How will tennis be played in ten years?

[_maxi]

Well.. in ten years, we won't have Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, Murray, etc. Maybe Djokovic and Murray keep playing till 35 like Agassi, but it's not so probable.

So what is gonna happen? I mean, the courts and the balls are suited for players that grind everything from the baseline. To me that's horrible. I think that already now, we are seeing how they ruined the sport by making everything be played from the baseline. You can win the FO, Wimbledon, or the US Open, with the same baseline play.

This kind of play is going to be very hard on players body... we'll see lots of injuries and complains about the lenght of the seasons. But that's not the real problem, the real problem is that by favouring the grinding style, the players get hurt.

Watch these juniors play: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9KoAM6kC0Q
their game is horrible. I know they are 9 or 10 years old, but they moonball very often. Compare that to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoPFVd9gMAE

But besides this, I think the mayor problem will be the coaches. Still, under these conditions, a player can be successful even playing agressive all court game like Federer is doing. He is not dominating anymore but his game is still good under these conditions. So, if the coaches want to teach the players to play smart, take care of their body and not to be grinders, things can remain similar. If instead of that, we see more western grips, and grinding style, I think I'm gonna stop watching tennis.

Discuss.

 

[FedExpress 333]

I want Gasquets 9 year old BH.

But yeah, i really am scared at whats gonna happen.

 

[Mustard]

Tennis will change and evolve, like it's always done. What direction this evolution will take, we can't really say at this time. 10 years ago, around the time of 2001 Wimbledon serve and volley fest, who would have thought that serve and volley was about to become a thing of such rarity?

 

[InspectorRacquet]

We'll just have to wait and see. I think that by that time, the baseliner would have had its day, and the Mardy Fish/Roger Federer-like player will burst in on the scene to show the world that a baseliner can be beat by good groundstrokes IN ADDITION TO point-ending volleying. Not one or the other. No extremes like the serve and volleyer or the baseliner. Just smart tennis.

 

[stingstang]

I'm worried that when when Fed retires tennis will be awful (I'm not a *******).

They're gonna have to make changes, speed some tournaments up, make rules on tech, whatever to stop a total grindfest.

 

[Lendl]

I think things are cyclical and just as poly strings helped counter punchers win the battle with serve and volleyers you'll see the opposite begin. The strings will continue to evolve where kick serve spins are easier, and players will get to the net to end the points instead of the grinding game you see now.

Locally I already see this more and more. In the past year or so the top players in our adult travel teams are coming to the net more frequently to counter attack the Borg type players of today.

 

[Larrysümmers]

i think poly strings will keep getting spinnier, but also will be more powerful.

 

[sportsfan1]

Hope Fed's inspired some clones that are both stylish/artistic as well as winners.

 

[_maxi]

I know that man. I didn't pretend to use it as the main argument.

 

[Bjorn99]

The reason there are so many injured and done players coming up now, that don't play all that well is that they were ALL pushed into these tennis factories, where the accent is STILL on playing tennis four to five hours a day.

You don't have the individual brilliance of a McEnroe, a Borg, A Sampras or a Federer coming up any more. Its been snuffed out, parents are too afraid of their kids losing out now.

More later.

 

[Kaz00]

I sure hope tennis doesn't go this way. Who knows though 10 years from now it could be faster with SnV

 

[ThoughtCrime]

Something with lasers and portals I think.

But on a more serious note, I believe it won't really change that much, there will always be a variety of aggressive and defensive players mainly playing from the baseline ( like we see today) . Unless of course string and racket technology advances to some crazy level that allows rec players to get Nadal-like spin or something.

In my opinion, it will take a lot longer than 10 years for the current style to change dramatically. Then again, people may become bored of the baseline game and the courts may be sped up.

 

[The Baseline]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ReQmejWYy4

This is how i think tennis will be played in ten years, as the game is now being taught from the baseline. You seldom ever see a serve and volleyer anymore. I think the game is now less skilled than in years past. As skills diminish, the baseline game takes over. I love the baseline game, i love watching two HULK type characters smash the ball into oblivion, its awesome to see how physical the game has become, but like I said modern teaching promotes less skill and more baseline play.

 

[Mainad]

Watch these juniors play: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9KoAM6kC0Q
their game is horrible. I know they are 9 or 10 years old, but they moonball very often. Compare that to this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoPFVd9gMAE

Discuss.

Difficult to judge these two videos. The kids in the first one may just be average players who will never develop into anything more. Then again, who knows? As for Gasquet, he was an exceptionally talented kid who grew up into a very talented player.

 

[DjokovicForTheWin]

I doubt it will change that much.

 

[_maxi]

If it's played like that it's great... I loved that match.

 

[Yaz]

I want Gasquets 9 year old BH.

Looking at that video Gasquet actually had a pretty nice forehand as well...it looks REALLY different from how he hits it now. Wonder how it evolved from that into his current stroke

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wk_eCLU_qnU&feature=related

 

[MarinaHighTennis]

You ever watched WALLE?

 

[TJfederer16]

I really hope Tsonga makes big inroads next year, because his brand of tennis is just great to watch, hopefully his play will influence a lot more juniors, obviously once Fed goes it'll be a huge blow, hopefully someone like Dimitrov can make it big in the future, atm tennis is in a good place, hopefully Fed still has at the least 2+ great playing years in him.

 

[SandV]

Holding serve and breaking serve will be reversed; holding will the be the exception.

