Barty earns Roland Garros final berth with wild win over Anisimova | TENNIS.com

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The momentum swings were mind-boggling, but given it was both their first Grand Slam semifinals, it’s hard to blame either player for any mental desertions and strategy struggles. When all was said and done, Barty played the cleaner match for the longer period, with 40 winners to Anisimova’s 41 errors.

Barty got off to a flawless start, winning 12 of the first 13 points. But instead of closing out the set at 5-0, 40-15, she wavered. Anisimova took full advantage and came storming back for 6-5, by swinging freely and hitting the pristine backhand winners that have taken her this far.

“I felt like that happened really quickly then I went away from what was working,” Barty said. “Amanda was so aggressive, she was able to take advantage of that.”

Barty’s normally steady serve, which was so effective against Madison Keys on Thursday, didn’t hold up against Anisimova, dipping all the way below 50 percent on first deliveries. She still had the early edge in the first-set tiebreak at 4-2, but again, Anisimova surged back, winning five points in a row for the set. With full momentum on her side, the 17-year-old American forged ahead to 3-0, extending her run to 17 straight points.

“I was really happy the way I was able to respond at a set and 3-Love and to really turn the match on its head, even though it wasn’t the best tennis in pretty tough conditions,” Barty said. “That’s probably, yeah, what I’m most proud of.”

To her credit, 23-year-old Barty remained perfectly calm. You don’t get to No. 8 in the world without some belief in yourself. She got on the board for 1-3, and then won seven games in a row. It marked Anisimova’s first dropped set of the fortnight.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2019/06/ashleigh-barty-amanda-anisimova-roland-garros-market-vondrousova/82399/

A sturdy and stoic Rafael Nadal survived the wind and Roger Federer | TENNIS.com

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Tactically, Nadal was the more certain of the two. Whether it was with his serve or his passing shots, he seemed to be one thought and shot ahead of his opponent. Determined not to give Federer openings to attack, Rafa made 81 percent of his first serves; while the vast majority of them went to Federer’s backhand side, he also caught the Swiss leaning the wrong way in the deuce court numerous times.

As for Federer, he tried to serve and volley, he tried to drop shot, he tried to go hard into Nadal’s forehand and move forward, but too often he ended up where he didn’t want to be, at the baseline, hitting backhands from shoulder height. Federer won just 48 percent of his net points, and 39 percent of his second-serve points. As good as Federer’s forehand approaches were—many of them would have won him the point against anyone else—Nadal’s hooking passing shots were still better.

What was different about the 39th meeting between these two were the conditions. The wind swirled through the stadium, blew the clay across the court and into the players’ eyes, and made the balls dive and curve uncontrollably. Normally, that leads to an unsightly match, but for two sets at least, Nadal and Federer made tornado tennis fun as they hacked and chopped and lunged at the ball, and ran each other into the corners. If the wind affected one player more than the other, it was probably Federer, who struggled with his serve and his volleys; he said he was happy just to avoid looking “ridiculous” out there. if anyone’s game is sturdy enough for a hurricane, it’s Rafa’s.

http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2019/06/roger-federer-rafael-nadal-2019-french-open-semifinal-rafa/82417/

AskThePro: What Constitutes a Good String Job?

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So what constitutes a GOOD STRING JOB asked several players this past week?

The tournament pros are absolutely fanatical about their choice of strings and the associated string tension — which they change to suit both surface and playing conditions — and often during a match.  I still carry two rackets in my bag each with a slightly different tension to accommodate the changing playing conditions at Manly Lawn.

Conversely, our average tennis player puts what I euphemistically call “two dollars worth of nylon” in a $200+ high performance frame — and expects to play consistently well and without injury, especially tennis elbow.

Most club players who play two or more times a week are well advised to get a GOOD STRING JOB every 8 to 10 weeks depending on the season.  Aggressive players who blast the ball with big western forehands (Andrew, Bosko, Harry & Co) need to update every 3 to 4 weeks or so.  Yep, strings go loose and dead — and performance suffers!

