Food for thought: More Practice matches.

[Mitch Bridge]

Originally Posted by tennisconsultcom

They are not "top juniors" in reality. You need compare them with world's best players. You'll find that most American "top junior players" are just average players. Why? Because many parents follow this advice from that article ("one lesson per week or per two weeks").

The US' top juniors are still among the best in the world. The only area we are struggling in is elite men. We had 7 of the top 50 ITF boys at one time last year. Let's not act like we can't produce players. Taylor Townsend seems to be doing quite well. We have the third most top 300 ATP players. Still a big time tennis country! Spanish men are doing terrific, but where are the women? Is the Spanish training method just for men. French women aren't overly strong either.

[Tennishacker]

Originally Posted by Mitch Bridge

The US' top juniors are still among the best in the world. The only area we are struggling in is elite men. We had 7 of the top 50 ITF boys at one time last year. Let's not act like we can't produce players. Taylor Townsend seems to be doing quite well. We have the third most top 300 ATP players. Still a big time tennis country! Spanish men are doing terrific, but where are the women? Is the Spanish training method just for men. French women aren't overly strong either.

Agree, American juniors get some of the best training money can buy.

Problem is once they decide to turn pro.

[Ash_Smith]

Originally Posted by Mitch Bridge

The US' top juniors are still among the best in the world. The only area we are struggling in is elite men. We had 7 of the top 50 ITF boys at one time last year.

Yep, you had all four of the boys semi-finalists and one of the girls singles finalists at Les Petit AS this year.

[rgwarren]

Both finalists girls were USA

[Ash_Smith]

^^^Nope, the winner was a girl from Romania, Jaqueline Cristian.

[Mitch Bridge]

Originally Posted by Tennishacker

Agree, American juniors get some of the best training money can buy.

Problem is once they decide to turn pro.

The US has 26 pros in the ATP top 300. Only one country has more. The struggle is only at the top of the men's rankings, and this seems to be an athletic problem. The top guys are amazing athletes.

[ga tennis]

Originally Posted by Mitch Bridge

The US has 26 pros in the ATP top 300. Only one country has more. The struggle is only at the top of the men's rankings, and this seems to be an athletic problem. The top guys are amazing athletes.

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

[Tennishacker]

Originally Posted by ga tennis

Are the top 5 players really that good of athletes? I just dont see it. When i think athlete i see someone like a Lebron James,Julio Jones,or Micheal Bourn. I see the top guys except for Nadal as more like a Tom Brady or a Drew Brees kinda athlete.I might be totally wrong. I wonder how good U.S. tennis would be if we could get athletes like the N.B.A point guards of N.F.L receivers?

Agree, how do we define "athletic"?

Everybody has differing definitions.

[hhollines]

"The two are very different. Basketball has positions. A kid can be a stiff with no fundamentals and be 7 feet and be a star in basketball. Maybe not NBA but a stiff 7 footer can play college ball. Try that in tennis."

The topic is player development and, with respect to that topic, basketball and tennis are not that different. Again, the point is the lack of simulated match play in tennis for juniors, especially juniors in cold weather (non-tennis) sections. I played basketball at a high level and I will tell you the vast majority of time is spent scrimmaging and playing sand lot which is, again, simulated game situations.

I think we've established that a great coach is a major asset in tennis although the financial barrier alone will remove most kids from having access to a great coach and, given that reality, then the next best thing is to play a lot. There are plenty of pro's with less than perfect fundamentals but they are mentally strong and fierce competitors and that comes from "social environment" . . . it comes from competing and dealing with pressure.

The fact is, the amount of $ we spend on junior tennis is insane and while we do product top flight juniors, we should produce more given the resources available (private and USTA) and the money being spent by parents.

You have a unique situation in junior tennis. In basketball and other sports, we play anyone/any time but in tennis, you have coaches and parents that isolate kids and refuse to let them play anyone which, ultimately hurts everyone.

Bottom line, I think Coach Nott made great points in the article most of which I agree with except, as I said, a great coach can make a big difference (just like in any sport). But, to practice like the real thing is so valuable.

