An engineer overthinks tennis in a daily journal.
A data and analytics research group will soon release a paper that studies momentum swings in tennis. “Live Counter- Factual Analysis in Women’s Tennis Using Automatic Key- Moment Detection” uses machine learning to predict how certain events in a match will play out before they occur. The paper defines some new metrics for tennis that could potentially extend the state of the art of analytic data analysis in tennis.
The SwingVision artificial intelligence tennis training application is primarily designed to work directly on a smart phone. That implementation puts tremendous analysis power directly into the hands of the players and enables immediate feedback. However, the use of a smart phone during a USTA sanctioned match is prohibited. Additionally, many players may be reluctant to drain their phone’s battery in a tournament setting. Fortunately, SwingVision can import data captured from an alternate device. I recently tested out that functionality and was very pleased with the results.
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The “Cone Game” is one of my favorite tennis practice drills. It is a great development tool because it gets the players into an Zen-like focus that is still layered with the pressure of competition. I recently used the SwingVision during a practice session that included the Cone Game and was very happy with the results. I continue to be completely enamored with the SwingVision application and service.
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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.
The Billie Jean King Cup (formerly the Federation Cup) Finals was conducted in Prague a couple of weeks ago. One of the first time innovations was near real-time data analytics provided to each team. The technology was a collaboration between Microsoft, the Billie Jean King Cup Finals, the International Tennis Federation (ITF), and other coaching experts including Billie Jean King herself.
Sometimes the best tennis training techniques are also the most simple. I am a big believer that every player should spend some amount of time in their practice sessions hitting shots to targets. That includes serves, groundstrokes, volleys, overheads, drop shots, etc. When I go a week without performing target drills, it shows up in my matches. It’s ugly.
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Shortly after the conclusion of the 2020 US Open, I wrote an article about the prominent use of the IcyBreeze Portable Air Conditioners that were in use at the tournament. In 2021, the devices are still in use. However, they are much harder to spot this year.
The TheraBand FlexBar is recommended for rehabilitation of tennis elbow. It is also useful for preventative strength training for the wrist and elbow muscles used in striking a tennis ball. The use of a FlexBar for treatment of tennis elbow was first reported in 2009 at the annual meeting of the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine. Unlike a lot of other tennis training devices, there are solid clinical trials behind the marketing claims. If you can get past the fact that it looks like an oversized licorice stick, the FlexBar might be for you.
Michael Berrer is a German professional tennis player who retired in 2016. His career high ranking of 42 was achieved in 2021. He also has the distinction of appearing on one of the earliest Tennis Channel “Bag Check” features. Berrer was the first player who pulled exercise tubes out of his racquet bag on that series.
The first thing I always do when unboxing a new pair of tennis shoes is replacing the insole. The default configuration provided by the tennis shoe manufacturers simply doesn’t work for me. The arch supports are not high enough and there isn’t enough cushioning for my feet. Recently one of my practice partners remarked that she couldn’t wear a particular brand of shoe because the insole wasn’t good for her feet. Before that time, It had simply never occurred to me that some players could wear tennis shoes out of the box. It was a mind blowing moment.