Ask ProTennisCoach- Gilbert, Annacone, Cahill, Rasheed

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TW Staff

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Hi Talk Tennis Members,

We have an exciting opportunity for our members to ask 4 of the greatest tennis coaches, Brad Gilbert, Paul Annacone, Darren Cahill, and Roger Rasheed, anything they want about tennis. These 4 coaches will be on Talk Tennis Friday, June 13- Sunday June 15 answering your questions about the pro tour, match strategy, training, etc.

Please post your questions in this thread and they will try to answer as many questions as possible. Please note not all questions will be answered.

For more information on Pro Tennis Coach, check out our exclusive membership here: http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/ProTennisCoachcom_Membership/descpagePTC-PTCMEMBER.html

TW Staff
 

heftylefty

Hall of Fame
What is the single best thing a player can do to improve chances of winning matches other than re-reading "Winning Ugly"?
 

Voriad

Semi-Pro
Other than mental strength, what is the biggest difference between top d1 college level and pro level tennis? The heaviness of the ball maybe?
 
What did players like Rafa and Novak miss in their early training to have such an average serve? obviously they have the talent, the dedication and the ability to learn so how come their serve is not special?
 

aimr75

Hall of Fame
What are the key areas you would typically focus on with the players you have coached coming into a particular match?
 

Out?

Rookie
exactly how far in front should the forehand be hit and how would one know if hes hitting it too late or early
 

cjs

Professional
Sports psychology - how to play freely in competitive match play without becoming overly cautious, conservative, tentative or tight? How do they coach players to deal with nerves or tentative play?
 

bertrevert

Legend
All of you have said, in the press or in books, that you only changed the game of one of your elite athletes with caution, for they are fantastic players who got to the top and yet change they must to get better...

I'm a typical weekend warrior tinkering with racquets and strings... but is that really how to change my game?

How did you identify what to tinker with in the case of your elite athletes?

Your answer may answer - what is my first step?

Like most, I find lessons expensive...
 
How do you guide your players in terms of shot selection? Is there any particular system you use to help them choose the best shot to hit at any given time?
 
Other than mental strength, what is the biggest difference between top d1 college level and pro level tennis? The heaviness of the ball maybe?

It depends what you mean by "pro level tennis" as there are many different levels where you can be regarded as a pro. Computer points for ranking begin at the Futures level and then as you improve your ranking, you move through the levels which are Challenger events, ATP Tour 250 & 500 events, Masters 1000 events, and ultimately to be able to compete in the 4 Majors. Good college players can easily compete at the Challenger level where you find players ranked anywhere between 100 down to 500, depending on the size of the tournament.

That said, there are many differences. The ability to compete on a variety of different surfaces against a variety of different playing styles is part of being a pro. A lot of the college matches are played on similar surfaces against similar styles of play and a lot of the players become too one dimensional leaving holes in their games that are exploited at the pro level. If you have a weakness at college level it can be quite easy covered up against opposition that either doesn't have the tools to get to them, or doesn't have the scouting resources to discover them. At the pro level, all the players and coaches get ample opportunity to see how you handle different situations and test your ability to problem solve. Once a weakness is exploited, it becomes common knowledge to most players and coaches. It's then up to that player to evolve their game and sometimes you are talking about a 22 or 23 year old making radical changes, and that's not easy.

The ability to move on clay is also a big issue. Clay is widely regarded as the best surface to build leg strength, work strategy as you construct game plans, learn to defend efficiently and develop weapons to finish points. Moving defensively and offensively on clay is an art form and not something that comes easily if you don't spend time training on the surface. It's part of the reason why players from Europe have dominated the men's game in the last 8 years as they are brought up on clay, for the most part.

We have seen more players remain extremely competitive as they enter their 30s which is great for college players as they don't need to feel the rush to turn pro too early. But it is important to gain access to different types of training while in college and compete at as many Futures events (as an amateur) as possible while still studying. These events will give any player a great sense for where their game sits and what needs to be addressed during the training blocks.

