The Williams sisters revive their sibling rivalry at Wimbledon

Kristianne Bontempo | Towpath Tennis Employee | Online Store Manager

Serena Williams knocks older sister Venus Williams
out of the 2015 Wimbledon Championships in the 4th
round.

Playing against your sibling plain sucks! So it may not be all bad but it sure has it's sucky moments. Watching the Williams' sisters come head to head at this year's Wimbledon (which unfortunately was a bit anti-climactic), made me reminisce about the good ole days when these legendary meetings against the sisters were essentially left up to a coin toss on who was going to win.
While watching this year's 4th round match-up between Venus and Serena, I was commenting on how unfortunate it is to play a sibling when some fellow viewers claimed the sisters were actually at an advantage of playing against each other and probably basked in the hype. While I don't entirely disagree, my past experiences have led me to think quite differently. 

I grew up in a tennis family with four siblings, one in which became one of my biggest rivals on court--my twin sister. A few things about my twin: She's taller than me, 4 minutes older, and according to the number of crushes boys had on her probably prettier than me. Whatever, I can live with those disadvantages, but when it came to tennis being better than me wasn't an option. Neither one of us wanted to be better than the other. And being sisters, particularly twins, my parents ensured we got equal treatment. So how was it fair that one of us had to win while the other had to lose? 

A lot of emotions cross your mind when playing against a sibling. At the beginning of the tournament you're always rooting for the other to win in the chance that you might meet later in the draw or the final--what fun! And when the moment arises you take a sigh of relief that you're only playing your sister rather than some tough seed you don't particularly like--even better right? Then you realize that neither one of you wants to back down which means someone's in for a big disappointment. Even though you can joke and crack a smile more often when playing against a sibling, the main struggle is keeping the match from feeling like an afternoon of backyard tennis. I actually prefer those matches because you can let loose and have a bit of fun, but there's a fine line between relaxing and slacking since your game can go south, fast! Then there's those dreaded matches when you're sibling is struggling. Her serve is off, she's shouting out in frustration or worse she's on the brink of tears (we were young alright). It's so hard to watch anyone hurting let alone your own sibling. You find yourself absentmindedly laying off the power, maybe not go for as deep of an angle, flub some shots of your own all because of this sympathetic distraction. Next thing you know, you're the one struggling! And worse, you both have to endure that long ride home together. The most memorable matches I had against my sister were when we didn't care about the outcome (truly). We just focused on playing good tennis, which in experience has proven to be the best recipe when playing a sibling. 

The Williams sisters always want the best for each other but over the course of their careers, Serena's really pulled away as the top dog in the family, which I can only imagine to be more difficult than ever to play older sister Venus because who doesn't like rooting for the underdog? The best thing they can do is just enjoy the moment, because there might not be a lot of them left. I think Serena said it best, "She's my sister today, she's my sister next week and she's my sister next year. We'll leave everything out on the court. When it's done, we'll go back to regular life." There's no turning off that sibling meter in your head no matter what anyone says. You both can only hope for a memorable and fun experience with only a few sucky moments. 

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Why do tennis players grunt?

Kristianne Bontempo | Towpath Tennis Employee | Online Store Manager

One of the most common complaints about tennis, especially during featured tournaments like this past US Open is, “What’s with all the grunting?", "Why must they grunt so loud?”, and for non-tennis players (like my husband) who say the real reason they don’t like tennis is because, “the grunting is so incredibly distracting.”

Maria Sharapova is one of the game's most notorious
grunters. 

We get it, many a times we're complaining right alongside you. But believe it or not, tennis players don’t grunt to be annoying to their opponents or to us spectators, they grunt because they were most likely taught to. I know what you’re thinking, you mean people were taught to grunt that obnoxiously? Obviously, tennis pros like Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka take it to another level, but the primary reason why players grunt is to force them to breathe and exhale through their shot.

Imagine it’s post-season, the playoffs, the finals, whatever—this is the big match. Everyone’s eyes are on your court while you’re serving for a critical match-deciding point. Feeling a little tense? When nerves get the best of us, we instinctively hold our breath. It’s an annoying little habit that causes this chain reaction where all the sudden we’re afraid to move our feet in the fear that we might actually run into the ball, and instead of rallying with our opponent like the experienced player we all claim to be, we begin ‘patty-caking’ the ball over the net. So what does this have to do with grunting? Grunting can kick those nerves from the start! 

Instead of pleading you don’t make an error, grunting will force you to breathe (when you’re not remembering too), which calms those nerves that are inhibiting you from moving. It's just that simple! Okay it's not that simple, but it can be if it comes naturally to you. And on top of being a breathing aid, grunting can also exert maximum force in your swing. Yes it's true, look at Serena Williams! You can actually increase your core stability and strength. That should give you some confidence.

