HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: claypool@myria.cs.umn.edu (Mark Claypool)
Subject: Re: Widebodies
Organization: University of Minnesota
Distribution: na
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 16:16:15 GMT

>I keep having the problem of string breakage - have broken strings
>on two racquets about 4 times over the past couple of months. I am
>not exactly a Becker or something, so the reason for this puzzles
>me.

Strings may break for many reasons.  They may become old and brittle
from neglect, or weaken under intense heat if left in a sunny car.
Then, the next time you play, they break.  If you take care of your
racquet, they can still break from normal use.  A good way to tell is
by looking where they break: a normal-use break will usually occur on
one (or two) of the center strings which are paralell to the handle.

Hitting a flat shot _really_ hard can break a string; a lot of force
will snap any wire.  But more detrimental to strings is topspin.  To
impart topspin, you brush up on the ball as you hit it.  This causes
the strings to move.  The movement of the strings creates
ever-deepening grooves (they look like little nicks) in the strings;
essentially, you wear through the string.  After a period of time, the
string will snap at the groove.  Slice (underspin from brushing down)
has the same effect, but most people don't hit slices as hard; they
usually won't move the strings.

If you've only recently begun to break strings a lot, it may be because
you've begun hitting with more topspin.  Topspin allows you to hit the
ball harder and still have it go in.  Thus, topspin gives you grooves
and extra force.  Both of these will cause you to break your strings
more often.

	Mark




--

--------------------------------------------   /|  /|  /     /-----/   ___
Mark Claypool (claypool@cs.umn.edu 624-7807)  / | / | /     /         / | \
-------------------------------------------- /  |/  |/_____/-----/    \/_\/
From: jason@cs.uq.oz.au (Jin Song Dong)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
Subject: When US Open start?
Summary: When US Open start?
Keywords: When US Open start?
Date: 20 Aug 92 07:20:57 GMT
Reply-To: jason@cs.uq.oz.au


 When US Open start?
thanks.
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
From: clin@eng.umd.edu (Charles Lin)
Subject: A little trivia question
Reply-To: clin@eng.umd.edu (Charles C. Lin)
Organization: College of Engineering, Maryversity of Uniland, College Park
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 05:05:24 GMT


   Name at least three players that have played 6-0 sets against
John McEnroe and when they did this.

--
Charles Lin
clin@eng.umd.edu


Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
From: CHAP000 <CHAP@UNB.CA>
Subject: RE: STRATEGY: Playing a 'pusher' ...
Organization: The University of New Brunswick
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 18:45:17 GMT

Go to the net.

The 'pusher' will have to pass you with pace or lob over you.  If you
keep them back and come to the net you will then have the angles to play
with.  Make them run.  Try to avoid the trap of overhitting and
frustrating yourself.

Option 'b' I use is to drop and lob and make them run.  If they refuse
to hit any high risk shots they are no danger at the net so drop short
and they make them run deep.  Once they are moving back and forth they
become easier to pass and approach.

Go to your strengths.  If you want to play some faster points - go for
it.

Enjoy the 'pusher' cause he gives you lots of shots to hit.

GOOD LUCK.

VICTOR.
>.
>.'There is no substitute for excellence, not even success'
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
From: hari@robios.me.wisc.edu (Kambainathan Hari)
Subject: Re: Request for USTA address and phone #.
Organization: U. Wisconsin-Madison, Robotics Laboratory
Distribution: usa
Date: 12 Aug 92 19:10:00
In-reply-to: mayalama@cisa.cis.uab.edu's message of 12 Aug 92 21:27:10 GMT
From: page@ficus.cs.ucla.edu (Thomas Page)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
Subject: Re: How many touring pros are using wide body racquets?
Date: 19 Aug 92 18:44:17 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: UCLA Computer Science Department


 Palmer Chappelle writes:
>The power is coming from the athletes themselves.

This is something I have been thinking about saying for a long time in response
to the discussions about the new rackets ruining the game.  Tennis is not like
auto racing where the speed comes from the cars, so if you want to slow them down,
you change the rules about the engines.  Tennis is a human powered sport.  The
racket does not impart any energy to the ball that one human or the other did   
not impart to it.   All the racket does is take away energy.  The new rackets 
transfer more of the energy you apply to them to the ball.  How could that be bad?

