BLOG # 25: TIMING IS EVERYTHING

TIMING IS EVERYTHING

ANDY MURRAY: DO I FEEL SORRY FOR HIM OR BLAME HIM?

When I think about Andy Murray, part of me pities him for being around at a time with three of the best players of all time.  I keep pulling for him to finally break through, and he continues to disappoint.  The other half of me, though, blames him for not changing his attitude, affect, energy, or strategy on the court enough.  He is still way too mopey and negative and whiny out there, and he continues to try certain tactics in big matches that simply won’t work.

To me Murray shows just how much the phrase timing is everything applies to tennis as well as life.  I believe if Murray were playing between the years of say 2000-2003 he would be a dominant #1 in the world and be winning major championships.  He is every bit as good as a Hewitt or Ferrero or Moya or Muster were when they got to #1.  That is plain old bad luck for him.  Instead, he has to face Rafa time and time again in the semi’s of majors, knowing that even if he wins, Djoko or Fed is waiting for him.  That is a tough, tough ask.  Those 6 sets are the toughest 6 outs in tennis history.

That is brutal for Murray.  That makes me feel really bad for him when he comes within a few points of beating Djoko in an epic Aussie Open semi and then takes more and more abuse from the media for losing again.  He absorbs a lot of flack and does a pretty good job of not allowing it to beat him down.

On the other hand, though, Murray needs to change something drastically if he wants different results.  One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.  He can’t go out there time and time again with the same attitude and conduct. He needs a change.

Here is what I would suggest for Murray were I his coach:

1)   Act happy and peppy on the court.  Even if he has to completely fake it, keep his body language positive.  You don’t see Rafa pouting or looking defeated during a match and that sends a message to his opponents.

2)   Only hit slice backhands when he is on the run and in a defensive position.  You do not slice your way to major championships anymore.  He also has probably the second best two-handed backhand in the world.

3)   Try to hit every forehand 15 percent harder, and try to hit much, much fewer of them in the middle of the court.

4)   Never hit another drop shot.

5)   Learn to hit that 80 percent first serve to increase his first serve percentage and hit fewer second serves.

If he did these five things (and I know they would be really hard to do, but shouldn’t it be hard to win majors at a time with three of the best ever?), I am confident he could reach the next level.

The question is, can he force himself to do it?  Can he get out of his comfort zone enough?  Will he become more and more discouraged, or will he do what Rafa has done his whole career and make the tough adjustments.  Look at what Rafa has done with his career.  He came in a pure clay-courter, and now he has won all four majors, is a great volleyer, stands close to the baseline at Wimby, and is constantly working on his serve.  That shows to be great you can’t get complacent, but have to constantly look for ways to grow.

In addition to the changes and adjustment lesson, Murray also shows me that yes timing is everything and we can’t change the hand we are dealt, but we CAN choose how we will respond to it.  We CAN make the choice not to mope and wish we were dealt a different hand, but instead to do everything we can to make the most of our cards. 

Look at what Rafa has done in regards to coming up during Fed’s reign?  He could have become angry and discouraged to be behind the greatest of all time, but instead he chose to use it as motivation to be the best he can be.

That choice is always in our hands.

AD OUT.

Blog #24: TRUE GREATNESS

As I sit hear agog in excitement waiting for the 2012 Wimby to get under way, I am truly astounded and in awe of what Rafa and Djoko have been able to do.  Nine straight slam victories between the two (Rafa leading 5-4), trying to make their fifth straight slam final versus one another (on three different surfaces), and taking the game to new levels of physical and mental toughness.

 After their 2011 US Open final I thought they could never bring their great sport to even more physically grinding and grueling heights, but they far exceeded themselves in the 2012 Aussie Open final, the most physical tennis match ever played (I still think the Rafa Fed 2008 Wimby finals was the pure GREATEST ever).  These two gladiators have grabbed the torch from Fed and brought tennis to a place I never dreamed it could go.

 Not only am I amazed, impressed and in awe of their physical greatness and talent as well as their unbelievable spirit and competitiveness, I am also inspired by their class and sportsmanship.  Fed set the standard of class and grace, Rafa continued it, and now Djoko has followed (it took him a few years to mature).  Djoko has grown and evolved so incredibly much these past three years, and I think it is in large part to the standard that Fed and Rafa set for their sport.  They simply left no room for the next great one NOT to be classy.

 The fact that these young men, so competitive, with so much at stake out there can maintain their composure enough to hit unreal shots at moments I am so nervous I am shaking while simply watching on my couch is sick.  The fact that they can do it with class, grace, and humility is even sicker.  Anyone who does not see what an awesome sport men’s tennis is does not get and or appreciate how hard it is to do what these guys do.  They are MEN out there, and they are role models whom I want my children to watch.  We forget sometimes that most are in their early to mid 20s because they conduct themselves with such composure and respect for their sport and all that is surrounding it.

When I look at the difference between men’s and women’s tennis right now, it tells me all I need to know about how amazing these men are.  Whereas in the women’s game, half of them are having meltdowns and choking their guts out, many are constantly injured, many others seem to go from great one month to forgetting how to make a serve the next, and no one seems to have the consistency of greatness or guts and competitiveness (except maybe Sharapova), the top 3 men are a solid as a beautifully pristine mountain.  They are unshakable, indefatigable, and unwavering in their dominance.

