“Winners celebrate, losers explain,” said the great volleyball coach Julio Velasco, and even if I didn’t lose today, it feels like I did. So, it’s my turn to explain.
The last-16 match at the Mallorca 250, which saw young Ethan Quinn succumb to Griekspoor, offers some interesting insights. Beyond the immediate reasons for the defeat, an intriguing parallel emerges with an iconic figure in tennis: Adriano Panatta.
A Promising Start and a Lapse in Concentration
Quinn’s match highlighted how concentration is a decisive factor. After brilliantly taking the lead in the first set, Quinn suffered a fatal lapse in the eleventh game. Losing his serve, compounded by a low first-serve percentage, allowed Griekspoor to close out the set 7-5. This undoubtedly had a knock-on effect, leading to clear nervousness in the second set too.
The situation repeated itself in the second set. Despite recovering a break, Ethan again lost his serve, already lacking confidence from how the first set had ended. His body language reflected a lack of self-belief, and a series of unforced errors contributed to the defeat. For such a young and rapidly rising player, these dips in form are part of the journey and will undoubtedly be an area he needs to work on. But beyond the psychological component, there’s another element that deserves attention, especially with the grass-court season in mind.
The Panatta Syndrome
This is where the “Panatta Syndrome” comes into play. Adriano Panatta, a great champion of the 1970s, the only player to have beaten Borg at Roland Garros, a winner in Paris, and who rose to world number 4, was an attacking player with an excellent serve and extraordinary net play – his high backhand volley, the “Veronica”, is legendary. And yet, he never truly shone on grass. Why?
The answer lies primarily in his serve. Although it was powerful and often a winner down the middle, from both the deuce and ad courts, this approach had limitations on grass. Ethan Quinn, even with modern rackets that allow for more spin, seems to echo this characteristic. His serve, also excellent and often a winner down the middle, encounters specific difficulties on grass. Hitting ten aces compared to his opponent’s six had a relative impact. All things being equal in terms of first serves, I’d say Griekspoor’s serve was more effective today.
The Pitfalls of the Central Serve on Grass
On grass, a consistently central serve is less effective. The opponent tends to anticipate its trajectory, making returns simpler. Furthermore, the shorter distance between the ball’s point of impact and the player’s position after serving makes the transition to the net difficult, even for those attempting serve and volley. A flat and central serve on grass only pays off if it’s an ace. Otherwise, the ball is relatively easy to strike. An out-wide, worked serve with more angled trajectories, even if less powerful, is often much more profitable. The speed of grass enhances serves that take time away from the opponent and force them into wide movements.
Volley Play: A Weapon to Refine, Not Overuse
Another technical aspect to consider is Quinn’s volley play. Undoubtedly a strength, the youngster has great touch and moves well at the net. As with his serve, which becomes predictably central, the problem, however, lies in the frequency with which he seeks the drop volley. While it’s an effective solution for surprising an opponent, especially if they’re far from the net, it shouldn’t be the default. The drop volley, like the drop shot, is a variation, a shot that works best when the opponent has been “pushed back” and forced to retreat by the power of your strokes. In this match, the overuse of the drop volley allowed Griekspoor to anticipate his intentions, making it less effective. This is separate from the fact that Ethan wasn’t always clear-headed today in general.
Towards Wimbledon: Essential Work on the Serve
If I were Brian Garber, Ethan Quinn’s coach, I’d have him hit so many wide slice serves they’d start charging him rent on the tramline. Ahead of Wimbledon, working on external serves, making them more varied and with more spin, will be fundamental to avoid falling victim to the “Panatta Syndrome.”
Quinn has shown remarkable growth, and with a few technical adjustments, his potential on grass could be fully explored.
The rest will come down to how he matures in terms of mental toughness.
