A New Year's Serve

[bottle]

Smarter Volleys (That Would be John McEnroe)

Wait with composite grip and straight wrist and racket parallel to court.

BHV Hit ball with a steep chop during which bent elbow straightens to add to the force. The upswing prefigures the downswing.

FHV If using same steepness of upswing cut angle of downswing by half: still swing down but swing out too. Or use a shallow upswing and hit level for speed.

Opinion: Forward body turn on both sides reinforces the arm work rather than the opposite, although in this one he does punch with his shoulders a little (http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...evelFront3.mov).

Note: Of the dozen FHV's featured in the TP vault, here is one (http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...armUpFront.mov). Of the 10 BHV's here is one (http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...armUpFront.mov). In these, it would seem that his turning under of the lower frame supplies some of the forward force.

Here is one that most adheres to my description (http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...evelFront3.mov). But there are others hit more level and one where he pulls across.

Clicking through all 22 of these volleys is a painless task which I recommend. (I don't include half volleys in my count.)

[bottle]

An Every Day Change in Service Production

The racket goes as fast as it can. The many things that happen include scapular adduction and muscular straightening of the wrist and arm and external rotation of the upper arm followed by internal rotation of the upper arm combined with scapular retraction (arching of the back).

Would it be okay, reader, if I expunged from the celestial record the parts about "scapular adduction" and extremely late arching of the back? The line of exploration here still will include intake of air through the down and up. This puffing of the chest will end with further retraction of the hitting arm side scapula. The idea is for lowest possible racket tip even though the player very likely is less flexible in the shoulder than the greatest stars in the game.

I'm working now on the premise that back is already arched in a leftward lean as the elbow adduces on an upward-forward diagonal. And then the elbow retracts as upper arm rotation reverses direction. I'm simply out to put more of my serve behind my back. The ultimate idea is that if one released handle the racket would fly straight up.

A friend of mine in Winston-Salem used to say, "They tell you to hit the ball out front. Well, out front is even with your forehead."

Note: One won't be fully carrying out this scheme if one doesn't look as if one is choking to death in the area of contact. I've always assumed that Boris Becker-- in his heyday-- was holding his breath. I want to try this and not let the air out until the ball is gone. I know that others have used abrupt exhalation to relax at contact but think in my case it's more important to get the racket tip as low as possible, i.e., to "work with what you (I) have."

[bottle]

Banking on Banking in the Backhand

One may have developed a one hander which although looking good is characterized by too much arm.

To work from this idea, we take the solid body-arm connection developed for McEnruefuls (http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...enterFront.mov) and bring it across to the backhand side (http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...enterFront.mov).

John McEnroe bowls down and up for a forehand then banks down and up in the actual hit. Conversely, during actual hit in the backhand, he only banks up-- he already turned that shoulder under. This becomes troublesome if one banks the shoulder too high while still wanting to squirt the arm out beneath it. All depends I suppose on chosen design. It seems to me that JM stops his shoulder dead thus creating a can opener.

What is the real principle of rhythm in all this that will improve one's shot?

One can be perfectly content with one's army one hander, I suppose, but I have noticed it sometimes gets picked off, which encourages me to hit more slice which Pat Blaskower recommends anyway in her splendid book THE ART OF DOUBLES.

But we've recently made progress through slightly changing the rhythm of our grounded McEnruefuls. The right shoulder drops slowly even though this drop is a hitting drop as opposed to a backswing or transition drop. There is no transition from backhand swing to forward swing if using 1-2 rhythm. But within that parameter the drop is slow, the upward banking extremely committed and fast.

So, finally, should such commitment be brought across? Is the upward banking equally fast? We know that John McEnroe's curled wrist is impossible for nearly all tennis players, but does that mean everything else he is doing here is unavailable to us, too?

[stotty]

Wait with composite grip and straight wrist and racket parallel to court.

