In 2001 I heard a quote from an all time legend of the game that made a heap of sense. Andre Agassi told Yevgeny Kafelnikov to take his prize money and go buy some perspective. The Russian believed he was not being paid enough as a tennis professional, Agassi disagreed and even stated that tennis players were overpaid. I believe that they agreed to disagree on that one.
Ten years earlier however myself and two other West Australian tennis 'junkies' had a different way of buying perspective. We all had a desire to test ourselves not only as tennis players but as individuals over the other side of the World in a series of tennis tournaments.
Why is still unclear but personally I suppose I was after a self assessment with my tennis. I doubt that my touring partners were in it for any less than just that. We all wanted to put ourselves in the harshest possible climate to see whether our games' owned substance.
It's all very well to be a good tennis player in your town or City however some go through their days on court with a 'Walt Disney' version of the game. None of us were interested in hanging up our rackets without a fair dinkum look at just how tough the sport was. We had all played junior State Championships in Perth, Western Australia, we had all had some success. None of us though really had received a tennis education of sorts and it's what we all desired. Let me introduce us.
My name is Glenn Thompson and I was born in Albany, WA. I am now 47 years of age. Brett Patten was born in Geraldton, WA and is now 44 years of age. Peter Gerrans was born in Perth, WA and is also 44 years of age.
Every tournament entry was buying me perspective, perhaps 80 French francs from memory. Twenty dollars is a pretty cheap way to do a self assessment on your own ability as a tennis player. Some will refuse to accept the finer details of a defeat because it is perhaps a sign of personal weakness, maybe technical, perhaps mental. Many excuses are given for some losses, 'I got ripped off , I had a bad hamstring, My racket was strung too tight, I had an off day'.
My perception of a loss is simple, my opponent was better on the day, end of argument. I have often heard the term 'I got cheated' but that to me is a cop out because if you are hitting that many balls on the lines and your opponent keeps calling them out then the equation is simple. Your tactics are all wrong, who taught you to try to hit a line on a tennis court ? Surely that's not smart tennis. If you are playing someone who has trouble calling the lines then keep the ball well in play, how will you get cheated then ?
In Europe I learned that there were so many tennis players who weren't perhaps even 'tennis players' but guys who had real jobs and just used the sport as an outlet. After all if all of those 'tennis players' who we saw relied on the sport for a living then the majority would be lined up at the unemployment office in between tournaments asking for hand outs.
Brett however was a rarity, he won more money on our tour than he in fact took with him, that was totally outrageous but that's who Brett was, a player who defied the odds on that circuit. He was probably only one of a handful of players who could say that they funded their trip completely by winning more than losing.
We saw players on that tour who were ranked just outside of the European top 30 players, guys who had rankings of -30, -15, -4/6 ( Brett's ranking) then 0, 1/6, 2/6, 4/6, 15, 15/1, 15/2 etc. It was fascinating to watch all standards play at those tournaments and in particular on the clay courts as they were like watching poetry in motion. I don't believe it's possible to describe and do it justice but the ability of some of those players who were never going to be good enough to break through to the top level was intimidating to watch.
I often hear of juniors who apparently have 'what it takes' to become a tennis professional but I take those predictions with a pinch of salt. Watching guys play who were ranked even as 'low' as 2/6 or 4/6 could hit a savage ball, they just lacked that polish to take themselves to the minus figures with their rankings.
So what do all the numbers read ? They give you a place in a tournament, a place to start, not unlike a seeding and it gives the tournament committee a place in the draw to put you. That's what was silly about the St Maxime tournament where my ranking of 0 was the highest of any other player ! There was no way in the tennis World that I deserved that ranking after what I witnessed in that first few weeks in Europe but at least it gave me a start . After St Maxime my ranking was corrected and rightly so.
It's one thing to be more than competitive in drills and practice points against someone of Brett's ranking and ability but it's another to take the game up to them in a match. The European Money Tournament will give a player all the perspective they need for around twenty bucks per competition.
Now that's a cheap way of finding out who you really are as a player.....
Monday, 29 June 2015
Sunday, 28 June 2015
US CAGNES
There were tournaments a plenty in every region of France, the sport over there was huge, quite possibly the reason why they are a force in World tennis. With a tennis tournament in just about every town it seemed, it was no wonder I was seeing some brilliant shot makers. Playing competition tennis was like shelling peas for them, no pressure, a way of life almost, a part of their culture.
After two days of visiting both St Tropez and exploring every part of St Maxime I headed to the tournament at the US Cagnes Tennis Club. Just like all of the other clubs I had seen the one at Cagnes was like something from a Sporting Life magazine that was a showpiece for the game.
It owned clay, synthetic and hard courts and the clay was beautifully manicured before the start of play, swept and watered. There is something about clay court tennis that is unique because it is a test of patience and tactics.
The harshest critics will tell you that it is a slow surface but that statement is only really aligned to the professionals. Yes it is a bit slower than say a hard court but it all depends on your standard. For the pros yes it is slow, to the rest of the tennis population it may simply give us a little more time to play our shots. I think that's the best way to describe it.
I played a reasonable match first up against a guy who I would have imagined to be around 30 years of age, he looked 'battle hardened'. He served and volleyed and he put me under a lot of pressure just as Brett and Peter did with their grass court tactics against the Frenchmen on the clay.
A 6-3, 6-2 score line was one that I reflected on as almost competitive yet I felt I had played a guy who was simply better. He was a player who could work out a strength or weakness early on in the match and settle into a rhythm.
The funny thing is that with a player who attacks the net at every opportunity he gives his opponent no time to get into any sort of groove, yet he thrives off it. I was always taught to find a way to gain rhythm and the best way to do that was to hit as many balls as I could with repetition. So what of a serve and volleyer ?
Are they from another tennis planet ? I remember in 1986 at the quarter finals of Roland Garros where Johan Kriek served and volleyed his way to a win over clay court expert Guillermo Vilas. The 3-6, 7-6, 7-6, 7-6 win to the South African confused the hell out of Vilas who spoke of the tactics by Kriek. I believe that Vilas said that his coach told him that you cannot play that way on clay. Fair comment Guillermo.
I was playing guys of a high standard however who had styles that weren't unique but they were quite simply bloody good at implementing them. My opponent at Cagnes was a clever player who took time from his opposition and who was not interested in handing out rhythm as a peace offering to a foreign traveller.
COGOLIN
After my loss at Cagnes Sur Mer I headed back to St Maxime where Jean eventually arrived back home ready to play the tournament at Cogolin. I had not seen Jean play however he seemed fairly modest of his own ability so I was looking forward to seeing him in action in the over 50's.
Cogolin is a beautiful French town built on a sweeping hill overlooking the ocean and the tennis club of Cogolin is a hard court club which is surrounded by trees, a picturesque setting. Whilst I was planning to play each tournament on clay I was rather eager to play at Cogolin once I saw that it was a hard court tournament, my surface as a kid learning the game in Albany.
I witnessed Jean hitting some balls and he was your typically crafty 'elder statesman' of the game complete with a slice backhand and a confident volley. Jean could play the game and as I said, a rather modest fellow when it came to talking about his own ability.
I lost to a guy named Andre Gerard 6-4, 6-3 but at least I was competitive this time around. Looking back I am so happy to have played someone at tennis by the name of Andre. My fledgling 'career' would have had a huge void in it otherwise !
Jean came home that night after two wins and he had a rather funny way of pronouncing his wins.
"Howd you go Jean" ?
'I wine'
"You wine" ??
'Wee, I wine'
"You mean you WIN" ?
'Wee I WIN'!
Glad we sorted that one. A great guy and he was obviously a good player for his 50 plus age group. I hope he won it but I lost contact with him so I am unsure of his eventual achievements. One day I will find Jean, I don't know how but I must thank him again for his help.
He was the one person who helped me more than anyone else when it came to tournament entries and hospitality. Jean was just one of many who I was blessed to have met through the sport of tennis. It was a sport that I was learning another side to, a generous side that could reward you in ways other than a pay cheque.
Cogolin is a beautiful French town built on a sweeping hill overlooking the ocean and the tennis club of Cogolin is a hard court club which is surrounded by trees, a picturesque setting. Whilst I was planning to play each tournament on clay I was rather eager to play at Cogolin once I saw that it was a hard court tournament, my surface as a kid learning the game in Albany.
I witnessed Jean hitting some balls and he was your typically crafty 'elder statesman' of the game complete with a slice backhand and a confident volley. Jean could play the game and as I said, a rather modest fellow when it came to talking about his own ability.
I lost to a guy named Andre Gerard 6-4, 6-3 but at least I was competitive this time around. Looking back I am so happy to have played someone at tennis by the name of Andre. My fledgling 'career' would have had a huge void in it otherwise !
