HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: yogi@coombs.anu.edu.au (Michael Hanslip)
Subject: Re: Strings
Organization: Computer Services Centre, Australian National University
Date: 13 Aug 92 10:20:21 GMT

clin@eng.umd.edu (Charles Lin) writes:


>    I have just looked at the article on strings in this
>months Tennis magazine (if you can call it that) but I'm not
>entirely sure how effective this article is.  It's only a
>page long.

Haven't seen the article, Tennis from USA is a bit behind here in Oz.

>    For example, a useful article might be to answer why
>thinner gauges play better.  It is the amount of
>stretch that players are preferring or what.  I.e., what
>tangible effect does thinner strings have that make
>them play better, and in what way?  Do they feel better,
>spin better?  Can the average player tell the difference?

I don't know the physics, but I know I tend to like the thinner gauges
of strings. The best experiment I've tried is to string one racquet with
Technifibre 1.1 mm and the other with 1.3 mm and go out and hit 
alternately with the two racquets (16L and 18 gauge for non Metric types).
I can tell the difference between them with out checking close enough to 
decide if it is the thin or the thick. At the same tension and with
presumably the same stuff in them, the thin stuff feels stretchier, the 
thick stuff outlasted the thin-it didn't break it wore out. I am 
just an average player so I say YES.

>   Other interesting aspects might be to explain what the
>L (as in 16L gauge) means.  How can one decide what is
>a better string (after all, how does one demo a string?).
>Is there a significant difference between plain nylon and
>synthetic gut and what it it?  What considerations do
>string manufacturers make when developing strings?

The L gauge strings are halfway between the two numbered ones.
1.35 mm is 16 gauge, 1.25 mm is 17 gauge, therefore 1.3 mm is 16L.
I think of it as LIGHT.
I demo strings by phoning up one of the companies in Tennis (well I did
when I lived in North America-now I call up one in the back of Australia's
Tennis) and get a grab bag of strings. Fill the quiver with different stuff
and go hit. Not too expensive, just takes multiple racquets and your own 
stringing machine to be effective. :)
Cannot answer the last two questions. Sorry.
>   Any other thoughts in strings?
I don't know why, but I seem to prefer French strings. I love Technifibre
and the Babolat I've used was really good and very similar to TF. The 
Prince, TOA, Ashaway, etc. that I've tried are different. I refer to it as 
softness of string. The French stuff is soft, the others are not as soft-
some are hard. I think it is elasticity I refer to, but don't know.
>--
>Charles Lin
>clin@eng.umd.edu

Michael Hanslip
yogi@coombs.anu.edu.au
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
From: palmer@uvmark.uucp (Filaman)
Subject: Re: Measuring String tension
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 92 18:31:11 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: Vmark Software, Inc.

In article <1992Aug11.191948.852@src.umd.edu> clin@eng.umd.edu (Charles C. Lin) writes:
>In article <1992Aug11.125513.51222@uvmark.uucp>, palmer@uvmark.uucp (Filaman) writes:
>> NOTE: If you have your racquet strung at 60 lbs. and you find the
>> gauge reads 50 when you get home, don't go out and blame the stringer.
>> There is difference between "reference: tension and actual tension. The
>> actual tension will always be lower from a variety of things (string
>> stretch, frame deform, etc.). If it's way off, your stringer may need
>> to calibrate his machine. Also, spring loaded machines like the Ektelon
>> string at lower tensions than continuous pull machines like the Babolat
>> Star and Prince P200.
>
>
>   If this is the case, then it seems almost silly to ask for
>a racquet to be strung in a particular tension if it will end
>up being lower, unless you know that it will be string at
>some tension lower all the time.  It's a slittle surprising that
>there isn't a way of measuring actual tension, though I do
>see the difficulty.

It makes perfect sense. The machine stops pulling when it senses a certain
tension in the string. Some machines stop pulling and lock at that point,
others keep pulling at that tension. The tension that the machine senses 
is correct (if the machine is calibrated) and matches the setting you
requested. However, because of certain variables, the tension will change
almost immediately. The frames gives a little, the string stretches a little.
This is the way it's always been, and believe me you cannot tell what tension
is in a racquet. You can only make a guess based on what you seen before
and based upon this information the results will be the same. 

