Why Do Players Care After the US Open?: WTA/ATP Finals

The third thing that Tennis watchers have to look forward to is the WTA/ATP Year End Finals.  This big event takes the top 8 players in the rankings and pits them against each other in a round robin format.  It is a decisive tournament because you get to see the best players square off each other without having to hope it happens in a tournament.  If the players are in the same group.  They are going to see each other.

Format

The format for this tournament is a little confusing because it is round robin.  The way it works is that they split the players into two groups of 4 (groups red and white for the ladies, groups A and B for the men).  Then each player in the group plays every person in the group.  The top player in each group plays the runner up in the opposite group for the semifinals.  Then those two winners play each other in the finals.

If the win records are equal, then the games are counted.

Who Cares?

The interesting thing about this tournament is that, because of the format, it matters how badly you beat your opponents.  If you BARELY beat an opponent in your group, there is a very good chance that you can run into them in the finals.  In a few instances the lottery put all the strongest competitors in on group.  (1 and 2 ranked players are always split).  Then the whole week was about what is going to happen in that group.

Unfortunately for 2014 the ladies have their tournament at the end of October a week before Halloween.  I forget to watch EVERY YEAR :(  From the look of the highlights, it was a great tournament.

In the red group 3 players had the same record of 2-1.  This is the group that had Serena Williams!  Simona Halep and Ana Ivanovic had to battle in out in the on the last day.  Simona had 2 wins and Ivanovic had a 1-1 record.  So Ivanovic would have to beat Simona in straight sets to knock Serena, who already had a 2-1 record, out of the semifinals.


Simona could have EASILY just rolled over and played dead for Serena to be knocked out but she didn't.  And as the story goes:


Simona Halep beat Serena Williams earlier in the tournament....and then lost to her in the final.  That's what I'm talking about!!

Oh well.  The men play next week.

Why Do Players Care After the US Open?: Davis Cup/Fed Cup

Now that Some of you understand the idea of point defense.  Lets move on to something that is much easier to understand.  Fed Cup happens in early November and Davis Cup happens in later November.  

What is Davis/Fed CUP? 

The Fed Cup (women) and the Davis Cup (men) are played all year round. Whenever the tennis pros have a break from their super busy schedule, they gather up with their teammates and host or visit another country.  This tournament is not ATP or WTA sanctioned.

Tournament Format

There are 8 teams in each side of the draw (16 total). How they pick the 16 teams is like legalize.  It is very confusing. Something about a round robin format and zones like Soccer (Football) World Cup.  After they get the teams...it is a normal drive to the end of the tournament. A committee figures out where the ties are played.

What the heck...TIE?

When two countries play each other, they call it a "tie." This causes much confusion when listening to the commentators talk about past "ties."  In a Fed Cup tie, there are 5 matches, 4 singles and 1 doubles over 2 days (Saturday & Sunday). Saturday, 2 singles matches are played. Sunday the singles competitors are switched  and there is a doubles match. It is kind of like USTA Teams in the USA but with only one doubles match.

Every match is called a "RUBBER." So if USA wins 3 out of 5 Rubbers against Sweden, USA wins the Tie. If USA wins the first 3 right off the bat, the last two rubbers do not matter but they still are played. Those matches are known as "DEAD RUBBERS."

Why is Davis/Fed Cup Fun?

These cups are like a big party. Fans are allowed to make as much noise as they want in between points and are often VERY ROWDY. The players also really seem to enjoy playing for their respective countries. Sometimes the home team has crazy rules like unlimited shot tracker challenges.  Players that feed off atmosphere can become Fed Cup heroes. Nobodies can make a great name for themselves. A lot of people really love to play for their countries and are really motivated.  

Davis/Fed Cup is a great way to see professional tennis.  The camaraderie between teammates is very evident and it is a great way for the younger players to learn from the older ones.  It is no surprise that a team with success will soon have individual players that make their way on the tour.  These matches usually happen on the Tennis Channel so if you want to check it out you can go to a bar at a wierd time and get it on the screen.

Why Do Players Care After the US Open?: Point Defense

A lot of sports commentators call the US Open the end of the year for tennis because it is the last slam of the year.  But tennis still goes on until the end of the ATP/WTA Championships.  So what the heck is the reason?  Can't the players finally take a nap and heal?  The answer of course is NO for a few reasons: Point Defense, Davis/Fed Cup, Year End Finals.

Point Defense

Every now and then you hear that a player has "points to defend."  And they NEVER go out of their way to explain what the heck that means!  I am willing to bet that non pro commentators have no idea either.  The pro says it so fast everyone just says "sure."

Well....the scores you see on the rankings are the players total score from last year (52 weeks of tennis).  Every week that goes by they compare to the previous week and add or subtract the score from last years total.  Most of the events pretty much happen on the same exact week every year.

Examples:

So Marin Cilic won the 2014 US Open this year.  Last year he missed 9 months starting before the US Open because of a doping suspension.  That means that he has 0 points to defend for the rest of the year and every point he makes goes positively towards his ranking.

