Wednesday 29 July 2015

'MERRY XMAS MIKE'

Here's a true story for you courtesy of a true gentleman by the name of Alan Trengove. This particular fellow was the Editor and Co- publisher of the Australian Tennis Magazine well before TA got their grubby hands on the publishing rights and decided to monitor everything that was written about the sport in this country.
Alan is well renowned for his journalism expertise and his ability to source some rather interesting stories. I am sure Alan won't mind me relaying the following story which will undoubtedly be in Western Australian Tennis folklore. 
Now when I was a kid of age 13 or 14 beginning to play some Perth junior competitions there was a rather handy player by the name of Michael Christmass who played at a South Perth club, perhaps Hensman Park, not 100 per cent certain though.  Mr Christmass was no World beater but he could play the game and was a strong performer at many events around Perth but his name was the thing that stood out the most. How many people owned the surname of the World's most popular day do you reckon ?
The City of Perth held a tournament over the Christmas period in the 80's and in 1984 it was sponsored by Magic Toyota. I never played this tournament personally however it was a well received tennis tournament by all reports.
Murray French was another handy tennis player from Perth who entered the 1984 event and it just so happened that Mr French was drawn to play Mr Christmass in the first round. This is where all sorts of confusion began, not because of the 'Frenchman' but because of Mr Christmass.
When Mr French checked the draw around Xmas time to see who he was playing he saw that he was up against M Christmass, pretty simple really, everyone knew Mike, or did they ? The problem was this, Mr French was not aware of Mr Christmass so he actually thought that he had received a bye through to the next round. You getting the picture ?
If you had seen your name drawn next to M Christmass around Xmas time what would you think ? Yep that's what Murray French assumed, that he was receiving a bye, hence the words 'M Christmass' next to his name. He thought it was short for 'Merry Christmass you aren't playing first round'.
I wonder how many players would have thought the same thing and perhaps also wouldn't have turned up ? If nothing else but for the simple reason that no one on this earth was playing a Xmas tennis tournament with the surname that matched Santa's travels.
Apparently Mike went through to round two, the rest is a little unclear as it was in fact 30 odd years ago. Yes a very old story but a good one that I felt should be replayed. Thanks Alan for the story and well done on your journalism exploits not only in tennis but in others as well including the Olympic Games. The Australian Tennis Magazine will never be the same again now that it is put together by an organization that lack any real originality whatsoever.
If ever you read this Mr Trengove well done on your input for many years writing about a sport in this country that actually had a very different way of presenting it back then. 
Perhaps the thing that was most evident back then was the diplomatic approach to certain issues that did not own a 'head up one's own bum' presentation.
I used to buy the Australian Tennis Magazine back then, it was actually well written, thanks Alan.......

Sunday 26 July 2015

'WELL DONE BERNARD'

That's how you 'stick it to the man'. Ever watched the movie 'School of Rock' ? Classic stuff and a rather funny line was said on more than one occasion that had petulance written all over it. Bernard Tomic just stuck it to Tennis Australia in more ways than one by reclaiming the title he won in Bogota the previous year.
TA and Bernie don't really see eye to eye on more than one subject so it was up to Bernie to show the tennis hierarchy in this country that he can still manage without them. This latest title goes to show that the young fellow has a heart and not just an angry mouth towards tennis officialdom in this country.
I don't mind Bernie because he has no time for Tennis Australia and he is a professional player who by rights should be forever grateful to the governing body of the sport, yet he isn't. So why is this ? It's pretty obvious, it's because it is not being run by people with any credibility or decision making capabilities that will see the sport grow and keep producing players who will give their right arm to play for their country.
Bernie's decision to speak out just prior to the Davis Cup was timed magnificently, why do you think he did it when he did ? He had no intention of playing for Australia in the tie against Kazakhstan because he does not respect the way in which the sport is managed. His rather lengthy post match press conference at Wimbledon was nothing short of a young tennis professional simply venting his displeasure at how mismanaged the sport is in Australia.
Sure Pat Rafter is in charge now it seems however he has a lot of work to do to clean up many years of blunders and poor decision making including the whole funding farce. I do also find it rather weak of Tennis Australia to pull the funding from Bernie's sister Sara just because they do not like John Tomic. Apparently Sara gets along well with Tennis Australia officialdom, just ask Pat Rafter, he said just that in a recent interview. The example TA sets is less than exemplary.
If they kept supporting Sara then John Tomic would have nothing to complain about because surely even he can see that Bernie does not require further funding but Sara obviously does. TA are about as professional as Milli Vanilli and own just about as much credibility as well with their 'out of touch' ways of dealing with certain issues that the game presents regularly. Who's Milli Vanilli you ask ? Look them up, they got found out in the end as the imposters that they were.
So to cut a long story short, well done young Bernie, that's how you deal with these guys, simply beat them at their own game with a bit of success every now and then. It's not the sort of sport you can expect to keep winning at regularly however claiming an ATP title especially when many are against you is the way to deal with things.
About four years ago I upset some locals with a few 'home truths' about the way in which the sport was being handled in our little district. I upset them to the point that some said they would not play certain local events if I played them, interesting way of dealing with someone you don't like. I have always said that the ONLY way to deal with someone you don't like is to beat them on court, not off court, that lacks heart.
I have since played those events after the dust had settled and I learned that it was only a rather small minority that spoke up to have me excluded. These included people who still don't own the balls to front up and play locally for fear of failure.
I have always maintained that tennis is a sport that some own a 'boutique' way of tip toeing around the game rather than getting their hands dirty. The sport is full of 'em, nature of it and will never change.
Bernie is having a go with no fear of failure despite countless amounts of 'experts' wishing him to fail but he is proving that he is unfazed by it all, best way to be........

