Net Notes: Martin to display 'everyman's' abilities

If you want to see some of the best tennis players ever — and learn from watching them up close and personal, plan to attend the Oliver Group Champions Cup March 7-11 at The Players Club & Spa and Lely Resort.

A great way to improve your tennis is to watch these stars carefully and learn by example.

The intimate stadium at the Players Club will provide you with a bird's-eye view of many different and varied tennis techniques, all of which boosted the players to the top of the world rankings in their prime.

John McEnroe, love him or hate him, is perhaps the best example of great footwork and magical volleying skills to have ever played the sport.

Jim Courier's severe western grip forehand and brutal two-handed backhand put him in the class of ex-heavyweight boxing champ Rocky Marciano as a punishing physical force.

As great as those two players are, the best example for most of us to copy might be Todd Martin, former world No. 4 and finalist at both the Australian and U.S. Open Grand Slam events.

McEnroe and Courier, although immensely talented, are at the opposite extremes of grips, stroking techniques and styles of play.

Martin is the everyman's player with more or less eastern grips, solid, uncomplicated stroke production techniques and a very simple tactical approach to the game based on the geometry of the courts and logical patterns of play.

Watch his racket preparation as he moves to the ball, notice the balanced follow-through and the crouched fluid recovery movement after the shot has been played.

When he comes to the net, look for the split step as his opponent is about to strike the ball, a move that enables him to react to the passing shot athletically and pounce on the volley.

Talent is one thing, but the zealous application of great technique and logical tactical ploys made Martin a great player and a great example for us all to emulate in our effort to lift our games to the next level.

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Howie Burnett is a member of the United States Professional Tennis Association and tennis director at the Island Country Club on Marco Island. Burnett welcomes questions on strokes, tactics or etiquette. To reach him, call the tennis shop at 394-4464 or e-mail him at islandclubtennis@hotmail.com.