Putting the brakes on technology...

[stotty]

Many on the forum have opposite views about technology and where it is leading. The IFT certainly have serious concerns about what could happen if things were allowed to go too far. Some might argue we passed the "too far" benchmark some time ago.

Check this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30746221

But with big money at stake, will the ITF really have the control to hold back the major brands. It only takes a few greased palms in the right places...

[gzhpcu]

The mass of club players can use the same racket for years. The better you get, the more selective you get in equipment.

[hockeyscout]

The mass of club players can use the same racket for years. The better you get, the more selective you get in equipment.

Never thought of that. Yes, you are right.

[GeoffWilliams]

The mass of club players can use the same racket for years. The better you get, the more selective you get in equipment.

Listen to this man. Because better players are mentored and care more: about obtaining max. spin, or max. power, or max.control, etc.

[hockeyscout]

Listen to this man. Because better players are mentored and care more: about obtaining max. spin, or max. power, or max.control, etc.

I agree, its important to get the best you can find, and pay whatever amount. Fortunately tennis rackets and string are cheap compared to composite hockey sticks, and well, full body armor and $800 skates which need to be replaced every 3-6 months. Kind of glad in retrospect my young one picked a cheaper sport to play (tennis).

[gzhpcu]

Well, would you believe it, but we have cheapskates in the club that play with practically the same balls for the whole summer season. The balls are bald and barely bounce. Imagine the state of their rackets and strings...

[GeoffWilliams]

Extreme hunger to win/play/practice/improve/dominate makes a better player, and that cannot be coached. The abject urge to do what is necessary, even if it means 6hrs. a day of suffering. She either has it or she doesn't and there is nothing you can do about that.

[hockeyscout]

Extreme hunger to win/play/practice/improve/dominate makes a better player, and that cannot be coached. The abject urge to do what is necessary, even if it means 6hrs. a day of suffering. She either has it or she doesn't and there is nothing you can do about that.

Hitting tennis balls is not really suffering. Its fun. Or, should be if the player has passion.

[JeffMac]

Re: The Modern Technology

I have an intersting experience I'd like to share: After 40 years in the deepest levels of the trenches, I retired a little over 4 years ago. I was burned out and needed a break from tennis. I haven't seen a tennis match in the interim. I got wind of the fact that there is a tournament on right now so I went searching for it in the middle of the night. As I was channel surfing I was thinking to myself that "it couldn't possibly be faster than it was the last time I watched." I was shocked but not surprised to see that the little yellow dot was moving at least a click faster than the last time. The question is: How much faster can the game become and is that such a good thing? For me the game began to reach the point when it was beginning to accelerate to much right about the time when the Agassi forehand and the Ivanesevic serve appeared on the scene. As time has moved on the game has become more and more bereft of sublety, nuance, variation, sophisticated tactics and strategies. Maybe I'm a Luddite, but it just isn't that interesting to me now, compared to the tennis of the past. I watched a few games of this contemporary brand of tennis which is all bigger than ever serves, maybe a return, and maybe a big putaway off of that return. Now certainly there were some slightly longer points, but there are fewer now than ever. It just wasn't that interesting so I tuned into the movie "Good Fellas" in which the points were longer, and there was some semblance of tactics and strategy, and some subtlety and nuance. When it was over I tuned back into the tennis, watched a little but it put me to sleep. This is sad. Tennis is cannablizing itself. Speed kills! What is the latest data on participation and viewership? Is it up or down? Maybe I'm the exception. I hope so because I love the game. And yes, these changes in the game are driven by $. That's normal and natural. The manufacturers have a right to make a living. The clock will not be turned back. What to do?

[stotty]

What to do?

It's a tough one. We need more all court tennis and a choice of game styles. Serve and volley is dead for one. But if they lower the bounce and go back to traditional grass at Wimbledon you will see no rallies whatsoever.

There is no appetite for change as yet. Chris Kermode the chairman of the ATP wants more of the same. He likes the fast moving one dimensional game and is convinced everyone else does too.

