| p>It is a question that must be in the minds of many | | | | process that cannot be alienated by success alone. |
| coaches and federation leaders around the world. At | | | | Sometimes losing at an earlier age in order to develop |
| the French open in 1984 I was approached by the | | | | the right game or strokes is far more important. |
| head of the Australian junior development program | | | | For example, I have taken young players to ITF and |
| R.R. at the time and was asked if I would like to join | | | | ETA tournaments where I observed doubles teams |
| the AIS junior development coach team, the reason | | | | playing whole matches at the baseline! This makes me |
| being: "we need to develop the "Spanish" clay court | | | | often think that I am in the "Twilight Zone" or in some |
| game in our juniors". My answer was, "I am honoured | | | | kind of a nightmare! This kind of attitude from coaches |
| with your offer but you must keep in mind that I am a | | | | often condoned by shortsighted parents is exactly |
| strong believer in the all-round game as well as in the | | | | what produces robot tennis players and stymies |
| teachings of Mr. Harry Hopman". Needless to say, I | | | | development. |
| never heard from AIS again for years to come. | | | | Now what did Australia and the USA have in common |
| The Australian Open went on to adopt the slow | | | | that made them dominant tennis nations for many |
| surfaced rebound Ace tennis courts that totally | | | | years and was ignored from top officials and |
| handicapped their marquee players Patrick Rafter, | | | | cognoscenti, I could argue: |
| Mark Phillipoussis and of late a French clay court | | | | - They ignored and denied the greatest asset their |
| especially developed for Australia is at Melbourne Park. | | | | players had and that was the extraordinary innate |
| "Tennis Australia officials like to refer to the particular | | | | ability their players had to volley from any position on |
| blends of red dirt as 'Factor X'." (Investment in French | | | | the court unlike any other players from other nations. |
| clay By Margie McDonald December 16, 2005 "The | | | | - They ignored and denied the extraordinary inborn |
| Australian, Australia's national daily newspaper"). This | | | | ability Australians and Americans had to serve and |
| would be pretty harmless if the likes of Richard | | | | volley with all its nuances perfected to an art through |
| Fromberg 6'5'' (195 cm) a baseliner, Lleyton Hewitt 5'11'' | | | | the years, which players from other nations could not |
| (180 cm) defensive baseliner (counter puncher) would | | | | rival! |
| not show as by-products of such a grand scheme. | | | | - Finally, they ignored and denied the unequalled |
| In the USA an identical phenomena happened with the | | | | perhaps genetic ability their players had to approach |
| death of Mr. Harry Hopman in 1985, players went | | | | and attack the net to set up easy put away volleys |
| looking elsewhere for new training havens. A large | | | | from any position on the court, coupled with the |
| sports management group very intelligently bought a | | | | athleticism to hit incredible overhead smashes when |
| tennis academy in 1987, then started and to this day | | | | lobbed! |
| continues to furiously herd present clients and every | | | | After so many years of playing the game and |
| future tennis star to train there, as well as promoting | | | | observing other players from all over the world, I am |
| itself with magazine ads, magazine and TV interviews | | | | lead to believe that even though there is always an |
| and various other connections its power within the | | | | exception to the rule some countries have generated |
| sport of tennis allows them. With this huge marketing | | | | a larger share of risk-takers, quality net rushers, serve |
| machine and new clients being scouted, signed up and | | | | and volley, all-round players then other countries: |
| pumped in from around the world, the dawn of | | | | They are Australia, USA, England and México. |
| baseline robotic tennis and two handed backhands | | | | Germany was a late entry with Becker and Stich. |
| supported by excellent forehands was at hand. | | | | On the other hand other countries produced great |
| Fortunately, players like John McEnroe, Pat Cash, | | | | defenders and counter punchers: |
| Stefan Edberg, Boris Becker, Michael Stich, Pat Rafter, | | | | Spain, Argentina followed by Italy & Sweden with |
| Pete Sampras and now Roger Federer escaped the | | | | a dry spell at the moment. |
| onslaught and were privileged to have Coaches | | | | This leads me to believe, barring exceptions, that |
| Teachers that offered them the option to fully develop | | | | certain groups of individuals (Nations) have certain |
| their games with one handed backhands, the serve | | | | genetic characteristics that are more suited to the |
| and volley and the all-round game. | | | | attacking all-round game then others, in this particular |