 

[grzegorzo]

Agreeing. that's what Im seeing in regional juniors.

 

[Crazy man]

OP: There is no way Murray will be playing at 35, his game is too physical.





I hope tennis will be a lot more diverse, Mix of courts and game styles. Instead of slow courts, defensive matches etc

 

[PONG]

Tennis will change and evolve, like it's always done. What direction this evolution will take, we can't really say at this time. 10 years ago, around the time of 2001 Wimbledon serve and volley fest, who would have thought that serve and volley was about to become a thing of such rarity?

Tell me about. Its unbelievable. S&V has almost become extinct overnight.

Ive said before if tennis stays as it is now everyone playing the same boring baseline counterpunching style I will stop watching altogether.

I feel like there are no unique tournaments left. Makes no difference if its clay court season or grass court season its not special anymore with everyone just grinding it out. I miss the clay / grass specialists of yesteryear. I miss the upsets that we would see on fast indoor carpets.

 

[The Baseline]

Tell me about. Its unbelievable. S&V has almost become extinct overnight.

Ive said before if tennis stays as it is now everyone playing the same boring baseline counterpunching style I will stop watching altogether. I feel like there are no unique tournaments left. Makes no difference if its clay court season or grass court season its not special anymore with everyone just grinding it out. I miss the clay / grass specialists of yesteryear. I miss the upsets that we would see on fast indoor carpets.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ReQmejWYy4

Whats so boring about that match? That was probally the best sporting event ive ever witnessed. Watching Tsonga and Gonzalez clash, the world hasnt been the same. That style of tennis- its extreme and progressive. The ball speeds are undeniable and the it is must see television.

 

[ThoughtCrime]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ReQmejWYy4

Whats so boring about that match? That was probally the best sporting event ive ever witnessed. Watching Tsonga and Gonzalez clash, the world hasnt been the same. That style of tennis- its extreme and progressive. The ball speeds are undeniable and the it is must see television.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuFXqFifRew&feature=related

I think this is what people are thinking will happen when they say grinding baseline tennis.

 

[Bjorn99]

The problem with tennis is that all the emphasis and stress for righthanders is on the right leg on the forehand and the backhand.

So until you have players either hitting off the left leg more or people hitting two forehands, most players will be finished a la Gonzales much too early, robbing us of older, more interesting players. Thus tennis will constantly be younger and younger and thus PUNK.

 

[ZeroSkid]

THIS:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DP9rm8AtFXk

 

[passive_aggressive]

More people should jump into their serves. As long as they don't go beyond the baseline it's not a foot fault.

Now assuming you have a 7ft player who has a vertical jump of 50+ inches, that service box is gonna take a pounding. Think 250mph + serves.

 

[sureshs]

I hope taller men and women enter the game.

 

[droliver]

We're coming up on the limits of what can be done with a ball in terms of pace/spin for The dimensions of a tennis court, so I don't think the style of play is going to change much short of some roll back of string tech to limit spin potential.

FWIW there doesn't seem to be of an outcry (outside the forum) to change much with pro tennis. For tv, baseline oriented tennis is easier for most people to watch then lots of aces and service winners.

 

[Moose Malloy]

We're coming up on the limits of what can be done with a ball in terms of pace/spin for The dimensions of a tennis court,

I'm sure many were saying the same about Agassi/Courier circa 1991.
Nadal-Djokovic will probably look like nothing special in 20 years in terms of pace/spin.

And I'm sure there will be some new tech/string in that time that will eventually be called a 'game changer' by the tennis world.

But Bjorn99 is spot on, juniors(& coaches) never want to risk losses(like Pete did), that is the main reason everything looks the same today.
And the whole training for 5 hours a day from the age of 6 or 7 till you turn pro is also inane(its probably not just Djokovic's style that is causing the breakdown)

 

[namelessone]

This scare about moonballs and defensive tennis that the OP talks about reminds me of "all the kids are wearing Nadal gear" argument by *******s to prove, to their horror, that the future would be kids just topspinning away with extreme grips and such.

Let me tell you something: I have not heard ONE coach(at least where I live) that wants to model their pupil after Nadal's game. I have heard try to teach the children Nadal's tenacity and fighting attitude but not his exact game. Most guys I know that are involved in tennis model after Fed due to his very efficient game which is also easy on the body.

 

[hyperwarrior]

It's hard to tell but I'm sure that you guys will keep arguing that the current era has much more depth than the next one...just like the fans of the 90s who idolize Sampras, Agassi,...and it's going to be an endless debate.

 

[Ash_Smith]

How will tennis be played in 10 years?

I'll let you know when I get back from Le Petit AS next Jan!

Cheers

 

[droliver]

I'm sure many were saying the same about Agassi/Courier circa 1991. Nadal-Djokovic will probably look like nothing special in 20 years in terms of pace/spin.

Well the court isn't getting any bigger so the only way you can hit it harder and keep the ball in the court is to hit it with more spin or have significantly taller and longer limbed athletes who can hit flat through higher bounces with better leverage. With movement and defense at a premium, the pro game is already seemingly selecting against taller players to some degree as you start to lose agility much beyond 6' 4" it seems.

There's a trade off with power as you hit the ball more obliquely, and Nadal's odd forehand is pushing the limit of what you can do biomechanically to work the ball with rotational velocity before your arm falls off. I don't think there's much room to move beyond that kind of RPM off the ground with technique.