Monday 20 July 2015

'GREAT ARTICLE'

The following article is from The Courier Mail Newspaper written by Mike Colman. This guy seems to nail the whole issue. Sure Nick is a bit of a knob and Bernie gets himself into a bit of strife but they are very young and it's the nature of the sport. These guys aren't scholars, what would they have done if they didn't become Tennis Professionals ??  
I don't think I have ever knocked Bernie or Nick cos I feel sorry for their plight. They are playing a sport where their every move is being scrutinized by the public and the media. I never once had aspirations for my own kids to become any good at tennis because even at a local or state level a player will be asked to act way beyond his or her years.
In saying that I refer to the nature of the sport, a sport that can do the mind like a Chinese torture, it can turn a normal kid into an egotistical nutcase. Yeah sure it's all to do with the maturity of the kid but why would you want to risk it rather than let your own kids play a team sport and share the work load as well as the victory spoils or lessons learned in defeat ?
You don't see too many 'ugly parents' in team sports, sure a few exist but no where near as many as you witness at tennis. It's full of people who didn't have any success as a kid or even a parent for that matter so they live it through their child's ability. Even when I coached 5 days a week I did not watch a tournament, I simply told my students that they 'behave accordingly'. 
If they didn't well they would have a week or two off training as bad behaviour reflected not only on them but their parents and their coach. Plus I hated seeing the pockets of parents behind a court who were praying for a win plus a loss all at the same time. Most weren't interested in a good match, just a win for their 'prodigy' and a loss to the opponent no matter what the score.
That's the difference in a team sport, we all love to see a great game, most times the score is irrelevant, the team comradery out weighs any result. I have spoken many times of touring teams at certain junior tennis championships either local or state wide and of the 'peanut galleries'. They are the ones' allowed to operate behind the courts because the touring team 'coach' does not own enough brains to tell them that area is a no go zone during play. Kids are allowed to constantly ask for scores and add a few bits of commentary to upset the opposition, yet it is rife. 
That type of thing typifies the sport of tennis, it is not being taught by people who have enough intelligence to pass down to kids the right and wrong way of conducting themselves. Unfortunately tennis will probably never change as the new breed of 'Facebook Tennis 'Coaches' continue to flood the market with their 'worldly' ideas and gimmicks aplenty that leave aspiring students starry-eyed. We can only hope that the 'dinosaurs' of tennis coaching hang around long enough to impart some good on the game and to limit the 'damage' already done. Silly game tennis........

  Time we took our foot of the throat of Nick Kyrgios and Bernard Tomic, writes Mike Colman

Friday 17 July 2015

'YEP WALLY DID SAY THAT'

 The previous chapter is in relation to this article that I found. This is how long Australian tennis has been in the dark ages. The hierarchy still believe that grass is the best surface to play tennis on. Even if Australia scrape through this tie against Kazakhstan it will raise some questions, and for the better......

