Ask me anything about being a professional tennis player

Marius_Hancu

Marius_Hancu

Talk Tennis Guru
Hi, Filip:

Sorry for the indiscretion, but I can't hold in this question:

Now that you're better known, will Tennis Canada cover all expenses for you for traveling to the Futures and Challengers? That's a huge amount.

Also for a coach?
 
F

fpeliwo

Rookie
Marius_Hancu said:
Hi, Filip:

Sorry for the indiscretion, but I can't hold in this question:

Now that you're better known, will Tennis Canada cover all expenses for you for traveling to the Futures and Challengers? That's a huge amount.

Also for a coach?
Click to expand...
They've covered my expenses for the past 3 years. I'm with the National Training Center so they fund everything.
 
F

fpeliwo

Rookie
Marius_Hancu said:
Hi, Filip,

Welcome to the board. We spoke a lot about you this year:

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=22890&highlight=canadian&page=43

That's the official thread about Canadian players :)

You are in the right place in terms of talking to the most knowledgeable fans.

I think you have considerable talent. Hard work and you'll get far. One step at a time.

You may want to look at:

Great fitness sites
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=15571

a thread which I established.

Best.
Click to expand...
Thanks! I went through it, nice to see people are excited about this. Regarding one of the posts, I think I will be a lot better than just a top 100 player though...
 
OddJack

OddJack

G.O.A.T.
Hey Filip,

If you had to choose one reason why top 4 are top 4, which one would it be?

1- Talent
2- Hard work
3- Consistency
4- Mental strength
5- Physical endurance

I know you need a combination of all...I know...but there is only one correct answer, so pick it. This has been answered by top players and they all agree.

So, which one say you?
 
tusharlovesrafa

tusharlovesrafa

Hall of Fame
fpeliwo said:
I always adjusted to the heat quite easily. It doesn't really bother me, I find I handle it quite well compared to other people. One example was when I went to Australia, and beat a good Aussie player in the warmup tournament. After the match he told me how surprised he was at the fact that he had more trouble with the heat than I did, and he lived and trained there. I guess you just get used to it if you travel to play in that climate enough.

As far as court speed goes, I would say the are quite similar, but Wimbledon feels a lot faster as the ball skids. At US Open, the ball bounces really high, so if feels like you have a lot more time. Can't say for sure though, as I don't remember the speeds at Wimbledon perfectly.
Click to expand...

Thanx for your reply Filip.You have earned your self a New fan today from India.I hope you could visit India one day,I would surely be there to cheer for you.

I just hope you don't get riled up with the sheer bulk of questions that is being directed towards you.You can take a break if you want!!:)
 
Lovely_Bone

Lovely_Bone

Rookie
Hey Filip, would you consider playing the Houston ATP 250 clay court event ever? It's a great little tournament! I was a ball kid there, and it was just a really awesome and friendly environment. It's a pretty small venue, so all of the pros are just out and about like normal people, and there are some big names(Bryans, Isner, Fish, Monaco, and Ryan Harrison), so it's really, really cool, and it would give you a chance to casually talk with your fans. Also, It's in a beautiful area, and all of the players(as far as I know) are arranged houses to stay in by the tournament. All of the houses are in the neighborhood, and the are 20+ million dollar mansions! If you want to see what it's like just google *River Oaks Houston*, it is at River Oaks Country Club.
Unfortunately though, I probably wouldn't be able to make it out there as I moved, and can't afford the travel, but I cannot say enough good things about the tournament. You should look into it for sure within the next few years :D
 
ninman

ninman

Hall of Fame
Hey Filip,

How long do you expect it will take to make the transition from the Challenger circuit to the ATP?

At lot of the guys who win in the Juniors go on to be regulars on the ATP circuit (even if they aren't super successful).

If you could pick one GS to win, which one would it be?
 
F

fpeliwo

Rookie
OddJack said:
Hey Filip,

If you had to choose one reason why top 4 are top 4, which one would it be?

1- Talent
2- Hard work
3- Consistency
4- Mental strength
5- Physical endurance

I know you need a combination of all...I know...but there is only one correct answer, so pick it. This has been answered by top players and they all agree.

So, which one say you?
Click to expand...
It's really tough to say, because I feel like a few of those overlap with each other. I don't really know which one it is, but I feel it's either hard work, consistency, or mental strength. I will have to go with mental strength.
 
F

fpeliwo

Rookie
ninman said:
Hey Filip,

How long do you expect it will take to make the transition from the Challenger circuit to the ATP?