Look at what these guys have done the last 7 years.  The top 3 have taken 27 out of 28 slams! Wow, wow, wow!  Only Delpo has stolen the 2009 US Open from Fed.  And if you really know the sport, you know that the physical margin of difference between the top 3 and the rest is not THAT great.  Sure, Djoko has the best backhand in the world.  Sure Fed has more variety than anyone.  Sure Rafa’s topspin forehand has the greatest RPMs ever, but they are winning close, close matches day in and day out against the greatest in the world.  That is mental toughness.  That is head and heart. That is consistent greatness.

Whereas most any mere mortal becomes timid under the tremendous pressure of the huge moments in the huge slams, these three become even MORE aggressive and MORE gutsy.  They go for it even more, even when every ounce of their body probably wants to become conservative.  Look at how Djoko played the four match points in the French against Tsonga.  Look at how he played the two against Fed in the 2011 US Open.  Look at how Rafa plays EVERY big point and EVERY break point against him on his serve.  You think you win 16 slams like Fed has without going for it when it matters most?  You don’t push your way to major championships.  You don’t wait for the other guy to miss.  You have to go out and grab it with bravery and conviction and belief.

I see several lessons from these champions that I can apply to my own life.  First, dominance and greatness are special and should never be taken for granted.  They should be appreciated and marveled at.  Second, to achieve greatness takes unbelievable hard work and patience.  Look at the work these top 3 put in day in day out, week in week out all over the world.  They make it look easy, but it sure ain’t.  They have earned every ounce of their greatness with blood, sweat and tears.  Third, so much of sports and life is mental.  The difference is slight and your belief and state of mind makes all of the difference.  If you walk into that job interview thinking you have earned it and deserve it and will be good at it, you have a lot better chance than walking in timid and unsure.  If you walk up to that girl believing she is yours and you deserve her, she is a lot more likely to go on that date than if you question your every move.  Even when your body wants to get timid, even when your mind wants to shed doubt, you simply can’t allow it to happen.

Part of this rare ability is most likely an innate, inborn talent that is a rare gift and you can’t teach, but I bet part comes with practice and hard work. 

You have to put in the work, believe in yourself, and then GO for it with conviction.  Easier said than done. 

But these three top men show us that it can be done…

AD OUT.

Blog #23: WHAT IS WRONG WITH AMERICAN TENNIS?

When I think about the dearth and paucity (yes, I am an English teacher) of great American tennis players, I have several theories as to why we are producing so little in the way of true champions.  First, everything I said about Ferrer in my previous blog I see lacking in American tennis players.  Perhaps because of our culture of fast rewards and instant gratification, perhaps because of our parenting styles, who knows why, but I do not see a lot of players who are great competitors, who are willing to put in grueling work to win a long point, or who maximize their potential.

With the exception of maybe John Isner (I am still not 100 percent sold on him, though I do like him), I do not see any American players right now whom I consider  great fighters.  Donald Young is a waste of talent, a moper, a whiner, and the farthest thing from a fighter.  Queerie has no fire in the belly and seems so lethargic and apathetic that I have a hard time not falling asleep when watching him.  Roddick’s best days have passed him by (though he is one I do admire and I think has gotten short shrift for his great accomplishments), and Harrison is yet to fully break through.  Harrison may have the potential to tame that temper and turn into a fighter.  The jury is still out on him.

I see all of this (perhaps I am reading way too much into the metaphor, but like I said, I AM and English teacher) as part of a larger cultural statement.  I think a lot of this comes down to our way of life and what we value and are becoming here in America.  Kids today in the U.S. expect fast rewards.  They often do not want to put in the boring drudge work of hours and hours of detailed routine.  They want the quick, flashy dunk, not the fundamental bounce-pass and bank shot.  They want the huge, thumping forehand winner, not the 37 point grinding clay court rally win where you wear your open out.  Many kids here are also raised to believe they are truly “special” and deserve special treatment.  This is surely not the case for all American kids, but I see it every day at work, and I think it is true for many, many of them.

When you combine all of the above cultural factors with our eating habits and the fact that there are so many sports to choose from (in addition to the fact that any great athlete on any urban corner can go play a pickup game of basketball any time for free, whereas to get tennis equipment, a coach, courts to play on, and travel on the tournament circuit is a bit more expensive and involved), it does not  spell success for our youth tennis program.

What are the lessons here?  To me, it reinforces the need for us to get back to basics.  We need to start valuing hard work and maximizing potential more than flashy God-given talent.  We need to emphasize that success and rewards take time and patience and perseverance.   We need all of our kids not to feel so “special” that they think they are entitled and things should come easier for them.

Maybe we should spend a bit more time watching Rafa or Ferrer work a 43-point clay court rally than Kobe or LeBron make some fancy dunk, or some football player celebrate for 20 seconds after a sack when his team is losing by 23 points? 

Sometimes there is beauty in simplicity and tenacity.

AD OUT.

Blog #22: MAXIMIZING YOUR TALENT AND POTENTIAL

No one do I respect and admire more in the men’s tennis game(except maybe my idol Rafa) than David Ferrer.  At 5 feet 9 inches (probably more like 7 or 8 inches), about 160 pounds soaking wet, 30 years old, the guy is an absolute animal.  He truly epitomizes what it means to get the most out of your given talents.  Ferrer is the quintessential example of a great competitor who never complains, never doesn’t give his absolute all on every single point.  He exemplifies what hard work, perseverance, and tenacity can get you in life.