Jean came home that night after two wins and he had a rather funny way of pronouncing his wins.
"Howd you go Jean" ?
'I wine'
"You wine" ??
'Wee, I wine'
"You mean you WIN" ?
'Wee I WIN'!
Glad we sorted that one. A great guy and he was obviously a good player for his 50 plus age group. I hope he won it but I lost contact with him so I am unsure of his eventual achievements. One day I will find Jean, I don't know how but I must thank him again for his help.
He was the one person who helped me more than anyone else when it came to tournament entries and hospitality. Jean was just one of many who I was blessed to have met through the sport of tennis. It was a sport that I was learning another side to, a generous side that could reward you in ways other than a pay cheque.
Friday, 26 June 2015
'THE PERFECT WAVE' ( THE MIND )
. Thursday, 27 February 2014
'RIDING THE PERFECT WAVE'
I could
never surf , tried , nearly drowned , gave up , wore surf clothes to look the
part instead , but I wish I could have mastered the art of wave riding , I hear
that there is a feeling of pure freedom when you ride that wave to perfection.
I believe Roger Federer could lay claim to riding that perfect wave on many
occasions as he effortlessly hit his way through matches that he could look
back on and say to himself 'perfection'.
Would that be the driving force behind
tennis players as they go in search of a feeling that brings euphoria and a
sense of self satisfaction that perhaps could be likened to surfing a barrel ?
Absolutely , tennis is a game that can bring a feeling of greatness then
a low point of disgust in one's own ability in the blink of an eye , in a time
frame of perhaps two matches . Why is this ?
There are many reasons why we can play a perfect game of tennis , conditions , mind set , health , and perhaps the biggest factor of all , how well our opponents allow us to play . The perfect game of tennis can be played if all of the above factors fall into place on the one given day that gives us a true sense of worth as a tennis player that invariably gets us back on court wanting more the next time.
There are many reasons why we can play a perfect game of tennis , conditions , mind set , health , and perhaps the biggest factor of all , how well our opponents allow us to play . The perfect game of tennis can be played if all of the above factors fall into place on the one given day that gives us a true sense of worth as a tennis player that invariably gets us back on court wanting more the next time.
When things go
wrong we tend to despise the game and go through the thought process of hating
ourselves for the lack of commitment , concentration or desire to push the
physical barriers that are required in a one on one sport.
In reference to the great Roger Federer once again , as brilliant as he is there are better stroke makers in the game but not too many as smart , in his prime the great man rode the barrel and received the perfect score more often than not . His mind set was so good that every day to him was a day where the sun shined and the birds sung his favourite tune , the 40 km winds were a gentle sea breeze and his opponents, despite their high rankings were putting each ball exactly where he wanted it.
Quite often you will see a low ranked player beat a top 20 opponent then lose the next day to a player who is ranked 50 places lower than themselves , why is this ? The mind works in mysterious ways . It's not the shot making , it's the thought process that doesn't allow for greatness in certain players that it does for others on a regular basis .
In reference to the great Roger Federer once again , as brilliant as he is there are better stroke makers in the game but not too many as smart , in his prime the great man rode the barrel and received the perfect score more often than not . His mind set was so good that every day to him was a day where the sun shined and the birds sung his favourite tune , the 40 km winds were a gentle sea breeze and his opponents, despite their high rankings were putting each ball exactly where he wanted it.
Quite often you will see a low ranked player beat a top 20 opponent then lose the next day to a player who is ranked 50 places lower than themselves , why is this ? The mind works in mysterious ways . It's not the shot making , it's the thought process that doesn't allow for greatness in certain players that it does for others on a regular basis .
Not many players can stay switched on for long enough periods of time that will
bring them victories day after day and it's what can bring players to their
knees in frustration and anguish as to what is in fact taking place. 'Who am I today ?? This is not who beat the number 3 seed yesterday!!'
Does a surfer ride the perfect wave each time he goes into the water ? Does a golfer hit the fairway on each drive? The body is willing on most occasions, teaching the mind to be just as committed is not only sport's biggest challenge but perhaps life's as well........
Does a surfer ride the perfect wave each time he goes into the water ? Does a golfer hit the fairway on each drive? The body is willing on most occasions, teaching the mind to be just as committed is not only sport's biggest challenge but perhaps life's as well........
'A FEELING OF BELONGING'
The issue of trying to compete with talented European tennis players may just be the same problem that the players ranked 200 plus have with higher ranked players, a feeling of belonging. Some tennis players can beat up on guys their own standard or less but when it comes to making an impression on a player with many more credentials it may just seem to high a hurdle to clear.
I never once felt as though I belonged on court with the European players because it was their turf with their crowds with their own families and friends to support them. Was I to totally ignore all of that and have no respect whatsoever for the whole situation and simply go about my business like a programmed robot ? Well that's what I was supposed to do but not once did I feel comfortable trying. In fact most of my matches involved a belting in the first set before self pride would kick in and a few games were won in the second set to at least get my Franc's worth out of the entry fee.
So what was the problem ? Was I a pacifist of the sport of tennis who was just happy to take in the surrounds, experience the culture and hand an opponent a match like a postman hands a customer a letter ? Where was my practice form ? It was a confident form and state of mind that if transferred to a match would surely be enough to be more than competitive .
Was I experiencing what Mats Wilander said all those years ago when asked about his personal thoughts on his chances of winning a major against the likes of Connors, McEnroe and Lendl. Wilander played down his chances as previously documented, a sign of respect for the players and the sport. What's wrong with that ?
Was I simply in awe of the sport and the opponents presented to me ? Was my standard just another standard of tennis that only a handful of players broke through to make the next grade and I was being asked by the Tennis Gods the ultimate question "Do you have what it takes Thommo " ?
Every standard of tennis has just that, a testing period, a time to either match it with the players around you or a time to be brutally honest with yourself and work on some issues. Only the strongest players both technically and mentally can keep breaking through the packs as they have that sense of belonging that requires an enormous amount of self belief. Not every player owns that.
Watching Brett in particular against the Europeans was like watching a gate crasher at a party who was not interested in putting on the party hat and playing pass the parcel. He was there for one reason and there were no sentiment involved in his play or his mental approach. You probably notice I speak highly of Brett but that is probably due to his presence on a tennis court, he's 6 feet 4", it's a large presence.
Peter also had some great results and owned self confidence but it was not in the form of Brett's, quite possibly the height factor of about half a foot's difference. Sometimes in a tennis match a call may not go your way and owning a bit of height can often work in your favour, almost like a bloke at a pub who got beer spilled on him. " Hey mate you won't do that again will you ey "? Height can be of advantage in more ways than one in tennis.
Not every tennis player owns height, not every player owns technical or mental prowess and not every player owns an ability to believe in themselves when they are up against many factors in a tennis match. In 1991 I had the opportunity to self assess, the chance to finally put myself in the most uncomfortable tennis environment I could, not unlike Bear Grylls when he challenges himself in the wilderness. Bear doesn't go down to the local nature strip to test himself, he finds the most challenging of jungles to fight his way out of. That's how a tennis player's maturity is often tested, it's the density of wilderness that he can fight his way out of that will define him as a player.
I never once felt as though I belonged on court with the European players because it was their turf with their crowds with their own families and friends to support them. Was I to totally ignore all of that and have no respect whatsoever for the whole situation and simply go about my business like a programmed robot ? Well that's what I was supposed to do but not once did I feel comfortable trying. In fact most of my matches involved a belting in the first set before self pride would kick in and a few games were won in the second set to at least get my Franc's worth out of the entry fee.
So what was the problem ? Was I a pacifist of the sport of tennis who was just happy to take in the surrounds, experience the culture and hand an opponent a match like a postman hands a customer a letter ? Where was my practice form ? It was a confident form and state of mind that if transferred to a match would surely be enough to be more than competitive .
Was I experiencing what Mats Wilander said all those years ago when asked about his personal thoughts on his chances of winning a major against the likes of Connors, McEnroe and Lendl. Wilander played down his chances as previously documented, a sign of respect for the players and the sport. What's wrong with that ?
Was I simply in awe of the sport and the opponents presented to me ? Was my standard just another standard of tennis that only a handful of players broke through to make the next grade and I was being asked by the Tennis Gods the ultimate question "Do you have what it takes Thommo " ?
Every standard of tennis has just that, a testing period, a time to either match it with the players around you or a time to be brutally honest with yourself and work on some issues. Only the strongest players both technically and mentally can keep breaking through the packs as they have that sense of belonging that requires an enormous amount of self belief. Not every player owns that.
Watching Brett in particular against the Europeans was like watching a gate crasher at a party who was not interested in putting on the party hat and playing pass the parcel. He was there for one reason and there were no sentiment involved in his play or his mental approach. You probably notice I speak highly of Brett but that is probably due to his presence on a tennis court, he's 6 feet 4", it's a large presence.