Tom
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
From: rivera_edgardo@macmail1.rtsg.mot.com
Subject: Info wanted on the Prince CTS Blast raquet?
Organization: CSG Group
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 14:11:49 GMT


I would like to know more about the Prince CTS Blast mid-plus raquet?  In terms
of vibration control, performance on the court, power, weight, etc.

Thanks in advance.
ELR                                   rivera_edgardo@macmail1.rtsg.mot.com
From: mmmirash@midway.ecn.uoknor.edu (Mandar Mukund Mirashi)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
Subject: Re: Best shots in tennis
Date: 14 Aug 92 22:54:17 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Engineering Computer Network, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK, USA

>
>I think I'll be vomiting now.
>
>Why do we have to continually read this "let's put Becker on a pedestal" type
>
>of posting?

You don't have to.....you can just skip it!
Becker fans have as much right to express their views about the
best shots in tennis as you do.
-- 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Space the final frontier" - Star Trek.
"Try to see it my way, only time will tell if I am right or I am wrong"
                                                         - The Beatles
From: weber@ohm.york.ac.uk (Weber Martins)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
Subject: Agassi's racquet - powerful???
Date: 18 Aug 92 10:44:34 GMT
Organization: Electronics Department, University of York, UK

Unfortunatelly, I've lost Lin's post on 'Agassi's flashy racquet'...
If someone has past posts on this subject, I'd be very grateful to
receive them (weber@ohm.york.ac.uk) by the way.

I know that this racquet is considered very powerful but I would
like to know:

1- Does Agassi play with an oversize or a midsize?

2- Which is more powerful between these two sizes? I believe an
   oversize has more power. Am I right?

3- Is this racquet a widebody? If not, why just a few people use
   them? Are they not good to a high level player or the top ones
   are not used to them (or don't need them to create power)?



Thanks in advance


                             Weber
                             weber@ohm.york.ac.uk

P.S.: What's going on with Seles??? Another defeat!!! Can Graf
      regain her beloved #1 if she wins the US Open???
From: graham@maths.su.oz.au (Graham Matthews)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
Subject: Re: best shots in tennis
Date: 21 Aug 92 12:22:46 GMT
Organization: School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sydney

(Thomas Page) writes:
>Edberg is a perfect textbook volleyer. He gets consistently solid results.
>Cash also has textbook form, is often brilliant, but can also be bad.He is
>more athletic and covers more ground than Edberg despite being shorter.
>McEnroe does not have textbook form, but pulls off more brilliant shots,
>delicate drop volleys, amazing angles, etc. than anyone in the history of
>the game.His volley rarely lets him down, but his serve which he needs 
>to set up the volley sometimes does.

Mac's serve and his speed around the court seem to me to be the two things
that these days seem to have gone off (compared to when he was younger).
When he was younger Mac had the best second serve there was (ever!),
and his footspeed around the court was terrific - never seeming off
balance. These days he has lost the consistency of both these weapons ..
Ah well the volleys are still beautiful to watch.

graham
--
Graham Matthews                 And it's true we are immune
Pure Math, Uni.Sydney, Oz       When fact is fiction and T.V. is reality
graham@maths.su.oz.au
From: kl@isr.harvard.edu (Kun Lee)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
Subject: Any recommendation of racquet for the beginners?
Date: 19 Aug 92 18:54:24 GMT
Article-I.D.: burrhus.1992Aug19.185424.23302
Organization: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

Hello tennis experts,

This may be a faq, but I haven't seen for the last two weeks.
It seems that people like myself have little room for this news group :-).
I am a beginner and taking a class. Several of us have a common question
that "is there a kind of racquet suitable for the beginners to practice
right strokes?" We are confused by so many kinds of shapes and sizes,
particulary widebody and oversize, not to mention the prices.
Recommendation of any particular brand and model wouldn't be a bad pointer
at all.

Thanks in advance.

