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  • Re: Tennis...Anyone?

    A random question for anyone on the board who plays...what is participation like where you live? Is it going up, down, staying flat? I know we have people in different parts of the country and am curious.
    Originally posted by BobbyBrady
    Crosby probably wouldn't even be on BC's top two lines next year

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    • Re: Tennis...Anyone?

      Originally posted by Drew S. View Post
      A random question for anyone on the board who plays...what is participation like where you live? Is it going up, down, staying flat? I know we have people in different parts of the country and am curious.
      Here it's flat. Though I've noticed that 90% of the kids who are playing are Indian (dot, not feather) so maybe we're sitting on top of a demographic renaissance when whitey dies off.
      Cornell University
      National Champion 1967, 1970
      ECAC Champion 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1980, 1986, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2005, 2010
      Ivy League Champion 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2020

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      • Re: Tennis...Anyone?

        Originally posted by Kepler View Post
        Here it's flat. Though I've noticed that 90% of the kids who are playing are Indian (dot, not feather) so maybe we're sitting on top of a demographic renaissance when whitey dies off.
        That's good in your area its not down. It seems to me in New England it has been dropping like 2% or so a year. You don't notice it much year to year but over time can tell its down a ways. I'm sure the game is in a great way financially but the USTA should do more to encourage participation.
        Originally posted by BobbyBrady
        Crosby probably wouldn't even be on BC's top two lines next year

        Comment


        • Re: Tennis...Anyone?

          Originally posted by Drew S. View Post
          That's good in your area its not down. It seems to me in New England it has been dropping like 2% or so a year. You don't notice it much year to year but over time can tell its down a ways. I'm sure the game is in a great way financially but the USTA should do more to encourage participation.
          In all honesty you may just be seeing the erosion of the middle class. Where and when I grew up (70s, John McEnroe's backyard) tennis was ubiquitous. It was weird not to play. But that implies certain costs (equipment, lessons) and other resources (mostly time) that many families just no longer have. Tennis is tracking like other high entry cost leisure activities (skiing, sailing): from pursuits of the rich they had a brief run of mass popularity before Reaganomics plowed us all back under and they've been retreating back again to the province of the rich.
          Cornell University
          National Champion 1967, 1970
          ECAC Champion 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1980, 1986, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2005, 2010
          Ivy League Champion 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2020

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          • Originally posted by Kepler View Post
            In all honesty you may just be seeing the erosion of the middle class. Where and when I grew up (70s, John McEnroe's backyard) tennis was ubiquitous. It was weird not to play. But that implies certain costs (equipment, lessons) and other resources (mostly time) that many families just no longer have. Tennis is tracking like other high entry cost leisure activities (skiing, sailing): from pursuits of the rich they had a brief run of mass popularity before Reaganomics plowed us all back under and they've been retreating back again to the province of the rich.
            That could be part of the reason, but I think tennis is much cheaper/easier than skiing or sailing(not that I've ever sailed.) Around here there are tons of nice public courts and you certainly can buy a really good racket for under a hundred dollars. Its a very interesting theory you have though. Maybe along with economic changes their mentality has changed as well?
            Originally posted by BobbyBrady
            Crosby probably wouldn't even be on BC's top two lines next year

            Comment


            • Re: Tennis...Anyone?

              Originally posted by Drew S. View Post
              That could be part of the reason, but I think tennis is much cheaper/easier than skiing or sailing(not that I've ever sailed.) Around here there are tons of nice public courts and you certainly can buy a really good racket for under a hundred dollars. Its a very interesting theory you have though. Maybe along with economic changes their mentality has changed as well?
              It is true there are free courts and a bad racket is very cheap. Lessons are expensive, though. Maybe I should have said tennis is expensive to play well, as I am learning every week.
              Cornell University
              National Champion 1967, 1970
              ECAC Champion 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1980, 1986, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2005, 2010
              Ivy League Champion 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2020

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              • Originally posted by Kepler View Post
                It is true there are free courts and a bad racket is very cheap. Lessons are expensive, though. Maybe I should have said tennis is expensive to play well, as I am learning every week.
                I'll help you and save you some money! If you want to get better you really need to put a lot of time into improving your footwork. That will help your game much more than any lesson will.

                You are right though, to really play proper tennis it does take some money.
                Originally posted by BobbyBrady
                Crosby probably wouldn't even be on BC's top two lines next year

                Comment


                • Re: Tennis...Anyone?

                  Originally posted by Drew S. View Post
                  I'll help you and save you some money! If you want to get better you really need to put a lot of time into improving your footwork. That will help your game much more than any lesson will.
                  I'm pretty sure not being a fat f-ck would help my game more than anything.

                  They are of a piece.
                  Cornell University
                  National Champion 1967, 1970
                  ECAC Champion 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1980, 1986, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2005, 2010
                  Ivy League Champion 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2020

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                  • Re: Tennis...Anyone?

