posters who you want to see hit.

[onehandbh]

Originally Posted by sennoc

Usually I do not play at amateur tournaments, I hate the rules here in Poland. Come on, no warmups? Just one set?

I know! Totally unfair b/c your opponent probably went to another court and
warmed up for a good 45 minutes before he got there for your match.

Originally Posted by sennoc

Just one set?

In a best of five the best player usually wins.

Originally Posted by sennoc

An unknown court?

This is tough. It doesn't give you a chance to get acclimated to the courts.

Originally Posted by sennoc

Should I kill myself to win against a typical amateur player?

Definitely not. Save your body and energy for when you play against a top
ATP player.

Originally Posted by sennoc

Three matches in a day (9 sets...), all won, wrist injury and a phone call next day: "Sorry man, I can't play 1/4, I'm injured". The injury was so serious that the tournament took 2 months of my tennis life.

That's tough. They should have taken your older age into account and
spaced out your matches over more days.

Originally Posted by sennoc

Last year I played three tournaments for journalists. My eyes aren't as good as years ago, high contrasts kill them. Have you ever played a match at noon, in January, when bright sun shines just into your eyes? Second tournament.

It's pretty cold in Poland during that time, too! Ask for a court that
doesn't face the sun when you serve or ask to have your match moved
to an indoor court. Looking into the sun when you have high contrast
issues makes it even tougher. In ideal conditions for your eyes, you probably
would have won.

Originally Posted by sennoc

July. Air temperature - 37 Celsius. Sorry, man, I will not compete against 20 years old at 37 Celsius and huge humidity.

37 C?! That's hot. Next time tell the tournament director, that these kind
of conditions are not going to ensure that the best player wins. Next time ask
to be rescheduled to an early morning match like 6am as it is usually easier
for older folks to wake up early and harder for young people.

Originally Posted by sennoc

There is also a real problem with all these tournaments - recreational balls. Prince Tour are really horrible. They react as stones with my racquet and strings. I won't change my equipement and technique to win an unimportant recreational tournament..

Definitely do not change your equipment and technique to adjust to crappy
balls. Your pro-level technique took a lot of effort to develop.

[dennis10is]

I think if Sennoc is not pulling our collective legs, some teenage kid making up this person.

If Sennoc is indeed a Polish male working as a science journalist, then I suggest that he see a doctor/counselor because he is behaving like Charlie Sheen, having a psychotic break or having a manic episode.

So, take your meds if you have the prescription. If you don't, I suggest you seek professional help for your disorder.

[dozu]

^^ but then Automatix would also have to be a made-up person...

so trolling is highly unlikely AFAIC.

[sennoc]

Originally Posted by arche3

Oh... And my actual question that you did not answer was why did you think you lose all the time in tennis with superior strokes? You actually only told me why you thought I was an idiot. Back to your tennis. Why do you lose so much? The balls I read before. And the sun. And heat. What about all that affected your superior strokes?

OK, I do not see your irony.

My main partner is 5.5-6.0. We play very agressive balls at full speed. We use the best balls and play on a good court, at good conditions. Strong topspins and slices, deep balls, angles etc.

Now imagine that I want to play a recreational tournament. I use quite advanced kinetic chains, many muscles involved. I'm not the youngest one, so I need a long warmup to play with good dynamics. There are no warmups at tournaments here. So, you know one reason - I do not want to risk injuries, my dynamics is wrong.

Second reason - the court. Clay courts here in Poland are very different. I play on a very fast surface, hard clay. I can adapt to a new surface, but I need time, an hour or so. At our friendly tournaments journalists hear: "5 mins on the court and please start the match, we do not have time". Every tournament is played at another centre, on a different surface. So, you know second reason of problems.

Bad lighting is another reason. I'm a journalist, work a lot of time at computers, my eyes hate high contrasts. Polish tennis reality: a few strong lamps just above your head and a quite dark interior. I serve and when I see the ball again, it's close to me. Huge problem.

Fourth reason: technique. If you use an advanced technique, you need perfect timing. You need to know the kick of the ball and you need to see the ball perfectly. So, my technique works against me. Sad but true. If you work on really good technique, better ask yourself about your tennis goals.

Fifth reason: poor combination of balls/racquet/strings. I use the heaviest racquet on the market, k6.1 Tour and Luxilon BBAPR at 24 kG. Prince Tour are dedicated for club players. If a stroke is hit at huge dynamics, the ball doesn't transfer rotation, everything goes into velocity. During the last tournament I saw a former top10 Polish player, he had the same problems. He was able to correct them by huge speed of racquet's head. Unfortunately for me, it's not possible with my racquet without killing my wrist. He was able to make corrections because he is younger and his racquet was lighter and balanced differently. I need a new setup just for these tournaments. I can't decide, do I really want to buy a different racquet to play better at a recreational tournament...

Add very serious wrist problems and you know the answers. I can adapt to new conditions, but I need time. Also, I can adapt to one or two changes, not to five, not in five minutes.

Now you know why I play these tournaments for fun.

