The Tennis Docket: November 15, 2021
World Team Tennis is underway at Indian Wells but is flying under the radar due to all the Tour Finals events. Tennis Australia announces that the women’s semis will be played in prime time in 2022.
The Fix is In: Repairing the USTA Tournament Points Allocation Tables
This post is my thought exercise on what a single source rankings table would look like in practice. It turned out to be easier than I expected.
Texas Understood the Assignment: The Rankings Matter
When the NTRP National Championships were unveiled, players in the Texas Section were already well versed and primed for the rankings chase. For players competing for the 8 spots in each division at the Texas Masters, the fact that 3 spots were open for NTRP Nationals simply created a new tier of achievement.
6 responsesWhen a USTA Level 4 Tournament… Isn’t
Whatever you call it, there is a foundational philosophy that encapsulates the criteria used to separate right from wrong. There is a currently a raging debate within the USTA Texas Section over points allocated and awarded at a recent closed Level 4 tournament. Understanding the player frustration requires a conceptual understanding of a fundamental truth that most experienced tournament players hold to be self-evident: The draw format of a tournament should not materially alter the rankings point allocation for the players.
3 responsesCourting Danger: My Adventures in World Class Tennis, Golden Age Hollywood and High-Stakes Spying
To steal a lyric from Elton John, Alice Marble was a like candle in the wind. Her light was bright, but she was buffeted by the forces around her. Her life is a monument to a continuous struggle to achieve more. Marble desperately wanted her light to shine just a little bit brighter. Courting Danger: My Adventures in World Class Tennis, Golden Age Hollywood and High-Stakes Spying is the inevitable culmination of those desires.
Rule Innovations at the #NextGenATP Finals
The #NexGenATP Finals is a veritable tennis Petri dish. Every year new rules are unveiled at the event to see how they work in practice. The players playing in the event this year profess that they are excited about the innovations. In related news, the young American stars in the same pre-tournament press conference believe that they will contend for Grand Slam titles in the near future. What else are they going to say in either case?
That Hits the Spot
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.
2 responsesThe Tennis Docket: November 8, 2021
News from the world of tennis as the professional circuit heads into the final stretch of 2021.
The 1923 Wightman Cup
The Wightman Cup was first contested in 1923. The occasion also marked the official dedication and first time use of the new concrete stadium at the West Side Tennis Club in Forest Hills. Four trumpets heralded the start of the dedication ceremony which featured hoisting of flags and erection of the net posts and nets on the court. The West Side Tennis Club president threw in the balls for the first match.
Familiar Faces at the 1986 Wightman Cup
The 1986 Wightman Cup left the world with some iconic artifacts that still grace the internet. The team photo of the victorious United States team drips with “The eighties called and they want their hair back” awesomeness. Additionally the competition was held at the Royal Albert Hall. Fitting for the venue, the Opening Ceremony featured trumpet fanfares and live vocal music from the choir loft.