For example: You've been having your racquet strung at 60 pounds for the
last three years. Maybe the actual tension is 55 pounds. For some reason,
the machine starts dropping tension, maybe it hasn't been calibrated in a
while, and your next string job is 5 pounds less. Being the experienced
player that you are, you notice the difference. But you notice that tension
is 5 pounds less than you expected, not that it's 50 pounds.

Suppose you found out that all stringing machine manufacturers made a crucial
design flaw and all machines were off by 33 percent. Who would care? That's
why it's called a *reference* tension. Of course, this doesn't apply to
my machine, all my racquets are strung at the *actual* tension :).
-- 
 _____   _   _       __    _    _    __    _    _     Palmer Chappelle
| ____) | | | |     /  \  |  \/  |  /  \  |  \ | |    VMark Software, Inc.
| __)   | | | |__  | || | | |\/| | | || | | |\\| |    uvmark%palmer@merk.com
|_|     |_| |____) |_||_| |_|  |_| |_||_| |_| \ _|    USRSA Certified Stringer
From: BALAURO@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
Subject: Any tennis tournaments this weekend?
Date: 14 Aug 92 19:11:18 GMT
Article-I.D.: SLACVM.92227.111118BALAURO
Organization: Stanford Linear Accelerator Center

I am wondering if there are any Open Tennis Tournaments to watch this
weekend in the Bay Area?  Thanks.
From: huseby@saturn.nr.no (Ragnar Bang Huseby)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
Subject: Re: A little trivia question
Date: 16 Aug 92 08:16:55 GMT
Organization: /nr/pluto/u3/huseby/.organization

Others:
Jimmy Connors (in US Open, 80), Slobodan Zivojinovic (in Australian Open, 85).
Testerman (in Stratton Mountain, 87).
Maybe John Fitzgerald (in Wimbledon, 89).

Ragnar Bang Huseby 		

*************************************************************************
Norwegian Computing Center, OSLO, NORWAY 	
Tel: (+47 2) 45 35 00 / 45 36 81 (direct)
E-Mail: Ragnar.Huseby@nr.no
*************************************************************************
From: jwang@ac.dal.ca
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
Subject: need recommendation of racket string
Date: 20 Aug 92 17:49:15 -0300
Organization: Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada


Hello, everyone, I need help to my racket.  I paly tennis two or three times 
per week.  But I broke my string almost every half year.  I don't know what 
happen to me because my friend's rackets can last a few years.  I don't 
think I hit the ball very strongly and the tention of my string is set aroung 
60 pound.  Every half year I have to pay over thirty bucs for my string, it is 
really annoying me.  What kind string can last long time?  Can you reccomend 
some good, not too expensive string to me? 

Thank you in advace.

James      jwang@ac.dal.ca  
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
From: huseby@saturn.nr.no (Ragnar Bang Huseby)
Subject: Re: A little trivia question
Organization: /nr/pluto/u3/huseby/.organization
	<1992Aug17.190947.11111@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 05:47:32 GMT

Mecir beat McEnroe on April 12, 1987, in the Dallas Buick WCT finals by 3-1.
Mecir won the first set 6-0.
Mecir may be the only player who has a 6-0 set against McEnroe in a final.
My source is the ITF yearbook of 1988.

Ragnar Bang Huseby 		

*************************************************************************
Norwegian Computing Center, OSLO, NORWAY 	
Tel: (+47 2) 45 35 00 / 45 36 81 (direct)
E-Mail: Ragnar.Huseby@nr.no
*************************************************************************
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
From: bnataraj@uceng.UC.EDU (Bhaskar  Natarajan)
Subject: Re: Connors says young guys don't cut it
Organization: College of Engineering, University of Cincinnati
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 21:28:03 GMT

In article <1992Aug12.093729.6041@iscsvax.uni.edu> bohy6489@iscsvax.uni.edu writes:
>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.

My tuppence worth....

Connors is confusing style with something else. If Agassi is stylish, I am 
Sylvester Stallone. Now if he says Edberg is stylish or has 'style' to use 
his own words, it would be a different issue. And my personal opinion of 
Connors is that he is one of the most pompous smartasses who ever played the 
game.

Sorry, all ye Connors fans on the net, but i could never ever stand Connors.

