Ian commented on how I seemed to be playing more aggressive this match. I agree, I played differently because Mark and Mike have very different styles of play. Mark hits a lot of loopy or sliced balls which are hard to attack, so I liked to give him junk back. He wasn’t going to blow me off the court with his offense (but he’s good on defense, so I wasn’t going to blow him off the court either) so I tried to grind him down with long rallies to try to make him press. On, the other hand, Mike could blow me off the court if I didn’t take offense against him. I needed to try and attack him so that he would have less opportunities to attack me. His balls were flatter than Mark’s, so I felt more comfortable attacking them because his balls tended to stay in my strike zone. Ultimately, it’s important to be able to adapt to different styles of play and be able to adjust your game to target your opponent’s weaknesses.
Really enjoy the clips that are put in because you can see the decisions that are made from both sides when something happens. When Mike doubles, he immediately changes his first serve to a more passive kick serves. When Cole tries forehand rallies, Mike beats him by hitting harder, so he resolves to backhand cross courts. Love the way they adapt to the other person's game
Those two close serving calls early on are good examples of why the etiquette of "if you're only 99% sure it's out, call it in" exists. Good sportsmanship, even if it's for the cameras!
I had to great time filming with Ian and cole. During the whole match I really struggled to find a rhythm with my serve and my game. I was really struggling with settling myself down and just felt rushed the whole time. Cole did a great job at keeping me in long rallies to tire me out. When I was serving I tried to get back to point where a felt like a pitcher on the mount and in control of my body and breathing; but I couldn't settle my nerves or my heartrate. I think it was due to the fact that I was so excited about playing on a huge social platform, that I let the moment appear bigger than it was. It's hard to get a rhythm against an opponent who wont give you a lot of free points. I needed to stay closer to the baseline and take more balls on the rise to take away Cole's timing. Especially with my forehand. Bowser will learn and come back stronger 👍😎
@@michaeltreis9751 44, wow! The 16 gauge makes sense then. But still have to say that's nice control. Volleys (what we've seen so far) look sharp. Were you a serve and volley guy in college?
So often, when you watch people play amateur tennis on youtube, you watch and you think "yeah, I could beat them", but not this time. Both these players would blow me off the court.
Awesome reading Cole and Mike's comments on their strategies against each other! I've always been fascinated by strategy and how to apply it considering your strengths and weaknesses versus the other guy's. One of my favorite players ever is Mats Wilander and he was always known for having a great head for strategy and tactics. I remember reading how when Brad Gilbert first saw him, he thought Mats was nothing special, no big weapons at all. But he later realized that Mats thought the game at a higher level than most, a lot like Brad himself.
Man, I love watching these! Ian, one thing you might consider is doing a sort of post-match interview where you talk with each player about their approach and decision making. It was interesting to see you and Cole have a somewhat different take on the best approach, and I would love to see you guys talking about it and demonstrating what a good post-match breakdown looks like. I know you'll do some great review in later videos, but it would be cool to see you getting their feedback after the match. Again, great video!
The Mario Tennis reference with explanation and logic was just I dunno, absolutely perfect and hilarious! Cole is the age of my kids, and they played it too. Our society is would so friggin' tight, this is what we need to unwind a bit. Thank you Cole! (Nice backhand btw)...
Brilliant content. Solid players with each of them having particular strengths to employ. Figuring out how to play a certain player with your strengths and finding a weakness, changing your plans is what makes this game so interesting. Looks easy from the outside but it’s really quite a challenge to control emotions and stay clear and focused under pressure, this video is a great watching for all competitive players. Hats off to both players!
This is fantastic content Ian. For whatever reason, watching college and 5.0 players translates to my brain much easier than watching top atp players. The speed is just a little slower and I can see more of how each shot is set up. Love it!
Wow! This is such a nice format! With all those comments embedded into the footage! It’s so awesome! Yan, I think you found a new style for tennis match videos!
One of the better D3 players I have seen (I played D2 many years ago). Mike is a strong 5.0 player (might be a bit higher than that). Enjoyed the match.
@K4R3N you've got a point there. Cole's style in general has almost zero forward weight transfer throughout his shots, even when he attacks from the base line. His feet are stationary, his back foot never comes forwards during the followthrough. This is mostly OK at baseline shots, but when it comes to approach shots, it is definitely a leak.
@@dennisthegreek5336 I was just saying that to my girlfriend ... too stiff, not really a good weight transfer as you mentioned ... He's got a good backhand .. but not good enough; he can do better.
