Tennis Truth from the Lips of Mitch Hedberg

One of my favorite comedians was the late Mitch Hedberg. Not only was he funny, but, he had a very unique way of speaking. Plus, he played tennis. Here's a funny clip of him talking about tennis:

 

 

Make pro tennis more competitive - ban racket re-stringing during matches

Are you like me, watching the pros in the French Open and noticing how most of them are sending rackets back to be re-strung during each match?

Photo Credit: A younger Ace at Vic Braden's Tennis College

Jeezuz, I play tennis 1-3 times a week and if I restrung my racket more than twice a year it's probably because my dog was chewing on it! I bet most of you fellow players are the same!

Anyway, I understand I am not a pro player and neither are most of you. A lot of you will say, hey, they're pros. They have exceptional feel and can tell when the racket tension decreases even a miniscule amount and that affects their game. 

To which I say - SO WHAT?

Wouldn't it make it more interesting and more competitive, if the pros didn't have a bunch of stringers in the wings waiting to get them a newly restrung racket in 20 minutes or so?

Here's what I think should happen. A new rule that prohibits racket restringing during a match. Furthermore, the number of rackets allowed on court should be limited as well, say, 4 or 5 at the most.

IMHO, this will make the matches more interesting and more competitive.

I asked Meta AI about this and it appears to agree with me, saying the following:

Meta AI:

What strategy changes would occur?

1. Increased emphasis on adaptability: Players would need to adapt to playing with the same racket for an extended period, which could lead to a greater emphasis on developing skills that aren't racket-dependent.

2. Racket selection becomes crucial: With a limited number of rackets allowed on court, players would need to carefully choose which rackets to bring, considering factors like string type, tension, and racket characteristics.

3. More conservative stringing: Players opt for more durable strings or lower tensions to minimize the risk of breakage, potentially affecting their overall game.

4. Shift in player profiles: Some players might thrive in the new environment, while others might struggle, potentially leading to a shift in the rankings and player profiles.

5. Tactical timeouts and racket swaps: Players might strategically time their racket swaps to coincide with timeouts or between sets, potentially disrupting their opponent's momentum.

6. More emphasis on endurance: Players would need to develop the endurance to play with a racket that's not perfectly suited to their game, which could lead to a greater emphasis on physical conditioning.

These changes could lead to a more unpredictable and strategic game, with players needing to think on their feet and adapt to the rackets they're working with.

So, what do you think? Do you agree or not? (And don't get me started about changing balls every 9 games!)

 

California issues new restrictions for youth and adult sports. Bans doubles for tennis and pickleball in Purple tier.

The California Department of Public Health (CaDPH) has just issued new guidance for just about every youth and adult team and individual sport. Of particular interest to those people, like good ol' yours truly, Ace, is that tennis (and pickleball) in Purple tier regions is limited to singles only!!!

Aceyou

Photo Credit: ©F.J. and K.C. Maccioli

This will adversely impact several local tournaments currently planned for Kern County, SoCal, and other areas across the state, including right here in Bakersfield which is in the Purple tier. 

Of course, that depends upon whether the local tennis powers to be decide to comply with California's directives, something that many public tennis facilities and private tennis clubs have refused to do in the past! 

Until a county exits the Purple tier, which seems doubtful for Kern County and Bakersfield because of their lack of enforcement of previous COVID19 restrictions, doubles in the above sports, as well as several other sports categories, may not occur.

The new guidance takes effect on February 26, 2021. The ball's in your court USTA and UTR - what are you going to do now?

If tennis is supposed to be the safest sport to play during the pandemic, then why are USTA and ITF cancelling tournaments?

The United States Tennis Association (USTA) just announced the cancellation of the remaining Adult National Tournaments for Open, Age-Group, and Family Divisions for the rest of 2020. This follows the USTA's cancellation of all national junior tennis events until October 12, 2020.

Photo Credit: USTA (Fair Use) https://www.usta.com/en/home/play/adult-tennis/programs/national/designated-open-sectional-championship-schedule.html?fbclid=IwAR2c5Qg0lw2cwU7nPc2mGtO3b9p4JhyB6pacVQORt7GK0Syh2t30VJFjKDc

Earlier the International Tennis Federation (ITF) announced that the Young Seniors and Super Seniors World Championships will be cancelled until 2021.

Some tennis enthusiasts and doctors have asserted that tennis, particularly singles tennis, is one of the safest activities to do during the COVID19 pandemic. The rationale is that the players are separated by a net and can utilize certain techniques - not serving with the same balls, not shaking hands, etc. - that ensure proper social distancing.

However, no one has ever demonstrated in a scientific setting under controlled conditions (or uncontrolled conditions for that matter) that the novel coronavirus cannot be transmitted by playing tennis. If there is such a study, please provide a comment below with a reference. All reports of which we are aware are opinions from those in the field. They may be very valid opinions, based upon their experience and the best data available, but, they are opinions nonetheless. 