Trust me when I say, your game will improve at least a POINT A GAME with a good restring! You might even be encouraged to take a few lessons to help better manage the rest of your limitations.

First a little science education since modern strings come in different materials and thicknesses, each designed to suit different playing styles. In the table below, you’ll notice the differences in the main and cross strings and the dependence on whether you want control, power, comfort (did I mention managing tennis elbow?).

Thickness is pretty screwy since 18 gauge string is thinner than 16 gauge, go figure!

You can see from the graph above that the typical $2 nylon (16G) has high durability (to ensure rackets have a good shelf life) and low spin potential ( aka “feel/control”)! How did that new Wilson play Jordan with the $2 nylon??

Even at my tender age, I still use a hybrid combination of 18G multifilament Gamma Live Wire on the mains and Babolat Blast (Nadal’s string) on the crosses. Yep as I’ve aged and reverted to social player status, I’ve gone for more control and less power by reversing the mains and the crosses per the table. The 18G Live Wire is more lively (plays like gut) and gives me much more feel. The Blast allows me to give the ball a nudge and more topspin when I need to (sorry Richard).

And now the string tension.  Most players string the crosses the same as the mains and expect the tension to be even itself out throughout the racket during stringing. Well that’s the logic anyway. The GOAL was always to get an even string tension in the racket to increase the ‘sweet spot’. Yep, for most of my playing life I relied on that logic too. Of course my ball watching was so much better than, and I played with gut, so miss hits were infrequent. And yep it’s SOoooooo Wrong!

Several years ago I ran into a older, chain smoking racket stringer in California who set me straight — and he didn’t hold back!  Turns out that what most people miss is the impact of FRICTION on the Crosses when you’re feeding the string under and over through the Mains. Whatever tension you string the Mains at, you ADD 5lb to the Crosses to counter the friction. Here’s my current stringing pattern to illustrate this key point:

 

So Obi Wan (thanks Howard) how should I translate this to my game? Well most rackets come with a suggested stringing guide for tension. Start with the mid range for the racket for the Mains and then string the Crosses 5lb more.  Then adjust up and down as required until you’re comfortable with the tension. Aside, typically you can use a lower tension that the one you used previously; helps your feel and control.

Just ask Tommie for ‘Rob’s restring’ if you want to try this type of restring at the Manly Tennis Centre. You’ll find an immediate benefit of a bigger sweet spot — and most of your misshits will go over now as your control is significantly improved. Just ask Howard, Ken Grey or some of our other playmates what the effect has been on our games!

As for the choice of string, well that depends on your game. I’ve given you the guidelines in the table above which you can probably figure out yourself. Even so, probably better to go talk to Scottie, Tebbs or Howard when you want some pro advice about what strings may suit your individual playing style.

To repeat what my mate Howard the pro says, you’ve got to manage your limitations — and using better technology (whether frame and/or strings) is a great way to do this. Cunning and guile will only get you so far! Invest in the technology!

Make a regular investment in a GOOD STRING JOB using the latest materials technology; it’s absolutely worth it for your psyche alone!

Sincerely,
Rob
USPTA

Being Fit May Be as Good for You as Not Smoking

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A new study found a strong correlation between endurance and living a long life.

Being in shape may be as important to a long life as not smoking, according to an interesting new study of the links between fitness and mortality.

The study also explores whether there is any ceiling to the benefits of fitness — whether, in essence, you can exercise too much. The answer, it found, is a reassuring no.

At this point, we should not be surprised to hear that people who exercise and have high aerobic endurance tend to live longer than those who are sedentary and out of shape. A large body of past research has linked exercise with longevity and indicated that people who work out tend also to be people with lengthy, healthy lives.

But much of this research relied on asking people about their exercise routines, a practice that is known to elicit unreliable answers.

So for the new study, which was published this month in JAMA Network Open, a group of researchers and physicians at the Cleveland Clinic decided to look for more objective ways to measure the relationship between endurance and longevity.

Should You Have Knee Replacement Surgery?

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Some experts question whether the surgery is being done too often or too soon on patients who have not adequately explored less invasive approaches.

