Are Underhand Serves Underhanded? Tennis Is Opening Up to the Crafty Tactic

Players concede that the serve can be a good tactic against players who stand far, far back from the baseline. And they know when opponents are trying to show them up.

Neither the pioneer nor the present-day popularizer of the underhand serve has been in Paris this year during the French Open.

Michael Chang, who won the tournament with a clutch use of the serve in 1989, is back in the United States, spending time with his wife, Amber, and their three young children. Nick Kyrgios is back in Australia, spending time on social media as a freelance tennis critic, which should make for some testy conversations with his peers when he finally does return to the circuit in person.

But Chang’s and Kyrgios’s legacy has been on frequent display in the first week of the Grand Slam tournament.

Underhand serves, once broadly considered underhanded in the sport, have been popping up in the autumnal gloom like mushrooms in the French countryside.

Peak season may have been Wednesday. In the stretch of a couple of hours, you could watch Alexander Bublik hold serve with an underhander (it seems time for a punchy, one-word term), see Sara Errani save a match point with one and watch Mackenzie McDonald save nothing at all with a floating, sacrificial offering of an underhander that the 12-time French Open champion Rafael Nadal pounced on for a return winner en route to a 6-0, 6-1, 6-3 victory.

“If he’s winning, it’s a good tactic; if he’s losing, it’s a bad tactic,” Nadal said. He added that, for example, it was “not a good tactic” for Mackenzie. For Bublik, he said, “if that works,” it was “a good tactic.”

Unfortunately for Bublik, it did not work often enough. He lost his second-round match to Lorenzo Sonego in a duel that was also brimming with other tennis exotica, like serve-and-volley tactics and tweeners.

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Seaside Championships 2020 cancelled

Effective immediately Tennis Australia & all State Associations has postponed all Tennis Australia sanctioned & operated events, competitions & tournaments until further notice.

Tennis has made this decision to take further precautions in the interest of the health & wellbeing of our community. Our goal is to avoid large gatherings of people which can occur at a number of our tournaments.

We have been advised that such action can be very effective in helping contain the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) and minimise the inevitable strain on our healthcare system. This decision is based on expert medical advice & is in line with the recommendations of the global tennis community.

Original 9 trailblazers stood for tennis equality in 1970

 

 

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In this Sept. 23, 1970, photo provided the Houston Library, tennis players hold up $1 bills after signing a contract with World Tennis magazine publisher Gladys Heldman to turn pro and start the Virginia Slims tennis circuit. From left standing are: Valerie Ziegenfuss, Billie Jean King, Nancy Richey and Peaches Bartkowicz. From left seated are: Judy Tegart Dalton, Kerry Melville Reid, Rosie Casals, Gladys Heldman and Kristy Pigeon. Gladys Heldman replaced her daughter, Julie Heldman, who was injured and unable to pose for the 1970 photo. It’s the 50th anniversary of Billie Jean King and eight other women breaking away from the tennis establishment in 1970 and signing a $1 contract to form the Virginia Slims circuit. That led to the WTA Tour, which offers millions in prize money. (Bela Ugrin/Courtesy Houston Library via AP)

 

NEW YORK (AP) — Billie Jean King and eight other women of the “Original 9” are celebrating the 50th anniversary of signing $1 contracts and breaking away from the U.S. tennis establishment to form the Virginia Slims circuit in 1970. It helped launch the WTA Tour, which now offers millions in global prize money.

Promoters were offering fewer tournaments and substantially less prize money for the women. They were galvanized when former player and promoter Jack Kramer announced the Pacific Southwest Open in Los Angeles would pay $12,500 to the men’s champion and $1,500 to the women’s champion.

apnews.com/article/new-york-billie-jean-king-virginia-us-open-tennis-championships-wimbledon-ec4f2a1684a5efd286cbfb31a7611764

 

Sent from iPad. Pls excuse typos.

Boris Becker denies criminal bankruptcy claims in London

LONDON (AP) — Former tennis star Boris Becker appeared in a London court Thursday, pleading not guilty to a string of criminal charges related to his bankruptcy case.

Becker, who was declared bankrupt in June 2017, is accused of not complying with orders to disclose financial information and hiding properties in the U.K. and Germany from his bankruptcy trustees.

The 52-year-old faces seven years in jail if convicted.

Becker stood in the dock at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Thursday and denied 19 charges of failing to disclose money, property and debt between May and June 2017.

 

Sent from iPad. Pls excuse typos.

