Update on my last post - DIII College Tennis Video

[DIIICollegeTennis]

The people saying your forehand actually got worse are being nutty. Before, you were way too tense and finished too low. That was going to leave you producing very little racket head speed and thus, very little topspin or pace.

On your forehand today the positives are you're swinging up on the ball nicely, staying loose, and getting a full swing. You're obviously producing much more racket head speed and I'd guess you're getting some great topspin.

However, your naysayers do have valid points. Your new forehand has too much motion in it. I'd try really focusing on having a controlled swing and follow through. Like people have said, the reverse forehand is not great for standard rallies.

I say try making all of your forehands like those few in the video where you have a solid WW motion and finish on the right side of your body, then upload another video!

I don't know how to control my swing's motion? The movement that comes it seems to me is just a product of having a loose arm. Which movement are you referring to? Also, I know I have a problem with hitting too many reverse FHs. I'm trying hard to stop hitting them as much. Thanks for your comments.

 

[new_tennis_player]

You nailed it on the head.

What's happening is that the OP wanted validation and praise; forum members assumed OP wanted constructive criticism. OP was surprised that his assumption about the quality of his play was being challenged and becomes defensive. This invites both troll posts as well as more strongly worded and blunt criticisms.

Unless the OP is willing to give up the notion that his forehand is mechanically sound, the arguing will only continue.

I could see both sides being correct: perhaps the OP is winning matches against 5.5's with an ugly looking, technically incorrect stroke.

In baseball, Vlad Guerrero consistently produces some of the biggest power numbers year in year out with one of the ugliest swings in the game. Who knows what's really going on in this case.

Bottom line: OP knows that his forehand stroke is messed up, but his ego/emotional self (not his rational self) won't allow him to admit it.

I'm going to be as nice as I can be, but this really irritates me a lot: then quite frankly, go elsewhere. I don't understand why people post videos looking for help when it's clear that they don't really even want it. People gave you loads of advice, and most of it is the same: quicken your footwork, remove the reverse finish, and simplify your stroke. This isn't "traditional" advice, it's proper advice. There is so much going on in your forehand stroke that it's causing ridiculous errors. I honestly do not believe you for one breath of my life that you are "too good for 4.5s". 4.5s do NOT sail balls long and wide about half of the time during warm-up fed balls. You missed a huge portion of the balls just floated to you because you seem to have created a wild forehand motion that only applies to certain balls, most likely hard rally balls, when that isn't what most shots even are. So either swallow your pride and take the criticism albeit with a grain of salt, or don't bother asking for advice if you don't want it in the first place.

 

[DIIICollegeTennis]

You nailed it on the head.

What's happening is that the OP wanted validation and praise; forum members assumed OP wanted constructive criticism. OP was surprised that his assumption about the quality of his play was being challenged and becomes defensive. This invites both troll posts as well as more strongly worded and blunt criticisms.

Unless the OP is willing to give up the notion that his forehand is mechanically sound, the arguing will only continue.

I could see both sides being correct: perhaps the OP is winning matches against 5.5's with an ugly looking, technically incorrect stroke.

In baseball, Vlad Guerrero consistently produces some of the biggest power numbers year in year out with one of the ugliest swings in the game. Who knows what's really going on in this case.

Bottom line: OP knows that his forehand stroke is messed up, but his ego/emotional self (not his rational self) won't allow him to admit it.

Dude, how many times have I said that I know I need help on my forehand? All I was saying with that post was that there were a few responses that I found a little too harsh. That's all.

 

[ZPTennis]

I play in San Diego (which is a very competitive area). Since I just turned 19, I tried out the 4.5s, in which I won 4 matches. I beat the 8 seed in the La Jolla Championships (huge tourney) who then complained about my ability...that I was too good for the 4.5s. So I now play 5.5s and will be playing the districts at Balboa park next. I would personally consider myself an extremely solid 4.5, and probably a middle of the road 5.5. It's tough to judge me or anyone just on a video like I posted- doesn't take into account stamina, mental toughness, speed, etc.

-Cooper

Your game looks like a solid 4.0. Not trying to be insulting but good 4.5's are a step above your current level right now. If you ask me how I can judge this, I am a league 4.5 player myself in about the top 10% range. Your strokes just aren't there yet and don't have the power or heaviness that is needed.