At lot of the guys who win in the Juniors go on to be regulars on the ATP circuit (even if they aren't super successful).

If you could pick one GS to win, which one would it be?
Click to expand...
I'm not sure, I'm hoping it won't take much longer than two or three years.

If I had to choose one, it would be Wimbledon.
 
F

fpeliwo

Rookie
Lovely_Bone said:
Hey Filip, would you consider playing the Houston ATP 250 clay court event ever? It's a great little tournament! I was a ball kid there, and it was just a really awesome and friendly environment. It's a pretty small venue, so all of the pros are just out and about like normal people, and there are some big names(Bryans, Isner, Fish, Monaco, and Ryan Harrison), so it's really, really cool, and it would give you a chance to casually talk with your fans. Also, It's in a beautiful area, and all of the players(as far as I know) are arranged houses to stay in by the tournament. All of the houses are in the neighborhood, and the are 20+ million dollar mansions! If you want to see what it's like just google *River Oaks Houston*, it is at River Oaks Country Club.
Unfortunately though, I probably wouldn't be able to make it out there as I moved, and can't afford the travel, but I cannot say enough good things about the tournament. You should look into it for sure within the next few years :D
Click to expand...
I would love to play the 250 in Houston, if I eventually get my ranking high enough to play. I've heard many great things about it, and I know some people that would love to come watch.
 
tedmeister

tedmeister

Rookie
Thank Y0u!

Hi FiliP! COnGRAtulaTionS ON Y0uR woRk heRE. I am a naiVE GuY and I waS wonDErinG whethER Y0u HAve a DEdicaTed STRinGeR that tRAvelS wiTh Y0u OR DO Y0u TakE ADvanTaGe of the ONsiTe STRinGeRs to SERVicE Y0ur fRAmeS? AgAin wE APPreCiaTe Y0ur timE SpenT enliGhTeninG US....^
 
B

Bobo96

Semi-Pro
I'm just curious as what type of training you do in the gym? Do you do weights, cardio, footwork etc. Also do you train your upperbody or mostly work on lowerbody? Thanks! I wish you all the best!!
 
hrstrat57

hrstrat57

Hall of Fame
Again, amazing thread thank you so much!

Had a bit of goofy question but something I have always been curious about. I always go a couple of days to the ATP HOF tournament in Newport and the ball kids are let's say inexperienced. Some of the pros get pretty annoyed and distracted by it, some laugh and patiently shake their heads and some give the kids (often very young kids) encouragement.

Any random ball kid stories from you? Does it bother your game if the ball kid is fumbling or generally not ready with the balls or towel or becomes a distraction?

Comfortable sharing a story/observation or two?

Any plans or possibility you might play in the HOF tourney? I think you might enjoy playing in Newport and sure would like to see you play in person.

Thanks again for doing this.
 
F

fpeliwo

Rookie
tedmeister said:
Hi FiliP! COnGRAtulaTionS ON Y0uR woRk heRE. I am a naiVE GuY and I waS wonDErinG whethER Y0u HAve a DEdicaTed STRinGeR that tRAvelS wiTh Y0u OR DO Y0u TakE ADvanTaGe of the ONsiTe STRinGeRs to SERVicE Y0ur fRAmeS? AgAin wE APPreCiaTe Y0ur timE SpenT enliGhTeninG US....^
Click to expand...
I don't have the money to pay for my own stringer so I just use the on-site stringers.
 
F

fpeliwo

Rookie
Bobo96 said:
I'm just curious as what type of training you do in the gym? Do you do weights, cardio, footwork etc. Also do you train your upperbody or mostly work on lowerbody? Thanks! I wish you all the best!!
Click to expand...
We try to do everything, really. Generally, I would do some sort of running and bike, mixed with either a lower body or upper body and core session. We alternate which muscle groups we work on, usually upper body one day, and lower body then next. The lower and upper body sessions are weight workouts, by the way.
 
J

joeri888

G.O.A.T.
Sorry if this has been asked already, but it's just a hot topic.
Not the most pleasant for any top pro (which I already would consider you).
My questions consider doping:
1. Do you feel that doping is a big issue in tennis?
2. Do you think that it would benefit you a lot if you'd cross that line?
3. Have you ever been offered doping and/or do you think it's easy access in the tennis world?
4. Do you think it is necessary for any player to use doping to get to the very top (i.e. win Slam(s), be top 3 in the world)?

I am very interested in your take, and either way, you've got a supporter in me. Love the fact that you are out here answering questions. Hope you will be fair and competitive and a joy for tennis.


