Koslov

[stotty]

I saw an American kid called Koslov, 15, playing at Junior Wimbledon last week. He's decent. He was being touted as one to watch for in the future. I didn't find him as talented as many were saying he was. What I saw was a boy with extremely good ball control...you know, like Connors had. He hit to a superb length and played a mature match for a kid of fifteen.

I took a few clips of Koslov playing. This one shows him serving. He serves two aces...off his second serve! Can't remember the last time I saw that...Goran, I think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImRXnS_7eJY&feature=youtu.be

[klacr]

Stotty,

Koslov also got a wildcard into the ATP Newport Grass court event. He lost in the 1st round but in three tight sets and from some of the coaches I spoke with who were in attendance, the kid put on an impressive display and fought hard.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[jasonfrausto]

I saw an American kid called Koslov, 15, playing at Junior Wimbledon last week. He's decent. He was being touted as one to watch for in the future. I didn't find him as talented as many were saying he was. What I saw was a boy with extremely good ball control...you know, like Connors had. He hit to a superb length and played a mature match for a kid of fifteen.

I took a few clips of Koslov playing. This one shows him serving. He serves two aces...off his second serve! Can't remember the last time I saw that...Goran, I think.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ImRXn...ature=youtu.be

He has the best chance of any American male player near his age. He plays with intelligence and ease and has been doing well since he was very young in tournament play. Not the typical American style.

[dimitrios]

Yes, I too have heard a lot of hype about Kozlov over the years. I actually watched a match sitting near him at this year's Easter Bowl, where he was simply visiting, watching a friend play and sitting nearby with other friends.

From what I have been told by people close to him he has absurdly great ball control and a "tennis IQ that's off the charts." I also see a real calm about him in both his ball striking and his on court presence; yet I also sense a great deal of internal fire and desire. He seems confident, unfazed. That's a pretty great combination.

What's interesting is that his game lacks any sort of discernible power, which he'll need if he wants to excel at the upper levels of the game. (Gilles Simon comes to mind here as his tennis brilliance is often hampered by a lack of power.) My sense, especially from the footage provided here, in which he looks stronger than the last time I saw him, is that his body and thus power are still taking shape but quite possibly on their way.

It could well be the young man has developed a deep understanding of the game and will now put more power and pace on top of that foundation -- quite the opposite sequential approach of most players.

[DougEng]

Stotty,

Koslov also got a wildcard into the ATP Newport Grass court event. He lost in the 1st round but in three tight sets and from some of the coaches I spoke with who were in attendance, the kid put on an impressive display and fought hard.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

Darn. I wasn't paying attention to the draw and missed his match.
I was there for USPTA TAA. oh well.

[dimitrios]

Yes, here's a report (his opponent is ranked 113):

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2013/07/kozlov-15-pushes-przysiezny-newport/48303/#.Ud48rxagYy4

[johnyandell]

Here's that serve in Future Stars:

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/...8s.html?Stefan Kozlov.mov

[stotty]

Yes, I too have heard a lot of hype about Kozlov over the years. I actually watched a match sitting near him at this year's Easter Bowl, where he was simply visiting, watching a friend play and sitting nearby with other friends.

From what I have been told by people close to him he has absurdly great ball control and a "tennis IQ that's off the charts." I also see a real calm about him in both his ball striking and his on court presence; yet I also sense a great deal of internal fire and desire. He seems confident, unfazed. That's a pretty great combination.

What's interesting is that his game lacks any sort of discernible power, which he'll need if he wants to excel at the upper levels of the game. (Gilles Simon comes to mind here as his tennis brilliance is often hampered by a lack of power.) My sense, especially from the footage provided here, in which he looks stronger than the last time I saw him, is that his body and thus power are still taking shape but quite possibly on their way.

It could well be the young man has developed a deep understanding of the game and will now put more power and pace on top of that foundation -- quite the opposite sequential approach of most players.

You heard correctly. His ball control and tennis brain are exceptionally good.

His game is actually quite plain. He doesn't even move that well either...not particularly physically mature...just your typical fifteen year old. Many spectators quickly moved away to watch other matches because there didn't seem to be all that much to see. But he showed great qualities.

He knows how to make himself difficult. Most other boys in the event have more power (most are older of course) but none could get hold of Koslov by the scruff of the neck...overwhelm him with their greater power. They found that frustrating.

I liked that quality. Making yourself difficult to play is a very good quality to have indeed. Seeing him play older, more powerful boys and holding his own by being resourceful is darned impressive.