Wow! I can't wait for the second set. Not to add to the workload, but I'd enjoy seeing Ian analyze Cole's service motion -- he seems to get every possible ounce of power exactly where it needs to be.
Hey Ian, I love this concept of matching up two strong players from different arenas in tennis. It might be cool to take this a step further and match up players with similar UTRs from completely different backgrounds. Maybe a 4.5 man vs. a high level junior, or a gold ball level senior taking on a young usta player. Might be tough to organize but I feel like a lot could be learned from how the styles interact.
Working in education, I love the transfer of knowledge with Mario to real life. That is a massively important skill too many people do not have. There is something important to learn in EVERYTHING you do, if you just take the time to reflect and be open to it. Critical thinking for the win. Anywho...some great tennis in here too :D
Every year I go to Indian Wells and I'll be sitting at a practice court with a couple guys hitting I can't identify. Inevitably I am asked by someone else who are these guys? I always have the same answer; "Two guys way better than me!" Hey guess who was in this video, "Two guys WAY better than me." I suppose it is motivating in some ways, but it is a level I cannot even aspire to!!! Love Cole's game and how he is fully aware of what elements of his game to use against different players. Versus Mark: can't hurt me, let him beat himself. Against Mike: better beat him before he beats me! Amazing stuff Cole!!!!!! So Cole how good is DI if you are good DIII? Does you team play any DI's in pre-season?
At 12:51 and 14:39 it seems that it would be a better choice to use the forehand slice as a more solid defense. Generally it seemed that none of the players liked to slice the ball during the entire set. Mark definitely had more variety in his game using that slice once in a while to change pace.
This was a great watch and the commentary was great. (Especially when Cole was ... “...getting a feel for his balls...”. I know you guys were laughing so hard when you did the editing for that and decided to leave it in for the final cut.). 😂
(I got two tennis signs for Christmas and I wanted to know which one you like better. One says education is important but tennis is importanter and the other says tennis players parking only violater will be aced.)
I bet the second set will be closer. I wonder what was going through Mike’s mind when he lost those two games when he had multiple break points. It almost seems like a prime opportunity to get broken in the next service game when you have missed those chances even if there is a changeover in between. This set seemed to be about momentum and nerves/focus. I wonder if Mike and Cole can comment about what they consciously think about on the changeover.
Cole footwork and speed are impressive. It's crazy how Mike knows that he has to aim Cole's forehand, yet he does not! It's so difficult to change patterns, I feel for him. Great set even if Mike's nerves gets him unforced errors and double faults. I was pretty sure Cole would be more aggressive this time, the other match was really warm up like for him.
Man... You are killing it with these teasers for episodes! I do agree, with the difference in Cole's play being a bit odd but it looks like he's doing fine in part one. In is defense though, when I play guys with a great flat shot I try not to give them higher balls so they can't smash winners. So if Cole picked that hint up from warm-ups maybe that's the reasoning.... Or the Mario tennis could be influencing his style lol
Cameras/spectators not only add pressures, but I also think they add distractions. I was lucky enough to have played a couple matches in a stadium court in a local tournament years ago. Simply being in front of a few pair of eyes and a couple thousand empty seats add an unexplainable amount of distraction. It's almost like I was worried about how I "look". I was over thinking whether my toss looks good, or whether I have the classic follow through that looks "good". Maybe it was just me, but it was almost like I wanted to put on a show rather than actually playing the match at hand.
Great content as usual. I saw Cole commented about his strategy, but have you considered doing a post-game breakdown with the players? I could be great seeing asking about things like why he was hitting lower, more aggressive or other strategy choices. Also, thinking back to a game you played against Kevin, you both used your matrix in the confessional cam. If other players are up to it, I'd love to see more of that. They don't necessarily need to use it as a tool, but it could be a good way to show the viewers what they're thinking. Finally, that part 2 teaser is amazing!
Cole, did you play hockey growing up? Your backhand reminds me of a D1 tennis player I know who blasts that two-hander like a slap-shot. He had been on his U16 national hockey team. You have a true strength there.
Props to Mike, has a big game, understandably nervous first time on film like this, probably pressed a bit on his serve but acquitted himself well, hit some great shots. Cole is so consistent and mentally tough, and his serve is a little deceiving, looks like it comes in quicker than you think and his placement is unreal.
Mike needs more variety like what he did at 16.23 (drop shots) if he wants to get back in this match! Overall, just solid hitting and retrieving by Cole.
