US OPEN TENNIS

Sampras epitomized that change. He forced the game to a new level. Then Federer arrived and was unbeatable for over 3 years. The game had to leap again and it did. It took time for coaches and players to realize that the same technology that gives power to the rackets has also increased the ability for accuracy and variety. The string manufacturers got into the game and before anyone had realized, players could do amazing things to a ball. I watched Federer hit a shot that must have curved 2 feet, intentionally. Anyone ever see Laver or Conners curve a ball? Now it seems that the court people have added their input and the courts have been slowed. No one, I guess, liked the banging that was going on, the type James Blake and Andy Roddick epitomize, one with groundstrokes and one with the serve. The new slower courts reward the player who can keep the ball alive and hit angles and spins. Of course, there are still players who continue in the old style, and they will win from time to ti …

I once heard John McEnroe say that it is very different to learn to play with a wood racket and get handed a high tech racket, than it is to learn to play on one of those rackets. He couldn’t have been more correct. It was natural that the new technology in rackets would lead to the big serve first, followed by the big groundstrokes. Sampras epitomized that change. He forced the game to a new level. Then Federer arrived and was unbeatable for over 3 years. The game had to leap again and it did. It took time for coaches and players to realize that the same technology that gives power to the rackets has also increased the ability for accuracy and variety. The string manufacturers got into the game and before anyone had realized, players could do amazing things to a ball. I watched Federer hit a shot that must have curved 2 feet, intentionally. Anyone ever see Laver or Conners curve a ball? Now it seems that the court people have added their input and the courts have been slowed. No one, …