PS Please use serve and volley, even if it kills you ;)
 
F

fpeliwo

Rookie
athleticstennis said:
Can you talk us a little bit through your sf match of wimbledon against krueger, and your final match in us open against broady?
Click to expand...
Yeah, sure.

With Krueger, I got off to a slow start, going down 5-2 and set points pretty quickly. I managed to get it to 5-all but blew the next 2 games. The same thing happened in the second set. I was making too many errors and giving him chances to attack. I went down 5-2 again, 15-40. Won that game, saved two match points at 40-15 on his serve in the next game, just taking huge risks and slapping the ball, and saved one more match point in the next game. I started to play a lot more aggressively in the next few games, and was moving better. In the tiebreaker I just played a string of great points to take it. Same thing in the third set as in the tiebreaker. I had found my game again and won 6-3 comfortably.

With Broady, it was a different match. We both started nervously, but he was playing worse than I have seen before. He was missing almost everything, and pretty much gave me the set 6-2. In the second set, I was up a break and game points to go up 3-1, but I got a bit tight and missed a few big points. He started to play better, made more shots and was being quite aggressive. With roles reversed, I gave him the 2nd set 6-2. In the third set, I was up an early break, but got broken right back. We battled until 5-all, saving break points, not being able to capitalize and break. At 5-all I managed to get the break after 3 failed attempts, and served it out with the best game of the match.

Hope that was what you wanted :p
 
N

Nadal_Power

Semi-Pro
Hey Filip, nice to see you here :)

First of all, congrats on great season, with 4 Junior Majors finals and being youngest player who made 1/2 of Challenger this season (first for your generation)

Just wanted to ask how close was you for getting Canada main draw WC instead of the one for Q's.. I think it was big shame not to give you WC after all you achieved, and players who get them are way older than you, and not future of tennis by any means

Cheers
 
F

fpeliwo

Rookie
hrstrat57 said:
Again, amazing thread thank you so much!

Had a bit of goofy question but something I have always been curious about. I always go a couple of days to the ATP HOF tournament in Newport and the ball kids are let's say inexperienced. Some of the pros get pretty annoyed and distracted by it, some laugh and patiently shake their heads and some give the kids (often very young kids) encouragement.

Any random ball kid stories from you? Does it bother your game if the ball kid is fumbling or generally not ready with the balls or towel or becomes a distraction?

Comfortable sharing a story/observation or two?

Any plans or possibility you might play in the HOF tourney? I think you might enjoy playing in Newport and sure would like to see you play in person.

Thanks again for doing this.
Click to expand...
It does get a bit frustrating when you're waiting for the ball, but I feel like I shouldn't show it to the kids. They're doing the best they can, and I try to be supportive.

I'm not sure what kind of story you are looking for, would you mind being a bit more specific?

I would definitely like to play in Newport. Hopefully in the near future.
 
F

fpeliwo

Rookie
joeri888 said:
Sorry if this has been asked already, but it's just a hot topic.
Not the most pleasant for any top pro (which I already would consider you).
My questions consider doping:
1. Do you feel that doping is a big issue in tennis?
2. Do you think that it would benefit you a lot if you'd cross that line?
3. Have you ever been offered doping and/or do you think it's easy access in the tennis world?
4. Do you think it is necessary for any player to use doping to get to the very top (i.e. win Slam(s), be top 3 in the world)?

I am very interested in your take, and either way, you've got a supporter in me. Love the fact that you are out here answering questions. Hope you will be fair and competitive and a joy for tennis.


PS Please use serve and volley, even if it kills you ;)
Click to expand...
This is what I answered to the previous doping questions:

Regarding all of the questions about doping in tennis, this is all I know.

I haven't used or been offered PEDs.

Given whats going on in cycling and instances where tennis players have tested positive in the past, I cant speak for any other athlete.

Though players have been caught doping in the past, I have never seen anything firsthand.

As I said, I don't know much about how common it is in tennis, but I don't believe it is necessary to do so to be a top 3 player, I really don't.

I'm sure it would give me some sort of advantage, as that's what they are for, but I would never take any PED's under any circumstances.
 
F

fpeliwo

Rookie
Nadal_Power said:
Hey Filip, nice to see you here :)

First of all, congrats on great season, with 4 Junior Majors finals and being youngest player who made 1/2 of Challenger this season (first for your generation)

Just wanted to ask how close was you for getting Canada main draw WC instead of the one for Q's.. I think it was big shame not to give you WC after all you achieved, and players who get them are way older than you, and not future of tennis by any means

Cheers
Click to expand...
I was not going to get it, unless none of the older guys played. My coach wanted me to play qualifying, as he is the one that decides who gets the WC's. He thought it would be better for me if I played through and qualified, getting experience (and points) along the way.
 
