Hey ljubicic:

[GeoffWilliams]

Raonic lost due to his return not matching Nishikoris' return. The stats were close, although 21 aces to one ace is not close, neither were Nish. average serve speeds, to Raonic. R. has no fire in the belly either. He does not belive in himself. He does not have the killer instinct. Too analytical. He's too slow to return so close to the base line. He's stringing too loosely for control under pressure. Losing the last 5 of six tie breaks to Nish. shows the same pattern over and over again. Have him hit 100 returns a day off serves hit from the opp. service line, and have a girl hit them at about 100mph to motivate him. Put out cones for him to hit off returns. String higher tension! Or he will never win a slam. Back up off the base line, as he's too slow to react otherwise. NOt once did he adjust to the oft missed returns due to his positioning. I can hit 113mph serves. I can hit 90mph seconds. Sad to see such stupidity.

[hockeyscout]

Geoff

Raonic lost due to his return not matching Nishikoris' return. The stats were close, although 21 aces to one ace is not close, neither were Nish. average serve speeds, to Raonic. R. has no fire in the belly either. He does not belive in himself. He does not have the killer instinct. Too analytical. He's too slow to return so close to the base line. He's stringing too loosely for control under pressure. Losing the last 5 of six tie breaks to Nish. shows the same pattern over and over again. Have him hit 100 returns a day off serves hit from the opp. service line, and have a girl hit them at about 100mph to motivate him. Put out cones for him to hit off returns. String higher tension! Or he will never win a slam. Back up off the base line, as he's too slow to react otherwise. NOt once did he adjust to the oft missed returns due to his positioning. I can hit 113mph serves. I can hit 90mph seconds. Sad to see such stupidity.

Geoff, I am constantly amazed with your analysis. It is a pleasure to read your posts, and I wish you'd post more often here. I hope you don't mind, but one of these days I am going to post a video of my eight year old daughter so you can wrap your head around the type of strings she needs to use. She is continually begging me to get her better stringing as she says she can't deliver the ball with the power and control she'd like! Ah, kids, eight and they want professional Geoff Williams string jobs. I had her using natural gut for a long time, however, they kept snapping on us, likely do to bad stringers. We will be headed to London in November to watch the ATP final eight, so I will be able to pick up whatever strings you feel are best.

[GeoffWilliams]

What is her hitting style: topspin baseline? All court? Power hitter? Touch/pusher type? What does she want to become? A power base liner with a good serve? Or a grinder with a spin serve? Grommet breaks are common with gut during mis hits. If she loves power: try Dryeex black edge full set or hybrid it with poly star energy crosses. If she loves spin and power: bhb7/poly star energy crosses. If she really wants heavy spin: string 63/43, 20lbs less on crosses (you have to know what you are doing). If she wants control over power: string tighter such as: 60/57lbs. Pre stretch if she loses tension too fast. The more she loses tension, the more you have to pre stretch. Pre stretching can improve elasticity in some polys, not the accepted myth opposite opinion. The feel of Dryeex is improved if the mains are pre stretched and the crosses are not, but vice versa: it's the opposite, as the mains are responsible for 80% of the feel/power/control in most given hybrids. So that experiment (pre stretcing only the crosses and not the mains) and it's result : worse control and feel over the opposite, illustrates just how much the mains need to be pre stretched if you desire a higher rate of control. Other wise, it would not have made a difference.

Suggestion: have her try all four combinations: dryeex full set: 63/43 bhb7/poly star: 63/43 and both at 60/57. Aks the stringer to pre stretch the mains only, depending on how fast she loses tension, the extremity determined by.http://www.dyreex.com/polyester-strings.html http://www.stringforum.net/ratings.p...5069&fstatus=0

[hockeyscout]

What is her hitting style: topspin baseline? All court? Power hitter? Touch/pusher type? What does she want to become? A power base liner with a good serve? Or a grinder with a spin serve? Grommet breaks are common with gut during mis hits. If she loves power: try Dryeex black edge full set or hybrid it with poly star energy crosses. If she loves spin and power: bhb7/poly star energy crosses. If she really wants heavy spin: string 63/43, 20lbs less on crosses (you have to know what you are doing). If she wants control over power: string tighter such as: 60/57lbs. Pre stretch if she loses tension too fast. The more she loses tension, the more you have to pre stretch. Pre stretching can improve elasticity in some polys, not the accepted myth opposite opinion. The feel of Dryeex is improved if the mains are pre stretched and the crosses are not, but vice versa: it's the opposite, as the mains are responsible for 80% of the feel/power/control in most given hybrids. So that experiment (pre stretcing only the crosses and not the mains) and it's result : worse control and feel over the opposite, illustrates just how much the mains need to be pre stretched if you desire a higher rate of control. Other wise, it would not have made a difference.

