Toward a Philosophy of Tennis.
Carey
eyes?
I like the idea of a smaller, standardized racket-head size, but this
likely won't
happen.. A coaching friend suggests strongly the combo of:
-one serve only
-speeding the courts up again
-playing service lets (already happening at some levels)
My own general preference is for a game where a variety of styles can
flourish.
What do you think?
Whisper
Well yes, conditions have to change to allow greater rewards for more
adventurous net play. Faster courts would help big time, as would
smaller rackets.
Smaller heads would put more reliance on pure talent - guys who could
consistently hit smaller sweet spot would get more rewards. As it is
you can mishit the ball anywhere on the super size rackets & it will
still be an effective shot - ie big rewards for incompetence.
Carey
-I didn't clearly say at first:
What is the Game for?
What would we (you) like it to do?
Is it doing that now? If not, could it and how so?
Yes, good.
greg...@hotmail.com
Nobody at the pro level uses "super size" rackets - they are midsize,
bigger than the old wodden ones yes, but not oversize. Oversize
rackets are used by club/social players.
The only pro to actually use an oversize racket was Agassi - perhaps
he was more "incompetent" than today's pros?
Whisper
Don't forget today's strings. It allows hacks to hit super shots.
To really test modern player talents we'd have to make them use small
wood rackets & see how they look.
Superdave
Well I know Borg, Connors, McEnroe would look great.
I know Sampras would look like shit.
Carey
I didn't make the claim you seem to be contending against. :)
There is though a big difference between even an 85 (large by my era)
and today's
rough (pro) average of close to 100 sq in- do you disagree? I think
it's imp't to address
these gross points.
topspin
For me the game is about all-court movement, and variety in styles.
Also variety in personality, but that won't come from any rules, it
just naturally arises.
I don't think a single change will make for variety in the game
because inevitably players migrate towards a perceived 'best'
approach. I detest fast s-v tennis, especially as practised in the
late 80s and 90s, I would rather watch paint dry. So I am completely
indifferent to, among others, Becker, Sampras, Rafter, Ivanisevic,
etc. on fast courts.
My answer would be absolutely to reduce the number of HC tournaments,
and find a way of getting a grass-substitute surface which played like
current Wimbledon grass, but without the maintenance costs. So an
ideal season would be
30% clay
30% 'grass'
30% HC
10% carpet (for those who need a fix!)
with fewer tournaments, and the slams and major non-slam tournaments
spread equally across all surfaces.
The variety of surfaces, and the chance to make a good living and be
recognised on a surface other than HC, would be the biggest driver to
a variety of styles.
I would force the women to play with smaller head rackets, to force
them to bloody well move forward as well as sideways. [Then Mauresmo
could make a comeback!!! :-)]
Carey
Your idea of a grass-substitute is sensible to me. I played on some
courts in NZ which
would serve well this way, were easy on the body and could be changed
speed-wise
easily, according to the grounds-keepers. I wish I could remember the
generic name for
them, but now sand seemed to be the matrix.. so nice on the knees, I
could play two days
in a row and not hurt! One place Chris Lewis's father had some
involvement in- this was
in Auckland. Great club, other than the visiting Aussies. :)
pltrgyst
<greg...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>Nobody at the pro level uses "super size" rackets ....
Some of the women do.
-- Larry
pltrgyst
>-one serve only
This has been tried at the pro level. It shifted the balance of play even more
toward the big servers.
-- Larry
drew
> What could bring the Game closer to the best one possible, in your
> eyes?
I wouldn't change any of the rules of the game but I would reduce the
number of Master's
level events to 4 and in these I would make finals best of 5.
Manco
bob
wrote:
>What could bring the Game closer to the best one possible, in your
>eyes?
look at the things that made tennis so popular 25-30yrs ago.
1. great talent, personalities and rivalries at the top.
2. game that relies more on skill than power.
3. game that rewards different styles of play - not just topspin from
the baseline.
how to do?
smaller rackets, maybe make em play with wood.
anything that will remove some power and add some skill.
bob
Scott
so the fifth set of W should be decided by a let serve? i disagree
100%
Superdave
Then you also disagree it should be decided by forcing players to play in the
dark ?
Scott
Superdave
yup
Joubert
> Nobody at the pro level uses "super size" rackets - they are midsize,
> bigger than the old wodden ones yes, but not oversize. Oversize
> rackets are used by club/social players.
>
> The only pro to actually use an oversize racket was Agassi - perhaps
> he was more "incompetent" than today's pros?
Well. Nadal's racket is quite big.
Superdave
wrote:
so is tigers cock. so what.