties are assessed and it won't ding up the court surface. They could take bets on how many smashes it takes the player to wear themselves out. Post Match - it should be part of any interview where maybe the winner gets to make observations on the technique involved. They could also have a shredder there for those not inclined to damage their arm smashing a racket on the court.

Teaching Pros - Handling your schedule

I'm old school on this. I haven't researched anything more exotic since until the last decade I only used yearly appointment books. Most of the guys my age, mid-60s that I knew made all their own calls and scheduled their own appointments even when working at clubs. 

 If you have multiple venues and spend days driving from place to place, it always seemed best to control your own scheduling. I will say that I had a cell phone as early as 1987 installed in my vehicles for this purpose. Smartphones have made it much easier with texting and voice messaging. 

 My first big jump to technology was buying a $250 answering machine that I had to special order in 1981 just so I wouldn't miss calls for lessons at home or in the pro shop. They didn't have voicemail back then. 

I bet there probably is a great application or subscription service that allows students to schedule without your help.   It depends on how much you want to handle your own scheduling. 

Good luck.

Jack Broudy Tennis Interview with Roscoe Tanner

 Those of you who remember Roscoe from the '70s might enjoy this.

 

Mac upsets Nadal - Nadal demands to talk

 

This made me smile. Mac is being Mac. He has a BS meter that is connected directly to his mouth. It got him in trouble in the past for pointing out the obvious and here it is again.

 

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/tennis/1662548/Rafael-Nadal-John-McEnroe-US-Open-press-conference

Raducanu - Injured Again - What to do.

She's on a bad track right now. She won a slam without all of that intense weight training, and now it seems unattainable to repeat as the injuries pile up. After reading all the superb constructive comments about her situation, the idea of following the most successful and least injured pros is a great plan. 

She might try Novak's old coach Marian Vajda. He could help create her recovery plan and limit the foolishness of heavy weight training and instead focus on flexibility, injury prevention, and resilience. This formula might offer a longer career path.

Will Novak Play the US Open 2022. The Ball is in the US Government's Court.

 Will Novak Play - Rand Paul Comments

Dead Ball vs Live Ball Drills - What do you use for Beginners?

It often depended on the court space available and the number of students. I preferred to use live ball drills as soon as possible in conjunction with a graduated approach. Dead ball feeds were used for absolute beginners. I would use both for variation and also accomplish specific objectives.

Tennis Elbow Causes

There are many causes based on observation and personal experience. Aging is a common problem with all types of injuries and this is one of them. An aging body simply is more vulnerable and usually by the time you hit your 40s the risk increases every year. I've recommended many aging players to go for more forgiving frames and lower string tension as they age, me included. 

Poor technique can be a cause and one-handed backhands combined with a light-weight, stiff frame, with the wrong strings and tension can do it. Tennis ball can cause elbow injuries as well. As a kid, I tried Tretorn balls, only once, and had my first lesson in getting arm problems from equipment. The tennis ball type has to match the surface and altitude. 

The Pros job is to guide students in the proper choices to avoid elbow injuries.

Novak didn't Whine about the AO

 Novak

British Tennis Russian Ban May Continue into 2023

 So what will the ATP do if Wimbledon keeps Russians out in 2023? The ATP should discuss a boycott or huge fines to force Wimbledon to undo this bad idea. At least the WTA showed some backbone.

 British Tennis Russian Ban May Continue into 2023

Mac slams Politicians for Interfering with Tennis- Let Novak In

 Mac on the US Ban

Tennis Rankings are a Mess - Let Novak. Play

The ATP, Wimbledon Officials, Australian Politicians, and finally, USA CDC; They've all contributed to screwing up Tennis Rankings and tournament participation by Tennis Players who only want to hit tennis balls, make their own health decisions, and not involve themselves in politics when it comes to tennis.

Let Novak Play - at the U.S. Open

Novak vs Nick in Final - How will it go?

