Have a Question for Me?

[jimj1961]

John,

I am loving working on my game utilizing all the tools on the website. I appreciate you taking time to answers all the questions you get.

My question now is on upper body rotation through the shot, for example the forehand on a right handed player. Which shoulder triggers the rotation...are you using the left shoulder shoulder leading the stroke or is the right shoulder dominate in turning through the shot?

It's evident on the video I have taken, that I have almost no rotation coming through the ball.

Thanks,

Jim

[johnyandell]

Jim,

It's virtually impossible to diagnosis this without seeing video. Have you got any place to post some? There are two many factors in the preparation and foreswing for me to be able to answer that question unless I see the stroke.

John Yandell

[rosheem]

Conflicting Styles - College vs. Adult Club

John,

I just had a chance to watch my first Division 1 men's tennis match, U of Illinois vs. Notre Dame.

My impressions were very similar to what you wrote about in your article about the 2007 Easter Bowl. (In fact, Johnny Hamui plays for U of I, and he does have a sweet one-handed backhand.)

In your Easter Bowl article, you mention that the evolution of this style of play is like a chicken-and-egg scenario...high bouncing balls lead to high contact points which lead to more high-bouncing balls.

The good news is that the technique I have developed for myself is pretty close to what I saw these guys doing, so I was happy about that.

The bad news is that I rarely see those types of balls coming at me in match play at the 4.0 level or even at the 4.5 level.

So I tried to watch carefully to see what those college kids did on balls that were lower or shorter. First of all, there really weren't that many. Even the serves bounce up high into the strike zone. But when they did get a short or low ball, they usually ended up approaching. Either way, they always committed to a full swing and any changes to their basic swing shape were pretty minor. They seemed to pretty much hit every ball the same way.

How do I use what I saw and learned to improve my own game? I can't just preferentially choose college-type hitters to hit against...I have to win my way up and the road is full of USTA veteran guys who simply don't produce that kind of ball.

Right now, it seems like I need to just continue improving my footwork, timing, and technique so that I can be MUCH more aggressive and simply just impose my game on my opponents. I can only imagine if one of those college kids played against one of my typical opponents, that's what he would do.

Any thoughts?

Thanks!

[johnyandell]

Well depending on your grips and the amount of speed and spin your opponent's give you it can be challenging. Sure just banging away against other big hitters is fun. But it is very difficult to have to change speed on every ball and hit a ton of spin when the ball is coming in slower and lower.

What level are you playing?

[rosheem]

I use a 4/4 grip on my forehand and a more moderate grip on my 1-handed backhand.

A third of my matches are at 8.0 mixed doubles, another third at 4.0 doubles or singles, and a third at 4.5 doubles or singles.

My game seems to really flow at the 4.5 level when the balls are coming at me with some pace, spin, and height. It seems a bit strange, but even returning serves seems way easier at the 4.5 level. The faster it comes, the faster I can swing and everything just seems to flow better. It also seems like I get to tap into my athleticism much more at the higher level.

My actual USTA rating is 4.0, but I've met some guys who have been pulling me up to play at the 4.5 level, and I would like to stay up there an start winning consistently. Right now, it's just much easier to gain match experience at the 4.0 level because there are about 5 times as many 4.0 leagues as 4.5.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to maintain some patience and perspective, since I've only been playing for 2.5 years. But watching those D-1 college guys really inspired me and made me realize that I can and should be improving even faster and I don't think those kids would really stray from their bread-and-butter style if they were facing the same kinds of opponents I am. Or maybe they would? That's why I wanted to see what you thought about it.

Thanks!

[johnyandell]

I personally think every player should play the style that they want to play and that gives them satisfaction. Otherwise what would be the point?

Having played a lot of 4.5 and 5.0 tennis myself in the past, it's conceivable though that you could be more effective (not to be confused with what you may want) with a less extreme grip.

As you observed in the college matches, unless the ball is like chest high, that is not really a natural grip. Don't think you can't hit the ball hard and hit heavy top with less extreme grips--look at Federer and Del Potro.