On the other hand Rafael Nadal won the US Open in 2013.  He didn't play 2014 due to an injury.  That means he will take the opposite hit (2000 points) for the rankings that Cilic took.

Novak Djokovic was runner up two years in a row (2013 and 2012).  His points after the US Open didn't change at all.

2013

2012

I assume they do it like this so that ALL players in the world don't start off at 0 ranking.  If a pro nobody like Cici Bellis should get a wildcard into the Aussie Open and upset Maria Sharapova without this system, Maria would be ranked lower than Cici automatically.

Whew! (wipes sweat from brow) that gets confusing!

Mental Tennis: Finding The Zone

In most sports, players are obsessed with finding "the zone". It is this area in which your mind is fully focused on your task and nothing else.  As a former martial arts teacher, I liken it to fighting in which all of the sudden your opponent can't lay a hand on you but you can see and take advantage of every opportunity.  Its like you are watching a movie in which you are the hero.  The only problem with the zone is that once you realize you are in it, you cannot achieve it anymore because you have lost your focus.  What I've understood is that finding the zone has a big part in what TYPE of player you are.  So we will examine the player type as well as their zone inducers.

Forcing the Zone

Your zone is basically a deep form of meditation in which you try to find a quiet area in your mind with which to focus on things OUTSIDE of your mind.  A good way of doing this is to form a mantra to keep saying to yourself until you have found that space.  Find a saying that gives you a feeling of success and say it until you believe it.

Defensive Player

The player that runs everything down has the easiest chance of finding the zone simply because they are already thinking more about stopping you than playing well. With this sort of mentality, it is easiest to fine the zone when you set up a scenario in your mind that you are a victim and your opponent is the bad person that is trying to destroy you. 

Note: it is the very nature of a defensive player to DENY that they even play defensively.  Fortunately for them, whenever they feel stress mentally their brain creates a representative that plays defensively for them.  When that representative arrives,  The zone is there.

Aggressive Player

The player that likes to hit balls hard is ego driven.  They play so that other people and they can be impressed with the powerful shots they hit.  They are very internally driven.  Because of this, they want to use the scenario of being an unstoppable force like a tornado.  You should be shocked that the other person is out there trying to stop you.  Most of the problem that aggressive players have is that they go for winners.  This is the wrong idea.  You want to BEAT UP your opponent.

The type of Mantra you come up with needs to be one that makes your opponent into someone who is trying to make you look bad.  Try not to think about yourself because two bad misses can send you spiraling.  Focus on the destruction you cause in your strokes.  "Take that!"

All Court and Serve and Volley Player

These types of players are pretty vain in which their best playing mode is when they are just trying to show everyone how easy it is for them to be a genius.  Above all, their level of easy talent supersedes anyone else's ability.  "You might have better weapons, but I'm a genius."  Since being a genius most likely entails being awesome, all court/serve and volley players try to force it.  But being a genius means you can absorb and process lot of information very quickly, not pretend to be an aggressive player.

The type of Mantra you come up with needs to be one that makes you feel like you have a plan.  Then you would say the plan over and over until it becomes a part of your game that day.  Maybe "Attack the backhand" or "use the spin."

There are other ways to get into the zone of course.  Some sort of emotional peak like hatred of losing or love of tennis can help you find your zone.  Counting strokes helps you focus.  However if you work to become a certain type of person when you play, you can get to a point where you can activate it when you need it.

Next Tuesday :)

Technique: Classic and Modern Two Handed Backhand Part 2 Modern

So you have seen the classic two handed backhand but you don't like to be the one who uses the spin more.  You like power and pace with less effort.

The Modern Two Handed Backhand

Players that use it: Andy Murray, Lleyton Hewitt, Novak Djokovic, David Nalbandian, Serena Williams

It hardly looks that different in normal speed:


But in slow motion you can see it...


And even better when put up against Venus's classic backhand


See how once Serena extends her arms back, she keeps them extended throughout the stroke (more or less)?

Serena's extension of the arms gives the shot more rotational energy from the shoulders and waist allowing you to hit the shot slower and with less energy.  It also allows you to stay rooted into the ground all the way through the stroke.  Many professional players are starting to adopt this technique because throughout the long matches you want a nice and easy technique.

The bonus of this technique is that, if you are flexible, you can maximize it.  Meaning a small skinny person can hit a powerful backhand.  Even though Serena is a built lady, her shoulders are very flexible.  You also have a good reach with it, allowing you to use it more on the run.

The problem?  Whereas you footwork would have to be better moving to balls with the classic backhand, your footwork needs to be better GETTING OUT OF THE WAY for this one.


The technique is really ineffective when you get jammed.  And because you don't put much spin on it, it becomes a low quality ball.  If you have the type of strokes made for reaching, a ball coming right at you will ruin your day.

Here is a highlight from one of my favorite matches in which Marat Safin and Andre Agassi use the modern backhand to play some powerful tennis.  It sounds like they are cracking the ball but when you look at them individually it doesn't seem that way.


This backhand is a great technique for the person that likes to conserve energy and hit the ball nice and powerful.  Keeping your body loose so that you can use the full effect of this backhand is very important.  Good luck!

