Is Old School Tennis Still Do-able in today's rec game?

[Larrysümmers]

the cont grip, hitting the ball low and flat, chipping and charging, serve and volley. The style that Ashe, Jmac, and other players of back in the day.
Is that do able in todays game? With modern rackets do you think it would work for a 3.5 wanting to make their way up the NTRP ladder-also as generaly being competative in tennis with their peers.

Or does the big rackets and poly strings just force that syle not to be playable anymore despite it just being rec tennis.

Hope this makes scence, i am a little tired.

[Timbo's hopeless slice]

There is an older guy playing around our town who looks like something out of the 70s except he has a KPS 88. PLays exactly as you describe.

He filled in for the inter club pennant we ran i the Autumn and I played him once in singles.
I beat him.
Just!!!

(I am an open player with a modern game, lots of topspin, kick serve etc etc.)

He kept putting the ball in the hardest places and they all stayed down! He was tough.

I guess I am putting my hand up for 'Yes, provide you do it well enough' as the answer to your question!

[baek57]

Of course it works especially for just a 3.5 level

[Larrysümmers]

Thanks timbo for the answer. I see jonnymac still doing it at
exos and team tennis.

[Qubax]

I think the key to getting a decent opinion to this is to get the consensus of the modern school folk.

I mean ofcourse the Johnny Mac nuthuggers are going to say the old school way can still win....but if you can get the modern school peeps to agree then I think you have your answer.....

Not that the modern school peeps will agree entirely or anything, but yah....

[Qubax]

For the record, I think it can work to a point.

The higher levels of tennis you don't see it much, and I think that the proof is in the pudding how many top 50 guys do this? Llodra ?

Anyway, I think at the club level it can definetly work...I mean Johnny Mac would still wipe the floor with any of us...

[dozu]

great way to play for recs.... less stress on body also.

[papa]

"Old style tennis", as you referred to it, was more a product of changes in technology of racquets and strings. Many want to take exclusive credit for changing "methods" but the reality is that without the ongoing changes in racquets and strings most of this wouldn't have been possible. Just take a woodie out and
try the strokes common in the game today - it won't work very well.

I think one can still play using some of the methods popular years ago - many do but there are severe limits on their improvement which they probably could care less about. However, teaching kids or others new to the game these "outdated" methods seems silly to me,

[larry10s]

Originally Posted by papa

"Old style tennis", as you referred to it, was more a product of changes in technology of racquets and strings. Many want to take exclusive credit for changing "methods" but the reality is that without the ongoing changes in racquets and strings most of this wouldn't have been possible. Just take a woodie out and
try the strokes common in the game today - it won't work very well.

I think one can still play using some of the methods popular years ago - many do but there are severe limits on their improvement which they probably could care less about. However, teaching kids or others new to the game these "outdated" methods seems silly to me,

you think its "silly" to teach a forehand slice???
you think its "silly" to teach serve and volley???
just askin

[larry10s]

Originally Posted by Larrysümmers

the cont grip, hitting the ball low and flat, chipping and charging, serve and volley. The style that Ashe, Jmac, and other players of back in the day.
Is that do able in todays game? With modern rackets do you think it would work for a 3.5 wanting to make their way up the NTRP ladder-also as generaly being competative in tennis with their peers.

Or does the big rackets and poly strings just force that syle not to be playable anymore despite it just being rec tennis.

Hope this makes scence, i am a little tired.

to answer your question its doable and could be a winning formula at the rec level
assuming you are not a junior hoping to be a pro or seeking a college scholarship
this style is "doable"
my opinion/advice is all or nothing is usually not good for most things
moderation or blending is key
learn to hit topspin and take advantage of the things the "modern" strokes ( and technology) let you do
but approaching down the line off a forehand slice will work as well as approaching down the line with a backhand slice or topspin drive if done well
all appraoches dont have to be off topspin drives

you are more likely to be an "all court player" by being "old school"
i dont think thats a bad style player to be
just my 2 cents
what do i know??

[larry10s]

the only problem you will have if you stick to conti grip only is the high balls produced from topspin strokes will be out of you "power contact zone" alot of times

[spaceman_spiff]

In some ways, flatter/lower shots are a really good counter-measure against modern strokes, because many players need a reasonably high ball to hit a high ball. If you hit a lot of low flat/slice shots to them, they struggle to get under it (many are quite lazy when it comes to bending their knees because they rarely need to). Trying to hit heavy topspin off of really low balls often leads to either less height/spin or more unforced errors and mis-hits. Of course, the key is to impose the height restriction from the very beginning of the point with slice serves and flat or slice returns.

