"Believe nothing. No matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense."—Buddha. Lance Armstrong, the most tested athlete in the history of sports, has been caught by USADA and turned in by his teammates, and the…
When I hear players advised to "try your hardest," I cringe because the idea of big effort is often a trigger for strength and force, and not relaxed efficiency. Great tennis mechanics are the result of timing, postural control and the sequencing of movements. "Your hardest" effort is not your best. Imagine that you were…
This is the calm before the storm, as rumors have circulated for months that the ATP Player Council, led by Roger Federer, is going to strike at this year’s Australian Open over prize money inequities. The players are mad as hell and not going to take it anymore and now unlike the past efforts at negotiations,…
I’d like to bring a small snack and a bottle of water when I go to watch the U.S. Open, but I don’t because it’s just not worth the hassle. The security screening line which ensures that no unauthorized PB and J sandwiches threaten the event is enormous. If convenience is high on your list of…
Andy Roddick announced his retirement at the 2012 U.S. Open on Thursday, his 30th birthday. Roddick was the best male, American player of the last decade, and in this regard, he was in the right place at the right time as Sampras and Agassi were calling it quits. Roddick won the U.S. Open in 2003 and was…
The All England Championships at Wimbledon is usually a staid event with muted tones and hushed crowds, but the Olympic Tennis event is a raucous party … I love it! My first thought when I tuned to the coverage on Bravo is that the vivid colors reminded me of that great scene for "The Wizard…
It’s now official, Pete Sampras is without doubt the second best player that East Hampton, N.Y. native Paul Annacone has coached, as Roger Federer extended his record of major titles to 17 with a brilliant 4-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4 win over British hope Andy Murray. Federer now also ties Sampras and 1880’s player William Renshaw with…
The biggest news in women’s tennis today, as reported by The Associated Press, is not the sublime play on the grass at Wimbledon, instead, it’s the ridiculous suggestion that "Grunt-O-Meters" be used to cut down the grunting in women’s tennis. In a statement, the WTA said, "The WTA, ITA and Grand Slams aim to drive…
Title IX of The Education Amendments of 1972 is celebrating its 40 anniversary. If you are a girl playing tennis, then you should be celebrating too because this legislation is having a profound and positive impact on your life. One study estimates that Title IX has increased female sports participation in high school and college…
After watching Novak Djokovic save four match points and come back to defeat Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in this year’s French Open quarterfinals, two things appear to be true. First, The world’s number one player is not yet the best player in the world on clay. That title still belongs to Rafael Nadal until proven otherwise. Second,…