For the vast majority of patients with debilitating knee pain, joint replacement surgery is considered an “elective” procedure.

While it’s true that one’s life doesn’t depend on it, what about quality of life? Many people hobbling about on painful knees would hardly regard the surgery as optional. Consider, for example, two people I know: a 56-year-old man passionate about tennis who can no longer run for a bus, let alone on the court, and a 67-year-old otherwise healthy woman with bone-on-bone arthritis who can’t walk without a cane or stand for more than a few minutes.

They have reason to think it may be time to replace their worn-out knees with artificial ones, an operation that is now among the most frequently performed costly medical procedures in the United States. But some leading medical economists are asking whether this surgery is being done too often or too soon on patients who have not adequately explored less invasive approaches to relieve their pain and improve their mobility.

I certainly had done due diligence before opting to have both knees replaced 14 years ago at age 63. I had wanted to wait longer, given that the life expectancy of artificial knees was then 10 to 15 years, and I would have liked Medicare to help foot the bill. I had no weight to lose and had done months of physical therapy that made me stronger but not better. I tried gel injections to no effect, and was living on anti-inflammatory drugs just to get through the day.

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Preventing Muscle Loss as We Age

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Sarcopenia, a decline in skeletal muscle in older people, contributes to loss of independence.

“Use it or lose it.” I’m sure you’re familiar with this advice. And I hope you’ve been following it. I certainly thought I was. I usually do two physical activities a day, alternating among walking, cycling and swimming. I do floor exercises for my back daily, walk up and down many stairs and tackle myriad physical tasks in and around my home.

My young friends at the Y say I’m in great shape, and I suppose I am compared to most 77-year-old women in America today. But I’ve noticed in recent years that I’m not as strong as I used to be. Loads I once carried rather easily are now difficult, and some are impossible.

Thanks to an admonition from a savvy physical therapist, Marilyn Moffat, a professor at New York University, I now know why. I, like many people past 50, have a condition called sarcopenia — a decline in skeletal muscle with age. It begins as early as age 40 and, without intervention, gets increasingly worse, with as much as half of muscle mass lost by age 70. (If you’re wondering, it’s replaced by fat and fibrous tissue, making muscles resemble a well-marbled steak.)

“Sarcopenia can be considered for muscle what osteoporosis is to bone,” Dr. John E. Morley, geriatrician at Saint Louis University School of Medicine, wrote in the journal Family Practice. He pointed out that up to 13 percent of people in their 60s and as many as half of those in their 80s have sarcopenia.

As Dr. Jeremy D. Walston, geriatrician at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, put it, “Sarcopenia is one of the most important causes of functional decline and loss of independence in older adults.”

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Roger Federer explains his ‘beautiful’ tennis style

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Roger Federer explains his ‘beautiful’ tennis style

“I play tennis and I try to entertain the crowd. Now, that it might look beautiful to some, I think that comes from having a one-handed backhand.

Serena Williams’ Therapeutic Use Exemptions

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Tandon: A closer look at Serena Williams’ Therapeutic Use Exemptions

But Stuart Miller, the ITF official who runs tennis‘ anti-doping program, … Tennis players play every single week, multiple times a week… they’re not like …. A few weeks ago, Williams and the anti-doping rules were back in the news …

Stop Chronic Injuries

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Tennis can be tough on your body!  Just ask Federer, Nadal and the typical club member at Manly Lawn.  It’s been cold, wet and windy in Sydney for Badge — the perfect recipe for injury!

At some point, particularly as we age, our injuries become chronic — and our recovery time between play becomes longer. The result: we play less and, even more, are less inclined to play!

For chronic injuries, the Guys from Trident may be able to help you like they did for me — and my bum shoulder. Their methodology — small, targeted interventions to keep you moving,  is similar to the Carrolls, the tennis trainers, who used to keep me on the courts in California.  US Nationals are typically five day events on brutal hard courts, so you needed all the help you could get to make it through to finals day — if you were good enough.

