Do You Need Modern Technique In the Seniors?

Should all players adopt the modern forehand style of Federer or Nadal or is the classic forehand that Pete Sampras hit better?

And, really the question has to do with senior tennis since there are very few kids who are learning the classic Landsorp forehand with conservative grips.

My view is that the modern rotational strokes with wiper finishes are great especially when you're playing against someone who gives you pace and a high bouncing ball that you can hit at waist height or even higher.

But, enter a top seniors tournament and you find yourself hitting well-placed low balls with little pace. And, it's not easy to rip these balls since you have to generate all the pace yourself.

I'm coming to the conclusion that having the ability to really hit through these balls with heavy, fairly flat strokes is a skill that good players need. Hitting too much spin on these balls often gives your opponent more time to chase the ball down and hit a reply that you may not like.

Even Federer and Agassi vary their forehand finishes to get the effect that they desire. So, if you're a heavy topspin player who has trouble putting the ball away and attacking, then try to flatten out your strokes when you're attacking. Study the Sampras forehand finish and try it out.
Until next time,


Glenn Sheiner M.D. - author of Insider Tennis Strategies Top Tennis Tactics Like The Sampras Forehand 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
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Roddick's Match Of His Life

Take away the horrible backhand volley at set point in the second set breaker and you'd have to admit that Andy Roddick played the match of his life.

And, yet he still lost, which tells you how hard it is to beat Roger Federer.

What struck me about the match was the obvious improvement in Roddick's game. I believe a lot of the credit has to go to Larry Stefanki, Roddick's coach.

A-Rod has always been able to blast his serve but, in the past, he was not a top ten player in baseline rallies, especially on the backhand side.

Federer went hard at the Roddick backhand as usual but today Andy's backhand held up extremely well. A-Rod seems to have much better movement and balance when running to the backhand side and this now allows him to pass well up the line when attacked.

As a matter of fact, it was a couple of shanked forehands that cost A-rod the last game and the match.

I think players at all levels underestimate the importance of movement and balance.
They try and hit with huge power and spin.

But, I can tell you from personal experience that if you don't move well and maintain good balance, then good players will eat you up. And, if you're not set well, you won't have a chance to hit those big shots.

So, think of yourself as Fred Astaire and glide around the court.

Until next time,


Glenn Sheiner M.D. - author of Insider Tennis Strategies Tennis Tactics That Almost Helped Roddick Win Wimbledon 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
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Federer's New Drop Shot

Stubborn Roger Federer they all said.

For the last three years every tennis fan/critic in the world has had words of advice for Roger Federer especially on how to play Rafael Nadal.

Coaches came and went and always the refrain was --that Rog fellow is too stubborn.

We all talked about the backhand return and what he should do. We talked about not rallying with Nadal but attacking persistently.

Irony of irony -- Federer adds to his game, gets a glimpse of the success of his new tactics in the altitude of the Madrid, and then watches his rival crash out in the middle rounds of the French Open.

So, what did Federer do differently?

To this observer, Federer obviously served far better than in recent memory. And, when you have a serve that is as precisely placed as Fed's, it's money in the bank when its on.

But, the biggest change I noted in the groundstroke tactics was the increased use of the drop shot.

We've all known what a great slice backhand Federer has always possessed. However, against Nadal, the slice backhand often allowed Nadal to hit topspin forehands even inches off the ground and regain control of the point.

The classic Federer slice backhand didn't hurt Nadal positionally. What I mean by this is that Nadal wasn't forced to move to a part of the court where he was in danger by virtue of a bad position on the court.

The Fed drop shot forces opponents to charge in just to actually get it. If they do reach it, they have to do something good with it or else they find themselves a sitting duck at the net.

And remember two things. Almost all of Fed's opponents including Rafa are clay courters who like to camp out way behind the baseline on clay. This is great for defending against heavy groundstrokes but makes one vulnerable against a well-placed and disguised drop shot.

And secondly, Federer is a far better volleyer than almost all of his opponents. So, when he pulls people into the net he is luring them into his territory -- a tennis mousetrap so to speak.

So, how can the average club player learn from this?

Well, consider the drop shot if you're opponent exhibits any of the following:

1. Likes to play way behind the baseline;
2. Doesn't like to come to net and volleys poorly;
3. Isn't that quick;
4. Has a poor overhead.

Next time we'll talk about where to hit the drop shot and how to move after hitting it.