The 3 things I loved about this match: The “nope” Never heard anyone say that before; all I ever heard was out and the person that screams FAULT!, I think this side is cursed, Ian, when they said I love my backhand, come to practice on Wednesday and when the coach says it’s time for backhands...groans, I hate my backhand!
Love these match play vids. So helpful for my own game... I think it's time for a feature-length tournament edition live streamed over the course of a day! Would be great to get some of the old band back together too (Hello Kevin and Megan). Could it be done!?
I loved the Mario Tennis analogy of Yoshi vs. Bowser, and as someone who's played the game it was actually an accurate comparison. That caught me off guard though. lol
How do u practice to get the legs involved so much with the serve? I see Cole doing it with super bend legs to drive his serve I just wonder if there good ways to practise it?
Longest rally: 20 shots (SET 1: 3-1, 15-15) Total shots: 183 Average rally: 3.7 shots Mike is doing best in the points where he gets to net, and in rallies that last 5+ shots -- unfortunately for Mike, 72% of the rallies are 4 shots or less. I'm surprised that Mike's 1st serve percentage is almost equal to Cole's, but there's a huge difference in service points won -- Cole returned everything that wasn't an ace, and got a whopping 6 aces on his own serve (all on the T). Raw data can be perused here: drive.google.com/file/d/1l_mbTNVonEzj4JjXqgHZbgQrlVjwCxeC/view?usp=sharing
Cole is a really tough opponent. The trailer for the upcoming video indicates a turnaround, but hard to believe Cole is really slowing down as he is so steady. I fear we won't see a guy defeating Cole very soon here. Maybe a former pro who is still playing ITFs being in the late 40s or something might be a great challenge. I'd call Andre, Pete or James if I had their number. :D
@@EssentialTennis I would love to do that. :) To be serious. Until like 2011 my aunt had been in a relationship to a former hotel director who has a great friendship to Ilie Nastase and they were playing doubles in California for some years. That guy might have contact to other players of that generation, but Cole should defeat the 70+ players easily and I don't have contact to that guy anymore, either. So it must be someone else to contact a former pro. While former superstars like Sampras and Agassi are very unlikely to reply or even play, what about less famous players who are in the US like Malivai Washington or Todd Martin? Or Chang? They still might be able to play and this should help attract more subscribers of the generation of the 70s and 80s.
Dillon Sykes (Dill) is a 5.0 player who could be competitive against Cole I think. If we could ever get Milan Krnjetin (TENFITMEN) to come to the states it would be interesting to see if Cole could win some games off him.
I think Cole’s fitness is such a huge weapon here. It wasn’t even mentioned how much fitter and faster he is. The first was fun to watch. Even though Cole hit big serves I think Mike could have had a better return game.
The serves were the major difference-maker in this set. The other thing was that Mike kept talking about picking on the forehand, but then he’d hit to the backhand repeatedly anyway on neutral balls from the middle of the baseline.
Looking for advice. I’m having a problem with umpiring my games against some of the big hitting players in my ladder. I’m number 2 or 3 in the ladder and the players above me hit way harder than I do, whereas I’m more of a defensive player/improviser/athlete/grinder etc. the top players strategy against me is to try to avoid long points and go for big shots near the lines. He ends up hitting tons of shots that are close but are out but it’s tough for me to call all of them out even when I’m 99 percent sure they are. Even times when I’m 100 percent sure they’re out it can be tough to call them because he wants the calls and had a close one go against him maybe the point before. I feel like having a third party umpire would be a big advantage to me. Because if I give him 5 balls a set that are almost certainly out but I call in he gets winners on virtually all of those points but if he gives me 5 balls a set that are close the point usually just continues on because mine wouldn’t be a winner. So it’s a huge advantage for him being in worse shape and older than me to push the limit and play tons of risky shots near lines to play shorter points and rely on good sportsman ship/human nature to not want to call every ball that is out out. Does that make sense? I’m not sure what to do. Just try to be super confident with my calls and not be scared to call balls out? Or do I just have to bite the bullet and give him an extra inch on all line calls? It’s frustrating on huge points where he takes a big risk to try to end the point and hits a ball that I’m virtually certain is out but I can’t call it out. Sometimes he’ll give me a close call too but it doesn’t really balance out. Having all calls made 100 percent accurately would be a huge advantage to me. Or even having a third party ump would be a big help.
Hi Cole. It appears that when you do a slice backhand, you are not able to change your grip on the handle - it seems you are holding the racket with your forehand grip rather than a continental. So the slice goes either long or high. At any rate, good match with Mike, look forward to the second set!
