In the last few weeks I've been enjoying watching some of the fantastic hard-court action in the buildup to the US Open which starts next week, It always amazes me how hard the pros hit the ball, but still with such a high level of consistency. It's obviously a result of extremely good hand-eye co-ordination coupled with hours out on the practice courts.
I guess mere mortals like myself could certainly improve a lot if we put in the kind of time and effort that these guys and gals do. But you also have to have the right facilities, and most important, hitting partners. Even if I was to quit my job and put everything into developing my game (not going to happen, but a guy can dream...), this would be an obstacle. The traditional solution to the problem is hitting against a wall or with a tennis ball machine, although these are still a poor substitute for hitting with a real person. Mind you, at least ball machines are consistent and you don't spend your day waiting for the other player to get the ball over the net so you can have a turn. I must say, I could use a nice midrange machine like a Wilson Portable or Tennis Tutor - I'm sure it would make a huge difference to my game.
Anyway, I digress. I'm looking forward to watching some of the US Open. No doubt the TV coverage over here in the UK will be dominated by Andy Murray and whomever he's playing. Still, I guess he's got a pretty good chance, and probably needs to win a major soon before the weight of expectation from the British public becomes too unbearable. I've also been impressed with Roger Federer's play in the Masters events. To me he looks back to his best and seems to be playing with a freedom I haven't seen from him for awhile. Perhaps breaking Pete Sampras's record at Wimbledon has taken the pressure off him and he can just relax and play his game. I guess it also helps that Rafael Nadal has been absent for the last few months, giving him time to regain his number one spot and re-establish his dominance. OK, he's not as dominant as he used to be, but I reckon Roger's still the man to beat - if I were a gambler I would certainly put my money on him.
Who do you think's going to win, and why?
Thursday
Saturday
Roger Federer and me
Yesterday I witnessed another interesting parallel between the fortunes of Roger Federer and myself. Playing in the quarter finals of the Montreal Masters event against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Roger lost the first set in a tie break, but then comfortably won the second 6-1. He continued that momentum and had the opportunity to serve it out at 5-2 in the third. But then the wheels came off! Tsonga won the next four games in a row, and had Roger 0-40 down on his serve at 5-6, until Roger managed to claw his way out of the hole and level it at 6-6. But try as he might, he just couldn't finish it off and Tsonga won the tie-break to complete an amazing comeback.
The interesting parallel is that I had a similar lead in my last match against Tom a couple of days ago, and also couldn't close it out. We eventually had to abandon the match at 6-6 due to time constraints after I'd also had a 5-2 lead which I couldn't hold onto. I won't pretend the comparison goes much further than that (Roger just can't compare to me on the court!), but it's gratifying in a perverse sort of way that the best player in the world faces the same challenges that a tennis chump like me does!
I know it's easy to criticise from the comfort of my armchair, but perhaps there's also something for me to learn from Roger about how not to play (that'll be a change)! A couple of things caught my attention about Roger's performance in those last few games:
Even though it was surprising to see how Roger Federer capitulated as he served a double fault to lose the match, I guess it's not so surprising that he was emotionally and mentally flat and tired - he's had a lot going on emotionally over the last few weeks with the birth of his daughters. And hey, when you've achieved what he has in the game, we can cut him a bit of slack, can't we?
I'm sure Fed will still be a force to be reckoned with at the US Open later this month. Just make sure you get some rest, Roger, OK?
The interesting parallel is that I had a similar lead in my last match against Tom a couple of days ago, and also couldn't close it out. We eventually had to abandon the match at 6-6 due to time constraints after I'd also had a 5-2 lead which I couldn't hold onto. I won't pretend the comparison goes much further than that (Roger just can't compare to me on the court!), but it's gratifying in a perverse sort of way that the best player in the world faces the same challenges that a tennis chump like me does!