Build a game for the future and don't concentrate too much on the wins/losses at college level as results can be awfully deceiving at times.

You might be a college player but the quicker you start to think and train like a pro, the quicker your development will take place. Expose yourself to different playing styles and surfaces and learn to problem solve.

The other major issue is learning to embrace the travel. If you plan on becoming a tennis pro then it means life on the road for 30-35 weeks a year and most of those weeks are outside of your home country. Too many of the US players throw in the white towel when playing overseas as the travel gets to them. They miss the US life and the convenience it offers. Tennis can be a grind when playing overseas and players need to learn to embrace it for long periods of time in order to be successful.

These are some of the differences between a college player and a pro.

--Darren Cahill
ProTennisCoach.com Resident Coach
Available on Tennis-Warehouse.com
 
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What did players like Rafa and Novak miss in their early training to have such an average serve? obviously they have the talent, the dedication and the ability to learn so how come their serve is not special?

Perhaps nothing- there is no magic pill. If you look at their style of play and how they set up their strengths, they both use their serves incredibly well to set up their offense ( Rafa with big ground strokes & Novak to get court position and punish opponent with early offensive shotmaking)- that being said, the mechanics of their serves are ok - just not spectacular . They don't have Sampras looseness of arm, leg action rotation and snap at end- but that is a rare talent to combine all the facets to create an immense weapon. So their serves suit their games well- they just don't get a huge amount of free points just from the serve. Hope that helps a bit !

--Paul Annacone
ProTennisCoach.com Resident Coach
Available on Tennis-Warehouse.com
 
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How frustrating is it to coach Monfils? From a physical ability standpoint... He should rarely, if ever lose.

Thanks for the questions regarding Gael and i get asked that a lot as everyone sees what an athlete Gael is and therefore believes he should just
naturally move into the top echelon of the game. Yes Gael has an incredible athletic platform to call on virtually at will in lots of cases but when we
started working together it was very obvious to me( even before i was coaching GM) that Gaels aerobic capacity wasn't where it needed to be plus
the day in day out non negotiable work ethic had not been installed in him prior to our engagement which was disappointing from the group of people
he had worked with in the past. The biggest concern i see in coaching is watching coaches with very elite athletes that are not prepared to engage
the athlete day to day and making them accountable. Sitting on the horse isn't what the elite need, they need to be ridden hard and pointed in the
right direction as they are all young kids who are as vulnerable as any other young person growing up in the world, they just happen to have an elite
sporting talent.
For Gael and i to work together he would have to agree on some very strong performance terms on and off the court which to his credit he wanted
badly, Gael wanted to be driven hard, to find out what his body was capable of and more importantly find out what his mind was prepared to do
which would engage his natural tennis talent pool. His position changed almost overnight, we directed his game into another space,he became a
bigger physical beast with a greater aerobic capacity and he had a stronger belief in where his game would go each week. Gaels day to day package
changed and by delivering that he within months was able to position himself inside the top 10.
You also must understand one thing, each athlete is different and different things drive there passion for sport or success, as a coach your job is to
master what drives an athlete and then deliver your package that can elevate them.
All credit goes to Gael when we spent our 3 years together, he gave me all he had ( sure with the odd hiccup ) and until this day we are great friends
and will be for life.
Thanks for your question, Gael was fantastic to coach, challenging but inspiring in a whole lot of ways. Each player has made me a better coach.

--Roger Rasheed
ProTennisCoach.com Resident Coach
Available on Tennis-Warehouse.com
 
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Mike Bulgakov

G.O.A.T.
It depends what you mean by "pro level tennis" as there are many different levels where you can be regarded as a pro. Computer points for ranking begin at the Futures level and then as you improve your ranking, you move through the levels which are Challenger events, ATP Tour 250 & 500 events, Masters 1000 events, and ultimately to be able to compete in the 4 Majors. Good college players can easily compete at the Challenger level where you find players ranked anywhere between 100 down to 500, depending on the size of the tournament.

