Perfect Tennis?

[bwise1]

I am a 5.0 player who has been playing tennis for 30 years. I often wonder if there isn’t 1 perfect style of tennis. A style that, if performed correctly, would be successful nearly 100% of the time. I know what everyones first reaction will be: Tennis is too complex and there are too many variables for any one style to be the best for every situation. I understand the premise, but I’m not sure it is correct.

Tennis, for all of it’s complexities, is actually a pretty simple game. To win a point you need to keep the ball in play one shot longer than your opponent. If we can all accept that this is true, then there should be a best way of making that happen. I am not talking grip styles, one-handed vs. two-handed backhands, or things of that nature. I am talking about shot selection, shot sequences, when and where to hit approach shots, etc.

I would suggest that there are some concrete rules that, if followed religously, would result in a nearly unbeatable style of play. Assuming of course you are capable of executing the plan. That doesn’t mean that you never miss. It means that you stick to the plan. If the underlying principle of a plan is correct, and that plan is followed doggedly, then the results should be favorable. The trick, of course, is knowing the plan. I don’t. And I don’t know of anyone else that is talking about 1 best way of playing tennis.

Any thoughts?

bwise1

[lukman41985]

I see your point

I think there is a perfect style. Really, you're answer to this question can be found by going to www.rogerfederer.com and writing in. I'm joking of course, but he's not too bad of a model. If you can do it all, you can adjust accordingly to anything. But it's not easy to have it all, is it?

[kenknight]

There's no certain shot combination or anything that works all the time if you pull it off right, because there's always so much variation in not just yourself, but mostly your opponent.

He can choose where he wants to hit, how hard he wants to hit, how high, how much spin, etc. Each is going to affect your own ball a lot.

The closest thing to "perfect" is...yeah, Roger Federer. Simply because he always has so many options and can adjust to people accordingly, while every part of his game is still a weapon. That's as close to perfect as you can get.

[johnyandell]

I agree with you guys to a certain extent. It's like football--better offense beats lesser defense. But then someone develops a defense that defeats the "better" offense. etc. Borg dominated the serve and volleyers of his day, then Mac dominated him, then Lendl dominated Mac... Etc

My own view is that you need to master all the shots to the best of your ability. You may never serve 130mph--fine. Find out how accurate and varied you can be with your serve. Find out how good you are at the net. What kind of balls can you deal with consistently? When can you attack off the ground? How accurate can you really be cc or dthel ? When can you really hit a pass and not make errors? When do you have to lob? What are your favorite patterns in all of this?

Learn to play as aggressively as you can in the circumstance of a given stage in a given match against a given opponent. But learn when this really means defending and to what extent. Learn how and when to mix the two--in a match, a game, a point. Some players tempermentally just want to play one way--and that's fine. It's just a choice. But very few players can play purely attack or purely defense and maximize their success.

[marcolisa]

Tennis, for all of it’s complexities, is actually a pretty simple game. To win a point you need to keep the ball in play one shot longer than your opponent. If we can all accept that this is true, then there should be a best way of making that happen.

I would suggest that there are some concrete rules that, if followed religously, would result in a nearly unbeatable style of play.

Dear Bwise, I dont write this word with a polemic spirit,
is just to speak about our passion. Like you say to do. Ok?

In my opinion the first advise on the quote, is one of the worst tip, in the hystory of tennis. To me this tip ruined a lot of player.

About the rules, yes, we need some rules to follow, in order to became a better player, but witch?
History of tennis is full of rules or ways of play that soemone after completly changed. I agree 100% with John Yandell.
I would like to add, that some wrong advices, not only keep you far to became a better player, but also take out a lot of amusement.
I am sorry Bwise that I wrote in a not very polite manner, it's only in order to dont write a lot. Not only for me, but also for the person who read those lines. My very best regards Bwise.
Marco.

[bwise1]

I want to write more about this, but I am in the middle of a tournament that is taking nearly all of my time. By Monday, 8/8/05, I will have more time and will explain my views more clearly.

bwise1

[kerrymitchell]

Dominated?

John,
I think you should check MacEnroe's head to head against Borg, I doubt you will find he dominated him at anytime in his career. Their matches were always close and I think the actual numbers of head to head matches was pretty close. Lendl was able to dominate Mac late in their careers because he used the strategy of blasting returns at Mac causing him to be less efficient with his first volley, allowing Lendl to pass him more easily on the second shot. This strategy is used today and that is one of the reasons why there are so few serve and volleyers still around at the top of the game.
Just thought I would put my two sense in.
Kerry
(Borg fan)

[johnyandell]

Maybe not dominated. Correct you probably are but I have no idea. But no doubt after John beat Borg in that Open final it pushed Bjorn over the edge...What year was that 1982? Sometime in there...