I know it's easy to criticise from the comfort of my armchair, but perhaps there's also something for me to learn from Roger about how not to play (that'll be a change)! A couple of things caught my attention about Roger's performance in those last few games:
- loss of focus
In the changeover at 5-2, Roger appeared to be gazing around the arena and up at the big screen in a distracted sort of way rather than staying focussed on what he had to do to win the match. Of course he can be forgiven for assuming he would win, but it just goes to show you cannot afford to underestimate your opponent. - loss of confidence and appetite
When things started going against him, Roger seemed unable to respond mentally. He seemed more concerned about not losing than trying to win. He almost had an air of resignation about him, and although he continued to play, it seemed like he lost the match a lot earlier than the final ball. - loss of aggression
Serving at 5-2, Roger played a bit tentatively, which allowed Tsonga back in. Heck, I'm not one to criticise as I also struggle with the balance between consistency and all-out attack. But I was surprised Roger didn't go for it a bit more - after all he had a comfortable lead to fall back on if it didn't work out. - Impatience
Once Tsonga had dug in his heels, Roger appeared to lose patience in some of the rallies, going for the winner when it wasn't really on. Again, I think it shows that mentally he didn't have confidence in his ability to close out the match at that point. - first serve percentage
It was also pretty evident that Federer couldn't get his first serve in in those final few games. Tsonga hadn't had a break point the whole match until the final set, when he broke Roger twice in a row (and had Federer at 0-40 in the third).
Even though it was surprising to see how Roger Federer capitulated as he served a double fault to lose the match, I guess it's not so surprising that he was emotionally and mentally flat and tired - he's had a lot going on emotionally over the last few weeks with the birth of his daughters. And hey, when you've achieved what he has in the game, we can cut him a bit of slack, can't we?
I'm sure Fed will still be a force to be reckoned with at the US Open later this month. Just make sure you get some rest, Roger, OK?
Thursday
Rod vs Tom - Mixed Fortunes
I had a game today after work, after not playing for three or four weeks. Tom and I have played a couple of times previously, so I more or less knew what to expect. He plays regularly at his club and is very consistent. To be honest, he's a bit better than me, although I don't like to admit it.
The first time we played I had no idea what his level was. You know what it's like - you kind of circle around each other, neither knowing whether what you consider good is the same as the other guy. Some people are naturally confident and reckon they can play a bit when in actual fact they can barely hold a tennis racket, while others play it closer to the chest but turn out to be really good. Anyhow, Tom waited until we stepped onto the court to casually mention that his grandfather had once played for Ireland - at that point I began to suspect I was in for a tough afternoon. As I remember it I lost in three straight sets - can't remember the exact score except that Roger Federer went down earlier that same day by exactly the same scoreline, so I didn't feel too bad!
But today at least I knew what to expect. Tom doesn't try to hit the cover off the ball - he plays the corners very well, keeps it deep, and doesn't make too many mistakes. Solid, but unspectacular. Same with his serve - doesn't serve too many doubles, but not too many aces either, and doesn't mix it up much. He's OK at the net, but doesn't come up much. Actually I reckon he'd be a lot harder to handle if he was a bit more aggressive, but of course I'm not going to tell him that - not as long as he's already beating me consistently!
In the past I've had some success attacking his second serve, which doesn't have anything on it. I've also been able to exert some pressure by playing deep and crosscourt to his backhand (did I mention I'm a lefty?). Not that he has a bad backhand - in fact it's pretty good, but not quite as strong as his forehand side. And the one other thing I've observed is that he prefers the ball coming to him at a decent height with topspin, so I try and slip in a few low slices here and there to mix things up a bit.
So how'd it go? Well, I had a lot of Brad's advice on winning ugly buzzing around in my head and tried to employ some of it, but in retrospect I think it was a bit of a distraction on the court. Tom asked me to serve first (he must have been reading Brad's advice too!) and I played a solid game and won it 40-15, but things went downhill fast after that and I lost the set 6-1! It was bad - I could hardly get a ball in the court for most of the set.
One thing I did remember is the importance of the first two games of the second set - Brad calls them the dictate games. I'm pleased to report I won them both! And then the next two as well. I feel like I was playing better, hitting the ball a bit more freely and making fewer stupid mistakes - hey, I actually managed to get a few balls in! Tom, on the other hand, went walkabout at the same time, so he was probably as much to blame for the scoreline as I was. Anyhow, I wasn't complaining. Unfortunately he managed to get his head back in the game at 5-1, and pulled it back to 6-6. I kept telling myself the whole time "don't blow this lead", but as hard as I tried, I couldn't stop the slide. Credit to Tom - he played some good points/games in there (actually I think we both did, but he came out on top more than I did).