But like I said, it's a tough one. The bounce has to get lower to attract net players...but at the same time if it gets faster in today's tennis god knows what the game will look like. Finding a balance looks real tricky.

The game can get faster and definitely will if the history of tennis technology is anything to go by.

[hockeyscout]

Fan bases generally are not so traditionally emersed in the sports traditions and roots like tennis is with all the technical aspects and constructing of an intelligent thinking man's play, since well, maybe basketball in the 1960s.

In the old days basketball the NBA was a bit like tennis with it's layups, thinking mans approach, point construction and fundamental chess passes. Then Magic, Shaq, Kemp, Jordan, Hakeem, Ewing, Kobe, Jordan all came along, it became a game of truly once in a lifetime athletic freaks with size, speed and mobility, and interest skyrocketed in the sport. Then, the game got way to fast, and coaches came in an automized these free wheeling freak of natures into well though out zone defenses and offensive schemes, and well, basketball is not basketball anymore, and I see it dying a bit with this new and improved coaching paradigm. Finally, the coaches have caught up to the science, and the speed, and 100 percent of the players are all good, no weak links anymore or players with holes to their games, and its not looking good.

Every sport does through this cycle, and tennis will next. Some say it's happened in tennis, however, I don't think we are quite their just yet. The sport is simular to basketball just before it exploded right now. I think we are done with the Larry Bird, Wayne Gretzky's, Muhammed Ali, Rod Laver's and John McEnroe paradym of touch, feel and game IQ.

Tennis has a really unique opportunity here, in the age of concussions a lot of parents are getting aprhensive about hockey, boxing football, and this is where tennis could somehow come in if they were willing to sell themselves as an explosive, agresssive, tough and physical game. I think their is a chance better athletes may slip into the game.

I wonder how much the world of tennis will change when an athlete comes along who can compete with NFL, NBA and Olympic runners across the board on a SPARQ test.

Brian Clay is exceptional, I have heard second hand he did the football test, and scored higher than any NFL player. His NBA score was higher than Kobe Bryant and Lebron James. His total assesment, I believe was the best any athlete has every scored on the test at the time. Obviously a vertical jump tells you a lot, and it will be interesting to see what happens in tennis when you get someone who can generate power like Jordan (48 inches), Spud Webb (46) or Vince Carter (43), and it'd be interesting to see how that raw athletic skill and control could correlate into the world of this sport which hasn't quit had it's Bo Jackson, Mike Tyson, Bruce Lee, Lebron James, Usain Bolt and Micheal Vick type of athletism just yet (well, maybe Serena in the womans game).

Today's athletes are bigger, faster and stronger.

5'11 used to be idea height, then it was 6'1" and now it is 6'3", which is coincidentally about the same as the progression of a NFL quarterback, and a NHL defenseman. Tennis interestingly enough is following in this path.

Every sport has had manufacturing new equipment, lighter pads, better shoes, sticks, you name it, so it is just not a phenomenon of just tennis. The game is getting faster, and all sports are speeding up. Speed and power is the rule of thumb. Tennis people are naturally resistant to this (as you are by reading your post), however, the veil will be continually peeled away as players seek to become more athletic (see Serena Williams). Raw Size, Superman Power and Total Athletism. I don't think we will get away from it.

And, I am not sure the sport will build up moving forward if it doesn't keep getting faster as you always need to infuse in a new, young fan base, to replace the old ones.

Somewhere out this the WTA and ATP world tour have statistics like this one:

http://www.marketresearchworld.net/content/view/1113/48/

They may like their old demographic like say my arch rival here don_budge and thank him for his years of patronage, however, they understand, and the sponsors understand they already have his money, and their is no value in addressing concerns from his generation of purists (which may be valid) as to how the game should be shaped in the future as his market demographic is maybe 15 percent, and will always fall in value no matter what they do.

In terms of the don_budge demographic they have done a hell of a good job at retention, are pleased with the end results, and hope to do better on the next wave of people in terms of marketshare, sponsors and bottom line cash.

