This is the second post commenting on the 2011 US Hardcourt National Championship that was won by Larry Turville in the 60 year old category.And, as I mentioned in the previous post, Larry was also the 2010 world champion in the 60's.
If you haven't read the previous post here are the links to the finals:
2011 US Hard Court Tennis Championships Part 1
2011 US Hard Court Tennis Championships part 2
These clips were put up on Youtube by Brent Abel atwebtennis.net
What you'll notice is how little Larry has to move to cover most of the court. But, watch very closely at the little steps he takes after hitting the ball. These little steps enable him to get into an excellent location on the court as he anticipates his opponent's next shot.
The key here is that Larry calculates his best optimal position just after he hits the ball and BEFORE ( caps intentional --its that important) his opponent actually hits the ball.
Most club players watch their shots and then react. Better players automatically adjust their position as part of the recovery footwork.
Watch here how the great Ilie Nastase moves after hitting the ball. In this video, he's playing Arthur Ashe who possessed a wicked serve. Ashe would often serve wide in the ad court to Nastase's backhand and serve and volley behind the serve.
Ilie Nastase versus Arthur Ashe US Open Finals 1972
You don't have to watch the whole 7 minute clip, although it may be one 7 fabulous minutes if you really enjoy the mastery of old time greats. And, as an aside, can you name 5 other players who played with the brilliant athleticism of Nastase?
Anyway, if you watch the 2 points starting at 39 seconds, you'll see what I'm talking about. Ashe is serving in the deuce court first and serves to the Nastase forehand. Nastase blocks back a forehand return and then immediately bolts to the center of the court.
The next point, Ashe serves to the Nastase backhand in the ad court and Nastase blocks a backhand return and then again bolts to the center of the court to anticipate Ashe's next shot.
Even though Nastase didn't win either of these points, he put extra pressure on Ashe and often made him hit another ball.
So, train yourself to recover to the optimal spot as soon as you've completed your stroke. Don't wait for your opponent to hit the ball before you move.
Until next time,
Glenn Sheiner M.D. - author of Insider Tennis Strategies Champion Seniors Tennis Players guaranteed to make you a smarter tennis player and take your tennis to the next level. Also, check out the world's top tennis humor screensaver
Tennis Cartoon Screensaver. You can download a trial version for FREE.
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