I loved Cole's analogy to Mario Tennis and his opponent playing like Bowser. I literally died laughing! :) Having watched a few of these match-up videos I think that Cole seems to be pretty strong for a Division 3 college player. Especially, if he's able to hold his own against a player at the NTRP 5.0 level. He's got to be the best player on his school's team.
Mike should sit on his backhand some more and start chopping the distance between him and the net. Cole could do well to hit more down the line to draw him out of the center and get his balance and feet needing to constantly adjust. Cole looks like he could do better to stabilize his right elbow on his backhand instead of pulling it across his body and he will more center and solid.
Ian commented on how I seemed to be playing more aggressive this match. I agree, I played differently because Mark and Mike have very different styles of play. Mark hits a lot of loopy or sliced balls which are hard to attack, so I liked to give him junk back. He wasn’t going to blow me off the court with his offense (but he’s good on defense, so I wasn’t going to blow him off the court either) so I tried to grind him down with long rallies to try to make him press. On, the other hand, Mike could blow me off the court if I didn’t take offense against him. I needed to try and attack him so that he would have less opportunities to attack me. His balls were flatter than Mark’s, so I felt more comfortable attacking them because his balls tended to stay in my strike zone. Ultimately, it’s important to be able to adapt to different styles of play and be able to adjust your game to target your opponent’s weaknesses.
It’s a pleasure to watch you play and comment. You have such a good solid head on your shoulders.
What string and tension you using?
You're clearly a smart guy with a great game, good luck when d3 continues
@@Ayanami0001 luxilon 4G at 51 pounds
yeah but did you have KFC or Taco Bell for lunch. These are the hard hitting questions we need answered!
I've watched this match at least 5 times and I pick up something new each time. I love the way Cole moves his feet.
Cole cracked me up with his Yoshi vs Bowser commentary.
Kid's a natural and I see great things in his future.
Great content as always, guys!
😅
Really enjoy the clips that are put in because you can see the decisions that are made from both sides when something happens. When Mike doubles, he immediately changes his first serve to a more passive kick serves. When Cole tries forehand rallies, Mike beats him by hitting harder, so he resolves to backhand cross courts. Love the way they adapt to the other person's game
Glad you like them!
Thank you very much Ian for recording and uploading this high quality tennis match. They are both solid and athletic.🎾
So glad you enjoyed it! Much more to come!
Those two close serving calls early on are good examples of why the etiquette of "if you're only 99% sure it's out, call it in" exists. Good sportsmanship, even if it's for the cameras!
Actually I have heard the term "99% out; 100% in."
It's the right way to play it!
@@EssentialTennis the only way to play it. Of course with a side note of " don't make my job so hard by hitting the lines."... Lol
I had to great time filming with Ian and cole. During the whole match I really struggled to find a rhythm with my serve and my game. I was really struggling with settling myself down and just felt rushed the whole time. Cole did a great job at keeping me in long rallies to tire me out. When I was serving I tried to get back to point where a felt like a pitcher on the mount and in control of my body and breathing; but I couldn't settle my nerves or my heartrate. I think it was due to the fact that I was so excited about playing on a huge social platform, that I let the moment appear bigger than it was. It's hard to get a rhythm against an opponent who wont give you a lot of free points.
I needed to stay closer to the baseline and take more balls on the rise to take away Cole's timing. Especially with my forehand. Bowser will learn and come back stronger 👍😎
Nice playing!!
Curious what strings and tension younuse for the clash
@@fingersm Same question here. I'm guessing not toward the lower end of the Wilson recs, but somewhere in the 50s.
Go Bowser! Although, when did Yoshi ever hit that many aces!?
44 tension and solinco hyper G 16 gauge
@@michaeltreis9751 44, wow! The 16 gauge makes sense then. But still have to say that's nice control. Volleys (what we've seen so far) look sharp. Were you a serve and volley guy in college?
So often, when you watch people play amateur tennis on youtube, you watch and you think "yeah, I could beat them", but not this time. Both these players would blow me off the court.
Awesome reading Cole and Mike's comments on their strategies against each other! I've always been fascinated by strategy and how to apply it considering your strengths and weaknesses versus the other guy's. One of my favorite players ever is Mats Wilander and he was always known for having a great head for strategy and tactics. I remember reading how when Brad Gilbert first saw him, he thought Mats was nothing special, no big weapons at all. But he later realized that Mats thought the game at a higher level than most, a lot like Brad himself.
