The Economics of Professional Tennis in one Quote

 

PTPA membership now at 80%

A good thing for tennis.

PTPA continues growth and will challenge ATP Control

Footwork: Novak vs Fed

Novak seems always on balance no matter how far he's stretched. His footwork is invisible through efficiency rather than polished and artistic like Fed.

 Both work well but for the long term strive for efficiency.

What has happened to American Men's Professional Tennis

Everything goes in cycles. The USA had its turn for a long time. Australia had a great run. and probably will again. Eastern and Southern Europe is strong right now while Western Europe is about to lose the Swiss footprint after Fed retires and odds are we won't see another top Swiss player for a generation. I'm waiting for Asia to fill the ranks. When it comes to tennis, I dont see flags especially when it comes to favorite players. Right now, I lean Serbian. Coaching, and education here in the USA can only produce top results from committed students. We have too many distractions which is one of the curses of an easy life and wealth.

Bill Scanlon (November 13, 1956 - June 2, 2021) RIP

 Bill Scanlon was a gentleman and a superb tennis player.  RIP

BillScanlon.com

ATP

Wikipedia

Bill Scanlon - Legacy

Problem Students for Tennis Teachers

 I had a number of them too over the decades. Many of the parents are delusional about the problem. I had to remove a few from class over the years as well, usually when they became a physical safety problem. A few stand out and one in particular. In a group, I had three kids with the same first name and I didn't want to use last names or both names so I made it fun and said Johnny1, Johnny2, Johnny3. I guess I should have tried JohnnyC, L, or M by adding their last names. Johnny 2 screamed that he didn't want to be a 2 and his threats started from the first day. He also wanted his name pronounced in full like Maximillion rather than Max and I don't like going with 3 or 4 syllable names that you have to say repeatedly. I ended up saying Hey and pointing at each one. I kept thinking "future stalker or worse" and I'm waiting to read about it. The level of neurosis out there is worrisome for the future. My hope is that sports can help moderate it in all of them.

Pareto Priciple Applies to Tennis: Is coaching from the stands fair?

The Pareto principle, 80/20 rule. The top twenty percent. no matter how they get there through a combination of talent, coaching, and financial support will likely garner eighty percent of the revenue/resources.

To achieve your highest level of play you can balance where you spend the resources or bootstrap your way into the to twenty percent with sweat equity meaning discipline and practice.  Beyond that, to keep things going you need to acquire as many resources to support a sustained effort to remaining at the top.

 New WTA now allows coaching from the stands - is it fair?

Golden Match: Winner wins all of the points - Rare

Golden Match in DOHA

You would think that the other player would at least try to grab a point by going for aces to avoid this outcome.  I guess that it's possible that a non-ranked player could be so outplayed by the other player for this to happen but it seems that there must be something else to this story. 

Update:  Watch the Video and you'll understand why he couldn't win a point.  This must have been a college dare or something and he had the money to throw at it.  Sad!

Worst Player ever to play professionally?

Worst Tennis Match in History?

We could all be pros if this is the standard.  Shady?

Worst Player Ever to play a Pro Match?

Golden Match? Not a chance. Watch the video and you'll know it was shady. Most of us played better tennis three weeks into learning the game as kids. I'm heading to DOHA next year to play pro tennis arthritis and all. LOL

Top Tennis Players of the Decade

Men's - Novak

Women's - Serena

A Lucky Time for Tennis Fans with Fed, Rafa, and Novak on the court at the same time

Best Generation in History

This is a lucky time for tennis fans.  We have three of the best ever to walk onto a tennis court facing each other regularly.  It's awesome for us. 

As a friend of mine pointed out, each on their own could be the GOAT based on numbers were it not for the other two taking wins from them in finals. 

Maybe the best is yet to come. 

Woz Retiring

Caroline Wozniacki is retiring from Pro Tennis Competition 😪

Shock - NYPost

Announces Final Tournament - Express

Australian Open Final Tournament - "isn't a goodbye" 

Wants to start family💖

Arthritis not primary reason😞

We wish her well.

