Welcome to touchtennis

touchtennis is a new sport created in England in 2003. Its footprint has rapidly expanded across several continents.

LTA COLLEAGUES EVENT A ROARING SUCCESS

30 July 2010

28 LTA Staff had never played touchtennis until last night but many of them are sure to play again after the National Tennis Centre in Roehampton held its inaugural event to promote the sport and raise awareness in general of this new breed of the game.

With music blaring in the background, barbecued burgers smoking and (soft) drinks flowing there was a carnival atmosphere at the Centre of Excellence where 32 players took to court.

Matt Byford served and volleyed his way through the group stages and despite losing one match he went through on points difference. In the same group, World No.5 Justin Sherring also managed 2 wins. But in the group of death, 2 wins alone weren’t enough. One more point would’ve sealed it for Sherring but a missed smash cost him his place in the quarter-finals.

Judith Bunn had the pleasure of playing Byford in the quarter-finals having stormed through her group 3 and 0. Other winners were Abbie Lench, Sophie Curthoys, John Golding, Ian Rudkin and Sam Richardson each of whom went through with a perfect 3 and 0 win/loss ratio.

The most stunning turnout in group 7 however was Rashid Ahmad’s crushing defeat by Steven Tart. Ahmad was practically taken apart by the grind of his younger opponent.

Having lost his first match 10-8 to Will Solomon who at one point was 6-2 down, the group was sealed when Steven Tart then beat Adam Moulder 10-9.

Moulder won the Sportsman of the Tournament Award for not smashing a racquet despite losing two matches in sudden death shoot-outs.

The Committee – shortly after the event – received a complaint from Ahmad’s agent about the 5 time All England Champion being relegated to “the gravyard” court. With no one on hand to call Ahmad to court he was also 15 minutes late for his match and some members of the crowd booed when he finally walked on court.

“Its not the way champions should be treated. Richardson organised this tournament and I’ve made an official complaint. No one else at this tournament holds a Masters Cup or a slam trophy and I’ve got over 20 in my cabinet so I felt I should be afforded the courtesy of transport to the court at least, if they weren’t going to put me on centre court. I believe I’ve earned that right. “

Richardson meanwhile, was on court greasing his way past Abbie Lench to make his first semi-final appearance at a touchtennis tournament. Lench tried valiantly to stem the flow of unforced errors but unfortunately her opponent’s incessant shouting and unnecessary gestures of triumphalism put her off her stride. A complaint was also received anonymously about Richardson unsportsmanlike conduct!

Byford awaited in the semi finals and the silent assassin took Richardson apart for the loss of just 2 games.
In the other side of the draw, John Golding was the true surprise package and with his inimitable style served and volleyed his way through Sophie Curthoys and Ian Rudkin. Although Curthoys pushed him hard, the slice backhand that at times was Rosewallian, undid her efforts during their baseline exchanges.

Byford cam out swinging in the final. Slamming first and second serves down at equal pace it appeared a foregone conclusion that he’s lift the title. Golding however, re-wrote the script 4 times until a decisive break at 4-4 left Byford serving for the title.

And despite a watching helplessly as a beautiful running sliced backhand pass shot by him, Byford held his nerve and served out the set 6-4.

Congratulations to John Golding, Ian Rudkin, Judith Bunn, Sophie Curthoys, Abbie Lench and Steven Tart who all moved up the rankings to inside the top 100! With the US Open on September 12th at the National Tennis Centre, one wonders how many of these will crack the top 50 by the end of the season.................................

THE GOLDEN ERA

27 July 2010

We are at a magical crossroads in the short story of touchtennis. Serious tennis players are playing the sport yet they aren’t dominating.

Whilst Nick Jacques (No.1 for over 30 weeks consecutively now) was a top 20 player in New Zealand, he is by no means a ranked tennis player any longer. His strengths at touchtennis are that he is a phenomenal athlete and calculates every shot long before it is struck by either him or his opponent.

Elliott Mould is a 3.2 player on the LTA rating system but beat Chris Eaton in the finals of the touchtennis All England. To put that into perspective, Eaton with his partner Dom Inglot took out the world number 1 and 1 seeds at the Wimbledon Championships only 9 days prior to the touchtennis event. Mould simply moves from corner to corner like his life depends on every point. And that commitment often forces people into making cheap errors.