Bring back the cow paddocks: Masur

Posted       
Australia's Davis Cup coach Wally Masur says he is not concerned with the condition of the court as his team prepares for its World Group play-off against Morocco in Perth.
Masur said he was yet to see the condition of centre court at Royal Kings Park but he would accept it no matter what condition it was in.
Australian teams favour grass surfaces but the one in Perth is reportedly patchy, although Masur is not too concerned.
"It is what it is. That's the nature of grass court tennis, it's a living, breathing surface and it doesn't always go quite according to plan," he said.
"I'm not going to be critical of the groundsman, he's done his best and our players will accept what it is.
"Players are spoilt these days because they go to Queen's (Club) and Wimbledon where they have about $300 million budgets and they have the most outrageous courts - they're like billiard tables.
"In the good old days they were cow paddocks - so I say bring back the cow paddocks."

 

Tuesday 14 July 2015

'IN ALL SERIOUSNESS'

As much as I like pulling the piss out of the tennis hierarchy I have been totally bemused by the whole Bernard Tomic affair. The fact that it has even got to the current embarrassing stage is testimony to the fact that tennis in this country is run by a bunch of people who really have no idea how to run it. For instance, whilst I have had a bit of a laugh at the most recent saga involving the 'Hall of Shame' episode I do realize that it was  probably not from one of Tennis Australia's leading men.
However what sort of people are TA hiring who have taken it upon themselves to post their own views in a rather silly tit for tat circus that is being plastered around the country ?All that it is really doing is showing that Tennis Australia do in fact NOT own control of the sport in this country and they also are fast losing the respect of other countries involved in tennis.
Why do you think that Bernard Tomic has come out with his rather vocal show of mistrust towards the people who are running a sport that sees guys like Federer, Nadal, Murray and Djokovic glorified as immortals ? It's because the countries that 'own' those superstars have no real public issues towards their players and if they do, well they keep them behind closed doors away from an embarrassing public spat that sells newspapers on a daily basis.
Bernard has been the first 'victim' of a cut in funding that TA has now enforced due to a man of Pat Rafter's knowledge coming into play with a down to earth view on who should and who shouldn't be handed a few dollars to help with costs. Pat I am certain funded his own way around the tennis circuit and he wouldn't have wanted it any other way, it made him work harder. Why this nation's tennis millionaires were still being funded up until now is a total mystery, a farce of epic proportions.
The latest stuff up from TA regarding the dig at Tomic in the 'Hall of Shame' comedy routine is simply a staff member venting their point of view on what they believe should be written about it all. So who is TA's proof reader ? Do they even have one ? How on earth did that ever see the light of day ? Is Tennis Australia so second rate that they don't have things in place to counter act staff members releasing personal point of views ?
Is there a reason why well over one thousand of Australia's newest and even most experienced tennis coaches belong to the ATPCA (Australian Tennis Professional Coaches Association) who go about their business with a minimum of fuss ? Why is it that the ATPCA and it's coaches are not given the time of day by the sport in this country ?
Would it be that they are perhaps even more professional than the current unprofessional bunch of yobbos' who have been given the mantle of 'Head honchos of tennis in Australia' ?
Bernard Tomic apparently has been receiving a top up to his already bulging bank account and apparently so was Mr Hewitt up until not long ago when Mr Rafter read the facts and figures. How do I know this ? Well even though I was a long way off being a tennis professional I used to train with guys in Queensland who know a few people who know a few things about tennis in this country. It has paid to keep in touch over the years, enlightening to say the least.
So in summary, Bernard Tomic has every right to be pissed off because he's been made the example of by TA who call the shots on who gets money to pay for court hire and balls and travel expenses, etc. It's happened because he had the balls so to speak to actually say something towards an organization that has as much credibility as Mickey Mouse.
It's obvious that TA needs a good dose of professionalism though they have been looking for that for as long as I can remember.
Do you recall the FOUR CORNERS ABC program called 'State of Play' way back in 2010 ? Boy oh boy that was a classic wasn't it ? Fair dinkum it spelled it out in black and white just how bad things were in a sport that should be as glossy as a weekly magazine in a newsagency. If you haven't had the pleasure, look it up, it's worth watching.
Bernard, I am on your side Champ and just like that car advertisement goes most nights on television I reckon you should simply 'Go your own way'.........
Hopefully more will follow your lead........
Regards Glenn T (Tennis Nobody)

Sunday 12 July 2015

'GRUBBY STUFF TA'

The following article is the latest in the bout between Tennis Australia and Bernard Tomic. Apparently this is the way in which you treat a tennis professional who is not blinded by the bright lights of TA, so it seems.
Tit for tat or just blatant grubby tactics from Tennis Australia ?? I have my theories. Facebook has gone mad, dozens of comments, I made a few myself. It seems I am not the only one who thinks TA are a bunch of knobs.....