BHV Hit ball with a steep chop during which bent elbow straightens to add to the force. The upswing prefigures the downswing.

FHV If using same steepness of upswing cut angle of downswing by half: still swing down but swing out too. Or use a shallow upswing and hit level for speed.

Opinion: Forward body turn on both sides reinforces the arm work rather than the opposite, although in this one he does punch with his shoulders a little (http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...evelFront3.mov).

Note: Of the dozen FHV's featured in the TP vault, here is one (http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...armUpFront.mov). Of the 10 BHV's here is one (http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...armUpFront.mov). In these, it would seem that his turning under of the lower frame supplies some of the forward force.

Here is one that most adheres to my description (http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...evelFront3.mov). But there are others hit more level and one where he pulls across.

Clicking through all 22 of these volleys is a painless task which I recommend. (I don't include half volleys in my count.)

Intriguing shot that FV of McEnroe's. His upper arm is often wedged a little closer to the body than other players. Sometimes he almost sticks it to his side and uses it as a post to deflect or steer the volley. One such example is in the archive somewhere...wait a minute, it's here: http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...evelFront2.mov

I have never seen any other player do this as McEnroe does. It's a deft trick...

[bottle]

Intriguing shot that FV of McEnroe's. His upper arm is often wedged a little closer to the body than other players. Sometimes he almost sticks it to his side and uses it as a post to deflect or steer the volley. One such example is in the archive somewhere...wait a minute, it's here: http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...evelFront2.mov

I have never seen any other player do this as McEnroe does. It's a deft trick...

Wow. The racket cuts under the ball in that one as his forearm twists toward center of his body on a level plane.

[bottle]

Is John McEnroe's Down-and-Up Backswing the Same on Both Sides?

Not at all. First, in Mac's low waiting position his racket is cheated toward backhand. Second, for a forehand, he bowls backward from the shoulder. All arm in other words no matter what else he is doing with his body.

For topspin backhand, he is more connected, which is another way of saying that the backswing comes much more from lowering of the hitting shoulder.

Is backswing all body and no arm then, similar to something that Virginia Wade used to do? Probably. Judge for yourself by clicking on the six backhands here (http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...enterRear2.mov).

If this hypothesis is true, the only loose arm motion occurs after the hitting shoulder has re-banked up to level.

Moral of the story for imitators: Lower shoulder fast for a close ball or lower it slowly as part of your travels.

[bottle]

Intriguing shot that FV of McEnroe's. His upper arm is often wedged a little closer to the body than other players. Sometimes he almost sticks it to his side and uses it as a post to deflect or steer the volley. One such example is in the archive somewhere...wait a minute, it's here: http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...evelFront2.mov

I have never seen any other player do this as McEnroe does. It's a deft trick...

Thanks, Stotty. One can perhaps learn something from this rather than consider it just as anomaly, i.e., use a bit of the racket tip toward center of the body trick even when elbow is farther out. Wow again: there's some upward banking of the hitting shoulder in this shot. And Mac's head goes up in relation to the crowd behind.

[stotty]

Thanks, Stotty. One can perhaps learn something from this rather than consider it just as anomaly, i.e., use a bit of the racket tip toward center of the body trick even when elbow is farther out. Wow again: there's some upward banking of the hitting shoulder in this shot. And Mac's head goes up in relation to the crowd behind.

Mac is just so clever the way he nudges and strokes the ball around. His deftness is miraculous. The will be another Djokovic, another Nadal, even another Federer one day. But there will never be another McEnroe. He is truly unique.

I would urge any student of the game to watch him closely, as closely as one's sensors will allow. He is the most fascinating and skilful player who ever played tennis...or at least who I have witnessed.

[don_budge]

The Great John McEnroe...

Mac is just so clever the way he nudges and strokes the ball around. His deftness is miraculous. The will be another Djokovic, another Nadal, even another Federer one day. But there will never be another McEnroe. He is truly unique.