-Bhaskar-
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
From: huseby@saturn.nr.no (Ragnar Bang Huseby)
Subject: Re: A little trivia question
Organization: /nr/pluto/u3/huseby/.organization
	<1992Aug17.190947.11111@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>
	<1992Aug17.194857.12040@murdoch.acc.Virginia.EDU>
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 05:49:48 GMT

Which players have scored a 6-0 set against Lendl?
Connors in the US Open final in 1982 or 1983.
McEnroe in the Masters final in 1984 (played January 1985).
Agassi in the Canadian Open final this year.

Ragnar Bang Huseby 		

*************************************************************************
Norwegian Computing Center, OSLO, NORWAY 	
Tel: (+47 2) 45 35 00 / 45 36 81 (direct)
E-Mail: Ragnar.Huseby@nr.no
*************************************************************************
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
From: rao@moose.cccs.umn.edu (Rao V. Akella)
Subject: Trivia.
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Reply-To: rao@moose.cccs.umn.edu
Organization: Colon Cancer Control Study, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
X-Lunar-Date: 5 days, 18 hrs, 55 mins until the last quarter of the moon (U.T.)
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1992 20:29:00 GMT

I found the following interesting (IMHO) fact in the August issue of Consumer
Reports, and thought it would be fun to pass it on in the form of a trivia
question:

What is the maximum hitting area a tennis racquet head can have, according to
the International Tennis Federation's regulations?

The answer is given below (in square inches) in rot13 format:

Nppbeqvat gb Pbafhzre Ercbegf, gur nyhzvavhz Cevapr endhrg vagebqhprq va 1976
unq n uvggvat nern bs bar uhaqerq naq guvegl fdhner vapurf (V'z fcryyvat gur
ahzore bhg orpnhfr ebg13 qbrfa'g ebgngr ahzoref).  Ng gung gvzr, gurer jrer ab
ehyrf erthyngvat urnq fvmrf, orpnhfr gur zngrevnyf hfrq va enpdhrg pbafgehpgvba
pbhyqa'g fgnaq gur fgerffrf bs ynetre urnqf naljnl.  Svanyyl, va 1980, gur VGS
yvzvgrq n enpdhrg'f uvggvat nern gb bar uhaqerq naq friragl-rvtug fdhner vapurf.

-- Rao Akella    <rao@moose.cccs.umn.edu, rao%moose@umnacvx.bitnet>
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
Subject: Thriftway 3rd round results
From: dascalos@eve.wright.edu (Andre Agassi)
Date: 14 Aug 92 09:23:31 EST
Distribution: world
Organization: Wright State University
Keywords: 3rd thriftway results

Here are the 3rd round Thriftway ATP championship results.

Men's Singles 3rd round
-----------------------

Petr Korda def. Richard Krajicek 6-3 retired
David Wheaton def. Jim Courier 7-5 7-6(7-0)
Jaime Yzaga def. Andre Agassi 6-3 4-6 7-5
Jim Grabb def. Todd Woodbridge 6-2 7-6(7-4)
Pete Sampras def. Mark Woodforde 2-6 7-6(10-8) 6-3
Stefan Edberg def. Amos Mansdorf 6-4 6-3
Michael Chang def. Brad Gilbert 6-2 6-2
Ivan Lendl def. Cedric Pioline 6-1 6-2

Notes
-----

Two big upsets in the third round of play at the atp.  Agassi was
complaining about his tonsils and said he wouldn't even have played
tomorrow(friday) even if he did win.  If someone has a USA today or some
other real paper, please post the doubles results.  Also if anyone has
extra tickets for tonight(friday night), please email me, I am
interested in buying them.



--
*****************************************************************************
   Chuck Dascalos             Department of Computer Science and Engineering
   Wright State University    Email:dascalos@eve.wright.edu 
   Dayton, OH
From: smuench@ira.uka.de (Stefan)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
Subject: Entertainer in tennis (was: Connors says ...)
Date: 14 Aug 1992 06:38:11 GMT
Organization: University of Karlsruhe, FRG
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: i61s4.ira.uka.de

What about Boris Becker? IMHO he is, like Andre Agassi,
one of those players who are not only playing a tennis
match but are performing a show - of course, not in each
match. And I think it's the same thing for him as for 
McEnroe or Connors: It doesn't matter if you like him or
not, but it's often interesting to watch him play.