Tennis Australia apologises for Bernard Tomic 'Hall of Shame' press release typo

Tennis Australia (TA) has apologised for a typo in a press release that could have further inflamed the tensions with Bernard Tomic.
TA emailed out a press release on Monday morning which said Tomic was due to play an upcoming match at the "Hall of Shame Tennis Championships".
The correct name for the tournament is the Hall of Fame Tennis Championships.
The typo could have exacerbated the feud between the organisation and Tomic even further, but TA issued a hasty apology after it was picked up on social media.
"Tennis Australia sincerely apologises for the typo in the daily results service today. This has now been corrected and we wish both Bernard Tomic and JP Smith all the best in the Hall of Fame Championships in Newport," TA said in a statement.

"This unfortunate error has been widely circulated on social media and there is some discussion as to how such a mistake could occur.
We have a very upset staff member who made a simple clerical error.
Tennis Australia

"We have a very upset staff member who made a simple clerical error.
"The result listing before the Hall of Fame Championships, the Sharm El Sheikh event in Egypt, won by Astra Sharma, should provide some explanation as to how this error occurred.
"There was no malicious intent."

Yeah sure Tennis Australia, we believe you......

'SENTIMENT'

Sentiment has no place in tennis. Picking a player of Roger Federer's brilliance to win Wimbledon at age 33 really was full of hope more than anything else. Tennis has a funny way of deciding who should win what tournament.
Take the French Open for instance. Novak was a shoe in to win that yet he falls to Stan who was never on the radar to win that event.
Would Novak have given up this year's Wimbledon trophy for a Roland Garos title or did the loss in Paris make him even more determined to win in London ? Only tennis knows the answers.
I picked Fed to win because he is an ornament to the sport, Novak still has a way to go until he is considered as good as Rafa and Roger, but he is on his way.
I still would have preferred Fed to win Wimbledon but that's just being sentimental....

'OBLIGED'

I hate tipping the big matches because usually I go with sentiment. This year at Wimbledon is no different. In tennis they always say 'you learn more from a loss than a win'. Fed learned a lot last year and he is one match away from something totally outrageous when you consider most had written him off.
Let's say Fed in 4 sets. Yes that's sentimental but not really that silly when you do all the sums and put the intricacies of the game into a basket and then pull them out and dissect them. Novak has to come up with a lot of winners, maybe 50 plus to beat Roger. Even that may be too much of an ask for a player of Novak's ability on a grass court.
Fed in 4, just feel obliged to have a crack at it......
30 minutes to game time, go Rog......

Friday 10 July 2015

'FINALLY'

Grigor Dimitrov Splits With Roger Rasheed: What's Next For Both Of Them?


After an early exit at Wimbledon and continuing a poor year, Grigor Dimitrov ends his relationship with two year coach, Roger Rasheed.

I do believe that I have been writing this on my site for quite some time now. It's all very well to get a player fit but if you can't teach him the finer points of the game well ........
Roger Rasheed is not a tennis coach, he's a fitness guru, players need to be aware of that fact before they hire him. Rasheed does not spend long with any player because he does not have the tennis smarts associated with the higher levels of the game and the elite level of thinking required. A bit harsh ? No I don't believe so, Roger took Hewitt from World number 1 to 19, he has done nothing with Dimitrov except get him fit.
Grigor needs someone to teach him how to play tennis......

The following is part of a chapter I wrote immediately after the French Open where Grigor lost in round 1 to Sock. I reckon I was onto it like a seagull onto a chip....


'Grigor Dimitrov needs either an ex professional who knows the game well or he needs a tactical genius who has studied the game for many a year and can impart some knowledge of substance.
I would hate to see a player of Grigor's shot making ability turn out to be a 'no hit wonder' who only won some obscure events and who had an occasional win against the big boys. He is at a time in his career where he needs to find someone other than Rasheed for some answers. I think this year may just be the year unless his Wimbledon effort is of significance.
Watch this space.......'