| Australia and the USA, as dominant tennis nations for | | | | case Australia and USA. |
| many years, were the standard that others followed | | | | That is why I dare say; that by making baseline robots |
| to develop their players. Now let us make a small tally | | | | out of Lleyton Hewitt, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick |
| of the damage poor development principals can do | | | | and others with fantastic innate athleticism and abilities, |
| world wide; false "gurus", teachers conferences, tennis | | | | myopic officials, leaders and teachers denied them an |
| clinics, papers and books, DVD's and VHS, interviews, | | | | even higher ground in the tennis world. |
| "expert" magazine articles, tennis camps and sloppy | | | | Roger Federer has opened the Pandora box by |
| training. | | | | blatantly showing the short comings of his peers and |
| How did poor development affect talented players? | | | | now there is no more place were to hide, officials, |
| Let us take Lleyton Hewitt for an example: | | | | teachers and coaches have to come to recon that, |
| What do you think Lleyton Hewitt would be doing to | | | | slowing down surfaces, introducing bigger and heavier |
| the elite now, if at a young age, he had developed a | | | | tennis balls to favour baseliners and limiting tennis to |
| good one handed backhand, a decent serve and a | | | | hitting the ball mindlessly harder and harder from the |
| serve and volley combination? My forecast would be, | | | | baseline is just not enough! It is time for a change to |
| that Hewitt with the amazing speed he moves on the | | | | one form or another of "retro tennis" the creative skilful |
| tennis court and his aggressive nature, Roger Federer | | | | "old" all-round game. |
| would not be humbling him now with short scores like; | | | | It is never too late but you better learn all skills while |
| Wimbledon 2005, 6-3 6-4 7-6(4) or US Open 05 6-3 | | | | you are young, I would say very, very young! |
| 7-6(0) 4-6 6-3, or with other even more humiliating | | | | Ok, enough of "status quo" bashing as I am critical of |
| defeats! | | | | such shoddy tennis development, I am also responsible |
| Another example, Andre Agassi what would he have | | | | to present solutions, here it goes: |
| done, if at an early age, he had developed a good one | | | | Five effective "old" ways to develop the all round |
| handed backhand, a decent serve and a serve and | | | | player in you! |
| volley combination? Agassi with his quick thinking, great | | | | All athletes are influenced by several factors in their |
| anticipation (exceptional eyes), creativity and fantastic | | | | development but no other has more relevant position |
| foot speed, Andre would have amassed more Grand | | | | on the scale then training and training methods. I am |
| Slams then anyone that ever played the game! (After | | | | not going to get in depth nor the details or individual |
| all these years of watching him play, in spite of all his | | | | specifics of training, I will rather give you a basic training |
| talent, I still cringe when he volleys or hits a slice | | | | session. |
| backhand!). | | | | Presently about 80% to 90% of the tennis training time |
| Andy Roddick is another flagrant case, of playing | | | | of most players is spent on the baseline. When |
| robotic tennis sometimes up to 12 feet behind the | | | | designing your training, reverse the trend and schedule |
| baseline or whatever the back of the court allows, | | | | 60% to 70% of the training involving the net game and |
| out-slugging opponents with little imagination or | | | | all of it's components: |
| creativity, at 6'2'' (187 cm) you can imagine the threat | | | | 1- Start the warm-up with all players at the net gently |
| this young man would be at the net to his opponents | | | | volleying to each other (cross-court or down-line). |
| instead! What a waste of energy and raw talent! It is | | | | Transition to a mini-tennis serve & volley in the |
| plausible that you all remember his last defeat at | | | | service box (all touch shots) |
| Wimbledon, if Andy had a solid backhand volley to | | | | 2- Switch to all players at the baseline and have them |
| speak of and knew that most attacks are down the | | | | play a 2 x 5 minute control drill cross court to each |
| line instead of cross court, Roger Federer today would | | | | other, involving all spin and pace variations, the use and |
| now be reflecting about the Wimbledon he lost and not | | | | development of the slice (forehand and backhand). |
| the one he won! | | | | Play a 7 point a baseline game 1 against one or 2 |
| Sérgio Cruz you are writing this article but you | | | | against 2 all court (2 points awarded for points own at |
| were responsible for the further development of Jim | | | | the net). |
| Courier in 1988/89/90? Oh, yes I was! I can tell you | | | | 3- Transition to one player at the net one at baseline, |
| with all honesty, as much as I liked Jim, I was disgusted | | | | work on consistency and control volleys, after 3 to 5 |