ATP Forehand

So what is the ATP Forehand?

Here is a good primer online that I came across. 

ATP Forehand

As the discussion of wrist lag indicates if you want reliability and precision then you might best consider what has been a standard take-back for a long time.  Rules about keeping the swing on the hitting side of the body are standard for all good and effective forehand strokes. 

Another concern is when you reach wrist-lock.  This is ideally between the forward part of the swing and the contact point.  In many cases and especially from older styles is remained firm from beginning of the backswing to the finish, (follow through).

Teaching Ratios - Group to Private for a tennis pro

3 to 1 ratio of groups to private lessons

That's my recommendation. In the early days where I taught I learned that groups paid the best even when you consider the amount of time needed to organize them. In those times we paid a flat rate for the court no matter if it was a group or private. I focused on groups and that ratio if managed well was probably 75% groups with the remainder private lessons. It was much more lucrative but then I was also willing to spend Sunday evenings making calls to schedule more groups.

Group Size

I stayed with max 6 students per instructor and if we had enough sign-ups and space we'd run 3 or 4 courts at a time. The idea that a pro would get paid the same rate for a groups versus private is great for the club but bad for the pro unless he's already well compensated with a salary. There is little incentive to organize and run groups if you can go with privates and receive the same pay.

Private Lesson Pros

Some pros went the other way and ignored groups and preferred to get paid to go out and hit. Not to be mean, but I looked at them as surfer dudes with no long term plan. A 40 hour week on the court is hard enough and will crush you physically over time so I'd be looking at 30-40 max and organize as many groups as you can and consider the privates gravy.

Burnout and How to Thrive

It's very easy to get burned out with a heavy teaching load so my focus would be on a mix between adults and juniors with varied categories of skills. More importantly, you'll notice that the Marquee named pro will often be the head pro and just cherry pick the advanced players and let the assistant pro's handle the beginner to intermediates and also pay them to either run or assist in the groups. Everyone has their place in the operation this way.

The Path to Expertise

Hopkins Study shows you a new approach to learning and mastery

This mirrors some of the ideas written on how learning by deliberate practice as outlined in the book Talent is Overrated by Geoff Colvin.

Use this approach to get yourself to the next level.  I suggest reading Colvin's book if you want to become an expert in any field and to make yourself an exceptional performer.  If you choose to accomplish this on the tennis court then you have an advantage of a large talent pool of coaches and teaching knowledge to get you there as well.  You have to do your part though.

Courier: Making Tennis Better for Everyone

Courier

Smartphones are reason new players can't beat Fed

Smartphones

The inability to focus and the addiction to such a distraction may be part of it but in the end it comes down to talent.  They don't have it and if they do their heads aren't up to the task which has been around a long time.  The latest example is NK. 

PTR - International Tennis Symposium

Feb 12-15  Hilton Head Island

New Haven Pro Tennis: It's going away, A look back

Connecticut Open Leaving the State

A look back

Tennis News: Babolot, Rafa Tennis Centre, Rafa Backs ATP Boss, Heatwave Australia, Tomic Quotes, Murray Okay with last match

Babolot: What's in store 2019

Rafa Tennis Centre Arrives in Greece

Rafa Backs ATP Boss

Heatwave Australia - photos

Tomic Quotes

Murray Okay with that being his last match

Tennis Birthdays: Wayne Arthurs, Stephanie Cohen-Aloro, Rajeev Ram

Wayne Arthurs

Born March 18, 1971 - Adelaide, South Australia, Australia 

Professional Tennis Player Retired, Doubles Specialist

Won his first Professional Singles title at age 34

Wiki


Stephanie Cohen-Aloro

Born March 18, 1983 - Paris, France

Professional Tennis Player - Retired

Top World Ranking 51 singles, 54 doubles WTA

Wiki



Rajeev Ram

Born March 18, 1984 - Denver, Colorado, USA

Professional Tennis Player, Doubles Specialist

Won two ATP singles titles

Wiki