Peter also had some great results and owned self confidence but it was not in the form of Brett's, quite possibly the height factor of about half a foot's difference. Sometimes in a tennis match a call may not go your way and owning a bit of height can often work in your favour, almost like a bloke at a pub who got beer spilled on him. " Hey mate you won't do that again will you ey "? Height can be of advantage in more ways than one in tennis.
Not every tennis player owns height, not every player owns technical or mental prowess and not every player owns an ability to believe in themselves when they are up against many factors in a tennis match. In 1991 I had the opportunity to self assess, the chance to finally put myself in the most uncomfortable tennis environment I could, not unlike Bear Grylls when he challenges himself in the wilderness. Bear doesn't go down to the local nature strip to test himself, he finds the most challenging of jungles to fight his way out of. That's how a tennis player's maturity is often tested, it's the density of wilderness that he can fight his way out of that will define him as a player.
Wednesday, 24 June 2015
'REALITY'
Apart from the first tournament not far from Paris where I lost a tight three setter I struggled to match it with players who were basically 'tournament tough'. The ranking I received was one that could give me a bye through to round two depending on tournament numbers. The guys in the first round were beatable but once you got to the second round the intensity level lifted ten fold, it was a whole new tennis world then.
If I could describe the playing standard of the Europeans at those tournaments it would be 'outrageously talented', a smorgasbord of tennis ability that I had never seen before. I played against guys who I swear did not make an unforced error. How do you beat that ? Some of those guys would completely psyche you out before the match started such was their ability to have a 5 minute warm up and not miss a ball. "It's ok he can't keep this up, surely".......
That was the issue with playing on clay, there were guys who had the stuff on their toast for breakfast, they were dirt ball dynamos with no weaknesses who you had to beat with something other than your shots. You required a brain, not just any sort of brain but a tennis brain. They didn't hand them out back at Roland Garros when I received my papers.
The reality of playing tennis over the other side of the World in a brutally tough environment was that it was just one of many grades with many more ahead of it.
The Money Tournament series was just a stepping stone, one below the Challenger Circuit that accepts no mediocrity. I found tennis in Europe to be an experience that I would not hand back for any amount of local wins handed to me. Brett Pete and myself played a circuit that gave budding tennis players a realistic look at the game, not a Walt Disney one.
If someone was to give me a crystal ball back then and say 'ok Thommo you are going to receive some beatings in Europe that you may have trouble dealing with. You can however bypass them, stay at home and pocket as many local or regional Championships as you like. What's is going to be ' ? (Sort of like a Genie in a bottle giving you two options or wishes )
To be honest I would take the beatings any day because it put my game in a classement ( excuse the French terminology) that gave me a brutal self assessment. That's the way I looked at tennis after Europe but it wasn't the way I looked at it before so for that I am forever grateful.
Playing tournament tennis in Europe was bloody tough and as I have said many times since that trip a player should do themselves a favour by putting their ability into perspective. By playing the best players that you possibly can it will always keep you level headed because in a sport such as tennis it is an impossibility to keep winning. Playing the best players will always keep your head from being filled with egotistical thoughts.
Tennis is all about lessons learned and if those lessons required losses then so be it, there's no point in owning a false sense of security in a sport such as tennis. It's like a boxer fighting out of his weight class, he's not going to jump in the ring without the required skills to save himself from getting hammered. Simple really.
Tennis can hand you a false sense of security or it can give you a reality check, I would take the latter any day of the week.
'STEP ONE' CHAPTER 8
My first full day in Paris was to be one of both taking in some famous sites as well as getting myself set up for the tournament circuit. Before you hit a tennis ball on the European Money Tournament Circuit a ranking is required, you need to be supplied with a series of numbers not unlike that of someone who is having their mug shot taken at a police station.
A trip to Roland Garros, home of the French Open was a trip I will never forget as both of my Swedish heroes had won the championship on more than one occasion, in fact nine times between them. This was the home of French Tennis, a place to be respected and a place to gain a licence to play in a foreign country.
I took a short bus trip from Paris that day and entered the grounds in total awe of the magnitude of the place. It was larger than life. I stood at the top of the stairs overlooking 'Court Philippe Chatrier' otherwise known as Centre Court and dared to dream about hitting a tennis ball there one day. I imagined Borg and Wilander hitting their famous double handed backhands over the net in seemingly endless rallies. Roland Garros was everything I had dreamed it to be yet strangely intimidating all the same, it was like no other tennis stadium I had ever seen.
I remembered some valuable information I learned back in 1987 when I was training at the Coops Tennis facility in Brisbane. There were a number of guys who had played the same tournament circuit in Europe and they came back with invaluable information.
The most informative I suppose was the way in which a player could basically help themselves from the outset with a request of a 'reasonable' ranking.
The information that I gained back then was invaluable as I was told, 'look after yourself' because it was not as though you would be given a hitting test against a qualified evaluator before you received your playing papers. It basically meant that you could say you were of a high standard or an average one, your choice, after all they did not know you.
"Gday mate, I'm chasing a ranking to play the European Money Tournament circuit please".
Chasing ? What is this 'chasing' Monsieur '?
"Sorry I am wishing to gain a ranking for the tournament circuit please" .
'Ah wee Monsieur, now I understand. What is your standard" ?
"Well I am from Australia and I have played and beaten Brett Patten " ( I didn't tell him it was in practice )
'Wee Monsieur Mr Patten is 'Classement' -4/6, a very good player obviously. If you can beat Mr Patten then we will put you in classement 0/00. This classement is for you to prove with results you can get to the minus category of players by winning consistently".
I thought that was a fair call, they weren't going to give me a minus category as that would put me in with the elite players and I knew that category was not mine.
" Here are your papers, good luck with your tennis here in France''.
" Thanks mate".
So off I went, with a ranking that I hoped I could live up to and a dream of performing well.
When you first receive your papers it is a feeling of euphoria as you think that you are on your way to stardom, that things would all fall into place with a minimum of fuss. After all as a classement 0.00 ranked player you were to be 'respected' by your opponents.
Yeah sure Thommo, wishful thinking. It's like the old adage, 'you have to earn respect'.
A trip to Roland Garros, home of the French Open was a trip I will never forget as both of my Swedish heroes had won the championship on more than one occasion, in fact nine times between them. This was the home of French Tennis, a place to be respected and a place to gain a licence to play in a foreign country.
I took a short bus trip from Paris that day and entered the grounds in total awe of the magnitude of the place. It was larger than life. I stood at the top of the stairs overlooking 'Court Philippe Chatrier' otherwise known as Centre Court and dared to dream about hitting a tennis ball there one day. I imagined Borg and Wilander hitting their famous double handed backhands over the net in seemingly endless rallies. Roland Garros was everything I had dreamed it to be yet strangely intimidating all the same, it was like no other tennis stadium I had ever seen.
I remembered some valuable information I learned back in 1987 when I was training at the Coops Tennis facility in Brisbane. There were a number of guys who had played the same tournament circuit in Europe and they came back with invaluable information.
The most informative I suppose was the way in which a player could basically help themselves from the outset with a request of a 'reasonable' ranking.
The information that I gained back then was invaluable as I was told, 'look after yourself' because it was not as though you would be given a hitting test against a qualified evaluator before you received your playing papers. It basically meant that you could say you were of a high standard or an average one, your choice, after all they did not know you.
"Gday mate, I'm chasing a ranking to play the European Money Tournament circuit please".
Chasing ? What is this 'chasing' Monsieur '?
"Sorry I am wishing to gain a ranking for the tournament circuit please" .
'Ah wee Monsieur, now I understand. What is your standard" ?
"Well I am from Australia and I have played and beaten Brett Patten " ( I didn't tell him it was in practice )
'Wee Monsieur Mr Patten is 'Classement' -4/6, a very good player obviously. If you can beat Mr Patten then we will put you in classement 0/00. This classement is for you to prove with results you can get to the minus category of players by winning consistently".
I thought that was a fair call, they weren't going to give me a minus category as that would put me in with the elite players and I knew that category was not mine.
" Here are your papers, good luck with your tennis here in France''.
" Thanks mate".
So off I went, with a ranking that I hoped I could live up to and a dream of performing well.
When you first receive your papers it is a feeling of euphoria as you think that you are on your way to stardom, that things would all fall into place with a minimum of fuss. After all as a classement 0.00 ranked player you were to be 'respected' by your opponents.
Yeah sure Thommo, wishful thinking. It's like the old adage, 'you have to earn respect'.
Tuesday, 23 June 2015
CHAPTER 1 A TENNIS JOURNEY'
I used to think tennis was a sport that I was going to eventually master. I had high aspirations, like many before me and many after me. Being a kid who could play tennis reasonably well it seemed that success would be a natural progression. The naivety of youth.