That said, there are many differences. The ability to compete on a variety of different surfaces against a variety of different playing styles is part of being a pro. A lot of the college matches are played on similar surfaces against similar styles of play and a lot of the players become too one dimensional leaving holes in their games that are exploited at the pro level. If you have a weakness at college level it can be quite easy covered up against opposition that either doesn't have the tools to get to them, or doesn't have the scouting resources to discover them. At the pro level, all the players and coaches get ample opportunity to see how you handle different situations and test your ability to problem solve. Once a weakness is exploited, it becomes common knowledge to most players and coaches. It's then up to that player to evolve their game and sometimes you are talking about a 22 or 23 year old making radical changes, and that's not easy.

The ability to move on clay is also a big issue. Clay is widely regarded as the best surface to build leg strength, work strategy as you construct game plans, learn to defend efficiently and develop weapons to finish points. Moving defensively and offensively on clay is an art form and not something that comes easily if you don't spend time training on the surface. It's part of the reason why players from Europe have dominated the men's game in the last 8 years as they are brought up on clay, for the most part.

We have seen more players remain extremely competitive as they enter their 30s which is great for college players as they don't need to feel the rush to turn pro too early. But it is important to gain access to different types of training while in college and compete at as many Futures events (as an amateur) as possible while still studying. These events will give any player a great sense for where their game sits and what needs to be addressed during the training blocks.

Build a game for the future and don't concentrate too much on the wins/losses at college level as results can be awfully deceiving at times.

You might be a college player but the quicker you start to think and train like a pro, the quicker your development will take place. Expose yourself to different playing styles and surfaces and learn to problem solve.

The other major issue is learning to embrace the travel. If you plan on becoming a tennis pro then it means life on the road for 30-35 weeks a year and most of those weeks are outside of your home country. Too many of the US players throw in the white towel when playing overseas as the travel gets to them. They miss the US life and the convenience it offers. Tennis can be a grind when playing overseas and players need to learn to embrace it for long periods of time in order to be successful.

These are some of the differences between a college player and a pro.

--Darren Cahill
Thanks for the really intelligent answer. Do many American academies have European-style red clay courts for the juniors to play on? I know the Spanish academies added hard courts years ago.

It is interesting that WTA players, like Sharapova, Serena Williams, and Azarenka, can still reach the top of the game mostly training on hard courts in America from a young age.
 

Mike Bulgakov

G.O.A.T.
Perhaps nothing- there is no magic pill. If you look at their style of play and how they set up their strengths, they both use their serves incredibly well to set up their offense ( Rafa with big ground strokes & Novak to get court position and punish opponent with early offensive shotmaking)- that being said, the mechanics of their serves are ok - just not spectacular . They don't have Sampras looseness of arm, leg action rotation and snap at end- but that is a rare talent to combine all the facets to create an immense weapon. So their serves suit their games well- they just don't get a huge amount of free points just from the serve. Hope that helps a bit !

--Paul Annacone

Even without the Sampras looseness of arm and explosive, quick-twitch muscles, his motion is a great one to teach. Nadal's topspin forehand amazes me. Is his technique teachable, or even something that one would want to be taught?
 

Mike Bulgakov

G.O.A.T.
One last question for everyone regarding injuries on both the WTA and ATP tours. The game is amazing today, but the combination of spin from the poly strings, slower courts, and athleticism of the players, means really long points with abrupt changes of direction.

A lot of players are missing time, needing surgeries, and having shorter careers. Is there anything that can be done to keep more players healthy and not having to miss time on the tours?
 

6-1 6-3 6-0

Banned
How many majors do you think Rafael Nadal will realistically end up winning before the end of his career, and do you think that would elevate him above Federer if he did win more majors than him?
 

