Submit your questions to Bill Mountford here
Q. With most of the top players going to their bag for a new racquet upon the introduction of new balls, what happens when a ball is mis-hit into the stands? Are new balls put in or do the ball handlers go short?
Richard – Rome, GA
You are referring to a fan-friendly initiative that was established for the 2005 US Open. On the three stadium courts, when a ball bounces or flies into the crowd, the fan that catches the ball gets to keep it.
These balls are replaced at the end of that particular game. Prior to the match, the umpire walks on court with a bag full of balls that have been worn to varying degrees. If a one-game old ball is hit into the crowd it will be replaced with a newer ball than if an eight-game old ball is lost.
– Bill
Q. I’ve been repeatedly asked: How do you become a contestant in the US Open? Is there a tryout? Do you get invited?
Nathan – Highland, MD
The US Open is “open” to any qualified player. The entry list is based on world rankings for the men (ATP Tour) and women (WTA Tour).
If you are interested in playing, then you should attain a world ranking by entering some entry-level professional events (which are called Futures tournaments). Unless the qualifying draws are “open” (which means unlimited), you will likely need a ranking to get in (National or, at least, Sectional ranking will help). When you experience success at that level, you will earn enough computer ranking points to become eligible for mid-level professional tournaments (Challenger Series events). The next step would be to play in some regular series ATP/WTA Tour events. To gain direct entry into any of the four Grand Slams, you need to be ranked (approximately) 110 or better; to gain a spot into the Qualifying, you generally need to be ranked around 250 or better.
Good luck!
– Bill
Q. Hi Bill. I am curious about how a pro like Roger Federer gets his hitting practice if he's constantly going from city to city to play tournaments. Roger is known not to have a coach full-time. His coach Roche rarely accompanies him. Last time I saw him, it was at this year’s Wimbledon. I don't think Coach Roche can hit with Roger.
So who is Roger's hitting partner if he is on the road a lot? Does he practice his groundstrokes using ball machines at local clubs? I don't think his girlfriend can really give him a lot of difficult shots to hit or can keep up with him while he is practicing his groundstrokes. I am just curious because I think he has an amazing forehand, but of course, he has to continue to practice or otherwise his timing will be off.
Thank you.
Tam – Anaheim, CA
Roger Federer wrote about this awhile back for his web site (www.RogerFederer.com). His philosophy is that good coaching and gaining confidence are far more important than always having “better players” to practice with and against. I choose to mention Federer’s comments to some tennis parents who believe that their kids should always be pushed to a higher level.
Interestingly, Roger Federer spent several weeks in Dubai this summer practicing with Tony Roche. I understand that Federer likes the heat, as he feels it prepares him for the North American hard-court tournaments culminating at the US Open. At this stage of his development, he might spend half of his training time working on building his strength and fitness. He worked daily with Tony Roche on improving some technical aspects of his game. They would also work on how to apply specific tactics.
Tony Roche is an all-time great player. At the age of 61, Roche cannot compete with Roger during sets, but he can certainly rally with him. Roger’s girlfriend, former Czech-born Swiss Miroslava Vavrinec, was an outstanding player who reached a career-high ranking of No. 76 five years ago after reaching the third round at the US Open. Either of them can warm him up as needed.
– Bill
Q. Even though I take in fluids before a match and during crossovers during the match, I tend to cramp later after my matches. Drinking water and/or Gatorade doesn't help. Can you recommend anything to help with this problem? I've notice that the players at the US Open are drinking some "pink substance." What is that, and is it available to the public?
G. Kelly – Lithonia, GA
The pink substance you refer to is simply water mixed with a flavored electrolyte powder. You can purchase this mix at any local GNC store.
– Bill
Q. Just wanted to know what the pros look for in a ball when they pick up three balls and look at them, then choose two before they serve.
Bob – Walnut Creek, CA
Generally, players try to choose the ball with the least amount of fluff on it. That way, when they serve, it travels through the air faster. However, some baseline retrievers might look for the fluffiest (or heaviest) ball to slow down a powerful opponent. Lastly, sometimes players are just trying to gather their thoughts, and they use the ritual of finding a “lucky” ball to slow themselves down between points.
Remember, at the professional level, six new balls are switched after the first seven games (and the five-minute warm-up) and then every nine games thereafter.
– Bill
Q. I noticed that Maria Sharapova was instructed when to drink and eat during the US Open semifinal and final matches. What is the rule on coaching, and can she be forced to forfeit the title after the match?
