Marty Smith

Will Left-handed Strokes Like The Infamous One From Kevin Anderson Be More Common In The Future Of Tennis?

July 14, 2018 by Admin

By Marty Smith

@MartySmithAT

Many tennis fans are talking about Kevin Andersons’s left-handed forehand that helped him break serve in close out his epic 7-6(6), 6-7 (5), 6-7 (9), 6-4, 26-24 win over John Isner in the semifinals of Wimbledon. With Isner serving at 0-15 at 24-24 in the fifth set, Anderson hit the stroke after falling down on the grass and picking up his racquet from the ground with his left hand and not having time to switch hands to hit the ball with his right hand. He went on to win the point to get to 0-30 on Isner’s serve that eventually led to the vital service break that allowed him to serve out the match. The video of the shot can be seen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j2Yjch3BKpY

If the forehand provides more time, reach and power over the backhand, maybe we will see professional players adopt the dual forehand technique in the decades to come. Several great champions play or played with the non-dominant arm so the lack of coordination argument against it is moot, and if court coverage becomes an increasingly important factor in winning as I suspect it will, the dual forehand will make more and more sense. The main issue is with the grip change and here I believe my new overlapping grip described in my book “Absolute Tennis: The Best and Next Way To Play The Game” can remedy that problem.

There was a time when nobody thought we could break the four-minute mile. I think today we may be underestimating our potential and the degree of athleticism we can achieve. One day at Wimbledon we could see lefty forehands from right-handed players not just to save a point as Anderson did, but use it continually and take advantage of the forehands superior physical qualities of time, reach, and power.

Here is an except from my “Absolute Tennis” book where I discuss a bit more about how this stroke can evolve: http://www.worldtennismagazine.com/archives/15771

To order my book, click here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937559742/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_o0KsBbZASDQ1Y

Marty Smith has been the Director of Tennis for more than 20 years at the famed New York Athletic Club, the No. 1-rated athletic club in the United States. A native of Australia, he was a top five-ranked Australian junior players and was the two-time Southern Conference singles and doubles champion at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He graduated from UTC with a double degree in Economics and Finance and also received his MBA at St. Thomas University in Miami. He is a resident of Pelham, NY.

How Australian Open Champions Shape Tennis’ Past, Present and Future

January 24, 2018 by Admin

by Marty Smith

@MartySmithAT

Marty Smith is the director of tennis at the New York Athletic Club and the author of the book “The Absolute Tennis: The Best And Next Way To Play The Game” for sale here https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937559742/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_HLsoAbDGYAW4F

Watching the Australian Open on television this week I was struck by how much tennis has changed since I was there as a kid 35 years ago in 1983. Improvements in equipment and training have sped up the game and modified some strokes. Interestingly, some of these modifications only became popular techniques after their successful use by a legendary player, including former Australian Open champions such as Jim Courier, Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal, who all played important roles in altered strokes becoming common in the modern player’s repertoire.

It’s a little hard to imagine now, but in the wood racquet era players seldom moved into the backhand side of the court to hit the forehand – a stroke called the inside forehand. The inside forehand didn’t become an accepted stroke until the late 1980s, when coach Nick Bollettieri and Jim Courier devised a game plan in which Courier would use his powerful forehand, especially his inside forehand, as much as possible. His world No. 1 ranking highlighted this stroke and it quickly became the most devastating baseline shot in tennis.

Similarly, Serena Williams ushered the swinging volley into the mainstream. At the 1983 Australian Open players used a short, punching motion on the volley. In the 1990s, Serena’s successful use of the swinging volley proved that taking a long, full swing on the volley was the right technique in some circumstances. Her dominance transformed the swinging volley into a feared shot and sped up the game.

Rafael Nadal’s use of the reverse forehand, where the right-handed player finishes with the racquet on their right side instead of their left, has led it to gain favor in the past decade. It is now frequently used by the pros to cope with the increased speed of the ball and to facilitate the sharp vertical lift of the racquet required for added topspin on certain shots. When Nadal first made this stroke popular, many pundits expressed concern that it would increase mishits and injuries. Now, it is the concern, rather than the reverse forehand technique, that has faded away.

I could cite more changes, but the point is that the game has evolved, and the question becomes: what strokes that are rarely used today might become more common in the future? In my opinion, the volleyball and reverse serve, dual forehand, and hybrid backhand are possibilities.

In the volleyball serve, players begin by setting up in their regular serving stance but stand about 18 inches behind the baseline. After initiating the backswing, the front foot steps forward to the baseline, and the back foot then joins the front foot before performing a regular pinpoint serve. The extra step forward with the front foot increases body momentum and power. Top doubles player Jamie Murray uses the volleyball serve; this technique also speeds up his movement to the net when serving in his doubles matches. Even though this technique complicates the service motion, the volleyball serve’s advantages may prove valuable as the game continues to get faster and the players more athletic.