Just the other night (I only know this b/c my daughter told me; I didn't watch it , my daughter played a practice match and was up 5-2 and started to come apart and ended up in the time breaker and she went on to win the set 7-6. That is a prime example of why practice matches are so important . . . it wasn't about winning or losing that set but it was about dealing with adversity; dealing with a lead that you lose and have to pull yourself together (the more practice you get at that, the better). If you are a competitor, even in practice matches, you will bring your competitiveness (you don't turn it off) and that will bring some level of pressure which is so good!!!

You can do all the drills you want (and I don't disregard the value of drilling) but nothing is the same as playing an actual real set.

Harry

[Tennishacker]

Originally Posted by Mitch Bridge

The US has 26 pros in the ATP top 300. Only one country has more. The struggle is only at the top of the men's rankings, and this seems to be an athletic problem. The top guys are amazing athletes.

I have to disagree, what separates the top men from the rest is mental toughness, not athletic ability.

[BirdieLane]

Originally Posted by ga tennis

Are the top 5 players really that good of athletes? I just dont see it. When i think athlete i see someone like a Lebron James,Julio Jones,or Micheal Bourn. I see the top guys except for Nadal as more like a Tom Brady or a Drew Brees kinda athlete.I might be totally wrong. I wonder how good U.S. tennis would be if we could get athletes like the N.B.A point guards of N.F.L receivers?

Drew Brees was a tennis player. Has a win over a younger Roddick if I remember right.

http://www.protennisfan.com/2006/02/...oddick_an.html

[Pro_Tour_630]

Originally Posted by hhollines

You have a unique situation in junior tennis. In basketball and other sports, we play anyone/any time but in tennis, you have coaches and parents that isolate kids and refuse to let them play anyone which, ultimately hurts everyone.

best post in a long time,

I am here in Paris checking out the local tennis, everyone is so nice to each other, parents, coaches, players, they all want to share and are passionate. In the US I see lots of ego trips and isolation, sad

[tennis5]

Originally Posted by hhollines

"The two are very different. Basketball has positions. A kid can be a stiff with no fundamentals and be 7 feet and be a star in basketball. Maybe not NBA but a stiff 7 footer can play college ball. Try that in tennis."

The topic is player development and, with respect to that topic, basketball and tennis are not that different. Again, the point is the lack of simulated match play in tennis for juniors, especially juniors in cold weather (non-tennis) sections. I played basketball at a high level and I will tell you the vast majority of time is spent scrimmaging and playing sand lot which is, again, simulated game situations.

I think we've established that a great coach is a major asset in tennis although the financial barrier alone will remove most kids from having access to a great coach and, given that reality, then the next best thing is to play a lot. There are plenty of pro's with less than perfect fundamentals but they are mentally strong and fierce competitors and that comes from "social environment" . . . it comes from competing and dealing with pressure.

The fact is, the amount of $ we spend on junior tennis is insane and while we do product top flight juniors, we should produce more given the resources available (private and USTA) and the money being spent by parents.

You have a unique situation in junior tennis. In basketball and other sports, we play anyone/any time but in tennis, you have coaches and parents that isolate kids and refuse to let them play anyone which, ultimately hurts everyone.

Bottom line, I think Coach Nott made great points in the article most of which I agree with except, as I said, a great coach can make a big difference (just like in any sport). But, to practice like the real thing is so valuable.

Just the other night (I only know this b/c my daughter told me; I didn't watch it , my daughter played a practice match and was up 5-2 and started to come apart and ended up in the time breaker and she went on to win the set 7-6. That is a prime example of why practice matches are so important . . . it wasn't about winning or losing that set but it was about dealing with adversity; dealing with a lead that you lose and have to pull yourself together (the more practice you get at that, the better). If you are a competitor, even in practice matches, you will bring your competitiveness (you don't turn it off) and that will bring some level of pressure which is so good!!!

You can do all the drills you want (and I don't disregard the value of drilling) but nothing is the same as playing an actual real set.

Harry

Thanks for posting.