When I was a kid I went from a total fear of winning to a more than competitive junior in numerous State championships held in Perth, Western Australia. Before leaving the State to train full time in Queensland I racked up enough points to have a Western Australian ranking of number 7 for the 16's age group, but I was no future champion. In fact I was far from it, I was just an average player in a long line of very good players who could hit a ball over the net with some consistency.
I consider myself a tennis nobody, a tennis junkie who used to wag school as a teenager to go and hit balls at the local club. In fact I once replied to someone who asked me when I left school with " Usually at lunchtime to go and play tennis ". I had no motivation to do anything but play tennis when I was a kid yet I had no real understanding of the enormity of the task of doing it for a living.
I learned to respect the sport of tennis on a tour of Europe in 1991 as a 21 year old with two other Western Australian tennis players, Brett Patten and Peter Gerrans. Both of them could play the game well and I admired their ability to take it up to the Europeans who didn't speak much English. I found that alone to be intimidating.
The following story is my account of not only a European tennis tour but the problems associated with putting all of your eggs in one basket. I gained a huge respect for the game both during the tour and after when I took up coaching. I learned that tennis was no 'Walt Disney' sport with Mickey Mouse type characters running around hitting fluffy balls over nets made of clouds.
I learned that it was a head game, a thinking man's game that could make you a hero one day and have you scratching your head for answers the next. To me it was a sport that finally made sense and for that I am truly grateful.
I am just one of thousands of tennis players who had a dream of hitting against the World's best on hallowed courts at Roland Garros or Wimbledon yet didn't make the cut. I used to look upon that as a failure however my perception changed after a personal assessment on it all many years later.
It's that sort of sport, one that takes years for the head to finally understand the finer details of it all. It's not to say that you ever stop learning either, I am still learning after 35 years of playing and coaching.
It wasn't all business on that trip, we had a lot of fun and a few beers along the way to lighten the mood after many losses to Europeans with Rafa like forehands. You have to live a little as well.
This book typifies the travels of thousands of tennis players who didn't make the big time, however that should not be looked upon as failure. To not realise one's full potential when you had the opportunity would be the only time a tennis player should ever doubt themselves.
'A Tennis Journey' is a book that has taken me more than 25 years to finally write but I still remember Europe as though it was yesterday. A trip down memory lane with two mates.
Glenn Thompson
I believe it's possible to respect the sport of tennis too much, I know I did. My heroes when I was learning the game were Swedish legends Bjorn Borg and Mats Wilander and I will never forget when Mats was castigated for his rather open assessment of his own ability.
John McEnroe openly criticised Mats for playing down his chances at certain major tournaments when he was just on the scene as a teenager even though he had won the French Open at age 17 in 1982. Personally I believe that Mats was showing a sign of respect to his more experienced and credentialed opponents and I admired him for it.
When I was a kid I went from a total fear of winning to a more than competitive junior in numerous State championships held in Perth, Western Australia. Before leaving the State to train full time in Queensland I racked up enough points to have a Western Australian ranking of number 7 for the 16's age group, but I was no future champion. In fact I was far from it, I was just an average player in a long line of very good players who could hit a ball over the net with some consistency.
I consider myself a tennis nobody, a tennis junkie who used to wag school as a teenager to go and hit balls at the local club. In fact I once replied to someone who asked me when I left school with " Usually at lunchtime to go and play tennis ". I had no motivation to do anything but play tennis when I was a kid yet I had no real understanding of the enormity of the task of doing it for a living.
I learned to respect the sport of tennis on a tour of Europe in 1991 as a 21 year old with two other Western Australian tennis players, Brett Patten and Peter Gerrans. Both of them could play the game well and I admired their ability to take it up to the Europeans who didn't speak much English. I found that alone to be intimidating.
The following story is my account of not only a European tennis tour but the problems associated with putting all of your eggs in one basket. I gained a huge respect for the game both during the tour and after when I took up coaching. I learned that tennis was no 'Walt Disney' sport with Mickey Mouse type characters running around hitting fluffy balls over nets made of clouds.
I learned that it was a head game, a thinking man's game that could make you a hero one day and have you scratching your head for answers the next. To me it was a sport that finally made sense and for that I am truly grateful.
I am just one of thousands of tennis players who had a dream of hitting against the World's best on hallowed courts at Roland Garros or Wimbledon yet didn't make the cut. I used to look upon that as a failure however my perception changed after a personal assessment on it all many years later.
It's that sort of sport, one that takes years for the head to finally understand the finer details of it all. It's not to say that you ever stop learning either, I am still learning after 35 years of playing and coaching.
It wasn't all business on that trip, we had a lot of fun and a few beers along the way to lighten the mood after many losses to Europeans with Rafa like forehands. You have to live a little as well.
This book typifies the travels of thousands of tennis players who didn't make the big time, however that should not be looked upon as failure. To not realise one's full potential when you had the opportunity would be the only time a tennis player should ever doubt themselves.
'A Tennis Journey' is a book that has taken me more than 25 years to finally write but I still remember Europe as though it was yesterday. A trip down memory lane with two mates.
Glenn Thompson
I believe it's possible to respect the sport of tennis too much, I know I did. My heroes when I was learning the game were Swedish legends Bjorn Borg and Mats Wilander and I will never forget when Mats was castigated for his rather open assessment of his own ability.
John McEnroe openly criticised Mats for playing down his chances at certain major tournaments when he was just on the scene as a teenager even though he had won the French Open at age 17 in 1982. Personally I believe that Mats was showing a sign of respect to his more experienced and credentialed opponents and I admired him for it.
'GLAM ROCK' CHAPTER 13
Being an 80's fan I loved Glam Rock, I mean LOVED it. That style of music was the only style I would listen to both back then and even now, I am converted. Before travelling to Europe I made a cassette tape of all of my favourite Glam tunes, it was possibly the greatest selection of music ever taken to the other side of the World, in my eyes anyhow.
I took my 'Walkman' with me, you know the Cliff Richard style 'Wired For Sound' headset with earphones that we all used to be seen walking or riding with when we were kids. The cassette tapes that fitted into the Walkman often got stuck and you would spend countless minutes or more rewinding the tape back in with either a biro or pencil. All part of the 'luxury' of owning one.
The Walkman was invaluable as far as tuning out from each other on the trip between tournaments as you can only put up with someone for so long before you have a difference of opinion on something, then all hell can break loose. Now the music on this particular tape was tunes from my favourite bands of all time namely Def Leppard, Kiss, Cheap Trick to name a few. The tape was my sanity, just like the words of Guns 'N Roses classic hit 'Sweet Child of Mine' ........." reminds me of childhood memories where everything was as fresh as the bright blue sky".....
The tape reminded me of home, of all things good and it took me to another place in my head when I needed some sanity. After all here I was in Europe driving from tournament to tournament with two mates from home and not knowing what lay ahead. We were all flying blind so my escape from reality was my music, it always has been but not just any old music, it had to be Glam.
The tape got a run in both Pete and Brett's Walkman also and it hit a chord with both of them, they loved it, probably more so Brett than Pete but they both appreciated my taste in music. The issue with lending a tape to a mate is the danger factor of it all. What if it gets caught in their Walkman and is ruined ? I would have been lost without that 90 minutes of sanity that I played from start to finish and then finish to start on a daily basis for two months. As I said, my sanity.
So it was of no surprise that when Pete did in fact get the tape caught in his Walkman there was a panic, so much so that the car was pulled over at a public toilet and Pete took his music in with him. Why would you do that ?? Little be known to me Pete needed to fix the tape before giving it back to me because if that tape had been ruined they were both well aware that I would have in fact belted someone.
The funny thing was this, I was totally oblivious to it all as I stayed in the car while Pete and Brett made their way to the public toilet block and fixed it, together. The tape was handed back to me from memory further down the road " Hey Thommo thanks for the tape, great tunes, here you go ". "No wuz, glad you enjoyed". I believe that when we went out for a beer that night the whole episode was spelled out to me, perhaps in Pidgin English just to spice it all up "Hey Aussie Glenn, your music tape, very, very good, needed fixing, toilet stop, we did fix, you not know, but you do now". Words to that effect anyhow. Pricks.
Just another episode that could be looked upon as trivial and not worth a mention but to us three Aussies driving around Europe in Le Car, well, it was all part of the fun and worthy of a chapter....
I took my 'Walkman' with me, you know the Cliff Richard style 'Wired For Sound' headset with earphones that we all used to be seen walking or riding with when we were kids. The cassette tapes that fitted into the Walkman often got stuck and you would spend countless minutes or more rewinding the tape back in with either a biro or pencil. All part of the 'luxury' of owning one.