Geoff, I will post a video here before we go to the ATP tour finals. I am sure you have the expertise to guide us. Maybe you can advise what you think is best, and she can play with it, and send you a video or two to see the results.

[hockeyscout]

Geoff, I will post a video here before we go to the ATP tour finals. I am sure you have the expertise to guide us. Maybe you can advise what you think is best, and she can play with it, and send you a video or two to see the results.

Geoff, I think my kid is a bit of a different beast. She wants to do everything, and anything, and I can't really pinpoint a style as she does he own thing. It might sound strange, however, thats how it is. We'll see what you think, and obviously listen as your doing a lot of next level things in tennis in my opinion. Great job again, thanks.

[GeoffWilliams]

At 63/43, the stringer must elongate the frame before locking it down, ie, a two point polarized mount after stretching/elongating the frame, other wise, the 20lb. difference will "squash" the frame and shorten it by anywhere from 3mm to 1/4" depending upon frame RA. IN any case show her the two different tension styles with the same string and let her choose which gives her the most power/spin/control. DBE will not hurt her arm, but Bhb7 may.

[hockeyscout]

At 63/43, the stringer must elongate the frame before locking it down, ie, a two point polarized mount after stretching/elongating the frame, other wise, the 20lb. difference will "squash" the frame and shorten it by anywhere from 3mm to 1/4" depending upon frame RA. IN any case show her the two different tension styles with the same string and let her choose which gives her the most power/spin/control. DBE will not hurt her arm, but Bhb7 may.

LOL, Geoff, I will post the video. You will probably see what you need to see. I will send it before we head to Britain. You know, you should offer a mail order service where people can ship you rackets. What would happen if you send pre-strung rackets on the plane to us?

[GeoffWilliams]

Plane cargo bays are colder on international flights, but the effect on string jobs is minimal and temporary. The pressure is also different in cargo bays, but this does not impair string jobs over a small amount of time installed in bay.

[don_budge]

The Curious Case of Milos Raonic…and others

Raonic lost due to his return not matching Nishikoris' return. The stats were close, although 21 aces to one ace is not close, neither were Nish. average serve speeds, to Raonic. R. has no fire in the belly either. He does not belive in himself. He does not have the killer instinct. Too analytical.

Sad to see such stupidity.

Many months ago Tennisplayer.net used the Milos Raonic serve on the Interactive Forum.

Besides all of the questions about the idiosyncratic nature of his service motion, I have just one more question...is the motion conducive to him following it into the net? As it looks now the answer to that question is...no. I suggest sending him to the Stan Smith school of serving for some seasoning.

140 mph is impressive...but spin, placement and tactics are equally important elements of the service game. His motion may not be appropriate for those more subtler elements of service technique and tactics. That little idiosyncratic move that he makes at the top of his backswing to compensate for the rather unorthodox starting position of his racquet head and wrist is worrisome to me. Those little moves and compensations in a players swing sometimes are the reason things tend to break down under pressure...when things get a little dicey. It also looks like he tosses the ball very high which can be problematic in the wind.

It would be a shame to waste this young man's obvious strength and not develop the rest of his game around it, while at the same time continuing to develop the serve. If I were his coach I would not be satisfied with this as the final product. Hopefully he has a thoughtful coach, that is mindful of the potential this young man has, that will point him in the right direction.

This player should be developed to serve and volley, to attack the net and to play all court tennis...he is a perfect candidate, designed to offset the advantages of the prototypical modern backcourt player of today.

As it stands now, though, this is the perfect modern day serve. Generally the philosophy is...you cannot argue with velocity. Hit as hard as possible with minimal thought devoted to tactics...then retreat behind the baseline.

The Lumbering Canuck has already had some hip problems that have required surgery I believe. At 6' 5" tall and 215 pounds he is not the prototypical model for the modern baseline grinding game. All of that lateral pounding on his joints are going to make him an old man before his time. He should have been a serve and volley player for the very beginning. I think that the Kei Nishikori matchup is a perfect example why he should not be a baseline player…afterall how can he expect to compete with that. Once that "Big Lug" gets the weight shifted in the wrong direction he is cooked…whereas a guy like Nishikori has a much easier time of shifting directions.

