An engineer overthinks tennis in a daily journal.
I can’t decide if I am more disappointed or relieved that no one called me out for the “Damn You Autocorrect” item in my training plan indicating that I would watch matches by Chris “Every” in addition to Steffi Graf to study their technique. Probably everyone knew who I meant anyway.
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To pin a thumb tack on this moment in time, I am in the middle of what is shaping up to be a broad and sweeping arc examining the return to organized competitive play following the COVID-19 shutdown. In my home USTA Section, Texas, sanctioned tournaments are allowed to resume July 1.
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In physics, critical mass is the smallest amount of material needed for a chain reaction. The concept of critical mass is a useful analogy for participation in tennis tournaments. Enough players have to enter an event in order for it to be held. Additionally, players typically will not enter tournaments if they assume or are concerned that the draw might not make.
Today I am returning my attention to the post COVID-19 protocols implemented a couple of weeks ago at the “$Prize Money Austin UTR Open @ Austin Tennis Academy. ” Earlier this week I wrote about the ball hygiene practices implemented during that tournament in “Tournament Ball Safety Protocols.”
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Yesterday I wrote about how the financial and liability structures of the USTA and UTR was very likely a dominant contributing factor in the decisions the organizations made about the suspension of tennis tournament play under COVID-19. Today I am exploring how the independent nature of UTR creates an agility advantage for UTR event organizers.
It is striking to step back and realize that only tennis tournament activity that is going on right now in my geographic region is under the banner of UTR and other events that are not sanctioned by the USTA. There is a very obvious explanation for this. At the onset of the COVID-19 crisis the USTA National Office suspended play tournaments as well as other events such as leagues and team tennis. UTR never suspended play. But why?
A deep dive into ball hygiene protocols implemented at a recent UTR tournament conducted in my geographic region.
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This project has brought me to the realization that my tennis training has been suffering under the tyranny of the calendar. Due to my age and geographic good fortune, I have a lot of opportunities to play both league and tournament tennis. I habitually fill my calendar with those opportunities. Consequently I am perpetually heading into some sort of match that matters.
I was kind of surprised at the focus of the most skeptical comments I received following “Special Edition: COVID-19 and Recreational Tennis.” Those comments were in response to the recommendation to have a dedicated set of balls for each player and to avoid touching the other players balls. A few people asserted that it would simply be impossible to do that. There was also a contingent that conceded that it was possible, but regarded the practice as more trouble than it is worth.
It seems like forever ago, but back in March, I passed on recommendations on how play tennis safely during the COVID-19 social distancing guidelines in “Special Edition: COVID-19 and Recreational Tennis.” The USTA finally (and relatively recently) got around to posting their own recommendations on a “USTA COVID-19 Updates” web page which is prominently currently featured on their home page.