It's all about reading your opponent!
Man, I love watching these! Ian, one thing you might consider is doing a sort of post-match interview where you talk with each player about their approach and decision making. It was interesting to see you and Cole have a somewhat different take on the best approach, and I would love to see you guys talking about it and demonstrating what a good post-match breakdown looks like. I know you'll do some great review in later videos, but it would be cool to see you getting their feedback after the match. Again, great video!
This is a great idea!!!!
We are planning that for future matches!
The Mario Tennis reference with explanation and logic was just I dunno, absolutely perfect and hilarious! Cole is the age of my kids, and they played it too. Our society is would so friggin' tight, this is what we need to unwind a bit. Thank you Cole! (Nice backhand btw)...
Yass!! What I've been waiting for! Yea! Can't wait to watch this! Thanks Ian for all of these matches to help us a little bit with our match play!
Stay tuned for the full match!
the whole moving him to break him down is the right state of mind and strategy... great poise by cole on the first set.
He had a good strategy from the start!
Brilliant content. Solid players with each of them having particular strengths to employ. Figuring out how to play a certain player with your strengths and finding a weakness, changing your plans is what makes this game so interesting. Looks easy from the outside but it’s really quite a challenge to control emotions and stay clear and focused under pressure, this video is a great watching for all competitive players. Hats off to both players!
So glad you enjoyed!
Both gentlemen have such drive and direction in the BHs... Impressive!
It's a fantastic match!
Hey Ian I was wondering if you have a video on how to hit approach shots. If you do can you plz link it.
Yes please!!! I need it too 😂
This is fantastic content Ian. For whatever reason, watching college and 5.0 players translates to my brain much easier than watching top atp players. The speed is just a little slower and I can see more of how each shot is set up. Love it!
I actually watched you in college quite a bit at Ferris my freshman year and learned a ton from that. My dorm was right next to yours.
Cole's second serves up the T! Whattttt??? That kid is awesome.
He's got incredible talent!
Wow! This is such a nice format! With all those comments embedded into the footage! It’s so awesome! Yan, I think you found a new style for tennis match videos!
Great content again - replays are a nice touch. You should definitely do a mini-league! Would be fun. Coles's style of play is class.
One of the better D3 players I have seen (I played D2 many years ago). Mike is a strong 5.0 player (might be a bit higher than that). Enjoyed the match.
Looking forward to the upcoming series "How NOT to hit Approach shots" starring Cole
😆
@K4R3N you've got a point there. Cole's style in general has almost zero forward weight transfer throughout his shots, even when he attacks from the base line. His feet are stationary, his back foot never comes forwards during the followthrough. This is mostly OK at baseline shots, but when it comes to approach shots, it is definitely a leak.
@@dennisthegreek5336 I was just saying that to my girlfriend ... too stiff, not really a good weight transfer as you mentioned ... He's got a good backhand .. but not good enough; he can do better.
Wow! I can't wait for the second set. Not to add to the workload, but I'd enjoy seeing Ian analyze Cole's service motion -- he seems to get every possible ounce of power exactly where it needs to be.
Great suggestion, we'll look into it!
Hey Ian, I love this concept of matching up two strong players from different arenas in tennis. It might be cool to take this a step further and match up players with similar UTRs from completely different backgrounds. Maybe a 4.5 man vs. a high level junior, or a gold ball level senior taking on a young usta player. Might be tough to organize but I feel like a lot could be learned from how the styles interact.
We are working on a variety of match ups! Thanks for watching!
Working in education, I love the transfer of knowledge with Mario to real life. That is a massively important skill too many people do not have. There is something important to learn in EVERYTHING you do, if you just take the time to reflect and be open to it. Critical thinking for the win. Anywho...some great tennis in here too :D
Thanks for watching!
Love these games with player comments and analysis
Every year I go to Indian Wells and I'll be sitting at a practice court with a couple guys hitting I can't identify. Inevitably I am asked by someone else who are these guys? I always have the same answer; "Two guys way better than me!" Hey guess who was in this video, "Two guys WAY better than me." I suppose it is motivating in some ways, but it is a level I cannot even aspire to!!! Love Cole's game and how he is fully aware of what elements of his game to use against different players. Versus Mark: can't hurt me, let him beat himself. Against Mike: better beat him before he beats me! Amazing stuff Cole!!!!!! So Cole how good is DI if you are good DIII? Does you team play any DI's in pre-season?
I'm sure he'll respond. He is very talented!