Although other sports routinely curve the ball right and left for various reasons, tennis players have always curved the serve in only one direction. In the reverse serve, right handed players brush around the left hand side of the ball, instead of the usual right, and this causes the ball to curve to the right, not left. Thus, the reverse serve allows players to curve the ball in two directions. I’ve seen former top 30 player Lukas Rosol successfully use the reverse serve to add unpredictability and width to his serve. Again, as the game evolves, the gains realized by adding unpredictability and better court advantage may make the reverse serve a more common serving option in the future.

Will groundstrokes change? If the game continues to increase power and angles from the baseline, will the forehand’s superior power and reach over the backhand make the dual forehand (i.e.,playing with a righty and lefty forehand) a style we will see in Melbourne in 2053? It is also possible that the hybrid backhand groundstroke gains acceptance. The great ATP returners (eg., Conners, Agassi, Djokovic) have all been two-handed backhand players. However, because one arm can swing faster than two arms, one-handed backhand players like Federer and Wawrinka often hit with more power, spin, and variety during the rally than their two-handed backhand peers. Using the hybrid backhand — hitting the two-hander on the return and one-hander during the rally — might represent the “best of both worlds” for some ATP players in the decades to come.

These strokes may seem improbable today, but back in 1983, the strokes later adopted by Courier, Williams, and Nadal would have seemed unlikely too. Maybe these possible future strokes will also need a legend to get them jump started. Based on history, it does seem we will need proof from excellence before we believe that different could be better. Tennis is a finely balanced sport and small improvements in the past have led to shifts in how it is played. Look at how an upgrade in strings in the 1990s diminished serve and volley tennis. What kind of impact will a slightly more athletic and quicker game have on tennis? No one can say, but it is likely we will witness some changes and it’s exciting to think of what we might see on Rod Laver Arena another 35 years from now.

Hall of Famer Fred Stolle Endorses “Absolute Tennis” Book By Marty Smith

December 5, 2017 by Admin

“Absolute Tennis: The Next And Best Way To Play The Game” by New York Athletic Club Director of Tennis Marty Smith is the most exciting new book release in the tennis instructional category. The book is endorsed by former French and U.S. singles champion and International Tennis Hall of Fame member Fred Stolle. The following is the foreword that Stolle contributed to the book.

Tennis players move up, back, left, and right at varying speeds with different types of footwork. They hit the ball fast or slow, deep or short, high or low, flat or with heavy spin. They play against a variety of opponents whose style of play can range from relentlessly aggressive to incredibly patient. During a match, emotions can quickly swing up and down and concentration may fade in and out. The spectrum of physical and mental skills required in tennis is broad, so when Marty Smith told me about his plan to write a comprehensive tennis instructional book, I thought it was a terrific idea. His book “Absolute Tennis” appreciates the wide-ranging nature of the sport and is a great read for tennis enthusiasts both new and experienced to the game.

Acknowledging the fact that tennis is a very athletic game, Marty starts by discussing balance, the kinetic chain, and movement. Next, he takes you through grips and each phase of every stroke, giving you insights to improve your technique and play your best tennis. At each step, he pairs his instructional text with engaging individual and frame-by-frame photographs of the world’s top players to illustrate his explanations. Federer’s serve, Nadal’s forehand, Djokovic’s return, and Murray’s backhand are a few of the strokes that are highlighted. Marty discusses not only the strokes of today, but also explores strokes that may be used in the future. Viewing tennis through the prism of the game’s increasing speed, athleticism, and serving prowess, he explains how swings could evolve and makes a compelling case for three unconventional shots. Following the chapters on the key athletic principles and the strokes, Marty dedicates the last third of the book to strategy, the mind, and fitness. Successful tennis players “think” well on the court and his chapters on singles and doubles strategy provide tips on how to play smart.

Additionally, his extensive chapters on psychology and fitness with teach you how to focus the mind to compete in a more consistent and confident manner as well as how to train your body to move faster and last longer. Back in my day, we did not have access to advice on psychology, stretching, nutrition, etc that are now such an important part of training for the elite athlete. Marty’s goal is absolutely clear. He wants to teach you a tremendous amount, all while entertaining you with his holistic, practical, and forward approach to tennis. So read on to gain a deeper understanding of tennis and learn how to improve different parts of your game. If you put his advice into action, you will have more fun on the court and win more, just as his many students over his decades of coaching have done.