No one has conducted an experiment under controlled conditions that shows a virus cannot be transmitted by two (or four) people playing tennis for an hour or two, or longer.

So, if tennis is so safe, then why are USTA and ITF cancelling tournaments?

Another one bites the dust - former finalist Kei Nishikori has COVID19, withdraws from U.S. Open tuneup tourney

Former U.S. Open finalist Kei Nishikori, who lost the 2014 U.S. Open title to Marin Cilic and made it to the semi-finals in 2016 and 2018, announced that he has tested positive for COVID19. As a result, he has withdrawn from the upcoming Western & Southern Open. 

Photo Credit: si.robi / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0)

Normally held in Cincinnati, that tournament was moved to the site of the U.S. Open in Flushing Meadows, NY this year.

Nishikori said he will give further details next Friday on his plans for the Open. Once ranked as high as #4 in the world, he currently is at #31 and would be seeded at the Open.

It should be noted that Nishikori is based in Florida, which has been a major hotspot for COVID19 infections in the United States.

Prediction - this year's French Open will be cancelled

I don't know if you heard it here first or not, but, if you haven't already, then you have now.

Ace predicts the French Open, which had been postponed until the end of September, will be cancelled in its entirety within 2 weeks.

Photo Credit:  © Yann Caradec

https://www.flickr.com/photos/la_bretagne_a_paris/4634644549

Recent reports out of France have said that there is a rapid and unexpected resurgence of new COVID-19 cases in Paris and Marseilles. As a result, the French government has declared both cities "high risk" coronavirus zones.

With this increase of COVID-19 cases in France, many neighboring countries are reportedly now imposing new restrictions and/or travel bans to or from France, declaring Paris and other French areas "red zones" for travel.  Indeed, France itself has declared Paris a red zone.

The French Open is held in Paris.

French Open officials have previously said the postponed tournament would be held with fans in attendance.

Ace predicts that not only will that not happen, but, the tournament will be scrapped entirely for this year.

Like I said, if you haven't already, you heard it here first.

Another defending champ withdraws from the 2020 U.S Open Tennis Championships

Bianca Andreescu, the Canadian woman who made history by winning the 2019 U.S. Open in her first attempt, announced yesterday that she will not play in this year's tournament. She joins defending Men's champion Rafa Nadal in not entering the tournament because of COVID19 concerns.

Photo Credit: KeithAllisonPhoto.com

"After many discussions with those closest to me, I have made the difficult decision not to return to New York this year," Andreescu said in a social media post. "I have taken this step in order to focus on my match fitness and ensure that I return ready to play at my highest level."

Andreescu has been injured and unable to practice sufficiently or play on the Women's tour since last October. She joins World #1 Ash Barty, #5 Elina Svitolina, and #7 Kiki Bertens on the sidelines, as well as other notables such as Svetlana Kuznetsova and Fiona Ferro, who recently won the first tournament played since the re-opening in Palermo, Italy.

The withdrawals open up opportunities for both Serena Williams and Novak Djokovic to add to their collection of U.S. Open titles. Djokovic is the lone remaining member of Men's tennis' Big 3 with the earlier withdrawal of Nadal and the absence of Roger Federer, who is out following knee surgery.

Addiitonally, former champion Stan Wawrinka, Nick Kyrgios, and Gael Monfils have also withdrawn. 

Questions still remain as to whether the tournament will still proceed as scheduled. The first matches are set to begin on August 31.

Will the U.S. Open be cancelled?

This year's U.S. Open, one of the 4 major tournaments on the professional tennis tour, normally the final Grand Slam of the year, is still on the schedule for play, starting August 31. (The French Open had already re-scheduled its tournament for the end of September.)

Photo Credit: Jeffrey P. Horne at https://flickr.com/photos/45948592@N04/48667665777.

The big question of course is, will it still happen? Three of the sport's biggest stars, defending Men's champion Rafa Nadal, the controversial Nick Kyrgios, and Women's World #1, Ash Barty, have announced they will not enter the tournament because of COVID-19 concerns.

Nadal made his announcement yesterday, saying on Twitter, "After many thoughts I have decided not to play this year’s US Open. The situation is very complicated worldwide, the COVID-19 cases are increasing, it looks like we still don’t have control of it."

"We know that the reduced tennis calendar is barbaric this year after 4 months stopped with no play, I understand and thank for the efforts they are putting in to make it happen. We have just seen the announcement of Madrid not being played this year."

"All my respects to the USTA, the US Open organisers and the ATP for trying to put the event together for the players and the fans around the world through TV."

"This is a decision I never wanted to take but I have decided to follow my heart this time and for the time being I rather not travel."

Barty made her announcement on July 29, saying, "My team and I have decided that we won't be travelling to the US and Western and Southern Open and the US Open this year."

"I love both events so it was a difficult decision but there are still significant risks involved due to COVID-19 and I don't feel comfortable putting my team and I in that position

How many others will follow their lead? Will that matter to the organizers?

What do you think? Comments please.