Technique: Classic and Modern Two Handed Backhand Part 1 Classic

It is time for the two handed backhand analysis.  If you have a one handed backhand the blogs for the two types of one handed backhands are here and here.  So....Lets get started.

General Backhand

With the general two handed backhand (THBH) you want to take the racket back with two hands (right hand on bottom for right-handers) and then bring the racket forward.  Andy Murray shows us his highly praised backhand technique:


Classic Two-Handed Backhand

Players that hit it:  Venus Williams, Ana Ivanovic, Caroline Wozniacki, Kim Clijsters, Victoria Duval, Sabine Lisicki, Jelena Jankovic

This backhand was favored by a lot of ladies in the 90s.  As the two handed backhand became the favorite of coaches training their students, they started to teach that the backhand be hit like a forehand.  So what you get is the classic "C motion" backswing (the way you start the stroke makes a C shape with your racket) and the wrap around the neck followthrough (finishing your stroke around your neck).



 Sometimes without the C motion.


But what makes this backhand more interesting is the way the players pull the racket close to their body and keep the left arm bent all the way through.  It is a technique that promotes core strength, which is why a lot of people use it from childhood.

The bonus of this shot is the spin and control combination.  Since it mimics the forehand so much, you can bend the elbow and lift up on the shot for maximum spin.  You can grip the racket super hard and spin some angles and good, hard to attack shots.  It's also great for defensive lobs.

Both JELENA JANKOVIC and SABINE LISICKI show off the versatility in this type of backhand.


The weakness in this backhand is its restriction and the lack of easy power.  Because this backhand is so tight into your body, you can't blast a ball too easy when it is coming at you slow.  So if you want  to blast one of these, you have to lean into the shot or the ball needs to be right around your bellybutton AND you need to be standing upright.  We all know that doubles partner that can hit a backhand 100 mph in or out from a super simple swing.  This is the reason.

One more thing to note: Many times a kid has been taught this backhand and then they grow up to be a huge muscular person with this backhand.  The fact that they are so big makes it so that this is the only two hander that they can hit freely and they are super restricted still.  If you have a lot of mass in your upperbody area, you might want to seriously consider switching to a one hander.  If you are beginning, you DEFINITELY want to switch.  I'm not saying that you will hit the ball BETTER, but the potential is there.  A big guy's potential with a two hander gets worse if he lifts weights because he loses flexibility.  Basically your two-hander loses potential the more you practice it.  That doesn't happen with a one handed backhand.  You can get as big as you want!

This double fister is nice and you can use the spin to move the ball around easily.  I suggest you use it  to roll angles and make your opponent run everywhere.  Just don't let the ball get too far from you or you will have to let go of the racket with one hand and slice.  When I had it, my opponents did not like it too much because I could use a compact swing to keep them running.  I do miss that a lot!

Question: What the Heck is "Hitting the Ball on the Rise?"

Hitting the ball on the rise is a term that was made popular by Andre Agassi who did this EXTREMELY WELL.

"On the rise" sometimes referred to as "taking it early" is pretty literal.  The ball is rising from the ground and you hit it before is starts to fall back to the ground.

This is Jo Wilfried hitting balls on the rise in slow motion.  Notice how the ball itself is still rising when he strikes the ball:


And here is the OPPOSITE in Tommy Robredo in which the ball is descending to the ground when he hits it:


Compairing the two, notice that Tsonga is almost on top of the baseline where Robredo is so far back you don't know where the baseline is.  This builds into the tactics of the two contrasting styles.

People that hit the ball "on the rise" (like Tsonga) like to use foot speed and timing to speed up the points and make their opponent feel rushed.  The idea is that the opponent gets tired trying to keep up with your aiming and your agility.  These players use more quick twitch muscles for shorter points.


Here are two players with the "on the rise" Philosophy featuring Andre Agassi and Roger Federer


People that hit the ball normally like to wait on the ball and load into it with a perfect well taught stroke.  The idea is that the ball is such a high quality spinning ball that the opponent will have to back up to deal with the balls that explode off the ground and throw off an aggressive players timing.  These players use long twitch muscles for longer, more organized points.

Two players with the "on the decline" philosophy.  Gael Monfils and Rafael Nadal


It is important to note that these two tactics are just a philosophy.  You can be any type pf player (serve volley excluded) and subscribe to any one of these at any time.  For instance: Federer and Murray are both the tennis genius style of all court player with a huge arsenal of shots at their disposal.  But Federer plays fast and Murray doesn't.  Murray can decide to play fast if he needs to change his tactics to win (that is what makes him a genius).

Also important is noting that a player doesn't ALWAYS hit on the rise.  It just means they stand close to the baseline during rallies which ups the chance of them hitting on the rise balls.

Hitting the ball "on the rise" is a term for hitting the ball as early as you can after the bounce.  But it is also a tactic in which you take time away from your opponents and test their ability to deal with your urgency.  So run circles around those cones, jump rope and play some "whack-a-mole" because you are going to need to recognize and react to a lot of balls very casually.