The John Isner of It All
Back on New Year’s Even when this project was started, I never would have predicted how frequently John Isner has popped up. In anticipation ofRead More
Kicking VASSS
Today I should be writing about the Friend at Court section 5.a, “Tie-Break game,” but I finally arrived at the realization that before I can write effectively about that topic, that first I need to get “VASSS” and Jimmy Van Alen out of my system.
1 responseStandard Score in a Game
As is becoming the custom for this exercise, several days after first moving into a new rule section, I finally get around to actually writing about the rule.
What can be Deduced about Deuce?
The very first book in the world on tennis was written in 1555 by a priest, Antonio Scaino da Salo, after he witnessed a match during which a question about the game arose that was not explained to his apparent satisfaction.
Down, Set, 15-30, 15-30 Hut Hut
Now that we have firmly established that no one really knows the origin of why Love represents “no score” in tennis, the logical next examination is to focus on the subsequent points.
Love Means Nothing in Tennis, But Why?
Tennis historians have found absolutely no authoritative source on why zero is referred to as “Love” in tennis and the term is one of the many great mysteries of the game.
Barely Legal Equipment
The ITF list of conforming items is equipment that has been formally challenged on some basis. I find it interesting to look at this equipment to see if I can figure out the reason why a challenge was warranted.
The Joy of Non-Conformance
I have been enjoying a fun diversion of reading about equipment that appears on the ITF Non-Confirming Equipment list. I think I would like to get my hands on some of these items and see if they really produced a material difference in play to the point of threatening the traditional skills required to play the game of tennis.
The Tradition of Racquet Conformance
The ITF is the arbiter of compliance to the Rules of Tennis for racquet and racquet technology. The ITF “Product Conformity” pamphlet for this aspect of the game indicates that the interpretation is performed in a manner that preserves the “traditional character of tennis” as well as the skills traditionally required to play the game. Tennis is a game based largely on tradition.
One Racquet at a Time, No Batteries Required
After railing on the ITF for excessive wordiness in the racquet specifications, I am immediately confronted with a one word answer to a case ruling. Well played, ITF. Well played.