Stefan
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
From: clc5q@hemlock.cs.Virginia.EDU (Clark L. Coleman)
Subject: Re: Thriftway 1st round results
Keywords: 1st round results 
Organization: University of Virginia Computer Science Department
Date: Wed, 12 Aug 1992 15:33:29 GMT

In article <1992Aug11.114817.16913@eve.wright.edu> dascalos@eve.wright.edu (Chuck Dascalos) writes:
>
>Mens Doubles - 1st round
>------------
>Michael Chang/Carl Chang def. Tommy Ho/Doug Flach 6-4 7-5

The Tuesday USA Today reported this score, also. The Wednesday USA Today has
the following result:

Men's Doubles, 1st round:

Doug Flach/Tommy Ho def. Brett Garnett/Jason Stoltenberg 6-7(5-7),6-1,5-7.

So, they lose in the first round, then they get to play another first round
match. A new lease on life!  Then, they lose 2 of the 3 sets in their second
match, yet they are declared the winners.

I think we should just call off the doubles and give the title to Ho and Flach.
Even when they lose, they're unbeatable.

Seriously, has anyone noticed how bad media coverage of tennis is? The UPI
released their top 50 men's computer rankings for August 11, and it lists
Carlos Costa with 1555 points, one place ahead of Ivan Lendl, with 1650 points.
Maybe Costa is in league with Ho and Flach?


-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
"It is seldom that any liberty is lost all at once." David Hume
|||  clc5q@virginia.edu (Clark L. Coleman)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
From: GE.TEG@forsythe.stanford.edu (Tito E. Gervacio)
Subject: Videotapes of Specific Matches
Organization: Stanford University, California, USA
Date: Sat, 15 Aug 1992 01:31:49 GMT


      There was a post asking for specific matches on video.
 I suppose that since these are proprietary materials of the
 broadcasting (CBS, NBC, ABC) companies  who  covered  them,
 then their Archive Departments would be the best resource.

      Therefore, would  anybody  know  their  phone  numbers
 and/or  address?  I would guess they are all located in New
 York.

                                      -TEG
From: gt4650c@prism.gatech.EDU (Tim Anderson)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
Subject: Over-wraps
Date: 21 Aug 92 20:01:06 GMT
Organization: Georgia Institute of Technology

As a followup to the discussion about grip size, I would like to add that
I prefer to underestimate grip size on new racquets for two reasons:

1.  You can always have the grip size "built-up" at a later time if you
    wish.  I don't know about how well this holds up over heavy use though.
    This also has a major drawback of still using the small endcap on the
    racquet.  Therefore it's easier for the racquet to slip out of the
    hand.

2.  I like to use "over-wrap" on my racquet handle since I wear out the
    standard grip pretty quickly otherwise.  On top of the over-wrap I
    often put a layer of the gauze for extra "traction."  Together, I
    think they add at least 1/8".

Take all of this with a grain of salt though.  My grip positioning is
pretty poor.  Somewher along the line I picked up the habit of wrapping
my last finger or two around the wide end of the racquet handle.

Right now I prefer the Prince Overwrap but I haven't tried "What-a-grip"
yet.  I remember some people posted that they liked it despite it's 
awful name.  Does anyone have any recommendations for wraps that are 
more absorbent or more "tacky" (as in sticky, not tasteless :-) than the
Prince?  I'm a Northerner living down here in the oppressive humidity of
a Georgia summer so it doesn't take long for my hand and racquet to get 
soaking wet.  


Tim
From: rao@moose.cccs.umn.edu (Rao V. Akella)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
Subject: Longest rally?
Date: 15 Aug 92 20:01:00 GMT
Reply-To: rao@moose.cccs.umn.edu
Organization: Colon Cancer Control Study, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41
X-Lunar-Date: 5 days, 19 hrs, 30 mins until the last quarter of the moon (U.T.)

I just finished reading "The Goddess and The American Girl" by Larry Engelmann
(1988).  It's a biographical book of the exploits of Suzanne Lenglen and Helen
Wills in the 20s and 30s.  I found it quite interesting.

Towards the end of the book, I read something incredible:  Helen Wills was once
practising with Howard Kinsey, and they started a rally which seemed to go on
forever.  Someone at the net started counting, and by the time the rally was
finally over, they had recorded 2001 strokes over a period of 80 minutes! 
Kinsey finally had to stop the rally because he had a class to teach.  Wills
commented later that after about an hour, her eyes started hurting from
concentrating on the ball for so long!

Granted, this was only practise (on the other hand, Wills was world-renowned as
THE hardest hitting woman of her time; in fact, she was practising with Kinsey,
a professional, only because she couldn't find any women players who could give
her much of a challenge), but the statistic got me interested enough to want to
know:  does anyone know the record for the longest rally in a "real" match?