Your forehand looks like you are trying to emulate Nadal but you should really get away from this. Your second serves don't have the kick they need and overall you just need to keep practicing.

Also when you play a real 5.5, it's going to be a wake up call. 5.5 players are division 1 level and are seriously good... also where is your backhand video?

 

[DIIICollegeTennis]

Your game looks like a solid 4.0. Not trying to be insulting but good 4.5's are a step above your current level right now. If you ask me how I can judge this, I am a league 4.5 player myself in about the top 10% range. Your strokes just aren't there yet and don't have the power or heaviness that is needed.

Your forehand looks like you are trying to emulate Nadal but you should really get away from this. Your second serves don't have the kick they need and overall you just need to keep practicing.

Also when you play a real 5.5, it's going to be a wake up call. 5.5 players are division 1 level and are seriously good... also where is your backhand video?

A regular hitting partner of mine was the second seed in the La Jolla tourney in the 5.5s and I've played two sets against him losing 5-7 each time. So I'm not too sure, but you know as well as I do that tennis is more about match-ups than about NTRP level. You can see some backhands of mine in the first video link I posted (from a year and a half ago)

 

[flyinghippos101]

where's bungalo bill when you need him?

 

[HunterST]

I'm going to be as nice as I can be, but this really irritates me a lot: then quite frankly, go elsewhere. I don't understand why people post videos looking for help when it's clear that they don't really even want it. People gave you loads of advice, and most of it is the same: quicken your footwork, remove the reverse finish, and simplify your stroke. This isn't "traditional" advice, it's proper advice. There is so much going on in your forehand stroke that it's causing ridiculous errors. I honestly do not believe you for one breath of my life that you are "too good for 4.5s". 4.5s do NOT sail balls long and wide about half of the time during warm-up fed balls. You missed a huge portion of the balls just floated to you because you seem to have created a wild forehand motion that only applies to certain balls, most likely hard rally balls, when that isn't what most shots even are. So either swallow your pride and take the criticism albeit with a grain of salt, or don't bother asking for advice if you don't want it in the first place.

Wait, where did everyone get this idea that he's spraying balls and getting wild errors? You can't see where his shots go in the video can you? If he's admitted it, then fine.

However, with the amount of upward motion he has in his swing it's very possible, if not probable, that the shots that LOOK like they're going to go out are landing well in the court. You can't make up facts to support your argument.

I can pretty much guarantee the OP would not have these defensive responses if the advice was given with even a modicum of tact. Honestly, if you asked a teaching pro for advice on your stroke and he said "You have HORRIBLE footwork, your swing is ugly and technically incorrect!" Would you be going back for a lesson any time soon? People need to offer concrete advice on how to fix his problems. Who knows, maybe even point out a few positive things about his strokes!

You people say that the real problem is that the OP is overly sensitive. I say the real problem is that a lot of people feel that they can throw politeness and tact to the wayside just because they're posting anonymously.

 

[HunterST]

I don't know how to control my swing's motion? The movement that comes it seems to me is just a product of having a loose arm. Which movement are you referring to? Also, I know I have a problem with hitting too many reverse FHs. I'm trying hard to stop hitting them as much. Thanks for your comments.

I think if you just focus on finishing to the right side of your body and not having much extra motion after the follow through, you'll be fine. Maybe watch a few videos of pros hitting and see if you can't get a little more economical in the arm motion.

Also, would you say you're getting much core rotation/strength into the shot? If not, that could be one reason your arm seems to be doing a lot of extra work.

 

[aimr75]

Wait, where did everyone get this idea that he's spraying balls and getting wild errors? You can't see where his shots go in the video can you? If he's admitted it, then fine.

However, with the amount of upward motion he has in his swing it's very possible, if not probable, that the shots that LOOK like they're going to go out are landing well in the court. You can't make up facts to support your argument.

I can pretty much guarantee the OP would not have these defensive responses if the advice was given with even a modicum of tact. Honestly, if you asked a teaching pro for advice on your stroke and he said "You have HORRIBLE footwork, your swing is ugly and technically incorrect!" Would you be going back for a lesson any time soon? People need to offer concrete advice on how to fix his problems. Who knows, maybe even point out a few positive things about his strokes!