He makes himself tricky by keeping a great length and cleverly varying his serve. He hits deep to the backhand side of opponents as if to say, "do what you can with that". He used his sliced backhand well on grass in a way that stops his opponent being able to T up for a big knockout forehands. The two aces in the clip I posted are second serves, and he doesn't serve hard, just acute, well-placed slice...catching his opponent off guard. Things like this set him apart from the others in the tournament...you have to be impressed.

His IQ for the game is like Hingis...strikingly good. Hingis' game at twelve (I saw her at junior Wimbledon) was equally plain in appearance and similarly impressive in court craft.

[klacr]

Guys,

sorry I've been busy and not keeping up with this thread. probably should have mentioned some stuff in my iniial post on this thread....

Stefan Kozlov lives in the South Florida area. Been hearing about him for years. Tons of video on youtube about him and he's on twitter @StefanKozlov if you wanna get a sense of his game and personality.

He has a tennis mind. His Dad, Andrei, is a known coach in the South Florida tennis circles. Father runs a small academy (everyone has an academy in South Florida it eems ) and coached Stefan until about two or three years ago. Now he trains in Boca Raton under the guidance of the USTA training center.
here's a website for kozlov academy http://www.kozlovtennis.com/

He is a baseliner with crafty hands, smart tactics and a smart and tricky backhand slice. I've seen him play a handful of times before without really paying much attention. Not because he didn't have talent but because at that age his practices were a bit erratic and stop-start. I have a close friend who works at USTA Center doing dartfish stuff for the players so I visit there on occasion. Also helps my club is 7 minutes down the road from center as well.

moving on...

I wish him well. He's a good kid. And if you saw him, you'd quickly realize he's still very much a kid. But a kid with a bright future.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[dimitrios]

He knows how to make himself difficult. Most other boys in the event have more power (most are older of course) but none could get hold of Koslov by the scruff of the neck...overwhelm him with their greater power. They found that frustrating.

I liked that quality. Making yourself difficult to play is a very good quality to have indeed.

I think this is a really great observation -- and one not talked about often enough when we assess what makes for tennis success. That said, I'm curious to see how far this will get him at the top levels of the game. (It's interesting that you compare him to Hingis, whose game ultimately suffered from a lack of power.) What gets him to, say, the top 100 and what will allow him to excel beyond that may well be two different things. Andy Murray comes to mind here...

[jasonfrausto]

2 recent matches of Kozlov in action.

Newport ATP match

Wimbledon Junior match

[don_budge]

Stefan Koslov...

2 recent matches of Kozlov in action.

Newport ATP match

Wimbledon Junior match

Thanks for those links jasonfrausto. i watched his match against Mikeal Przysiezny where he lost 6-4, 6-7, 6-3 on grass. It was very, very impressive.

Stefan Kozlov is cagey and wily way beyond his years. This young fellow really understands the game of tennis. Who ever has coached him has done a wonderful job. This is how I teach the game to be played. He plays from anywhere in the court with comfort and ease.

His tennis mind and tactical acumen is the strongest part of his game at the present and that is saying a lot. Because his serve is very good and his groundstrokes are exceptional at this stage of his development. His volleys and his approach game are a sheer joy to watch. His technique is just a beautiful thing...period. So smooth and relatively effortless, especially when you consider the fact that he is only 15 years old and he was playing against a seasoned 29 year old professional. The overall package is tempting to say...here is the future of American tennis. Actually what American tennis needs is about twenty boys of his caliber and training. I am very impressed with his coaching. Extremely impressed.

The kid has a tremendous feel for the game. He already has an instinct for "letting the game come to him". He lost the first set and in the second set tiebreaker he was down 6-3 with three match points against. He played big time tennis to save the three and went on to win the tiebreaker 11-9 showing no signs of nerves.

He was up against a pretty nice career tennis player himself and he practically matched him stroke for stroke and actually he sort of outclassed his opponent. If it weren't for his boyish physique he may have had this guy. He pretty much collapsed from exhaustion at the end. As far as his maturity goes...mentally and emotionally he is way beyond his age. I haven't seen anyone play the game like he does in a long while. In this sense he is very Federesque...but he appears to be even a little more slipperier.

His approach to returning serve on the grass courts showed a lot of maturity too. I can't say enough about every single facet of his game. I found myself watching Koslov like I watched Federer...I don't take my eyes off of him. I don't watch the ball or the opponent...I watch only him. He is that captivating. His movement is excellent for his age and development. He has that uncanny knack for getting in position and when he is out of position he knows exactly what adjustments he has to make in order to get in position to play a ball when he is in less than optimal position. This is a trait that truly great players have. It is tough to get them out of position.

It is the tactical acumen of Stefan Koslov that was so impressive plus he has all of the shots to implement various strategies. His approach to getting to the net was intriguing. He used a variety of approaches mixing in a nice assortment of slices and off speed and variety of depth. His ability to play the whole court and to use the whole court on the other side of the net was just a wonder to watch.

