Topic: Euroka's Tennis Journal

[euroka1]

45 degrees here today, I would sneak out if I had thought of it.  But wifey and I are trying to man handle the kids, it is a chore in itself!

Sounds nice but you are being kept busy. Bad weather stuff must be coming from the bitter and cold north, then.

[euroka1]

 

[Tennis4you]

Bummer!  I hate it when tennis gets rained out!!!

[jeffrx]

I got rained out Sunday....was really eager to play, too, because I have not played as much as I would want to over the past 2 weeks. 

[euroka1]

Have been perversely enjoying reading about Monstertruck's life and hard times  .  My life is more placid but I have been playing.
Had a good low-key game indoors on dirt yesterday.
This morning was my Wednesday hit with the instructor (frost on the ground and car but not on the court! ). Did various things but the thing I learned most was his advice on the serve toss, better called (as I've been told many times) the lift. He emphasized that it was most important not to hurry this. The place for the pace is later in the stroke. I have been rushing the toss for as long as I remember which is probably why it has been so inconsistent. My groundstrokes were good this morning. This hour a week has been doing a lot for my game. Unfortunately it is only for two more weeks as the holidays are coming and he has surgery in early January  . Hopefully we will resume later in that month.

[monstertruck]

Have been perversely enjoying reading about Monstertruck's life and hard times  .  My life is more placid but I have been playing.
Had a good low-key game indoors on dirt yesterday.
This morning was my Wednesday hit with the instructor (frost on the ground and car but not on the court! ). Did various things but the thing I learned most was his advice on the serve toss, better called (as I've been told many times) the lift. He emphasized that it was most important not to hurry this. The place for the pace is later in the stroke. I have been rushing the toss for as long as I remember which is probably why it has been so inconsistent. My groundstrokes were good this morning. This hour a week has been doing a lot for my game. Unfortunately it is only for two more weeks as the holidays are coming and he has surgery in early January  . Hopefully we will resume later in that month.

I'm glad somebody is enjoying it!

RE: 'The Lift'
I try to take a couple minutes of tossing practice prior to actually hitting the ball.  I then use an abbreviated motion ala Todd Martin's current serve.  I then incorporate the full racquet drop.  Breaking it down helps me to review key elements such as 'The Lift' which are crucial to serving success when I'm playing so infrequently.

With what shall you substitue that missing hour of instruction come 2009?
MT says serving practice yields the highest return.  Service returns coming in a close second!

Will be sure and keep you updated on my trials and tribulations here as I attempt to return to competitive play.

[euroka1]

You have to be pretty desperate  to go outdoors and play in 22-25 degree weather  but I was and we did it this morning. Missed the Thursday night game last week and the weekend was very windy here. This morning there was no wind and it wasn't too bad. All the layers of clothing  didn't help my game and that was not the best. But we had many good rallies and a good time was had by all. We were glad we went  .

It looks like a prolonged wet spell is on its way for here.    Not good 

[OSU Buckeye]

Have been perversely enjoying reading about Monstertruck's life and hard times  .  My life is more placid but I have been playing.
Had a good low-key game indoors on dirt yesterday.
This morning was my Wednesday hit with the instructor (frost on the ground and car but not on the court! ). Did various things but the thing I learned most was his advice on the serve toss, better called (as I've been told many times) the lift. He emphasized that it was most important not to hurry this. The place for the pace is later in the stroke. I have been rushing the toss for as long as I remember which is probably why it has been so inconsistent. My groundstrokes were good this morning. This hour a week has been doing a lot for my game. Unfortunately it is only for two more weeks as the holidays are coming and he has surgery in early January  . Hopefully we will resume later in that month.

I'm glad somebody is enjoying it!

RE: 'The Lift'
I try to take a couple minutes of tossing practice prior to actually hitting the ball.  I then use an abbreviated motion ala Todd Martin's current serve.  I then incorporate the full racquet drop.  Breaking it down helps me to review key elements such as 'The Lift' which are crucial to serving success when I'm playing so infrequently.

With what shall you substitue that missing hour of instruction come 2009?
MT says serving practice yields the highest return.  Service returns coming in a close second!

Will be sure and keep you updated on my trials and tribulations here as I attempt to return to competitive play.

I love how you use Todd Martin's current serve as though any of us have seen it lately!?   

