Q&A: Stroking Felt With Tennis Legend Rosie Casals

For this week's Q&A session, we have the pleasure of speaking with Rosie Casals. Ms. Casals is a true legend of the game of tennis. During a career spanning over 2 decades, she has won more than 90 professional events and has been at the forefront of gender equality in sports. In this regard, she campaignedfor women's monetary prizes to be equal to men's and also for more media coverage for women's events. Despite a modest upbringing (or, perhaps, she might say, as a result thereof), Rosie Casals' achievements have been phenomenal: #5 in the world in singles; win-loss record of 595 - 325; singles semifinalist at the Australian Open (1967); 2x singles quarterfinalist at the French Open (1969, 1970), 4x singles Wimbledon semi-finalist (1967, 1969, 1970, 1972); 2x singles finalist at the US Open (1970, 1071). In doubles, Ms. Casals has won the ladies' Wimbledon title 5 times as well as the US Open title. At these events, she has also achieved success on the mixed doubles stage winning twice at Wimbledon and once at the US Open.  For her achievements, she was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 1996.For more of her achievements, please check out her profile. 

I first met Ms. Casals a few years ago when we started sharing coaching duties on behalf of one of the local juniors. In this time, I have come to believe that if we were to bottle Ms. Casals' intensity, passion for the game and understanding of the tactical and technical aspects, and then distribute such elixir to our top juniors, the United States would be dominating the top levels of the sport for years to come. I confess that I have never seen Ms. Casals play in her prime. However, reliable sources tell me that she moved like tiger who smelled blood on the ball. I do not doubt that for one second. In terms of tennis development, her knowledge and opinions confirmed something in my mind that I've sensed for quite some time: that if you want to be great at tennis, 99% is not good enough. It's not enough to do most of the things right; a player needs develop all parts of his/her game and concentrate to the very last shot. 

1. How old were you when you got started with tennis and how did you get involved with the sport?

I was 8 years old when I started at the public parks at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco. My dad used to play recreationally and he got me started.

2. You played through a turbulent time in the history of tennis. Prize money was not as significant as it is today and even when it existed, there was a disparity between the men's purse and the women's purse. Despite these obstacles, your career spanned several decades. What drove you to keep going through these tough times and what advice would you have for young players who are starting out on the tour? 

I loved tennis. From the first moment I hit a tennis ball I fell in love with the game. In the beginning it wasn't about money it was about playing tennis and winning. Coming from the wrong side of the tracks and not having much money I happened to be better than the other girls who drove Cadillacs and ordered their lunch at the snack bar in the country clubs. It made me feel equal and probably a bit better than them. 

I've always been a fighter on and off the court. So I came at the right time in the mid 60s and 70s when there was so much going on and not going on for women.

3. It is said that American tennis is suffering because current juniors do not have the work ethic necessary to develop and succeed. They point to the Russians and Spaniards who spend lots of hours on court. On the other hand, Americans do work very hard in other professions (law, medicine, financial industry, etc.). Do you think that our loss of status in the tennis world is due to motivation, work ethic, lack of good coaching, or another reason altogether?

We have a lot of competition with the other sports like baseball, basketball and football. Other countries don't so they can concentrate better on one of the sports. Americans are spoiled at least many who play tennis at the academies. You need hungry kids and those kids come from broken homes and poor neighborhoods. I'm not so sure they're doing enough to attract these kinds of kids who want to have a chance to be good at something and get out of where they've come from. Most of our kids turn to basketball, football or baseball because of the money and more opportunities that are available for them to participate in. Tennis is still a very elite sport and small compared to other sports. Spain and Russia, countries like this have a lot of poverty but also have a lot of players that kids can look up to. The country is smaller so it's easier to do more with the population. I don't think the USTA is looking in the right places. To tell you the truth I don't think they really want a lot of Blacks and Hispanics playing the game of tennis. There are very few programs around that cater to the Hispanics. Look at the desert [Palm Springs - Indian Wells area]: I don't see anyone doing something to attract the Hispanic community. They're still playing soccer. 