OTMPut

Hall of Fame
For Mr Annacone:

How do you compare Federer's recent years to Sampras's final years in terms of approach to the game, strategy, training and goals?
 

Jamesm182

Semi-Pro
Can you give an example of how you have further developed/enhanced a players strengths when it comes to either shot making or tactics, how you went about accomplishing this, and what the end result was.

Thanks
James
 

wy2sl0

Hall of Fame
Thank you guys for taking the time to come and answer some questions us weekend hacks have.

I was wondering what you think is the most important thing for the upcoming generation to work on to keep this high level of tennis the top four have given us going. I know Kei, Milos and Grigor have each had moments of greatness against the top four, (Kei against Roger and Nadal, Grigor against Djoker and Nadal, Milos against Murray a few times and playing Roger close twice) but they still have not been able to play at that level consistently (not to be in the top 10, but to compete with the top 4). Do you feel there is a disparity in talent, physical conditioning, or is it merely mental at this point?

Thanks guys.
 

McLovin

Legend
Hi guys,

For the last 3 years I have coached a local high school girls tennis team. The one thing I stress at the beginning of the year is that our goal is "to have fun". Of course, I always follow this up by saying "...and winning is more fun than losing, however...".

My view of the team is that maybe the #1 player will play D3 college tennis, but short of that, most of the girls learned to play their freshman year and will finish in the 3.0-3.5 range. I'm just trying to get them to a point where they can enjoy the game, and hopefully will continue playing throughout their lives.

So, my question for you is, in your opinion, am I correct in my approach to coaching the team? Or should I be more aggressive, taking more of a 'win first, have fun second' attitude? Other sports at the school seem more the latter, and some have had success with it, competing for state championships.

I will say that while I have been playing for over 30 years, I am NOT a trained tennis coach. I always recommend they supplement the off season with local tennis clubs/coaches, as well as a few tournaments, but maybe two or three take that advice.

Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions.
 

galain

Hall of Fame
Thanks for taking the time guys.

Without naming names or incriminating anyone, could you give us a broad estimate of how widespread PEDs are in pro tennis - for both men and women?

If there is a definite PED presence on tour, is it something that in your opinions is hurting the game at all?

many thanks
 

mikeler

Moderator
2nd serve against Rafa in the Ad Court

I realize you get in a comfort zone serving from the same spot but why don't the right handers stand closer to the center line on 2nd serves against Rafa in the ad court? When Rafa serves to right handers in the deuce court, he is right on the middle line and his opponents have a much harder time running around their backhand.

Serving halfway between the center line and side line on the ad side allows the right hander almost no room to hit a serve to the middle of the court and find Rafa's backhand on the slower 2nd serve. He typically runs around his backhand, to hit a forehand and afterwards he is in perfect position (middle of the court) for the next ball. I realize there is a risk of serving out wide to his forehand but no player does that enough to make him think twice about running around his backhand.
 

Mr.Lob

G.O.A.T.
Mr. Brad Gilbert, or any distinguished guest, liked your book, but there seems to be quite a bit of disagreement here at Tennis Warehouse about what is the definition of "pusher". What is a pusher and can a high level player or pro be a "pusher". Are pushers "real" tennis players? Also, do you get your shades at Tennis Warehouse? What kind are they? And how about sending me a free autographed pair... or I could pay for them... whatever. :)

Thanks,
Mr. Lob, Pusher Legend... and founder of the Pushers Anonymous Club (here at Talk Tennis).
 
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tcurrin

New User
lefty-righty-both??

Thanks for participating in this forum. Here's what may be a silly question, but one I'm interested in obtaining your opinions.

If someone writes left handed, throws a ball and plays golf right handed, and is right eye dominant, am I correct in assuming they should be taught to play tennis right handed? Different for a child than an adult or a senior?

Thanks in advance
 

Shroud

Talk Tennis Guru
This is the coolest thread ever!

