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Ladies of the Court

On By Teresa Merklin

If I had to pick one word to describe Ladies of the Court it would be “lurid.” “Sordid” is a close second selection. Perhaps I should have anticipated that, given that the subtitle is “Grace and Disgrace on the Women’s Tennis Tour.” After reading Ladies of the Court, I really want to believe is that we, as society and a tennis community, have come a long way, baby. Unfortunately, that appropriates the advertising catch phrase of the cigarette brand that financed the early stages of the WTA tour. In Ladies of the Court, the Virginia Slims title sponsorship was unraveling. Spoiler alert: Cigarettes are bad for you. Additionally, as the USTA incessantly reminds us as of late, tennis is a healthy sport. Sponsorship by a tobacco company was incongruous.

Losing Points in Wheelchair Tennis

On By Teresa Merklin

Long time readers of the Fiend at Court may recall that I rejoiced when this steady march through the ITF Rules of Tennis reached the section titled “Player Loses Point.” I am nothing, if not an expert, in the art of losing a point. Now that this project is in the midst of the Rules of Wheelchair Tennis, it comes at no surprise to discover that there are some unique ways in which a wheelchair player can lose a point.

Harsh Realities Revealed in the USTA Digital Platform Update

On By Teresa Merklin

The USTA sent an email to all playing members on March 5. That message contained an important update on the status of the deployment of the new digital platform, Serve Tennis. An identical news story was simultaneously released to the USTA web site. In typical USTA fashion, the subject line of “Competitive Pathway,” as well as leading off with some “rah-rah” news of PAC report tennis participation data, buries the lead. Additionally, the message any conveyed optimistic statements about how awesome the new competitive pathway is going to be for tennis players before getting to the crux of the issue.

2018 AO Flashback: Fashion Hits and Misses

On By Teresa Merklin

The dawn of each Grand Slam tournament sparks a ritual in the Fiend at Court household. I say something along the lines of “It’s official. Nike has completely run out of attractive color combinations.” To which the Fiend at Court spousal unit replies “Please don’t buy me any of that.” Fun fact: Outside of league and tournament swag, almost the entirety of the Fiend at Court household’s tennis wardrobe has been gleaned from the clearance rack of one of the major online tennis retailers. We are experts in what is likely to eventually be offered at deep discount.

The Very White Anne White

On By Teresa Merklin

I knew I would be writing about former WTA professional Anne White as soon as she was mentioned in Zina Garrison’s autobiography. She came up in passing due to her tangential involvement when the sportswear company Pony decided to not renew Garrison’s clothing sponsorship contract. Before coming across that story, I couldn’t have told you anything at all about Anne White.

Best Dressed at the Australian Open: Serena Williams?

On By Teresa Merklin

Before I delve too deeply into this topic, I first have to make it perfectly clear that my personal policy is to never accept fashion advice from an engineer. If the relevancy of that statement is not immediately obvious, let me provide a reminder the tag line of this blog here: “An engineer overthinks tennis in a daily tennis journal.” Based on a lifetime of experience, engineers and fashion don’t normally play well together.

Venus Envy by Jon Wertheim

On By Teresa Merklin

At first glance, the selection of Venus Envy by Jon Wertheim might seem strange. My ambivalence toward biographies of players who are still competing is well documented on this site, and the story of Venus Williams and her professional tennis career has yet to conclude. Additionally, based solely on the title, it might be easy to assume that this book might be more appropriate in February during Black History Month. Ultimately, Venus Envy is the perfect selection to kick off Women’s History Month in March.

Service Alternatives in Wheelchair Tennis

On By Teresa Merklin

As we continue to work through the Rules of Wheelchair tennis, the final adaptation for delivery of the service presents a perplexing conundrum. While some wheelchair players can execute a conventional tennis serve, sometimes physical limitations make that action an impossibility. There is a rule adaptation that accommodates that situation.

Billie Jean King’s Eye Coach

On By Teresa Merklin

I am living in fear that at some point in the near future the management at my new tennis club will wake up to the fact that giving me 24×7 access to indoor courts and unlimited ball machine usage is a bad idea. Until then, I will continue to haunt the facility in the wee hours of the morning working on my technique and consistency. This brings us to the topic of Billie Jean King’s Eye Coach.