THE tennisreporters.net NEWSLETTER: SUNDAY, APRIL 27, NO. 25

Tip masters: King, Garrison helping Williamses and Shaughnessy improve

By Matthew Cronin
tennisreporters.net

Susan Mullane/ Camerawork USA, Inc.

FROM THE FED CUP IN LOWELL, MASS. – Venus Williams played as good of a match as she has in a year in crushing Daja Bedanova 6-1, 6-0 on Saturday in the first round of the Fed Cup.

Part of the credit for her play has to go to Fed Cup captain Billie Jean King and coach Zina Garrison, who are trying to wipe out the kinks in her game, specifically in her serve and forehand.

Meghann Shaughnessy’s backhand is much more a weapon than it was a year ago at this time and she says that part of that is due to Billie and Zina, who encouraged her to change her grip.

Even No. 1 Serena credits the Fed Cup tutors with partially convincing her that going to net could make her a dominant player – if that’s even possible.

Both Venus and Meghann say that their eyes pop open when hearing different voices. Her parents have coached Venus all her life (with some help from hitting partners) and Shaughnessy has been with ex-fiancé Rafael Font de la Mora since the juniors.

"I've picked up on everything she and Zina have told me," Venus told tennisreporters.net. "They want me to get to the net more. We’ve been working on my toss and some technical things with my serve. Even if I don’t agree with everything I hear, I try it anyway because they’ve been there before and know what they are talking about. I found out they were correct. I’ve been working with my coaches for years and years and sometimes it can just go in one ear and out the other. This week, I’ve had to listen up and do it right. It’s been very good for me."

It’s now common wisdom that much of Venus’ trouble against Serena over the past year has been due to inconsistency with her first serve and her total lack of confidence in her second serve, which she has often elbowed in the 75-mph range down the middle of the box. Some of that has to do with her service motion and much of it has to do with her toss, which Venus says has been flying out of orbit.  Over the past two weeks, she has been working studiously on keeping her toss in the same place.
"I do want to serve better," Venus said. "It’s really the key to my game. I win a lot of points off it. If I can serve even better, its going to help me even more."

Venus served seven aces in her win over Daja Bedanova on Sunday and was pricking holes all over the service box. Her slice served out wide to the deuce court is much improved and her kicker out wide to the ad court had bite.

"It’s just the small things like getting more first serves in play or more placement, and a deeper second serve," Venus said. "Billie and Zina understand it’s the small things that take you above and beyond the rest of the competition."

VENUS SHOULD RULE THE NET
Of course, there are many observers who believe that Venus should live at the net, but reality dictates that the rangy groundstroker will never be another BJK. You just don’t see that from women with two-handed backhands. However, it’s pretty obvious that against elite players like Serena, Belgians Kim Clijsters and Justine Henin-Hardenne, and Amelie Mauresmo, Venus would be more effective coming into net another five times or so a set.

"I’ll never be a natural serve and volleyer but I can attack more off the short balls," Venus said.

Other than for the coaching and camaraderie, there were few reasons for Shaughnessy to come to this tie although every team needs a good back-up player. King would have been fine with Alexandra Stevenson and, say, Lisa Raymond in that role against the Czechs. Chanda Rubin said no to that role. Shaughnessy learned a lot in the two weeks she spent time with the team last year and credits BJK and Garrison with transforming her backhand grip. Now, she moved her left hand back a smidgen and her right hand a bit down the handle.

"It’s made an incredible difference," Shaughnessy said. "It’s like night and day. … It’s great to hear a different voice. No matter how great a coach someone is, it’s important to see things a different way. It clicks more. Billie Jean and Zina have been incredible."

As King said, there’s little to improve in Serena’s game right now. The coaching staff role this week was to keep Serena motivated, as the No. 1 was complaining of being tired.

"She’s really the complete package. She doesn’t have a weakness," King said. She has so many strengths. She’s quick, smooth, her technique is excellent on everything. It’s just a joy to work with her. I just sit back and relax and watch someone who’s very blessed and who’s worked very hard. … But I would like to see Serena go to net more."

Serena’s reply? "I would like to see myself go to the net as well. It’s slowly – and very slowly – coming along."