Thanks!!!

1. Are the courts slower (or bounce higher) these days compared to past eras? And if so, what affect on the game has it had?

2. Whats up with all this grunting and shrieking the pros do? Is that taught or encouraged and is there a benefit to the player?

3. If you could make one change to the pro game what would it be?
 

Curiosity

Professional
Flourishes, individual strengths, and footwork aside, the topspin forehands of Nadal and Federer are actually remarkably similar in the essential prep, initiation, and sequence of racquet/arm/shoulder motions out to contact. The same can be said for the one-handed backhands of Federer, Kohlschreiber, Almagro, and others. Yet, from personal experience I know that some of the details cannot be picked up by juniors simply by watching slow motion video. Some of the common details have to be carefully explained and then felt, as they are hard to see, though easy to feel when you learn them well. I'll give as examples the inducement of lag in the racquet head during the pull-out early phase of the backhand and the arm's transition from pronation to supination, or the detailed nature and benefit of getting the hitting upper arm close to the torso and reasonably back...at the instant of initiating the typical pro forehand, during the instant in which the forearm/upper arm turns, elbow comes through, racquet head lag is induced, and the 'push out and forward' begins.

If there is a handbook I can give a good 12-15 year old junior which describes these details very thoroughly, and explains the benefit of each detail in the sequence, what is its title and author? If there is not such a handbook, why not? We have many retired top 10 pros who could write such a handbook, granted with major structuring and editing support. (The Bollettieri Handbook got close, but left out many key details and explanations, nonetheless. The German Tennis Federation put out a good two-volume set, but volume 1, stroke and play theory, left out lots of details and got a few wrong from the contemporary point of view. I'm thinking of a book (and video?) for stroke mechanics with the thoroughness and quality of "The Physics and Techology of Tennis", a book by pros but about stroke mechanics, not about the player.)

Thanks so much for joining us for a few days!
 
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ttbrowne

Hall of Fame
I hear that the surfaces of the 4 Majors have changed somewhat over the years. Can you discuss why and if you'd like to see a return to the past surfaces?
 

Beartennis88

New User
I've begun having shoulder problems the last five months the tendon from my teres major and travels up by my armpit to the back of my deltoid but originates to the lateral side of my right shoulder blade where the teres major connects wether I serve or hit forehands by the en of the day it's killing me what would u recommend ? I really crank my serve first and second and my forehand is an extreme grip that I get heavy top with although I can also hit it with the contintal grip(top spin) to mix it up at the end of the day tho it hurts no matter what it always feels week but I can still use it I'm wondering if my strings are too stiff I have always played with prince Problend I've switched to other polys but I like the feel I get from Problend
 

Tight Lines

Professional
Have you ever tried to intentionally cause spin on the serve toss in order to give a different look to the opponent? I have tried to do so and it looks like it could be done consistently although the hitting angle changed depending on the type and amount of spin.

Harry
 
What is it like, seeing your player out there struggling and gutting it out while all you can do is watch from the box? Is there a lot of shifting in the seat and nail biting? Has there been a time where you just could not watch and kept your head down out of emotion? (i.e. on break point, match point. etc?)
 
Sports psychology - how to play freely in competitive match play without becoming overly cautious, conservative, tentative or tight? How do they coach players to deal with nerves or tentative play?

Try not to think too much. Think point to point and what you need to execute. Then focus on what your opponent is trying to do to you. At the club level, I'd rather error to playing tentative than over playing and missing everything. Don't think about being nervous, the more you think about it the more nervous you'll get. Just play the point. Keep your head in the game.

--Brad Gilbert
ProTennisCoach.com Resident Coach
Available on Tennis-Warehouse.com
 
All of you have said, in the press or in books, that you only changed the game of one of your elite athletes with caution, for they are fantastic players who got to the top and yet change they must to get better...