Novak's primary hope is the frustrate Nick through high-level consistency and defense. If he can do that, Nick has proven that he can cause his own problems by losing focus and self-destructing. The main thing on Nick's side is the utter disbelief and excitement of ending up in a slam final well-rested courtesy of Rafa.

I would be nice to see a well behaved pair of players complete a final.  I expect Novak to win, but Nick has a serve and some tough shots.  Novak wins if it goes to 5 sets. 

If a student loses a match and wants to take a tournament off, what to do.

Each person develops a method for coping successfully with loss and challenges. One weekend tournament off won't change the long view outcome for her or anyone, or it shouldn't. I'd use it as a training opportunity and would be hesitant to push someone who may already know what works for her.

Nick Kyrios - Class Clown of Tennis

Nick did have a point regarding Tsitsi hitting a ball into the crowd, but he also causes a reaction with his behavior. I'm not a Tsitsi fan either because he has his own gamesmanship issues. 

Nastase used similar tactics in the '70s to knock his opponents off their game, and at times so did Connors. Mac had his tirades that served to break the momentum and rhythm of his opponents. 

You have to learn to give it right back to them, somehow. I'd also single out the officials for doing nothing. Nick is a hotdog who happens to hit a very good tennis ball, so I don't see him changing. I gave up thinking he could mature and now just want to see him fade into obscurity as a sideshow footnote. Though he may yet pull off a slam when luck runs his way and a top player is taken out of his path. 

Nick https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piuvxrFRm1c

 

 

 

Australia to drop vax requirements for visitors

 Six months after treating Novak like a criminal, Australia changes their tune on vax requirements.

The question now is whether they will allow Novak back in since its rules may prevent it for a few years since he was deported.

Rafa Scolds Opponent at Net

 Rafa - Wimbledon 2022

Underarm Serves

Some see the underarm serve as an underhanded maneuver.  Others see it as lazy and a sign of weakness.

Do you teach the use of an underarm serve? How about using it to teach a student how to respond to one. 

 

I believe it has a place in tennis, simply because it offers variation, the keystone of effective serving.   Sure, if you have a monster and bulletproof serve it seems pointless to work on such a shot, but what about if you sustain an injury that limits your ability to perform or you are exhausted?   Generally, it should be used sparingly or not at all if your main serve is taking care of business.

 

Then there is the final justification for developing such a skill, you'll become an old tennis player someday and at that stage, anything goes within the rules.   Most older players rely on slice serves almost exclusively as their strength dissipates

 

Murray used an underarm serve as his first shot at Wimbledon this year thanks to a stomach muscle injury. Here is Bublik using six of them in one game against Tiafoe at Wimbledon 2022. I presume he resorted to this because his opponent was easily handling his regular serve. 

Nadal Close to Retirement before Wimbledon

 Tennis Buzz - in his words

At some point, the question has to be asked, is this precisely the situation, or is it overstated? He keeps coming back and playing and shows no noticeable reduction in function. I doubt how bad it is, so when do we call BS?

3 of top 10 men at Wimbledon out with Covid

Wimbledon

Novak at Wimbledon - The interview and the outing of the Tennis Media

The article is almost unreadable but it does give insight into the mind of how the tennis intelligentsia views Novak, as quixotic and arrogant to dare decide what is best for his health. The narrative that he violated the rules in Australia runs against the knowledge that others received exemptions according to the same media that claim he had a choice.  

Djokovic’s vaccine stance is nonsensical, but it’s still hard not to empathize

 

The Globe

They just can't leave it alone. He seems ready to move on and just play tennis where he is allowed to play. The USA is one of the last countries with vax mandates for visitors while Britain dropped that requirement.

 

Early Acceleration for Easy Power

 Congruent Tennis

Novak - New Record - 80 wins at each grand slam event

 https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/stat-of-the-day-novak-djokovic-now-has-80-career-wins-at-every-grand-slam

 

 

 

 

How to handle Non Employee Coaches using your club

I had a fellow Pro ask me about someone teaching in the club where they have an exclusive contract.  Here are my thoughts.