                    I miss playing tennis competitively. i started playing at a very early age (both parents were very into the game) including club, state and regional competitions. I even took David Wheaton (we went to HS together) to 3 sets once. His name may not the that recognizable but he won the 1990 US Clay Courts, was a doubles runner-up with Annacone at the 1990 US Open, won the 1991 Grand Slam Cup against Michael Chang and reached the semis of Wimbledon beating Lendl and Agassi before bowing out to Becker.

                    Played serve and volley and loved my backhand. I could run all day but I was notorious for blowing leads and psyching myself out for whatever reason.

                    My wife also played in HS in Thailand and our first date in Bahrain was a tennis match. We just recently took it up again for the first time in probably 15 years and we bought racquets for the kids in hopes they will come to love it as much as we have. It's a wonderful game of endurance and skill but I love the strategy as much as anything.

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                    • Re: Tennis...Anyone?

                      Originally posted by Slap Shot View Post
                      I miss playing tennis competitively. i started playing at a very early age (both parents were very into the game) including club, state and regional competitions. I even took David Wheaton (we went to HS together) to 3 sets once. His name may not the that recognizable but he won the 1990 US Clay Courts, was a doubles runner-up with Annacone at the 1990 US Open, won the 1991 Grand Slam Cup against Michael Chang and reached the semis of Wimbledon beating Lendl and Agassi before bowing out to Becker.

                      Played serve and volley and loved my backhand. I could run all day but I was notorious for blowing leads and psyching myself out for whatever reason.

                      My wife also played in HS in Thailand and our first date in Bahrain was a tennis match. We just recently took it up again for the first time in probably 15 years and we bought racquets for the kids in hopes they will come to love it as much as we have. It's a wonderful game of endurance and skill but I love the strategy as much as anything.
                      You won a set from a guy who beat Lendl and Agassi?! Holy sheet! Son, I am impress.
                      Cornell University
                      National Champion 1967, 1970
                      ECAC Champion 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1973, 1980, 1986, 1996, 1997, 2003, 2005, 2010
                      Ivy League Champion 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1996, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2019, 2020

                      Comment


                      • Re: Tennis...Anyone?

                        A very bad day for tennis, retirements on Centre Court in back to back matches involving Fed and Djoker.
                        Originally posted by BobbyBrady
                        Crosby probably wouldn't even be on BC's top two lines next year

                        Comment


                        • Originally posted by Drew S. View Post
                          I don't think those four are going to have a great tournament and Fed is the only one who I think has much chance. It seems Murray and Djoker are both a combination of out of form and a bit knackered, Nadal has played a lot of tennis this year and I'm not sure his body will hold up, and while Fed has no obviously deficiencies right now he is in his mid 30's. It's a great opportunity for one of the young guns to win it.
                          This wasn't looking very good 24 hours ago but now Nadal is gone, Murray is struggling with a hip problem, and Djoker has a shoulder problem. It's amazing how quickly things can change. It looks to me like Fed is going to have to beat Dimitrov(which he did yesterday), Raonic, and Cilic to win the tournwment which would be pretty symbolic of what has happened to tennis in the last five years.
                          Originally posted by BobbyBrady
                          Crosby probably wouldn't even be on BC's top two lines next year

                          Comment


                          • Re: Tennis...Anyone?

                            Venus Williams into the semi-finals.

                            If somehow she wins the tournament, she'd tie Evonne Goolagong-Cawley for longest gap between championships (9 years).
                            "Hope is a good thing; maybe the best of things."

                            "Beer is a sign that God loves us and wants us to be happy." -- Benjamin Franklin

                            "Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary periods of joy." -- W. B. Yeats

                            "People generally are most impatient with those flaws in others about which they are most ashamed of in themselves." - folk wisdom

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                            • Originally posted by FreshFish View Post
                              Venus Williams into the semi-finals.

                              If somehow she wins the tournament, she'd tie Evonne Goolagong-Cawley for longest gap between championships (9 years).
                              That's a pretty crazy stat. I guess time goes by quicker as you get older, but I had no idea it had been that long for her. To be honest, it's not really a very good reflection on where the women's game is at right now.

                              I'm sure this has been mentioned by various pundits, but I just realized no one born in the 90's has won a men's grand slam title yet. It really is remarkable just how dominant the big four have been. I think even those of us who love the game take it for granted to a large degree.
                              Originally posted by BobbyBrady
                              Crosby probably wouldn't even be on BC's top two lines next year

                              Comment


                              • Re: Tennis...Anyone?

                                Originally posted by Drew S. View Post
                                That's a pretty crazy stat. I guess time goes by quicker as you get older, but I had no idea it had been that long for her.
                                It really is impressive, particularly given her age (37). However, it should be noted that it has been that long for her to win a Singles championship (she has won a half-dozen or so Doubles majors since her last Singles major). Also, it shouldn't be too surprising, as Venus advanced to the Final in the Australian Open this year and was a Semifinalist at Wimbledon last year, so obviously she is playing pretty good tennis of late. I hope she can finish it off.
                                North Dakota
                                National Champions: 1959, 1963, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1997, 2000, 2016

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