Topic: Pawan's Tennis Journal

[dmastous]

played 3 hours today. i also played racquetball for the first time with a friend on friday - and i found that a lot more tiring. a lot more tiring. because you alone can't dictate anything and its a lot more running around. well it was also my first time.
so i was a little sore today, i actually don't know why. i was out playing wall-ball with my friends till 2 in the morning friday night and even there my shoulders were hurting slightly everytime i tried to throw the ball with something on it. so i didn't go for my serves today. we played 3 sets, i won all three.

i'm happy. summer's almost here. i am feeling real good about all aspects of my game. i am confident in my basic baseline game and can counterpunch and defend my way out of trouble and into games. from here on its work entirely on my transition game and working on my attack. and fitness.

You played racquetball?  SHAME ON YOU!  I was always told not to play it because it would mess up your tennis game with all the wristy action.  What's your opinion on that.

I've avoided racquetball for the same reason.

[OSU Buckeye]

played 3 hours today. i also played racquetball for the first time with a friend on friday - and i found that a lot more tiring. a lot more tiring. because you alone can't dictate anything and its a lot more running around. well it was also my first time.
so i was a little sore today, i actually don't know why. i was out playing wall-ball with my friends till 2 in the morning friday night and even there my shoulders were hurting slightly everytime i tried to throw the ball with something on it. so i didn't go for my serves today. we played 3 sets, i won all three.

i'm happy. summer's almost here. i am feeling real good about all aspects of my game. i am confident in my basic baseline game and can counterpunch and defend my way out of trouble and into games. from here on its work entirely on my transition game and working on my attack. and fitness.

You played racquetball?  SHAME ON YOU!  I was always told not to play it because it would mess up your tennis game with all the wristy action.  What's your opinion on that.

I've avoided racquetball for the same reason.

Good thing you have avoided racquetball so your tennis game can flourish.......................oh wait,......................!?????          Sorry dude, this was low but I had to take the assist you gave me!   

[dmastous]

played 3 hours today. i also played racquetball for the first time with a friend on friday - and i found that a lot more tiring. a lot more tiring. because you alone can't dictate anything and its a lot more running around. well it was also my first time.
so i was a little sore today, i actually don't know why. i was out playing wall-ball with my friends till 2 in the morning friday night and even there my shoulders were hurting slightly everytime i tried to throw the ball with something on it. so i didn't go for my serves today. we played 3 sets, i won all three.

i'm happy. summer's almost here. i am feeling real good about all aspects of my game. i am confident in my basic baseline game and can counterpunch and defend my way out of trouble and into games. from here on its work entirely on my transition game and working on my attack. and fitness.

You played racquetball?  SHAME ON YOU!  I was always told not to play it because it would mess up your tennis game with all the wristy action.  What's your opinion on that.

I've avoided racquetball for the same reason.

Good thing you have avoided racquetball so your tennis game can flourish.......................oh wait,......................!?????          Sorry dude, this was low but I had to take the assist you gave me!   

Low, but on target. 

[OSU Buckeye]

played 3 hours today. i also played racquetball for the first time with a friend on friday - and i found that a lot more tiring. a lot more tiring. because you alone can't dictate anything and its a lot more running around. well it was also my first time.
so i was a little sore today, i actually don't know why. i was out playing wall-ball with my friends till 2 in the morning friday night and even there my shoulders were hurting slightly everytime i tried to throw the ball with something on it. so i didn't go for my serves today. we played 3 sets, i won all three.

i'm happy. summer's almost here. i am feeling real good about all aspects of my game. i am confident in my basic baseline game and can counterpunch and defend my way out of trouble and into games. from here on its work entirely on my transition game and working on my attack. and fitness.

You played racquetball?  SHAME ON YOU!  I was always told not to play it because it would mess up your tennis game with all the wristy action.  What's your opinion on that.

I've avoided racquetball for the same reason.

Good thing you have avoided racquetball so your tennis game can flourish.......................oh wait,......................!?????          Sorry dude, this was low but I had to take the assist you gave me!   

Low, but on target. 

Like I said, very bad on my part but I have a big mouth that leaks all! 

[dmastous]

You played racquetball?  SHAME ON YOU!  I was always told not to play it because it would mess up your tennis game with all the wristy action.  What's your opinion on that.