Until next time,


Glenn Sheiner M.D. - author of Insider Tennis Strategies Top Tennis Tactics Like The Federer Drop Shot 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
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Should You Return Like Nadal?

Watch Rafael Nadal as he returns serve, especially on clay.

What you'll see is that Nadal stands way back to return and then hits a high, looping, heavy topspin, return off both the forehand and backhand.

Nadal is basically saying that he is so confident in his ability to chase down a second shot, that he is choosing to give himself as much time as possible to rip a heavy return.

Many other players stand in tighter and return with an abbreviated stroke, using the pace of the serve.

On clay, I think it's definitely worthwhile to try Nadal's strategy aspecially if you have heavy groundstrokes which can do some damage if you take a full swing.

Nadal also returns very high over the net which dramatically increases his percentage of returns in play. Again, this makes him theoretically vulnerable to serve and volleyers, but considering that there are no good serve and volleyers on tour, it's seems to be a pretty fair bet.

We'll analyze further aspects of Nadal's game in the next few posts but, as you watch him play his matches, start to watch his shot selection and how he almost always goes for high percentage shots.

Until next time,

Glenn Sheiner M.D. - author of Insider Tennis Strategies How To Return Smart Like Rafael Nadal 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
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Those Savvy Defensive Players

Every once in a while, you come across an opponent whose winning record seems in sharp contradiction to the way he looks while playing.

Sometimes, these guys look slow, hit with no power, and yet they beat almost everybody except for the the top players.

I had the opportunity to play such a player this past weekend.

Now, this fellow comes with quite a tennis pedigree having been on touring junior teams for a South American country and having played the Orange Bowl tennis tournament.

The obvious way to play these type of players is to try and hit through them. But, this fellow's defense was superb. And, I'm not talking about Nadal type passing shots.

This fellow, let's call him Eduardo, has the ability to hit low, slow, slice balls down the line with extraordinary precision. This particular position on the court is a very difficulot position for most attacking players and especially for most club players who don't practice what to do with this ball.

The obvious response is back down the line but Eduardo knows this too and covers this shot.In hindsight, I think the shot to hit might be a short angled topspin crosscourt. However, this isn't a shot that most club players practice very often and isn't something that one might go to naturally in the heat of battle.

So, the lesson is to never to judge how good someone is until you've been on the court with them and see for yourself.

Until next time,

Glenn Sheiner M.D. - author of Insider Tennis Strategies How To Play Pushers And Win Big Matches 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
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What The Club Player Can Learn From Nadal And Murray

Rafa Nadal and Andy Murray are two of the best players in the world. They both play a primarily defensive game although Nadal can convert to offense in an instant which I think makes him so incredible.

But, as I watching the most recent match between the two (the final at Indian Wells),I was struck by the intelligence of the types of shots they were both playing as they played defense in points.

When in a little bit of trouble, perhaps pulled out wide, watch how Nadal and Murray often hit loopy, deep shots with less pace than their normal groundstrokes.

They don't panic at all. They hit these higher, slower shots because they want a little extra time to recover their court position. You might also see slice backhands especially from Nadal.

So, as you're playing your matches at your club, remember this principal. Next time, you're in a bad position in a point, try to hit the ball to a safe place using a little more height over the net and maybe with less pace.

But, always remember that after hitting your shot, bust your gut getting back into good position so that, in essence, you can restart the point.

Glenn Sheiner M.D. - author of Insider Tennis Strategies Top Tennis Tips AND Coaching Advice 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
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Old School Forehand Versus Modern Forehand

If you're of a certain vintage, then you learned to play tennis with the classic linear forehand. You took the racket back early, played mostly neutral or closed stance, and followed through toward the target.

The modern forehand clearly looks different. It involves different grips and the use of more rotational force. The effect is far more spin, control, and angles.

There are really 2 issues to discuss here.

The first is the advantage of the modern forehand versus the classical for the club player. The second is how to hit the modern forehand and retrain yourself.

Let's start off with the first issue. As I see it, the classical forehand can be very effective at the club level if hit well. It is especially effective if your opponents are hitting a ball that doesn't bounce too high as the classic forehand is hit with a conservative grip ( eastern or continental).

However, if you're a bit of a old-timer and you're playing younger players who have grown up being taught the modern forehand, you may find that it becomes very difficult to handle the high bouncing balls produced by the modern forehand.

And, you may marvel at the ease of which the modern forehand players can destroy high balls.