I'm a typical weekend warrior tinkering with racquets and strings... but is that really how to change my game?

As I age, I enjoy varying my strings.
Having a tennis shop with a professional stringer on staff, I have now come to realize on the club level - club players like the pros, can greatly benefit from tinkering with their strings as well. Get the most out of your equipment, no two players use the racket exactly the same. It is an instrument to adjust to you not you adjusting to your instrument. What happens when the ball hits those strings dictates how, where and when it hits the court. The first point of contact is crucial to controlling the point. Strings can change your game.

How did you identify what to tinker with in the case of your elite athletes?

Your answer may answer - what is my first step?

Like most, I find lessons expensive...

Every player is different, you can never generalize a situation. As a coach, you must always be thinking of ways to help your player improve...whether or not from a tactical or technical standpoint. To understand your players game, you first have to understand your player's mind and physical abilities.

--Brad Gilbert
ProTennisCoach.com Resident Coach
Available on Tennis-Warehouse.com
 
exactly how far in front should the forehand be hit and how would one know if hes hitting it too late or early

Assuming our player is a right-hander then the ideal strike point for a forehand is in line with the left hip (or just slightly in front of) as we rotate around preparing to make contact with the ball. There are many different swings in tennis and many different grips players use and all of these things can change the ideal strike point, but this is a perfect position to work from. The ways to know if you are striking the ball too late or too early are:

1- if your ball is shooting off to the right after impact and most of your misses are into the net then you are probably catching the ball too late at impact. Another sign is when you are attempting to hit a forehand with topspin but the ball is coming off your strings flat. That's because you are catching the ball too far behind you and making contact before you able to make the low to high swing plane that helps generate topspin.

2- balance is key to determining if you are hitting your forehand too early. It's like throwing a punch at a target that is moving away from you, as you end up reaching for the target and losing your balance on the follow through. Also, it is difficult to time the ball perfectly as your natural swing wants to take the racket across your body the further you reach for the ball, so you may find yourself shanking many balls to the left. The optimum place for power and timing is in line with or 6 inches out in front of your left hip.

Practice having a coach drop a ball in that spot as you repeat forehands to get used to the strike point. Then move onto feeding drills. Finally move onto normal play so your strike point becomes more automatic for you. Pro's still practice the basic drills for repetition and improving swing speed so don't think you are beyond working on the basics. Also practice different spins, speeds of shot and directional placement to be able disguise your forehand as having different strike points will enable your opponent to read your tendencies the more they play you. The same strike point for many different shot selections will keep your opponents guessing.

There are many good slo-mo forehands that you can study but a great one to watch is the forehand of Roger Federer. Watch his strike point, his grip (eastern forehand grip) and most importantly his balance as he makes contact with the ball. His head stays very still through impact and less moving parts means better timing and a more accurate shot.

Good luck!

--Darren Cahill
ProTennisCoach.com Resident Coach
Available on Tennis-Warehouse.com
 
How do you guide your players in terms of shot selection? Is there any particular system you use to help them choose the best shot to hit at any given time?

This is a loaded question as there are so many variables to consider. The most important thing for any coach to do is to attempt to view the game through the eyes of your player. To do that, a coach must be willing to listen to the words spoken by your player, but maybe even more importantly to the words that are not spoken by your player. Tennis is a sport played at the pro level by youngsters that are thrown into pressure situations both on/off the court and the learning process is never ending.

If a coach has the ability to ask the right questions and earn the players trust then he/she is on the right path to helping that player.

Shot selection is determined by your style of play. Ultimately, tennis is played in small margins that is a balancing act between risk and reward. Having the ability to stay neutral in a point is everyone's goal for the most part of a match. Finding the depth, pace of shot, spots on the court where if your opponent wants to take a risk to finish a point then you know it's a low percentage play. They are the moments you look for even if your opponents hits the odd winner or two. You give up 5 winners for 15 errors. You press to gain a slight advantage in the "meat & potatoes" of a match by looking to open up court space and then decide if your kill shot is worth the risk, and will you be rewarded for it if you make a play to finish the point. It's no good taking a huge risk on a shot just to see your opponent cover it pretty easily and then have to restart the point from neutral. That is a sure fire way to lose, and hence bad shot selection.