At 12:51 and 14:39 it seems that it would be a better choice to use the forehand slice as a more solid defense. Generally it seemed that none of the players liked to slice the ball during the entire set. Mark definitely had more variety in his game using that slice once in a while to change pace.
Interesting! Thanks for watching!
Like the occasional serve speed. Would like to see more of that.
This was a great watch and the commentary was great. (Especially when Cole was ... “...getting a feel for his balls...”. I know you guys were laughing so hard when you did the editing for that and decided to leave it in for the final cut.). 😂
(I got two tennis signs for Christmas and I wanted to know which one you like better. One says education is important but tennis is importanter and the other says tennis players parking only violater will be aced.)
Both are great! 😅
Only GenZ would admit proudly “I’ve been playing a lot of Mario Tennis on the switch lately”😂
Hey hey hey.....us millennials would proudly say that too. 😁
Golly. What is Mario tennis? What is the switch? 😯😂😅 What generation does that make me?????
Us Gen Xers are lost here. Drop a “bruh” or “fam” to keep up lol
I'm a boomer and I played it (I admit it was my youngest child's game). I leaned toward Luigi and Peach.
Hey hey hey.....us millennials would proudly say that bruh.
Cole's 2hbh is so consistent and powerful. It's really better to attack his forehand.
It's a great weapon!
I bet the second set will be closer. I wonder what was going through Mike’s mind when he lost those two games when he had multiple break points. It almost seems like a prime opportunity to get broken in the next service game when you have missed those chances even if there is a changeover in between. This set seemed to be about momentum and nerves/focus. I wonder if Mike and Cole can comment about what they consciously think about on the changeover.
Cole's serve and backhand are the weapons I want mine to be. Really amazing shots
He's got amazing weapons!
@2:10
Get a feel for his what now?
😅
A feel for his Lavars? 😬
Jk! Totally thought the same thing.
@@scottbroady3159 😳😳😳
Classic baseline vs All courter!!! Fun to watch.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Cole footwork and speed are impressive.
It's crazy how Mike knows that he has to aim Cole's forehand, yet he does not! It's so difficult to change patterns, I feel for him.
Great set even if Mike's nerves gets him unforced errors and double faults.
I was pretty sure Cole would be more aggressive this time, the other match was really warm up like for him.
Glad you're enjoying watching the match play!
Man... You are killing it with these teasers for episodes! I do agree, with the difference in Cole's play being a bit odd but it looks like he's doing fine in part one. In is defense though, when I play guys with a great flat shot I try not to give them higher balls so they can't smash winners. So if Cole picked that hint up from warm-ups maybe that's the reasoning.... Or the Mario tennis could be influencing his style lol
Glad you're enjoying it Chris! Thanks for the comments!
Cameras/spectators not only add pressures, but I also think they add distractions. I was lucky enough to have played a couple matches in a stadium court in a local tournament years ago. Simply being in front of a few pair of eyes and a couple thousand empty seats add an unexplainable amount of distraction. It's almost like I was worried about how I "look". I was over thinking whether my toss looks good, or whether I have the classic follow through that looks "good". Maybe it was just me, but it was almost like I wanted to put on a show rather than actually playing the match at hand.
It's a whole new kind of pressure!
Well played!
Great video!! That inside out backhand is 🔥 tho
Right!!
Great content as usual. I saw Cole commented about his strategy, but have you considered doing a post-game breakdown with the players? I could be great seeing asking about things like why he was hitting lower, more aggressive or other strategy choices.
Also, thinking back to a game you played against Kevin, you both used your matrix in the confessional cam. If other players are up to it, I'd love to see more of that. They don't necessarily need to use it as a tool, but it could be a good way to show the viewers what they're thinking.
Finally, that part 2 teaser is amazing!
We're planning on trying that with the next few matches!
Cole, did you play hockey growing up? Your backhand reminds me of a D1 tennis player I know who blasts that two-hander like a slap-shot. He had been on his U16 national hockey team. You have a true strength there.
I'm not sure, but hockey definitely has similar mechanics!
amazing tennis from both guys...so inspiring!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Wow this channels awesome. Keep up the good work!
Props to Mike, has a big game, understandably nervous first time on film like this, probably pressed a bit on his serve but acquitted himself well, hit some great shots. Cole is so consistent and mentally tough, and his serve is a little deceiving, looks like it comes in quicker than you think and his placement is unreal.
The cameras are a whole new element of stress!
How do you measure the speed of the serves?
We have it measured from the baseline to the service box and based on how are cameras are filming.