| at the lack of variation, defensive skills, volleys or serve | | | | minutes switch player positions (This can be done |
| and volley. As an experienced tournament player | | | | cross or up the line). Play a game to 7 or 11 points, |
| myself, I knew that I could not make radical changes in | | | | where the player at the net is obliged to play a nice |
| Jim's game (especially since he was already 18 years | | | | deep volley of off the feed from the baseliner (first |
| old), so I gradually made the following additions to his | | | | volleys landing inside the service box are points for the |
| armour: | | | | player feeding). Players will keep the net position as |
| - Instead of the permanent run of the mill inside out | | | | long as they win, once they lose a point they have to |
| forehand only, I introduced the inside in down the line | | | | quickly move to the baseline and the opponent moves |
| winner ("non percentage") that he started using after | | | | to the net. |
| the Stockholm Open 1988 as a surprise factor | | | | 4- Start a serve and volley exercise preferably up the |
| throughout his career. | | | | line emphasis on serve spin variation and solid volleying. |
| - Taught Jim the one handed backhand slice as a | | | | The return focuses on bringing the ball back into play |
| variation, as a defensive shot and as an aggressive | | | | low to the opponents feet or with chip shot (returns), |
| shot especially in the approach to the net. | | | | on second serves even simultaneously going to the |
| - Introduced him to smart serving, all spins and | | | | net and force a quick volley battle! :-). After 3 to 5 |
| variations plus the serve and volley combination. | | | | minutes warm up, play a serve and volley match (no |
| - Worked extensively on Jims volleys, foot work | | | | aces allowed!), 7, 11, 15 or 21 points. |
| included (seeding the premise to his mind that "you end | | | | 5- Finish the training session with a team or individual |
| up winning big matches at the net" which he did after | | | | point play were serve and volley points are worth 3 |
| the rain delay in Roland Garros final against Andre | | | | points, points won at the net (approach shots, |
| Agassi.) | | | | chip-charge etc.) are worth 2 points, points won from |
| - Taught him from scratch the jumped overhead | | | | the baseline are worth 1, exception for clean winners 2 |
| smash, foot work included. | | | | points! Play it to 21 points. |
| - Influenced him to play doubles with Pete Sampras in | | | | As I said at the beginning this is just a basic training |
| an attempt to develop Jims volley and serve and | | | | suggestion you can go from here in any direction you |
| volley skills. (They did not do too bad, won the Italian | | | | may wish to, just keep in mind that the net game is the |
| Open and at some point they were as high as 3 in | | | | focus. I estimate this training session to go for 1.30 hour |
| doubles on the ATP Ranking and made it to the ATP | | | | to 2 hours. If you do include variations of this training on |
| Doubles finals at Royal Albert Hall, England, 1989.) | | | | your schedule 2 to 3 sessions a week and reverse it |
| - Through hard conditioning training, I helped Jim | | | | to the baseline training the other days, you will soon |
| become one of the fittest tennis players on the ATP | | | | see a substantial increase in the confidence you (your |
| tour and created the base for his future success! | | | | players) will have at the net as well as a much higher |
| (Andre only achieved that kind of fitness in 1996 with | | | | percentage of variety and creative plays that will |
| Brad Gilbert!) | | | | emerge during match play. |
| Yes, I must admit I did not do everything perfect, if I | | | | As an instructor and former all court decent player I |
| could go back in time to Rome 1990, I would not have | | | | sincerely believe that, if you do not give your young |
| allowed Jim's agent or the ATP to influence him to | | | | players the opportunity to develop a well rounded |
| play the Nations Cup in Düsseldorf, instead of as | | | | game of tennis that encompasses all facets of it, you |
| we had planned resting that very week just before | | | | are denying that youngster (or adult) the possibility to |
| the French Open! Unfortunately I feared to hurt Jim's | | | | develop himself into a better, more creative, more |
| confidence by saying that playing Düsseldorf | | | | curious, more interesting tennis player. Enjoy "The |
| would compromise his performance at the French but | | | | Game". |
| that was dumb of me! It cost us a years work and a | | | | For comments or ideas about this article please email |
| French title for which Jim was then ready! | | | | the author Sergio Cruz |
| Going back to, "how does poor development affect | | | | Copyright © 1999-2005 Tenniscruz.com®. All |
| talented players?" Parents, teachers and coaches, | | | | rights reserved. |
| have to understand that tennis is a very complex | | | | |