tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-364966332012-02-16T05:12:43.119-05:00Show your passion... Share your ideas... It's all about the tennis here!Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.comBlogger371100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-36795621315448965042009-03-08T21:45:00.006-04:002009-03-08T23:05:57.096-04:00

There is an element of the game that seems to have gone the way of the dodo bird. I'm thinking, of course, of the serve-and-volley tactic. It wasn't that long ago when nearly every player on the men's professional circuit, and a fair number on the women's side, practiced this dying art with skill and alacrity. Even players who were not tall with a long reach, or who did not have a huge serve,

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-26015381637581016682009-01-08T14:30:00.007-05:002009-01-08T15:05:08.322-05:00

It is time for some clarifying thinking. I use the term clarifying in its broad and alchemic senses, as in "to make clear or easier to understand; to clear of confusion or uncertainty [clarify the mind]; to make clear by removing impurities or solid matter, as by heating gently [clarify butter]" (from thefreedictionary.com).Jose Higueras, former world-top-ten player and coach of Jim Courier,

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-89303473678982299532008-11-21T21:12:00.013-05:002008-11-22T16:06:09.203-05:00

The 2008 Davis Cup final, pitting perennial contender Spain against a strong Argentina squad, was to be the perfect finale to an amazing year—a year that saw two first-time Grand Slam champions hailing from the small nation of Serbia in Novak Djokovic and Ana Ivanovic; the first back-to-back French Open-Wimbledon winner on the men's side since Bjorn Borg and subsequent ascendancy by long-time #2

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-91044158028073078222008-08-19T13:50:00.013-04:002008-09-10T16:34:20.793-04:00

I’ve always been a bit skeptical of putting tennis in the Olympic Games. My reasons mainly pivot on a bias toward maintaining (or should I say returning to) the traditionally amateur nature of Olympic competition, which sadly has given way to professionals like the U.S. basketball squads—the so-called “Dream” and “Redeem” teams.But something happened this year to give me pause. Spain’s Rafael

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-71652165233173361412008-08-19T13:49:00.002-04:002008-09-10T16:34:44.558-04:00

Sometimes athletes reveal themselves in ways that they think flatter them but when viewed from a different perspective actually do not. For me, two such moments stand out from the 2008 Beijing Olympics.The first of these non-golden moments occurred in the semifinals in Men’s Tennis Singles. In a hard-fought contest between American James Blake and Chilean Fernando Gonzalez that featured some

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-15642194645777829422008-08-19T13:46:00.005-04:002008-08-19T14:21:35.065-04:00

This blog post is a rare departure from my singular focus on all things tennis, but then these are rare times we’re experiencing.08.08.08. Few of us will ever forget that date in history, or these numbers: Eight one-hundredths of a second. Eight golds in eight events. Fewer still will soon forget these names: Michael Phelps. Nastia Liukin. Dara Torres. Just a few of the U.S. hopefuls to achieve

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-11797330248264564142008-08-01T09:29:00.019-04:002008-08-01T16:37:11.273-04:00

As Rafael Nadal readied to serve to Roger Federer for the 2008 Wimbledon title at 8-7 in the fifth set, the light finally faded to the point of no return. Nadal would serve into the void. Roger Federer would stab at a barely visible blur. This is what it came to: the greatest men’s Grand Slam final match since the 1980 Borg v. McEnroe classic, decided on account of darkness.The man who had been

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-68119611253182607502008-07-22T12:58:00.008-04:002008-07-22T14:15:07.475-04:00

The 2008 Wimbledon men’s final, pitting the world’s top two players in a 4-hour, 48-minute rain-delayed marathon that was completed under the threat of darkness, had all the elements of an instant classic—a pageantry of athleticism on a field of grass colored by incredible shotmaking and momentum swings from two rivals who have played more Grand Slam finals (6) than any of the other notable

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-12428215443248117072008-06-18T16:09:00.025-04:002008-06-20T09:54:04.289-04:00

In A Briefer History of Time, Stephen Hawking discusses developments in theoretical physics. In his introduction to string theory, we meet some unusual particles that behave as though “left-handed.” So now, alongside gravity, strong, weak and electromagnetic forces comes left-handedness! Lately, this left-handedness, or “Lefty Spin” for short, has been wreaking havoc on the natural order of

