[tennisbiz] Re: WTA Doubles

From: Scott R. Stacey <sstacey_at_mindspring.com>
Date: Wed 31 Jul 2002 21:05:44 +0000

I would have to agree with some of John's points. Particularly
about the prevalance on backcourt games in junior players.
The serve and volley game does take longer to develop. With the
attitude and approach of many parents today, there simply
isn't enough time for a junior to develop an all-court game. the
presure put on them to win means finding the most
successful game NOW. With absolutely no regard for the future.

But, in a point related to John's, someone (I forget the name of
the writer) mentioned the fear of the lob as a reason for
not moving to net. I disagree with this point in this manner (and
I teach this to my juniors) - no matter who you are and
who you are playing, if you hit an approach shot directly at a
player at the baseline (for instance from the baseline) and
move to net, of course they will lob, and do it successfully more
often than not. However, if you move in to hit the
approach shot, and hit it so the baseliner has to move to get to
it, their lob will more often than not become an easy
overhead put away for the volleyer. In other words, if you get
beaten by a lob, the shot you hit wasn't good enough. This
is, in reality, no different than getting beaten by any other
shot. And there is the rub. If you always stay back, you have
time. But your oppoenet also has time. The key is to take time
away from your opponent. Move in, make them move, and you
will beat most players.

As for the Williams sisters winning because of their reach and
power, alas, I fear this is true. It's too bad in a way,
because a good doubles team will beat them - they honestly don't
 play good doubles. And we have an interestign situation -
a good doubles team would beat them, but where are the good
doubles players? I think Novotna and Navrotilova would handle
them rather easily... But such is the stuff of dreams, eh?

Someone else had the comment about all professional players
having all the shots and not using them. I don't think this is
necessarily the case. There is a difference between having all
the shots on the prcatice court, and having all the shots
when the money is on the line (so to speak). We all, as
players, fall back to what we feel most comfortable with. I feel
that many, many tour players could use a couple of good teaching
pros behind them as coaches, and should take a hard look
at their games. I see many players who could have all the shots,
but are not encouraged to try them....

Stacey;Scott
tel;fax:(518)372-2008
tel;work:(518)286-0202

 
Received on Thu Aug 01 2002 - 02:18:22 CDT