-- Rao Akella    <rao@moose.cccs.umn.edu, rao%moose@umnacvx.bitnet>
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
From: vinlai@cbnewsb.cb.att.com (vincent.lai)
Subject: STRATEGY: Playing a 'pusher' ...
Organization: AT&T
Date: Mon, 17 Aug 1992 18:38:40 GMT

I have noticed that a lot of my opponents don't put much pace on their
shots (hence, pushers).  I'm a little confused as to how to play
against such people.  Harold Solomon's moon balls come to mind very
quickly here, and he did very well with this strategy.  There are
solutions that come to mind, but none I would be comfortable with:

One:

Slam the ball home, and have my opponent wear me out by the beginning
of the second set.

Two:

Push back, and forget what I've learned at tennis camp.

Any other ideas are greatly welcome ...

--------------------------------------------------------------------
"Mom, we're hungry!" - Bud Bundy          "Why tell me?" - Peg Bundy

Vincent Lai
vlai@attmail.com
vinlai@cbnewsb.att.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------
From: graham@maths.su.oz.au (Graham Matthews)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
Subject: Re: TeamTennis playoffs?
Date: 21 Aug 92 12:16:39 GMT
Organization: School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Sydney

(Charles Lin) writes:
>|>  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.

(Thomas Page) writes:
>This is not that uncommon a doubles strategy.  I see it in college matches
>quite frequently. 
>...
>We used to call this "Australian" formation (did you Australians
>call it "American"?). 

Isn't this now called needle-eye formation or something like that?

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: gb@cup.portal.com (Greg A Buechler)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
Subject: Re: Racket thrasher needs help!
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 92 13:41:46 PDT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Distribution: world

I'm going to add my psychoanalysis to this one...

By your posting, I'd probably say that tennis is not related to your temper,
rather that your temper is very short, and this is just one area  that you
allow it to show its ugly head.  (OK FLAME ME, I just got my fire extiguisher
replenished)

Get real! its just a game.  I'll allow players to get upset (hell, at my
club everybody knows me by my grunts on the court - and they like them )
BUT getting angry will just prevent you from getting better.

'nother suggestion.  STOP playing matches until you reach a level that you
comfortable at.  Practice, practice, practice your strokes until you can get
them in at a high percentage of times.  Once you can do this, you won't be
so upset because you won't be missing so many.

By the way, I liked the idea of hitting your head with the racket as 
suggested by another person.  You could also try snapping your wrist with
a rubber band that you have around your wrist.  This is a negative feedback
loop that will work.  But, snap your wrist for blowing up, not for missing
the shot!  Losing the point is enough punishment.

Later....gb
From: gb@cup.portal.com (Greg A Buechler)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
Subject: Re: Request for USTA address and phone #.
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 92 09:57:19 PDT
Organization: The Portal System (TM)
Distribution: usa

The non 800 nuber is 212-302-3322
Newsgroups: rec.sport.tennis
From: clin@eng.umd.edu (Charles Lin)
Subject: Re: Trying out the Donnay Pro One Limited Midsize
Reply-To: clin@eng.umd.edu (Charles C. Lin)
Organization: College of Engineering, Maryversity of Uniland, College Park
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 16:37:06 GMT

In article <1992Aug17.221309.9728@cbnewsm.cb.att.com>, lfd@cbnewsm.cb.att.com (Lee Derbenwick) writes:
> In article <1992Aug14.221108.16768@src.umd.edu>, clin@eng.umd.edu (Charles Lin) writes:
> [in his discussion of the "flashy Agassi racquet"]
> > 
> >    I tested the oversized once, and felt that it was just a bit
> > big, so I took the risk of getting the super midsize (95 square inches
> > or about 680 sq. cm) instead.
> 
> Since 1 inch = 2.54 cm, 1 square inch is about 6.45 cm^2
> (square centimeters), so 95 square inches is about 613 cm^2,
> not 680.
> 

   Right.  Sorry about that.  In fact, I use Head's numbering
to get me to the rough ball park.  I forgot that the 660
is 102 sqaure inches.   The 600 is 92 square inches.
I should have said 620 or so.  I haven't actually calculated
this out, and am relying pretty much on what Head says
and Tennis says.

--
Charles Lin
clin@eng.umd.edu