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-57427242407697171012008-04-14T14:56:00.006-04:002008-06-18T22:52:56.386-04:00

I anticipated the coming of the Davis Cup tie to North Carolina with great excitement this year, as Team France looked to be a very formidable opponent, at least on paper. With Richard Gasquet currently at No. 10, the much improved Jo-Wilfried Tsonga at No. 13, Paul-Henri Mathieu at No. 12, and a host of accomplished doubles players, including Michael Llodra, Julien Benneteau, Arnaud Clement, and

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-20007524967413141882008-01-27T10:21:00.000-05:002008-01-28T08:58:02.500-05:00

There's something about the Australian Open tennis championships at Melbourne Park that inspires me to put digit to keypad, as it were, and hunt-n-peck my way to some sort of resolution. Fitting, then, that it is held in January. In spite of my misgivings about the placement of the season's first Grand Slam on the ATP and WTA calendars, the event never fails to quicken my pulse and give clarity

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-76412302294862359212007-04-07T07:08:00.001-04:002008-04-14T15:05:32.655-04:00

The last time North Carolina hosted the Davis Cup was in 2001, when the U.S. squad defeated India to stay in the World Group. On April 6, 2007, the USTA and Captain Patrick McEnroe brought the American squad back to Winston-Salem to use a home-court advantage against the perennially successful Spaniards.Winston-Salem, at one time most recognized as the home of R.J. Reynolds Co. and the birthplace

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-8706612104084510172007-03-14T01:12:00.000-04:002007-07-16T11:06:10.600-04:00

I've been away too long, I know; it's good to be back. I experienced a natural post-Australian Open malaise, which sapped me of my will to post. And then, starting a new and demanding job in January, in which I spend my day researching, writing and editing, has left me too drained to write during my evening down-time. But something occurred recently that has roused the rumpel in my stiltskin: the

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-25425958281582374702007-01-28T21:46:00.000-05:002008-01-27T11:34:47.150-05:00

The 2007 Australian Open was, for me, a story about the game's two best athletes showing the world what they're made of — Roger Federer and Serena Williams, two Grand Slam veterans at ripe old age of 25. The way they each dominated in their final is a testament to their skills and fierce desire to win. But the differences between the manner in which they go about making their living and their

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-77224682617388726382007-01-28T01:29:00.001-05:002008-07-10T11:24:40.688-04:00

In just over 30 minutes, Roger Federer will attempt to defend his Australian Open title against one of the most enigmatic players in the men's game today — Fernando Gonzalez. Along with Serena Williams' long-awaited return to tennis and her masterful title match against top-ranked Maria Sharapova, Gonzalez has been the story at this year's championships in Melbourne.He has cruised through his

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-69376184189129765302007-01-26T23:32:00.000-05:002007-01-29T21:32:35.940-05:00

It wasn't a particularly good match. It had few decent exchanges, and zero suspense. Calling it "one-sided" would be like saying the lion had a bit of an advantage over the young zebra colt. But as Grand Slam finals go, this one stood out for its ferociousness, for the efficiency of the kill.No, it wasn't a competitive match, but every so often a player of Serena Williams' caliber steps onto one

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-5208206345287882442007-01-16T09:47:00.000-05:002007-01-16T09:58:07.394-05:00

Like America’s national pastime, tennis is steeped in tradition. Tinkering with the game is invariably met with derision by the traditionalists who represent the game’s perennial support base. Propose eliminating the second serve, for example, and the legions respond with a gasp: “Good God, man, have you lost your mind!” Suggest that the best three-of-five sets in the Grand Slam championships

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-45169709719766020442007-01-15T13:34:00.000-05:002007-01-16T00:40:57.283-05:00

Now that the Hawk-Eye instant reply has been deemed a rousing success by promoters, players and fans alike, tennis has turned its attention to the prospect of on-court coaching. In the January/February 2007 issue of TENNIS Magazine, Brad Gilbert, former coach of Andre Agassi and current mentor to rising British star Andy Murray, gives three reasons why coaching should become a regular part of the

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-589679183597573782007-01-14T00:46:00.000-05:002007-01-31T20:08:41.628-05:00

