[alfajeffster]

I can really relate to the old racquet/old game syndrome! I can still pick up my trusty old Dunlop 200G and within minutes start smacking forehand winners from anywhere on the court. Trouble is, my 46 year old arm falls off and I find it under the bed the next morning cold and several shades of mauve. The re-attachment ceremony alone precludes any chance of conversation before massive amounts of ibuprofen and coffee. Oh how great I used to be with that frame!

[daze11]

Originally Posted by Jem

Excellent analysis. It just so happens that last night, I watched Chris Evert's 1983 semifinal with Kate Latham from the VS of Los Angeles. OK, it was Kate Latham, so Chris pretty much had her way. But it really gave you a chance to see the both the strategic and tactical Chris and her ability to work over an opponent and the astounding variety she had in her game. It was a sublime performance against an overmatched opponent.
My own game seems to be strategically stuck these days, so I'm looking for any help I can get! I may have to pull out the Goolagong-Evert '75 U.S. Open final or their exhibition from 1981 or 1982 on clay, which was a great three setter. For some reason, my own game seems to improve dramatically after I watch those two matches.

so glad you mentioned that match jem, it is one of my favorites. I KNOW its just kate latham, but MAN chris was feeling good that day. I mean she tore threw a lot of lesser players than kate latham and by worse scores, but rarely was she such a pleasure to watch than in that match. Even mary carillo said, 'chris really is giving us a full look at the variety of her arsenal today - it is hard to imagine even martina navratilova could possibly beat her playing like this' which was a big statement to make, considering it was 1983 amidst probably about 9 or 10 of those straight losses to MN.

I hear you of course about the wood racquet in the other post...but my point of course was that wood makes it difficult and that is WHY it is preferrable. Tennis is a sport and a discipline. It is not supposed to be made EASIER, you are supposed to have to focus and reach deeper than simply the ease of wacking away at the ball with wide margins for error...which is like having training wheels on your bike. They dont try to make judo or kung fu EASIER ... the 'artist' of the sport is supposed to make it easier by focusing and becoming better through that challenge.

This is the primary thing that I see as lost in the contemporary game. And its great you mentioned chris' performance of that very variety in the los angeles semi...because she was only to play a handful of tournaments with wood ever again. Her game became a tad more aggressive but much stiffer ever more.

[Jem]

I've just acquired a couple of Margaret Court autobiographies: Court on Court and Keeping the Faith. I look forward to seeing her perspective on her career from two very different times.