Players are making more cash (1) and (2) brands are increasing their net worth with this affilation - and it's a bottom line game.

Now, they will not change anything because they likely know what will make them money, and what won't.

How do I know this? The players are making more money.

Happy players, happy agents and obviously sponsors who are increasing their net worth by being affiliated with the current tennis brand.

If that means losing purists, that means losing purists.

The dollar speaks volumes.

Maybe, tennis has peaked. Maybe not.

All I know is if I had interests in the NBA, NFL and maybe even the NHL, I'd be getting out right here, and right now.

Prices are at an all time high for tickets, high definition and streaming is up, people love to multi task and sitting in one place that is not in front of the computer is a real challenge (tennis is not football where their is a lot of stuff going on if you know what I mean, beer, girls, fans, dancing, chanks, acting out ect), games are now posted on youtube right after they happen and you can fast - forward, rewind and watch them quicker, illegal blogs let you watch day - night, weather is getting real finnicky with global warming, economies are rising and falling at an unpredecidented pace, gas is more expensive, traffic patterns are bad and cripes, some people will dye if they are in a stadium without go wifi connections.

Back to tennis now ... the future concerns me a bit as I question the fan base, and such a heavy reliance on corporate sponsorships. You listen to the ATP - WTA people talk and they always mention the great venues and sponsors, and in the NFL - NBA and NHL it is always the fans, and sponsors are never brought up much. Its built up a bit on a house of cards, and I worry what a steroid scandal or one of the biggest names getting into major trouble might do to the sport. Its a very risky investment.

I think the one thing they will learn is the old don_budge fan base was loyal as hell, and the new base won't be with them through thick and thin.

Its a different generation.

Just some random thoughts.

[gzhpcu]

I've been watching tennis for ages, and I like today's tennis. Yes, different from the days of wooden rackets, but much more athletic and longer rallies. (excluding the long, boring rallies between Borg and Vilas...) Watching Federer, Nishikori, Nadal, Wawrinka is always entertaining. I think our memories are imperfect, and we often look back at "the good old days" and forget that people at that time were probably also complaining about the same thing. Today's tennis has evolved, but I like it.

[don_budge]

Tennis Technology…and don_budge (aka don_quixote)

Thank you for the interesting and thoughtful post regarding the role of technology in the sport of tennis. Forty years of perspective gives you an advantage over younger tennis aficianado's. I found your post very provocative and I would like to reply conversationally to you.

I have an intersting experience I'd like to share: After 40 years in the deepest levels of the trenches, I retired a little over 4 years ago. I was burned out and needed a break from tennis.

My experience in tennis goes back quite a long ways as well. I actually began to play tennis in 1968…coincidentally the same year than tennis went "Open". Of course I had no idea at the time what the historical significance of that year meant to the game. As it is…the year is looming large. Big money entered to equation. Conversely I burned out on the whole tennis experience while playing competitive tennis in 1981 or so when the equipment changed from standard sized to over-sized. Actually I had a lot of rage to burn and you couldn't say that I burned out. My nerves were a bit frayed and I was getting on the establishment's nerves as I protested vehemently. I quit the game outright at the age of 40 and took my first golf lesson. Enter the world of golf.

The question is: How much faster can the game become and is that such a good thing?

When the game went "over-sized" the speed immediately changed the complexion of the game overnight. It wasn't a good thing in my opinion at the time. By changing the dimensions of the racquet and not changing the dimensions of the court a new game was actually created and one that only resembled the older classic tennis.

Here is a good example of the game right before it went "over-sized". The 1980 U. S. Open final between Bjorn Borg and John McEnroe. There was nothing wrong with the game. It certainly wasn't too slow. It was actually perfect. In the end it is all about money. There wasn't any consideration taken for tradition or tennis etiquette which implied that "one should never take unfair advantage over an opponent.

http://www.tennisplayer.net/bulletin/showthread.php?t=2733&highlight=mcenroe+borg+1980+open

Baseball was and is faced with a similar conundrum and has chosen a different tact. If professional baseball were to submit to composite material and oversize bats the fences in the outfields would certainly have to be moved significantly back or the scores of the game would likely triple or more. Professional baseball has toed the line with regards to the equipment even though they have had their fair share of problems of performance enhancing drug problems. The record books were being worked over as a result of the drug use…another matter entirely. But another factor of speed and the need for speed.