You people say that the real problem is that the OP is overly sensitive. I say the real problem is that a lot of people feel that they can throw politeness and tact to the wayside just because they're posting anonymously.

watch the whole vid.. there is a back perspective, and there is a decent amount of spraying

 

[hrstrat57]

Quick look at both videos.

I see huge improvement, clearly you have been working very hard. The choppy push forehand is pretty much gone and your racquet head speed is way up. That only comes with hitting a lot of balls.

I would work on a little more economy in the stroke....do a lot of drills hitting flat or light topspin forehands, really focused on driving the ball....just light topspin.

Pick your favorite pro player and search out a lot of video but I would suggest staying away from a heavy top player like nadal to emulate....the timing is way too difficult for most of us.

I suspect your footwork is a lot better than what we see here.....you appear pretty quick and athletic. One can't do enough footwork drilling tho....it is the key to solid tennis.

I see somebody who has the chance to be a real fine player, esp at the D III lvl.....

Work on driving the ball with a smooth stoke.....and be sure to do a lot of placement drills too when dialing in your groove.

The old Agassi "attack video" remains a classic....see if you can get your hands on that one for drill suggestions.

Nice work.

Just my .02.

 

[hrstrat57]

Just took a few minutes and watched the rest of your video.

Good quality vids BTW.

I like your net work pretty technical volleys off both sides....if you don't S/V currently in matches you might work on throwing in the occasional charge. You should win a few points, esp with the element of surprise thrown in. Work on this with your dad....have him focus on hitting short returns or fat balls to the middle of the net head and shoulder high so you can dial in the feel/timing of S/V tennis.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Re serves, whoa dude, slow down.

Hit every practice serve with a purpose and completely repeat your entire service routine down to the finest detail on every strike, no bounce one bounce whatever you do, repeat it. Always. Doing this assures that in a match it just flows.

Further, never just hit serves....always have a target picked and a purpose in mind. Play every practice serve like a gamer. Kick high ad court, high....Slice duece up the tee....flat hard to the body....think match and execute in practice. Always vary pace, depth and placement....always vary flat, kick and slice.

Tho I can hit it, I am not a fan of the buggy whip forehand as others have said.....you should have it in your arsenal for going for winners down the line when pulled off the court. Again, focus more on driving the ball....hard.

I also agree with other posters here, heavy emphasis on the reverse forehand is inviting injury and assuring lack of consistency for all but the most elite of players. That would be ATP tour players IMHO and most of them are very careful with it. Nadal is a freak, and he is also the number one player in the world.

If you have a chance to get to an ATP tourney this summer(which you should, talk to your dad he will be up for it) spend a lot of time watching pros practice. I promise it will be a real eye opener.

btw, for what it is worth I coached 2 of my 3 kids onto D III tennis teams....one in the mid west and another currently playing in the east. Both were pretty heavily recruited, at least as far as D III goes. No details, sorry this is the internet.

You have a lot of energy, dial in a little focus and keep working.

Good luck with it!

 

[DIIICollegeTennis]

Just took a few minutes and watched the rest of your video.

Good quality vids BTW.

I like your net work pretty technical volleys off both sides....if you don't S/V currently in matches you might work on throwing in the occasional charge. You should win a few points, esp with the element of surprise thrown in. Work on this with your dad....have him focus on hitting short returns or fat balls to the middle of the net head and shoulder high so you can dial in the feel/timing of S/V tennis.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Re serves, whoa dude, slow down.

Hit every practice serve with a purpose and completely repeat your entire service routine down to the finest detail on every strike, no bounce one bounce whatever you do, repeat it. Always. Doing this assures that in a match it just flows.

Further, never just hit serves....always have a target picked and a purpose in mind. Play every practice serve like a gamer. Kick high ad court, high....Slice duece up the tee....flat hard to the body....think match and execute in practice. Always vary pace, depth and placement....always vary flat, kick and slice.

Tho I can hit it, I am not a fan of the buggy whip forehand as others have said.....you should have it in your arsenal for going for winners down the line when pulled off the court. Again, focus more on driving the ball....hard.