LIABILITY: Others have mentioned this first, but I will reiterate the point.  

My first thought was the liability issue. Most operations such as fitness clubs, shooting ranges, or pools have policies for club membership that stipulate against outside instructors unless they are hired or given a contract to operate there. (If your club won't handle this, since you have an exclusivity contract, I'd point out that aside from taking away from revenue to the club in the form of fees, it presents a major risk that an insurance company may not cover 

 Most organizations want certifications to prove competence and knowledge about risk management.) I'd present it that way to your club owners. An example of some risks include permanent injuries like a ball hit detaching a retina, or how about the big one nowadays, various forms of abuse. I wouldn't let someone coach in my club as a freelancer/contractor without insurance including adding the club as additional insured on the policy, teaching qualifications, and a structured fee agreement.

 In your case, if court time is limited, it will over-time directly reduce your income. Let them do their sideline coaching on public courts, or volunteer to help out at schools or the county. If they are really good and you need the help, you might bring them in to assist in clinics so that you can manage their activities.

Wimbledon Picks

 Tennis

Novak - Wimbledon 2022

 

Rafa readying for Wimbledon and the US Open

 

Rod Laver - Goat Herd Leader

Goat Herd Elder Statesman, might be the best title for Laver.  His record stands alone for men's tennis, with two CYGSlams (Calendar Year Grand Slams).  If all we do is count slam totals, we ignore all the other statistics.

Many tennis watchers say that Laver would never be able to hold up against the current talent like Rafa and Novak.   I disagree.

It's impossible to make valid direct comparisons because players from the past conformed their methods to the conditions present at the time. Applying current standards against the past is a common cognitive bias. 

Why Did Novak Lose to Rafa at the French Open in 2022

 “There are known knowns, things we know that we know; and there are known unknowns, things that we know we don't know. But there are also unknown unknowns, things we do not know we don't know.”

― Donald Rumsfeld, Known and Unknown 

 In this case, we have a combination of all three in play.   

We know Novak was knocked off stride by the AO debacle and that Rafa is near impossible to beat on clay.

We don't know the issues that caused the splitting with his longtime coach and we don't know the extent of Rafa's injuries, only what we've been told.

The Unkown Unknowns are the reasons Novak played as he did, since he may not even know them.  And the same goes for how Rafa can play with pain injections and seem normal in movement because we don't even know if Rafa is human to be able to do that if what we have been told about his injury is accurate.

It seems that most of this situation consists of things that we don't know and and those we don't even know we don't know.

Pain Treatments for Professional Play versus Amateurs

When it comes to professional sports, money often comes into the decision-making along with the short-term benefit of scheduled competition. Should there be a line drawn on pain treatments to be able to play competitive tennis along with a different standard for professionals versus amateurs? As a coach, would you leave it up to the player without an opinion on it?  

The doctors call it pain management. I've lived with modalities and meds for joint pains and injuries for a long time. Old age or overuse has a plan for almost all of us, especially tennis coaches when it comes to wear and tear.

Should there be a line drawn on pain treatments to be able to play competitive tennis? As a coach, would you leave it up to the player without an opinion on it? Should it be a different standard for professionals versus amateurs?   Should the standard of other sports apply to tennis?   Consider these questions so that when you as a coach or player face this situation, you'll already have an opinion.

 https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/pinot-and-martin-speak-out-against-nadals-injections/

Court Safety - personal risk from threats - How to Cope

Unfortunately, being on a court is like being in a cage. I like courts with two exits or more. I've had mean and crazy dogs show up on the court. Choose the place you play or teach carefully for the social environment. Don't make enemies with locals and resolve disputes as peacefully as possible. Maybe they'll offer Kevlar racket bags soon. Finally, use situational awareness to see it coming. If your eyes and ears tell you something, believe it, meaning skedaddle.

