Author Topic: Euroka's Tennis Journal (Read 43100 times)

euroka1 · « **Reply #500 on:** February 17, 2011, 12:29:21 PM »

65 degrees right now

. The weekend tennis group is finding it hard to come together after the big freeze but the Monday group is scheduled to play in the morning outdoors.

Meanwhile it is indoor tennis tonight and tomorrow morning.

Let's hope this good weather lasts.

Tennis4you · « **Reply #501 on:** February 17, 2011, 05:26:01 PM »

Indoor here too but it is in the low 60's today. I am tied up with family stuff tonight but that is probably a good thing because I would go hit with wifey and my calf can use the rest. Even if I just go out and feed balls I would probably move more than I should.

euroka1 · « **Reply #502 on:** February 21, 2011, 12:56:06 PM »

We managed to play for an hour outdoors, one set, this morning before the rain moved in.

Cool, but no wind. Still, everyone was a bit rusty. The initial "first in" for everyone's serve took a while.

Tennis4you · « **Reply #503 on:** February 21, 2011, 01:09:07 PM »

Rain, always the killer for us in the spring. You sure we are not neighbors? It has been raining here all day. We seem to have the same weather.

euroka1 · « **Reply #504 on:** February 21, 2011, 01:27:29 PM »

Quote from: Tennis4you on February 21, 2011, 01:09:07 PM

Rain, always the killer for us in the spring. You sure we are not neighbors? It has been raining here all day. We seem to have the same weather.

You are usually 12-24 hours ahead of us. Your posts can pretty accurately forecast the weather here.

Tennis4you · « **Reply #505 on:** February 22, 2011, 11:29:23 AM »

lol, I will be your weather man.

euroka1 · « **Reply #506 on:** February 25, 2011, 08:57:23 AM »

Quote from: euroka1 on February 23, 2011, 08:34:24 PM

Quote from: Shanytc on February 23, 2011, 04:00:15 PM
are you guys in australia? 31 degress 28.. it's winter! :P

Here we use the quaint old Fahrenheit temperature scale with 32 degrees = freezing water.

By the way, Scott, my partner who has been out with the strained tendon is adventurously coming back slowly tomorrow, Thursday, night.
Shall let you know how it goes.

Sorry to read you are a while getting back, Scott.

Well, it didn't work out in my interests last night. I thought it might not be fair to saddle my recently recovered partner with a poor runner so I suggested he pair with one of the better ones. That was a mistake

.

He was back in really hot form . He might not have been running much but he had put lots of time in at the gym. I had quite forgotten the wicked spins that he could put on both serves and ground shots. Besides, he did not have to run much. The two of them covered the court well and hit back everything that I and my similarly beleaguered partner could send to them. We were quite outclassed. Three sets, 2-6,3-6,3-6.

But it was great to have him back again and we all had some good shots.

Foggy, cold and rainy here. I have an indoor game on dirt in an hour. That will be pretty low intensity, rather a change from last night.

Tennis4you · « **Reply #507 on:** February 25, 2011, 10:46:33 AM »

Indoor game on dirt? Do explain!

euroka1 · « **Reply #508 on:** February 25, 2011, 12:17:42 PM »

It's on Har-Tru. I get invited fairly regularly as a sub at one of the up-market local country clubs. Here is more than you need to know. I was interested to read it is something of a local product from some time back.

HAR-TRU® is made from billion year old, Pre-Cambrian metabasalt found in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. It is a natural green stone which is extremely hard and angular, two very important qualities when it comes to tennis court construction. The angularity helps the stone particles lock together to form a stable playing surface. The hardness means exceptional durability. The natural green color is classically clay and instantly recognizable.

The stone is crushed, screened and mixed in the precise proportions necessary to produce a stable playing surface. It is then installed over a porous base of crushed stone aggregate to produce the final product.

A Har-Tru court requires water to remain compacted and stable. Water can be added to a court with an above ground or sub-surface irrigation system. Close to 75% of all new courts built today choose a sub-surface irrigation system such as Lee Tennis’ HydroCourt as it improves playability while reducing maintenance requirements.
Har-Tru also makes a mess on carpets at home as you soon learn

and needs to be cleaned off the shoes after the match.

We had a good game today but I was a bit frustrated in the way I was hitting the ball. In March I resume my weekly hitting with an instructor and it is none too soon. He is very good at correcting the old bad habits which always recur when I have been away for a while.

monstertruck · « **Reply #509 on:** February 26, 2011, 12:56:01 PM »

I've heard that Har-Tru is popular south of the MD line, especially in Florida. Less maintenance and a slightly more reliable bounce than red clay.

