Playing in the wind

[thug the bunny]

Not really a question, but an observation.

I played a set in the wind the other day. It was howling - prob 25 constant, with gusts to 40. We had to set up our bags at angles to the fences to act like little ball reservoirs to minimize the time spent chasing balls all over the courts.

Anyway, looking back on the set, my playing partner and I played some damned fine game. In retrospect, I remember I would approach shots up on my tippy-toes doing little mini hop steps, concentrating and focusing on the ball enough to make it burst into flames. This was due to the wind. You had to focus and be ready to adjust because you didn't know what the ball would do coming up out of the bounce, and the result was great contact.

So, we talked about this wind-induced concentration, and the next day we went back out, and we said, "Damn! There's no wind today, it's going to be a sh1tty round! (actually it was pretty good - I think we had concentration hangover)

 

[jswinf]

concentrating and focusing on the ball enough to make it burst into flames

This is a wonderful phrase. Are you from Krypton?

I gotta say I hate playing in serious wind. Hate it. If a ball laying on the court starts rolling due to the wind, it's too windy for me.

 

[thug the bunny]

All S Jerseyans have this ability...

If you don't like wind, you would have about 10 playable days per year around here...

 

[Xizel]

Compact strokes win in the wind.

 

[tacotanium]

it doesn't bring my NTRP down by a whole 1.0 or 2.0 points but down to 0.5.

 

[gahaha]

0-15mph wind is nothing, shouldn't drastically affect my game.
15mph-25mph, I am raging inside from wind induced errors.
25+mph, I go into Hulk Smash mode.

No but seriously, wind is really annoying, constant wind is ok but random 30mph gusts really gets me ticking. There's no way to adapt to it, and balls just speed up and slow down randomly in mid-air

 

[mightyrick]

Where I play here in Texas, there is a lot of wind usually. It really is just a characteristic of the geography, so you have to get used to it. Most players around here have to "use the wind". Taking the wind into account, you can get some pretty wicked angles, slices, and lobs.

 

[eidolonshinobi]

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?t=376871

There was a thread that talked about it. Pretty good insight on effects of gameplay

 

[fruitytennis1]

Well living in the 2nd(I think) windiest city in the U.S. i've gotten used to playing in the wind.
In the wind i find its good to mix it up...in a nasty crosswind even a top player has trouble dealing with slice.

 

[thug the bunny]

There's no way to adapt to it, and balls just speed up and slow down randomly in mid-air

But you can adapt to it - with concentration and readiness. You can actually use it to hone your focusing skills. Albeit, it is hard work. And, once you get in hamrmony with the wind, it is fun using it - drop shots into, slices on cross, and deep topspin with...

 

[FedExpress 333]

I like playing in wind, no that I get better, but i do not get affected by it that much. Things that help are a low ball toss, acsess to heavy topspin, or a solid net game.

BTW, this reminds me of the fed-Sod match at the USO this year. Everyone was complainig about the wind, then federer wen out and played BETTER than normal. I remember watching it w/ my mouth wide open, gaping at the TV.I think I got better at playing in the wind by just WATCHING that match. Here are some highlights for some stradegy:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_Excg8Ss3g

 

[robert_craig72]

0-15mph wind is nothing, shouldn't drastically affect my game.
15mph-25mph, I am raging inside from wind induced errors.
25+mph, I go into Hulk Smash mode.

No but seriously, wind is really annoying, constant wind is ok but random 30mph gusts really gets me ticking. There's no way to adapt to it, and balls just speed up and slow down randomly in mid-air

I agree! It depends on the speed of the wind. 25+mph affects my game badly.

 

[Fuji]

I love wind, I play just as well, if not better with it! Major spin is for sure your friend!

-Fuji

 

[gahaha]

But you can adapt to it - with concentration and readiness. You can actually use it to hone your focusing skills. Albeit, it is hard work. And, once you get in hamrmony with the wind, it is fun using it - drop shots into, slices on cross, and deep topspin with...

During mid-stroke, already winded up and about 25% of my swing, 25mph gust start up, carries ball further than it is supposed to land, I frame the hit trying to switch stroke halfway.

Right now in Ohio we get random wind gusts that goes every 10-20 secs, it is not physically possible to correct your stroke in mid-swing and still do a decent stroke. The lowest wind so far this week is 15, which is amazing so far, it has been 20-30 for like a week.

I usually play against the wind and play well if its constant wind, not random gusts every now and then and wind picking up and stopping. By the time you feel a gust coming, the ball has already struck the fence. You must be some sort of tennis god if you adapt and enjoy this kind of condition.

 

[crash1929]

My first serve collapses in the wind. I mean down the tubes. In the gutter.

 

[anchorage]

Well, I played in the wind yesterday - quite illuminating. The gusts were sufficiently strong to roll balls down the court on their own.

I far preferred playing into the wind, hitting mainly top spin ground strokes 5 to 6 feet over the net, almost impossible to hit them long. Downwind, I was far more tentative as I felt I had no control over depth. I was hitting all topspin serves with & into the wind. No doubles into the wind, some with the wind behind.

The wind showed me that, having played on perfect indoor carpet courts, I set my feet far too early. Of course, you can do that under perfect conditions when the bounce and flight are true, not so when the ball moves or is held up in the wind and you suddenyl find you're not quite 'there'. I guess I must watch the ball OK, though, as I didn't frame or seriously mishit anything.

I can't say I enjoyed the wind but I'm keen to play in those conditions a lot more. I reckon that might be one of the best ways to improve my game.