As time has moved on the game has become more and more bereft of sublety, nuance, variation, sophisticated tactics and strategies. Maybe I'm a Luddite, but it just isn't that interesting to me now, compared to the tennis of the past.

My rally cry when he equipment was changing mirrors your comments exactly. I knew in my heart what was taking place. I knew it sucked and it personally hurt me. I cried "they've taken the art out of the game". It was interesting the responses that I would get at the time. Everyone turned a blind eye. They even turned their back on the sport…and of course me. It's human nature. People that saw that they had something to gain from something that would immediately enhance their skill jumped at the opportunity. I wouldn't consider you a Luddite at all…but I know that myself I exhibit some don_quixote tendencies.

It just wasn't that interesting so I tuned into the movie "Good Fellas" in which the points were longer, and there was some semblance of tactics and strategy, and some subtlety and nuance.

I like your metaphorical reference to the "Good Fellas" movie. American movies…full of violence and gore. Military glorification. American snipers. Since relocating from the USA…I have lost my taste for movies such as "Good Fellas". In fact I have lost my taste for movies in general. Culture is such an interesting phenomena. Tennis is a culture in of itself.

This is sad. Tennis is cannablizing itself. Speed kills! What is the latest data on participation and viewership? Is it up or down? Maybe I'm the exception. I hope so because I love the game. And yes, these changes in the game are driven by $. That's normal and natural. The manufacturers have a right to make a living. The clock will not be turned back. What to do?

It was sad JeffMac. Personally it was disillusioning to me on one hand. But then again I had looked the possibility of being drafted into the Vietnam War square in the eyes. I knew the score. It felt like the game was betraying itself and all that it stood for. As I mentioned….the game had gone "Open" in 1968 and it only took some 12 years before the powers that be had sold itself down the river. Coaching and equipment lamely followed the leader. Looking back in hindsight…I wonder how the players felt about it. But I know deep in my heart how they felt. Again…human nature. The real tennis studs at the top of the game were the last to capitulate. John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors and Ivan Lendl…these true studs and incredible champions held out until the very last. It was a Darwinian survival of the fittest test of spirit and integrity. They held out until there place at the top of the game was going to be compromised. I often wonder what they were feeling deep down inside. Bjorn Borg in particular was effected…he retired right at the very point where he would have had to switch to remain relevant. Many years later on he made a comeback using his trusty wooden Donnay's which did not make any kind of logical sense at all. Was he making a point? Swedish style?

It's all about the money of course. hockeyscout outlines this…he claims to be my nemesis. But I don't have any nemesis. He doesn't know me. I am Quixotic…and beyond this sort of thing. don_quixote aka don_budge.

quixotic…exceedingly idealistic; unrealistic and impractical: a vast and perhaps quixotic project

[hockeyscout]

It's all about the money of course. hockeyscout outlines this…he claims to be my nemesis. But I don't have any nemesis. He doesn't know me. I am Quixotic…and beyond this sort of thing. don_quixote aka don_budge.

I am a sarcastic kind of guy. I was joking of course.

[don_budge]

The clock…and the sadness…and the future

This is sad. Tennis is cannablizing itself. Speed kills! The clock will not be turned back. What to do?

Perhaps the saddest aspect of the whole debacle is this…you can no longer compare the players of the past with the players of today. Modern tennis is a different game by definition than classic tennis.

The definition of the game change with the definition of the racquet.

You are right…the clock will not be turned back. What to do? Get out of the way. The future is coming hell or high water. It ain't going to be pretty either. so much for longing for the good old days. With all of our digital programming and mind control…it's shock and awe time.