The Marco Trungelliti story of World Tennis is one of those feel good stories that puts a different perspective on the sport in general.
While the legends of tennis such as Federer, Nadal and Djokovic surpass the $100,000,000 mark in prize money, the battlers of the sport put a different spin on it, pardon the pun.
Marco Trungelliti just sent Bernard Tomic packing from the first round in Paris and let's face it, the Argentinian really shouldn't have been there in the first place. Hubert Herkazc of Poland, ranked 2 places below Marco at a lowly 188 broke Marco's heart at 6-4 in the third set in the final round of the Mens Qualification event.
Marco drove back to his base in Barcelona.
Marco then got a call from the French Open Organizers.
Marco, how would you like to take Nick's place ?
Marco drove 1000 kms back to Paris.
Marco beat Tomic 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-4.
In Barletta, Italy in April this year Marco won eight matches in just over a week, including three qualification victories to claim the Challenger event which netted him a rather modest sum of just over $6,000 Euros.
Tough way to make a living.
For making the second round at Roland Garros this year Marco is guaranteed of at least $79,000 Euros, or in Aussie Dollars, around $120,000.
That 1000 km trip from Barcelona probably cost a few Euros in fuel. He should now be able to afford a flight back to Barcelona when his time is up in Paris.
We often hear of the 'glamour' life of tennis and the millions that the top echelon of players rake in each year with their fast cars and luxury villas overlooking the Mediterranean, but this story is probably more in tune with how the Tennis World really works.
It's not an easy sport to make a Euro or two out of.
Perseverance, an ounce of luck and a big heart may just get you that break you are looking for in a sport that offers a one in a million success rate,
Marco Trungelliti is a 'millionaire' tonight.
Well played Marco..........
**** For the record, Kyrgios actually picked up $20,000 Euros for not turning up, while Marco took home the other half, so doing the sums on all of that, Marco is still around $100,000 Aussie Dollars richer.*******
Monday, 28 May 2018
Thursday, 24 May 2018
'THE KOKK BACK DOWN TO EARTH'
Jurgen Zopp is no household name yet he just beat the 'Kokk' in the second round of the French Open Qualifying Event in three sets, pretty comfortably in the decider.
For those of you unfamiliar with who the 'Kokk' is, well he is an Aussie tennis player who had the audacity after beating a tired Roger Federer in Miami earlier this year to say the following.
"but when I am playing on my terms I don't feel there are too many people who can go with me ".
Thanassi Kokkinakis ( Miami Press Conference ).
Hmmmmm.
That was possibly the silliest thing I have ever heard from a Tennis Professional.
You only play on your terms when you are playing a 'bunny', someone who doesn't offer much resistance, Roger Federer usually offers a bit more than most as far as resistance is concerned.
But rather than be humble about the win, the 'Kokk' came out with all guns blazing stating that his best was basically 'untouchable'. Sounds as though the Kokk went to the same school of tennis intelligence as Lleyton Hewitt.
Back to Jurgen Zopp.
The 'Jurg' is ranked World number 138 currently in singles, has won around 33 grand before Tax, this year, and has won NO titles, ever. Maybe in juniors he has but not in senior tennis. In fact the last match the Jurg played, well he lost to a bloke by the name of Mats Moraing who is ranked 155.
Never heard of him.
Back to the 'Kokk'.
Dumbest statement I have ever heard in tennis, did I mention that ?
World Tennis is an art form, a sport that tradition loves, a sport where guys like Borg, McEnroe, Connors, Lendl, Wilander, Vilas, of days gone by can still hold their heads up and be mentioned in the same breath as today's champions such as Fed, Rafa, Novak and Murray.
The way the ball is hit now days is a little quicker though the aforementioned players lacked nothing as far as talent is concerned on a tennis court, particularly when you consider wooden rackets were used back in the 'old days'.
The 'Kokk' should take some time out and get over himself, he is just another player on the World Tennis Tour, just another player who hits a good ball who will probably retire in the next 5 to 10 years with a big bank balance after winning very little.
Tennis now days in fact rewards 'mediocrity'.
