TW Shotgun 15

TW Staff

TW Staff

Administrator
You guys asked for it, and we answered!

We always get requests to see more competition between the playtesters, and that’s just what we did last week! We enjoyed a little friendly competition and created a tournament that we called Shotgun 15!

Here were the rules:

  • Game to 15
  • Spin to see who feeds first and who plays on which side (no switching sides)
  • Player A will feed 3 times, alternate sides (deuce/ad/deuce), then Player B feeds 3 times (alternating each side), and so on
  • The feed goes crosscourt and then the point starts
  • If you miss the feed, you lose the point
  • If you miss the ball off the feed, you lose the point
  • All let cords are legal (no re-feeds off a let)
  • Sudden death at 14-14
  • The draw was completely drawn at random (there were 3 byes also thrown in the draw as well) — (see Instagram video here: http://instagram.com/p/nbS2GKRPB6 )

(We are playing around with doing more of these more often and changing up the format, etc. We took the serve and return out of this one as a bit of an equalizer and to mix things up)

Click here to find more info on the draw --> http://blog.tennis-warehouse.com/meet-the-playtesters/shotgun-15-tw-tournament/

We will be posting the match-ups on the blog this week (complete with gear info and strategy)...so keep an eye out for those! (I will add them here once they are ready for you to check out!)

First round:

Tiffani vs. Spencer ---> http://bit.ly/tiffspenc

Chris vs. Troy --> http://bit.ly/christroy

Sean vs. Jason --> http://bit.ly/seanjason

Mark vs. Brittany --> http://bit.ly/markbrittany

Next round:

Karly vs. Spencer --> http://bit.ly/spenckarly

Michelle vs. Chris --> http://bit.ly/michellechris

Andy vs. Jason --> http://bit.ly/andyjay

Semis...

Andy vs. Brittany --> http://bit.ly/1jQkyGk

Spencer vs. Chris --> http://bit.ly/spenchris

and the Final, Andy vs. Chris --> http://bit.ly/andychris


Enjoy (and be nice!),

Michelle, TW
 
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Devil_dog

Devil_dog

Hall of Fame
Very cool and fun, guys!

Question: Is the echo in the facility really as pronounced as it appears in the video between Chris and Troy?
 
TW Staff

TW Staff

Administrator
Devil_dog said:
Very cool and fun, guys!

Question: Is the echo in the facility really as pronounced as it appears in the video between Chris and Troy?
Click to expand...

Yep -- That's pretty much how it sounds to us when we are hitting but I think we are all used to it. Since we work in a warehouse, we are usually playing alongside all kinds of noise! It's good for the mental game ;)

Michelle, TW
 
beernutz

beernutz

Hall of Fame
Very nice match between Troy and Chris and I especially liked to see the contrasting styles. Troy was generally pounding his groundstrokes particularly from the backhand side while Chris was being patient but using well-timed aggression and approaches.
 
O

ohplease

Professional
Thanks for posting these. It's really nice seeing the playtesters actually playing instead of just testing.
 
TW Staff

TW Staff

Administrator
Glad you guys are enjoying these!

The first four are up and links are in the first post!

Michelle, TW
 
N

NTRPolice

Hall of Fame
This is a great post. I'm gonna watch all the videos while I wait for the UPS guy with my TW order!

+1 for hitting winners off a feed like a BOSS, LOL.

I wish they would include NTRP in these videos. I know why that creates a lot of "problems" but, it would be interesting to know how they rate while watching them play, as well as what past experience they have, what age they took up tennis, how often they play, ect.

TW Staff said:
Here are the TW playtester profiles with their NTRP:

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/playtestgroup.html

Jason, TW
Click to expand...

I didnt know that page existed! Thanks!
 
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heninfan99

heninfan99

Talk Tennis Guru
Very cool. Would have been nice to see Carol compete with Wilson 6.1 95 or Granville do some volleys.
I will now root for "The Forehand Wong".
 
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heninfan99

heninfan99

Talk Tennis Guru
Wow. Brittany vs. Mark was a battle. Both have great cardio which we don't get to see in the play tests.
 
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tennisBIEST

tennisBIEST

Professional
Confucious say, "Do what you love and you'll never work a day in your life".....then you all must be on permanent vacation! Love it......Keep'em coming!
 
T

Tennisguy3000

Semi-Pro
Great idea! Fun to watch some of our favorite playtesters go at it. I was a little surprised how few came to the net.. then again I am known as a net rusher (sometimes without having any advantage ;-)

Keep em coming ;-)
 
S

Silent

Professional
Tennisguy3000 said:
Great idea! Fun to watch some of our favorite playtesters go at it. I was a little surprised how few came to the net.. then again I am known as a net rusher (sometimes without having any advantage ;-)

Keep em coming ;-)
Click to expand...

Chris did mention he usually S&V but he couldn't due to the rules.
 
Topaz

Topaz

Legend
Tiffany, love those shorts, wish Nike would bring them back. I have three pairs that I hope last forever!
 
TW Staff

TW Staff

Administrator
Topaz said:
Tiffany, love those shorts, wish Nike would bring them back. I have three pairs that I hope last forever!
Click to expand...

Right there with you! Best shorts ever. I don't wear them as often as I used to because I'm trying to get the most life out of them as possible.

Tiffani
 
Sander001

Sander001

Hall of Fame
Michelle is my fav player; she goes for it with no fear. None of this pushing crap :)

Jason did very well, that forehand to the corner was deadly.
 
R

red rook

Guest
Great stuff!! Thanks for this! My wife and I actually watched all the matches. Very fun and makes you want to join in the tourney!
 
Timbo's hopeless slice

Timbo's hopeless slice

Hall of Fame
Sander001 said:
Michelle is my fav player; she goes for it with no fear. None of this pushing crap :)

Jason did very well, that forehand to the corner was deadly.
Click to expand...

seriously??

