Geoff Williams

[tennis_chiro]

Uncle Tony taught Rafa based on Jack Nicklaus saying, "First learn to hit the ball long, and then learn to place it." Or: teach her to kill the ball first, and then learn to move it line to line. Those who can reliably kill the ball on the run, what I call body fly shots, all the weight moving into the shot, learn to kill on the run. Not many are natural born ball killers. Henin was one. Have her study Henin for that trait alone. It's a lot easier to learn on a junior, than when you're 58! I know, because I was taught to stop, plant, still myself, and not throw my body into the hitting foot off plant. My whole generation was taught that. Not one male pro does not have a body fly fh, although, there a lot of them like Chardy, and Florian Mayer, who have female type fhs: large, stiff back swings, with a more rigid wrist on follow through, who hit flatter with less rpms than snap back fh. At first it takes a lot of courage to develop large coils on the run. Then it becomes second nature, and you won't even remember not being able to do it. It becomes natural and allows more consistency with more threat. Safe and aggressive wins matches, and that can't be done without a large safe coil on the run. A fast hand and a large coil, and drill that into her and it will become more consistent than pushing the ball.

I am currently learning it and it's a blast and fun to learn something I was taught not to learn.

I just have to say I have a real problem with all this stuff about jumping. When I watch the players I think have the best groundstrokes in the game today: Murray, Djokovic, Rafa, Roger, it is amazing how well set they get to hit the ball. On the biggest stages under the greatest pressure: take the Australian Open final between Murray and Djokovic a year and a half ago. I was dumbstruck by how big they were hitting the ball in some of those rallies; and, certainly, they were in the air for a lot of those shots, but it was also striking for me how well set they were getting to make extended exchanges of plus 80mph groundstrokes. It was almost classic in some of the exchanges, especially Djokovic.

Look at Sharapova. Not fast on her feet by any means, but her footwork is excellent and as slow as she is, she still manages to get herself very stilll to take those big swings she makes at the ball. I expect on pure agility and speed and movement, Halep would beat her hands down, but Maria managed to get herself set and hit stinging winners that were big enough to neutralize that disadvantage. And I would profer that one of the reasons she could get away with swinging so hard and going for such small targets (she didn't have a lot of margin for error) is that her footwork was so good and she was so well set up to make those swings.

Even when Federer is in the air, as he is so beautifully in the "Fed Not Gone" video, he still manages to "still" his head. Coil and turn into the shot with the power of your core - yes; create a nice SSC with a shorter stroke and a slightly delayed completion of the backswing - yes; but don't get carried away and start lunging at your shots out of control trying to jump into the shot.

Perhaps I'm too stuck in the past, but I think tennis is about learning to exchange the ball and engage in a "conversation" with your opponent. Players that think tennis is just "hitting their shots" are missing out on a major aspect of what makes this game great. You can never be successful if you are hitting your shots "carefully". No room for that. You have to learn to swing freely. But you should also never hit a shot without a specific target in mind.

I insist that a player learn to hit the ball correctly first before I worry about whether they get it in, but then there comes a time when they can hit great shots in a given drill or exercise. Wonderful stroke production that leaves me breathless. But then they have to learn to engage the opponent in a match. When these great players meet in the later stages of the majors, it feels like a prize fight. It's not just hitting your shots. It's much more than load and explode.

So don't lose the footwork and don't lose the sense of exchanging the ball. It seems HockeyScout's vision of the player of the future is a winner on every ball that he can reach. I don't think so. And I hope not. That would be very boring. It's almost the equivalent of reducing a hockey game to just the penalty shots, shootoffs or whatever they call it. Yeah, there is a lot of drama, but it isn't hockey!

don

[don_budge]

Happy Gilmore?

I just have to say I have a real problem with all this stuff about jumping. When I watch the players I think have the best groundstrokes in the game today: Murray, Djokovic, Rafa, Roger, it is amazing how well set they get to hit the ball. On the biggest stages under the greatest pressure: take the Australian Open final between Murray and Djokovic a year and a half ago. I was dumbstruck by how big they were hitting the ball in some of those rallies; and, certainly, they were in the air for a lot of those shots, but it was also striking for me how well set they were getting to make extended exchanges of plus 80mph groundstrokes. It was almost classic in some of the exchanges, especially Djokovic.

Look at Sharapova. Not fast on her feet by any means, but her footwork is excellent and as slow as she is, she still manages to get herself very stilll to take those big swings she makes at the ball. I expect on pure agility and speed and movement, Halep would beat her hands down, but Maria managed to get herself set and hit stinging winners that were big enough to neutralize that disadvantage. And I would profer that one of the reasons she could get away with swinging so hard and going for such small targets (she didn't have a lot of margin for error) is that her footwork was so good and she was so well set up to make those swings.

Even when Federer is in the air, as he is so beautifully in the "Fed Not Gone" video, he still manages to "still" his head. Coil and turn into the shot with the power of your core - yes; create a nice SSC with a shorter stroke and a slightly delayed completion of the backswing - yes; but don't get carried away and start lunging at your shots out of control trying to jump into the shot.

Perhaps I'm too stuck in the past, but I think tennis is about learning to exchange the ball and engage in a "conversation" with your opponent. Players that think tennis is just "hitting their shots" are missing out on a major aspect of what makes this game great. You can never be successful if you are hitting your shots "carefully". No room for that. You have to learn to swing freely. But you should also never hit a shot without a specific target in mind.

I insist that a player learn to hit the ball correctly first before I worry about whether they get it in, but then there comes a time when they can hit great shots in a given drill or exercise. Wonderful stroke production that leaves me breathless. But then they have to learn to engage the opponent in a match. When these great players meet in the later stages of the majors, it feels like a prize fight. It's not just hitting your shots. It's much more than load and explode.