I've been lucky enough to coach a couple of great players and while both primarily played from the baseline, both could be not have been more different in the way they viewed their games and opponents games in attempting to win a tennis match. What worried Andre about Pete Sampras did not worry Lleyton. What worried Lleyton about Wayne Ferreira did not worry Andre. And it goes on and on and on. Andre took his game to his opponents and probed for weaknesses that he could exploit. Lleyton let players come to him and exploited the doubts and fears that opponents had about not being able to finish a point. Ironically, both guys were very comfortable up at net and had strong volleying technique.

Does the risk of the shot equal the reward if you make it. That is really to question you need to continually keep asking yourself throughout a match. Be patient and air on the side of being conservative if you are fairly comfortable on the baseline rallies. Wait for a better option that might be 2 or 3 shots later if you are not quite sure. If you are playing someone better than you then you would tend to lean pretty hard on the first available opening or short ball.

A good coach will break down every match played via computer programs that are available and shot selection is always a big part of that analysis. Also, shot selection in pressure moments tends to vary from other parts of a match as a players becomes nervous and panics. This is where going to the tape of a match helps the learning process and fast tracks the improvement.

Good luck!

--Darren Cahill
ProTennisCoach.com Resident Coach
Available on Tennis-Warehouse.com
 

Team10

Hall of Fame
Where do you see American tennis in five years time? Both on the ATP and WTA tours? Any promising juniors that you guys know of that can fill the void in American tennis (mainly ATP) at this moment in time?
 

Nostradamus

Bionic Poster
Will Novak ever win the French open ? and what can he do to improve his chances of beating Nadal at the French open ?
 

aimr75

Hall of Fame
How do you feel about the advancement in technology in tennis, particularly strings and racquets and how that's affected the game for better or worse? Do you think there should be restrictions imposed as there is in golf?
 

Jonas

Semi-Pro
Hey Brad
What's your favorite Andre Agassi equipment story?
I recall that he was always tinkiering with his racquets/strings etc. especially early on, maybe the pre-BG days.
It's an honor Gentlemen. Thanks
 
Thank you guys for taking the time to come and answer some questions us weekend hacks have.

I was wondering what you think is the most important thing for the upcoming generation to work on to keep this high level of tennis the top four have given us going. I know Kei, Milos and Grigor have each had moments of greatness against the top four, (Kei against Roger and Nadal, Grigor against Djoker and Nadal, Milos against Murray a few times and playing Roger close twice) but they still have not been able to play at that level consistently (not to be in the top 10, but to compete with the top 4). Do you feel there is a disparity in talent, physical conditioning, or is it merely mental at this point?

Thanks guys.

The Big Four have been ridiculously consistent. They've kept a lot of good players, especially the young ones from achieving great results in Slams.
The three you mention, Kei, Grigor and Milos are obviously the next generation. All have loads of talent, but the most important thing they can do
is focus on improving, focus on getting as physically strong as their body allows and putting themselves in position where eve they can make it happen.
None have yet to make semis of a slam yet. There's no doubt the Big 4 have been the most consistent four players at one time in a long time.

--Brad Gilbert
ProTennisCoach.com Resident Coach
Available on Tennis-Warehouse.com
 
I realize you get in a comfort zone serving from the same spot but why don't the right handers stand closer to the center line on 2nd serves against Rafa in the ad court? When Rafa serves to right handers in the deuce court, he is right on the middle line and his opponents have a much harder time running around their backhand.