Power Player

Power Player

Bionic Poster
Thanks for reminding some of us how good the blade 98 is. I have been playing with one for a bit and can see how you could use it at any level as it feels really solid. I hit with a nationally ranked under 16 player and it held up just fine. Interested in seeing you would weight it. I tried some weight in the handle and i still like it better stock so far.
 
F

fpeliwo

Rookie
Power Player said:
Thanks for reminding some of us how good the blade 98 is. I have been playing with one for a bit and can see how you could use it at any level as it feels really solid. I hit with a nationally ranked under 16 player and it held up just fine. Interested in seeing you would weight it. I tried some weight in the handle and i still like it better stock so far.
Click to expand...
Yeah I will see what works best. It is an all-round solid racket.
 
Last edited:
F

fpeliwo

Rookie
gunnd5000 said:
I'd imagin thats pretty important for you at the moment, no point in being dropped into the main draw and losing in 1st or 2nd round, better getting matches under your belt against the caliber of oponents playing qualies at the Candian Open.

Another quikc question, when youre training on court whats the divide between closed drills, like basket drills where you're drilling on specific shot or series of shots to certain locations, open drills where you're playing out situations and match play. 20/30/50 split?
Click to expand...
I would say it's probably 40/40/20, with points being 20%
 
M

MurrayMyInspiration

Guest
Really cool to have you here on the forum man!! Nice to have all your info about drills training practice all here in one thread!
 
travlerajm

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
Welcome to TTW.

There is a lot of evidence to support the notion that a higher-swingweight racquet with a well-tuned balance can separate the pro players that reach the top 10 from those that that max out with much poorer rankings.

And it is extremely rare for a player with stock swingweight to break into the top 20.

I've spent many years developing methods for optimizing racquets.
See this thread, for example:
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=387805

I hope that you'll take the time to consider the racquet customization decisions carefully so that you can maximize your potential.

Since I have an interest in seeing a fellow player from the Pacific Northwest succeed in pro tennis, I'd be happy to offer any free customization assistance or advice. For example, I think I could be of great help in finding customizations for your frames to give you the much better stability needed for success at the pro level while preserving the same swing timing that you've grooved over the years.
 
F

fpeliwo

Rookie
travlerajm said:
Welcome to TTW.

There is a lot of evidence to support the notion that a higher-swingweight racquet with a well-tuned balance can separate the pro players that reach the top 10 from those that that max out with much poorer rankings.

And it is extremely rare for a player with stock swingweight to break into the top 20.

I've spent many years developing methods for optimizing racquets.
See this thread, for example:
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=387805

I hope that you'll take the time to consider the racquet customization decisions carefully so that you can maximize your potential.

Since I have an interest in seeing a fellow player from the Pacific Northwest succeed in pro tennis, I'd be happy to offer any free customization assistance or advice. For example, I think I could be of great help in finding customizations for your frames to give you the much better stability needed for success at the pro level while preserving the same swing timing that you've grooved over the years.
Click to expand...
Yeah I would definitely appreciate any help I can get. I don't know where to start with customizing, so that would be greatly appreciated.
 
hrstrat57

hrstrat57

Hall of Fame
fpeliwo said:
I would definitely like to play in Newport. Hopefully in the near future.
Click to expand...

I will spread the word around RI when I can about this thread....couldn't hurt.

Would love to see you there in July! It's a good take - I'm sure you would enjoy it....not to mention I think the soft grass courts will suit your game once you dial in how it plays....the side courts can be a bit quirky.
 
travlerajm

travlerajm

Talk Tennis Guru
fpeliwo said:
Yeah I would definitely appreciate any help I can get. I don't know where to start with customizing, so that would be greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...
Filip, if you shoot me an email, I'll give you my complete contact into, and we can go from there.
 
Last edited:
OddJack

OddJack

G.O.A.T.
fpeliwo said:
It's really tough to say, because I feel like a few of those overlap with each other. I don't really know which one it is, but I feel it's either hard work, consistency, or mental strength. I will have to go with mental strength.
Click to expand...

It's consistency. That's the most difficult part for getting to the top.
 
1

15_ounce

Guest
travlerajm said:
Welcome to TTW.