Milos was designed by his maker to go forwards. This kind of action on the hip and other joints is much less destructive than the side to side pounding that he takes playing as a grinder. I saw him play Novak Djokovic at the French Open and Novak practically toyed with him on the red dirt. He just doesn't have that kind of mobility.

What he does have is a huge bomb of a serve. I think that he would do well to heed my advise in developing his big weapon strategically and tactically. It is too late in the game of course…or is it? Roger is showing us that he has shifted his tactics dramatically to adapt his ageing body to the demands of the sport. Surely the serve and volley and net rushing are going to save some miles on his body not to mention the terrain. Afterall…it's not the miles. It's the terrain…if you know what I mean. Why not cruise to the net to mop up on some of those easy put away returns.

Of course the court engineering may have worked against Milos in a sense. But what may have been more detrimental was the modern day coaching hijacking where one size fits all. The cookie cutter paradigm. Guys like Tomas Berdych, Robin Söderling, Jerzy Janowicz and Milos Raonic are all of the same mold. All playing with two handed backhands from the backcourt when they are actually perfect specimens to serve and volley and play with one handed backhands. Their obvious strengths are their reach and their serves so why would a coach not design their games around their strengths. Why?

All that being said Milos is beginning to have some rather impressive and consistent results and it couldn't happen to a nicer guy. Maybe even too nice for the top echelon of competitive tennis. He and Tomas Berdych may have more than one thing in common.

[hockeyscout]

My god

God, you write great dramatic monologue don_budge.

The stuff you pull out of your ass everyday here is worthy of a Pulitzer Prize award.

You've become an expert on movement?

Do you even know how Milo's injured his hip?

It wasn't caused by lateral pounding on his joints either (whatever the hell that is, I am not sure). He slipped on grass, and it could have been a career ender if he didn't surround himself with a team of qualified experts.

I think Milos has it handled on the coaching front.

Saying he should serve and volley is just plain nonsense given his rather obvious rhythm issues.

His coaches, and Milos obviously know what will work, and won't.

I just hate key-board board tennis warrior typing nonsense.

[bottle]

Everybody should serve and volley-- especially big guys.

[hockeyscout]

Everybody should serve and volley-- especially big guys.

Some guys have no rhythm, so it won't work. Or field speed

[gzhpcu]

Everybody should serve and volley-- especially big guys.

Isner, Karlovic are not athletic enough. Big guys are usually not so mobile...

[klacr]

Isner, Karlovic are not athletic enough. Big guys are usually not so mobile...

If we all had serves like Isner and Karlovic, and were willing to come to the net every time, we wouldn't need to be exceptionally mobile. Just dedicated and disciplined into making a high % of first serves.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[hockeyscout]

If we all had serves like Isner and Karlovic, and were willing to come to the net every time, we wouldn't need to be exceptionally mobile. Just dedicated and disciplined into making a high % of first serves.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

They can be willing, ready and able!

However, if they lack rhythm it won't work (no matter how great their hands work or how long their wingspan is or how great they have been coached to technically understand where to be in terms of court positioning).

Watch Ali, he's got it.

Not many big guys have it, however, the ones that do have a GREAT life (on and off the court).

I haven't met many NBA or NFL kids who can't dance, and that's why they are so darned good, injury free and durable.

If you watch Raonic closely you will see he cannot hunt, and he's got zero rhythm, and is simply not engaging the small muscle groups.

The last thing I would do is serve and volley him! Last.

He waits because he cannot rhythmically hunt, pounce and move in for the kill.

He's a nice white kid from the big city

If you watch Agassi, you will see he gets it.

Mrs Agassi (Andre's mom) was a hell of a good looking woman when younger (a 10 - 10), Mike can sing - dance, the guy was an Olympian boxer and he taught his son how to move like a man should move. His son dated some fabulous woman, and life was good to him.

You simply cannot improve someones strokes when they are chaotic with rhythm, and do not know how to place their feet to the time of music.

1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4, 1-2-3-4 -- you gotta be able to do it.

You know, you have to be very brave, relaxed and confident to run or dance well, and that is not Milos.

If he was seven or eight years old it could have been enhanced a lot, however, maybe his serve would have never developed into such a great weapon if he was more rhythmic with the balls of his feet!