Good coaching is also a problem. We've got one dimensional coaches. They need some of our generation of teaching and learning strategy. Kids have to learn how to think for themselves rather than depending on their coaches; they sometimes want it too easy.

4. The USTA earned $193Million in 2009. Breaking down the use of the revenue, the organization handed out $45M in grants to organizations (e.g. sectional USTAs); spent about $60million in salaries, wages and compensation; and used $1.8million in grants to individuals (presumably, junior and professional players). Granted that none of us work for the organization, do you see a problem with the USTA's use of funds? If so, assuming that we had the power to appoint you Queen of US Tennis and in charge of the USTA, how would you use the USTA's revenue to get the most US players (men and women) into the top 10 in the world?

I was really surprise to read this. I really think they are missing the boat. And as I said earlier: they need to hit the Hispanic community as I believe they will find the Pancho Gonzales and some winners wanting a chance to make some money and get out of their old neighborhood.

5. According to Patrick McEnroe, junior players are better served by aiming for college than the pros. We hear this on a day-in and day-out basis from local pros as well as parents. Positive aspects of college aside, do you find it problematic that we're pushing our players towards mediocrity and then expecting them to achieve success in the professional ranks? 

 

I don't know much about that aspect of the game. I never went to college and those that did ended up with a good education and getting the most of their tennis; Arthur Ashe, Stan Smith, Dennis Ralston, etc. I don't know that it's all that bad. Not everybody can make the Pros, so perhaps getting a scholarship at a Division I or II isn't all that bad if you make something of it.

6. What are your thoughts on Quickstart tennis? We do not have the statistical analysis to support the effectiveness of this program and yet the top USTA officers are gung-ho about it. Do you think that this is a noble experiment that's likely to have good results or are simply providing our players with another crutch to rely on? 

 

I think they're on a better track. I see the way the kids start with soccer and there's some similarity with the programs. You got to start them when they're young: 5 and up....for certain. I think they may have some good results with this program.

7. A number of former players and current coaches have suggested that, rather than re-drafting the rules of tennis for little kids, it may be more worthwhile to introduce young players to backboard training early in order to teach them the benefits of repetition and to emphasize the process of learning over results. As an example, Bjorn Borg spent hundreds of hours hitting against the backboard and sharpening his strokes and eyes which helped him become "a pretty steady player" (understatement). Do you think that we're missing this ingredient (backboard) in our early training and how else would you suggest that American players work on rediscovering the fundamentals (e.g. more clay courts; fewer tournaments; etc.)?

 

I don't doubt the backboard was a good friend to many of us and, yes, I think it should be incorporated into teaching. Kids should learn to hit on a backboard...do you remember Peaches Bartkowicz from Hamtramck, Michigan. She was No. 1 in the 9, 11, 13, 15 & 18...but I beat her because she was a backboard but wouldn't run....!!  Yes, we need clay courts and grass too! 

8. Americans seem to idolize talent. For example, John McEnroe was worshiped here while Ivan Lendl was either despised or ignored. In addition, we have "America's Got Talent" but not "America Works Hard". In terms of tennis development, what significance do you place on innate talent? Is talent important? Is it overrated? Is it irrelevant? 

 

Talent is important and it's what you do with the talent that counts. I don't think it's everything but it does help if you can put it to good use. You still have to have a good head because if you don't, talent is useless. It will probably make you a very showy player with some good shots and fun to watch but you may not be a winner. Americans love winners!!

9. Let's say that you have the ability to bring yourself - as a 14 year old girl - through time in the present day (in other words, 14 year old Rosie is brought into 2011). What advice would you give yourself in order to put yourself on the best path in order to succeed in the pros (3-4-5 years from now). Would you change your gamestyle? Strokes? Put more emphasis on certain types of fitness? Play more; play less? 