Wimbledon ATP Point Removal - Unfair to other players - Targeted to Novak

 This will penalize Novak and anyone well situated to win matches at Wimbledon.

This article accurately describes it to anyone with eyes and an open mind.   

The Scoop on the story from Scoop Malinowski

The All-Star GOAT Band of Tennis. - Members of the 20 Slam High Club - The FedalDJokers

 Novak compares himself and his fellow goats to musical instruments

 

Casper Rudd - Norwegian

 

Big Three Statistical Comparison as of June 6, 2022

 

Tennis Coaching Certification

Competitive records and teaching experience were preferred credentials in the past and if you were an ATP or WTA player, that's your certification. The main benefits of certification in the USA are liability insurance and more recently, additional options for learning while requiring certification is a great way to limit competition. Employers like colleges sometimes require certification as proof of your qualification for employment since their business is credentialism. The certifying organizations added more complexity to increase revenue as the industry matures.

Goran on Novak at RG 2022. - Body Language

 Goran on RG 2022 and Wimbledon Preparation

This is an interesting interview with Goran. He gives an honest explanation of what he feels went wrong for Novak at RG and what Rafa did right. 

 Body Language - It sends your opponent a message as well as the crowd. Can it lower your own performance? It's hard to hide your energy level which is a big part of body language but slumped shoulders, a tentative walk, and searching eyes also send out signals both to yourself and your opponent. Here is Goran's take on the RG 2022 final between Nole and Rafa. 

Tennis Farce - Wimbledon Points

 More posing from the Tennis Leadership on both sides.  First Wimbledon poses with its Russian player ban and then the ATP poses with a Faux penalty against Wimbledon for doing that.   

Tennis Farce

Anti-Inflammatory risks

I'm so old-school that my daily intake was Aspirin before they recommended a daily intake of aspirin for Cardio issues, and now they recommend against it again. I tried the generic Advil but it was tough on the stomach, more so than aspirin for me.  I see that Ibuprofen has cardio risks as well along with other concerns.   Is there no relatively safe way to handle inflammation and pain? 

Novak Djokovic vs Rafa Nadal in Quarter Final - Match Scheduling - Draw Politics

Schedule in Progress

I suppose at least we'll have a face-off between the two best players on this surface.

They put the three strongest players against each other in the top half of the draw, thus leaving the lower half an easier run to the final.  It also means the two or three most likely final players have been forced down to one of them.

Whoever set the draw had a plan, and it turns out much like they hoped I suspect, and it wasn't to get the two best players a chance to reach the final. This will weaken the winner of this contest in the semi-final match, and the final presuming one of them makes it through. 

I've reached the conclusion that they're trying to level the field by forcing them to face each other earlier than they should. Plus, putting the two best against each other earlier means they might be worn down for a final against the younger side of the draw.

 As for Nadal mentioning his time preference for play, it doesn't hurt to ask. I favor Novak in this match-up, but I do understand that Rafa has a preferred time of play. Not mentioning might cost him an edge.

 

Tennis Coaching: Watching your own playing skills decline

Most mechanics neglect the maintenance and repair of their own vehicles because they are so busy working on others. It's the same with tennis Coaches.

Accept it and focus on business or become a tennis player that just coaches to feed the habit.

Goran on Novak Comeback

 Goran discusses the Novak Comeback

Racket Throwing and Umpiring

 Irina Camelia - makes child cry in stands with a flying racket

Where are the Umpires?  Novak would have been tossed for this.

Tennis should be held to a higher standard than other sports. These out-of-control anger displays that we see daily in tennis have become acceptable, so younger players see this and do the same. It needs to stop even if it means hard enforcement via lost matches and big fines Lax umpiring must be punished as well.

