Bradley Klahn, new NCAA Champion with 135 MPH Lefty serve

[db379]

Did Whitlinger hire anyone for the new season? Who will be in the line up for Stanford besides the usual suspects?

[JasonPlaysTennis]

As a fan of USC I must say I detest everything related to Stanford but Bradley Klahn is going to be legit in the pros.

[Tennis_Bum]

Originally Posted by JasonPlaysTennis

As a fan of USC I must say I detest everything related to Stanford but Bradley Klahn is going to be legit in the pros.

I don't think so, what do you mean by legit? Top 50, top 100 or fizzle out after all of those wild card entries?

I see hitches in his forehand and serve, but time will tell. Of course, I can be wrong and he may pleasantly surprise us all. But at least I got to see the kid play in SoCal during those Open matches when he played junior tourneys.

He reminds me a little of a young Roddick going for broke and relying on his forehand and serve.

[db379]

It's too early to talk about him playing pro. He still has 2 years in college before he can even think about turning pro.

How long ago did you see him play in juniors?
Klahn has grown a lot as a player over the last year or two, his shots are more powerful today than they were a year ago, and it doesn't look to me that he goes for broke. He seems to be pretty patient in rallies most of the time, and attack the short balls.

[Tennis_Bum]

Originally Posted by db379

It's too early to talk about him playing pro. He still has 2 years in college before he can even think about turning pro.

How long ago did you see him play in juniors?
Klahn has grown a lot as a player over the last year or two, his shots are more powerful today than they were a year ago, and it doesn't look to me that he goes for broke. He seems to be pretty patient in rallies most of the time, and attack the short balls.

I saw him played in Anaheim in 2006. Yes, he's bigger and stronger. I was not saying about his junior tennis, I simply stated that it was nice to see a kid play near your backyard and then a few years later you see him play on Armstrong Stadium in the USOpen. We differ on the playing style of Klahn, I see him as a free-swinging player with no strategies, and you see him as a pretty patient player. But let's see how he'll play when he has to play the qualies to get into the tourneys if he wants to test the pro scene later on.

[db379]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Brad is talented, and I think he knows what he has to do to get where he wants to be. I was talking from watching him play his first two seasons at Stanford. I can clearly see a strong progression in his playing style. Among college players, he is probably one of the most stable, regular and patient players out there. Among pros.... well, he's not there yet. But patience and choosing the right shots come with experience. No doubt he would have learned something from his summer on the pro tour.

[Fedace]

Originally Posted by Tennis_Bum

I saw him played in Anaheim in 2006. Yes, he's bigger and stronger. I was not saying about his junior tennis, I simply stated that it was nice to see a kid play near your backyard and then a few years later you see him play on Armstrong Stadium in the USOpen. We differ on the playing style of Klahn, I see him as a free-swinging player with no strategies, and you see him as a pretty patient player. But let's see how he'll play when he has to play the qualies to get into the tourneys if he wants to test the pro scene later on.

Bradley has turned into a shot maker over the years. before he came to stanford, he was more of keep the ball in play and open up the court with Lefty spins. but now he can rip a winner from anywhere on the court. and he has developed a pretty good 1st serve. Ok, he doesn't fire the serve at 135 MPH all the time but he can pump it up there when he needs it. and that is the mark of a good server.

[Tennis_Bum]

Originally Posted by Fedace

Bradley has turned into a shot maker over the years. before he came to stanford, he was more of keep the ball in play and open up the court with Lefty spins. but now he can rip a winner from anywhere on the court. and he has developed a pretty good 1st serve. Ok, he doesn't fire the serve at 135 MPH all the time but he can pump it up there when he needs it. and that is the mark of a good server.

Don't know about this one, but let's see what will happen during the next two years. Yes, Donald Young can crank it up there too, he was serving in the 135+mph too. Honestly, I am not impressed with his serve or his forehand.

Of course, time will tell if I am wrong or not but I am not betting on this one.

[Vicious Vik]

He has fizzled

[tball2day]

......................

[Vicious Vik]

Originally Posted by tball2day

Ya but I guess from his side it is time to realize there is more to life than tennis....Tried pro, that ain't gonna work. Is a senior, time to figure out life ahead of him. Team blows, NCAAs aren't gonna happen. I don't know how these guys care at all at this point. It is a change of life for sure after all the years you give of yourself to the sport, the team.... Did he major in what he wanted? Or did he compromise for tennis? What will it do for him now? Time for mortgages and taxes or graduate school. Party's over, I'd fizzle too.

wow what a terrible way to see it.

[tball2day]

It's not all meant to sound like doom and gloom. It is just the reality. Time after time, I will read something like, what happened to so and so? Why do they suck now? - Well it ends up he or she is a junior and has to start thinking about grades and internships, they have an injury (Klahn has been battling a back injury this year), or someone died, or they have a girlfriend, they've been sick, or their focus is shifting, or they are graduating in a month...They have more to their life than entertaining us. And now I read Klahn fizzled, frankly he's entitled. Good for him for giving Stanford and tennis those D1 years, he's been an amazing player, I say let him graduate without bashing him.

[floridatennisdude]

It's a shame that Klahn has plateaued, but it's a fact of life. Tough to feel bad for him. He's about to graduate from one of the top schools in the country with an NCAA championship on his resume. Can't imagine he will have too tough of a time finding a career after tennis.

[TourTenor]

This was just another example of the Curse of Fedace ...

[SoCal10s]

Originally Posted by TourTenor

This was just another example of the Curse of Fedace ...

naw .. it's the coach's fault.. both Ryan T. and Bradley K. stopped improving when they got to Stanford .. I would have bet anything that Thacher would be the next American pro.. oh well ..

[goober]

Originally Posted by SoCal10s

naw .. it's the coach's fault.. both Ryan T. and Bradley K. stopped improving when they got to Stanford .. I would have bet anything that Thacher would be the next American pro.. oh well ..

... can't really blame the coach. The player bears responsibility for his own improvement. If he felt like the coach was holding him back it is his responsibility to make a change. If he really had pro level talent, playing at Stanford is not the reason he is or is not going to make it.

[dhustla15]

So wait are you guys saying that he has fizzled or that he isn't pursuing a career in the pros anymore? Btw does anybody know what time him and jenkins play today?

[ClarkC]

Originally Posted by dhustla15

So wait are you guys saying that he has fizzled or that he isn't pursuing a career in the pros anymore? Btw does anybody know what time him and jenkins play today?

Playing right now.

[rufus_smith]

From what I can tell, he may not be fully recovered from back surgery

[ClarkC]

Originally Posted by rufus_smith

From what I can tell, he may not be fully recovered from back surgery

He has played very well throughout the NCAA tournament.