I had the pleasure of working and traveling with Aaron Krickstein just before he turned professional and beat Vitas Gerulitus at the US Open. He was also 15 years old at the time and ran the table in the junior 18 an under events in that year...possibly 1983. If I were to compare the two players I would start with their maturity. Both players exhibit an elevated maturity for their years. But the thing about Koslov is he is playing the complete game of tennis which typically takes a longer time to completely master. Krickstein played the standard backcourt game even though he had the ability to move in...he just wasn't encouraged to do so. This kid doesn't need any encouragement and once he gets there he knows what to do with the ball. He volleys crisply and with touch. His serve motion is much better than Krickstein's ever was. The thing that Aaron had over Koslov at this point is the killer forehand...the knock out blow. But Koslov has plenty of power at this stage and he is only going to develop more as he develops and grows physically. The mental aspect of the game is the really interesting comparison. Krickstein was perhaps the most mentally tough player at that age that I have ever been aware of. He was like a Mozart in this regard...a prodigy. He was that way throughout his career as his record in five set matches was remarkable. Guess what...I think I see some of the same kind of mettle in this kid. But Stefan will not peak as early as Aaron did...playing the full court is a bit of a longer process....but again, it will pay big time dividends.

Aaron had all of the tools to play the whole court but just as he should have been transitioning from the junior style of play to the men's game he was shipped off to Bollettieris...where there was very little development in his game in general. His serve never materialized in proportion to his potential and his ability to capitalize on points at the net never became a reality. He basically played the junior game his whole career...which was absolutely wonderful as it was. The thing is...the question is...how much more potential was there? Quite a bit...I theorize.

I don't get too excited by what I see these days...but this kid is going to be one to watch. You look at him sitting in his chair and he looks like a boy but once that ball was in play he played every bit like an accomplished young man. I wouldn't rush him into anything. Just let him develop. Let him season a couple of years. He is going to have a very commanding presence.

[stotty]

It is the tactical acumen of Stefan Koslov that was so impressive plus he has all of the shots to implement various strategies. His approach to getting to the net was intriguing. He used a variety of approaches mixing in a nice assortment of slices and off speed and variety of depth. His ability to play the whole court and to use the whole court on the other side of the net was just a wonder to watch.

I thought you would be impressed. I certainly was.

You don't get a true impression on TV but Koslov had by far the least power of all the boys I saw at Junior Wimbledon...which in my eyes made him all the more impressive. He showed you can deal with power and neutralise it. He is also a flattish hitter, especially on the backhand.

He played Kyle Edmund (the next great British hope) in the quarters and lost in three. He got cramp midway though the third set when he was in the ascendency...that put pay to him, or he could well have made the semi. Kyle was given a wild card in to the men's event and lost 2, 2, and 4 to Jerzy...just to give you more perspective.

But, yes, Koslov is very smart on court. He sees everything that is going on in real time like Hingis did....crystal vision. He knows what to do and when. The key thing is he doesn't nervous. He plays big points without a nerve in his body. How big an asset is that? He doesn't panic either what ever the situation.

I saw Hingis play on the same court as Koslov many years ago when she was 12 years old. Imagine that. Twelve and playing junior Wimbledon...and she made the quarters!

[don_budge]

Power...what is it?

You don't get a true impression on TV but Koslov had by far the least power of all the boys I saw at Junior Wimbledon...which in my eyes made him all the more impressive. He showed you can deal with power and neutralise it. He is also a flattish hitter, especially on the backhand.

Power...is the ability to win. Not necessarily velocity. Power is the thing that King's are made of. Like Roger Federer.

Power is the ability to control your opponent with a combination of speed, placement and spin. I saw him throw in a couple of slice forehands just to change the tempo of the points at times...you don't see a lot of that nowadays. Tactical genius. Mozart...child prodigy. So perhaps in this respect this kid is powerful beyond the rest of the lot...at 15 years old.

Koslov takes the speed hit at him and sends it back to the opponent in a variety of ways. All of them designed to control or gain control of the point. Mentally he is a powerful kid. He is not looking to hit winners...he looks for the weak spot at the precise moment of any particular point and hits there with the appropriate speed, spin and placement to keep his opponent off balance and then when he has him sufficiently off balance...he goes for the kill. He's fencing!!!

Absolutely intriguing young tennis player. I see a one hand backhand in the future. It would be interesting to hear his coach's thoughts on that. His slice is a superb tactical weapon and he uses it beautifully to approach the net and to volley. Of course clay courts is a different story. But I love the approach to the game. It is the traditional "American" approach I believe. Good elements of attack, neutralize and defense.