For the rest of us, here’s a link to a youtube series of dynamic warm-up and cool-down exercises that were created specifically for tennis players to stop injury or discomfort before it begins.  I have used a variation of Pete’s exercises for many years to continue to play competitively — here’s an example.

I can attest that these exercise, when done regularly, will help you feel more agile, relieve any joint or muscle tightness, and ensure that you are ready for most shots that comes your way — so you can play tennis for life!

Wishing you good health and tennis for life,
Rob
USPTA

The Psychology of Turning Points in Tennis

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Now that we are hot and heavy into Badge, thought the attached IT coaching article might be helpful in managing/understanding the competitive pressures!  Cheers, Rob

The psychological strategies used by players to deal with these turning points will determine how effective players are in using these situations to their advantage.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the concept of turning points and understand more clearly the strategies applied by elite players to deal with turning points during a tennis match. A series of semi-structured interviews was conducted with nine elite professional players from five different countries, followed by a thematic content analysis of the interviews.

The analysis revealed four key themes: positive turning points situations, negative turning points situations, strategies to capitalise on positive turning points and strategies to cope with negative turning points.

On a practical level, strategies are suggested that coaches and psychologists can use to help players managing turning points.

Here’s the link: ITF-PsychologyTurningPoints

This is what exercise/tennis does for your brain

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I’m not shy in my advocacy for exercise as a therapy for mental health. It’s something I talk about often, something I’ve experienced first-hand, a topic I’m passionate about, and over the past few years, something I’ve continued to research and strived to understand better.

This is what I’ve learnt – the human brain is fascinating and we’re continuing to discover more about its capabilities every day. We certainly don’t know all there is to understand about the connection between physical exercise and mental health, but I hope you’ll agree, moving our body is something our brain wants and something our mind can hugely benefit from.

Here’s just some of the reasons why.

It releases feel good chemicals in your brain

Most of us will have heard of endorphins – the ultimate “feel good” chemicals that our body releases when we exercise. Endorphins are what we can thank for that blissful ‘post-exercise high’ that often follows a good sweat session. These chemicals interact with the receptors in our brain that reduce our perception of pain and trigger a positive feeling in the body. Endorphins help to reduce stress and anxiety, but when we exercise, there are other mood boosting chemicals at play as well.

Exercise also increases the production of serotonin in the brain, which works as a natural antidepressant. Lastly but certainly not least important, exercise increases the production of dopamine – the “motivation” and “reward” brain chemical.

With a knock-on production of endorphins, serotonin and dopamine, it’s no surprise regular exercise is linked with enhanced mental health and emotional wellbeing!   

It can improve your concentration

Research supports the idea that exercise improves focus, attention, and the ability to concentrate. But how?

When we exercise, especially at a high-intensity where our heart rate is elevated, our adrenal glands and our brain ramp up production of a chemical called norepinephrine. As more norepinephrine flows into our bloodstream, it increases our alertness and focus. An important reason to prioritise exercise during busy working periods, to improve productivity!

It can boost your memory

A number of studies show that aerobic exercise (aka cardio) promotes brain growth, especially in the hippocampus area, the part of our brain that is associated with memory1,2,3.

And if that‘s not enough to convince you – a new study from McMaster University in Canada found that young adults who participated in 6 weeks of high intensity interval training (HIIT) experienced significant improvements in their memory and recall4.  

It can slow cognitive decline

Keeping physically fit can also help to keep our brain healthy as we age. Exercise stimulates the release of growth factors, chemicals in the brain that affect the health of brain cells, the growth of new blood vessels in the brain, and even the survival of new brain cells. These growth factors help to protect our brain against injury and preserve our cognitive function5,6.

Sources:

  1. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006899310018317
  2. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1053811915010721
  3. http://www.pnas.org/content/108/7/3017
  4. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/hamilton/exercise-memory-1.4415650
  5. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166223607001786
  6. http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/25455510

Wellness Director, Collective Wellness Group – Dan Conn

Source:  www.anytimefitness.com.au/blog/exercise/exercise-does-mental-wellbeing/