Wednesday 8 July 2015

'INTERESTING'

  A while ago I posted a chapter on Serena Williams regarding her behaviour at the Hopman Cup which was less than exemplary to say the least. I also touched on a subject that has gained some publicity over the past six months or so. It referred to Serena throwing her runners up trophy in the bin at the conclusion of the presentation. 
Now some people refuse to buy into it, others have had a say including the guys at Court Talk, Perth's number one tennis radio programme. Their view is simple, Serena threw the trophy in the bin. I stumbled across a few comments on an ABC Grandstand Facebook page just recently.
I have taken the names off it however if anyone wishes to look it up please feel free, it's legitimate. The following comments are from people who do not like Serena who it seems is a great winner but not such a good loser.....
Personally I like the first comment the best, it backs up my claims that Serena did in fact throw the trophy away....
 
 hope she didnt throw that in the bin like her 2nd place trophy from the Hopman cup

  •  
     
     Hopefully we don't forget what she's like when she's losing..."I'll shove this f***ing ball down your f***ing throat", and the time she hid in the panic room when the drug testers rocked up because she thought "they were intruders". Um....intruders don't knock. Oh, you mean you hid there for another reason. Riiiight....

  •  
  •  Can't stand her. She's as fake as Hollywood boobs. I go for anyone who plays against her.

  • The following is courtesy of 'The New York Post'. Great little article this one. I see that someone even suggested that Serena retreated to her 'panic room' to grab a bile of her pee that wasn't laced with 'gear'. C'mon that's a bit harsh buddy.
    Interesting however that you would go to a room like that if someone actually knocks on your door. Most intruders don't knock, they usually just break in.....
    Many theories on this little episode but I will simply stick with my views and they are that I do not have any time for her despite the fact that she is the best female tennis player in the World.
    Take a read....

    Serena Williams locks herself in panic room in drug-test mix-up

       
    LOS ANGELES — Serena Williams fled to the panic room in her Los Angeles mansion when she mistook a sports association drug tester for a dangerous intruder.
    The tennis legend’s assistant called 911 around 6:00am local time last Wednesday and told the emergency operator that a prowler had been spotted at the luxurious property, TMZ reported.
    Williams retreated to her panic room in a bid to protect herself.
    But the intruder turned out to be a random drug tester who stopped by unannounced for a urine sample.
    Cops responded to the 911 call but quickly left the property when the misunderstanding was discovered. It was not known whether Williams submitted to the drug test.


    'A BIT OF TIPPING'

    Just quickly before the Men's quarters start;
    Tipping Federer in 4 sets over Simon who is playing well.
    Stan may take at least 4 maybe even 5 to get over Reeshard ( the French way of saying it )
    Murray in 4 tight sets over the Popstar Vasek
    Novak will have his work cut out against Cilic, but will tip him in 4 sets.
    All in all there should be no less than 16 sets played in London tonight in the men's quarters, no easy wins...
    Let's wait and see.......
    *** NEXT DAY*** I vowed some time back never to try tipping scores again in the major tournaments, should have stuck with it. I thought the Gasquet/Wawrinka match would be close but Stan would be too strong.
    Underestimated the Frenchman. The other big 3 are in all sorts of form at the right end of the tournament. If I were to tip again I would pick Federer to beat Andy in 5 and Novak to beat Gasquet in straight.....
    But I aint tipping again....

    Sunday 5 July 2015

    'TRUE STORY'

    Now due to some people not owning a sense of humour I have had to tone down some of the content on this site however when I hear certain things I feel I owe it to my three fans to relay the facts. So here's the latest.
    If this following chapter goes any further I would like Mr John Newcombe to look back on his commentary of the Federer/ Groth match and correct me if I am wrong. The other night I wrote a chapter on Newk's one eyed approach to commentating, he didn't even know that Juan Monaco was from Argentina, he actually thought he was from Spain. Interesting Newk.
    So to last night's match: Newk came out with a statement that no other tennis commentator would be silly enough to do, in fact no other tennis critic on the planet for that matter surely. Here it is. After Federer missed a backhand chip return against one of the World's fastest servers Sam Groth , Newk came out with " Federer's backhand chip return isn't a very good shot ".
    Now if I have any of that statement wrong I do humbly apologise Mr Newcombe however I believe that I may just have this one correct. How does that analogy from Newk see the light of day do you think ? Newk is apparently a tennis expert, he gets paid big bucks to commentate at Wimbledon next to a bloke who wouldn't be so stupid to say anything like that, Todd Woodbridge.
    Personally I believe that Roger Federer has the BEST backhand chip return in the game of tennis currently. Please send me an email if you can think of someone who owns a better one.......
    Regards Glenn