My sig. file includes my e-mail address. Feel free to either post or send me
e-mail.
---
Kun Lee 
Dept of Sociology, Harvard Univ, Cambridge, MA 02138
InterNet: kl@isr.harvard.edu		 BITNET: kl@harvunxw
From: dchien@boole.seas.ucla.edu (David H. Chien)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
Subject: No way! Seles's RQ-380 strung at 83!?!
Date: 23 Aug 92 05:36:30 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: SEASnet, University of California, Los Angeles


     In the Sept. issue of Tennis, it says Seles's RQ-380 is strung at
83 lbs with Tecnifibre 515.  I've looked and even the largest RQ has
a maximum 65 lb rating.
     If this isn't a misprint, how can this tension be so high without
breaking the raquet, especially given the force she uses to hit?  And
wouldn't the strings break quickly during use?

     Curious David :)     dchien@boole.seas.ucla.edu

     PS. BTW, is her RQ's weight L, SL, UL, or XFL as a baseline?
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
Subject: Re: Entertainer in tennis 
From: pmbarlow@miavx1.acs.muohio.edu (Dan Fielding)
Date: 15 Aug 92 16:36:07 -0500
Organization: Miami University Academic Computer Service"

In article <1992Aug15.115747.5614@lugb.latrobe.edu.au>, CS19242663X@LUST2.LATROBE.EDU.AU (MASINSKAS, ILZE) writes:
> In my opinion, Leconte is also interesting to watch. He may not be very
> comsistent, but his matches are usually entertaining.

This I'll agree to... I remember seeing his first round match from Wimbledon...
he was being awful funny to a line judge about a ball he thought was out, but
was called good.  Didn't matter much, because he won the next point and the
match anyway.

> Just my AUS$0.02 worth....
> Ilze

Just adding another $0.01 or so...

Dan Fielding.

Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
From: AS.TLK@forsythe.stanford.edu (Timothy Kaufman)
Subject: Re: best shots in tennis
Organization: Stanford University, California, USA
Distribution: usa
Date: Fri, 14 Aug 1992 15:16:14 GMT

This is not a high percentage shot (you don't really see people
hitting long 'tweener rallies), but an easy choice--

Best between-the-legs shot:       Gabriela Sabitweeni

I've seen her hit it facing forwards and backwards (chasing down a
lob)--gee, I can't even hit it over my shoulder.


-Timmer
From: manuvir@cs.wisc.edu (Manuvir Das)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
Subject: Re: Opinions on tension
Date: 21 Aug 92 20:40:04 GMT
Organization: U of Wisconsin CS Dept

In article <m14430.714422080@mwunix>, m14430@mwunix.mitre.org (Lawrence Larson) writes:
|> clin@eng.umd.edu (Charles Lin) writes:
|> 
|> >they think about tension.  I think conventional wisdom
|> >is that with lower tension comes more power (and possibly
|> >better feel) and a larger sweetspot.  With higher tension,
|> >you get more control, and a smaller sweetspot.
|> 
|> The consensus has been as you state - except that I would think that
|> sweetspot would be larger at higher tensions.
|> 
|> >He couldn't understand how Borg could play with those racquets.
|> >They felt like boards, and the balls supposedly flew when
|> >he hit it.
|> 
|> Felt like boards, yes - but the ball shouldn't have flown anywhere. What's
|> usually described as "flying" is the trampoline effect that's more pronounced
|> at low tensions.
|> 
|> >...Borg claimed that he was able to get better
|> >spin with the higher tensions.   I am wondering whether the
|> 
|> Recent discussions and magazine articles have come to the conclusion that
|> higher tensions result in the strings biting more deeply into the ball
|> and thus imparting more spin.
|> 
|> I'm one of those who has always played with tension above the manufactyrers'
|> recommended ranges (on Wilson Kramer Pro Staffs, PDP Fiberstaff/graphs, Donnay
|> Allwoods, Donnay Formula Pros, Slazenger Vilas Pro Midsize, and now on Yonnex
|> RQ-380s). I like the control of a stiff racquet, and find that I get much
|> better feel for touch shots with the higher tensions. When I try lower tension,
|> and I have, the same racquets feel like I remember the T-2000 - like one big
|> spring, and I lose all control and feel, and start spraying shots long. One 
|> factor that may apply here is that I'm also 6'3", 200 lbs, and play an all-
|> court game; I've never noted any power shortage or wanted any more power than
|> I could provide with the higher tensions. Maybe smaller players might have
|> additional reasons for wanting more racquet efficiency. Also, lighter gauge
|> strings impart more spin, but break more often. So, who knows?
|> 
|> -- Larry
|> 

I think power in terms of how hard you hit the ball has a lot to do with
style and efficiency. I'm only 5'7.5", and 130 lbs., but i find I hit the
ball harder than most on court. I agree with Larry about higher tensions.
Much more control, and if you hit the ball correctly, not much loss of
power. Especially for the drop shot.

