Agassi Agassi: Tennis Hall of Fame 2011

Book Review of Andre Agassi' Open

He was inducted into this year's Tennis Hall of Fame. Winner of the all 4 Tennis Majors and the Olympic Gold medal for the USA, he is a living legend of the game.

I highlight recommend you take his Udemy course even though it's only 1 player in 1080p, there's great content here. If you can't afford the full 50+ modern players for a TopCourt subscription of $15/month this is the next best online course!

Klipping's If -- poem:

"If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

   And treat those two impostors just the same"

This tennis epiphany of treating Success and Failure the same.

YouTube lesson of Andre Agassi's 'Second Summit' in his career. After falling from World #1 and returning to the Challenger circuit to start again.

As a New Year's resolution, I pledged to finish reading his book, Open: An Autobiography. It wasn't hard, as I just had less than 100 pages left. But the final chapters were so good and the book was so tough to put down, that I completed my resolution on Day 1!

I realized that I was right around the age when Agassi just completed his career Grand Slam, and divorced his first wife (actress) Brooke Shields. He took his personal life in a whole new direction and made a lot of noteworthy contributions - not only back to the game of tennis, but to Education and Life at his preparatory school and academy in Las Vegas.

It was interesting to hear his perspective and stories while he was in Washington DC at Legg Mason.  I wonder what that homeless guy did with those tennis rackets he "donated" to him?

If you are a tennis fan - I would highly recommend this book. It changed my own perspective on my childhood...the pressures that a parent's pre-determined ambitions or a sport can weigh so heavily on a grown man's soul.

If you buy this book from my link, send me an email about what you thought about it or just post up a comment. I will personally send you an Amazon Gift Card to you. It is *that* good and I know you'll enjoy reading it (also available on the Kindle).

New research on the science behind "Super Spin" in new Co-poly Strings (such as Cyber Flash)

IMAGE CREDIT: CLIVE BRUNSKILL/GETTY IMAGES

In this article by the Atlantic Magazine, author Josh Speckman explains the physics behind Rafael Nadal's incredible spin potential and how technology has taken modern tennis to a completely different dimension today.

Check out this video about the Science of Spin in Tennis (with footage taken from the ITF).

There is also an excellent video that shows this "snap back" effect of polyester strings. "Co-polyester" strings such as the acclaimed Cyber Flash and Cyber Blue strings are merely poly strings coated with special lubricants that allow the string to slip and slide back into place after contact. They propel the ball with a recoiling snap effect while maintaining the durable characteristics of polyester.

In the video, skip forward to 5:30 for a super-slow mo clip: The New Physics of Tennis: Unlocking the mysteries of Rafael Nadal’s killer topspin (Thanks to Chris for forwarding this to me!)

Topspin Cyber Blue String Review + YouTube Review

Tennis String Review: Topspin Cyber Blue

Ratings for the Topspin Cyber Blue 1.25 gauge (17g) string

Topspin Cyber Blue 1.25 ratings (out of 78 reviews) from Stringforum.net

Topspin Cyber Blue 1.25 17 - Tennis String on Sale

*Tennis-Bargains.com Award*
Cyber Blue offers great control and feel as a durable cross string.

*Update*: David strung his racket at a high tension when he did this demo; David had much better results after lowering his racket tension from 63 lbs to 57 lbs. When you look at the 96% of players reviewers who recommended the string - the tension usually was between 51 lbs and 55 lbs.

Tennis-Bargains Tip:
Also try the spin friendly Cyber Flash string with the thinner 17g (1.25 string) over the 16g for a bit more comfort. Also to avoid a stiff feel with poly strings, it is recommended that you typically string all poly's 10% lower in tension.

Play Testing Cyberblue Strings

David Emery was formerly the WTA hitting partner for Liezel Huber (former #3 in WTA Doubles). She recently won the 2010 US Open Mixed Doubles with Bob Bryan. Congrats Dave on his promotion! View some other free Tennis Videos and Tips.

