Latest Posts

The Definitive Captains Guide to USTA League Player Descriptions The Definitive Players Guide to USTA League Team Descriptions Shameless Strategies: Never Pick Up Your Share of Drill Balls Again Tennis Players as Works of Art Which Team is Your Main Squeeze? Cowtown Edition Speed Through / Double Back Tennis Beyond the Headlines: December 16, 2024

Michele Krause and Cardio Tennis

On By Teresa Merklin

The USTA recently announced that they have retained Michele Krause, to help grow Cardio Tennis® in the United States. Krause is exactly the right person to hire for that initiative as she is the founder of the Cardio Tennis program. In her new association with the USTA, Krause and her consulting company will lead efforts in the development of a national Cardio Tennis strategy for promotion, education, training, and implementation. This is very good news.

Where Tennis Center Courts are Left Unlocked (Gasp!)

On By Teresa Merklin

When Southlake (Texas) Tennis Center expanded a few years ago, the courts were configured in such a way that a bank of three tennis courts could remain open to the public when the tennis center is closed. In fact, during the COVID shutdown we played on those courts on a regular basis. Once the rest of the tennis players in our area discovered (or remembered) that those courts were left open, they were always packed. I am not aware of vandalism ever occurring on those courts.

Tennis Court Breaking and Entering

On By Teresa Merklin

On a few occasions when the umpire I gave birth to was playing junior tennis, we would arrive at her playing site to warm up before an 8am match to find the gate locked. It’s annoying to not have the courts open to prepare for a match. I have witnessed tennis players, parents, and coaches scaling the fences in those scenarios. We never did, but mostly out of absolute conviction that we would injure ourselves if we tried.

The Tragic Irony of Padlocks on Tennis Courts

On By Teresa Merklin

The “Tragically Beautiful: Locked Tennis Courts” post from last weekend generated a couple of comments that sparked the realization that I had a lot more thoughts on this topic. First and foremost, is the fundamental truth that padlocking a court prevents people from playing tennis, but it does not prevent vandalism. A padlock is simply not a very effective security mechanism.

The Game of Doubles In Tennis

On By Teresa Merklin

One of the oldest books on how to play tennis doubles was written by Bill Talbert and Bruce Old. It is a book that was NOT in my collection when I decided that it was time to immerse myself in the tennis doubles knowledge languishing on my bookshelves a few weeks ago. The doubles book selected in week one of that endeavor referenced Talbert’s book as the best previously written about how to play doubles. This blog is nothing if not a flimsy excuse for purchasing more tennis books. Fortunately, I was able to find a well worn and reasonably priced copy.

Real Tennis Balls

On By Teresa Merklin

The specification for the tennis ball are codified in Appendix I of the ITF Rules of Tennis. It is probably way more detail and information than most players need or care to know. What I first took to be a subtle anachronism describing the construction of the tennis ball led me to the stunning realization that the sport we call tennis is not real tennis. Additionally, we don’t play tennis with real tennis balls.

The Playmate Grand Slam Ball Machine

On By Teresa Merklin

I am stunned at how dramatically commercial grade ball machines have improved since my playing days of yore. In fact, my personal ball machines that I have been writing about over the past few weeks are generally on par with the commercial machines that I grew up with. More recently, I am enjoying almost unlimited access to a modern commercial grade Playmate Grand Slam ball machine. It is a lot more powerful than the battery powered personal devices that I own.

USTA Launches Rally for the Future Fundraising Campaign

On By Teresa Merklin

In 2020 this site donated the proceeds from this site to the USTA “Rally to Rebuild” initiative which was sponsored by the USTA Foundation. Last week USTA members received an email from Chris Evert announcing the follow-on to that campaign, “Rally for the Future.” Both benefit the National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) network. The NJTL is an in-school tennis and education program targeted at under-resourced youth across the country.

When Andy was Roddick’s Little Brother

On By Teresa Merklin

Andy Roddick loved to hit tennis balls from a very young age. The Umpire Who Gave Birth to me experienced that firsthand when Andy was 8 or 9 years old. She was officiating the Hamilton Park Tennis Center site for the Texas Junior Grand Slam tournament. While John Roddick was making a name for himself with the officials for… uhm… spirited behavior during the tournament, young Andy somewhat salvaged the family reputation by being generally adorable. Too young to play in the tournament, Andy was desperate to hit tennis balls with anyone who would tap them back and forth with him. The tournament desk kept him plied with used tennis balls to use at the backboard just to keep him out from underfoot.

An Ode to Slab Courts

On By Teresa Merklin

Yesterday I lamented how my hometown systematically blocks public access to tennis courts that are ordinarily open in other municipalities. After being thwarted by the locks and chains at the middle school courts last weekend, I swung by a couple of courts that I knew would be available. As far as I know, Belair Park has the only courts in Wichita Falls that are routinely open and accessible. In fact, there are no gates at all so they can’t be closed and locked.