I also agree with other posters here, heavy emphasis on the reverse forehand is inviting injury and assuring lack of consistency for all but the most elite of players. That would be ATP tour players IMHO and most of them are very careful with it. Nadal is a freak, and he is also the number one player in the world.

If you have a chance to get to an ATP tourney this summer(which you should, talk to your dad he will be up for it) spend a lot of time watching pros practice. I promise it will be a real eye opener.

btw, for what it is worth I coached 2 of my 3 kids onto D III tennis teams....one in the mid west and another currently playing in the east. Both were pretty heavily recruited, at least as far as D III goes. No details, sorry this is the internet.

You have a lot of energy, dial in a little focus and keep working.

Good luck with it!

Hey! Thanks for your detailed response. First off, out of curiousity, where did one of your kids play DIII tennis in the *******? I played at Lawrence U. in Appleton, WI before moving back to California. As for going to an ATP tourney, I went out to Indian Wells last year...it was eye-opening...in the I-have-alot-to-work-on kind of way! As far as my serve goes, my dad reminds me of this all the time, to slow myself down. What happens is my toss suffers immensely and I don't get the full extension when I start going to fast. I'll try to work on that. Thanks for the compliments on my volleys.

-Coop

 

[Davis937]

Just took a few minutes and watched the rest of your video.

Good quality vids BTW.

I like your net work pretty technical volleys off both sides....if you don't S/V currently in matches you might work on throwing in the occasional charge. You should win a few points, esp with the element of surprise thrown in. Work on this with your dad....have him focus on hitting short returns or fat balls to the middle of the net head and shoulder high so you can dial in the feel/timing of S/V tennis.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Re serves, whoa dude, slow down.

Hit every practice serve with a purpose and completely repeat your entire service routine down to the finest detail on every strike, no bounce one bounce whatever you do, repeat it. Always. Doing this assures that in a match it just flows.

Further, never just hit serves....always have a target picked and a purpose in mind. Play every practice serve like a gamer. Kick high ad court, high....Slice duece up the tee....flat hard to the body....think match and execute in practice. Always vary pace, depth and placement....always vary flat, kick and slice.

Tho I can hit it, I am not a fan of the buggy whip forehand as others have said.....you should have it in your arsenal for going for winners down the line when pulled off the court. Again, focus more on driving the ball....hard.

I also agree with other posters here, heavy emphasis on the reverse forehand is inviting injury and assuring lack of consistency for all but the most elite of players. That would be ATP tour players IMHO and most of them are very careful with it. Nadal is a freak, and he is also the number one player in the world.

If you have a chance to get to an ATP tourney this summer(which you should, talk to your dad he will be up for it) spend a lot of time watching pros practice. I promise it will be a real eye opener.

btw, for what it is worth I coached 2 of my 3 kids onto D III tennis teams....one in the mid west and another currently playing in the east. Both were pretty heavily recruited, at least as far as D III goes. No details, sorry this is the internet.

You have a lot of energy, dial in a little focus and keep working.

Good luck with it!

Hey, hrstr ... a good post ... and ... also very POSITIVE!

 

[DIIICollegeTennis]

Wait, where did everyone get this idea that he's spraying balls and getting wild errors? You can't see where his shots go in the video can you? If he's admitted it, then fine.

However, with the amount of upward motion he has in his swing it's very possible, if not probable, that the shots that LOOK like they're going to go out are landing well in the court. You can't make up facts to support your argument.

I can pretty much guarantee the OP would not have these defensive responses if the advice was given with even a modicum of tact. Honestly, if you asked a teaching pro for advice on your stroke and he said "You have HORRIBLE footwork, your swing is ugly and technically incorrect!" Would you be going back for a lesson any time soon? People need to offer concrete advice on how to fix his problems. Who knows, maybe even point out a few positive things about his strokes!

You people say that the real problem is that the OP is overly sensitive. I say the real problem is that a lot of people feel that they can throw politeness and tact to the wayside just because they're posting anonymously.

I appreciate this response. That is how I was feeling, especially with the amount of work I've put into my forehand over the past year just to be told that I'm going backwards wasn't exactly music to my years, nor did it hold true to what any one else has said when they watch me play. Anywho, that's in the past. I'm going to try to post a video where I'm warmed up, hitting backhands and BH slices, and make it a little shorter so I can continue getting advice. Thanks guys.

