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The Big Picture: What Really Happened at Tri-Level Match Retirements and Unsportsmanlike Conduct Reporting Misconduct at USTA League Championships Surrounded by Idiots: The Book on Sabalenka’s Nightstand Applicability of the USTA League Suspension Point System Sabalenka and The Foam Roller Tennis News: May 13, 2024

After-Market Insoles for Tennis Shoes

On By Teresa Merklin

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.

Automotive Rain Guards

On By Teresa Merklin

Every tennis player should consider installing a set of rain guards on your vehicle in anticipation of the fact that eventually it will rain. Alternatively you can wait until you are sweltering in your car during a lengthy rain delay to order them for the next tournament. Don’t be like me.

My Favorite Ball Machine Drill

On By Teresa Merklin

I have an absolute favorite ball machine drill. In fact, I use this pattern almost every time I work with a machine that supports shot sequences. It is super simple to set up and execute. This pattern reinforces positive footwork habits and the aerobic intensity can be modulated on the fly. It also emulates point composition that regularly occurs during my match play.

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.

Tennis Drill: T and Biscuits

On By Teresa Merklin

One of my favorite tennis practice games is a drill I call T and Biscuits. It is an effective way to practice points that wind up in a wild scramble. The player on the receiving side of the net trains opportunities to stabilize a point from a defensive position. The person that feeds the first ball in this drill practices the art of maintaining a competitive edge once it is gained in a point. T and Biscuits is a drill that can be done with two players, which is how I normally play it. However, it is also great for group settings.

Embracing the Evolution of the Tennis Ball

On By Teresa Merklin

Throughout the history of tennis, there has been significant evolution in the construction and manufacture of the tennis ball. It is a good thing, because otherwise the sport would still be played with a ball made of leather stuffed with rags and/or horsehair. I sometimes wax nostalgic about the characteristic aroma of the modern tennis ball. It lingers in the atmosphere at tennis facilities as a permanent vestige of the fleet of the ball carts and hoppers used by the resident teaching pros. I shudder to think what it would smell like if we still used the traditional balls from the earliest days of tennis. I… probably would not store tennis balls in my car if we did.

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.

The Tom Stow Tennis Stroke Developer

On By Teresa Merklin

Arthur Ashe started training under the tutelage of Dr. Robert Johnson in Lynchburg, Virginia at the age of 10. Before Ashe and all the other players in Dr. Johnson’s program were allowed on the tennis court, they had to first demonstrate mastery of a device known as “The Tom Stow Stroke Developer.” Levels of the Game by John McPhee provides a detailed description.