Ferrer is not as strong as Tsonga, not as tall as Delpo or Sod or Isner, not as fast in a sprint as Murray, doesn’t serve like Fed or Roddick, yet day in and day out, week in and week out all over the world there he is in the quarters or semi’s or winning the whole tournament.  He almost never gets upset by someone below him, and he seems not to get discouraged by the fact that he simply does not have the fire power to win a major or beat the big three.  He also rarely gets hurt or tired because of the amazing amount of hard work her puts in off the court.

It has to be frustrating to be the fifth best player in the world having never been to a slam final or never having won a Masters 1000 tourni.  Yet Ferrer seems to know he is getting the most out of his gifts and he never mopes or whines.  He simply goes about his business like a true professional.  He gets after it without any ego or hang-ups, and he has earned the genuine respect of everyone in the game.  Part of me feels bad for him, always losing in some grueling clay court final to Rafa, or being pounded in the semi’s of some hard court tournament versus Djoko, or served off the court at Wimby versus Fed, but then part of me says….hey, he is a millionaire, he is dong what he loves every day, and he is getting every ounce out of his potential. 

It is all how you choose to look at it.  Like so much of life.  Ferrer seems to make the choice to look at his glass so that he feels blessed, grateful, and lucky.  He does not choose to look at his situation in a manner that would frustrate or discourage him.  He actively makes that choice, just like he chooses to work his butt off every point (and I am sure every minute of every practice session).  I can only imagine what is practice workout routine is.

I look at Ferrer and think to myself, what could Tsonga do with that work ethic and toughness?  Where would Monfils be if he had the head and heart of Ferrer?  Berdych surely would have won multiple slams.  Soderling would be a multiple slam champ.  You take those guys’ tools and weapons and give them to Ferrer and he may have 10 or more slam titles.  He shows me that it is much more important and significant to make the most of your talents than to be born with talent.

 Ferrer shows me that sports and life are more about work ethic, attitude, and a willingness to grow and persevere than about God-given gifts.  Ferrer shows me that I will take consistent goodness over occasional greatness any day.  Ferrer shows me that you can defy what people tell you (I am sure he has been told he could never get to 5 in the world at a time with three of the best ever and be there at age 30) if you are willing to work and believe in yourself.  Ferrer shows me that if you give everything you have, not only will you earn the respect and admiration of everyone who knows you, but you will also feel pretty darn good about yourself at the end of the day.

We could all use a little Ferrer in us.

AD OUT.

Blog #21: IT ALL COMES DOWN TO HEAD AND HEART

At the conclusion of my second ever adult tennis tournament, the Beverly Hills 5.5 division, I had one major belief of mine about tennis and all of sports confirmed: IT ALL COMES DOWN TO HEAD AND HEART. Borris Becker used to say the fifth set has very little to do with tennis, and now I fully know what he meant. What it has to do with is who battles more, who wants it more, who maintains composure, and who is willing to believe and go for it when it matters most.

I knew going in to Saturday morning that I would need to win three matches in about 24 hours if I were to come away with the trophy. I was scheduled to play the quarters Saturday morning, the semi’s Saturday night, and the finals Sunday morning if I made it. Having watched several of my prospective opponents, I was struck by how equal we all were. None of us was good enough to blow the other off the court. The matches would be close, and they would come down to a point here or there.

It would all come down to who competed best.

Very similar to the top level of the pros (at a SLIGHTLY different level, however).

My quarterfinal match on Saturday morning turned in to everything I did not want it to be: an absolute marathon and war. In the third set alone, I had to call the umpire three times because of my opponent’s line calls. It tested every ounce of my physical and emotional reserves. Once I saw him begin to cramp at 3-3 in the third, though, I knew it was mine for the taking. At that moment I fully got how tennis is a one-on-one battle, and so much of it comes down to who is willing to pay the bigger price.

After prevailing in an epic 6-4 in the third battle, I went home and got horizontal and got has many fluids and foods in my body as possible. When I showed up for my semi final match that night, every muscle in my body was on the brink of cramping. I came armed with tons of Gatorade and ridiculous amounts of bananas. Every changeover I was chugging fluids and downing bananas.

When I found out that instead of playing a three hour morning match, my opponent had a walkover, I thought I stood zero chance.
After winning the first, I got down early in the second and decided if I were to have any chance at all in the decider, I basically had to tank the rest of the second set. I lost it 6-1, but had a tough time re-starting and quickly found myself down 4-0 in the third.

It was at that moment that I made the conscious decision that I refused to go down easy. It would have been so easy, quick, and painless to lose two more games, but thinking of what Rafa would do, I battled back and won 6-4 in the third!

I am still not sure it was worth the pain.


That night I could barely sleep from over-exhaustion. I was sure I would have absolutely nothing left for the finals. I especially felt this way when I agreed to do my opponent a favor and play the match at 7 a.m. since he had to be at work.

When I got myself out of bed at 5 am. And it was still dark, I deeply questioned whether any of this was worth it.

But, I finally decided I had not come this far to go away easy. Thank GOD, I won the finals in straight sets 6-3, 6-3. Thank GOD it was a short, and relatively painless match. But at 3-3 in the second when I faced 5 break points and had to battle out a 10 minute service game, I did have to dig deep. I did have to compete. I needed to use MY HEAD and HEART. I broke his will.

For there was very little difference in tennis ability between any of us in the draw.

As Becker said, the difference did not come down to tennis.

I find this to be true beyond the tennis court. What makes Cliff Lee so incredible in the playoffs? When he goes in to Yankee stadium and blanks them, it is because he BELIEVES he will and THRIVES off pressure. What makes Kobe or Lebron who they are? It is not merely God-given talent. It how hard they work and compete. It is their heads and hearts.