-Coop

 

[hrstrat57]

Hey! Thanks for your detailed response. First off, out of curiousity, where did one of your kids play DIII tennis in the *******? I played at Lawrence U. in Appleton, WI before moving back to California. As for going to an ATP tourney, I went out to Indian Wells last year...it was eye-opening...in the I-have-alot-to-work-on kind of way! As far as my serve goes, my dad reminds me of this all the time, to slow myself down. What happens is my toss suffers immensely and I don't get the full extension when I start going to fast. I'll try to work on that. Thanks for the compliments on my volleys.

-Coop

YW.

No 1 son played in the North Coast AC, rather not get into his details on the www without his permission, not as brave as you with internet privacy.

If that is your dad in the video he is one heck of a ball feeder. Remember he is your best friend. Always on your side. Relish that.

5 years playing tennis?

I think you should be proud of your progress.

Keep working hard, and lose that buggy whip

 

[Bud]

Tell me how in my first 4.5 tourney I played the 8th seed in a 64 draw in La Jolla, California (one of the most prestigious tourneys in California) and dismantled him like 3 and 1? Because I'm not consistent enough for a 4.5? It's impossible to judge my NTRP level from the video. If you live in San Diego, I invite you to come watch me play Balboa. And in my opinion, DIII is a real mixed bag. The average DIII squad normally has a really strong top 2 or 3 players (sometimes just one), and then the talent falls off a lot from there. Sometimes its like two 5.5's at the 1,2 spots then 3.5s for the rest of the squad. Now for me, I figured that if I can do that well in the 4.5s in a very large draw at a very big tournament in SoCal, I should probably play 5.5s just to practice against bigger games (to practice for college).

I offered to play you in an earlier post, as I also play at Balboa (and often). I'm between a 4.0 and 4.5. If you can beat me in the best of 3 I'll be the first person to come back here and let others know your skill level.

 

[DIIICollegeTennis]

YW.

No 1 son played in the North Coast AC, rather not get into his details on the www without his permission, not as brave as you with internet privacy.

If that is your dad in the video he is one heck of a ball feeder. Remember he is your best friend. Always on your side. Relish that.

5 years playing tennis?

I think you should be proud of your progress.

Keep working hard, and lose that buggy whip

hah! I had to call my dad to let him know that he's a "heck of a ball feeder". Funny stuff.

 

[NLBwell]

Tell me how in my first 4.5 tourney I played the 8th seed in a 64 draw in La Jolla, California (one of the most prestigious tourneys in California) and dismantled him like 3 and 1? Because I'm not consistent enough for a 4.5? It's impossible to judge my NTRP level from the video. If you live in San Diego, I invite you to come watch me play Balboa. And in my opinion, DIII is a real mixed bag. The average DIII squad normally has a really strong top 2 or 3 players (sometimes just one), and then the talent falls off a lot from there. Sometimes its like two 5.5's at the 1,2 spots then 3.5s for the rest of the squad. Now for me, I figured that if I can do that well in the 4.5s in a very large draw at a very big tournament in SoCal, I should probably play 5.5s just to practice against bigger games (to practice for college).

Guys, I looked up his tourney results (isn't the net wonderful) and he is legit. Maybe the second best player in the tournament (big SoCal tourney). So, very high 4.5.
However, DIIICollegeTennis, there is a huge difference between a high 4.5 and a 5.5. If you were a 5.5, you would have won every match 6-0, 6-0 unless someone got lucky and won a game. You might try a 5.0 tournament first and see if you can win a couple matches. If you get a good draw, you have a good chance of winning a couple matches (of course you could get a 4.5 in the draw, but you might beat lower half 5.0s). That would be a good way to measure yourself.
As a comparison, I played open tournaments (about a 5.5) for stretches in my early 20's when I could play every day for several hours, could hit extremely hard and accurately, was very fast and never got tired in almost 100 degree heat in Houston.
I was one of the top 4.5 players around in my 40's after 8 years of not playing, torn rotator cuff, 3 knee surgeries with several bolts in my knee so I couldn't push off on it at all, only being able to play an hour or two once or twice a week, and having asthma problems.
Not very comparable.

