[tennisbiz] Re: Women's Pro Doubles

Tom,

I agree with you. But how is it that women can become professional players
without knowing how to serve and volley? What have their coaches been doing
-- just encouraging them to hit harder?

Watching the Williams sisters play doubles at the US Open last year was a
case in point: serving from the center of the court, taking a net position
in the doubles alley. More astonishing was that they have the athletic
ability to win anyway. Their games have evolved since then, perhaps through
the coaching of Billie Jean King during Fed Cup.

There have, of course, been plenty of accomplished women doubles players:
Martina Hingis, Hana Novotna, Martina Navratilova, Steffi Graf, and Anna
Kournikova, too, to name a few. But more and more the game has been taken
over by baseliners. The real shame is that it tells recreational players
that its okay, this is the way professionals play the game.

And so they imitate.

Lawrence Jeziak
TV writer, Tennis Week
Southfield, MI 48034-3055

 
Received on Fri Jul 26 2002 - 10:54:30 CDT