I would venture to say that is also probably true of amazing CEO's or fathers, or mothers or teachers or doctors. It always comes down to doing OUR very best. Pushing ourselves to the limit, whether we we or not. As long as we compete OUR best and use our head and hearts, we can be proud.

I bet it is true in almost EVERY area of our lives.

Blog # 20: What Would Rafa Do?

As I played in my second ever adult tournament last weekend in Beverly Hills, I needed to utilize every possible physical and mental resource (even ones I didn’t know I had) to get through the match. I was playing in the 5.5 division (one below the open level), and in my first round match I unfortunately ran into a 6 foot 3 Lithuanian who played college tennis at LMU. What a draw!

No time to ease into this tournament.

Luckily he was playing his first tournament in a while and came out rustier than the Tin Man. I won the first set 6-4 and thought I was well on my way to a straight sets W. Unfortunately, my opponent got much of the rust off, and as soon as the second set began, I knew I was in for a war. He took the second set 6-3, and we were set to go the distance.
Up until this time, it was a friendly match with great calls (I even think he gave me some pretty generous calls), but things quickly began to heat up in the deciding set. He hit a few balls early in the set that just missed, and when I called them out, he started to give second glances. Then, midway through the set, when I was serving at 2-2 40-15, I hit a first serve that he swung at, broke his string, and missed in the net. The serve was either on the back line or perhaps slightly long, but he played it, so I started walking to change sides.

As he was walking to get a new racket, he surprised me when he said, “oh, your serve was long.” I was shocked. I told him even if it were, it does not matter because he played it. This clearly angered him. The next game, when he hit a few balls way out, and I did not bother to say “out” he said, you didn’t make a call (even though they were well out and I was not making a play on the ball). Also, every time I missed he shouted “out!”

This started to make me mad. He would not let it go.

Then, came the big moment. It was 4-4 deuce and I was serving. It was the point of the match; he was running me ragged and I was retrieving like a mad man. I hit a short ball and he pounds his approach to my forehand. I run over, and with my last ounce of energy, hit a passing shot that he dives for and gets by him. I give a huge c’mon! because the ball landed well inside the line. But then I hear “out!”

First of all, I know that there is no way he could have seen where it landed because he was too busy face planting, and secondly, I knew it was a good couple FEET in. I try not to, but I start to go ballistic. I threaten to get an umpire unless he will change his call, and since he won’t, I go get an umpire. I later realized this may have been a mistake, because there is no way she can over-turn the call (and there is also no way I can get REVENGE and call his next two shots out to get to ad-in where we should be!!!). I have to play it as ad-out and I am so distraught that I lose the next point to get broken and go down 4-5.

I walked to the bench at the changeover fuming and ready to quit. I was going to hit four balls over the fence at walk off in a fury without shaking his hand. I had had it. But then a simple thought came to me:

WHAT WOULD RAFA DO?

He would not quit. He would not let a bad call get the better of him. He would be resilient and break back. Instead of WHAT WOULD JESUS DO, I had to reframe the question to: what would my sports idol do? What would the greatest competitor in the world do?

I broke back, and ended up winning 12-10 in the breaker after saving four match points.

THAT is what Rafa would have done.

AD OUT….

Blog # 19: Why Rafa is my Idol and what we can all learn from him

As I watched Rafa fall to the hard courts in New York last Monday night after defeating Djokovic (by the way, major, major props to Djoko, and I hope he finally starts to get the respect he deserves!), one word came to mind: WOW. Wow, wow, wow.

Just when I think I can't possibly respect, love, and admire the guy any more, he tops himself once again. Just when I think my adoration for him has hit its limit, he goes and gets his career slam. Wow.

And, as always, it is not merely that he came out victorious, it is the WAY he wins. It is the WAY he goes about everything that I treasure and attempt to emulate.

For example, early on in the tournament it is watching him play Istomin and beat him in three close sets and having that match represent everything that is great about sports. Both men were applauding one another's efforts, both men refused to quit or lie down, and when they embraced at the net at the end, it was a genuine embrace of care and respect.

After the final, it is seeing Rafa go out of his way to praise Djoko's attitude and acknowledge how hard it is to lose a slam final. He complimented Novak and said how great his attitude and approach was for kids to see. He didn't have to mention that in his moment of glory. It would have been easy to make it all about himself.

Rafa always goes out of his way to praise his opponent, to show them RESPECT before any match (even a first round match against number 200 in the world), and never to take anyone for granted. He plays every match, nearly every point, with a PASSION and INTENSITY that we all could bring to our jobs. I get the feeling he actually enjoys the PROCESS of each match, each challenge, instead of merely looking to the product or end result.

I believe him when he says "I tried my best" and therefore has nothing to feel badly about after a hard-fought loss. I believe him when he says what he loves most about tennis (and what he missed most when he was out with his knee injury) is the COMPETITION, and not the winning. I can see how seriously he takes PRACTICE and never settles for good enough.

He is constantly looking for ways to get better and is never, ever complacent. Just look at what he has done for his volleys and his serve this past year. Look at what he has done at Wimbledon. Not bad for a clay-courter. The truly great ones in any profession are never stagnant.

All I have to know about Rafa is how he plays break points against him on his serve as well as any huge point in a match. He gets even more aggressive and gutsy when it really, really matters. If he is going to go down, it will not be out of fear, but will be on his terms. All I need to know about Rafa is how he plays the points or the games right after a bad moment. Just watch how he bounces back. That is resilience.

