5 Tennis Hot Takes From Our Tennis Professionals

In today's climate of media, politics, sports and more, hot takes have become synonymous with trying to be different. Does pineapple belong on pizza? Are The Beatles overrated? Is Jordan or LeBron the greatest? In isolation, these debates seem trivial, but hot takes can encourage us to think dynamically and evaluate why things are the way they are. Our goal with these hot takes is not to be different. Our goal is to explore tennis in a new way. Perhaps, through careful examination, we will learn what tennis could be, where it has room to grow and how it can be utilized properly to further push the sport into new horizons.

We asked five of our tennis pros one simple question: What's your hottest tennis take? Listed below are their answers and our analysis!

Starting, Matt Bacon, Director of Tennis at Naples Beach Club, stated, "If you're only getting better at teaching tennis, then you're not becoming a better tennis professional."

There are many aspects to being a tennis professional. Teaching tennis is, of course, a fundamental piece. However, that is not the only important quality. Communication, time management and off-court business understanding are all qualities that can improve a tennis professional.

So, is this a fair statement to make? We think so!

Next, Kyle Edwards, Director of Tennis at Bonita National, shared, "The second serve needs to be abolished."

When asked to elaborate, Kyle stated, "Forcing players to hit only one serve would drastically reduce booming aces, favor tactical placement over raw power and reward longer rallies." This is a commonly debated topic, and Kyle makes a strong point! But ultimately, removing the second serve varies by playing level, individual, and by each person, depending on what they like when watching tennis. Do you like impressive serves and players who hit many aces? Then you probably prefer two serves. Or do you prefer high-intensity rallies? If so, then you probably prefer a single serve.

So, should we listen to Kyle's hot take? Well, it depends. You can remove the second serve from professionals while keeping the option for your club matches. Whichever you prefer, there is no wrong answer.

Continuing, Rob Lowe, General Manager of John Newcombe Country Club, gave us his take, saying, "There's no such thing as a bad feed, just bad feet."

This is bound to have coaches and players glaring at each other across the court. Rob thinks that the blame should always fall on the player, not the coach. A good player can get to any feed. But is it fair to be so definitive in a statement? That would imply that the coach can never mess up. Can a coach mess up? Truth is, it is possible for a coach to mess up. But there is still some truth to the statement. Players like Djokovic make every ball look playable. However, most players are not Djokovic. So, despite being such a controversial take, part of it can be viewed as true.

So, does Rob's take hold up? Not exactly, but it isn't without merit either.

Next up, we have Rob Menzies, Director of Racquets at Stratton Mountain Resort, coming with a scorching take saying, "Nobody in sports has sharper eyes than a tennis parent watching the opponent, but nobody in sports is more blind than a tennis parent watching their own kid serve. "

This hot take submits to the fact that parents are always trying to help their child win. And can you blame a parent who wants their child to win it all? No. Surely most parents want that for their child. But it is tough not to agree with Rob. Parents attending matches are quick to support their child, no matter what it takes. Whether it is correct or not, it is something that happens.

So, should we agree with Rob? Perhaps. If it isn't at the expense of a tennis parent, we have no issue.

And lastly, Kory Rogers, the General Manager at Racket Social Club at Windward Lake, stated, "You should never think during a match."

Anyone who has played sports has heard something like this before. Kory's claim hinges on the fact that, through practice, players have no need to think because it should be second nature at some point. For a competitive player, I would agree. In competitive play, thinking slows the player down. However, for a new or younger player, thinking in matches is still required. You won't automatically know how to play certain balls out of the gate. That's something that takes time to instinctively know. But the end goal for a player is to play without thinking.

So, does Kory's claim hold up? We think so!

At the end of the day, hot takes are meant to spark conversation. These five certainly did that. Whether you're considering abolishing the second serve, silencing your mind on the court or reacting to a bad feed, each take has offered a new lens to appreciate the sport of tennis. Tennis will continue to evolve, and so will the way we talk about it. Next time you're on the court, bring one of these hot takes with you. It just might improve your game!