Manuvir.
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
From: GE.TEG@forsythe.stanford.edu (Tito E. Gervacio)
Subject: FireStarters
Organization: Stanford University, California, USA
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 1992 05:04:42 GMT

bohy6489@iscsvax.uni.edu writes:

>Connors says young guys don't cut it
>
>
>..................  after  McEnroe  dropped   out   of   the
>Australian   Open,   you  didn't  hear  anything  about  the
>Australian Open any more.  His point seemed to  be  that  he
>and Mac were "carrying the game of tennis".
>
>The interviewer asked  if  any  of  the  young  players  had
>"style".   He  pointed to Agassi, of whom he said, "he's had
>style since the  beginning.   He  just  wasn't  winning  big
>tournaments.   Maybe  now  that  he's  won Wimbledon, he can
>carry tennis."  Connors seemed to feel that the  fans  liked
>to see he and McEnroe out there carrying on.
>
>
>Did anyone else see this?  Either way, what do the  rest  of
>you think?
>
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

      There is some legitimate points  here.   Entertainment
 sports  somehow  need  a  spark sometimes to attract enough
 following.  The great Ali (aka, Cassius Clay) did it in the
 heavyweight division of boxing.  So with Sugar Ray Leonard,
 in the welterweights.  How about Sergi  Bubka  who  vaulted
 pole  vault into world prominence. (Sad to hear bout his 92
 Olympics performance, though).   Chris  Evert  and  Martina
 Navratilova  carried  on the legacy of Billie Jean King and
 Margaret Court.

      These days, Agassi may put the tennis world  on  fire.
 But he still has not completely shaken off the chips on his
 shoulders,  even  with  that  Wimbledon  win.   He  has the
 potential  to  become  a  great  tennis  star  (some  might
 disagree with this statement because he is 'a' star now.).

      The point by  Jim  is  well  taken,  of  course.  Each
 generation of sportsmen/sportsmen need entertainer/players.

                          -TEG
From: clin@eng.umd.edu (Charles Lin)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
Subject: Re: Do STRINGING PATTERNS affect performance?
Date: 19 Aug 92 01:46:26 GMT
Reply-To: clin@eng.umd.edu (Charles C. Lin)
Organization: College of Engineering, Maryversity of Uniland, College Park


   From time to time you see some diagonal stringing.  I think
MadRaq makes a diagonally strung racquet, and Davis used to
make one, too.  Obviously, this has never caught on.  One
reason, I've heard, is that it uses more than the standard
length of string.  Is this true?  More importantly though,
the advertising usually says that this pattern allows
one to spin more.  Is this true?

   Also, I am wondering if there is some device that measures
tension (actual).  I think Filaman said there was something
that measures relative tension.  Also, given that two stringers
use the same machine and they are reasonably competent, should
the tension always be the same given the same racquet strung
at the same tension.  The reason I ask is that if the stringer
matters, then that throws one more variable to the equation
of figuring out how to get a consistent string job.

--
Charles Lin
clin@eng.umd.edu
From: gb@cup.portal.com (Greg A Buechler)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
Subject: Re: Gold, Siver, Bronze/2
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 92 11:10:18 PDT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Distribution: usa

It's been a long time (10yrs) since I played a tournament so, my question is
that don't they always give third place to the losers of the semis?  Or, do
they play another match.  If they do, then wouldn't the quarterfinalist 
losers also have to play more matches?  Seems to me that awarding two Bronze
metals is correct.

gb
From: clin@eng.umd.edu (Charles Lin)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
Subject: Re: TeamTennis playoffs?
Date: 12 Aug 92 17:57:13 GMT
Reply-To: clin@eng.umd.edu (Charles C. Lin)
Organization: College of Engineering, Maryversity of Uniland, College Park


   I just happened to catch some TeamTennis on last night.  It
was Atlanta vs. Newport.  There was an interesting strategy that
Martina took.   She seemed to have quite a weak doubles partner
and to compensate she would sometimes straddle right across the
center line, and bend low as her partner served over her.
The idea was to make it tough for the opponent to decide
whether to hit it down the line or crosscourt.   One of the
more bizarre strategies I've seen.   Martina also seems to
have cut her hair shorter these days.  Also, saw some
Swedish guy (?) named Berge who seemed to have pretty good
control on overhead shots.  He would often track them down,
have it bounce, and serve it down the line.  Impressive to
me anyway.