He literally crushes the will of his opponents (think Djoko in the 4th set). One moment from the final captures much of this. It was one set all and Djoko had just salvaged an unbelievable hold (Rafa-esque) to make it 4-3 and Rafa's serve. Novak played three great points to get it to 15-30, and this was his moment. This was his chance. What happens next? Three unreturnable serves. Fitting that the aspect he worked on most and practiced hardest saves him. 5-3, and Djoko's will is broken.

Match over. Career Slam. Slam #9 at age 24.

Wow.

AD OUT...

Blog # 18: What a War it is Out There (reflections from my own tournament and the 2010 US Open)

As I watched Ferrer and Verdasco relentlessly go at one another for over four hours last night in the round of 16 before Verdasco fell to the floor in celebration after a ridiculous passing shot to win it, I couldn't help but sit in awe and amazement. This was after Stan the Man had taken down Querrey in a nearly five hour epic battle.

I could barely walk or get off the couch myself, because I had played my first ever adult tennis tournament at the 5.5 level. It was the Santa Monica tourni, and I won in the finals 6-3 7-6 (5) against an 18 year-old who ran every single ball down and could play forever. Me, about to turn 33, thought I was in pretty darn good shape, but you simply don't recover in your mid 30's like we did as kids.

Playing in my own tournament gave me a whole new appreciation for what these guys do. I only played 2 out of 3 sets, and by the end of the tournament I felt like I was going to pass out. These guys do it at a much, much higher level for 3 out of 5 in front of thousands of people.

Wow, is it hard out there. Wow, is it a war out there.

To think, Verdasco's reward is to play Rafa less than 48 hours later. Some gift. Some reward.

Playing in my own tournament also gave me an appreciation of just how gutsy you have to be on the big points, when it really really matters. The only reason I was able to pull out that tie-breaker in the finals was because I was simply more willing to go for it. Every ounce in my body wanted to play it safe and be more passive, but I realized I HAD to actually be MORE aggressive on the big points.

I had to play big man's tennis when it mattered most. That is what these guys do when the stakes are 1000 times higher. That takes guts. That takes courage.

That one-on-one battle for over four hours where they both leave their heart on the court is why I love tennis. That is why I consider it the greatest sport in the world.

And that is very much like our own lives. We need to be gutsy and take chances when we may want to be passive. We need to keep fighting when we are down and losing and want to quit. We need to be perseverant and heroic and always continue to battle. We need to COMPETE.

Ad OUT...

Blog # 17: Defending Andy Roddick (sort of) from Critics

As I watched Roddick sadly go down to Tipsarevic last night and lose his cool at the poor lineswoman who called a foot fault against him, I couldn't help but feel for the guy. I also couldn’t help but get angry when sports fans who know next to nothing about tennis rip into him and call him a failure and disgrace to his sport.

Now, don't get me wrong, I am by no means excusing or defending his conduct last night; it was completely wrong of him to lay into that woman, and once again, he showed he has a very difficult time letting things go on the court. He acted poorly in the heat of the battle. But, that by no means takes away from the fact that he has been in the top 10 seven straight years, he has loyally and faithfully played Davis Cup for his country, he is a good ambassador to the game, he is funny, charming, and classy off the court, and when he messes up on the court, he admits it and apologizes.

We are all human. We all get carried away and say and do the wrong thing at times. I wish Roddick could be as classy as Federer or Rafa on the court, but let's not get carried away with bashing him. When I walked into work today at Brentwood School to teach my English course, several of my colleagues were lambasting him and scoffing at his career.

Do they know how hard it is to be in the top 10 seven straight years?

Do they know how many slams Roddick might have won were it not for Rafa and Roger? How frustrating that must be? I know that doesn’t excuse being a jerk on the court, but can we cut him a LITTLE slack?

Don't get me wrong, there have been three or four times where I have seen him behaving in a less than an ideal manner. But he has always been sincere in his remorse and apology afterwards. As humans, I think it is admirable to admit when we are wrong and try to make amends.

Now, Andy clearly is at a crossroads in his career and he needs to get back to playing AGRESSIVE tennis where he FLATTENS out a big forehand to hit WINNERS and not get into cute rallies with these guys.

But, let's not erase and defame a man's whole career and character based on a few bad moments on the court.

Aren't we bigger than that?

AD OUT...

Blog # 16: Learning from Mardy Fish: It is never too late to make the hard choices that will change your life forever

As I watched the Cincinnati final last weekend between Mardy Fish and Roger Federer, I couldn't help but marvel at Fish's comeback and be inspired by what he has done. About a year ago, Fish was at his lowest point in his tennis career; he was overweight, he was facing an imminent knee surgery, and people continued to say he would never, ever live up to his high potential as a tennis player.

Mardy says he had one of those life moments. You know the kind. Where you look at yourself in the mirror and see two potential roads you may head down. Road one (unfortunately often the easier one and road of least resistance) is where you keep doing what you have been and continue to head down this dark path. Road two, the road you know will be the toughest journey you have ever embarked upon, is your new path. It will lead you on a scary and unknown journey, but it is the the road you know you need to be on. You were meant to be on it.

Fish looked at himself in the mirror and contemplated retirement. But he ultimately decided to use this dark time as a learning opportunity. As a chance to change his life. He decided to go through with the surgery and to lose 25 pounds in recovery, to get more fit than he has ever been, and to give his tennis career one last full blown go. He knew he had the physical talent, and now that he had hit rock bottom, he was ready to put in the work. To do the really really hard stuff. The kind of work that is most rewarding.