The growth and the changes in the sport are also fascinating. The committee (made up of 9 men) is considering changing the number of serves to just a single delivery.

This would save money on balls, save time and not least make the game a true level playing field where no single shot could decide the outcome of a match.

touchtennis is the name and the game.

How would this affect the top players? Would Jacques continue to fire down howitzers on every point? Would Mould serve more faults due to pressure and therefore relinquish his advantage gained by seldom facing a big serve?

Would Sherring’s style become the ideal standard for players to aspire to?

Would the GOAT win a slam? Sorry, stupid question! NO!

In the last year we have seen the sport grow from 50 players registered, to 216!!! We have seen prize money go from £50.00 total for a slam to £750.00 and growing. We’ve seen a resurgence of doubles that the ATP struggles to match!

More than just the rule changes, there’s the fight for the number 1 spot. Marcus Willis, Craig Veal, Elliott Mould and to a greater or lesser extent Matt Golledge all stand a chance of tipping Nick Jacques from his lofty pedestal.

Jordan Bull has blasted his way into the latter stages of most of the tournaments he’s played. Eimon Heywood is storming up the rankings. And newcomers everyday are hitting seasoned pro’s off the court - as Joe Pullin found to his dismay yesterday when a young, petit, Italian girl named Michela spanked him into submission in front of ten onlookers.

Jacques’ tenure seems quite secure until after the US Open where the number of points he is defending becomes monumental. But the way he’s coped with every challenger so far, I doubt he is yet in the 2nd stage of greatness where he cares little for Masters and lower tier tournaments and focuses solely on the slams.

That I predict will happen to him in about 2 years as it did with previous legends of the game.

One can argue about the depth of the game in times gone past until we are blue in the face. But just as Jacques has proved so far; you can only beat the players they put in front of you.

Marcos Angelini did that for 2 years. Ahmad for 5 years before that. Now its Jacques time. And the game has never looked better.

RICHARDSON AND LENCH GUNNED DOWN IN DAVIS CUP DRAMA

20 July 2010

Inevitability hung in the air. The ball was lofted from Ahmad's baseline with heavy topspin and weight into the backhand corner of Sam Richardsons court. 11-10, deciding rubber. Match and Tie point to Richardson. As he took his racquet back in his inimitable Schalken style, Ahmad covered his backhand wing and showed just a sliver of ad court, begging the younger man to go for the line and bring the GOAT's legendary forehand into play.

When Richardson arrived with Abbie Lench, the stage was set for Ahmad and Pizarro to play a loose hitting, nothing to lose, match.

Lench came out first to play Ahmad in the first rubber. Struggling with her service motion and unable to stem the tide of the former 5 time year end No.1's massive kick serve, Lench went down 10-5.

Richardson then took to court against Daniel Pizarro. Despite being friends, it was all to play for and the competitive spirits were high.

Despite fluffing an 8-2 lead, Richardson finally found his form and created 3 match points. 2 of these would go begging. Finally on his 3rd match point Pizarro (unaware of the ball toss rule) threw up the ball for his second serve and elected not to hit it after a freak gale force wind swept it away from him. the tie was drawn level at one rubber each and doubles was now a significant factor in deciding the outcome.

Abbie Lench then carried her partner through the match with some of the most spectacular returns ever seen on the hallowed turf of Claygate. The LTA team were now 2-1 up in the tie and Lench was now faced with an injured opponent to close out the tie and make the second reverse singles a dead rubber. Pizarro hadn't read the script.
Refusing to bow down to the pain in his foot and cramps setting in, the man from Chile left Lench frozen in her tracks.

After a 10-5 routing by Pizarro, Ahmad then took to centre court to face his arch rival Sam Richardson.

Everything to play for. 2 rubbers each. One match....all the glory.

But again, Ahmad showed why he is considered the GOAT. Despite a valiant effort by his younger opponent Ahmad junk-balled him into error after error.

The backhand at 11-10 sailed well wide. Richardson, heartbroken, dejected and deflated could offer no more resistance.

Ahmad ruined him 13-11 and sealed the tie for the ROW team.

Once again Richardson left Claygate busted and bereft!

With the LTA Colleauges event approaching one hopes the Richardson and Lench have time to meet with the resident psychologist to work on their weaknesses and in particular Sam Richardson's inability to deal with slower off pace balls!