Saturday Social Court Captain Roster, Club Championships, Message from Paul, Reminders

SATURDAY SOCIAL COURT CAPTAIN ROSTER

September 26 – December 19, 2020

Sept 26            Ron Jeffs                      Ian Bate

Oct 3               Denis Crowley             David Bowen

Oct 10             Julie Porteous             Michelle Stevens

Oct 17-31        Club Championships

Nov 7               Tony Hamilton            Des Tempany

Nov 14             Virginia Longfellow     Bob Hill

Nov 21             Peter Roberts             Narelle Kinsey

Nov 28             Milton da Rocha         Carl Brazendale

Dec 5               Craig Withell               Scott Anderson

Dec 12             Hugo Stegmann          Mark Flogel

Dec 19             Jon Corney                  Peter Butcher

Court Captains operate 1pm-4pm. Members playing before 1pm and after 4pm arrange their own sets.

Diary your allotted date now. Should you be unavailable on your rostered date, you must arrange your own replacement.

VISITORS: During COVID, visitors are NOT permitted. The exception is anyone trialling with the aim of joining the Club. $20 fee to be collected prior to playing.

CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS REMINDER

Members your fees are now due, to be eligible to play you must be a financial member.

MESSAGE FROM PAUL WIGNEY

Congratulations to the winners and well done to all the other teams for representing the club throughout the season. I was there in spirit. I am hoping that one day soon I can make a long awaited appearance at the old club. Best regards to all Paul.

REMINDER

A reminder there are two courts available for members’ use from 7am -9am on Wednesdays. You need to book through Manly Tennis Centre.

Thursday Ladies Badge Celebrate 3rd Place

Our Thursday Ladies Badge Team finished off a successful season by winning the playoff 5-3 on Thursday for 3rd position in Division 2.

Narelle and Jane won all 4 sets and Lindy and Michelle won 1 set to complete the victory.

Thanks also to Pam Muir and Erin who were also part of the team.

Congrats on a good season ladies.

Jane, Narelle, Lindy, Michelle. Not shown Pam, Erin.

Paire says he played in Hamburg despite testing positive for COVID-19

Frenchman Benoit Paire said on Wednesday that he was allowed to play in the Hamburg Open despite testing positive for COVID-19 because the “rules are different” in Germany.

Paire, who caused a storm at the US Open last month when he was forced to pull out of the grand slam after testing positive for COVID-19, said he returned a positive test again on his arrival in Germany but was told he was no longer contagious.

Paire played Norwegian Casper Ruud in his first round match but retired in the second set when he was down 6-4, 2-0.

“When I arrived, the test came back positive again,” Paire, who also played in the Rome Masters last week, told reporters. “I can’t take it anymore, I’m breaking.

And then I’m told, in Germany, if you are positive and have already completed the quarantine [period], they no longer test the players because even if you catch it again, you are no longer contagious.

“I said ‘thank you’ to the doctor and the tournament [organisers] for allowing me to play … In Paris, some are negative but since the coach tested positive, they cannot play. Here, in Germany, you test positive and you can still play.”

Benoit Paire in action in Hamburg.
Benoit Paire in action in Hamburg.CREDIT:AP

Six players in the French Open men’s and women’s qualifying draw were withdrawn this week after either testing positive for COVID-19 or after coming in close contact with a coach who tested positive.

Paire added that he fears he will be withdrawn from the French Open after a doctor in France told him there was a 50 per cent chance he would test positive when he arrives in Paris.

The French Open begins on Sunday.

Reuters

Spanish flu survivor still plays tennis at 102

Spanish flu survivor Evelyn Schroedl is living through another pandemic. But, at age 102, she’s COVID-free and still playing tennis. Chip Reid has her story.

https://www.cbsnews.com/video/spanish-flu-survivor-still-plays-tennis-at-102/

Girls from Manly 2 Celebrate

Manly Ladies 2 won the third place playoff. Congrats Ladies on a great Badge season.

Saturday Ladies Badge Manly 2

Badge Finals

Our Men’s 3 Team in Division 4 finished the Badge Season in grand style by winning easily 6 sets to 2 in the Final on Saturday at Manly. Steve Nettleton/Steve Wilkins won their 4 sets to complete a fantastic season for them. Milton/Howard won the first 2 sets that mattered and lost the last two when the match was already decided. Steve Nettleton also won the trophy for Best Men’s Average in Badge with 88%. Steve Wilkins was a close 2nd with Cameron Green at 86%. This team has been a standout all year and will certainly go up to Division 3 next year and perform well there also.

Our Ladies 2 Team in Division 3 also had a big 6-2 win on Saturday to take 3rd place. Krista/Olivia kept up their good form to win 3 sets as did Kristina/Sharna. Krista also won Ladies Badge Average with 70% just ahead of Olivia and Kristina. The ladies were unlucky to not make the final as they defeated both teams in the final during the rounds. They have had a fantastic season.