The problem if the ball is lower and slow is you really have to wiper the hell out of it with Andy's grip.

[littlelobbers]

Forehand Volley

John,

I just read your article on the forehand volley in advanced tennis section. Very good stuff! What do you recommend for a player with two hands on both sides that switches hand arrangement for forehands and backhands. What do two-handed pros do with the forehand volley? One last thing I would bet that a large number of your members play more doubles and even coach more doubles then they play or coach singles. Would you consider creating a doubles section for the site?

Thanks

[jimj1961]

Hi John,


I recently switched from the Ksurge to a Yonex RDS 001 98, I love the feel and the control, but it feels like I lost a little pop. Currently I'm stinging it at 54 lbs, and am using synthetic gut...not sure which one, my pro put in for me. Any suggestions regarding strings and tension would be appreciated.

Thank you

[johnyandell]

On the two-handed stuff I can recommend a book by one of our writers, called Two-Handed Tennis. Jeff mcCullough is the author. Two-handed volleys I don't know enough about to advise anyone...

As for the string question, you have the wrong person! I am the opposite of a string and racket guy and go just by feel and never change once I find the combo for me.

Email Scott Murphy (again a writer) and tell him I told you to--bet he will have some ideas as he LOVES string. scottmrph@yahoo.com

[jryle1]

John,

Just a quick question about Indian Wells.....Are you filming any hi-speed there? Would be interesting to get Roger's strokes again. I believe that part of his backswing has changed slightly from watching some of Jeff Counts videos from Miami last year I think it was...just as he lowers the racquet it seems different. His serve seems slightly different aswell and people keep talking about his much improved backhand so would be interesting to see some hi-speed vids and to compare.

[ejkantor]

"ARC" of the ball

Love everything about the website. What I'd really like to see now and I can't seem to find, is video of the "ARC" of the ball. I've looked for some of the video from the "Shot Spot", can't find it. I've looked for "Hawk Eye", can't find any. Was wondering if you've taken any video of the pro's and their arc's on the ball. I'm a big believer that their shots and their arcs are "situational" to
where they are in the court and what shot they're attempting to play. I think that this is not talked enough about to juniors. Video seems to be the key way to go. Just wanted to show more video to my competitive players. Thanks again for the website. It's great!

[johnyandell]

EJ,
I agree with you. You would enjoy Brett Hobden's article in Famous Coaches because he talks about the exact subject.

You are also dead on track with the shot spot idea. This is actually something we have been working on for quite a while--access to that data which would define not only arc, but speed and bounce. Don't want to jink it, but I think over the next year we will be able to portray the differences you are talking about by reference to actual pro ball flights.

[nabrug]

Love everything about the website. What I'd really like to see now and I can't seem to find, is video of the "ARC" of the ball. I've looked for some of the video from the "Shot Spot", can't find it. I've looked for "Hawk Eye", can't find any. Was wondering if you've taken any video of the pro's and their arc's on the ball. I'm a big believer that their shots and their arcs are "situational" to
where they are in the court and what shot they're attempting to play. I think that this is not talked enough about to juniors. Video seems to be the key way to go. Just wanted to show more video to my competitive players. Thanks again for the website. It's great!

A few years ago, before Hawkeye was introduced, at certain grandslam websites IBM included Point Tracker. You could see all the arc´s of every point played. At that time I just thought it was nice. Now I think it is the essence of the game of tennis. Now I blame myself for not copying a few matches. I searched the web but couldn´t find anything.

[jimj1961]

John,

Can you comment on the advantages of a head light racket.


Thank you,

Jim

[johnyandell]

Depends for whom! All things being equal a heavier racket will give more force. But most people cannot swing them, and therefore lose racket head speed, the speed of the swing being the biggest factor.

Myself I like 11oz to 11.5oz about 8 points head light. I find I can get it around and made the contacts easily and fluidly. I think for many people at the 4.5 level and below this is the ideal way to go. But really hitting the ball with the racket tells you everything you need to know as to whether it's right for you.