The Walkman was invaluable as far as tuning out from each other on the trip between tournaments as you can only put up with someone for so long before you have a difference of opinion on something, then all hell can break loose. Now the music on this particular tape was tunes from my favourite bands of all time namely Def Leppard, Kiss, Cheap Trick to name a few. The tape was my sanity, just like the words of Guns 'N Roses classic hit 'Sweet Child of Mine' ........." reminds me of childhood memories where everything was as fresh as the bright blue sky".....
The tape reminded me of home, of all things good and it took me to another place in my head when I needed some sanity. After all here I was in Europe driving from tournament to tournament with two mates from home and not knowing what lay ahead. We were all flying blind so my escape from reality was my music, it always has been but not just any old music, it had to be Glam.
The tape got a run in both Pete and Brett's Walkman also and it hit a chord with both of them, they loved it, probably more so Brett than Pete but they both appreciated my taste in music. The issue with lending a tape to a mate is the danger factor of it all. What if it gets caught in their Walkman and is ruined ? I would have been lost without that 90 minutes of sanity that I played from start to finish and then finish to start on a daily basis for two months. As I said, my sanity.
So it was of no surprise that when Pete did in fact get the tape caught in his Walkman there was a panic, so much so that the car was pulled over at a public toilet and Pete took his music in with him. Why would you do that ?? Little be known to me Pete needed to fix the tape before giving it back to me because if that tape had been ruined they were both well aware that I would have in fact belted someone.
The funny thing was this, I was totally oblivious to it all as I stayed in the car while Pete and Brett made their way to the public toilet block and fixed it, together. The tape was handed back to me from memory further down the road " Hey Thommo thanks for the tape, great tunes, here you go ". "No wuz, glad you enjoyed". I believe that when we went out for a beer that night the whole episode was spelled out to me, perhaps in Pidgin English just to spice it all up "Hey Aussie Glenn, your music tape, very, very good, needed fixing, toilet stop, we did fix, you not know, but you do now". Words to that effect anyhow. Pricks.
Just another episode that could be looked upon as trivial and not worth a mention but to us three Aussies driving around Europe in Le Car, well, it was all part of the fun and worthy of a chapter....
'PATSY' CHAPTER 4
Brett Patten or 'Patsy' as he is known by many of his fellow tennis players is a man who I first officially met just before we went to Europe. I had seen him at many junior State championships in Perth but had never actually been formally introduced. I saw him play doubles with his brother Darren at the East Fremantle Junior Championships in 1984 from memory and I was impressed with his ability as a then 12 year old.
If I was to describe patsy in a word it would be 'confident' as he has always been just that both on and off court. Patsy has always had a swagger about him not unlike the AFL star Lance 'Buddy' Franklin who thrives off self confidence to make him play better. Patsy was not in my age group in the juniors so I never got to play him but I would love to have had the opportunity long before our rather belated over 40's clash in 2014. That's another story but officially it was 6-0, 7-5 to Patsy and it's on record, I would have had more of a chance when he was 12.
When I first rang Patsy to ask him about Europe I noticed he had a way about him over the phone that oozed both a calm nature and a laid back type of attitude towards life in general. I liked the idea of travelling with Patsy to Europe as I felt we had similar personalities particularly after our initial practice session where I thumped him easily. (He probably doesn't remember that )
Now as far as our European trip was concerned the most endearing thing I remember about Patsy was his confidence in playing guys from the other side of the World, he had no fear. Many 18 year olds would have played a conservative type of game and simply been happy to put up a good performance. Not Patsy, he wanted to belt those guys.
The way in which he handled both the pro European crowds and his European opponents was a credit to his game and his mindset. Patsy's serve and volleying on the clay in particular was remarkable and he slid into his volleys like it was a surface he had played on all his life. Perhaps his time on the occasional slippery grass courts of Perth put him in good stead for the clay. Whatever it was it was entertaining to watch as he confused many opponents who were no doubt asking the question "What's this Aussie doing ? We only go to net to shake hands".
Patsy won more money than he went with on the European tour of 1991, he was in a word, brilliant, a cocky, arrogant young West Aussie who took the game up to his more seasoned opponents with a confidence that belied his 18 years. I have only ever seen Jonny Mac or Stefan Edberg serve and volley that well on the clay and Patsy won't mind me saying that as he learned his style off both of those champions.
Patsy eventually became World Number 1 for age group 35-40 years and he is testimony to the statement he once sent me on a text. 'Thommo it aint how good you were, it's how good you can still become".
Well said Patsy and well played ........
If I was to describe patsy in a word it would be 'confident' as he has always been just that both on and off court. Patsy has always had a swagger about him not unlike the AFL star Lance 'Buddy' Franklin who thrives off self confidence to make him play better. Patsy was not in my age group in the juniors so I never got to play him but I would love to have had the opportunity long before our rather belated over 40's clash in 2014. That's another story but officially it was 6-0, 7-5 to Patsy and it's on record, I would have had more of a chance when he was 12.
When I first rang Patsy to ask him about Europe I noticed he had a way about him over the phone that oozed both a calm nature and a laid back type of attitude towards life in general. I liked the idea of travelling with Patsy to Europe as I felt we had similar personalities particularly after our initial practice session where I thumped him easily. (He probably doesn't remember that )
Now as far as our European trip was concerned the most endearing thing I remember about Patsy was his confidence in playing guys from the other side of the World, he had no fear. Many 18 year olds would have played a conservative type of game and simply been happy to put up a good performance. Not Patsy, he wanted to belt those guys.
The way in which he handled both the pro European crowds and his European opponents was a credit to his game and his mindset. Patsy's serve and volleying on the clay in particular was remarkable and he slid into his volleys like it was a surface he had played on all his life. Perhaps his time on the occasional slippery grass courts of Perth put him in good stead for the clay. Whatever it was it was entertaining to watch as he confused many opponents who were no doubt asking the question "What's this Aussie doing ? We only go to net to shake hands".
Patsy won more money than he went with on the European tour of 1991, he was in a word, brilliant, a cocky, arrogant young West Aussie who took the game up to his more seasoned opponents with a confidence that belied his 18 years. I have only ever seen Jonny Mac or Stefan Edberg serve and volley that well on the clay and Patsy won't mind me saying that as he learned his style off both of those champions.
Patsy eventually became World Number 1 for age group 35-40 years and he is testimony to the statement he once sent me on a text. 'Thommo it aint how good you were, it's how good you can still become".
Well said Patsy and well played ........
Monday, 22 June 2015
'EXPERIENCE'
Jimmy Connors once said "Experience is a great advantage. The problem is that when you get the experience , you're too damn old to do anything about it".
When I was a kid and invariably lost way more than I won my Dad would always say " Well it's all good experience". I didn't think that when I lost it was anything except poor form or lack of ability. I just wanted to win.
Playing against guys like Peter Trammachi and Andrew Kratzmann in Queensland when I was 17 years old was an experience I will never forget. Peter went on to become a World top 50 ranked doubles player and Andrew made it inside the top 15 for the same two on two format of the sport. 'Kratz' also made it all the way to the final of the 2000 Australian Open where he and his partner lost a marathon match in 5 sets.
I also vaguely remember hitting against Pat Rafter who was in another squad at the time but our squads would occasionally mix together for some variety. We all know what happened with Pat's tennis and the success he had.
The mindset I took with me to Europe was simple, I could match it with those guys, in fact I never lost to Kratz in any of our squad matches and I took several sets off Pete ( Nackers ) in many practice sessions.
Once again I apologise for comparing myself to any legend of the game but I couldn't help but think about Borg who had ten years off. I had only had a three year break due to finally joining the work force through lack of success at tennis so I thought the obvious thoughts.
"Righto Thommo you used to be up there with guys who now make a living out of the game, let's give this whole European idea a red hot go". Something like that anyhow. At the time that I travelled to Europe I believe Nackers and Kratz were just starting to have some wins on the Challenger Circuit so I thought that I was an outside chance of doing ok overseas. It may have been silly but unless you put faith in your own ability I guess it would be a total waste of time in trying anything like a European tournament circuit.
Tennis at any age is like riding a bike, it just depends on what age you are and what experience you have had as to how well you can ride that bike, so to speak. Having experience in tennis is something that is invaluable and it's a rare thing to find many teenagers now days winning against the more seasoned campaigners.
I played several European players in 1991 who were older than me and it showed in their ability to work out my strengths and weaknesses by the end of a game or two. Some players took a set to do the same, they were generally the younger more inexperienced guys who were still learning. With experience and invariably 'older age' there was an ever increasing need for the fitness level of a player to be as high as his younger opponent.
I watched Pete play a much older clay court master who took three sets to get over the line but it was both enjoyable and fascinating to watch despite Pete's loss. Watching the court craft of the European was almost like being in a class room and being taught by a Professor of Sport.