Serving halfway between the center line and side line on the ad side allows the right hander almost no room to hit a serve to the middle of the court and find Rafa's backhand on the slower 2nd serve. He typically runs around his backhand, to hit a forehand and afterwards he is in perfect position (middle of the court) for the next ball. I realize there is a risk of serving out wide to his forehand but no player does that enough to make him think twice about running around his backhand.

It's an interesting point and thought, the problem is that it's not so easy to move around and serve from a different spot when you're not used to it. Not to mention, wouldn't take Rafa very long to spot and adjust to what you're doing. To your point, the best thing would be able to do this without having to move from your spot, that way he wouldn't know what was coming. I do agree you must be able to beat him out wide with pace. Not a lot of guys can do that on a second serve.

--Brad Gilbert
ProTennisCoach.com Resident Coach
Available on Tennis-Warehouse.com
 
Mr. Brad Gilbert, or any distinguished guest, liked your book, but there seems to be quite a bit of disagreement here at Tennis Warehouse about what is the definition of "pusher". What is a pusher and can a high level player or pro be a "pusher". Are pushers "real" tennis players? Also, do you get your shades at Tennis Warehouse? What kind are they? And how about sending me a free autographed pair... or I could pay for them... whatever. :)

Thanks,
Mr. Lob, Pusher Legend... and founder of the Pushers Anonymous Club (here at Talk Tennis).

A pusher at the club level and the pro level are usually completely different. A pusher at the club level is somebody that gets a lot of balls back and forces you into multiple mistakes...At the pro level you must be incredibly fast to do this and I think of a pusher at the pro level as more of a counter puncher, someone like Rusty Murray, Hewitt, Michael Chang, or on the ladies side Wozniacki or Sanchez V. But pushers at both levels, club and pro are very frustrating to play against. Both take incredible patience and you've got to look for the right shot to attack them. I get my shades straight from Nike. Proud member of the Nike family for 40 years.

--Brad Gilbert
ProTennisCoach.com Resident Coach
Available on Tennis-Warehouse.com
 
Thanks for taking the time guys.

Without naming names or incriminating anyone, could you give us a broad estimate of how widespread PEDs are in pro tennis - for both men and women?

If there is a definite PED presence on tour, is it something that in your opinions is hurting the game at all?

many thanks

The short answer is "no".. we do not have a problem with PED's in tennis, in my opinion.

But I'm not about to bury my head in the sand and ignore the possibility that it's possible to beat the system. The players themselves have been very outspoken about the fact that "out of competition and blood" testing procedures that we have in place in tennis, has to improve. Players in recent years have not been tested enough away from competition and the fact that the players are calling for more is extremely encouraging. The players want a clean sport and a level playing field.

The "in competition" testing seems to be excellent and players are tested at many tournaments throughout the world. For the size of our sport on a global level there are very few positive tests that are returned. I guess you can look at that as a good thing, or a bad thing, depending on what side you come down on.

For me, I like to concentrate on the facts and what we can continually do to improve our sport and as long as we stay on top of the testing program and push the authorities to do more, then there's not much more the players can do.

Remember also, the drug testing program is independently run and has no connection with the ATP or WTA (same for anti-gambling) other than doing its job. It's up to them to move with the times and implement procedures that will endeavor to keep tennis clean. The idea of the biological passport has been spoken about at length and has had support from players. A very good follow on twitter regarding drugs in sport is Richard Ings (@ringsau). Richard was a former ATP chair umpire who moved into overseeing drugs in sport in Australia. He's an authority in this area and his views are followed by many.

I certainly don't see PED's as being an issue at the top level of the game. I would also like to be able to back that statement up with facts and figures about testing numbers, blood testing, out of competition, in competition and random testing throughout our sport but the numbers available left some holes in the testing program which the players have addressed, and have demanded more.

Hopefully the program improves and the next batch of numbers released will be more thorough.

--Darren Cahill
ProTennisCoach.com Resident Coach
Available on Tennis-Warehouse.com
 
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