The year was 1983 and a very young cowboy was in Miami for a coaching workshop.
A gentlemen named Peter Burwash was introduced and his name was new to most in attendance.
Two things he said have lingered in my skull for forty years.
The first was a story he told about traveling to France in 1968 to begin playing professionally. Mr. Burwash said he arrived and went to scout a potential opponent. He said the first point he saw lasted 27 minutes and that there were over 500 shots played. How’s that for shot tolerance. Yes…it was slow red clay and wooden racquets.
He later told the fifty or so coaches there that the semi western forehand grip would soon revolutionize professional tennis and his statement was met with raised eyebrows and not many nods of heads.
Holy Schmole was he ahead of the pack.
Burwash was a highly creative coach along the lines of Dennis Van deer Meer. No one to my recollection could touch Dennis however if the truth be known.
Peter used a fishing net to tame players who swung at their volleys.
Dennis would feed a player four balls in rapid succession and if they swung they could not volley subsequent feeds.
Steve Stefanki likely borrowed this from legendary Tom Stow…players knelt on a towel and showed an Edberg- like prep and then created underspin on low volleys.
A woman pro whose name escapes me would have players grab their wrist with the other hand to reduce racquet turbulence.
Another had the player recoil the racquet 3-4 inches after contact.
Jorge Capestany has players stand on court 2 with their racquet tip touching the divider curtain. He feeds from court 1 and has players work on minimal movement.
Gotta love this picture of Edberg…ATOB—-A Thing of Beauty.
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