You don't have to win titles to become rich at tennis now days, fact.
The 'Kokk' lost to Zopp, a player with no titles, outside the top 100, a player who scratches around on tour to make a living.
Zopp's best was way to good for 'Kokk' in Paris.
In fact in the first round of qualifying the 'Kokk' needed 3 sets to get over a guy ranked 791.
'Kokk' should gain some perspective out of this.
Tough sport tennis...........
For those of you unfamiliar with who the 'Kokk' is, well he is an Aussie tennis player who had the audacity after beating a tired Roger Federer in Miami earlier this year to say the following.
"but when I am playing on my terms I don't feel there are too many people who can go with me ".
Thanassi Kokkinakis ( Miami Press Conference ).
Hmmmmm.
That was possibly the silliest thing I have ever heard from a Tennis Professional.
You only play on your terms when you are playing a 'bunny', someone who doesn't offer much resistance, Roger Federer usually offers a bit more than most as far as resistance is concerned.
But rather than be humble about the win, the 'Kokk' came out with all guns blazing stating that his best was basically 'untouchable'. Sounds as though the Kokk went to the same school of tennis intelligence as Lleyton Hewitt.
Back to Jurgen Zopp.
The 'Jurg' is ranked World number 138 currently in singles, has won around 33 grand before Tax, this year, and has won NO titles, ever. Maybe in juniors he has but not in senior tennis. In fact the last match the Jurg played, well he lost to a bloke by the name of Mats Moraing who is ranked 155.
Never heard of him.
Back to the 'Kokk'.
Dumbest statement I have ever heard in tennis, did I mention that ?
World Tennis is an art form, a sport that tradition loves, a sport where guys like Borg, McEnroe, Connors, Lendl, Wilander, Vilas, of days gone by can still hold their heads up and be mentioned in the same breath as today's champions such as Fed, Rafa, Novak and Murray.
The way the ball is hit now days is a little quicker though the aforementioned players lacked nothing as far as talent is concerned on a tennis court, particularly when you consider wooden rackets were used back in the 'old days'.
The 'Kokk' should take some time out and get over himself, he is just another player on the World Tennis Tour, just another player who hits a good ball who will probably retire in the next 5 to 10 years with a big bank balance after winning very little.
Tennis now days in fact rewards 'mediocrity'.
You don't have to win titles to become rich at tennis now days, fact.
The 'Kokk' lost to Zopp, a player with no titles, outside the top 100, a player who scratches around on tour to make a living.
Zopp's best was way to good for 'Kokk' in Paris.
In fact in the first round of qualifying the 'Kokk' needed 3 sets to get over a guy ranked 791.
'Kokk' should gain some perspective out of this.
Tough sport tennis...........
Tuesday, 22 May 2018
'TENNIS, THINK OUTSIDE THE SQUARE'
Over the years I have seen some good players hit a good tennis ball, here in WA, in Queensland, in Europe. One thing sticks in my mind.
The player who does something 'different' separates themselves from the hundreds of players who do the same thing over and over again.
That's why tennis 'success' is so hard to find, it's because thinking outside the square in coaching terms is not the 'norm' as most teach tennis the 'safe' way.
If you take a look at junior tennis it's pretty much all the same.
A win one day will be a loss the next because 9 out of 10 juniors play 'ping pong'. They hit the ball at the same height over the net every single shot and hope they will do it better than the opponent down the other end.
A junior may win a match, a couple of matches or even the occasional tournament but they will not do it on a regular basis because the odds of doing it are too high if they don't do much different than the next player.
Tennis is taught the same now days, a player learns a big forehand, a two handed backhand, a kick serve and ventures to the net usually only to shake hands.
So if most kids are taught to play this way, what will separate one from the other ?
Very little.
A bees dick to be more precise.
There are so many tennis players trying to make a living from the game however just making it inside the top 100 when you really think about it, well it's quite outrageously difficult.
I believe it would be fair to say that a player ranked 300 would hit a ball as well as a guy ranked 100 yet the chances of a player going from 300 to 100 would be slim, it's a big mental climb, not so much a physical or technical one.