There is a lot of evidence to support the notion that a higher-swingweight racquet with a well-tuned balance can separate the pro players that reach the top 10 from those that that max out with much poorer rankings.

And it is extremely rare for a player with stock swingweight to break into the top 20.

I've spent many years developing methods for optimizing racquets.
See this thread, for example:
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=387805

I hope that you'll take the time to consider the racquet customization decisions carefully so that you can maximize your potential.

Since I have an interest in seeing a fellow player from the Pacific Northwest succeed in pro tennis, I'd be happy to offer any free customization assistance or advice. For example, I think I could be of great help in finding customizations for your frames to give you the much better stability needed for success at the pro level while preserving the same swing timing that you've grooved over the years.
Click to expand...


Thanks a lot for that link!

I have measured my two favourite customised Wilson K Six One 90s,

They have these MR^2 values: 386.45568 kg-cm^2 and 382.56192 kg-cm^2

Slide1.jpg


So I am happy to know that my racquet's MR^2 values are close to the high-ranked ATP players... :) I think this explains why I regularly beat my sparring partner since I customised my racquets!

Customisation DOES matter !!!!!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
T

tennis24x7

Hall of Fame
Hi Filip Congrats on making it to the big leagues.

I have a few questions some of them may be too simple, but here goes

1. When your dad was coaching did he have a full time job? You had mentioned you practised for upto 4 hrs a day and I am assuming he was there, so just wondering??

2. Can you explain a little about how you can keep the hand loose to generate more racket head speed, if I loosen my grip and swing hard then my ball generally go anywhere but towards my opponent as it twists uncontrollably:confused:

3. Most people in this forum say that you need to be very rich to be a professional player, but how are players like Fabio Fognini survive year after year. I see he has not won an ATP title and he has not had a good run at the slams too.

Thanks a lot in advance and it is a testament to your good heart and up bringing that you have the humility to help the fans. I will look forward to your matches when I get a chance.
 
Vlad_C

Vlad_C

Semi-Pro
Hi Filip,

Thanks for joining and taking the time to answer all our silly questions!

I have one for you if you don't mind. I am curious about the diet / nutrition of pro athletes, and how that relates to performance. I know for example that many of our Canadian Olympic athletes have worked with doctors and nutritionists and had personalized nutrition plans designed specifically for each individual. (I am talking strictly about nutrition, ie carbs, protein, vitamins and antioxidants – nothing prohibited).

I am curious if you guys there at the Tennis Center in Montreal have access to that kind of personalized service when it comes to nutrition. Do you have a specific diet, with specific targets in terms of daily intake of protein, carbs, etc.?

I read Agassi's book, where he said that he was eating whatever / whenever – pizza, burgers, whatever!
Have you noticed if that is still the case with pro players today, or do you and your colleagues there in Montreal pay more attention to diet and nutrition these days?

Thanks, and best of luck!
 
J

joeri888

G.O.A.T.
fpeliwo said:
This is what I answered to the previous doping questions:

Regarding all of the questions about doping in tennis, this is all I know.

I haven't used or been offered PEDs.

Given whats going on in cycling and instances where tennis players have tested positive in the past, I cant speak for any other athlete.

Though players have been caught doping in the past, I have never seen anything firsthand.

As I said, I don't know much about how common it is in tennis, but I don't believe it is necessary to do so to be a top 3 player, I really don't.

I'm sure it would give me some sort of advantage, as that's what they are for, but I would never take any PED's under any circumstances.
Click to expand...

Thanks! Great answer, and hope you and your colleagues will always choose fair play over a bit of extra money etc.

Much support,

joeri888
 
treblings

treblings

Hall of Fame
Ellipses said:
He has observed nothing and has not been offered anything. This must be the third or fourth time it's been ask. Please read the thread.
Click to expand...

this will become more and more of a problem, asking the same questions because we are too lazy to read through the fast-growing thread.
maybe Filip shoud add a faq in the first post? only half kidding
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

J
I'm a professional tennis player. Ask me anything!
11 12 13
Replies
601
Views
90K
Cortana
Cortana
Rafa4LifeEver
Ask me anything, I'm a professional........
2
Replies
94
Views
2K
D.Nalby12
D
T
Can we now officially say that Filip Peliwo's tennis career has been a failure?
Replies
34
Views
4K
TheCanadian
T
Marius_Hancu
ITF announces professional tennis restructure
2 3
Replies
103
Views
7K
Marius_Hancu
Marius_Hancu
gogo
Overhaul of professional tennis at entry level...overdue
Replies
5
Views
924
MasturB
MasturB
Top