So while we recommend you give grunting a try to see if it comes naturally, the focus should be on breathing, not screaming. Grunting takes energy, so you don't want to wear yourself out by wildly shrieking during every point. And while it may be annoying to others, we commend those that do grunt because it's not easy to draw attention to yourself, and unbeknownst to everyone else you are giving yourself a big advantage.

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When to call a foot fault

Kristianne Bontempo | Towpath Tennis Employee | Online Shop Manager

Call a foot fault if you see one clear as day.

The foot fault is probably the most dreaded call to make. Sure you have every right to call one if you see an infringement clear as day, however this one little call can open up a whole can of worms because intentional or not you're basically calling your opponent a cheater. Serena Williams was fined $175,000 and ruined any chance at winning the US Open in 2009 by going absolutely bizerk on a line judge who called a foot fault on her. So at the end of the day, is the call worth the trouble?

Whether we're having a friendly match or battling it out during an intense tournament, there's a time when we're going to be faced with the dilemma of making the difficult (and painfully awkward) call that your opponent has foot faulted. Even though you should never ignore when an opponent is foot faulting, we do believe there's a time and place on when you should make it known. 

When should you let it slide? If you're playing recreationally or if during a match you see a one-time offender, it's a little silly to get everyone worked up over a call that might not make a huge difference in the end result. Unless you're a disliked stickler for the rules, get over it and move on. 

So when should you call a foot fault? Anytime you're playing in a competitive match players are encouraged to make a foot fault call as they see warranted, but it's entirely up to you to make. If you're unsure, we recommend following these guidelines based off of the USTA code of conduct:

• Begin with a warning. On court blood can be easily washed away with a friendly warning to a foot faulting offender. 
• Make the call when and only when you see an unavoidable flagrant foot fault. It's hard to tell from across the court if your opponent is just crossing the baseline, however it's a whole other story if they appear to be going for a new long jump record. 
• If your opponent gets defensive (which more often than not is the case), remind them of the rule and if needed request back-up whether that's your doubles partner, a coach/captain, or if you have access to one an official. 

The thing about foot faults is they're inevitable, but mental meltdowns don't have to be. So choose your battles and don't allow it to dictate your game. The same thing stands if you're the one getting called on a foot fault. Back up a few inches and don't change a thing! 

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How to lose graciously

Dallas Aleman | Towpath Tennis Owner | Tennis Guru

Did you know that if you play this game you are going to have to learn how to lose? There is a difference between losing vs. taking a loss and finding a purpose. In order to improve when you're beginning to play tennis, you are going to have to accept so many losses that it seems like there is no end to it.

Nobody says they like losing but you have to be able to enjoy the process, which is more important than a particular win or loss. You have to learn how to overcome the setbacks and see that progress comes over a period of time. You also have to learn how to be a gracious loser and congratulate the winner, while always keeping in mind that there will be another day and another meeting that just might have a different outcome.

So how do you learn to lose and like it?

• Your losses reveal your true competitiveness. After a loss, are you ready to throw in the towel or get back in the ring? Champions like Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams have short memories of every loss and are ready to return to the arena with a more determined attitude and will.   

• A loss can reveal your weaknesses (even if you don't want to admit to having any). But this can embolden you to work on those holes in your game and avoid making the same mistakes.

• A loss can challenge you. You win alone, you lose alone. Take responsibility for the reasons that you lost, and look at how you can change them in the future. 

• No tears in tennis. You have to go onto the court knowing it's not the end of the world if you lose. The score is only one small measure of the outcome for your effort. 

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What it takes to beat the unbeatable opponent

Kristianne Bontempo | Towpath Tennis Employee | Legit Tennis Fanatic

After a week into Wimbledon, we cannot help but remark on the bizarre twist this memorable tournament has taken. Top seeds like Federer, Sharapova, and Serena Williams are dropping like flies to lower ranked players and one hit wonders. But where do these players find the belief that they can beat the unbeatable? Is it the racquet that gets you into the right mindset? The perfect outfit? A lucky ball? 

Sabine Lisicki ends Serena Williams' 34-match winning
streak to reach the quarter-finals at Wimbledon 2013.

Sometimes we accept it as dumb luck or an off day on the court for the top seeds, but we want to give credit to the 'longshot' winners because we know for them it was so much more. You might say the field is not even, but it's the unseeded player that has nothing to lose whereas seeded players have (in their perspective) everything to lose. The belief stems from the fact that winning isn't forever. The tide is shifting, circumstances are changes, and the will of the underdog is stronger than ever making this tournament's unbeatable pool more vulnerable.

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