 

[new_tennis_player]

What a fascinating, and information rich post! I wouid like to ask you a lot of questions, but I'll only include one:

what happened to your knees, and how long can you continue to play given their current condition? OK, I guess that's two.

Guys, I looked up his tourney results (isn't the net wonderful) and he is legit. Maybe the second best player in the tournament (big SoCal tourney). So, very high 4.5.
However, DIIICollegeTennis, there is a huge difference between a high 4.5 and a 5.5. If you were a 5.5, you would have won every match 6-0, 6-0 unless someone got lucky and won a game. You might try a 5.0 tournament first and see if you can win a couple matches. If you get a good draw, you have a good chance of winning a couple matches (of course you could get a 4.5 in the draw, but you might beat lower half 5.0s). That would be a good way to measure yourself.
As a comparison, I played open tournaments (about a 5.5) for stretches in my early 20's when I could play every day for several hours, could hit extremely hard and accurately, was very fast and never got tired in almost 100 degree heat in Houston.
I was one of the top 4.5 players around in my 40's after 8 years of not playing, torn rotator cuff, 3 knee surgeries with several bolts in my knee so I couldn't push off on it at all, only being able to play an hour or two once or twice a week, and having asthma problems.
Not very comparable.

 

[NLBwell]

What a fascinating, and information rich post! I wouid like to ask you a lot of questions, but I'll only include one:

what happened to your knees, and how long can you continue to play given their current condition? OK, I guess that's two.

Long pointless story, but had to move my bone to get my knee approximately aligned again after getting torn apart playing basketball. It's not a degenerative thing, its been pretty static for years, but the knee will never get strong.

 

[Davis937]

Long pointless story, but had to move my bone to get my knee approximately aligned again after getting torn apart playing basketball. It's not a degenerative thing, its been pretty static for years, but the knee will never get strong.

Ahh ... basketball ... basketball ... it's been the scourge of all of us males over 40 ... we just didn't know the toll it would take on our knees, no (sorry, pretty bad pun, know) ...

 

[DIIICollegeTennis]

Hah! Pretty funny..."he is legit." You say that as if other people have posted lies about matches they've won on these forums. :] Feel free to look up my match results at Lawrence University...just search Cooper Smith Tennis Lawrence and you'll get em. Thanks for the responses guys, means a lot.

 

[new_tennis_player]

Sounds like ligament issues rather than meniscus/cartilage issues.

Well, that's awesome that you get to continue playing though.

Long pointless story, but had to move my bone to get my knee approximately aligned again after getting torn apart playing basketball. It's not a degenerative thing, its been pretty static for years, but the knee will never get strong.

 

[mtommer]

I agree my take back may be stiff. What do you mean by calculating though?

It looks like you're going through a mental checklist as you take the racquet back and that the motion hasn't become a natural progression for you yet. It's just part of the stiffness aspect coming through again. That's all.

 

[drake]

DIII, since you seem to emulate Nadals FH stroke, why not copy his take back? Yours is a bit late and too low. Other than that, your footwork is fine considering you're being fed puff balls. Whenever you're hitting fed balls, you should make the extra effort never to hit off your back foot. That just promotes laziness.
Nice improvement though from your previous year.

Your skillset is just fine, so don't get offended by posters with questionable levels.

 

[new_tennis_player]

I have to offer an apology.

My initial comments were provoked by a fit of envy, boiling over like a cauldron of fire...

The truth is...your strokes remind me of Rafael Nadal's. It is difficult to admit this yes.

Actually, your forehand looks better than Nadal's.

I simply didn't want to admit this at first, and therefore, I hid my jealousy behind a most unfortunate attempt to "critique" what is arguably the finest forehand on the planet.

When you loop your forehand, it yells to the world: "yes! I am the best!" as you whip it down the line for an obvious winner.

When you shuffle along like joan rivers rushing to her phone afraid that she'll miss her plastic surgeon's call, I know it is an attempt to DECEIVE those deceitful internet liars! who would dare to criticize your game!

When the ball loops upward to the moon and seemingly lands six feet past the baseline, I know in all honesty that this is due to a faulty video lens and that the shot barely grazed the line in actuality, stunning onlookers and shocking the world.