I vividly recall Pete talking after the match about his opponent's physique and the way in which he compared both of his own legs and the European's was rather humorous. In a nutshell there was a big difference.
Experience in tennis is without a doubt what Jimmy Connors described it as, you definitely could have used it when you were younger but that's what makes the sport so unique. Some of the matches I witnessed and played in Europe all those years ago will go down in my memory bank as some of the greatest lessons I ever learned in tennis.
You can't beat experience, but experience can definitely beat you.....
When I was a kid and invariably lost way more than I won my Dad would always say " Well it's all good experience". I didn't think that when I lost it was anything except poor form or lack of ability. I just wanted to win.
Playing against guys like Peter Trammachi and Andrew Kratzmann in Queensland when I was 17 years old was an experience I will never forget. Peter went on to become a World top 50 ranked doubles player and Andrew made it inside the top 15 for the same two on two format of the sport. 'Kratz' also made it all the way to the final of the 2000 Australian Open where he and his partner lost a marathon match in 5 sets.
I also vaguely remember hitting against Pat Rafter who was in another squad at the time but our squads would occasionally mix together for some variety. We all know what happened with Pat's tennis and the success he had.
The mindset I took with me to Europe was simple, I could match it with those guys, in fact I never lost to Kratz in any of our squad matches and I took several sets off Pete ( Nackers ) in many practice sessions.
Once again I apologise for comparing myself to any legend of the game but I couldn't help but think about Borg who had ten years off. I had only had a three year break due to finally joining the work force through lack of success at tennis so I thought the obvious thoughts.
"Righto Thommo you used to be up there with guys who now make a living out of the game, let's give this whole European idea a red hot go". Something like that anyhow. At the time that I travelled to Europe I believe Nackers and Kratz were just starting to have some wins on the Challenger Circuit so I thought that I was an outside chance of doing ok overseas. It may have been silly but unless you put faith in your own ability I guess it would be a total waste of time in trying anything like a European tournament circuit.
Tennis at any age is like riding a bike, it just depends on what age you are and what experience you have had as to how well you can ride that bike, so to speak. Having experience in tennis is something that is invaluable and it's a rare thing to find many teenagers now days winning against the more seasoned campaigners.
I played several European players in 1991 who were older than me and it showed in their ability to work out my strengths and weaknesses by the end of a game or two. Some players took a set to do the same, they were generally the younger more inexperienced guys who were still learning. With experience and invariably 'older age' there was an ever increasing need for the fitness level of a player to be as high as his younger opponent.
I watched Pete play a much older clay court master who took three sets to get over the line but it was both enjoyable and fascinating to watch despite Pete's loss. Watching the court craft of the European was almost like being in a class room and being taught by a Professor of Sport.
I vividly recall Pete talking after the match about his opponent's physique and the way in which he compared both of his own legs and the European's was rather humorous. In a nutshell there was a big difference.
Experience in tennis is without a doubt what Jimmy Connors described it as, you definitely could have used it when you were younger but that's what makes the sport so unique. Some of the matches I witnessed and played in Europe all those years ago will go down in my memory bank as some of the greatest lessons I ever learned in tennis.
You can't beat experience, but experience can definitely beat you.....
Sunday, 21 June 2015
'THE BET'
History will show that Jimmy Connors won his first eight matches against Ivan Lendl and the last seventeen matches went Lendl's way but one match caught my attention more than any other. There was a semi final played at Key Biscane in 1986 that was one of the most entertaining tennis matches I had ever seen, simply brilliant.
Whilst travelling between tournaments in Europe I mentioned to Brett and Peter that I knew the score and the circumstances of the default to Connors in the fifth set of that match. I am not sure whether it was the fact that the older bloke of the tour was imparting some knowledge that was not appreciated or perhaps the fact that I sounded like a know it all but it created arguments for the rest of the trip.
I believe it was more from Brett's side but the amount of money placed on the actual outcome of this particular match could have sent one of us around Europe twice again.
It may have been the small car syndrome that created some heated banter but whatever it was it turned into a circus by the end of the trip. I was adamant that no set from that particular match went over the score of 6-2 but neither Brett or Peter agreed with me. I have always been fascinated with certain tennis scores and the Key Biscane match between those two legends was a rarity in more ways than one.
The score was in fact 1-6, 6-1, 6-2, 2-6, 5-2 Default Mr Connors with Lendl leading. You don't see too many score lines like that so I suppose it was one of the reasons why I brought it up in the first place. I also vividly remember the standard of the match as one that I referred to as 'ping pong' due to the fierceness of the rallies. When Jimbo finally went nuts for the last time and was defaulted it was a real shame as it was one of the best matches I had ever seen up to that point.
So to the bet, I knew I was right, I prided myself on my tennis score memory. I even remembered the score between my 'second' hero Mats Wilander and John McEnroe in that Davis Cup epic Quarter Final in 1982, the same year Wilander won the French Open. Without even looking it up I knew that Mac won 9-7, 6-2, 15-17, 3-6, 8-6 in just a tick under six and a half hours. I even told Brett and Peter that I knew the score of that match so how on earth could I have got the Connors/ Lendl match wrong ??
Maybe they were just taking the piss but it infuriated me every time we talked about it and another hundred francs or a tennis racket was placed on the bet. So what did Brett think ? He thought that the match involved at least a 6-4 set plus a tie breaker. No where near it Patsy. I don't remember what Pete's argument was but I think he was just agreeing with Brett as they were a lethal doubles combination in Western Australian tennis for years.
Looking back we wasted a lot of time on a silly argument that was mainly had in the small confines of 'Le Car' but I think it was just a way to pass the time on some long stretches of highways that were nothing short of spectacular. Given our time again I am sure we would have buttoned up and taken in the scenery a little more rather than try to gain some sort of tennis knowledge supremacy.
So did I ever receive my hundreds of French francs or a new tennis racket ? Of course not. It's on the internet for all to see now but unfortunately the net didn't exist back in 1991 so backing up arguments was hard work.
One day I will send both Brett and Peter an invoice for what they owe me for winning that particular bet. They know better than to argue with me now days over tennis scores......
Whilst travelling between tournaments in Europe I mentioned to Brett and Peter that I knew the score and the circumstances of the default to Connors in the fifth set of that match. I am not sure whether it was the fact that the older bloke of the tour was imparting some knowledge that was not appreciated or perhaps the fact that I sounded like a know it all but it created arguments for the rest of the trip.
I believe it was more from Brett's side but the amount of money placed on the actual outcome of this particular match could have sent one of us around Europe twice again.
It may have been the small car syndrome that created some heated banter but whatever it was it turned into a circus by the end of the trip. I was adamant that no set from that particular match went over the score of 6-2 but neither Brett or Peter agreed with me. I have always been fascinated with certain tennis scores and the Key Biscane match between those two legends was a rarity in more ways than one.
The score was in fact 1-6, 6-1, 6-2, 2-6, 5-2 Default Mr Connors with Lendl leading. You don't see too many score lines like that so I suppose it was one of the reasons why I brought it up in the first place. I also vividly remember the standard of the match as one that I referred to as 'ping pong' due to the fierceness of the rallies. When Jimbo finally went nuts for the last time and was defaulted it was a real shame as it was one of the best matches I had ever seen up to that point.
So to the bet, I knew I was right, I prided myself on my tennis score memory. I even remembered the score between my 'second' hero Mats Wilander and John McEnroe in that Davis Cup epic Quarter Final in 1982, the same year Wilander won the French Open. Without even looking it up I knew that Mac won 9-7, 6-2, 15-17, 3-6, 8-6 in just a tick under six and a half hours. I even told Brett and Peter that I knew the score of that match so how on earth could I have got the Connors/ Lendl match wrong ??
Maybe they were just taking the piss but it infuriated me every time we talked about it and another hundred francs or a tennis racket was placed on the bet. So what did Brett think ? He thought that the match involved at least a 6-4 set plus a tie breaker. No where near it Patsy. I don't remember what Pete's argument was but I think he was just agreeing with Brett as they were a lethal doubles combination in Western Australian tennis for years.
Looking back we wasted a lot of time on a silly argument that was mainly had in the small confines of 'Le Car' but I think it was just a way to pass the time on some long stretches of highways that were nothing short of spectacular. Given our time again I am sure we would have buttoned up and taken in the scenery a little more rather than try to gain some sort of tennis knowledge supremacy.
So did I ever receive my hundreds of French francs or a new tennis racket ? Of course not. It's on the internet for all to see now but unfortunately the net didn't exist back in 1991 so backing up arguments was hard work.
One day I will send both Brett and Peter an invoice for what they owe me for winning that particular bet. They know better than to argue with me now days over tennis scores......