 

Novak Booed at French Open - Mac comments

 Novak

It's unfair to receive this type of treatment.   Mac was disgusted with the crowd. It may be that they wanted an underdog to win, but unkind fan behavior often fuels Novak to excellence.

I can think of only one reason a crowd might show anger toward a player who is always respectful to his opponent, officials, and the audience. Like in Australia, much of the French population has been under pressure to submit to experimental vaccines, which has made them angry at those who show some individuality and courage not to surrender their beliefs. If not that, maybe they wanted the underdog to win which makes many of the fans just partisans.

Big 3 statistics on their 35th birthday

 

Wimbledon Ban on Russian Players - is it reduced to an exhibition?

 Wimbledon Exhibition

Does this truly make Wimbledon just an exhibition now? I think not, though I disagree with their ban on Russian players, just as I do with the Australian and American policy to limit travel to play their events to those vaxxed.

Here is an interesting perspective.

 

Nadal Injured Again

 

 

 It's a well-worn strategy. Your opponent may fall for the feigned weakness ploy, plus you get virtue signal points for battling through adversity.

 

Is Nadal's Aura gone?

 

Next Gen Draw at the French Open 2022

 

 This draw appears odd, so I have to assume that someone in charge has an agenda more important than running a great tournament. It seems they want Rafa and Novak out since if they meet early it might also reduce the winner's chances in the next round due to recovery. Tsitsi appears to be the organizer's preference in this draw. It could be that they want to see an Alcaraz vs Tsitisi final. I'll describe this as the NextGen draw.

Novak is he the 2nd best on Clay?

 Novak on Clay

French Open: Novak back in Form - Iga read to Dominate

Novak-Iga

 

 

How should a Tennis Pro/Coach Look and Dress

What do people think of a tennis coach who is carrying an extra forty or fifty pounds?  

What do they think of a poorly dressed coach?

This reminds me of a story Dennis Van Der Meer related when running a Tennis-University back in the '70s. He related that he was on a flight and a stewardess asked him if he was Vic Braden. He said, "No, I'm the skinny one." 🤣

It brought lots of laughs and at the same time, it was a subtle way of saying, your image matters. He was very insistent on that down to the manner of dress. If you are a tennis Pro/Coach, it is best to dress and look like a tennis player, so four or five inner tubes around the mid-line become a hard sell. All that said, it can be tough to maintain that look once you hit your 40s upward. It takes work. Anything you can do to look professional should also add to your bottom line.

I have another example though. I worked for a former Davis Cup player back in the 70s-80s who carried some extra weight, but in his 40s he could easily outplay any ranked students that came for lessons. I never heard a negative word of judgment against him for this, rather, it added to his aura His reputation as a player and skills silenced anyone thinking about it.

 

 

Novak 370 Weeds at #1

 

Rafa Supports Russian Players Banned from Wimbledon

 Rafa Supports Russian Players

I wonder how they decided to go so strong for the Russian players while letting the AO ban Novak and others that thought they had a vax exemption. I see a parallel. They should pull the points for the AO, but of course, that should be retroactive and there's no chance they'd do that. Pulling the points from Wimbledon could penalize Novak on one of only two slam tournaments he's able to play this year risking his #1 status.

Meanwhile, Wimbledon Is asked to Ban Novak instead

Novak back Zverev on Madrid Scheduling

It seems reasonable not to push a player into such a tough spot. Zverev looked off and lethargic even though Alcaraz was clearly playing in top form and was expected to win. The ATP seems unconcerned about the players.

Novak Loses Peugot Sponsorship

 Novak

Raducanu Out in Rome - back injury

 A back injury so early in her career is a bad omen. I fear she may end up with limited future results and early retirement. 