Unfortunately at that point we both had to hit the road to catch our respective rides home, so we didn't get to finish the set or the match! So we'll just have to call it a draw, cos hey, I could still have turned it around - miracles do happen, don't they?
Anyhow, I was pleased with a couple aspects of my game - I went for consistency on my serve and tried to get my first in as much as possible. I have no idea what the percentage was, but I guess a bit above 50% of first serves in? Only two double faults, together with an ace and a few unreturnables add up to a pretty good day serving. I also won a few points in the forecourt with solid volleys, and even hit a good overhead once. But in retrospect I think I was a bit too tentative on my groundstrokes. I was aiming for consistency, but ended up allowing Tom to dictate too many points - that's a tough balancing act that I still need to figure out.
Bottom line is I need to play more - it took me the entire first set to get my eye in, and even then didn't feel all that comfortable on my groundstrokes in the second. Well, hopefully (weather permitting) I'll get to play once or twice a week for the next month or two, so I shall keep you informed how it goes!
The first time we played I had no idea what his level was. You know what it's like - you kind of circle around each other, neither knowing whether what you consider good is the same as the other guy. Some people are naturally confident and reckon they can play a bit when in actual fact they can barely hold a tennis racket, while others play it closer to the chest but turn out to be really good. Anyhow, Tom waited until we stepped onto the court to casually mention that his grandfather had once played for Ireland - at that point I began to suspect I was in for a tough afternoon. As I remember it I lost in three straight sets - can't remember the exact score except that Roger Federer went down earlier that same day by exactly the same scoreline, so I didn't feel too bad!
But today at least I knew what to expect. Tom doesn't try to hit the cover off the ball - he plays the corners very well, keeps it deep, and doesn't make too many mistakes. Solid, but unspectacular. Same with his serve - doesn't serve too many doubles, but not too many aces either, and doesn't mix it up much. He's OK at the net, but doesn't come up much. Actually I reckon he'd be a lot harder to handle if he was a bit more aggressive, but of course I'm not going to tell him that - not as long as he's already beating me consistently!
In the past I've had some success attacking his second serve, which doesn't have anything on it. I've also been able to exert some pressure by playing deep and crosscourt to his backhand (did I mention I'm a lefty?). Not that he has a bad backhand - in fact it's pretty good, but not quite as strong as his forehand side. And the one other thing I've observed is that he prefers the ball coming to him at a decent height with topspin, so I try and slip in a few low slices here and there to mix things up a bit.
So how'd it go? Well, I had a lot of Brad's advice on winning ugly buzzing around in my head and tried to employ some of it, but in retrospect I think it was a bit of a distraction on the court. Tom asked me to serve first (he must have been reading Brad's advice too!) and I played a solid game and won it 40-15, but things went downhill fast after that and I lost the set 6-1! It was bad - I could hardly get a ball in the court for most of the set.
One thing I did remember is the importance of the first two games of the second set - Brad calls them the dictate games. I'm pleased to report I won them both! And then the next two as well. I feel like I was playing better, hitting the ball a bit more freely and making fewer stupid mistakes - hey, I actually managed to get a few balls in! Tom, on the other hand, went walkabout at the same time, so he was probably as much to blame for the scoreline as I was. Anyhow, I wasn't complaining. Unfortunately he managed to get his head back in the game at 5-1, and pulled it back to 6-6. I kept telling myself the whole time "don't blow this lead", but as hard as I tried, I couldn't stop the slide. Credit to Tom - he played some good points/games in there (actually I think we both did, but he came out on top more than I did).
Unfortunately at that point we both had to hit the road to catch our respective rides home, so we didn't get to finish the set or the match! So we'll just have to call it a draw, cos hey, I could still have turned it around - miracles do happen, don't they?
Anyhow, I was pleased with a couple aspects of my game - I went for consistency on my serve and tried to get my first in as much as possible. I have no idea what the percentage was, but I guess a bit above 50% of first serves in? Only two double faults, together with an ace and a few unreturnables add up to a pretty good day serving. I also won a few points in the forecourt with solid volleys, and even hit a good overhead once. But in retrospect I think I was a bit too tentative on my groundstrokes. I was aiming for consistency, but ended up allowing Tom to dictate too many points - that's a tough balancing act that I still need to figure out.