I had a similar moment about six years ago in my own life. I had always been a heavy drinker and loved to party on the weekends, and I could see what it was doing to me and where I was headed. When I woke up the morning of December 3 2004, I looked myself in the mirror just as Mardy did. I knew I could either continue on the path of destruction, or make the hardest changes of my life. Like Mardy, I chose the harder, but more rewarding journey. It was the most important moment in my life.

This is why I am pulling for Mardy Fish as he heads into the 2010 US Open.


Because he teaches us all it is never too late to make difficult and critical changes.

What difficult and important changes do you need to make as you look in the mirror?

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Blog #15 Top 10 take-aways from Toronto 2010

1. Murray is the best player in the world on hard courts when he plays agressively. He could win majors and be #1 if he always played that way. Unfortunately, 90 percent of the time against 90 percent of opponents, he doesn't need to, so he has a hard time MAKING himself be aggressive.

2. Fed is not all the way back. He still is seriously lacking confidence and making way, way too many unforced errors. But, when he is making a large percentage of first serves, he is so so hard to beat. He will NOT win the Open.

3. Rafa is still incredibly vulnerable on the hard stuff. Anyone who hits hard, flat enough, and big enough can beat him on any given day.

4. Djoko still completely lacks confidence and no one takes him seriously as #2 in the world. He has not beaten ANYONE in the top 10 the ENTIRE year. He is so so fragile emotionally. He has all of the weapons to be #1, but not the mental toughness.

5. If Nalbandian lost 10 more pounds and kept working hard, he can win a major and get into the top 5. He would stay more healthy, and no one is better than him when he is on.

6. Berdych is the real deal and will win a slam. He now has won me over because he has learned what it means to COMPETE.

7. Dologolpov is perhaps the best young player in the game and will get to the top 15.

8. Cilic is in a world of trouble and had better get it going FAST.

9. Sod is still way, way too up and down.

10. DavyD may never get back to the top 8, no matter how many thousands of tourni's he plays every year!

Blog #14: One is the Loneliest Number

One of the things I love most about tennis is that the men are out there all ALONE, by themselves, with no coaches allowed to help them during their matches. I appreciate and treasure how lonely it is out there for these guys. Sure, Rafa can look up at Uncle Tony for encouragement and support, but I've watched a lot of matches, believe me, and I've never seen Tony hit one cross-court passing shot or one serve up the middle at break point. When the umpire on that court says, "play" it is all up to Rafa.

Now I know that Phil Jackson never shoots a free throw, and Joe Torre never throws a pitch, but in most sports (particularly team sports) like basketball, baseball, football, soccer, there is tons of coaching going on during the actual time of play. There are strategic decisions being made, there are substitutions being shuffled in and out, there are encouraging words being shouted constantly. In tennis, the players can get all of the coaching they want before and after the match, but during the match it is all on THEM, and them alone. Ain't nobody trotting in to give them a five minute rest.

This is a huge part of what makes a one-on-one, mano a mano tennis battle that much more special and intense. When Rafa and Roger are out on Center Court for five hours in the finals of Wimby, they have only themselves to consult. That takes incredible toughness. That takes a man.

Some think coaching should be allowed during matches. I say NO WAY! This is one of the most compelling aspects of tennis. In addition to the tremendous physical grind, the mental toughness it demands is AWESOME. How different would it be if they were sitting there chatting with their coaches during change-overs, or allowed to call timeout to get coached? I like seeing them thinking alone with no one to talk to but themselves as everyone stares at them during the change-overs. How vulnerable they look. How heroic.

To me, that is a lot like our lives, yours and mine. For we may have many people who love us, support us, coach us before big moments and after, but ULTIMATELY we are alone in our words and actions and choices. In the end, when it really matters, we have to take full responsibility and act as our own, independent free agents. We may rely on the strength and support of our "team", just as the players on the ATP do, but at life's most intense and important moments, it is all on us.

How's your cross-court backhand passing shot at break point in the fifth set of a major?


How's that serve of yours?

Chips are down, you are all in, there is no Uncle Tony. It is all you.

How do you compete?

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BLOG # 13: Why it is harder to win a tennis major than a Golf Major

As I watched the 27 year-old South African Louis Oosthuizen calmly and casually win the British Open in golf and celebrate with his wife and daughter yesterday, my first thought was: why the hell aren't I out in Scotland on some beautiful course winning a million dollars for my new family?

My second thought, though, was why someone like him, ranked 56 in the the world (and a guy nobody outside of his family and mailman had heard of) could NEVER win a tennis major. Sorry but don't be betting on Lukasz Kubot (ranked #56 on the ATP) to win the US OPEN in Fushing Meadows this September.

So....why?

Why does it happen relatively often in golf, and NEVER in tennis? Well.. Three important reasons come to mind.

First, in golf Louis was only battling the course and himself. He had no direct opponent hitting balls at him. What I love so much about tennis is the one-on-one, mano a mano battle between two gladiators. That changes absolutely everything. If Oosthuizen had to take on Tiger Woods directly or a competitor like Federer or Nadal, that would drastically alter the equation. He wouldn't believe he could win that fight on national television in front of millions of people. Even if it is match play in golf, or even if it is the final twosome fighting for the title, there is no DIRECT conflict. No opponent can physically alter the way Louis hits his drive or putts his putt. Can Andy Murray say that about his return of serve against Roddick? Nope. Roddick's serve has everything to do with Murray's return.