I've avoided racquetball for the same reason.

Good thing you have avoided racquetball so your tennis game can flourish.......................oh wait,......................!?????          Sorry dude, this was low but I had to take the assist you gave me!   

Low, but on target. 

Like I said, very bad on my part but I have a big mouth that leaks all! 

I recommend a nice long trip to Massachusetts to take care of that problem. And bring your racquets. 

[OSU Buckeye]

You played racquetball?  SHAME ON YOU!  I was always told not to play it because it would mess up your tennis game with all the wristy action.  What's your opinion on that.

I've avoided racquetball for the same reason.

Good thing you have avoided racquetball so your tennis game can flourish.......................oh wait,......................!?????          Sorry dude, this was low but I had to take the assist you gave me!   

Low, but on target. 

Like I said, very bad on my part but I have a big mouth that leaks all! 

I recommend a nice long trip to Massachusetts to take care of that problem. And bring your racquets. 

I didn't rip you that bad that I am in that much debt!?       Maybe one year we should have the T4U gathering up that way or maybe the Bi-Annual T4U gathering.  Of course, you are going to move before these plans could happen!? 

[Tennis4you]

I would think he better move before you find your way up there now.  He will need to go into hiding or feel the pain of the Scarborough 4.5 captain!

[dmastous]

You played racquetball?  SHAME ON YOU!  I was always told not to play it because it would mess up your tennis game with all the wristy action.  What's your opinion on that.

I've avoided racquetball for the same reason.

Good thing you have avoided racquetball so your tennis game can flourish.......................oh wait,......................!?????          Sorry dude, this was low but I had to take the assist you gave me!   

Low, but on target. 

Like I said, very bad on my part but I have a big mouth that leaks all! 

I recommend a nice long trip to Massachusetts to take care of that problem. And bring your racquets. 

I didn't rip you that bad that I am in that much debt!?       Maybe one year we should have the T4U gathering up that way or maybe the Bi-Annual T4U gathering.  Of course, you are going to move before these plans could happen!? 

Just a recommendation.....
I certainly hope I will be out of New England before the year is out. But one never knows. New Haven is a decent venue if you want to make it close to more people. It's about an hour north of NYC. It's not as big an event as Cincy, but it is both ATP and WTA. The problem is it's one week before the US Open so most of the bigger names don't play it.

[pawan89]

Whoa, stop ripping on Dmast OSU, and if you want to do that do it on his turf, in his journal, not on my space! At least that way Dmast's journal can get some action as well..

uh.. I did the same thing , sorry Dmast!

Jamesdster I only played racquetball for the first time, and I pretty much treated it as tennis. So I didn't notice much of that wristy stuff you talked about. I scraped by a win mostly by mixing up hard and deep balls with soft corner balls that wouldn't bounce much sorta thing. Basically I played it like tennis, so I didn't feel much.
Topspin is totally unecessary in racquetball though

Played almost 3 hours today. pretty tired but happy. I am almost too happy. Like after my warmup and when we started a set I felt almost too good, I felt like I could hit any serve, any shot anywhere anyhow I like, it was the most amazing thing ever. Then we interrupted it and restarted the set and I got lazy and played a little worse but stepped it up when it mattered and it was just the most amazing feeling ever to be able to do what I want when I want. We played two sets which I think I won somethign like 7-6 6-3 and hit around most of the time. I had a fun time.

I'm loving my racquet, got used to weight and all. The strings will have to change asap though, I need something a little firmer and tighter strung - basically I need to string it to my specifications with my strings.  I'll just wait for the current ones to break but they are sorta affecting my swing on my forehand since I'm having to put way too much topspin and not able to drive comfortably off my forehand. But I'm loving it just the same.

I need new shoes.

Do tennis balls lose quality when they are in the can and still sealed? This was twice in a row that we opened up a fresh can of balls and they are pretty much dead. Today it was a little better but still not playable and last time, they were plain flat even though we had just opened the sealed cannister. I am confused, both cans are from the same case of 8 or so cans that I bought a while ago. It's been more than a month since I bought them. last can I had left them in the car for a week so maybe the temperature effected it? but today's, the can has been at home the whole time and I just took it to court today. Either way, both were sealed and when opened, flat. They looked new and everything, but they just didn't bounce.

