NEW TENNIS GADGETS

Sony Smart Tennis Sensor

Sony Smart Tennis Sensor

This device fits into the handle of the racket, the sensor system detects and processes a wide range of data, including ball speed, swing speed, shot count, ball impact shot, and shot types. The data is sent to a smartphone via Bluetooth, and can also be stored in the device itself for viewing later if no smartphone is available.

Pump'n'Bounce for Tennis Balls

This device is on its developing stage still, but the idea is of pumping air into tennis balls so as to extend their useful life and restore the bounce of old balls. As tennis balls start or lose their bounce the moment they are removed from their containers losing the air within their rubber core. Pump'n'Bounce consists of a hand-operated pump with a tennis ball canister so as to pressurize the container where the tennis balls are stores. 

Babolat Pop

Babolat Pop and App

This performance tracker collects and stores statistics of the player's performance, including forehands, backhands, smashes, volleys, serves, spin, racqet speed, shots, playtime, activity score, best rally and the rate of shots per minute. Like other sensors, it is connected to a smartphone and any tennis racket. Or,alternatively, The same company is offering Play Connected Tennis Rackets which came with a sensor installed into the handle and the smartphone application that records and monitors performance data. The app is synchronized with the racket via Bluetooth. There is also a community section that allows users chart their progress towards different skill levels and compare with each other.  

In/Out Al Calling System

In/Out personal line calling system

Another device that is not on sale yet is AI calling system for detecting the tennis ball in/out position.This single device is enough to monitor both sides of the court. The AI algorithms will then monitor the play action and keep track of the ball’s movements. There is an additional bonus in the form of statistics analysis. The gadget will track the ball speed, spin and location and broadcast in HD video format with the distance covered by players, depth positions, shot placement with zone percentage, calculated for both players. 

HIGH EXPECTATIONS:tennis stars that shot for the Moon

Starting a professional career in tennis after the age of 20 is considered to be too late. Most tennis stars become famous and achieve their greatest victories before that age. Later on they continue accumulating success and have more time to make a comeback in case of injuries or any other issues. Most frequently, however,  young stars make loud appearances at occasional tournaments and struggle to keep up to the public expectations later on, but fail. Is it because of the pressure the athletes are experiencing or  because of being overestimated? Are their famous victories a pure coincidence of time and draw? Here is the account of top five loud break-throughs of the last couple of years that ended up in a big question mark.

1. Eugenie Bouchard

Eugenie Bouchard (Canada)

She made a sensation in 2014 by her top performance, dedication and, her looks, of course. She instantly acquired an army of fans (Genie's Army) who loyally followed her to all her major appearances. No wonder big names in sports gear production used it the best they could and Bouchard was called "the most marketable athlete of 2015". Though  she did manage to finish that first successful season triumphantly landing among the top eight female athletes at the final annual competition and getting to No. 5 in world tennis rankings, she showed so little nerve that lost practically to everyone of the other seven strongest players in that tournament. Her two subsequent seasons, however, were noticeable by a lot of publicity , some scandal and little success. Having changed four coaches in two years, Genie seems to be desperately seeking to recover her game, losing her army of fans and gaining an army of haters increased. She insists on being as devoted to tennis as ever and explains her millennial Instagram posts by having interests typical of her age. She is only 22 and still has plenty of time and chance to regain her highest position but as seasons pass, chances are she will have to work her way up to the main draw of top events through qualification.

2. Sloane Stephens

Sloane Stephens (USA)

Having shown two near top-ten seasons in 2013 and 2015, Sloane was named "new Serena" and predicted triumphant and outstanding future tennis career. She made a loud rush into Australian Open SF, Wimbledon QF and 4th round of Rolland Garros and US Open in 2013. The year of 2014 marked some of the well-done matches for Stephens, but nothing as noticeable as 2013, 4th round at most. 2015 gave Sloane's fans some hopes for her returning success and was marked by winning a title at Washington D.C. and reaching QF in Miami. Stephens herself was quite confident of her success claiming the halt in her communication with Serena Williams was caused by her victory over Serena in Australian Open 2013 and envy, to some extent. She was ambitious enough to remark (ironically) that she would hung her own poster in her room instead of Serena's. Still all other achievements were far from most-desired Grand Slam's milestones and left Sloane at 30th line of the world rankings. Thereafter, due to different causes: injuries, high public pressure, whatnot-Stephens remained far from reaching Serena even at her initial stage at the same age, ending up with 157th place in the world. 