On the eve of the Australian Open, the first leg of tennis' holy grail, the Grand Slam, it's difficult not to contemplate the possibility and importance of a 10th Grand Slam singles title for world no. 1, Roger Federer. One can already hear the sports writers clicking out their pronouncements of "greatest of all time." The GOAT list, seemingly the most treasured commodity among sports writers

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-69542746815989488922007-01-10T23:10:00.000-05:002007-01-11T15:14:30.952-05:00

Less than five days from the start of the first leg of tennis' Grand Slam, the Australian Open, we're already down two marquee players with the likelihood of others announcing early withdrawal. For starters, last year's finalist, Justine Henin-Hardenne, has withdrawn from this year's contest for personal reasons. Then there's Venus Williams, out due to a recurring wrist injury. And Rafael Nadal

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-75665693577684281872007-01-05T14:03:00.000-05:002007-01-05T14:19:30.173-05:00

In the blink of an eye, it seemed, TENNIS WEEK Magazine went from an independent publication to another in the growing stable of media vehicles owned by IMG. IMG, which also represents and manages many of the world's top athletes, has been making major inroads in the print publishing business. It promises to revamp the magazine, which I sincerely hope will vastly improve its production and

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-13154384160017421442006-12-31T16:17:00.000-05:002007-01-15T13:39:54.718-05:00

A quick look at the 2007 Grand Slam schedule, which I recently found posted on Tennis Week Online, makes it abundantly clear that the powers that be in the world of professional tennis are still clueless.Here's what the geniuses have come up with:Australian Open: Jan 15-28Roland Garros: May 27-June 10Wimbledon: June 25-July 8U.S. Open: Aug 27-Sep 9Brilliant, isn't it? Such a huge leap forward! I

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-3749825578498784502006-11-30T20:44:00.000-05:002006-12-22T23:29:45.550-05:00

I don't normally make a habit of tooting my own horn, but... if you happen to be a USPTA or PTR tennis professional, or know where you can pick up the December issue of TENNIS WEEK at a newstand, check out my article in Sight Lines on page 55, "Service Lets and Sudden Death." I believe you will find my thoughts on simple ways to improve the pro game interesting, or at least provocative.So, if you

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-4678246592810684662006-11-28T22:32:00.000-05:002006-12-21T20:32:05.639-05:00

As promised, here are the results of TENNIS WEEK magazine's "A Tourney for All Time" fantasy men's tennis tournament. In brackets are my picks, round by round. (Note: Names only appear in the brackets if I picked a different winner, loser, or both.)TW's Seeded Players:1. Roger Federer2. Rod Laver3. Pete Sampras4. Bjorn Borg5. Bill Tilden6. Don Budge7. Jack Kramer8. John McEnroeFirst Round (32

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-52134035425461607172006-11-21T23:51:00.000-05:002006-11-22T12:59:37.319-05:00

Everyone can appreciate Roger Federer's superlative shotmaking abilities — his forehand crosscourt winners on the dead run, his topspin backhand passes and rifled shots up the line, among the more impressive. But what strikes me as his most distinctive quality, or competency, is his seemingly effortless movement in pursuit of the ball. Focus your eyes on Federer, and only on Federer, and you'll

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-77834266350211752082006-11-20T10:56:00.000-05:002006-12-08T23:36:07.397-05:00

In response to a challenge put out by the staff at TENNIS WEEK magazine to select the winners in a hypothetical "All-Time Greatest Players" men's tennis tournament — using a list of the players selected by the writers of TENNIS WEEK and the first-round match-ups produced by draw of the hat at TENNIS WEEK — I am using this entry to reveal to you my picks, which were submitted to TENNIS WEEK last

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-24422309536420567962006-11-20T10:13:00.000-05:002007-01-16T00:47:18.063-05:00

With decisive straight-set victories over world #2 Rafael Nadal in the semifinal and the turbo-charged James Blake in the final at the Masters Cup year-end championships in Shanghai, China, Roger Federer erased any lingering doubts about his complete mastery of the game and the rest of the field.After winning his group's round robin with three victories to no losses, Federer's decisive, though

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-38514941206098641492006-11-19T02:58:00.000-05:002006-11-22T12:42:58.931-05:00