The top 100 tennis players in the World are unbelievably intelligent as far as crunching data is concerned whilst on court, they have to be, otherwise they would be ranked 200 to 300, fact.
So how does a player get to the top 100 ?
With something different. Simply doing what the next player does will not maintain a spot in the rankings that high for a long period of time.
Whether a top 100 player owns an unbelievable forehand, a tactical mind, physical prowess, the ability to still maintain calm under pressure or if he or she simply doesn't miss, I think it's safe to say that they own something rather unique to play at that level.
As far as juniors are concerned, I think it's safe to say that only a select few will go through to senior ranks and make an impression, due to the intricacies of having to adapt to the smarter minds that are waiting for them at the next level.
I find teaching tennis to be an educational experience though a frustrating one also because watching a player hit like a champion in practice and a B Grade club player in a tournament can test your own mind and whether or not what you are teaching actually owns any substance whatsoever.
Like the saying goes, 'You are only as good as your second serve'.
Well that's tennis coaching in a nutshell.
You are only as good as your students' ability to be competitive. We can all teach a player how to hit a tennis ball, that's the easy part of teaching tennis.
Teaching a player how to play tennis however is the toughest part.
Think outside the square, those who don't usually stay at the same standard. Tennis is a sport where no one ever got hurt by experimenting and many gained success by trying something different.
Worth a thought I reckon..........
The player who does something 'different' separates themselves from the hundreds of players who do the same thing over and over again.
That's why tennis 'success' is so hard to find, it's because thinking outside the square in coaching terms is not the 'norm' as most teach tennis the 'safe' way.
If you take a look at junior tennis it's pretty much all the same.
A win one day will be a loss the next because 9 out of 10 juniors play 'ping pong'. They hit the ball at the same height over the net every single shot and hope they will do it better than the opponent down the other end.
A junior may win a match, a couple of matches or even the occasional tournament but they will not do it on a regular basis because the odds of doing it are too high if they don't do much different than the next player.
Tennis is taught the same now days, a player learns a big forehand, a two handed backhand, a kick serve and ventures to the net usually only to shake hands.
So if most kids are taught to play this way, what will separate one from the other ?
Very little.
A bees dick to be more precise.
There are so many tennis players trying to make a living from the game however just making it inside the top 100 when you really think about it, well it's quite outrageously difficult.
I believe it would be fair to say that a player ranked 300 would hit a ball as well as a guy ranked 100 yet the chances of a player going from 300 to 100 would be slim, it's a big mental climb, not so much a physical or technical one.
The top 100 tennis players in the World are unbelievably intelligent as far as crunching data is concerned whilst on court, they have to be, otherwise they would be ranked 200 to 300, fact.
So how does a player get to the top 100 ?
With something different. Simply doing what the next player does will not maintain a spot in the rankings that high for a long period of time.
Whether a top 100 player owns an unbelievable forehand, a tactical mind, physical prowess, the ability to still maintain calm under pressure or if he or she simply doesn't miss, I think it's safe to say that they own something rather unique to play at that level.
As far as juniors are concerned, I think it's safe to say that only a select few will go through to senior ranks and make an impression, due to the intricacies of having to adapt to the smarter minds that are waiting for them at the next level.
I find teaching tennis to be an educational experience though a frustrating one also because watching a player hit like a champion in practice and a B Grade club player in a tournament can test your own mind and whether or not what you are teaching actually owns any substance whatsoever.
Like the saying goes, 'You are only as good as your second serve'.
Well that's tennis coaching in a nutshell.
You are only as good as your students' ability to be competitive. We can all teach a player how to hit a tennis ball, that's the easy part of teaching tennis.
Teaching a player how to play tennis however is the toughest part.
Think outside the square, those who don't usually stay at the same standard. Tennis is a sport where no one ever got hurt by experimenting and many gained success by trying something different.
Worth a thought I reckon..........
Thursday, 17 May 2018
'PLISKOVA RECEIVES NO SYMPATHY FROM GT'
You smash that bad from that close in........ accept the consequences in a sport where every point counts.........Mediocrity is never rewarded in tennis.........
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)