I just watched her play Chris, that shot on game point says it all for me..

but this is a pretty contrived game style, after all.

Chris would love to be S&V and that would give Michelle a target instead of giving her the whole court to hit at which just seems to make her either belt it up the middle or overhit by miles..

(no offence, Michelle)
 
S

Silent

Professional
That Jason forehand was nasty indeed. At least 3 times it seemed he hit the exact same spot in that corner.

I was hoping to see Andy play and he did not disappoint.

Chris looks like he just knows what to do to win, and then he does it.

I'm really enjoying this.
 
beernutz

beernutz

Hall of Fame
Topspin Shot said:
Jason was awesome! Shaving the lines with that forehand. :)
Click to expand...

Though I have to say that Jason being described as a 4.0 player in his profile is a bit ridiculous. IMO, 4.0 level players do not possess forehands like that nor would they compete as well as Jason did against open level players like Andy, even given the ball feed point start restriction.
 
spaceman_spiff

spaceman_spiff

Hall of Fame
beernutz said:
Though I have to say that Jason being described as a 4.0 player in his profile is a bit ridiculous. IMO, 4.0 level players do not possess forehands like that nor would they compete as well as Jason did against open level players like Andy, even given the ball feed point start restriction.
Click to expand...

Watch the first-round video of Jason vs. Sean. Unforced errors from Jason accounted for 11 of Sean's 14 points, and most of those came from the forehand (because he hit so few backhands).

Edit: Oh, and 10 of Jason's points were from unforced errors, so it's not like his forehands were forcing a lot of errors or setting up a lot of points.
 
Last edited:
beernutz

beernutz

Hall of Fame
spaceman_spiff said:
Watch the first-round video of Jason vs. Sean. Unforced errors from Jason accounted for 11 of Sean's 14 points, and most of those came from the forehand (because he hit so few backhands).

Edit: Oh, and 10 of Jason's points were from unforced errors, so it's not like his forehands were forcing a lot of errors or setting up a lot of points.
Click to expand...

You mean the first round match where Jason the 4.0 beat Sean the 4.5?

I can't tell if you are arguing with me or helping me make my point.
 
heninfan99

heninfan99

Talk Tennis Guru
Did Spencer really do a drop shot feed on point 12?!? The TW rules state the feed must go beyond the service line, no? :)
 
spaceman_spiff

spaceman_spiff

Hall of Fame
beernutz said:
You mean the first round match where Jason the 4.0 beat Sean the 4.5?

I can't tell if you are arguing with me or helping me make my point.
Click to expand...

I thought your point was that Jason shouldn't be a 4.0 because he has a really good forehand. What I saw in the first round was a very large number of unforced errors from his forehand, sometimes directly from the feed. And out of the 15 points he got, only 5 of them did not involve an unforced error from Sean.

So, in a game set up in such a way where he never had to face any serves and could use what is by far his best shot from the beginning of most rallies, he only won 5 point that involved a winner or forced error while at the same time making 11 unforced errors of his own.

Throw in the fact that his backhands weren't particularly effective, then I'm struggling to see how you'd think he's not a 4.0.
 
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TW Staff

TW Staff

Administrator
Timbo's hopeless slice said:
seriously??

I just watched her play Chris, that shot on game point says it all for me..

but this is a pretty contrived game style, after all.

Chris would love to be S&V and that would give Michelle a target instead of giving her the whole court to hit at which just seems to make her either belt it up the middle or overhit by miles..

(no offence, Michelle)
Click to expand...
none taken...just meet me on the court at 11 ;)

If you read what I wrote in the blog, I'm more than aware of my weaknesses ;) Honestly, at this age, I have more fun going for big shots and like to play my plan A (I'm a different player than I was in college -- no doubt, I've always been aggressive, but on the snail-slow court at TW, I know outlasting any of the playtesters usually isn't game plan A or B for me -- I've always been one that wins or dies by my winners/errors). Do I know how to hit defensively? Sure...but I'm NEVER going to beat Chris that way.

Have you ever seen Petra Kvitova play? We like to overhit by miles :D There's a reason why my favorite pro players are the flashy, fun ones to watch ;)

P.S. Chris can serve and volley all day long, that gives me a perfect target to rip returns...and some may even go in!

heninfan99 said:
Did Spencer really do a drop shot feed on point 12?!? The TW rules state the feed must go beyond the service line, no?
Click to expand...

Hahah he really did and nope, that wasn't in the rules!

He actually asked me before his first round if "anything goes" on the feeds...hah!

He's getting a little flack from all of us -- Karly was a great sport about it!

Michelle, TW
 
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Timbo's hopeless slice

Timbo's hopeless slice

Hall of Fame
Ye, I know, that's what I meant. You look like someone that likes a target..
I would meet you at eleven, except 1. I have an open tournament tomorrow and 2. It, like me, is in Australia!
Peace
 
TW Staff

TW Staff

Administrator
spaceman_spiff said:
Throw in the fact that his backhands weren't particularly effective, then I'm struggling to see how you'd think he's not a 4.0.
Click to expand...

Not effective?! Not effective?! I think this backhand was very effective:
q2Sh1C.gif


:)

Jason, TW
 
jonnyjack

jonnyjack

Semi-Pro
Were all of these matches played on the same day?

Loved the semis, looking forward to the final.

I'm going to start using this game to practice singles. We normally feed and rally for 3 shots before starting the point but several points we have to start over since we suck too much to have a decent rally sometimes.

I'm playing a singles league match in three weeks, I'm going to incorporate under hand serves cause I'm starting to get tired later in matches, haha. I know I will catch some flack for it but I'm not going to quick serve the guy and I'm probably going to do it for entire games.
 
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