Indeed, it is truly a falsehood to rate your game at 4.5, or even 5.5. The reality is, there is no numerical ranking sufficient to describe your game.

Some may say your SD card was full when the camera cut out but we all know the camera simply melted at the heat and ferocity and pace of your forehand smashes.

This has truly been an educational experience for sure, my friend. I will do my best to make a pilgrimage at the DIII college you spend time at, in humble servitude, out of the limelight of the wimbledon, french, us and australian opens.

Indeed the world has much to learn from you, and the light emanates with profound warmth and strength, Sir Cooper DIII!

Thank you, and....thank you.

 

[longnt80]

I offered to play you in an earlier post, as I also play at Balboa (and often). I'm between a 4.0 and 4.5. If you can beat me in the best of 3 I'll be the first person to come back here and let others know your skill level.

What happened to this challenge?

I'd like to hear from matchup, video clip of "non-warmup" ball hitting is not interesting.

 

[Can't think of a name]

nice buggy whipping, nadal would be very proud of you ^-^

 

[BMoney16]

You played at Lawrence in Appleton? I just played at those courts the other week haha. Small world.

 

[HunterST]

I have to offer an apology.

My initial comments were provoked by a fit of envy, boiling over like a cauldron of fire...

The truth is...your strokes remind me of Rafael Nadal's. It is difficult to admit this yes.

Actually, your forehand looks better than Nadal's.

I simply didn't want to admit this at first, and therefore, I hid my jealousy behind a most unfortunate attempt to "critique" what is arguably the finest forehand on the planet.

When you loop your forehand, it yells to the world: "yes! I am the best!" as you whip it down the line for an obvious winner.

When you shuffle along like joan rivers rushing to her phone afraid that she'll miss her plastic surgeon's call, I know it is an attempt to DECEIVE those deceitful internet liars! who would dare to criticize your game!

When the ball loops upward to the moon and seemingly lands six feet past the baseline, I know in all honesty that this is due to a faulty video lens and that the shot barely grazed the line in actuality, stunning onlookers and shocking the world.

Indeed, it is truly a falsehood to rate your game at 4.5, or even 5.5. The reality is, there is no numerical ranking sufficient to describe your game.

Some may say your SD card was full when the camera cut out but we all know the camera simply melted at the heat and ferocity and pace of your forehand smashes.

This has truly been an educational experience for sure, my friend. I will do my best to make a pilgrimage at the DIII college you spend time at, in humble servitude, out of the limelight of the wimbledon, french, us and australian opens.

Indeed the world has much to learn from you, and the light emanates with profound warmth and strength, Sir Cooper DIII!

Thank you, and....thank you.

I try to keep it to myself to avoid conflict, but I feel your string of nasty posts justifies me saying that it annoys me to no end how you try to provide advice and talk down to people on this forum when you've only been playing like six months!

Do you really think you have the credentials to critique ANYONE'S forehand with your level of experience? Do you really think that in your few months of playing that you have developed the ability to rate any player's NTRP based only on a video? People have confirmed through tournament results that the OP is a legit 4.5. Your poor attempt at somewhat malicious humor does nothing to change that.

I'm not going to post anything else as I do not want to start an argument, but for the love of God, please, please, do not act like you're such an expert on tennis when you're a beginner.

 

[Tikiman53]

That forehand take back does look weird and wristy, but clearly it works out okay. I'd say try to simplify it and maybe even shorten your backswing a bit, see how it goes for a week or two. And if it doesn't benefit you, go back to your normal swing.

From your shots, I can tell you would ANNOYING to play against (in a good way) because you have pretty spinny shots, and when you get good net clearance, they bounce pretty high. That would be a nuisance to shorter players and most players in general. of course, you're gonna run into players who are good at taking balls on the rise and are able to shoot those things back flat. So for those opponents, it's a good idea to get good at hitting through the ball more when you have to.

I think someone before said your serves were rushed? I dunno. Didn't read the whole thing. I would say they're fine. Good actually. I really liked your spin serves. Very nice and loose, and good action. Seems like you can depend on them.

And your volleys looked good as well.

All in all, looks like you can destroy me. I dunno if my advice is worth a damn, seeing as how I'm about a 4.0. But hope I helped and good luck! I hope I can improve at the rate you did. Very impressive