“Absolute Tennis” is a thorough and comprehensive guide to tennis instruction and in improving one’s tennis game compiled in an insightful and visually engaging book by Smith, the long-time Director of Tennis at the New York Athletic Club. The book is highlighted by Smith’s three unconventional strokes that may become accepted techniques as the game continues to evolve and become faster. The book also includes Smith’s meticulous explanations of every stroke in the game as well as over 500 narrated photographs and 75 drills and exercise explanations that simulate match-play situations, hone stroke technique and boost fitness. Recognizing that tennis is a highly athletic, tactical, and mental game, Smith also dedicates a large part of the book to the body, singles and doubles strategy and the mind. Readers will learn how to improve footwork and movement, integrate winning game plans, and use their inner voice to play with more confidence and success.

“Absolute Tennis” is available for sale and download wherever books are sold, including here on Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1937559742/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_x_XhyUzbSQF7YA7 More information on the book can be found at www.AbsoluteTennis.net

Smith has been the Director of Tennis for more than 20 years at the famed New York Athletic Club, the No. 1-rated athletic club in the United States. A native of Australia, he was a top five-ranked Australian junior players and was the two-time Southern Conference singles and doubles champion at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. He graduated from UTC with a double degree in Economics and Finance and also received his MBA at St. Thomas University in Miami. He is a resident of Pelham, NY.

Said Gerold Marzorati, former editor of The New York Times Magazine and author of Late to the Ball, “Marty Smith is not only an enthusiastic and wise teaching pro with boundless knowledge of mechanics, technique, and strategy. He is also a cutting-edge theorist. This is a book for recreational players, promising young players and their parents, club pros, college-level coaches or anyone who grasps that clear, comprehensive understanding is a means to improvement. Absolute Tennis will transform your game – and could well transform the game itself.”

Said former top 40 ATP singles player Alex Bogomolov, “Absolute Tennis is the definitive modern tennis instruction book. It covers tennis with advice that is interesting, incisive, and useful. There are the chapters on psychology and fitness that my friends on the pro tour will find helpful, while the chapters on strategy and strokes will guide recreational players to play smarter and hit the ball with more power, control, and belief.”

Founded in 1987, New Chapter Press (www.NewChapterMedia.com) is also the publisher of “The Secrets of Spanish Tennis” by Chris Lewit, “Andy Murray, Wimbledon Champion: The Full Extraordinary Story” by Mark Hodgkinson, “The Bud Collins History of Tennis” by Bud Collins, “The Wimbledon Final That Never Was” by Sidney Wood, “Titanic: The Tennis Story” by Lindsay Gibbs, “Sport of a Lifetime” by Judy Aydelott, “Macci Magic: Extracting Greatness From Yourself And Others” by Rick Macci with Jim Martz, “How To Permanently Erase Negative Self Talk So You Can Be Extraordinary” by Emily Filloramo, “Acing Depression: A Tennis Champion’s Toughest Match” by Cliff Richey and Hilaire Richey Kallendorf, “The Greatest Tennis Matches of All-Time” by Steve Flink, “The Education of a Tennis Player” by Rod Laver with Bud Collins, “Roger Federer: Quest for Perfection” by Rene Stauffer, “The Days of Roger Federer” by Randy Walker, “Jan Kodes: A Journey To Glory From Behind The Iron Curtain” by Jan Kodes with Peter Kolar, “Tennis Made Easy” by Kelly Gunterman, “On This Day In Tennis History” by Randy Walker (www.TennisHistoryApp.com), “A Player’s Guide To USTA League Tennis” by Tony Serksnis, “Court Confidential: Inside The World Of Tennis” by Neil Harman, “A Backhanded Gift” by Marshall Jon Fisher, “Boycott: Stolen Dreams of the 1980 Moscow Olympic Games” by Tom Caraccioli and Jerry Caraccioli (www.Boycott1980.com), “Internet Dating 101: It’s Complicated, But It Doesn’t Have To Be” by Laura Schreffler, “How To Sell Your Screenplay” by Carl Sautter, “Bone Appetit: Gourmet Cooking For Your Dog” by Suzan Anson, “The Rules of Neighborhood Poker According to Hoyle” by Stewart Wolpin among others.

“Absolute Tennis” Book By Marty Smith Released By New Chapter Press

October 9, 2017 by Admin

New Chapter Press announced the release of the new innovative tennis instructional book “Absolute Tennis: The Best and Next Way To Play The Game” by Marty Smith.

Said former U.S. and Roland Garros singles champion and International Tennis Hall of Famer Fred Stolle, “With detailed explanations of the strokes illustrated by photos of the greats, and in-depth discussion of tactics, psychology and fitness, Absolute Tennis helps players achieve their best game. Marty Smith is an outstanding teacher and his advice will work for you as it has for his many students over his decades of coaching.”