Reason number 2 is that Louis only had to do it for four days. To win a tennis major, you have to perform for seven straight matches. I don't think a guy ranked 56 in the world in golf could do it seven straight days. Eventually, the pressure would get to him. He would only be entering the second week of a tennis major right now. That's one heck of a difference.

The last reason why this could never happen in tennis is because in tennis you ALWAYS have to go through the top 5 or so guys directly to win a major. Whether those guys are Federer and Nadal, or Connors and McEnroe, you have to beat them on the tennis court. And they simply won't let you beat them. In golf, you only have to go through the course. Would Rafa or Roger have gone down to the Louis Oosthuizen in tennis? I don't think so!

Now, one could argue this makes it tougher to win a golf major since there are more potential people who could win. One could also argue this makes golf more interesting since it is even less predictable.

I beg to differ. I like GREATNESS and consistency and rivalries.

I like how they have to do it for 7 days in tennis.

I like how they have to do it directly against another human being on the court. And that to me is the life lesson here. In tennis you get the one-on-one battle and you have to make constant adjustments and tweaks based on what your opponent is doing. Isn't that more like life, where we constantly have to tweak our behavior based on the reactions and actions of others? The tennis match is like a chess game, each player trying to outsmart, as well as out hit, the other. That is simple AWESOME.

That is why I LOVE tennis.

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Who the Hell am I and What is this Blog For?

My name is Jake Willens, I am 32 years old, I live in Culver City, CA with my wife Jennie, 7 month old daughter Grace, yellow Lab Kona, and I am a TENNIS-AHOLIC. That’s right, I am powerless over my love for and obsession with tennis, and I may need a 12 step group to bring back my sanity.

Or perhaps this blog will provide a healthy outlet for my crazy tennis mind?

Jennie jokes that 4 times a year (the majors) when I have Direct TV’s 7 channels running in conjunction with ESPN 360’s live feed from our computer, I act like our daughter when she is playing with her ruby duckies in the bathtub. That’s how into I get.

It is kind of sick.

How did I get here? Well, I grew up on the west side of Los Angeles in a family where tennis was ingrained in our blood. My father and mother were professional players (actually my mom was in the top 10 in the world, but much to our dismay before women were even paid), and my two older sisters were college tennis players. My father’s two best friends are college tennis coaches, so one could say I was mildly surrounded by tennis. I couldn’t escape.

It was surprising then, when at age 12 after I had won several junior tennis tournaments and looked to have a bright future in the sport, I chose to focus instead on baseball. I went on to play baseball at Stanford (where my mom and sister had played tennis). I couldn’t escape tennis even there, though, as I lived in SAE, the frat with all of the tennis team, and I even wrote the men’s tennis beat for our school newspaper. We were #1 in the country both in tennis and in baseball when I was there, so I know a little bit about what it takes to play at a high level.

I also learned a ton about that from my grandfather, Frankie Albert, who was a great left-handed quarterback for Stanford University and the San Francisco 49ers. He also went on to coach the 9ers.

Do you get the idea that I have kind of been surrounded by sports my whole life?

It was only when I was well out of college and into my English teaching career at Brentwood School in Los Angeles that I fell back in love with tennis. It began slowly in 2004 when my dad told me about this Spanish clay courter he’d seen in a satellite tourni in Argentina. My dad said, watch out, this guy is for real. The kid’s name was Rafael Nadal. I started following his progress, and my love for men’s tennis continued to rise as fast as his ranking did.

That love became so strong that when I woke up the Monday after Wimbledon recently with tennis withdrawl and wanting someone to talk to about it, I knew I had to do something. Originally, my idea was to write a tennis book that would require much traveling, but I figured I want to do something before I retire in about 40 years (that is if I ever retire on a teacher’s salary)! So, this blog was born.

What is the purpose of this blog? Well, all blogs are about communicating, aren’t they? This one will hopefully allow us to communicate about tennis, and sports in general, and yes, even life lessons learned there. Let’s create a Center Court where tennis and sports lovers can read about and respond to issues both between and outside the white lines. I hope to make the appeal compelling enough, and broad enough, that all people who enjoy sports (and perhaps even a few who don’t) can sit up and say, “hey, yeah, totally!” Or even, “what, no way, dude.”

And when all is said and done, maybe you’ll even agree with me that tennis the greatest sport in the world and the one that teaches us the most life lessons.
This is what I do every day with my Middle School students; we try to find the lessons for all of us in Shakespeare or Mark Twain or Langston Hughes.

Why not Nadal and Federer?

Let’s serve ‘em up.

AD OUT…

Blog # 12: Top 10 Life-Lessons to Learn From Tennis

1. The Rafa lesson- There is no substitute for sheer hard work and determination and grit and sweat and blood and tears. Need I say more?

2. The Ferrer lesson-- it is not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog.

3. The Sod and Berdych lesson-- if at first you don't succeed, keep trying. Not all of us come into our greatness right away.

4. The Roddick lesson: There is nothing better and professional consistency and hard work-- Roddick in the top 10 the last 7 years speaks volumes.

5. The Fed lesson-- the class with which you do something matters as much as what you accomplish.

6. The Gulbis/Monfils/Gasquet lesson-- no matter how talented you are, if you don't put in the work or have the head and heart, you will not reach greatness.

7. The Murray and Djoko lesson-- capitalize quickly and forcefully when your window is open, because it closes fast.

8. Rafa lesson #2-- constantly be looking for ways to transform, adapt, and change your "game" for the better.

9. The Fed lesson # 2-- ultimately you are alone out there (he basically has no coach) with others surrounding you who love and care about you-- it is up to YOU!