Bottom line is I need to play more - it took me the entire first set to get my eye in, and even then didn't feel all that comfortable on my groundstrokes in the second. Well, hopefully (weather permitting) I'll get to play once or twice a week for the next month or two, so I shall keep you informed how it goes!
Tuesday
Brad Gilbert - Winning Ugly
Brad Gilbert is one of the top tennis coaches in the world, having helped players such as Andre Aggasi, Andy Roddick and Andy Murray make it to the top of the professional game (d'you think if I change my name to Andrew he'll help me out too?). Actually he was a pretty good player in his day too; he was consistently in the top 10 and peaked at number 4 in the world at the beginning of 1990, which most people attribute more to his mental game rather than his ability to outplay his opponents with big shots! One way or another he managed to beat most of the big names of his era - John McEnroe, Boris Becker, Stefan Edberg, Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras - so he must know a thing or two about how to play the game.Play smart
In case you don't know, he wrote a book a few years back - Winning Ugly - filled with advice for recreational players like me on how to maximise your game and gain a winning advantage over your opponent by playing smarter. Sounds like just what I need, so I picked up a copy a couple of weeks ago and haven't been disappointed!
Who's doing what to whom?
Brad talks a lot about understanding what is happening out on the tennis court ("who's doing what to whom?") and trying to control proceedings so that you match your strengths up against your opponent's weaknesses, while at the same time preventing him from doing the same to you. He also stresses the importance of preparing mentally and physically for a match - having a definite plan for how you want to approach things.
I guess many recreational players aren't really too bothered about this mental aspect of tennis - they just want to go out there, hit a few balls, and let the chips fall where they may. But Brad's approach actually strikes a chord with me - I already have a similar preparatory approach to other stuff I'm involved with, so I reckon it won't be too difficult to apply this to my tennis game too.
Practical tips
Winning Ugly is also full of practical tips you can apply to give yourself a better chance of winning. For example, if your opponent's killing you with his serve, change where you stand to force him to do something different and/or to give yourself more time on the ball. He also gives some specific advice on tactics to beat different kinds of opponent - the Serve-volleyer, the dreaded Retriever who gets everything back, etc. I play one of those quite regularly - he beats me regularly by pushing soft little "nothing" shots back at me all day long, and waits for me to self-destruct. I can't wait to try out some of Brad's advice on him!
Anyhow, I haven't finished reading it yet, but this book has just become my tennis bible. If you haven't read it, I definitely recommend you get hold of a copy. I'm sure you won't be disappointed.
Thursday
About Me
It's traditional in blogging to introduce yourself, so here goes. I'm a thirty-something (OK, 36 if you must know) South African guy who's been playing tennis since the age of about 9. You'd think I'd be pretty good by now, but unfortunately that's not the case! I mean I could probably beat your grandma on a good day, but as much as I enjoy playing the game, I regularly seem to lose to "lesser" players.
One of the main reasons for that is that I like to hit the ball and try stuff out on the court, rather than just pushing it around and letting my opponent make all the mistakes. Sure, I know most games are won at my level by the guy who makes the least mistakes - that's why I lose a lot. Call me an idealist if you like, but I'd rather play an enjoyable game and lose than win by default.
The thing is, I don't get much time or opportunity to actually practise (like with a hitting partner or tennis ball machine), except when I'm playing a match. So when else are you gonna experiment with shots? And my philosophy is that I hope to get good enough before I die to start winning a bit! Is that so much to ask?
So anyhow, I thought I'd start this blog as a kind of journal of my progress, and with any luck maybe some of you superior players can chip in along the way and tell me where I'm going wrong. Deal?
One of the main reasons for that is that I like to hit the ball and try stuff out on the court, rather than just pushing it around and letting my opponent make all the mistakes. Sure, I know most games are won at my level by the guy who makes the least mistakes - that's why I lose a lot. Call me an idealist if you like, but I'd rather play an enjoyable game and lose than win by default.
The thing is, I don't get much time or opportunity to actually practise (like with a hitting partner or tennis ball machine), except when I'm playing a match. So when else are you gonna experiment with shots? And my philosophy is that I hope to get good enough before I die to start winning a bit! Is that so much to ask?
So anyhow, I thought I'd start this blog as a kind of journal of my progress, and with any luck maybe some of you superior players can chip in along the way and tell me where I'm going wrong. Deal?
Saturday
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