Love these match play videos keep up the great work Ian you inspire me In every video.
When is Part 2 coming out? Great match, really love watching these head to heads!
Coming tomorrow!
Cole stating he is more like Yoshi made me laugh so hard. He reminds me more of Ryu from Street Fighter.
😂
Hard hitting rallies. Exciting. Cole can move.
Thanks for watching, it's a great match!
How do you measure the serve speed, do you have a radar gun mounted somewhere, or do you count the frames?
I was going to ask the same question. Ian, are you using some software for this or a radar gun?
Counting frames! It's relatively close!
Awesome video! Great edits , play, commentating! 👍👏
Im loving these vids and ground level camera
Mike needs more variety like what he did at 16.23 (drop shots) if he wants to get back in this match! Overall, just solid hitting and retrieving by Cole.
Thanks for watching!
I would totally agree I working to add that to my game. 👍
The 3 things I loved about this match: The “nope” Never heard anyone say that before; all I ever heard was out and the person that screams FAULT!, I think this side is cursed, Ian, when they said I love my backhand, come to practice on Wednesday and when the coach says it’s time for backhands...groans, I hate my backhand!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Please let me know rackets information of both players? Tks
Love these match play vids. So helpful for my own game... I think it's time for a feature-length tournament edition live streamed over the course of a day! Would be great to get some of the old band back together too (Hello Kevin and Megan). Could it be done!?
More matches coming soon;
i love the mario tennis reference made by cole, it was just spot on about the bowser thing,
I love the Mario Tennis reference haha that was great! :D
So good. Can’t wait for the next part. 🤙🏼
Coming soon, stay tuned!
I loved the Mario Tennis analogy of Yoshi vs. Bowser, and as someone who's played the game it was actually an accurate comparison. That caught me off guard though. lol
12:03 Just kidding. Run down every ball -- hahaha
That ball at 3:46 was real close. On slow MO it looked like it got centerline
Intensity and athletism WOW :)
Thanks for watching!
Cole is great to watch, seems like a very level headed kid too!
Totally agree.
How do u practice to get the legs involved so much with the serve? I see Cole doing it with super bend legs to drive his serve I just wonder if there good ways to practise it?
Big game can't wait to see this!!
Almost time!
Do videos like this exist but for doubles?
Hi. What is Mike’s racquet specs? Clash 100 or pro(tour) ?
MatchChart stats at the end of set 1:
Set 1
Cole 6-2 Mike
6 Aces 2
1 Double Faults 4
70% 1st Serve In % 65%
13/19 (68%) 1st Serve Points Won 7/15 (47%)
5/8 (63%) 2nd Serve Points Won 3/8 (38%)
18/27 (67%) Service Points Won 10/23 (43%)
31/50 (62%) Total Points Won 19/50 (38%)
2/4 Break Points Won 0/3
10 Winners 7
7 Unforced Errors 11
0/2 Net Points Won 4/5
Overall
25/36 (69%) Points Won, 0-4 Shots 11/36 (31%)
5/11 (45%) Points Won, 5-9 Shots 6/11 (55%)
1/3 (33%) Points Won, 10+ Shots 2/3 (67%)
8 Most Consec Pts Won 4
8 Last Ten Points 2
Longest rally: 20 shots (SET 1: 3-1, 15-15)
Total shots: 183
Average rally: 3.7 shots
Mike is doing best in the points where he gets to net, and in rallies that last 5+ shots -- unfortunately for Mike, 72% of the rallies are 4 shots or less. I'm surprised that Mike's 1st serve percentage is almost equal to Cole's, but there's a huge difference in service points won -- Cole returned everything that wasn't an ace, and got a whopping 6 aces on his own serve (all on the T).
Raw data can be perused here: drive.google.com/file/d/1l_mbTNVonEzj4JjXqgHZbgQrlVjwCxeC/view?usp=sharing
That prince racquet looks huge. What is it?
Got it: TEXTREME 100
Cole is a really tough opponent. The trailer for the upcoming video indicates a turnaround, but hard to believe Cole is really slowing down as he is so steady.
I fear we won't see a guy defeating Cole very soon here. Maybe a former pro who is still playing ITFs being in the late 40s or something might be a great challenge. I'd call Andre, Pete or James if I had their number. :D
Give them a call for us Mel! 😆
@@EssentialTennis I would love to do that. :)
To be serious. Until like 2011 my aunt had been in a relationship to a former hotel director who has a great friendship to Ilie Nastase and they were playing doubles in California for some years. That guy might have contact to other players of that generation, but
Cole should defeat the 70+ players easily and I don't have contact to that guy anymore, either.