Also, S&V can be a good strategy against some baseliners if you have a good serve, because some of them hit a lot of floaty block returns (just trying to get the ball deep to start a rally). Those blocked returns can often lead to easy(ish) volleys if you're serving well and rushing the net. This puts more pressure on the returner to be more aggressive, which can put them out of their comfort zone and lead to more errors.

On top of all of that, being aggressive leads to short points, which makes it hard for a baseliner to get in a rythm. And, quite a lot of baseliners need to get in a rythm before they can really get into the groove of hitting those heavy shots.

FYI, you don't have to have a continental grip to hit the ball flat. With a semi-western or mildly western grip, you can hit somewhat flat when you like and still handle higher balls.

[FloridaAG]

You can absolutely still compete and win at the rec level with an old school game.

[5263]

Originally Posted by Larrysümmers

the cont grip, hitting the ball low and flat, chipping and charging, serve and volley.
Is that do able in todays game? With modern rackets do you think it would work for a 3.5 wanting to make their way up the NTRP ladder-also as generaly being competative in tennis with their peers.
Hope this makes scence, i am a little tired.

The key is you say, "wanting to make their way up the ladder".
They will really have their work cut out for them, as this will be the
tough way to go. Is that what any new 3.5 players wants? The
tough way to get to mediocrity?

[5263]

Originally Posted by papa

"Old style tennis", as you referred to it, was more a product of changes in technology of racquets and strings. Many want to take exclusive credit for changing "methods" but the reality is that without the ongoing changes in racquets and strings most of this wouldn't have been possible. Just take a woodie out and
try the strokes common in the game today - it won't work very well.

Love all your post papa, but this just isn't quite on.
These modern methods started before the new tech and just became even better with it.
My son loved going out with our collection of wood rackets and use his modern strokes. While there was some difference in his execution, it was hard to convince him of it and maybe with equal time on the court as his usual racket, there would not be.
Like Lance said, It's not about the equipment; but the equipment does help.

[5263]

Originally Posted by FloridaAG

You can absolutely still compete and win at the rec level with an old school game.

Sure if you were already real good at it from the past, but
coming up as a new 3.5 as the OP asks,
you would be better if more modern IMO.
The pros are not moving backwards,
but moving to better tennis each year.

[BMC9670]

I know plenty of guys at the 3.5 and some at the 4.0 level that play this way quite effectively. As an opponent, it's easy to underestimate them, especially physically. But placement, spin, variety, and smarts can get these guys quite far. I don't see many past 4.0, though.

[spaceman_spiff]

Originally Posted by 5263

coming up as a new 3.5 as the OP asks,
you would be better if more modern IMO.

I use to think the same until I was forced to switch to shorter but smoother and flatter strokes (I moved to an area where most of the courts are sand-covered carpet with low, unpredictable bounces). Even when I play on hard courts now, my consistency is better with these less-modern strokes than it was before I moved, when I used to try to whip heavy western forehands around all the time.

What I realized is that I don't have the coordination, timing, and footwork to hit modern strokes consistently when facing fast/heavy shots. Any small mistake can lead to a ball in the fence or the bottom of the net. But, with smoother, flatter strokes, I have more consistency despite less net clearance and spin. I also have a better ability to redirect my opponents' pace and use angles against them (more Agassi style).

I also have noticed a lot of rec players who are in the same boat I used to be in. They're trying to use modern strokes, but they don't have the skill to pull it off. They constantly mis-hit, over hit, dump balls in the net, and so on because they can't get the technique and timing right on a consistent basis. They also don't know how to shorten/smooth out their swing when the ball comes in at the feet or they have to catch it on the rise, which hinders their ability to return serve as well.

The instant the ball comes in a little out of their comfort zone (faster, deeper, lower, or whatever), they're basically screwed because they don't have the ability to adapt their strokes. And, they're not missing by small margins; their shots are going all over the place.

Nowadays, I think most players would be better off starting with simpler, smoother strokes (even if they're still using western or semi-western grips) and working their way up, rather than trying to play with full-swinging modern strokes from early on. This way, even when they've learned to hit long, fast strokes, they still have the short, smooth ones to fall back on whenever they need to hit on the rise, pick up balls off their feet, or deal with low slices.

[NoQuarter]

Old School is New School to the younger generation. I have great success playing against the New School kids....it's the older guys I have trouble with!

[TheBoom]

There most definately is, sometimes i will chip and charge on my returns and it totally messes with my opponent it is good for mixing the pace up