Yes, you can say that the conditions are the same for me and my rival. But that's not true. My rivals are ~20 years younger, their eyes too. Their muscles do not need long warmup. They do not need to adapt to new balls because they use them before. Also, their technique is not so extremal as mine. They use power to modify the depth of the ball. I, usually, use rotations. To be competitive at these conditions, I should change my whole style of playing. I do not want to do that.

As you can see, at amateur tournaments good technique can work against you. But ask yourself, what do you prefer: to win against a player like dozu or to loose against Roger Federer? I work to be able to loose against very good players. Playing against them gives me motivation and satisfaction. A win over dozu? Come on...

Originally Posted by arche3

Thanks Sennoc. I really thought you thought I was an idiot. And it really hurt my feelings. I'm sorry I am so sensitive but after the accident I am a bit on edge. Is there a website I can join to learn about your knowledge? Thanks. All the best to you.

I write on Polish tennis forum http://forum.slajs.pl - in Polish, of course. Most of my posts are about tennis science. That's all I can say now, sorry.

onehandbh, dennis10is - what do you know about real tennis...

[dennis10is]

Originally Posted by sennoc

Yes, I claim that I'm 5.0 and that my volleys are technically better than Nadals. Nothing has changed here.

You are the only person here who can check me on the court. I'm sure people here are very interested. Guys, am I right? Do you want to see our match? Normal court, normal balls, normal lighting. I promise I'll post video with all points.

You assume that because both of you live in Poland that you can easily set up a tennis match?

Take your meds.

[OHAI]

Give it up man, you're too old for this.

[sennoc]

I'm trying to teach them something. But they learn so slowly...

[dozu]

I am reading it with the Chrome browser, it automatically translate.... no problem at all.

[dennis10is]

Originally Posted by sennoc

onehandbh, dennis10is - what do you know about real tennis...

Compared to you I don't know much but I do have a PhD is cognitive science and if you are a really person, you need help.

Never heard of a professional science journalist acting like you do, for long, before losing their job.

Seriously, you need help.

[sennoc]

Originally Posted by dennis10is

Compared to you I don't know much but I do have a PhD is cognitive science and if you are a really person, you need help.

Never heard of a professional science journalist acting like you do, for long, before losing their job.

Seriously, you need help.

PhD in cognitive science and you are so naive? Are you sure that it's me who needs help here?

[dozu]

after reading a few threads on http://forum.slajs.pl, I have to believe that sennoc is not troll.

[arche3]

Originally Posted by dozu

after reading a few threads on http://forum.slajs.pl, I have to believe that sennoc is not troll.

no he is not. he is real.
and I never knew chrome did translations on the fly. that is pretty slick.

[Photoshop]

Originally Posted by dozu

after reading a few threads on http://forum.slajs.pl, I have to believe that sennoc is not troll.

If he isn't trolling I guess he really believes what he says.

sigh... I give up.






just kidding. I'll do another quick photoshop later. just need ideas

[dozu]

I am giving this another thought - maybe sennoc is right.. maybe we are all close minded.

who says winning can be the only goal?

winning is the goal of Olympic wrestling, but certainly is not in WWF.

why can there not be a WWF form of tennis?

I think the light bulb is starting to turn on for me.

I feel a bit confused right now... not sure if I was serious or joking when writing the above.

[JoelDali]

[sennoc]

Who knows, dozu, maybe you have discovered evolution?

[onehandbh]

Originally Posted by dozu

I am giving this another thought - maybe sennoc is right.. maybe we are all close minded.

who says winning can be the only goal?

winning is the goal of Olympic wrestling, but certainly is not in WWF.

why can there not be a WWF form of tennis?

I think the light bulb is starting to turn on for me.

I feel a bit confused right now... not sure if I was serious or joking when writing the above.

Hmm. Maybe I'm a WWF tennis player, too. I don't play tournaments
or really compete anymore. I play an occasional set or two of singles
or doubles, but mostly just hit around. I actually just enjoy hitting the ball
and hitting good shots. Of course when I play a set, I try to win, but
it's not super important to me as it's not a tournament or anything.

[LeeD]

"Artform" tennis.
I have not played a tournament since '79. 1979.
I don't rally either, just play sets, or get another person to help hold up my end of the court against 4.5+'s who want to hit.

[JoelDali]

[Devilito]

Originally Posted by sennoc

OK, I do not see your irony.

My main partner is 5.5-6.0. We play very agressive balls at full speed. We use the best balls and play on a good court, at good conditions. Strong topspins and slices, deep balls, angles etc.

Now imagine that I want to play a recreational tournament. I use quite advanced kinetic chains, many muscles involved. I'm not the youngest one, so I need a long warmup to play with good dynamics. There are no warmups at tournaments here. So, you know one reason - I do not want to risk injuries, my dynamics is wrong.
...

I agree with you %100. I’m 35 years old. I can’t warm up and play an Open level match in 5 minutes INCLUDING serves!. It’s idiotic. We’re talking indoor tournaments with no practice courts so no way you can warm-up unless you want to hit in the snow outdoors in -30 degree weather. By the time I’m even remotely ready to play I’m down 1 set. It’s the biggest shock to my current come back. When I was 20 years old, I could play no warm-up like it was nothing. It doesn’t work that way anymore.