So don't lose the footwork and don't lose the sense of exchanging the ball. It seems HockeyScout's vision of the player of the future is a winner on every ball that he can reach. I don't think so. And I hope not. That would be very boring. It's almost the equivalent of reducing a hockey game to just the penalty shots, shootoffs or whatever they call it. Yeah, there is a lot of drama, but it isn't hockey!

don

The Happy Gilmore of tennis...

[hockeyscout]

So don't lose the footwork and don't lose the sense of exchanging the ball. It seems HockeyScout's vision of the player of the future is a winner on every ball that he can reach. I don't think so. And I hope not. That would be very boring. It's almost the equivalent of reducing a hockey game to just the penalty shots, shootoffs or whatever they call it. Yeah, there is a lot of drama, but it isn't hockey!

don

Everyone follows men's tennis, and never discusses woman's. And, they are two different games. The statistical number of woman's tennis don't lie, you'd better be able to serve, return to serve and hit the ball deep. The points are over fast. The woman's game -- I am sure we agree, their's a lot of room for growth!

Really guys, lets look at the rallies in men's tennis today, its an insane amount of winners, however, these guys run them down so well it looks to the naked eye like they are rallying. They make it look easy, however, it's a TON OF WINNERS. These guys are so darned good at hound dogging the ball we think it is a rally, but its a bunch of deep penetrating perfectly executed balls.

Keep in mind, athletes are all different, and the one I have will need to play a little bit differently.

Mine is BIG, AGGRESSIVE as HELL ON EARTH (but moves like Davenport) and has a wingspan (long arms). Her style will need to be classic serve and volley as she is going to be HUGE (me, 6'4" and Svita 6'3"). Slavic girls are generally taller than their fathers, it's a nice gene for size, and so many Ukraine girls are 6'3" and tall.

It will need to be a powerful serve first and foremost, high end return to serves, deep penetrating balls, heavy slices on the backhand, variety, pace, angles, every shot in the book and clever play at the net (and a lot of it because she's got a massive reach). It will be tough, as she will be in the 6'4" to 6'6" range which is a bad height for a tennis player.

I'm just setting up a program based on an athletes specific strengths and weaknesses like the rest of you.

My vision of the future is a BIG, athletic, serve and volley player with NBA athletic skills, however, their ain't many of those who choose to be tennis players lets be realistic. Mine isn't a terrific athlete, however, she does have a few traits which can be improved apon and developed.

[hockeyscout]

Uncle Tony taught Rafa based on Jack Nicklaus saying, "First learn to hit the ball long, and then learn to place it." Or: teach her to kill the ball first, and then learn to move it line to line. Those who can reliably kill the ball on the run, what I call body fly shots, all the weight moving into the shot, learn to kill on the run. Not many are natural born ball killers. Henin was one. Have her study Henin for that trait alone. It's a lot easier to learn on a junior, than when you're 58! I know, because I was taught to stop, plant, still myself, and not throw my body into the hitting foot off plant. My whole generation was taught that. Not one male pro does not have a body fly fh, although, there a lot of them like Chardy, and Florian Mayer, who have female type fhs: large, stiff back swings, with a more rigid wrist on follow through, who hit flatter with less rpms than snap back fh. At first it takes a lot of courage to develop large coils on the run. Then it becomes second nature, and you won't even remember not being able to do it. It becomes natural and allows more consistency with more threat. Safe and aggressive wins matches, and that can't be done without a large safe coil on the run. A fast hand and a large coil, and drill that into her and it will become more consistent than pushing the ball. I am currently learning it and it's a blast and fun to learn something I was taught not to learn.

I like this Geoff. It's our starting point. I am kind of more into the lean and flow type thing, however, again I have an athlete who is 8, and 42 kilos (92 pounds) so this kind of thing will work okay. I don't care for the stop and plant stuff either, especially at this age, I like them to flow because technically speaking it's less stress on the joints in my opinion. I know it will result in a lot of lost matches at a young age, but really, who cares about results at 8 to 12 unless you an insane tennis coach, administrator or parent.

Geoff, a question, at 58, is this way of playing easier on your joints? Have you moved away from open stance stuff as you've gotten older, and adapted a more classic approach? How is this new body shots thing on the body and arm?

[GeoffWilliams]

I use ankle braces now, which allow for more heavy stop/starts, and help prevent roll overs, and help prevent strains. All the top male pros, whether open or not, coil their upper bodies, and cock their shoulders, even while in open stance, and I am beginning to copy that, coil diagonally to the net in any stance, and in any attack or defend mode. That's the goal. Consistent coil. I have also gone to food pad inserts, little pads to protect the balls of your feet, and spenco inserts to cushion hard court stop starts. I also use two pairs of ThorLo socks, to further cushion any blow to foot/legs. Two pairs also help prevent athletes feet.

Re: arm and shoulder: I use soft silicone injected into my frame butt handles, about 25g, to cushion the blow off stiff ra like babolats. I also use lead, to up mass to about 365g on my frames along with silicone to cushion blows, as the lead does more of the work than my arm/shoulder does. Pros do the same thing, silicone and lead, for the same reasons, only they have pro racquet customizers do all the work! Hard drying silicone will not work, only soft drying silicone. Most juniors play with very light frames, and get used to that as Nadal did, and never graduate to heavier mass: Djokovic: 359g: Fed: 365g: Murray: 360g: Tsonga:357g:Solderling: 374g: Nadal:341g, still at junior weight, junior grip size at L4, and his original apd frames painted to look like cortex frames. Murray is still using his original pt57A at 18 x 20 drill from 16 x 19 drill pattern.