So, the classical forehand may or may not be an advantage depending on whom you're playing.

The second issue is the technical differences between the two and how you can retrain yourself to hit the modern forehand.

The modern forehand is what is referred to as a multi-segment forehand as opposed to the single segment classical forehand. What this means is that in the classical forehand the entire arm from the shoulder down moves as a single block.

On the other hand, in the modern forehand, there is a movement of multiple segments including the shoulder. elbow, and wrist.

There's also far more rotation involved in the modern forehand.

Here are 2 resources to get you started in exploring the differences:

A short video illustrating the differences

A second video illustrating the differences

Until next time,


Glenn Sheiner M.D. - author of Insider Tennis Strategies Top Tennis Tactics For Playing All Different Types 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
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Volleying Tips From The Old School

Recently, I've had the pleasure of hitting with a 73 year old man at our club.

Not just any 73 year old man, mind you, but a former Davis Cupper and someone can regale you with stories about greats like Don Budge, Pancho Gonzalez, and the Aussies.

A fine gentleman as well.

But, let's get to the tennis part of things.

Obviously, he's from the old school with conservative grips and the traditional linear groundstrokes of that era. But, what an eye for correct technique on the volley and backhand approach shot.

All great volleyers contact the ball in front of them. Most club players contact the ball further back and then wonder why they don't get the stick and angle they desire.

The problem is that most club players may think they're contacting out in front but, in fact, actually aren't.

So, when I'm on the court with this senior with the wisdom of the ages, he continually reminds me to contact out front. When you start to get it, the ball has far more zip.

I noticed the difference in one of our weekly doubles matches. One of the foursome is a fine player with soft hands who can volley well but tends to catch the ball late and let it bounce off the racket instead of sticking it.

When, I got into exhanges at the net I was almost guaranteed to win since his volley had no stick and therefore gave me time to react, whereas my volleys had more zip and ultimately forced the error and won me the point.

So, even if you don't have an ex-pro drilling you on an in-front contact point, remind yourself and practice until you get the feel.

Until next time,


Glenn Sheiner M.D. - author of Insider Tennis Strategies Top Tennis Tactics For Beating The Next Guy 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
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Playing A Talented Pusher

Here's a tennis tip -- consider changing your patterns when playing tall guys.Probably, the most frustrating thing for the typical player is playing what we call a pusher.

That's unless you're the pusher who drives everyone else crazy.

Let's first define what we mean by a pusher.

A pusher is a player who tends to get a lot of balls back with little pace, forcing his or her opponent to create all the pace and actively win the points.

Most people think pushers are inferior players because of their lack of pace and get easily frustrated when they start losing.

And, of course, not all pushers are at the same level. The really high level ones are quick as cats and put the ball in very awkward positions in the court.

So, what are some of the approaches to playing the pusher?

The first is mental. Instead of getting ticked off at the lack of classic tennis that the pusher is playing, start off by admiring their unique brand of artistry. Accept playing them as a real challenge.

If you start to lose, then try to stay calm and figure out what patterns the pusher is using to defeat you.

Often, the pusher's opponent will try to attack very early in points because the slow balls of the pusher look very inviting. Instead, be patient and vary your attacks. If attacking early isn't working then move the pusher around and then try and attack later in the point. Try to vary your pattern so that the pusher doesn't know when you're going to attack.

Avoid overhitting and try to focus on a good follow through to create depth. Wait patiently until you have a very solid attack opportunity.

Next time, we'll talk about positions on the court that the pusher hits to and what possible responses there are.

Until next time,


Glenn Sheiner M.D. - author of Insider Tennis Strategies Top Tennis Tactics For Playing The Tennis Pusher 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
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Tennis Tips When Playing Tall Guys

Here's a tennis tip -- consider changing your patterns when playing tall guys.

Every few months I play a friend of mine who's a rangy 6 feet 4 inches. He's an old school attacking player with flat strokes, takes everything early, and comes to the net where he's very effective and difficult to pass or lob.

Normally, I can control baseline rallies with my groundies and be safe from attack unless I hit a short ball. However, this guy's length enables him to cut off a ton of well-hit crosscourt groundstrokes and push the ball up the line while coming in. It's very disconcerting to say the least.

I've already changed my serving pattern when playing him and tend to serve at his body instead of going for the corners. I find that it's easier to jam him than to beat him wide or down the middle.

So, the next time I play him, I'm going to hit deep down the middle and try not to give him good attacking angles.

