I watched Moutet play Korda at the AO a few years back; he's a great counterpuncher. Fantastic hands, emotional, impulsive. Korda came through if I remember correctly in a five-set rollercoaster.
There's nothing more dull than a Medvedev/Zverev match. Let me take that one step further, there's nothing more dull than a Zverev match. At least Medvedev's idiosyncratic play style keeps me interested.
This age of efficiency isn't great, but at least we still have clay. I know clay to some is too slow and the supremely powerful players (not the just powerful players) like Zverev have a huge advantage on the surface, but I still relish a player's ability to run down balls, use slice, dropshots and lobs. It's not the primary style of play but the extended points often enable that kind of variety and scrambling.
Where I get really bored in tennis is the slow and low-bouncing hardcourts. Rotterdam, a beautifully staged event, comes to mind.
I would definitely support removing two serves from doubles. Guess could also soften up the balls? But guess theres certain changes that would further discourage singles stars from playing doubles which you don't want to do.
Also really enjoyed the age of average article about homogeneity of design - great link thanks
The age of average is a great piece, isn't it? Doubles needs to think how it can be appealing *without* singles stars, in my opinion. Singles players are never coming back en masse to play a lot of doubles a la McEnroe and that generation. That ship has sailed. The schedule is packed. Singles players are entirely different creatures now, who sometimes play doubles instead of having a practice day. Doubles players, who are usually singles players who aren't good enough to play singles (if we are being honest), need to figure out how to make this product stand on its own two legs.
I don't know any padel players, but I can watch it because the game itself is the appeal; not the players (at least for me as a beginner).
Padel is definitely a more appealing non-tennis option than, say, pickleball. It still suffers, a bit, from it not being a great televised product. But the action is real and it's not a sport that relies on a shot called the dink.
Sinner definitely looks like the favorite. He takes the ball on so well off both sides, it looks like he is playing ping pong out there sometimes. I could actually see GMP or Fritz getting through to the final. If I bet, those 2 dark horses look tempting.
Feel essentially comes down to your ability to control the racquet face. End-range describes when a player is fully stretched, or at the end of their ability to reach the ball. So end-range feel is the ability to control the racquet face, despite being stretched and out of position. Here's an example:
If I want to see just about every shot there is in tennis, I watch women’s doubles.
In honor of middle-weight tennis, I present maybe the best match of the year:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7kRLcUfgns
Maybe this is flyweight?
I watched Moutet play Korda at the AO a few years back; he's a great counterpuncher. Fantastic hands, emotional, impulsive. Korda came through if I remember correctly in a five-set rollercoaster.
There's nothing more dull than a Medvedev/Zverev match. Let me take that one step further, there's nothing more dull than a Zverev match. At least Medvedev's idiosyncratic play style keeps me interested.
This age of efficiency isn't great, but at least we still have clay. I know clay to some is too slow and the supremely powerful players (not the just powerful players) like Zverev have a huge advantage on the surface, but I still relish a player's ability to run down balls, use slice, dropshots and lobs. It's not the primary style of play but the extended points often enable that kind of variety and scrambling.
Where I get really bored in tennis is the slow and low-bouncing hardcourts. Rotterdam, a beautifully staged event, comes to mind.
I would definitely support removing two serves from doubles. Guess could also soften up the balls? But guess theres certain changes that would further discourage singles stars from playing doubles which you don't want to do.
Also really enjoyed the age of average article about homogeneity of design - great link thanks
The age of average is a great piece, isn't it? Doubles needs to think how it can be appealing *without* singles stars, in my opinion. Singles players are never coming back en masse to play a lot of doubles a la McEnroe and that generation. That ship has sailed. The schedule is packed. Singles players are entirely different creatures now, who sometimes play doubles instead of having a practice day. Doubles players, who are usually singles players who aren't good enough to play singles (if we are being honest), need to figure out how to make this product stand on its own two legs.
I don't know any padel players, but I can watch it because the game itself is the appeal; not the players (at least for me as a beginner).
Padel is definitely a more appealing non-tennis option than, say, pickleball. It still suffers, a bit, from it not being a great televised product. But the action is real and it's not a sport that relies on a shot called the dink.
Sinner definitely looks like the favorite. He takes the ball on so well off both sides, it looks like he is playing ping pong out there sometimes. I could actually see GMP or Fritz getting through to the final. If I bet, those 2 dark horses look tempting.
What is meant by “end range feel?”
Feel essentially comes down to your ability to control the racquet face. End-range describes when a player is fully stretched, or at the end of their ability to reach the ball. So end-range feel is the ability to control the racquet face, despite being stretched and out of position. Here's an example:
https://youtu.be/zGecSFIQcG0?t=125
fully stretched, with a continentla grip, Murray had great feel to flick this for a crosscourt winner.
Nice - thank you! Fabulous highlight as well