Raducanu out from back injury in Rome

Andreescu to meet Raducanu in Rome - wants to play her and got her wish

 Andreescu to meet Raducanu

Andreescu high ranking #4 with 3 titles and 1 slam- age 21

Raducanu high ranking #11 with 1 title and 1 slam - age 19

 

 

Zverev Rips ATP for Scheduling after Madrid Final Loss

 Zverev

Naomi Osaka - I want to have fun when I play

 "Girls just want to have fun." Cyndi Lauper 

"I really just want to have fun in every match l play because tennis is a game."

-Naomi Osaka…

Osaka has a right to play for whatever reason she chooses.  I'd like to add that with her early financial success, she has the luxury of only playing for fun. Her saying that is also a way to take away any expectations that others may have of her, and also those she places on herself.  She has no reason any longer to even show up on the court if she isn't driven to win,  or in her case just wants to enjoy itIn some sense, she's a victim of her early success and also of the working life that she's probably never known.  

 Danna Nashaat, I agree with what you've written on this, and I'd like to add that with her early financial success, she has the luxury of only playing for fun. Her saying that is also a way to take away any expectations that others may have of her, and also those she places on herself. She has no reason any longer to even show up on the court if she isn't driven to win, or in her case just wants to enjoy playing, she's a victim of her early success and also of the working life that she's probably never known.

If she was reminded of a prior job as a fast-food cashier, or barista she might take this more seriously. Also, say in this case had she taught tennis for a living at some point and learned that it's not all glamour and fun, and is often really hard work, especially after an 8 -12 hour day on the court, she might appreciate any better-paying alternative that is tennis related.

She probably has no experience with any of these things and just simply can't see that her moneyed situation is rare. Most of the other players out there have pressures that she doesn't have which involve making enough income to keep competing. Pro tennis is strange like that where those not that far down the ranking ladder are making a small portion of what the top twenty players can earn.

Whatever emotional constraints she has now when it comes to competition, she is in a position to just walk away from the game and still be financially secure for the rest of her life. Few other players have that option after only two years of competition.

At this stage of the Osaka saga, I hope that the newer faces on the women's tennis scene will allow her to fade into tennis history. Four slams are great, but she's not even in the all-time top ten of women's players and appears unlikely to break into that group unless she changes course.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Macci on Alcaraz - Prediction

 

 

 

Macci on Alcaraz: My own theory is that you're one injury away from also-ran status and early retirement, so predictions of the best ever are always premature until you are within striking distance of the record. Worse yet, is when the player makes that prediction. Alcaraz appears restrained on that unlike some others just starting out.

 

He has all the tools including a great attitude. Making predictions about the future as a best-ever always leaves me cold. Too many superb players have not gone the distance for many reasons. He will probably win some slams, but until he has a stack of slams to his name and is close to the now heralded 20-plus mark, this is pure folly to me. My view is that you're one injury away from also-ran status and early retirement, so predictions of the best ever are always premature until you are within striking distance of the record. Worse yet is when the player makes that prediction. Alcaraz appears restrained on that unlike some others just starting out. Jannik Sinner has also gotten accolades as a future great champ with many slams in his future. We could have a few future-great showing up every year so how many slams could any of these young men accumulate with the unknown of another prodigy on the horizon.

 

There seems to be no doubt that Nadal recognizes that he's facing hard challenges from younger players like Alcaraz. This is a breakthrough, but before it's called a changing of the guard, I think that it has to happen at one of the slams and preferably in the final. The past is littered with seeming upsets from unknowns, yet in most cases, the big names ended up in the finals of the slam events. When Alcaraz takes a big prize away from an expected winner, he's announced a clear changing of the guard. He's banging on the door of the Imperial Palace right now. 

What to expect from Alcaraz, Djoker, and Rafa at the French Open

  Alcaraz vs Djoker today was another superb match with tension throughout. When the French Open comes around, playing five sets is a different challenge. 

 Novak just barely lost today and he still has room to raise his game to 2021 levels and may peak along with Nadal at RG.    Rafa and Djoker won't go down there without a struggle.

 Alcaraz may have his hands full. However it goes, I'd expect to see very high-level tennis.