I'll let you know how it goes.

Until next time,

Glenn Sheiner M.D. - author of Insider Tennis Strategies Top Tennis Tips To Win Big Matches 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
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Training With The Number One Guy In Canada

Sorry for the recent gap in posting. Sometimes, life just gets so busy that something has to give.

In the fall, I had the opportunity to train with the number one player in Canada in the 45's. The whole experience was very educational.

As always, there are technical as well as tactical issues. Since this blog focuses on tactical aspects, the only thing I will say about technique is that this guy has simplified takebacks as compared to most well-known pros, and uses less wrist action on his groundies.

The main difference I noticed was the consistent depth of shot. While at a certain level, most shots have reasonable depth, there is usually quite a bit of variation in the depth. So, a top player can just be patient when playing a lower player because he knows that sooner or later, he will get a short ball or an error.

The next thing I noticed was much better footwork when moving. Many players are strong hitting their strokes when stationary, but their strokes break down when they are forced to move. Again, better players can win relatively easily by hitting safe shots that require their opponents to move.

The surprising thing was that power wasn't really an issue.

So, when you're practicing focus on consistent depth, especially when you're forced to move.
Until next time,

Glenn Sheiner M.D. - author of Insider Tennis Strategies How Top Tennis Players Win Big Matches 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
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Lessons From The Canadian Nationals

At the end of the summer, I watched some of the Canadian Seniors Tennis Mens Championships.

These are the annual summer championships in age groups 35-75.

And, although Canada isn't known as the strongest tennis country in the world, the Canadian champion has also been the world champion in a number of age categories in the past few years.

The final in the 35's was a brilliant example of strategic tennis.

The match pitted a very talented, old school, continental grip player against a modern, fit, semi-western grip, heavy baseliner. To make it even more interesting, the old school player is left-handed, a former satellite pro, and somewhat out of shape. To get a sense of his game think McEnroe or Laver.

The first set was fairly standard tennis with each player trying to see if their basic game was going to be enough to win. And, as the set went on, it became apparent that the more fit, topspinning, modern player was controlling baseline rallies.

The match was on clay, so it was quite difficult for the lefty to attack the net successfully. The first set went by pretty quickly, 6-2 to the baseliner.

Many observers, including an- ex Davis Cupper, left thinking the match was over.
Some of us hung in there to see what new tactics the talented lefty would try in the second set.

Lefty started to hit heavy, short slice landing somewhere around the service line.
This forced the modern player to move and to have to hit up from the service line with his semi-western grip.

Immediately, it became apparent that the modern player didn't know what to do with this ball. He certainly couldn't dominate rallies from here, didn't want to attack himself, and actually missed many shots into the net.

The savvy lefty smelled blood. He kept at it and added in some incredible drop shot returns off of first serves.

The rest of the match went smoothly with a 6-2 win in the third for the old school lefty.

For those of us watching, it was a brilliant example of changing tactics in the middle of a match to turn a losing situation into a winning one.

The key is to realize what grip you're opponent is using and what advantages and disadvantages that grip leads to. Semi-western or western forehand grips are excellent on high balls but weak on low balls.

So, try slicing to the forehand of your next opponent who's killing you with his semi-western forehand.

Until next time,

Glenn Sheiner M.D. - author of Insider Tennis Strategies How Top Tennis Players Win Big Matches 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
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A Clever Tactical Pattern

As you improve your tennis game, the tactics that you use in your matches will probably change.

I write a lot about patterns in my book INSIDER TENNIS STRATEGIES but here is a general observation from playing club players up to national level players and ex-Davis Cup players.

I would say that the basis of 3.5 -4.5 club tennis is attacking your opponent's backhand. I think it is relatively rare that a player at this level has a better backhand than forehand. So, often the play is to serve to the backhand, approach to the backhand even if it's a crosscourt approach, etc.

But, my observation has been that at the higher levels, the backhands of many players are more consistent than the forehands. Many top players in the over 45 categories play with a one-handed backhand. Although they probably won't return with a topspin backhand, they often have a very compact slice return which is very reliable.

On the other hand, most players return with a full swing on the forehand. This requires more time and timing, often leading to more errors.

The other thing to notice is that most top players position themselves to hit inside-out forehands. They stand towards the backhand corner, enabling themselves to run around many backhands to hit forehands.

They leave the forehand corner exposed because most players can't hit down-the-line backhands well.