[dmastous]

Have been perversely enjoying reading about Monstertruck's life and hard times  .  My life is more placid but I have been playing.
Had a good low-key game indoors on dirt yesterday.
This morning was my Wednesday hit with the instructor (frost on the ground and car but not on the court! ). Did various things but the thing I learned most was his advice on the serve toss, better called (as I've been told many times) the lift. He emphasized that it was most important not to hurry this. The place for the pace is later in the stroke. I have been rushing the toss for as long as I remember which is probably why it has been so inconsistent. My groundstrokes were good this morning. This hour a week has been doing a lot for my game. Unfortunately it is only for two more weeks as the holidays are coming and he has surgery in early January  . Hopefully we will resume later in that month.

I'm glad somebody is enjoying it!

RE: 'The Lift'
I try to take a couple minutes of tossing practice prior to actually hitting the ball.  I then use an abbreviated motion ala Todd Martin's current serve.  I then incorporate the full racquet drop.  Breaking it down helps me to review key elements such as 'The Lift' which are crucial to serving success when I'm playing so infrequently.

With what shall you substitue that missing hour of instruction come 2009?
MT says serving practice yields the highest return.  Service returns coming in a close second!

Will be sure and keep you updated on my trials and tribulations here as I attempt to return to competitive play.

I love how you use Todd Martin's current serve as though any of us have seen it lately!?   

Remember Jay Berger?
Maybe not.... 

[OSU Buckeye]

No.   What does JB have to do with this?   

[dmastous]

No.   What does JB have to do with this?   

Same kind of motion as Todd Martin. It pretty much starts with the racquet hand next to his ear, and goes from there. Berger was more pronounced than Martin though. Martin's new motion is very simple.

[euroka1]

BUMP!

[euroka1]

Indoor tennis last night. Less than enjoyable as score 4-6,4-6 indicated  . The lady lawyer was playing. Somehow, I had the feeling all night that our views of the world and its doings  was quite incompatible. Oh well...

A good hit with the instructor this afternoon. Sun out at last, but there was a moderately brisk wind which did serve to dry the courts. The wind made things challenging and rather confused my mental extrapolations as to where the ball should have been going. We of course eventually got around to politics and mused how everyone was expecting the time between the election and the inauguration to be really quiet  .

[monstertruck]

Indoor tennis last night. Less than enjoyable as score 4-6,4-6 indicated  . The lady lawyer was playing. Somehow, I had the feeling all night that our views of the world and its doings  was quite incompatible. Oh well...

A good hit with the instructor this afternoon. Sun out at last, but there was a moderately brisk wind which did serve to dry the courts. The wind made things challenging and rather confused my mental extrapolations as to where the ball should have been going. We of course eventually got around to politics and mused how everyone was expecting the time between the election and the inauguration to be really quiet  .

I got a good chuckle out of that, sounds like this chick is really in your head!

No time for extrapolations when it's windy!  Shorten up that stroke and take some extra adjustment steps.

Lucky you still playing outside!!!

[Jamesdster]

E

You are amazing to have the wherewithal to be hitting in 20 degree weather.  I think that is fantabulous!  But why don't you go indoors occasionally?     Surely, the only rocket scientist I know can scape up a few dimes for a couple of hours of indoor play.   

[monstertruck]

Have been perversely enjoying reading about Monstertruck's life and hard times  .  My life is more placid but I have been playing.
Had a good low-key game indoors on dirt yesterday.
This morning was my Wednesday hit with the instructor (frost on the ground and car but not on the court! ). Did various things but the thing I learned most was his advice on the serve toss, better called (as I've been told many times) the lift. He emphasized that it was most important not to hurry this. The place for the pace is later in the stroke. I have been rushing the toss for as long as I remember which is probably why it has been so inconsistent. My groundstrokes were good this morning. This hour a week has been doing a lot for my game. Unfortunately it is only for two more weeks as the holidays are coming and he has surgery in early January  . Hopefully we will resume later in that month.

I'm glad somebody is enjoying it!

RE: 'The Lift'
I try to take a couple minutes of tossing practice prior to actually hitting the ball.  I then use an abbreviated motion ala Todd Martin's current serve.  I then incorporate the full racquet drop.  Breaking it down helps me to review key elements such as 'The Lift' which are crucial to serving success when I'm playing so infrequently.

With what shall you substitue that missing hour of instruction come 2009?
MT says serving practice yields the highest return.  Service returns coming in a close second!