Another intriguing aspect of this kid's tennis ability is his movement. This is another aspect of his game that I see similarities with Aaron Krickstein at his age. This kid is not the "fastest" player out there but he has an almost uncanny knack for getting into position to swing with control and balance...even under tense or difficult situations. Aaron was amazing in this regard. I don't know how he would fare in a hundred yard dash but when it came to getting set up to the tennis ball he was uncanny as well. If Stefan were my boy...this is an area where he can improve. His foot speed. He is not naturally gifted with great speed but this is something that can be acquired...with hard work. It will pay huge dividends in the future too.

The serve has certainly got some room for improvement, mega potential, but for a 15 year old it is phenomenal. I wish that I could just have an hour or two to discuss the future of that stroke with his coach. I know exactly where I would want that baby to be. Thanks for the peek...Stotty.

[don_budge]

The Second Match...Koslov and the Racquet Head

2 recent matches of Kozlov in action.

Newport ATP match

Wimbledon Junior match

Much is made of this young man's mental feel for the game. For his feel for the court. I have news for you...it is only going to get better. Some are questioning his access to brute power. I am not one of them.

If you happen to be interested...in the question of "Artist or Engineer?" or the combination thereof...this second match between the young Englishman and Russian/American Stefan Koslov is a stark comparison. The English man is basically "the mechanic" while young Koslov has all of the makings of a true artist.

The thing about a classic tennis player is that the racquet head of their racquet is always glued to the movement of their entire body. Only it is not so much glued as it is "in tune" with their being. Their entire being. One forum contributor not so long ago brought up the term or the concept of "being connected" which I sort of pick up on and ran with for awhile.

Connectivity...as evidenced by how a tennis player is connected to the head of his racquet and all points in between. The racquet head seems to be an extension of his hand at all times...even in between points. I was watching this junior match at Wimbledon between Koslov and his English opponent and marveled at the difference in the manner in which they were attached to the head of their racquets. How they carried their racquets and all of the little movements that they made with it...particularly when the ball was not in play in between points.

The English boy is all about brute power and he doesn't appear to connected to all of the nuances that are available in the head of the racquet but on the other hand Koslov's racquet appears to be a living extension. This disparity was reflected in their match against one another...the one dimensional approach versus the multiple pronged attack. When Koslov had the Brit playing his game it was pretty obvious that he had the upper hand. The manner in which he plays reflects this relationship of racquet head to "being" as at any given position in the match, in any given position on the court he has options and he knows instantly which is the one to use at any given moment.

I saw a 16-year old John McEnroe at the qualifying for the U. S. Open for Forest Hills back in 1975 I think it was and he gave me this exact same impression. He was all magician with that stinging magic wand of his...the Wilson Jack Kramer Pro Staff wood racquet. Yet he had all of the perfect engineering of a slick BMW or Mercedes Benz as well.

Going forwards in the Koslov time capsule I would like to see the results in a couple of years when he matures physically. If he matures as I think he will he is going to generate plenty of power...particularly in relationship to the kind of game that he plays. His game is obviously not solely power oriented. The kid is all about control...which sort of makes him a prodigy. Having that kind of control at such a young age is such an unusual trait to see in a tennis player. Control is the ultimate power. Ask any woman. The key is going to be foot speed. His anticipation, seeing and feeling for the court is already something that could be termed as "natural" although it is a product of hard work as well. But he is not what you would call the quickest specimen out there but if he continues to work at it he could be as quick as anyone.

When he steps onto the court he is all tennis player. This is reflected in the "natural" way that the racquet always to appear to be an extension of his body...the way all great tennis players seem to appear. I was impressed by the sort of mean look on his face too. In the Wimbledon match he is not wearing a baseball cap which gives us a better look at his face...and his eyes. A mean little Mongolian...comes to mind. Some tough genetic matter. I am keeping an eye on this one...and congratulations to his father for the exceptional job done is raising this young man. What a joy to watch!!!

Interesting to note that the kid loses both matches in three sets where he practically collapses from exhaustion. Playing the game that he plays is much more mentally and emotionally challenging than the standard junior tennis. The collapses at first glance may appear to be all about his conditioning...but consider this as well. His two opponents were a ranked man tennis player and the other was a young man entering men's tournaments...Koslov is a boy who is on the doorstep of becoming a young man. He show's a willingness to fight to the bitter end. This is perhaps the most important feature of a tennis player. That willingness to go to the bitter end. His endurance and his capacity to fight will certainly increase as he matures as well.

I would love to have the opportunity to tweak that service motion of his and discuss his serving tactics. klacr...any possibility of you intervening on my behalf?