3. Heather Watson

Heather Watson (UK)

Currently occupying No. 110 in world WTA rankings, this girl is only 25, which means a lot of room to advance in her career. But tennis is a specific career which likes athletes to boast stable results and sustain the current spot or advance further by the age of 25. In 2012 H. Watson made her first top-50 season, won a title in Osaka and became the first Brit in 24 years to have won a WTA title. This glorious pattern was partially repeated in 2015 by winning a title in Hobart and advancing to QF at Hong Kong. These, however, look as some unstable outbursts of previous confidence and appear to be too weak to sustain the career path. She has, in the meantime, won a mixed doubles Wimbledon title in 2016. 2017 has so far been only marked by QF stage in Monterray and 1st or 2d round exit in several other tournaments. While being one of the top tennis players in the UK, Watson herself admits that her results "are all over the place" and it doesn't sound  like breaking the record again, at least in the nearest future.   

4. Bernard Tomic

Bernard Tomic (Australia)

Still young and full of promise, B. Tomic represents Australian tennis in its several dimensions. Just like his compatriot, N. Kirgios, he has been involved in several scandalous stories, the latest of which pertains to his refusal to represent his home country in Davis Cup with no good excuse. he was previously removed from a Davis Cup match in 2015 for making a disrespectful remark about Tennis Australia. Being one of the tops in Australia, Tomic is currently occupying No. 43 line in the ATP rankings and managed to advance as far as R16 in Grand Slams (Wimbledon) in the previous year. Noted for his powerful game and grass court achievements (the youngest player after Boris Becker to become Wimbledon quarter finalist at 19), he boasted his best season in 2015 finishing the year No.18 and winning his last title so far in Bogota. Tomic's early exit from Indian Well 2017 due to his loss to No.112 Bjorn Fratangelo doesn't seem to be unexpected at this point. Bernard is only turning 25 this year, so he may have lots of success ahead. Still, being a promising rising star at 19 and a success-recovering scandalous "not best Australian tennis player anymore" at 25 makes a difference.  

5. Ernests Gulbis

Ernests Gulbis (Latvia)

Edging a victory over Roger Federer always shades a lot of public light on the offender. Gulbis's advance to the SF, along with a powerful win over R. Federer at French Open in 2014, landed the athlete at No. 10 spot in rankings. That's why his continuous fall in the following years down to No. 175 he's occupying at the moment, leaves little hope for a 28-year-old Latvian tennis player. With his personal record of 6-0 in singles ATP finals and 2-0 in doubles and two titles in his best 2014 season, Ernests's career started to decline mainly after his right wrist injury in 2015. He had to withdraw from multiple tournaments since then. He tried to recover his best shape and stop the losing streak by hiring Larri Stefanki (Andy Roddick's former coach) to improve his forehand movement. But, unfortunately, had to withdraw from ATP Montpellier qualifying draw again this year. 

Current top tennis player Andy Murray reached this desired No.1 ranking only at the age of 29 in 2016, almost ten years after he first managed to crack top ten (2007), and almost the same period of time around and close to top five. Does it take so much time to reach the peak of tennis career and an early break through can only delay the result? Or shooting high at young age wears out an athlete too soon? Rafael Nadal was often criticized for his highly effort-consuming performance and predicted quite early retirement. With multiple health issues interfering with his career, he still manages to reach the final stage of Grand Slam tournaments at the age of 30 preserving his spot among the greatest athletes of the last decade. There are multiple similar examples. The conclusion would be rhetoric - "shoot for the Moon, even if you miss - you'll land among the stars", but not for long. To stay among the stars takes not only an outstanding coach, a perfect team and physique - but mostly, a talent, sweat, nerve, and spirit.    

Tennis Best Points of 2017 - Part 1 [HD]