I would urge any student of the game to watch him closely, as closely as one's sensors will allow. He is the most fascinating and skilful player who ever played tennis...or at least who I have witnessed.

Well said and well played.

[bottle]

Pet Theory: Fear of Change is Exaggerated in Tennis

Of course, if you are a top player, you won't want to mess-- much-- with what got you there.

But suppose you are not a top player? That is possible. Hard to accept, I know, but possible. Why not try more new stuff then?

Some newness is no doubt disruptive and even self-destructive. But there is other that ought to be taken on individual basis and carefully evaluated.

I'm blown away that a uniformly low waiting position cheated toward backhand for both ground strokes and volleys (McEnrovian) is not as impossible a change as one might think. Of course one must have good reason for any such change and I do.

Other than more interesting orchestration, however, possible unforeseen circumstance might include the fact that backward movement for an overhead feels better (think of the slapping the net drill-- that gets racket low), and in net game one can protect oneself better if the strings have to go up rather than down or twist unpredictably to slightly higher or lower or right of or left of where they already are. I am just learning what else is different. More comfort and one feels more athletic. A lower center of gravity for sure, better for springing in any direction. Well, it was just one doubles session, I know, but I didn't play worse.

[bottle]

Protection Shot

As you know, reader, I like to think "futuristically." That adverb sounded so awful when accusatorily wielded in my direction by a neo-shaman, a well known anthropologist published-on-two-continents expert in growing and milking one's own psychedelic plants as we both competed for the attention of the same Hungarian princess (and priestess of psychedelics) nick-named "Tunde" by her parents, a name that means "fairy" or "sprite" in Magyarul.

I didn't use any psychedelics. Didn't and don't. Guess who got the girl? Just as well, right?

When I was the crew coach at Skidmore College, Jeffrey the women's tennis coach whose office was adjacent to mine had a most interesting idea for teaching his varsity to protect themselves against an extremely fast shot coming directly at them.

I don't know the fine details since I wasn't obsessed with my tennis just then, I just remember that the strings went sharply up and clipped the ball as if each lady was Wonder Woman deflecting a bullet with her bracelet.

When I wasn't replacing the shearpin in a motorboat out on Saratoga Lake, I happened to see a few of Jeffrey's girls practicing this maneuver and imparting topspin. They looked like they were turning inside out.

Well, Jeffrey grew up a couple miles from Wimbledon and knew his stuff. I'm sorry that I have forgotten his last name but won't forget this shot.

It seems to me that if one's racket is low like John McEnroe's then one is in position to explore this turn-the-tables protective shot.

[bottle]

Nice Easy Serves

G 2 4 8 thunderclap
1 intake 4 8 sharpexhale
1 2 4 8 husk
1 2 4 8 stiffenleftside
1 intake intake&arch 8 thunderclap
1 2 4 holdbreath thunderclap
1 2 4 elbowbackward elbowbackward
1 2 4 keepelbowback don'tkeepelbowback
G 2 4 8 flash(lightning)
1248 thunderclap
1 2 4 derclap
1 2 thunderclap

Note: The numbers, describing ratio, could be from a speedometer.

[bottle]

Generality About the John McEnroe Backhand

Mac turns with his shoulders level as he skips toward contact. Just before the final step, "the hitting step," he dips his shoulder. That hitting step might be far across or not across at all and very short, four or five inches even. Bank down, step, bank up, fire arm. Along with everything else that is happening of course.

I no longer feel that this shot is dependent on a curled wrist.

Then there's this one (http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...HShortSide.mov). What's happening? Banking and unbanking. Swing racket butt forward from the shoulder as front leg drives up. Clench shoulderblades together swinging sideways now from a longer lever and yell. But did arm stop its free play? I doubt it. More likely, he's hitting the ball from two different fulcrums at once.