10. The Rafa lesson # 3-- it is all about head and heart and mental toughness!!!

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BLOG # 11: Top 5 best sheer competitors, top five worst competitors

Best:

1. Rafa (now passed Tiger as the best competitor in ALL of sports)

2. Fed (23 straight Semis is all you need to know)

3. David Ferrer-- no one does more to maximize physical ability

4. Davy D: second behind Ferrer on the above

5. Hewitt: third to the above two in that category


Worst:

1. Gulbis: he should be top 5 in the world by now, but he is too busy partying with his rich Latvian friends

2. JoWillie: Way, way, way too up and down

3. Monfils: what a waste of amazing athletic talent

4. Lubi: no one with his ability should lose in the first round so many times and have NOT won a major

5. Verdasco: I like the guy, but he cant break through into the REAL bigtime


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Who the Hell am I and What is this Blog For?

My name is Jake Willens, I am 32 years old, I live in Culver City, CA with my wife Jennie, 7 month old daughter Grace, yellow Lab Kona, and I am a TENNIS-AHOLIC. That’s right, I am powerless over my love for and obsession with tennis, and I may need a 12 step group to bring back my sanity.

Or perhaps this blog will provide a healthy outlet for my crazy tennis mind?

Jennie jokes that 4 times a year (the majors) when I have Direct TV’s 7 channels running in conjunction with ESPN 360’s live feed from our computer, I act like our daughter when she is playing with her ruby duckies in the bathtub. That’s how into I get.

It is kind of sick.

How did I get here? Well, I grew up on the west side of Los Angeles in a family where tennis was ingrained in our blood. My father and mother were professional players (actually my mom was in the top 10 in the world, but much to our dismay before women were even paid), and my two older sisters were college tennis players. My father’s two best friends are college tennis coaches, so one could say I was mildly surrounded by tennis. I couldn’t escape.

It was surprising then, when at age 12 after I had won several junior tennis tournaments and looked to have a bright future in the sport, I chose to focus instead on baseball. I went on to play baseball at Stanford (where my mom and sister had played tennis). I couldn’t escape tennis even there, though, as I lived in SAE, the frat with all of the tennis team, and I even wrote the men’s tennis beat for our school newspaper. We were #1 in the country both in tennis and in baseball when I was there, so I know a little bit about what it takes to play at a high level.

I also learned a ton about that from my grandfather, Frankie Albert, who was a great left-handed quarterback for Stanford University and the San Francisco 49ers. He also went on to coach the 9ers.

Do you get the idea that I have kind of been surrounded by sports my whole life?

It was only when I was well out of college and into my English teaching career at Brentwood School in Los Angeles that I fell back in love with tennis. It began slowly in 2004 when my dad told me about this Spanish clay courter he’d seen in a satellite tourni in Argentina. My dad said, watch out, this guy is for real. The kid’s name was Rafael Nadal. I started following his progress, and my love for men’s tennis continued to rise as fast as his ranking did.

That love became so strong that when I woke up the Monday after Wimbledon recently with tennis withdrawl and wanting someone to talk to about it, I knew I had to do something. Originally, my idea was to write a tennis book that would require much traveling, but I figured I want to do something before I retire in about 40 years (that is if I ever retire on a teacher’s salary)! So, this blog was born.

What is the purpose of this blog? Well, all blogs are about communicating, aren’t they? This one will hopefully allow us to communicate about tennis, and sports in general, and yes, even life lessons learned there. Let’s create a Center Court where tennis and sports lovers can read about and respond to issues both between and outside the white lines. I hope to make the appeal compelling enough, and broad enough, that all people who enjoy sports (and perhaps even a few who don’t) can sit up and say, “hey, yeah, totally!” Or even, “what, no way, dude.”

And when all is said and done, maybe you’ll even agree with me that tennis the greatest sport in the world and the one that teaches us the most life lessons.
This is what I do every day with my Middle School students; we try to find the lessons for all of us in Shakespeare or Mark Twain or Langston Hughes.

Why not Nadal and Federer?

Let’s serve ‘em up.

AD OUT…

BLOG # 10: Top 5 reasons tennis is the best sport

1. You are all alone out there
2. Demands the greatest combination of physical and mental toughness
3. Travel all over the world week after week and you have to get up for match after match-- man that is hard
4. The one-on-one battle and class and respect and sportsmanship it demands
5. Rafa plays tennis and he is the GREATEST COMPETITOR OF ANY ATHLETE IN THE WORLD!

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BLOG # 9: Top 4 worst shots in the game

1. Djoko second serve right now (you are only as good as your second)
2. Gonzo backhand when he is not confident (like now)
3. Stepanek forehand (or ANY groundy he hits!)-- man that thing is ugly!
4. Murray looping forehand instead of him GOING FOR IT!

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BLOG # 8: Top 10 best shots in the game

1. Fed inside out forehand when he is confident (think break point in the 2009 French against Haase to win him the tourni)
2. Rafa curling forehand to the righty's backhand dragging him off the court (to set up his next winner)
3. Djoko backhand down the line
4. Sod's bludgeoning forehand when he flattens it out
5. Potro forehand when he lets loose
6. DavyD angle backhand cross-court
7. Murray drop shot
8. Isner first serve -- it would hit me in the face
9. Roddick second serve (man it is heavy!)
10.Berdych heavy forehand approach shot inside out to set up his volley.

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