So, being familiar with cold weather bubble tennis where the bubbles are up usually for ten months,
the problem seems to be lack of court time.
( a bit like ice skating time, but while you can skate at 1 in the morning for ice time, you can't do that for tennis).

Juniors either play in groups where there is some point play, usually king of the hill
and most juniors do a lesson to two per week where you hitting with the coach.

The problem setting up practice matches is that after groups, courts are reserved/booked on an annual basis as they sell the court time for the year to grownups or juniors with privates.

My question, yes I have one in this ramble, is what would be better in your opinion
( or anyone else's out there.....).

Either bring a friend in to hit during your lesson with the coach there
or find a time where the two juniors hit by themselves with no one watching
( no coaches, and I don't stay for groups or privates, so I wouldn't be there for this).

Thanks.

[Pro_Tour_630]

Originally Posted by TCF

Hi ProTour. Same stuff I have seen, different culture of cooperation.

Curious how the French parents are in regards to competition. At what age do most focus on wins rather than improvement?

The French parents and coaches are on the same age with regards to technique and improvements. Many US parents are focused on the win. The parent of my #1 high school player just fired my assistant coach who was a Davis cup player and taught at boca for three years because her son lost a USTA match. The parent made the kid quit HS tennis as well. All because of just one loss.

[Mitch Bridge]

Originally Posted by Tennishacker

I have to disagree, what separates the top men from the rest is mental toughness, not athletic ability.

So you are saying that Isner, Querrey, Roddick, Levine, Ram, and Baker just need to be better mentally and they can be as good as the top 4?

[ga tennis]

Originally Posted by Mitch Bridge

So you are saying that Isner, Querrey, Roddick, Levine, Ram, and Baker just need to be better mentally and they can be as good as the top 4?

They could be.

[MarTennis]

Originally Posted by TCF

I see....its what we suspected. Early wins are way to important over here.

...continue to sell the idea that juniors must have 2:1 win ratio. Albeit, some do say otherwise. I agree Americans want wins early. I almost need to meditate to calmly push development within the tournament process as opposed to wins for a 10 year old playing 12s. Difficult, but important. Although wins are fun too.

[tennisconsultcom]

Originally Posted by Mitch Bridge

The US has 26 pros in the ATP top 300. Only one country has more. The struggle is only at the top of the men's rankings, and this seems to be an athletic problem. The top guys are amazing athletes.

Look at top 20. Only one American, but three Spaniards (all in top 10), three French players, Germany, Swiss and Serbia have two players each. European countries dominate in today's world tennis. American tennis is in deep crisis. This is statistics. Just eight in top 100 (including Andy Roddick who already retired). Only Harrison is relatively young.

Sock may be the next American star. He has a huge potential.

[ga tennis]

All it would take for U.S. tennis to become a tennis hothead is for some young guy with a great story to win a grand slam.It would be ideal fo him to be African American and cocky and have a lot a swag about himself. This would make tennis cool to some of those unreal athletes that end up playing point guard in the N.B.A.. If tennis was cool to those kids the U.S would DOMINATE!!!!

[MarTennis]

Originally Posted by ga tennis

All it would take for U.S. tennis to become a tennis hothead is for some young guy with a great story to win a grand slam.It would be ideal fo him to be African American and cocky and have a lot a swag about himself. This would make tennis cool to some of those unreal athletes that end up playing point guard in the N.B.A.. If tennis was cool to those kids the U.S would DOMINATE!!!!

...still would require public/private tennis professional partnership to foster total development. For example, private tennis biz (club/academy) need to be willing to help bridge development from parks that may have the nontraditional tennis athletes.

Personally, if this sort of partnering would have occurred after Ashe won Wimbledon we would still be dominating tennis or at least more in the global mix at the top. All court play would compete with grinder play, contrast would be awesome and tennis would be even bigger. No use crying over spilt milk. Can still do now. Question is do clubs have taste for such sacrifice?

Big shout out to San Francisco Tennis Club and Claremont Resort and Spa in the Bay Area. Both stepping up bigtime.