Bill – N/A
Maria Sharapova gets coached during every match, not just semis and finals. In fairness to her, MOST players receive illegal coaching during matches. What is the rule? A player cannot receive coaching during the match.
To my mind, yelling to a player to “fight” or “move to the ball” or to “bear down right here” are ALL examples of coaching. Hand signals are obvious examples. If the chair umpire catches this occurring, then he/she will issue a warning and then a penalty point (etc.) if it continues. Penalties cannot be assessed after the match, although umpires can learn to watch more closely.
The whole controversy with Sharapova could have been handled more gracefully if she chose to answer these direct questions about the illegal coaching in a professional manner. She could have said that she was too nervous to eat prior to the match and needed to be reminded to eat a banana, or whatever, and then the questions would have gone away. Instead, she was being coached illegally, and she got defensive (first) and then aggressive (later) when dealing with these questions from the media.
Something needs to be done about it. Regulate it or eliminate it, but do not tolerate the blatant cheating. Again, Sharapova is NOT the only one. In fact, it may be as widespread as… sitting down on changeovers.
– Bill
Random thoughts from the 2006 US Open…
- Tennis players are skinny. Or maybe I am getting thicker. They sure eat a lot, though.
- Amy Frazier completed her 22nd US Open. Remarkable.
- Two-time champion Andre Agassi finished his 21st US Open. His on-court retirement speech, with the sniffling and weeping, was interesting. I am guessing that there will be more retirement ceremonies for AA.
- Martina Navratilova won the mixed doubles title in her “final match as a professional.” In so doing, she broke Sugar Ray Leonard’s all-time sports record for announced retirements. This time it is for real… she says.
- Speaking of Navratilova, I was surprised to hear her harsh criticisms regarding racquet specifications. It is Martina’s position that the ITF should monitor this more closely. There is certainly an irony to this, however. In footage of her first US Open singles title, where she beat the wood racquet-toting Chris Evert in 1983, Navratilova was ALREADY using a light composite graphite racquet that was larger than an Alaskan snowshoe.
- A "Field of Dreams" moment… Prior to the men’s singles final on Sunday, the following players took turns warming up and hitting with one another on P-Court 1: John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Jim Courier, and -- oh, yeah -- Andy Roddick. To qualify for practice on that court, you needed to be an American who achieved a year-end No. 1 ranking.
- I went to a coaches conference this January in Key Biscayne, and the constant theme was on emphasizing doubles to, among other reasons, assure that our best young players develop well-rounded games. On Sunday, two all-American boys’ doubles teams reached the final of the junior US Open. Coincidence? Maybe. The USTA Player Development crew deserves kudos, though, for having this vision. Heaven knows they are criticized when an American loses early in international junior events. Congratulations to the University of Georgia-bound duo of Jamie Hunt and Nathaniel Schnugg for beating Jarmere Jenkins (15) and Austin Krajicek (16). This is the third year in a row that an American team has won the US Open junior boys' doubles.
- Fans LOVE it when players autograph the tennis balls and then fire them into the upper reaches of the crowd. Let it be known that nobody hit one out of the stadium, though! Not for a lack of trying…
- In the mixed doubles final, Bob Bryan put on a serving clinic that had to be seen to be believed. His opponents hardly even touched the ball, let alone got returns into play. It was like he was serving from the service line.
- My tournament MVP: Martin Damm. The veteran Czech won his first career major by taking the men’s doubles title with Leander Paes. Way back in 1990, I played a Satellite Circuit on the Adriatic coast of the former Yugoslavia. It rained on those mushy clay courts all month long. One of the weeks, I recall Martin Damm losing in the sixth(!) and final round of qualifying. He got in as a lucky loser, however, and went on to win the tournament. Including doubles, I think he played 15 matches in six days. It is fantastic to see him playing so well 16 years later. That week, he may have earned $1,500; last weekend, his US Open prize money totaled $235,000.
- The Curse of Andy’s Mojo was officially lifted when he reached the final.
- The instant replay line-call challenge system was a spectacular success. It is hard to fathom that Australia and Wimbledon will not utilize this same technology. The players respect it, the linesmen and umpires like the escape hatch it provides, and the fans love it.
- The USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center! Now that BJK is not just a legend, but also a facility… There are about 1,000 kids who practice on-site each week, many of whom have top national -- and even international -- rankings. I hope that a few of them learn to volley as well as she did (does?).
- I predicted a Rafa-Roger US Open final all summer. I was half-right, I guess. Anyway… only 60 more days until they meet in the final of Shanghai at the Tennis Masters Cup.