[OSU Buckeye]

Yep, the cold weather killed your tennis balls.  This definitely happens.  Sometimes if they haven't been in the cold for too long you can crack the can and they will start to warm up and gain their pressure as you start to hit with them and sometimes they are just not going to be saved.   I think a new can can lose its pressure over a long period of time as well but that would proly take like many months or almost a year.  I have had 2 cans in my car for half a year and I just discovered them the other day............there is now way they will be platable.......even the can is not fully pressured, you can press the sides of the can in more than a normal pressurized can of balls. 

[monstertruck]

I agree, cold weather can really do a number on your balls!
They just go dead and are not good for much of anything except to look at.

[OSU Buckeye]

I agree, cold weather can really do a number on your balls!
They just go dead and are not good for much of anything except to look at.

So can water!      

[monstertruck]

I agree, cold weather can really do a number on your balls!
They just go dead and are not good for much of anything except to look at.

So can water!      

There is a Seinfeld episode that deals specifically with 'shrinkage'.

Unfortunately the boiler was out at the club last Wed. and Thurs. which resulted in ice cold showers for those brave/stupid enough to take the plunge!

[dmastous]

Yep, the cold weather killed your tennis balls.  This definitely happens.  Sometimes if they haven't been in the cold for too long you can crack the can and they will start to warm up and gain their pressure as you start to hit with them and sometimes they are just not going to be saved.   I think a new can can lose its pressure over a long period of time as well but that would proly take like many months or almost a year.  I have had 2 cans in my car for half a year and I just discovered them the other day............there is now way they will be platable.......even the can is not fully pressured, you can press the sides of the can in more than a normal pressurized can of balls. 

I think you've hit on the answer. The can may not have been fully pressurised from the factory. That's why the balls were dead. You can use the Charmin test to see if the balls will be any good. Well the opposite of the Charmin test. If you can squeeze the can somewhat, they are probably no good.

[Victor]

Good to have you back Pacer! I hope to hear alooooooooooooot of you! How are you, whats'up and all?

[pawan89]

Good to have you back Pacer! I hope to hear alooooooooooooot of you! How are you, whats'up and all?

I am going to assume you are talking to Pacer, whom I haven't seen around here and especially here on this thread for a while, and not just confusing me for Pacer. Not that I would complain, from what I gather, Pacer's game level is pretty much the level my dreams take me to

Played for an hour and a half again today with mdshahid. I actually lost a set today, I was surprised  Warmed up for about 25 minutes and played two sets 6-1 4-6. He came up with good stuff in that second set, really good drop volleys that I had no chance at especially with the balls being flat. And he came up with the serves to close it off, or else it'd have been a repeat of yesterday where I came back from 2-5 to take the set 
I played pretty well all through so I'm happy. No more tennis again for a week at least 

I am going to recharge the flat balls and hopefully they'll be good. This problem shouldn't happen over summer right? I have never seen it before so for now I'll just blame the store on keep the balls out on shelf too long and not rotating it properly.. and the manufacturers and such

[monstertruck]

Yo, a week off from tennis?  I hope you're doing a bit of cross-training to keep yourself primed and ready!

Good luck with the balls, that was kinda kooky.  It may have just been the cold.

[pawan89]

Played for an hour today, felt real good, real loose just the way I want to feel. I am stepping my return game up a notch, mainly against good servers, this way my return percentage is still about the same or better but the ones that go in are better. Looking forward to more tennis as temperatures sore above the 60s and have stayed like that for a while now.

[OSU Buckeye]

Glad to see you getting out to play!   How has school been going? 

I meant to tell you that last Wednesday night we cracked open a can of really dead balls and I insisted that they would gain life and bounce if we played with them for a while...........we hit them for a short while and I don't remember them being a problem after the first 5 minutes or so. 

[monstertruck]

What's this you've been wearing running shoes for tennis?????
I'd have 2 broken ankles if I did that!

If you're commited to the game and can afford it, I'd say get some tennis sneaks and wear them only for that.  If budget permits, buy 2 pair and wear 1 for practice and one for match play.  Be sure and break them in if necessary prior to hitting the courts.

TW has some good reviews on shoes!