February 3, 2025

Open Court

MORE TENNIS THAN YOU'LL EVER NEED

How to get your tennis ya-yas out without breaking anything, by Philipp Petzschner

KEY BISCAYNE – It was, by pro standards – by any standards, really – a truly botched smash of the type fans like to call a “Djoko-Smash”.

Named after Novak Djokovic, and about the only thing Djokovic doesn’t do well on the tennis court, it can happen to everyone. As you can see by where the ball hit the net, Germany’s Philipp Petzschner missed this one pretty badly.

We should also point out that the sun was behind him.

He’s a fiery sort, and he and partner Alexander Peya were on the losing end against Daniel Nestor and Brian Baker. And this was his first instinct. …

It was entirely possible the Fly Emirates sponsors’ sign could have bought it. Or it could have ricocheted off the sign and hit a ballkid or something. Any of which would have earned Petzschner a warning and put him on a short leash.

You can see he’s still … thinking about it. But he’s having second thoughts. Veterans are often able to do that. So he chooses the path of righteousness…

…and goes and picks up the ball instead.

Watch what he does next…

Petzschner hands the ball to the ballkid in rather courtly fashion. I swear he nearly bowed after he gave it to him.

No harm, no foul, and Petzschner at least got some of his aggravations out.

Kids, DO try this at home.

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