Alcaraz destroys the ATP in blistering complaint

Alcaraz destroys the ATP in blistering complaint

"And considering his tennis, which is very physically demanding, the dense ATP schedule has left him facing questions." This article somehow forgets that Rafa's Tennis along with many others is physically demanding. They can't all be Federer with his low-impact approach or Novak with his injury-preventing flexibility. His tennis, as if somehow his tennis doesn't interact with other players. All of the players face the same demands on their bodies. He chose to do things in a way that put him at greater risk. Novak and many other players have mentioned this but somehow now it matters. He should join the PTPA but that wouldn't work with the establishment types.

Alacara needs to Learn From Nadal - Injury Management

Alcaraz is out of Monte Carlo due to injures. Nadal should have had a limited career due to his extremely physical game. He overcame it. 

Alcaraz has a similar challenge. He needs to learn from Nadal, if possible. If this pattern continues, he won't fulfill his ambitions and the predictions by some that he'll surpass the Big three. 

He could be out of tennis in five years if injuries pile up. Ask Del Potro.

How did Novak win the AO with a 3cm tear in his hamstring?

He wanted this enough to make the calculation and played around his injury with more aggressive play to end points quickly. As he ages, this approach may become his way of extending his career. 

Here a doctor suggests it wasn't that bad.

AO Chief comments regarding Novak injury under a Microscope 

Anyone judging a hamstring tear must have never suffered a hamstring injury. It is debilitating and lethal to your ability to move. Fear of making it worse can make you tentative. Novak took a different approach and went for winners knowing he had to end the points earlier.  

 

Alcaraz out of AO - Injury

Another out for an injury.

ATP - Alcaraz

Raducanu early exit from injury

It's easy to judge someone at a distance. I remember when Fed and Novak were beset with problems that caused them to quit playing a match. No one would call either of them wimps now with justification. Her problems started with coaching changes that were from advice she took based on her age and inexperience. Hopefully, she'll begin to trust her own counsel.

 

 

Raducanu out

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

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.

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.

Rafa readying for Wimbledon and the US Open

 

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/

Everybody is playing injured - or so they say

 A new strategy has emerged in tennis.  Claim injury before the match to change the perception of how you play and also add a variable for your opponent to consider.   Following the Nadal loss to Fritz at the Indian Wells final, Nadal announced an injury in addition to his bad foot.  Fritz followed up with an announcement that he played on a bad ankle despite advice from his coach not to play.  

https://www.tennis.com/news/articles/rafael-nadal-to-miss-4-6-weeks-stress-fracture-cracked-rib-roland-garros

Nadal Loss to Fritz

The new psychological strategy is to lay blame on injuries for a loss and also claim hero status if you win in spite of one. It also helps to play the wounded animal going into a match to change how your opponent might play you. This Fritz announcement helped neutralize the opposing "why I lost" narrative/positioning so it can't be claimed that it wouldn't have happened but for an injury.

Dealing with Injuries as you age - Coaches, Tennis Players, Athletes

I'm fairly well beaten up with many injuries though few are tennis related but instead I carried them onto the court. The tennis injuries were from overuse rather than traumatic ones such as falls, crashes, and other unplanned violence. If you are escorted into your 50s already having a laundry list of problems it just intensifies and at least you have the mindset to cope with it though I will say that arthritis is the most mentally taxing so far. Your best bet is to find ways to manage the pain as you go along. 

 As for recovery, I've found with experience that strength training is the best answer to all of these. If my legs were out of use I'd focus on upper body strength by doing pushups, pull-ups, and curls or weight training. I'm stronger now in that area than I have been in decades out of necessity as arthritis takes away leg strength and flexibility. 

Back injuries are debilitating and the only answer I've found is endless focus on core building. It's always about consistency in doing the needed work. As an athlete, you at least have that as a long developed skill set. Those that had fewer injuries of course are more mentally bothered by later debilitating problems. It's all about expectations. If you are just happy to be alive, breathing, and in not too much pain I'd say a little injury and recovery routine is just another speed bump.

Tokyo Heat - Tennis Match Start Times Changed

 Heatstroke

Midday matches in high temps and humidity are never a good idea.

Rafa Nadal Withdraws from 2021 Wimbledon

 It comes to everyone that age slows you down.   In sports injuries pile up, and at the very top level of competition wear and tear reduce your level of play.   I'm amazed at how long Rafa was able to compete with his physically aggressive style of play.

Nadal Withdraws from Wimbledon

Defaults and Retiring from Matches - It is happening too often.

 I agree with Becker on this.  Unless this player was suffering from a bad injury he should've stayed out there and taken his medicine.  It's a bad look.

https://www.eurosport.com/tennis/roland-garros/2021/french-open-you-should-have-respect-lorenzo-musetti-shouldn-t-have-retired-v-novak-djokovic-becker_sto8362244/story.shtml

Shoulder Injuries in Tennis from Serving

I've been there: total dislocation (not from tennis). Work on your volleys and return of serve. Experiment with a non-dominant arm slice and kick serve. A year from now you might have that option in your tool-kit. Just thoughts. Good luck.

Murray Risks Severe Health Problems Says Physician - Cobalt Blood Poisoning

Murray Hip Surgery Risk

This doesn't sound good.  If he doesn't need the money he might consider just retiring for good and enjoying his health.  I know it's hard to take when you are used to being a star but there is more than just winning or competing.  This particular risk of blood poisoning is a serious concern.

Health: Massage Therapy Benefits

Massage Therapy

Health: Smiling Depression, Nut Butter Benefits, Women Heart Attacks, Doctors Facing Burnout, Hip Pain, Running

Can you be depressed and seem happy

There seem to be some pro tennis players that might fit this bill and usually I think it's punctuated by anger outbursts.  For the rest of us just remember many people have struggles and choose not to burden others with them.  They call it putting up a good front. 


Health Benefit of Nut Butters


Heart Attacks on the Rise Among Young Women


12 Ways to Relieve Hip Pain - Slideshow


Doctors Facing Burnout - hurting them and their patients


How to Start Running  - Slideshow