A big crowd was in attendance on Saturday to watch both matches. It was great to see Owen Kennedy there to watch the finals. He has not been in great health lately but was happy to see Manly win both matches. Paul Wigney was there in spirit also and will be happy with the results.

Thursday Ladies will playoff for third position this week in their final match.Good luck to them. Narelle Kinsey has done a great job organising the Thursday Ladies this year and was awarded The Club Captain Award for her hard work and topping the averages on Thursday.

Club Championships

THE CLUB CHAMPIONSHIPS ARE OPEN ON LINE NOW SO SIGN UP EARLY. Scheduled dates are October 17, 18, 24 and 25 with Finals day on October 31 — COVID permitting.

Denis Crowley
Club Captain

The protocols for Roland Garros 2020

After how well the US Open turned out in terms of protocols, the Roland Garros organization has published its own a few days after the start of the preliminary phase matches. Accommodation, medical tests, accompaniment during the tournament or training place are some of those mentioned in his statement.

-Accommodation during the two weeks of competition:

The tournament organization has reported that all players will stay in two exclusive hotels for these athletes, rejecting the possibility that tourists can stay in said facilities. These hotels are the Pullman Paris Tour Eiffel and the Novotel Paris Tour Eiffel. But … how will the distribution of these facilities be done? Well, very easy, the 60 best players will stay at the Pullman, while the rest of the players, the tennis players who play doubles and those in the preliminary phase, will stay at the Novotel.

-Protocols before the start of the tournament:

The tennis players who will play the preliminary phase next week are required to arrive in Paris four days before the competition begins. All of them will undergo two PCR tests, one upon arrival and another after 48 hours, to show that they do not have the virus in their body. In this way, Carlos Alcaraz, Pedro Martínez Portero, Mario Vilella, Bernabé Zapata or Tommy Robredo, among others, will have to arrive in France in the next few hours.

For the players who will play the main draw, they have the obligation to appear three days before the start of the tournament. To do this, as with the players from the previous phase, they will have to pass two controls. A PCR test upon arrival at the hotel and another test 48 hours later. Then, as already reported a few months ago, the tournament organization will test the tennis players every five days if they continue in contention during the competition.

-Company of the players during their stay:

If a player tests positive for coronavirus, the alarms would automatically go off, and that tennis player will have to spend a 14-day quarantine in his hotel room, and therefore, will be eliminated from the tournament. In addition, the tournament organization issued a statement advising players not to share rooms in order to avoid multiple infections.

If a member of the player’s coaching staff tests positive for COVID-19, the player would immediately need to be tested. If it tests positive, it would obviously be eliminated, while if it came out negative it would be under monitoring. If a tennis player has shared a room with a positive, they will automatically be eliminated as the social distancing rule is not respected. For this reason, the tournament advises players to sleep alone in their rooms.

As with the US Open, only two accreditations will be allowed for singles players. For doubles players, qualifiers and juniors, there will only be one.

-Training:

“At the Roland Garros facilities it is only possible to train if the player has a match that day. If he did not have it, he would have to go to the Jean Bouin center, a center enabled so that tennis players can train without any problems.

Source

Legends in Their Own Lunchtimes: Manly “Silverbacks” Win Sydney Badge Grade 1.4

Headed by the two Steves (Netto/Wilko), winners of the grade’s best pair averages,  the team led from start to finish for the entire competition.

In front of an enthusiastic, partisan home crowd, the team won last Saturday’s Final, 6 sets to 2 against Neutral Bay 4, with Netto/Wilko taking 4 sets and Howard/Milton 2 sets.

Success has many fathers, as they say. And this was very true of this team of legends, with ALL of the seven team members (Netto (c), Craig, Howard, Milton, Robbo, Rob and Wilko) making contributions throughout the 14-match competition.

Thanks must go to the many supporters including legendary friends Ken Grey, Curtis, JC, Foxy and “Magic Fingers” (aka David Stroud of Trident) cheering energetically from the sideline not only on Saturday but throughout the majority of matches — thanks guys!

Perhaps the greatest off-court contribution came from personal trainer “Magic Fingers”, who kept the Legends on court by managing various injuries, some not due to tennis, suffered during the competition –- thanks Dave!

And let’s not forget Jon Corney who not only filled in for the team when we had 4 sidelined with injury; but also produced the end of badge buffet on Saturday, whilst Milton was otherwise engaged – thanks Jon!

Pictured below are the Legends sans Magic Fingers and Jon Corney.

Manly Silverbacks 2020

Congratulations to Manly 4 Men’s Team winning Sydney Badge Grade 1.4.