So it must be someone else to contact a former pro. While former superstars like Sampras and Agassi are very unlikely to reply or even play, what about less famous players who are in the US like Malivai Washington or Todd Martin? Or Chang? They still might be able to play and this should help attract more subscribers of the generation of the 70s and 80s.
Dillon Sykes (Dill) is a 5.0 player who could be competitive against Cole I think. If we could ever get Milan Krnjetin (TENFITMEN) to come to the states it would be interesting to see if Cole could win some games off him.
Ahhhh yes finally the match is almost here
Coming tomorrow!
Can anyone please explain why there are so many containers and tables in the court?
Dang, Cole's serves WOW! 😲
💪
Loving the synth background music in the recent videos
Thanks!
I want to see a Mike vs. Mark! Great match.
I think Cole’s fitness is such a huge weapon here. It wasn’t even mentioned how much fitter and faster he is. The first was fun to watch. Even though Cole hit big serves I think Mike could have had a better return game.
He's extremely fast!
Wow. Cole ist amazing!
He has great talent!
What are you guys using to measure serve speed?
What stick does Cole use?
The serves were the major difference-maker in this set. The other thing was that Mike kept talking about picking on the forehand, but then he’d hit to the backhand repeatedly anyway on neutral balls from the middle of the baseline.
It's hard to stick with a plan when you have such a strong opponent!
@@EssentialTennis “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth” - Mike Tyson
Well done
Any possible women's tennis matches?
We are working on setting some up!
Looking for advice. I’m having a problem with umpiring my games against some of the big hitting players in my ladder. I’m number 2 or 3 in the ladder and the players above me hit way harder than I do, whereas I’m more of a defensive player/improviser/athlete/grinder etc. the top players strategy against me is to try to avoid long points and go for big shots near the lines. He ends up hitting tons of shots that are close but are out but it’s tough for me to call all of them out even when I’m 99 percent sure they are. Even times when I’m 100 percent sure they’re out it can be tough to call them because he wants the calls and had a close one go against him maybe the point before. I feel like having a third party umpire would be a big advantage to me. Because if I give him 5 balls a set that are almost certainly out but I call in he gets winners on virtually all of those points but if he gives me 5 balls a set that are close the point usually just continues on because mine wouldn’t be a winner. So it’s a huge advantage for him being in worse shape and older than me to push the limit and play tons of risky shots near lines to play shorter points and rely on good sportsman ship/human nature to not want to call every ball that is out out. Does that make sense? I’m not sure what to do. Just try to be super confident with my calls and not be scared to call balls out? Or do I just have to bite the bullet and give him an extra inch on all line calls? It’s frustrating on huge points where he takes a big risk to try to end the point and hits a ball that I’m virtually certain is out but I can’t call it out. Sometimes he’ll give me a close call too but it doesn’t really balance out. Having all calls made 100 percent accurately would be a huge advantage to me. Or even having a third party ump would be a big help.
the intro was so cinematic i love it 😂😂
great video!
“Gotta get a feel for his balls”. Classic line
Great content.
Hi Cole. It appears that when you do a slice backhand, you are not able to change your grip on the handle - it seems you are holding the racket with your forehand grip rather than a continental. So the slice goes either long or high.
At any rate, good match with Mike, look forward to the second set!
Thanks for watching!
I loved Cole's analogy to Mario Tennis and his opponent playing like Bowser. I literally died laughing! :)
Having watched a few of these match-up videos I think that Cole seems to be pretty strong for a Division 3 college player.
Especially, if he's able to hold his own against a player at the NTRP 5.0 level.
He's got to be the best player on his school's team.
Elite D3 guys are typically in the UTR 12-13 range.
😆
what camera do you use and how do you get that angle?
He have a GH5 on a Crane above the curtain!
What racket is cole using
Prince Textreme Warrior 100
1:55 -- Try slicing that approach shot.
Feel like this format is about to take off.
We have much more coming! Hope people continue to enjoy!
Finally a good matchup and good tennis 👌 but kinda funny how he always serves exactly 115 mph
2:11 ????
pause
Mike should sit on his backhand some more and start chopping the distance between him and the net. Cole could do well to hit more down the line to draw him out of the center and get his balance and feet needing to constantly adjust. Cole looks like he could do better to stabilize his right elbow on his backhand instead of pulling it across his body and he will more center and solid.