Greetings Earth people!

I want to relay a few thoughts from my viewing of the Australian Open.

First, on the rivalry between Federer and Nadal. There is no doubt in my mind that Fed is the most talented player in the game. I even think Nadal would agree. But sometimes brute force combined with a fierce will to win trumps talent. Not that Nadal isn't supremely talented.

Federer's game is built on precision/finesse, movement, power, variety, and dazzling shotmaking. Nadal's is built on movement, power/spin, consistency, fitness, and tremendous mental strenth. When these strengths are pitted against one another, I believe it's Nadal's mental strength that gives him the edge (except on clay, where his style reigns supreme).

I think Federer will come back to win Wimbledon, and the US Open. But to do so, he has to take it to Nadal. He has to reclaim, through aggression and a force of will, a mental edge over Nadal. Nadal will not give an inch. Federer must take that inch by force.

I think the biggest surprise on the men's side will be the continued rise of Gilles Simon. I absolutely love watching him play. He moves like a cat - effortlessly and smooth. And he plays a beautiful cat and mouse game against his opponents. His three set win over Nadal in the fall of '08 also demonstrated a mental strength and determination that will pay great dividends for him. Look for him to move into the top 5 this year.

That's enough for now. I'll look at the women's side in a later post. And now for your tennis tip.

Unweighting!! It's essential for good movement on court to unweight before nearly every shot. What I mean is, a split second before your opponent makes contact with the ball, you must get your feet slightly off the court, and land on your toes, poised for action, a split second after they make contact. The timing is important, as you need to react immediately to their shot, so when you land, the shot has JUST left their racket and your ready to pounce.

It takes discipline, fitness and focus to keep your feet moving and to unweight successfully. But I guarantee, if practiced diligently, you'll be getting to balls you never thought possible before, and both your shotmaking and confidence will improve.

Comment

Like most, I love the new challenge system in the professional game. Imagine though, if it had been in place in decades past. We'd have missed the theatrics of players like McEnroe, Connors and Nastase.

As much as those antics were maligned at the time, I think most tennis observers would agree they added spice and drama to the game. In addition to the great talent of these players, they are also famous for being 'brats' on the court. They (and most tennis analysts) look back nostalgically at their behavior; they even relish it. Those episodes are indelibly stamped on the history of the game. But, to the delight of many, those childish outbursts are history, and tennis has truly become a gentleman's (and gentlewoman's) game.

One final note on the challenge system. Perhaps the only ones who dislike it are the linespeople. I often feel sorry for them. When a call is challenged, they're under the gun and under the microscope. TV directors never fail to train the camera on them after the challenge replay. If they're right, they can breathe a sigh of relief. If they're wrong, they're goats, and must feel quite embarrassed.

Tennis Tip

There's more to watching the ball onto the racket than the old adage "You can't hit what you don't see." In addition to that, and the added benefit of keeping your head still, focusing your eyes and mind on the point of contact can keep you from tightening up and facilitate a good swing. It's analogous to the old "bounce, hit" mental routine, in that if your mind is engaged in focusing on the ball, it leaves much less room for doubt and fear to enter in and affect your stroke. So, make an effort to focus on the point of contact, and you'll find yourself making good shots under pressure.