    Friday 3 July 2015

    'WHAT'S NEXT' ?

    So what's next for Bulgarian player Grigor Dimitrov ? Does he do what most have been suggesting for a while now and find a coach who can teach him how to play tennis ? Does he continue down the same path with fitness guru Roger Rasheed and maintain the mantel of being the tour's fittest pro who can't make an impression at the big tournaments ?
    I maintain my view of Roger Rasheed who took Lleyton Hewitt from number 1 to number 19, he is not a qualified tennis coach at the professional level, he is a fitness coach. There is a difference.
    Dimitrov should not be losing to guys like Gasquet on grass without even winning a set, same as the French Open this year, not a set was won in a loss to Jack Sock in round one. 
    I don't believe I am being too hard on either of them as Grigor has every shot in the book.
    Apparently Roger Rasheed has every 'move' in the book but that won't take Grigor beyond round three or four against the good guys.
    Same old story it seems for one of the game's biggest talents, early exits against lower ranked players, plenty of fitness though Mr Rasheed, that's the main thing ey ?

    And just a quick word on Sammy Stosur. Not quite sure what's going on there but to lose 12 games straight to a lower ranked opponent surely says something about her mindset. Sammy keeps offering things to the media like being 'more relaxed this year' and so on however that sort of talk accounts for nothing when you get dealt the equivalent of a double bagel.
    Changing coaches as Sammy does will not fix her issues, she needs to see a sports psyche, she owns the shots, not the head. She is just one of many players who will go down in history as a good tennis player who didn't fulfil potential due to a mind that doesn't believe....

    'REPOSTED'

    I thought that after the huge upset win by Dustin Brown over Rafa at Wimbledon last night it was time to repost a chapter I wrote on this guy way back in April last year. He's a talent, no doubting it, I just hope he can back up that win, it's what defines players.....
    Thursday, 10 April 2014

    'DREADLOCK HOLIDAY'

    Now Dustin Brown is no household name , Bec Hewitt probably dislikes him as he prevented her from spending another day in the player's box at Wimbledon last year when he sent her hubby Lleyton packing early. Today he beat American John Isner the World's number 9 player in the US Claycourt Championships in a thriller 6-4, 6-7, 7-6. Now this win will go down as a remarkable mindset victory for Dustin who is in fact ranked 101 as he had two match points in the second set. To put that behind him and regroup mentally in the final set particularly after a 5-1 lead in the deciding tiebreaker closed to 5-4 was nothing short of outstanding. What this victory does is rather obvious ;
    What really is the gap in standard between a top ten player and a guy ranked outside the top 100 ? It's the mind , that's all . Any guy in the top 200 can hit a tennis ball , that's obvious , but it's what a player can do with a ball that defines him as a player . Just how good are guys like Novak , Rafa and Roger to be able to win each week on the Pro Tour even when they aren't perhaps at their best physically or mentally ? 
    These guys are brilliant , no other word for them . If Mr Brown was to do some practice drills with Mr Federer it would be rather entertaining , Mr Brown would hold his own , he may even win more than he loses , but Mr Fed is a genius , Mr Brown is an apprentice. 
    I mean that in all due respect to Dustin Brown , he is a brilliant tennis player and if his ranking were higher he would be a marketer's dream , the long dreadlocks give him an almost 'young Andre Agassi' appeal. If this guy breaks the top 50 you watch the sponsorship dollars that get thrown his way . Mr 'Dreadlock Holiday' is just a tournament win away from his biggest bank account seen since his induction into World Tennis many years ago . I hope he is able to back up his Isner victory , tennis needs Dustin , he is someone just a little different from the regular player , 101 ranking but World Class as far as entertaining. It's what the sport needs.........