Will be sure and keep you updated on my trials and tribulations here as I attempt to return to competitive play.

I love how you use Todd Martin's current serve as though any of us have seen it lately!?   

I hope your new house has a picture box.
You know, one of those new fangled contraptions called a Telemavision?  Then you can get hooked up with TTC (The Tennis Channel) and
watch a bit.  !

Git wid de programme OSB!

[euroka1]

E

You are amazing to have the wherewithal to be hitting in 20 degree weather.  I think that is fantabulous!  But why don't you go indoors occasionally?     Surely, the only rocket scientist I know can scape up a few dimes for a couple of hours of indoor play.   

That's Thursday night but 2 hours shared among 6 people (including the lady lawyer  ) but usually there are one or two who cannot make it. Getting indoor court time here in winter, however, is not only expensive but complicated, because of the heavy demand. This is political Washington, with all that word implies. 
Basically, though, I enjoy hitting or playing whenever the opportunity arises even at 20 degrees. 

Hi Monstertruck, yes I get TTC but don't watch it unless there is something special. Not being deep into personalities, I get bored by all the "exciting things the pros do off-court" segments  so would welcome being pinged by a Tennis Channel ad here (see http://www.tennis4you.com/forum/index.php?topic=11434.0 ) should Scott ever allow it.

[Jamesdster]

E

You are amazing to have the wherewithal to be hitting in 20 degree weather.  I think that is fantabulous!  But why don't you go indoors occasionally?     Surely, the only rocket scientist I know can scape up a few dimes for a couple of hours of indoor play.   

That's Thursday night but 2 hours shared among 6 people (including the lady lawyer  ) but usually there are one or two who cannot make it. Getting indoor court time here in winter, however, is not only expensive but complicated, because of the heavy demand. This is political Washington, with all that word implies. 
Basically, though, I enjoy hitting or playing whenever the opportunity arises even at 20 degrees. 

Hi Monstertruck, yes I get TTC but don't watch it unless there is something special. Not being deep into personalities, I get bored by all the "exciting things the pros do off-court" segments  so would welcome being pinged by a Tennis Channel ad here (see http://www.tennis4you.com/forum/index.php?topic=11434.0 ) should Scott ever allow it.

Be sure to take some insert some pics of you, Barrack, Biden, and Clinton playing dubs.   

[monstertruck]

E

You are amazing to have the wherewithal to be hitting in 20 degree weather.  I think that is fantabulous!  But why don't you go indoors occasionally?     Surely, the only rocket scientist I know can scape up a few dimes for a couple of hours of indoor play.   

That's Thursday night but 2 hours shared among 6 people (including the lady lawyer  ) but usually there are one or two who cannot make it. Getting indoor court time here in winter, however, is not only expensive but complicated, because of the heavy demand. This is political Washington, with all that word implies. 
Basically, though, I enjoy hitting or playing whenever the opportunity arises even at 20 degrees. 

Hi Monstertruck, yes I get TTC but don't watch it unless there is something special. Not being deep into personalities, I get bored by all the "exciting things the pros do off-court" segments  so would welcome being pinged by a Tennis Channel ad here (see http://www.tennis4you.com/forum/index.php?topic=11434.0 ) should Scott ever allow it.

Ooooops, I was referring to OSU.

I prefer actual tennis on TTC as well.  That Murphy Jensen segment  drives me nuts!!!
Which side of DC are you on?  I almost ended up working in Fairfax, VA when I got out of the Navy.  Seemed like a busy, but nice area.

[euroka1]

Be sure to take some insert some pics of you, Barrack, Biden, and Clinton playing dubs.   

.

A friend of mine came across Alan Greenspan on the courts. Evidently he can be pretty grumpy 
On the whole, politicians are to be avoided    . A former Australian prime minister, Earle Page  played a daily hard game of tennis until he was over 80, playing it, as he did politics, with scant regard for the rules. A colleague watching him play once remarked. "I don't know whether you're a good player or not, but you're certainly a good scorer!"

I prefer actual tennis on TTC as well.  That Murphy Jensen segment  drives me nuts!!!
Which side of DC are you on?  I almost ended up working in Fairfax, VA when I got out of the Navy.  Seemed like a busy, but nice area.

I'm in Maryland, just over the border. Getting indoor court time is as convoluted as Maryland politics. But it's still easier here than in DC.