Friday, 19 June 2015
'FIND A WAY'
Competing in European Money Tournaments was an eye opener in many ways but playing for a few dollars can definitely spice things up. The events offered prize money that was not life changing but depending on how far you went into the tournament it could help with expenses. It could pay for fuel and food to another town or city plus pay for a good night out, even more.
From memory Brett picked up 4,000 French francs at a tournament in which he was the champion, around a thousand Australian dollars as was the currency difference back in 1991. I remember losing my first match in one particular tournament and picked up around 400 francs for it. Part of me felt bad for taking the money, the other part of me was grateful for an extra hundred bucks to help with travel.
One thing I witnessed in Europe was the fight that some players took into each match, as though their life depended on it. Pete once played and beat a 'mature aged' Frenchman who we chatted to before the match. He actually relied on winning a few rounds each tournament for his income he told us. Pete sent him to his next tournament hungry.
I went into many matches with high aspirations and walked off court completely mentally frustrated, particularly after a score of say 6-3, 6-4 to the opposition. Those type of matches were deflating as there was never much in them, a few points here and there decided the outcome. In a nutshell it was just a case of better thinking at the crucial moments by my opponents. All part of the education that tennis offers each player and I told myself to remain positive.
I learned that tennis is a sport that you have to find a way to win, a way to out play your opponent, a sport that requires more brains than shot making ability, a sport that requires a calm head when in crisis. Tennis is a tough sport if you are fragile minded, a fact that was never more evident than when I was playing in Europe, it tested me as a person, not just as a tennis player.
I also learned a valuable lesson in tennis and that is you have to be able to beat the opposition, not rely on them to lose.
Tuesday, 16 June 2015
SQUARES
'Squares' was a way to not only warm up , but a way to bring our games closer together as mine was a long way from Brett's and Pete's as the tour wore on. Now squares is not just a game of half court tennis, it's a game that you cannot hit the ball hard, cannot go outside of your square and cannot talk to the opposition in a derogatory manner during play, a gentleman's game.
The ball must be kept in the service box , served under arm , hit with manners and the point must always be started from the service line.
"What the f... was that you pri.."? "What you on about"? "How f.... hard did you hit that"? "You are delusional you weak bast..., nothing wrong with that". You see squares always had something riding on it. It was my way of gaining a win as I was struggling against the Frenchmen with big topspin forehands.
Us Aussies sometimes attracted a crowd on a practice court before a tournament and we had' big bucks' riding on a game of squares. We had rallies that the French Open didn't have, it was Roland Garros in a match box and it was all about self pride, minus the dollars.
Pardon, we always had a can of coke or 'oranjina' riding on it, maybe a couple of French 'franc's' or simply honour , now that was huge.
Brett had such an outrageous amount of control that he could hit a topspin lob over my head from his back hand side which he could hit with two hands and drop it inside the service box. Going to the net against Brett in squares was always hazardous.
To travel through Europe in a car the size of a mantle piece vintage replica with minimal fresh air to breath through due to the stench of Brett's dirty socks was hard work. Having to listen to Peter sing Daryl Braithwaite's 'The Horses' for the thirty third time was painful. However to do it as the reigning 'Square's Champion' of Stade Bordeaux Central' was something that made the trip so much easier. It gave light to that dark tunnel of misery after another bad loss to a European clay court genius.
Whenever I teach the game of tennis now days I always start with squares, the theory is simple. If you can't control a ball in the service box then there's no point going back to the baseline. I don't know how many games of squares we played in Europe in '91, I won a heap , I lost many , I won Oranjina and coke and I lost some Franc's, but boy I had fun doing it.
Many go through life with an abbreviated view on the game of tennis, Brett, Peter and myself can look back on our playing days as having achieved not greatness but we invested in an 'education' at the greatest University the game could deliver. It gave us perspective, in tennis ,you can't beat that......
The ball must be kept in the service box , served under arm , hit with manners and the point must always be started from the service line.
"What the f... was that you pri.."? "What you on about"? "How f.... hard did you hit that"? "You are delusional you weak bast..., nothing wrong with that". You see squares always had something riding on it. It was my way of gaining a win as I was struggling against the Frenchmen with big topspin forehands.
Us Aussies sometimes attracted a crowd on a practice court before a tournament and we had' big bucks' riding on a game of squares. We had rallies that the French Open didn't have, it was Roland Garros in a match box and it was all about self pride, minus the dollars.
Pardon, we always had a can of coke or 'oranjina' riding on it, maybe a couple of French 'franc's' or simply honour , now that was huge.
Brett had such an outrageous amount of control that he could hit a topspin lob over my head from his back hand side which he could hit with two hands and drop it inside the service box. Going to the net against Brett in squares was always hazardous.
To travel through Europe in a car the size of a mantle piece vintage replica with minimal fresh air to breath through due to the stench of Brett's dirty socks was hard work. Having to listen to Peter sing Daryl Braithwaite's 'The Horses' for the thirty third time was painful. However to do it as the reigning 'Square's Champion' of Stade Bordeaux Central' was something that made the trip so much easier. It gave light to that dark tunnel of misery after another bad loss to a European clay court genius.
Whenever I teach the game of tennis now days I always start with squares, the theory is simple. If you can't control a ball in the service box then there's no point going back to the baseline. I don't know how many games of squares we played in Europe in '91, I won a heap , I lost many , I won Oranjina and coke and I lost some Franc's, but boy I had fun doing it.
Many go through life with an abbreviated view on the game of tennis, Brett, Peter and myself can look back on our playing days as having achieved not greatness but we invested in an 'education' at the greatest University the game could deliver. It gave us perspective, in tennis ,you can't beat that......
A PROFESSORS DEGREE
Sunday, 17 August 2014
I recently
viewed some statistics from the US Open Men's Qualifying Event, one in
particular I can't quite work out. There was a result where the winner of the
match actually made 46 unforced errors, and won. So why is this unusual ?
What on earth was going through his opponent's mind in a best of three set match where nearly 12 games worth of points were handed to him ?
If someone is making that many errors then surely the style that should be played against them is simply a steady brand of tennis with the emphasis on making the opponent play . If unforced errors are being made at a steady rate then it's rather obvious what is happening, they don't like playing you. If someone doesn't miss against you then your style obviously is one that is comfortable to play against, and that's a problem.
I have made mention on many occasions the match to decide the 1988 US Open Men's Single's Championship between Wilander and Lendl. The reason Mats won this match was due to the lack of unforced errors that came off his racket, 37, whereas Lendl's count was double that. Bare in mind that this match was 5 sets, nearly 5 hours and featured remarkably long rallies so even Lendl's amount of errors equated to just 15 per set, each hour.
Wilander's lack of errors were so remarkable that he averaged just over seven unforced errors per set, each hour. This however was from the same man who missed just two first serves in the 1988 French Open Men's singles final which he won easily.
Try playing tennis for an hour and count how many times you make a stupid mistake, including double faults, what would be your average?
So the Qualifier who won his match with 46 unforced errors was basically handed the match as his opponent did not do the sums on what was happening. A smarter player would have sized up the situation and capitalized on it. If this player in question is to go ahead and qualify for this year's US Open his error count will need to halve.
Only 7 per cent of the World's top 100 juniors go on to become Tennis Professionals and just one per cent will become a top 20 player. The game of tennis is not one that requires the greatest looking shots , it is one however that requires a Professor's thinking .
What was the combined age of the two recent finalists in Cincinnati ? About 64. That's a lot of years of tennis thinking but puts it all into perspective.
Remember that kid you always hear at a junior tennis tournament? " I can't believe I just missed that " !!
Get used to it buddy, you will miss many more until you gain that Professor's Degree.......
What on earth was going through his opponent's mind in a best of three set match where nearly 12 games worth of points were handed to him ?
If someone is making that many errors then surely the style that should be played against them is simply a steady brand of tennis with the emphasis on making the opponent play . If unforced errors are being made at a steady rate then it's rather obvious what is happening, they don't like playing you. If someone doesn't miss against you then your style obviously is one that is comfortable to play against, and that's a problem.
I have made mention on many occasions the match to decide the 1988 US Open Men's Single's Championship between Wilander and Lendl. The reason Mats won this match was due to the lack of unforced errors that came off his racket, 37, whereas Lendl's count was double that. Bare in mind that this match was 5 sets, nearly 5 hours and featured remarkably long rallies so even Lendl's amount of errors equated to just 15 per set, each hour.
Wilander's lack of errors were so remarkable that he averaged just over seven unforced errors per set, each hour. This however was from the same man who missed just two first serves in the 1988 French Open Men's singles final which he won easily.
Try playing tennis for an hour and count how many times you make a stupid mistake, including double faults, what would be your average?