Good to hear you are about to resume your hitting with your instructor. There are few things better for ones game than a reliable feed and an objective/knowledgable perspective.

Tennis4you · « **Reply #510 on:** February 26, 2011, 01:23:26 PM »

I am always exited to see anyone older than high schoolers take lessons. Seems like so many people stop taking lessons once they are out of school. Take em as long as you can!

euroka1 · « **Reply #511 on:** February 28, 2011, 11:07:48 AM »

We got a two hour game in this morning.
Had to dry court after last night's rain. Sun and good wind helped.
Now it is raining again with tornados in the regional forecast.
I am off to New York City for the night and am glad I got the tennis in.

Tennis4you · « **Reply #512 on:** February 28, 2011, 11:37:23 AM »

Glad you got it in too. it poured like crazy here last night! Nothings going to be dry today. Plus it is getting way cold quick.

euroka1 · « **Reply #513 on:** March 02, 2011, 02:55:38 PM »

Quote from: euroka1 on February 25, 2011, 12:17:42 PM

We had a good game today but I was a bit frustrated in the way I was hitting the ball. In March I resume my weekly hitting with an instructor and it is none too soon. He is very good at correcting the old bad habits which always recur when I have been away for a while.

I had a good hit with the instructor this morning. Turned out that the above problem was due to not getting the racquet back far enough and not following through enough on both fh and bh. After a bit of practice, things improved greatly.

He gave me some good advice on the serve toss too; cradling the ball rather than throwing it to get more control.

euroka1 · « **Reply #514 on:** March 13, 2011, 01:29:22 PM »

Our weekend mixed doubles group finally came together for three sets today in splendid spring weather with temperature in the mid 50s. My game was not all that great but it was so good to be out again and with very pleasant company.

Score could have been worse at 6-2, 2-6, 3-6.

Tennis4you · « **Reply #515 on:** March 13, 2011, 06:28:53 PM »

At least you are playing!!!

euroka1 · « **Reply #516 on:** March 17, 2011, 03:19:09 PM »

I had a good hit with the instructor this morning on a perfect spring day. As said before, I like these for a workout as much as anything but we do catch the old bad habits coming back. He showed me a slight refinement of my backhand volley grip which helped enormously. I like to say that I hit more balls in this hour than during the rest of the week's tennis combined.

Learned this week that my Thursday group lucked out again in the annual lottery to get a highly prized 8pm slot at the local county tennis center next winter. Thus it seems certain that there will be at least some Thursday night tennis then. Life goes on, year by year, hoping for the best.

Tennis4you · « **Reply #517 on:** March 17, 2011, 05:45:50 PM »

Wifey was just telling me she gets tired so quickly when we hit. I had to remind her that she hits a crap ton more balls in practice than in a doubles match.

Glad you got a good hit in with the instructor!

monstertruck · « **Reply #518 on:** March 18, 2011, 07:22:19 AM »

Quote from: euroka1 on March 17, 2011, 03:19:09 PM

I had a good hit with the instructor this morning on a perfect spring day. As said before, I like these for a workout as much as anything but we do catch the old bad habits coming back. He showed me a slight refinement of my backhand volley grip which helped enormously. I like to say that I hit more balls in this hour than during the rest of the week's tennis combined.

Learned this week that my Thursday group lucked out again in the annual lottery to get a highly prized 8pm slot at the local county tennis center next winter. Thus it seems certain that there will be at least some Thursday night tennis then. Life goes on, year by year, hoping for the best.

Great report E!
Nice to hear you lucked out in the lotto for playing time.
It always make's it easier to fill the playing slots when you've got a good spot.

Care to elaborate on the grip refinement?
I've always used the same grip on both the FH & BH volleys- a slightly open (the hand not the position) continental. I notice many of today's pros are leaning more towards a grip between eastern and semi-west. That may account for their lack of proficiency.

euroka1 · « **Reply #519 on:** March 18, 2011, 08:17:44 AM »

I'm not too strong on definitions but, lifting my racquet, I see that what he wants is a slight backhand rotation (clockwise, I am right handed) from the standard continental grip. He does not advocate keeping this for the forehand but admits there might not be time to change if one doesn't put the first attempt away. It is helpful to have someone grab your hand and say, you should hold it like this!

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Author Topic: Euroka's Tennis Journal (Read 43100 times)