 

I would train properly and differently. Obviously now there's so much information on training and nutrition and everything having to do with the body. But still you've got to have it in more than one area. You have to be talented, good athlete and have a good head. Now the players are so much bigger and stronger and with the new equipment it enhances every aspect of their game. I would certainly always wish I was taller; my style of play didn't always suit my height. I was a server and vollier having been brought up on hardcourt in California and played lots of doubles. We were given the art of vollies.

Today, I would have a slightly different grip; no Continental more Eastern and I would still cut the angles and play the baseline and not 10 feet like these players do now. I would understand what happens at midcourt and what I was suppose to do with that ball; certainly not hit it and move back to start the rally again. I was always known for a good serve for my height and that I would definitely have as a weapon. I would need to be taller now. All I needed was 4-5 inches and I would have been awesome.

Having a serve and volley game makes you have to make great vollies as you are too vulnerable. It gave me a great overhead as I had to learn to move and fortunately I could and that too was one of my strong points. I had touch, I had style and I was a shot maker. I really do think that my height kept me from winning the Grand Slams in Singles....along with the Margaret Courts and Billie Jean Kings.

10. Since 1982, you have been involved with Sportswoman, Inc. (www.sportswomanevents.com) and have also donated a great deal of your time to helping out juniors. With respect to the latter, unlike many other former tennis legends, you are more hands-on. Do you think that the current up-and-coming juniors would be better served by having a direct line with people who have "been there, done that"? If so, why do you think that more former players are not getting involved directly or are not actively pursued by the USTA.

 

I love what I do. Having formed Sportswoman was a way to stay involved in the game and to have events with my contemporaries like Billie Jean, Chris, Martina, Virginia Wade and players of my era. It also gave me the opportunity to get to know some of todays' players or those just retiring as I have a fundraiser that I do up in the Bay Area called the Esurance Tennis Classic and we've invited, Hingis, Graf, Agassi, McEnroe, Austin and many other players of that generation. So it's a fun thing for me.  Yes, the USTA really should be looking our way to help educate the players of the future and today. I think I have a lot to offer and I think they would enjoy hearing from us. I don't know why the USTA does not call upon us other than the one in charge is Male and seems to deal with his co-horts male players and very little influence or women are involved in any position of power. Thanks Patrick.

 

Any other thoughts about tennis development? 

 

There's talent here in the desert; there are opportunities; lots of courts, good weather and kids. They need help, the pros need help with the kids. The USTA would be better served by this community if they would embrace those pros that work with kids and put them on the USTA payroll and program. With some small financial help the pros wouldn't object to sending their talent to Carson. But without help, who do they think they are that they can take over your player and give them the right things?! They certainly would receive more loyalty and cooperation from pros if the pros got some financial help for their kids.

Ms. Casals, we thank you for taking the time to speak with us.

In closing, we urge our readers to not only check out the events organized by Ms. Casals organization but to also lobby the USTA to get more people of her caliber involved with junior tennis development.  Ms. Casals' knowledge is indispensable and there is no substitute for her vision and experience. 

Comments

[Tweener]

Ive been heavily involved with the QuickStart on court type approach teaching my son, with minimal backboard work. I found that at the really young age range (4,5, early 6) the backboard forces him to modify his stroke to a strange ultra short chop like stroke since the ball is coming back very very quickly, he doesnt have enough time to create the full proper stroke motion that I can achieve with feeds and longer range rally balls. I prefer proper stroke development over rapid hand eye stuff at this age. I prefer having him track the ball across the net from the other end of the 36 foot court. He has become quite skilled at this. As he gets a bit older and his storkes more ingrained, I plan on spending a little more time on backboard work for quicker hand eye training. If at some point you want to see a video clip of him playing at age 5, let me know.

[CAtennis]

Is he too close to the wall? Might not have enough time to prepare. Try further back and 2 bounces

[Tweener]

low compression balls dont have that much life to them, they die out quickly after just one bounce since they are very "low" compression