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Tennis Beyond the Headlines: December 23, 2024 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

Points Per Round and Rankings

On By Teresa Merklin

Last weekend the post “Points Illustrated: An Example of Rankings Inequities,” contained an example where a winless team was awarded 615 ranking points in a Level 4 round robin bracket. In the USTA legacy digital platform, players had to win a match in a tournament to receive anything more than participation points for the event. The fact that the new digital platform awarded those points is a great backdrop for exploring what the USTA regulations actually say.

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The Three Books that Every Tennis Player Should Own

On By Teresa Merklin

Tis the season for recommending thoughtful gifts for tennis players. Today we will consider the three books that every tennis player should own. These books should also be read. Most books can be read and then cast aside after initial consumption. The books in the own category are those timeless classics get revisited and consulted over time. These are the books that make the best gifts.

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ATP Time Violations

On By Teresa Merklin

Last Wednesday we reviewed a new rule associated with toilet breaks that the ATP tour is implementing in 2022. It is a clear and direct response to the media coverage and backlash surrounding the toilet habits of Stefanos Tsitispas. Buried at the end of the ATP announcement of the rule, was an innocuous little sentence that the penalty for extended bathroom breaks are Time Violations.

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SwingVision is Transformational

On By Teresa Merklin

I finally got around to trying out SwingVision and was very impressed with the results. In fact, I immediately applied to be a brand ambassador for the product. I am absolutely kicking myself for not trying it out much sooner. As a strong proponent of video analysis, any technology that reduces the workload required for meaningful review is transformational.

Points Illustrated: An Example of Rankings Inequities

On By Teresa Merklin

In “When a USTA Level 4 Tournament… Isn’t” three weeks ago, I repeatedly emphasized the phrase: “The draw format of a tournament should not materially alter the rankings point allocation for the players.” The reason for belaboring that foundational truth is that it is key to understanding the ongoing player frustration over the USTA tournament rankings points allocations. In the intervening time, I continue to wonder if the policy makers have fully accepted or internalized that feedback. Perhaps an example will help.

My Most Epic Point Donation

On By Teresa Merklin

In the spirit of the holiday season, my mind inevitably turns to all the gifts I have bestowed on my opponents this year on the court. Nobody likes to give away free points, but almost all of us do from time to time. Usually those donated points are mundane affairs, double faults, missed sitters, and poor shot selection based on nothing other than absence of concentration. All of those dot my personal competitive landscape. However, across the myriad of points I have donated over the years, one stand out above all others. I remember it like it was yesterday.