So the Qualifier who won his match with 46 unforced errors was basically handed the match as his opponent did not do the sums on what was happening. A smarter player would have sized up the situation and capitalized on it. If this player in question is to go ahead and qualify for this year's US Open his error count will need to halve.
Only 7 per cent of the World's top 100 juniors go on to become Tennis Professionals and just one per cent will become a top 20 player. The game of tennis is not one that requires the greatest looking shots , it is one however that requires a Professor's thinking .
What was the combined age of the two recent finalists in Cincinnati ? About 64. That's a lot of years of tennis thinking but puts it all into perspective.
Remember that kid you always hear at a junior tennis tournament? " I can't believe I just missed that " !!
Get used to it buddy, you will miss many more until you gain that Professor's Degree.......
BUT CAN YOU PLAY TENNIS ? CHAPTER 12
BUT CAN YOU PLAY TENNIS' ?
I have
stated many times that there are two types of tennis players, there are tennis players who can play tennis and there are tennis players who
can't, so how do we define them ?
Anyone can hit a tennis ball, some do it to almost perfection especially when up against a ball machine or a practice opponent yet that's where the form stays. So what about the other type of player ?
Well the other type of tennis player is the one who perhaps doesn't even train as hard as the ball machine player yet this person knows how to play tennis.
The game of tennis has long been known as one that produces players who are technically gifted yet their claim to fame may be simply the occasional good win or smaller tournament victory.
So how do you go from being someone who can hit a tennis ball well to being someone who can play tennis ? Well it may just be in the way our mind has been programmed and it's tough to reprogram the grey matter, fact of life. There are so many brilliant ball strikers in tennis, not just at the elite level but at the Challenger level and even College level yet only a handful of players break through.
You can hit a tennis ball all you like , it may get you to a certain stage with your tennis but chances are it will not take you to a high level of competition. Some players I believe are born with a gift of 'no fear' when playing and a mind that can almost see the game tactically before it even happens. These players have something that the rest of us can only dream of.
What goes into winning a tennis match is far more than a cracking forehand and a huge serve, it's what the mind can deliver in a split second or even less in a series' of decision making.
I don't believe in over coaching players as far as court time is concerned and endless hitting sessions with no substance are pointless. It's what can be instilled into the mind in a session that will ultimately define a player and bring out their best........
Anyone can hit a tennis ball, some do it to almost perfection especially when up against a ball machine or a practice opponent yet that's where the form stays. So what about the other type of player ?
Well the other type of tennis player is the one who perhaps doesn't even train as hard as the ball machine player yet this person knows how to play tennis.
The game of tennis has long been known as one that produces players who are technically gifted yet their claim to fame may be simply the occasional good win or smaller tournament victory.
So how do you go from being someone who can hit a tennis ball well to being someone who can play tennis ? Well it may just be in the way our mind has been programmed and it's tough to reprogram the grey matter, fact of life. There are so many brilliant ball strikers in tennis, not just at the elite level but at the Challenger level and even College level yet only a handful of players break through.
You can hit a tennis ball all you like , it may get you to a certain stage with your tennis but chances are it will not take you to a high level of competition. Some players I believe are born with a gift of 'no fear' when playing and a mind that can almost see the game tactically before it even happens. These players have something that the rest of us can only dream of.
What goes into winning a tennis match is far more than a cracking forehand and a huge serve, it's what the mind can deliver in a split second or even less in a series' of decision making.
I don't believe in over coaching players as far as court time is concerned and endless hitting sessions with no substance are pointless. It's what can be instilled into the mind in a session that will ultimately define a player and bring out their best........
THE ARGUMENTATIVE BASTARD
Thursday, 30 April 2015
One day I
will write that book, the one where I will probably upset a few more than I
already have but the one that will tell all as to who I am and why I am so
argumentative. It will quite possibly be called the above headline.
I posted those clips of me hitting just recently as I want my kids to know that even though I was slowing down I was still focused on the one thing that has kept me both amused and frustrated for as long as I can remember. So at age 46 if my kids are anything like me (God forbid ) I hope that they will still pursue something that they perhaps felt a comfort with when they were young as I did with tennis.
If ever I get hit by a bus or get taken out by a hit man for upsetting the wrong person on this site then I would hope that someone lets the young Thompson kids know that their old man had a site that really was quite unique, if not totally absurd.
When I write on this site I don't tell too many people but if I put something down that I see some sort of 'genius' in then I may send the chapter on email through to some people who I regard as friends, I don't have many though......
Nature of the game I call it, the nature of the beast, the game which turns 'ordinary' people into complete nutcases as they chase personal glory in a game that can only be described as 'egotistical'.
Why else would you see someone like Novak Djokovic tearing his shirt off after a Grand Slam victory and yelling like a possessed beast at the crowd who paid good money to see two testosterone fuelled gladiators belt a small ball into submission ? It's all about ego and self indulgence.
Looking back on my rather colourful journey through tennis from a kid of 13 to a rather argumentative bastard of 46 I wonder at times if I could have done much different. I don't ponder too much because I was simply no where near good enough to make money from the sport and I apologize all these years later to my folks for putting them through the whole silly personal quest.
Yet when you think about it, that's what parents do, they support even the strangest ideas of their kids' because they want their children to learn from the experience, to better themselves and to pass down both their successes and failures in life to their own kids.
I refused to learn at school, I have often said that when asked 'When did you leave school'? I replied "Usually at lunch time to go and play tennis", because that's what I did. I used to call into the Burger Spot, grab a two litre bottle of coke and make my way to the tennis club where I convinced another mate to train with me. Our attendance records weren't actually that bad as our names were only ever marked off early in the day, you see we 'did the sums'. The problem was though at exams time, that's when we were found out, it had to catch up with us in the end.
I wonder how I would take the news if I found out that one of my three kids were skipping school to pursue a personal dream, maybe I would be ok with it, after all it's a learning process. We can't all be scholars and we can't all be sports stars so we should just try to be ourselves, the inbetweeners, the rest of the population who dare to dream.
I had two chances of becoming a tennis professional, none and bugger all because I lacked talent and I was chasing a needle in a haystack, a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow but boy I had fun chasing it. I met some great people , I met some idiots, I saw Monte Carlo and Paris and I learned to tell French women that they were beautiful after a pint or two of the local beer served at places I only ever dreamed of as a kid.
I posted those clips of me hitting just recently as I want my kids to know that even though I was slowing down I was still focused on the one thing that has kept me both amused and frustrated for as long as I can remember. So at age 46 if my kids are anything like me (God forbid ) I hope that they will still pursue something that they perhaps felt a comfort with when they were young as I did with tennis.
If ever I get hit by a bus or get taken out by a hit man for upsetting the wrong person on this site then I would hope that someone lets the young Thompson kids know that their old man had a site that really was quite unique, if not totally absurd.
When I write on this site I don't tell too many people but if I put something down that I see some sort of 'genius' in then I may send the chapter on email through to some people who I regard as friends, I don't have many though......
Nature of the game I call it, the nature of the beast, the game which turns 'ordinary' people into complete nutcases as they chase personal glory in a game that can only be described as 'egotistical'.
Why else would you see someone like Novak Djokovic tearing his shirt off after a Grand Slam victory and yelling like a possessed beast at the crowd who paid good money to see two testosterone fuelled gladiators belt a small ball into submission ? It's all about ego and self indulgence.
Looking back on my rather colourful journey through tennis from a kid of 13 to a rather argumentative bastard of 46 I wonder at times if I could have done much different. I don't ponder too much because I was simply no where near good enough to make money from the sport and I apologize all these years later to my folks for putting them through the whole silly personal quest.
Yet when you think about it, that's what parents do, they support even the strangest ideas of their kids' because they want their children to learn from the experience, to better themselves and to pass down both their successes and failures in life to their own kids.
I refused to learn at school, I have often said that when asked 'When did you leave school'? I replied "Usually at lunch time to go and play tennis", because that's what I did. I used to call into the Burger Spot, grab a two litre bottle of coke and make my way to the tennis club where I convinced another mate to train with me. Our attendance records weren't actually that bad as our names were only ever marked off early in the day, you see we 'did the sums'. The problem was though at exams time, that's when we were found out, it had to catch up with us in the end.
I wonder how I would take the news if I found out that one of my three kids were skipping school to pursue a personal dream, maybe I would be ok with it, after all it's a learning process. We can't all be scholars and we can't all be sports stars so we should just try to be ourselves, the inbetweeners, the rest of the population who dare to dream.
I had two chances of becoming a tennis professional, none and bugger all because I lacked talent and I was chasing a needle in a haystack, a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow but boy I had fun chasing it. I met some great people , I met some idiots, I saw Monte Carlo and Paris and I learned to tell French women that they were beautiful after a pint or two of the local beer served at places I only ever dreamed of as a kid.
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