2014 Aegon Championships ATP 250...London, Great Britain

[don_budge]

Harry Hopman is the coach...

Now for some proper volleying and net coverage. The young, pigeon-toed Frank Sedgman features second in the clip. Watch his superb volleys and quick movement at the net.

http://www.t3licensing.com/license/clip/48050258_9800.do?assetId=clip_8903884&keywords=sedgman

The 1950's saw some of the best volleyers ever. Players these days get passed so easily at the net. Yes the game is faster and more spinny these days but all the same players don't read what's going on...they're kind of numb at the net. Frank is completely at home at the net...it's like he lives there...which he did. It's an education to watch this stuff, it really is.

Awesome piece of video. Sedgeman epitomizes something I try to get my students to understand: the great volleyers are never rushed in their strokes; they look like they are moving in slow motion; perhaps a better term would be unhurried. Sedgeman's racket head goes right to the ball, very little backswing and yet he easily able to put plenty of "stick" on his volleys when he needs to and has the opportunity.

Questions: who is his doubles partner? and who is Seixas's doubles partner? 1950 Davis Cup. Notice that even though they have chairs, they barely sit down if at all on change of sides.

don

A telling piece of tape Stotty...some awesome comments by tennis_chiro. Racquet directly to the ball...sound instructions especially in the modern age of tennis volleying dipping bullets at a zillion miles per hour. Go forwards to meet the ball and form your entire being into a wall as you meet the ball. All of these guys can volley...all of these guys can "stick" it. "Crisp volleying" they used to call it.

See Hopman scurrying around behind the scenes taking care of everything...every little thing. You know damned well his players were prepared...and prepared early. Hopman is the coach afterall...in the don_budge paradigm of tennis coaching. For good reason.

All it will take is one such man to step up and be given the opportunity to turn it around. Stressing sound fundamentals, good conditioning and a healthy life style. Be it in a neighborhood, a city, a state or even the entire country. That's how it works...a strong, charismatic, competent individual to lead. No flim flam man. No snake oil salesman.

A leader to create the pack. The strength of the wolf is the pack...the strength of the pack is the wolf. The old Aussie way.

West Side Tennis Club, Forest Hills, NY, United States (25 August - 27 August 1950) grass

1. Tom Brown vs. Frank Sedgman: 0-6, 6-8, 7-9

2. Ted Schroeder vs. Ken McGregor: 11-13, 3-6, 4-6

3. Gardnar Mulloy/Ted Schroeder vs. John Bromwich/Frank Sedgman
6-4, 4-6, 2-6, 6-4, 4-6

4. Ted Schroeder vs. Frank Sedgman: 2-6, 2-6, 2-6

5. Tom Brown vs. Ken McGregor: 9-11, 8-10, 11-9, 6-4, 6-1

No rest breaks, no suitcases, no towel boys, no tie-breaks, no endless bouncing of the ball before the serve. No phony baloney. Just classic Australian vs. American tennis.

Was this clip 1950 or was it 1951? It's 1951 isn't it?

26 Dec - 28 Dec 1951, White City Stadium, Sydney, Australia, Grass, Outdoor

R1 M. ROSE 3-6 4-6 7-9 V. SEIXAS
R2 F. SEDGMAN 6-4 6-3 4-6 6-4 T. SCHROEDER
R3 K. MCGREGOR-F. SEDGMAN 6-2 9-7 6-3 T. SCHROEDER-T. TRABERT
R4 M. ROSE 4-6 11-13 5-7 T. SCHROEDER
R5 F. SEDGMAN 6-4 6-2 6-2 V. SEIXAS

[klacr]

Awesome piece of video. Sedgeman epitomizes something I try to get my students to understand: the great volleyers are never rushed in their strokes; they look like they are moving in slow motion; perhaps a better term would be unhurried. Sedgeman's racket head goes right to the ball, very little backswing and yet he easily able to put plenty of "stick" on his volleys when he needs to and has the opportunity.

Questions: who is his doubles partner? and who is Seixas's doubles partner? 1950 Davis Cup. Notice that even though they have chairs, they barely sit down if at all on change of sides.

don

"Be quick, but don't rush". A old John Wooden Quote

A great piece of advice I use with my students when they are volleying.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stotty]

Sedgman at his best...

Awesome piece of video. Sedgeman epitomizes something I try to get my students to understand: the great volleyers are never rushed in their strokes; they look like they are moving in slow motion; perhaps a better term would be unhurried. Sedgeman's racket head goes right to the ball, very little backswing and yet he easily able to put plenty of "stick" on his volleys when he needs to and has the opportunity.

don

Look at the first three points in this clip. All of Sedgman hitting backhand volleys. The first one is obscured by the clip's title but through the lettering you can see him pick up a sumptuous backhand volley off his shoe laces and hitting it for a winner down the line.

The second point is good one. You can tell from the clips Sedgman has a really good volley down the line which he frequently employed to set up a put away second volley. The second volley looks like it's on the verge of getting behind him yet he still pulls off a smooth cross court winner. That is a really skilful volley.

I really like Sedgman's ploy of hitting a deep backhand volley down the line because it's close to impossible to do anything with it. It cancels out the crosscourt pass and leaves only the down the line and a lob. This is what I always liked about McEnroe...the use of geometry to cancel out certain possibilities.

The third point is my favourite. He moves right through the volley without even stopping and hits the smoothest shot you will ever see. The ease with which he executes the whole process is amazing...the follow through is perfect...everything is utterly perfect. This is sheer delightful volleying. Probably the best you could ever hope to see.

http://www.t3licensing.com/license/clip/48050259_3900.do?assetId=clip_8903915&keywords=sedgman

[GeoffWilliams]

These guys would not win an local open tournament. They'd be destroyed by teenage juniors.