--
Charles Lin
clin@eng.umd.edu
From: manuvir@cs.wisc.edu (Manuvir Das)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
Subject: Re: Racket thrasher needs help!
Date: 19 Aug 92 06:12:12 GMT
Distribution: rec.sport.tennis
Organization: U of Wisconsin CS Dept

In article <CSCOMP.92Aug18194056@rabbit.inesc.pt>, cscomp@rabbit.inesc.pt (Area do CSC) writes:
> 
> 
>   So my main question is:
> 
>      What can I do to control my temper and stay focused on the game 
>         after a BAD BAD error ?
> 
>   
>      furthermore are there any books on: tennis strategy
>                                          concentration
>                                          mental game     ??
> 
>      

Find something to do every time you hit a bad shot, and make a habit
of it. For instance, I had the same problem a few years ago, and used
a towel to go and wipe myself with when this sort of thing happened,
and it really helped. If you do this often enough, the next time you
hit a bad shot, you'll automatically go to the towel instead of throwing
the racquet.

Of course if you hit a bad shot every point, you'll end up rubbing off
your skin. ;-)

Manuvir.
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
Subject: Re: Connors says young guys don't cut it
From: <BUSBH@CUNYVM.BITNET>
Date: Wednesday, 12 Aug 1992 11:42:12 EDT
Organization: City University of New York/ University Computer Center

In article <1992Aug12.093729.6041@iscsvax.uni.edu>, bohy6489@iscsvax.uni.edu
says:
>
>I was flipping through channels last night when I got to ESPN and saw them
>interviewing Jimmy Connors.  This would have been around 6:20 pm (central).  I
>did not watch the whole interview, but Jimmy basically said that people like
>guys like he and McEnroe because they have "style", while the young players of
>today do not.
>
>(rough quote) "You have a guy like Michael Chang who goes out there and gives
>you 110% every time he plays, but he's too reserved."
>
>He also noted that after McEnroe dropped out of the Australian Open, you didn't
>hear anything about the Australian Open any more.  His point seemed to be that
>he and Mac were "carrying the game of tennis".
>
>The interviewer asked if any of the young players had "style".  He pointed to
>Agassi, of whom he said, "he's had style since the beginning.  He just wasn't
>winning big tournaments.  Maybe now that he's won Wimbledon, he can carry
>tennis."  Connors seemed to feel that the fans liked to see he and McEnroe out
>there carrying on.
>
>I wish I had caught the whole thing, but having come into the middle of it, and
>not wanting to miss Bullwinkle on Nickelodeon, I passed it by.
>
>Did anyone else see this?  Either way, what do the rest of you think?
>===============================================================================

I think that his statement has value, although, I don't entirely agree with it.
I believe what he is intimating is that there are few if any players out on
the circuit that have true charisma. Something the audience loves. Nastase had
it as did MacEnroe and Conners and even Borg. (in a quiet way) These players
are characteristic of what tennis is all about. Today the only players that
seem to follow in these players shoes are Agassi (mens tennis) and Graf,
Navratilova, Seles and Sanchez-Vicario. All the other players seems to be
dull in comparison. (MO) Yes there are great players out on the courts like
Courier, Edberg, etc. but little charisma. No personality. So in this re-
gard I agree with Jimmy's comments. They do attract the crowds and they do
encourage people to play the game with excitment and skill. Tennis was bor-
ing before these players came along and will be boring again after they leave.
Unless, like Agassi, a new crop of exciting players comes along. Players with
character and skill and an appeal to the watching audience.

Howard

(No flames, but good critisim, pro or con, is acceptable.)
-------
Howard Zivotofsky       //===\   //===\  //===/        Co-creator R.S.T.
City University       //===/    \===\     //         busbh@cunyvm.bitnet
of  New  York       //   \\   \===//    //         busbh@cunyvm.cuny.edu
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis