Sabalenka round 4 vs Anisimova

I wanted to believe that this was where the tennis was going to start to pick up, but right off the bat players were making return errors

To me, the women play a game of blackjack.

The winners cancel out the errors and what they are hoping for is more winners than errors.

Unreturnables factor in also.

I don’t watch much WTA but I do miss Ash Barty.

I feel like there is so much room for clean-up in their games and make matches more efficient. But, I’m not sure if they care.

Winners find a way to win, Losers find a way to lose.

Question: When are return errors bad?

-When are they not?

For sure, no one likes to make return errors. But, return errors after Winners kill momentum. After a loss of the previous point is silly too. After your opponent Double Faults. After an early unforced error by you or your opponent.

I mean, they are just dumb.

But, we all do it.

One problem for players is how you view them. If you look at the negative and obsess over them, you will continue to make more errors. If you look at the positive and focus forward on making the next one, you’ll have a better chance at making them (at least make adjustments. The last thing you want to focus on is technique during a match. If you are missing long, aim short. What that does is take away the thought process and your swing will automatically adjust to the area you are aiming at.

I tell the players to “Make it happen” rather than thinking about how to make it happen.

“Don’t make the same mistake twice,” my father would say to me. “Morons make the same mistake twice. Fools don’t learn from their mistakes.”

My Mom used the other word for moron.

The “R” word (that I still use today. People hurt by words are losers. Weak. Mentally challenged. It’s so weird to me how sensitive people are these days. Growing up, sensitivity was a weakness (and still is).

Confident people are not hurt by words.

(Isn’t it funny how people shame on you with their “public face” yet crap on everyone behind their backs. Even their friends. It was so weird to go to adult gatherings and listen to people shit on other people. Not a good look. Jealousy. Misery loves company).

**Each game so far is full of (+1, 2) errors negated by winners.

**and return errors that keep multiplying like a gremlin.

Two major things to think about for WTA players.

-Where are you starting your (+1) and why? What space are you using?

-What “cornering” combo do you want to use? First to Box 1 or first to Box 4

To go with that, you have to be able to make points last a little bit at least.

-adding here. Flipping combos. You have to start points one way and move them other ways

(Wheels. Three ball switches. Four ball switches. Designed to attack movement, or lack of movement depending on how you look at it).

There was a rain delay during the first set. Anisimova came out swinging after the break. The thing I noticed right away was that she was dropping the racket more on her forehand backswing and the ball flight was better.

Do the other coaches pay attention to this?

Wouldn’t it make sense to sneak some patterns over to the backhand side (because Anisimova is focused on her technical forehand)?

Break the body, break the mind.

Break the mind, Own the mind.

**Another important thing for WTA players. Understanding angles of attack. The players are “spacial.” Balls that move away from the body (the strike zone) are generally pounded or at least hit well because of the compact swings and the inside-to-outside swing path **because of the backswings that wrap around the body**

-Balls that move from outside to inside produce a lot of errors because of the wrap around the back backswings (I would work on that. A simple drill is doing shift work. Basically, start at the center of the court, shift left to the ally and move back to the center while a feeder purposely tries to jam you…use different locations and whatnot).

**This is only at the high levels. Balls under 45ish MPH offer no problems. Serves under 80mph are meatballs.

But, like Zach Greinke, MLB pitcher, I would have tested that theory.

“Watch me beat this guy and not hit a ball above 45mph.”

I bagelled a college player from Seton Hall with slice only. Forehands and Backhands. Drop shots and lobs. Double drop shots too (I would drop the guy and after I had lobbed him enough, I would instead hit a drop to the other side of the net after a drop shot…sometimes even three times in a row).

I was pissed. The guy was being a baby over a let I called so I gave him a match he would never forget.

Anyway.

If the WTA revolves around serve (+1) then let’s talk about it.

Say you serve wide deuce, there’s three (+1’s) that are available.

-True center of the court

-Box 3

-Box 4

Each has a different value.

*Box 4 is simply your winner ball. The value changes depending on the game score. If you are playing lower ranked players, you can change the flight to the box and it increases what you can do…even a hit and follow.

*Box 3 is a primary and is used to manipulate the point in either direction. You can even play a Box 3/Box 2 middle

*True center can be mixed with the T serve. The value is in the manipulation of speeds by using the serve or the (+1).

Match to match, the missed returns are mind-boggling.  

The smash-and-bash style just doesn’t do anything for me.

At some point, you want to use your mind.

When I watch WTA I have flashbacks to Mike Tyson’s Punchout. Like every player has a cheat code, a combo you can use to neutralize the (+1) winners.

I’m hoping I have something to learn in the next match.

I’m not liking the missed returns and early errors.

It’s getting old fast.