As a result many top players have poor footwork going to their forehand corner. Believe it or not, I even think Federer has a problem with his balance going to the forehand corner. Remember, if you can get your opponent of balance, you may not beat him or her with the first shot, but may win the point with the next shot.

So, work on your crosscourt forehand and your down-the-line backhand and don't be afraid to use them if you run into a player with a good backhand who is beating you.

Until next time,

Glenn Sheiner M.D. - author of Insider Tennis Strategies Top Tennis Tactics AND Coaching Lessons 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
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What's Wrong With Federer

What's wrong with Roger Federer? This is the question bouncing around the tennis world these days with just as many theories being put forward to answer that $64,000 question.

I think everyone would agree that Federer's confidence is shot. But, how exactly does that effect his play?

I had the opportunity to watch Federer on the practice courts the day after his loss last week to Gilles Simon in the Rogers Cup in Toronto. He was hitting with a hitting partner who was just there to keep the ball in play.

What struck me was how erratic Federer was, especially off the forehand.

It made me think about the construction of Federer's tactical game.

Roger has never been a player who is content to hit 15-20 balls every point and outwork his opponent. At his essence, he's a shotmaker, unlike his main adversary Rafael Nadal, who is essentially a defensive player content to outwork his opponents and tire them physically.

And, when your confidence goes it is hard to attack well.

So Federer really has 2 choices as far as I can see. He can reaffirm that he's an attack player and improve his approach shots and his volleys. Or, he can say that he needs more tactical margin and gets into the mindset of grinding out some points at certain important times in matches.

Personally, I think Federer is better off attacking because there are too many young, quick guys with 2 handed backhands who can rally and run all day long.

Plus, Federer is not getting any younger and the grinding style is very hard on the body.

So, I say let Fed attack and let the chips fall where they may.

Until next time,

Glenn Sheiner M.D. - author of Insider Tennis Strategies Top Tennis Tactics AND Coaching Lessons 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
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Comparing Nadal Versus Djokovic On Hard Courts

The professional tennis tour , at least the men's side of things, has landed in Toronto, Canada for the upcoming Rogers Cup scheduled to begin tomorrow.

As is my tradition, I like to go up the weekend before the tournament starts to catch some of the practice court action.

Yesterday, I saw a little of Andy Murray, Feliciano Lopez, and Radek Stepanek but the highlights of the day included the hour long session between Rafael Nadal and Tommy Robredo and the session pitting Novak Djokovic versus Thomas Berdych.

Obviously, the crowd was bonkers for both Nadal and Djokovic as they are huge crowd favourites.

I was out there looking for general impressions of their form.

My overall impression is that Djokvic looks more solid than Nadal on the hard court.

Djokovic takes almost every ball on the rise or at the peak of the bounce. This gives his game a metronomic feel and minimizes his need to cover court.

Rafa, on the other hand, relies on his brute power and great speed. He seems to take balls at different heights at times and is much more of a shot maker than the Djokester.

I think the regularity of the bounce on hard court will really play into the strength
of Djokovic and would not be surprised to see him have another great hard court season like last year.

The one obvious improvement that I saw in Nadal's game compared to 2 years ago is his serve. It is much bigger and better placed. This is the one unknown for Nadal going into the hard court season.

We all saw how effective his serve was at Wimbledon. If he can hold easily on hard court as well, then he becomes a lethal opponent on this surface as well.

Now, I didn't get a chance to see Federer so I can't comment on his form.

Let the games begin.

Until next time,

Glenn Sheiner M.D. - author of Insider Tennis Strategies Top Tennis Tactics AND Coaching Lessons 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
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Clay Then Grass Now Back To Clay

The French Open is a distant memory while the Wimbledon Final still creates a warm glow.

For tennis fans, the big questions are how will Nadal's knees hold up on the hard courts this summer and who will win the US Open later this summer.

So, what does the tour do post Wimbledon?

Well, they've scheduled a couple of clay court events including one in Stuttgart and the Swedish Open.

For players this has to be a bit of yo-yo feeling. First clay for a few months, then grass for 3 weeks, then back to clay for a week, then onto hard courts in North America.

Can't wait to see Nadal on hard courts.

Until next time,

Glenn Sheiner M.D. - author of Insider Tennis Strategies Top Tennis Tactics AND Coaching Lessons 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
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What Can We Take Away From Wimbledon 2008

What a glorious Sunday this was for tennis fans.