[bottle]

Ratio: a Concept where Rowing and Tennis can Come Together

How long are the sweep oars in an eight out of the water compared to in the water? Four to one is not bad but declines somewhat as strokes per minute go up. The more the eight-oared crew can preserve good ratio at the higher rate the more likely that crew is to win its race.

My McEnrueful, my special composite grip forehand learned from combining John McEnroe's forehand backswing with Welby Van Horn's principles of hitting a basic eastern grip forehand is a very good shot on some days and not so good on others depending on the state of my "feel" during a crucial couple seconds.

When feel is bad I turn to my strong eastern abbreviated ATP3 and regardless try to hit a mixture of both.

So good feel is a goal. The question is, can one use logic partially to generate such feel? Thinking about ratio could be the path.

In the McEnrueful, the down and up of the arm swing is one to one. Downward banking of rear shoulder then can be one half, i.e., go twice as fast as the "one" of the racket rising above the wrist. Multiply the one half then by four for body hit on the ball, i.e., make the hips and racket go four times as fast.

Similar logic may be applied to a John McEnroe topspin backhand. There won't be magic solution in attaining it but one will come closer to the "feel goal." The numbers won't be so easy to identify but obviously the forward swing will be many times faster than the backswing was.

Perhaps one should note here that John McEnroe never yells on a forehand and always yells when hitting his topspin backhand. Just turn up the volume when watching the TP videos and you will see, I mean hear (http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...HShortSide.mov).

Why (and when precisely) does he yell? Because he is exerting full human force through contact. Muscles in the back and shoulder are accelerating arm from the shoulder while rolling racket also from the shoulder. At the same time he is using big back muscles to clench his shoulderblades together thus creating an even longer if simultaneously accelerating lever.

But what happened before this phase of the stroke? He skipped to the ball. He propped on back foot as he lowered his shoulder. He took as short a hitting step as was possible. He banked his shoulder up to level as he formed a spear with racket butt as its point. He drove the spear forward-- in silence-- as he sprang from his legs.

This is quick precedence and where do we put it? In backswing? In some sort of transition? Not-- in both cases. It is essential part of the forward hit, so be quick by letting there be no transition. The way to go is to create tremendous ratio of middle high backswing to foreswing (x to 4x or more).

[bottle]

Scat Steps

But what happened before this phase of the stroke? He skipped to the ball. He propped on back foot as he lowered his shoulder. He took as short a hitting step as was possible. He banked his shoulder up to level as he formed a spear with racket butt as its point. He drove the spear forward-- in silence-- as he sprang from his legs.

Reader, study the grandmaster. Take these lessons to heart. Remember that Bobby Fischer taught from checkmate backward. Then change whatever stuff you have found into your own. As for the rest of youse, have fun in art school. Besides the sex, I hope it leads to art for you (although I probably know better).

Report: The footwork of # 2818 was too complex even for the Friday night tennis social. I ended up hitting slice instead. Never lost even with weak partners.

Against early morning competition that was better, however, was able to hit the new TSBH fairly well in warm-up although that occurred before the latest revelations about John McEnroe's footwork.

The answer now seems reliance on pared down scat steps, with "scat" defined on the internet as either go away quickly or abbreviation of scatophagy, meaning the consumption of excrement.

Scat-singing is described at Dictionary.com as "singing in which the singer substitutes improvised nonsense syllables for the words of a song, and this to sound and phrase like a musical instrument."

This will work for me. Simple scat-singing with the feet to suggest the skittering steps of John McEnroe without being the same:

A unit turn in which the shoulder goes under, the inside foot puts down like Mr. Cage Man's at the threshold of this website, and that same foot replaces to wherever it wants to hit the ball.

Ratty little steps. Beautiful. Followed by a hit in which the leg drive is less specifically defined.

There's banking, yes, and sharp exhalation to accompany the elaborate arm-and-back work, but knees probably stay bent even if force of the shot lifts feet above the court.

(http://www.acronymfinder.com/SCAT.html)