You’re serving. It’s the third set of a tight match, which has see-sawed on several service breaks. In this service game, you’ve worked the court well to get to 40-30. A hold here will not only consolidate the service break you earned at 3-all, but will put you firmly in the driver’s seat, up 3-5 with the chance to break for the win or, failing that, serve out the match. An awful lot rides on

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-66723976340524433182006-11-14T13:13:00.000-05:002006-11-16T00:38:17.902-05:00

Coaching is to sports as roots are to trees. There is not a major, established sport in existence that doesn't promote the reliance on well-trained, professional teachers and coaches in the development of skills, especially in young people. Take coaching out of some professional sports, and you've just got a bunch of guys playing street ball on a manicured lawn or polished wood floor. Is and

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-1163439391749497162006-11-13T12:04:00.000-05:002006-11-30T20:43:05.249-05:00

In my previous entry (“America’s dominance: will history repeat itself?”), I stated that "Until we find a way to develop our youngsters' games on the slower surfaces, particularly the crushed red brick, American juniors will struggle to develop the stroke proficiency, movement, endurance, tactical acumen and heart to compete with those who spend five to six hours a day on the gritty, slippery

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-1162965688102532152006-11-08T00:40:00.001-05:002006-12-08T23:34:29.994-05:00

Will Americans ever dominate the tennis world again? Or, more to the point, is it even possible for one nation to dominate the game anymore?It must be said that the situation looks less than rosy on the women's side. The Williams sisters, too often sidelined with injuries of late, can't seem to commit. And Lindsay Davenport, likewise plagued by recurring injuries to her wrist, back and thigh, is

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-1162098980462155442006-10-29T00:27:00.000-04:002006-12-08T23:39:28.151-05:00

The last time an American-born player won the NCAA Division I men's singles title was in 2000, when Alex Kim of Stanford was hoisted on his teammates shoulders. The last six men's champions were all foreign-born (see this listing of NCAA Division I past champions). On the women's side, nearly half of the 64 players in the 2006 NCAA Division I draw were foreigners. This, according to a recent

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-1161887906038863512006-10-26T14:28:00.000-04:002006-11-16T17:17:42.153-05:00

Did anyone else notice that in the lead-up to and advertising for the 2006 US Open Series — the "greatest road trip on earth" — some marketing genius working for the USTA decided that "200 players in 10 tournaments held over 6-8 weeks competing for more than a $2 million prize" was a bright idea?By my calculations, the men and women were competing for a total of more than $31 million. Granted, if

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-1161878898653371512006-10-26T12:04:00.000-04:002006-12-08T23:40:38.092-05:00

What the pro game needs is a shot in the arm of good old-fashioned common sense. Just look at the injury-plagued men's and women's tours, if you don't believe me. Day-in, day-out competition for 44-plus weeks leaves little time for athletes' bodies to adequately heal, let alone invest in root cause analysis and remediation of unsound footwork or stroke production. Then there's the ridiculous

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-1161874590664191142006-10-26T10:55:00.000-04:002006-12-08T23:41:16.036-05:00

I confess I was late in joining the Andre Agassi fan club. When he was a brash young gun with a mane and a forehand fresh out of Nick Bollietieri’s tennis academy in Bradenton, Florida, I was a staunch Stefan Edberg supporter, entranced by the graceful Swede’s effortless glide to the net and stinging first volleys. As Andre came into his own, shocking the tennis world in ascending the Wimbledon

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-1161743220392247972006-10-24T21:35:00.000-04:002006-11-16T00:32:41.046-05:00

The sporting world has been rocked by scandal and foul play in recent years, most notably the federal investigation of illegal drug doping against BALCO and several marquis clients of the San Francisco-based cooperative. Some of the biggest stars in baseball and track and field have been implicated, leaving a bad taste in my mouth for much of professional sport.In light of this, a closer look at

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36496633.post-1161624762837934182006-10-23T13:25:00.000-04:002006-11-16T17:20:05.203-05:00

This is a forum for my thoughts on tennis — the pro game, the amateur game, the way the game is taught and how it is played, what's right about the game and what could be improved. On occasion, I will examine particular matches or the results of a particular player, but the focus will be on the macro level — on analysis rather than on reportage. Also, on occasion I will share my views on how best

Don Rutledgehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01733417208995307153noreply@blogger.com2