Review of the Top DC Indoor Tennis Clubs - Haines Point

East Potomac Tennis Club (EPTC) - Haines Point, DC

East Potomac Tennis Center - Washington DC Location (1st exit off I-395N): Map and Info

• 4 Indoor courts under bubble = Good
• 9 outdoor hard courts - Very Good
• Har Tru Clay courts - Below Average

East Potomac Tennis Club
1st Annual Club Championship
Men's Open Singles (Winner and Finalist)

Facility = B+
Stays fairly warm inside the bubble which has a sealed revolving door to get in. Even though this place has been around for a while, it is still in a very popular, centralized location near the border of VA/DC.

With some of the felt and dust accumulating inside, it could use a good vacuum!

There is usually enough parking outside but it is a short walk/run from the parking lot to get inside. If there is an event happening, you may have to find street parking.

2016 Update:
Brand new 9 hard door courts resurfaced! Blue and solid bounce (no cracks). The clay courts are still dusty deserts though, but barring that, this is a GREAT place to play.

The 1st Annual Club Championship was held here over 9/10/16-9/11/16. I was Men's Singles Champion against a tough opponent.

Staff = A

I've had a couple group lessons here before and the pros are not bad, although it can be on the expensive side if you want private lessons from them ($70/hr).  Here is a list of their lessons offerings and price list but if you can organize a small group, they usually have discounts. It's $30/hr for drop-in lessons.

I'd recommend Scott for any kids tennis. He's a very mellow guy and was the former director over at Hilton Head, SC. He has a great sense of tennis history and event management.

Cost = B

Update: The prices have gone up from popularity* Now they hover around $40 per hour (peak and non-peak). About average for the DC area. However, you do NOT need to join a membership program. Therefore, for the infrequent player, this makes for a great choice.

Availability = C

It can be hard to reserve your own court time as this place can be quite busy in the winter. But usually, if you call a week ahead, during a non-booked slot, you can usually get in.

Just remember that you have to pre-pay over the phone if you are not a member, so make sure you and your partner coordinate ahead of time and have a credit card ready. Still no online booking yet!

Overall = B

If you live close to Haines Point and can book ahead of time, this place is a great bargain!

How we rate DC's Tennis Facilities and Clubs

A lot of people have been asking about good deals for indoor tennis courts, and as promised, I will begin writing reviews of local clubs as a "tennis critic".For starters, here is a good listing of tennis clubs with indoor facilities in the DC metro area (VA/MD/DC).

Please note, I will only review the DC indoor tennis clubs that I have personally attended and can provide my assessment of the following categories on a scale from [A] excellent to [E] fail.

I've compiled some more tips on playing Indoor Tennis this winter. Subscribe below for more info and updates!


Tennis-Bargains deals and promo codes for tennis. Around major holiday and events, we will update you with any Indoor Tennis Parties near your zip code!

For my calculations, I will estimate that the average tennis player will want to play once every week during the winter and will bring 1 friend (guest) to split the costs. I'll let you know if their membership is worth it for frequent players (2-3 times/week in the winter).

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1) Facility - How are the courts? How is the lighting? Is everything clean, well maintained?
2) Staff - How experienced are the average pros teaching there? Are the staff friendly toward you and new non-member guests?
3) Cost - How inexpensive is it to get a membership and court time to play?  (1 = $50/hr/person to 5 = $10/hr/person)
4) Availability - Can you get the court you want when you want it? (1 = Call in a week ahead, 5 = Almost always a court available)
5) Overall - Considering all factors, would you join/play here if you lived close by or go somewhere else?
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Subscribe for updates on tennis deals and promo codes. For major holiday and events, we will update you with any Indoor Tennis Parties near your zip code!

The keys to "Quickness" training

The Truth about Quickness - Training Guide

Check out this simple and easy to follow method of develop a "Quicker First Step".

I have used this resistance method myself to improve my speed and vertical leap. It really helps if you work on it for 10 minutes a day and change the resistance level as you get stronger. Check it out as it can be helpful to you in many different sports.