Should we be celebrating Rafael Nadal's split with Uncle Toni.
This article is a good analysis and of course leaves us wondering what really happened.
Regardless, Nadal won 14 Majors with Toni so whatever happens from here forward it is one of the most successful coach and player relationships ever.
Monday, February 13, 2017
Saturday, February 11, 2017
Courier #1 25 Years Ago
Courier #1 in 1992
It pays to look back at some of the best players of the past. Now with youtube you can do that and learn from them. Courier had a devastating serve and a big forehand. It was a 1-2 punch.
Courier's Machinelike Game
Courier Forehand in a 3 second video
It pays to look back at some of the best players of the past. Now with youtube you can do that and learn from them. Courier had a devastating serve and a big forehand. It was a 1-2 punch.
Courier's Machinelike Game
Courier Forehand in a 3 second video
Friday, February 10, 2017
Nice Story about a Letter to Federer and Time
The story
I never sent my own letter to Fed, but rather said what I wanted to say in blog postings. Hopefully, his coach read them, or he did. I know that in one post I suggested he focus on chip and charge and learning to attack his chip shot like Ken Rosewall did one upon a time. I knew that his topspin drive could never be a full match for a concerted attack from Nadal from both his forehand and backhand side. It was a disadvantage that cost him many matches and until he countered it with more aggression such as taking the net at every opportunity he was destined to come in a second place winner. You see, I could never see Fed as a loser but simply another tennis god that had a nemesis just like Nadal did. All of them do.
I see he did some of this and whether he got the idea from me or it was just obvious I feel part of his struggle and eventual victory. It was nice to see Roger Federer come full circle with a win in Australia that may signal his last or one of his last Major wins.
In this I agree with Rebecca.
I never sent my own letter to Fed, but rather said what I wanted to say in blog postings. Hopefully, his coach read them, or he did. I know that in one post I suggested he focus on chip and charge and learning to attack his chip shot like Ken Rosewall did one upon a time. I knew that his topspin drive could never be a full match for a concerted attack from Nadal from both his forehand and backhand side. It was a disadvantage that cost him many matches and until he countered it with more aggression such as taking the net at every opportunity he was destined to come in a second place winner. You see, I could never see Fed as a loser but simply another tennis god that had a nemesis just like Nadal did. All of them do.
I see he did some of this and whether he got the idea from me or it was just obvious I feel part of his struggle and eventual victory. It was nice to see Roger Federer come full circle with a win in Australia that may signal his last or one of his last Major wins.
In this I agree with Rebecca.
High Tech Racket Selection
Trying to find the right tennis racket? High Tech Solution
This is interesting and may become standard someday, but for now your best bet is to choose a racket that feels good in your hand and doesn't strain your arm, wrist, or shoulder to wield it.
If you can hit your strokes the way you want to with this racket that is what matters. Tweaking a racket is best done by choosing first the stiffness and balance. You can adjust the weight and balance later with lead tape. You can somewhat alter the feel of stiffness by the type of string, but it is best to find a frame that matches your play style. Then the string is best chosen to manage your spin preferences. You can alter the string tension to also change the characteristics but keeping in mind that too much tension of too hard a string can cause injuries.
Head light rackets help in racket speed but add shock to the arm.
Head heavy rackets are slow to move and therefore are mostly suited to slow courts.
Stiff frames have massive power but very little shock absorption.
Flexible frames give better feel and much more protection against injury.
Gut string had great feel, spin generation, and control with minimal shock, but they are expensive.
Poly strings have great power and spin production but are tough on arms.
Nylon is a a great compromise string and there are types that can fit your style of play.
Hybrid string setups are a solution some players find useful but I never really found it ideal.
This is interesting and may become standard someday, but for now your best bet is to choose a racket that feels good in your hand and doesn't strain your arm, wrist, or shoulder to wield it.
If you can hit your strokes the way you want to with this racket that is what matters. Tweaking a racket is best done by choosing first the stiffness and balance. You can adjust the weight and balance later with lead tape. You can somewhat alter the feel of stiffness by the type of string, but it is best to find a frame that matches your play style. Then the string is best chosen to manage your spin preferences. You can alter the string tension to also change the characteristics but keeping in mind that too much tension of too hard a string can cause injuries.
Head light rackets help in racket speed but add shock to the arm.
Head heavy rackets are slow to move and therefore are mostly suited to slow courts.
Stiff frames have massive power but very little shock absorption.
Flexible frames give better feel and much more protection against injury.
Gut string had great feel, spin generation, and control with minimal shock, but they are expensive.
Poly strings have great power and spin production but are tough on arms.
Nylon is a a great compromise string and there are types that can fit your style of play.
Hybrid string setups are a solution some players find useful but I never really found it ideal.
Thursday, February 9, 2017
Snake Eats Tennis Ball - Nurse Saves Snake
Snake Eats Tennis Ball
What is there to say but to watch your step when you play tennis in a swampy area. A snake might go for your tennis balls.
What is there to say but to watch your step when you play tennis in a swampy area. A snake might go for your tennis balls.
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
Eating For Health: Now it's pasta again
Pasta eaters healthier
In moderation pasta is a great thing. Combined with other foods that supply fat and protein in moderate amounts this can constitute a healthy diet and one that works well for tennis players that train many hours and need a heavy intake of calories.
In moderation pasta is a great thing. Combined with other foods that supply fat and protein in moderate amounts this can constitute a healthy diet and one that works well for tennis players that train many hours and need a heavy intake of calories.
Tennis Shoe Repairs - Shoe Goo
I don't know about you but I really hate paying $160 per set of tennis shoes. That is what it costs to get a pair of Brooks Beast running shoes in 4E width in my size. I was going through two pairs a summer during my busiest teaching phase. It wasn't just that I wore the sole out but that the upper fabric tended to look dirty after a while. I tried going with some low cost good looking leather/faux leather uppers just for groups lessons since they looked good and I didn't have to run and I went through three or four of them per year and got almost no support. They only looked good.
So now I'm going back in time to my days of playing when younger and even $30 shoes were a challenge so I resorted to Shoe Goo to keep them going. Especially when on the practice court this is a viable way to extend the use of your shoes. I may even try to launder the shoes first to clean them and brighten the uppers.
Here is a photo of the job. I'll be using these on the practice court and day to day walking since the Brooks Beast is the ultimate support shoe for an over-pronater with wide feet. When I started using them it changed and extended my life on the court.
Wear nitrile gloves to keep the goo off your hands and do the job outside to avoid fumes. I let them dry outside too.
So now I'm going back in time to my days of playing when younger and even $30 shoes were a challenge so I resorted to Shoe Goo to keep them going. Especially when on the practice court this is a viable way to extend the use of your shoes. I may even try to launder the shoes first to clean them and brighten the uppers.
Here is a photo of the job. I'll be using these on the practice court and day to day walking since the Brooks Beast is the ultimate support shoe for an over-pronater with wide feet. When I started using them it changed and extended my life on the court.
Wear nitrile gloves to keep the goo off your hands and do the job outside to avoid fumes. I let them dry outside too.
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