The final of Wimbledon 2008 is already being talked about in reverential tones. Phrases like " the greatest tennis match of all-time" are being tossed around with the frequency of rain delays at Wimbledon.

It's obvious to anyone who has watched tennis closely the past 3 years, that Rafael Nadal has improved his game to an extent that is almost never seen on the pro tour. Players may work on some parts of their game and show improvement but Nadal has turbo-charged his game.

His backhand which was a liability everywhere but on clay 3 years ago is now a lethal weapon.
He can hit heavy topspin to neutralize his opponents, he can drive flat balls with rocket speed, and he can hit both a vicious slice or a floating slice to change the pace of the point.

Not to mention that he has added speed and variety to his serve and gained considerable expertise in volleying.

Who could have imagined that Nadal would serve and volley down love 15 in the biggest game of his life?

All credit has to go to Nadal and his coaches.

Now, notice that Nadal is not a product of a high-level tennis academy with a pedigreed coach who has directed other players to the pinnacle of the game.

So, Uncle Toni as he's known must know a hell of a lot about tennis. It's also been said that Carlos Moya, the fellow Majorcan, has been a major influence on the younger Rafa.

Nadal started with a warrior's heart, a sprinter's speed, and a boxer's knockout topspin forehand. But, now he is becoming a complete player.

I can't wait to see him play at the next 2 hard court slams.

Don't be surprised if you see him holding up a trophy either in New York or Melbourne or both.

Until next time,

Glenn Sheiner M.D. - author of Insider Tennis Strategies Great Tennis Tips AND coaching Lessons 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
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Wimbledon 2008 --Almost Sad To See Roddick Lose

I have mixed emotions about Andy Roddick.

On the one hand, as a tennis purist, I find his game unidimensional. He has the big serve, which probably isn't as big as it used to be, but the rest of his game is disappointing. The forehand is good, the backhand horrific, return of serve poor, and volleys almost non-existant.

On the other hand, I admire his competitive grit and his desire to try and improve by doing things like hiring Jimmy Connors to coach him and help his backhand.

But, in the final analysis, he has a poorly designed game given his skills.

It's a pity that none of his coaches recognized that his foot speed would not allow him to be a successful baseliner at the pro level and that he would need a great volley to finish points.

Think Max Mirnyi instead of Rafael Nadal.

I was cringing watching the final set tiebreak today against Tipsarevic. Roddick could do nothing but push his backhand and you don't win in the pros by pushing. His unforced backhand error at 4-5 in the tiebreak was just so sad and reflective of where he's at as a player now.

Maybe Andy should play doubles to work on his return and volleys?


Until next time,

Glenn Sheiner M.D. - author of Insider Tennis Strategies Tennis Strategy Tactics And Tips To Guarantee You Improve Your Tennis Ranking. Also, check out the world's top tennis humor screensaver
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Wimbledon 2008 Heats Up

The 2008 Wimbledon Tennis Championship are underway.

Day 3 and a huge dose of shock in the 2008 Wimbledon Championships.

Marat Safin has just taken out the number 3 seed Novak Djokovic. Roger Federer, in my opinion, is breathing a little bit easier.

Although Djokovic played poorly today, he still is third best player in the world and capable of insanely good tennis.

Are the Wimbledon gods taking care of Rog?

Until next time,

Glenn Sheiner M.D. - author of Insider Tennis Strategies Great Tennis Tips AND Lessons To Win More Tennis Matches 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.

Technorati Tags Tennis

2008 Wimbledon Draw Could Be Critical

The 2008 Wimbledon Tennis Championship is just around the corner.

And, in the past year a new, critical pre-tournament variable has popped up --Who has to play Djokovic in the semifinals?

On clay, it was an issue but not that much of one. Nadal has never lost to the djoker on clay.

On grass, it's potentially a whole different story.

Nadal beat Djokovic last weekend for his first grass court title but it was an extremely close match that could have gone either way.

On the other hand, Djokovic beat Federer in the Australian final and also last summer in Montreal. Granted, these victories were on hard court but, if I'm Federer, I don't want to risk playing Djokovic in the semis.

The luck of the draw recently has favored Federer. I think it's about time Nadal got a little lucky draw of his own.

Until next time,

Glenn Sheiner M.D. - author of Insider Tennis Strategies Tennis Strategy Tactics And Ideas To Help You Improve Your Game 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.

Technorati Tags Tennis
Technorati Tags Wimbledon