LONG ISLAND TENNIS MAGAZINE
"The Art and Science of Ball Watching" By Dr. Paul Hamori MD By Bill Simons n life we often take for granted the simplest things–like sight. It is a vastly underrated aspect of tennis. Ash Barty says that basically the key to every point is, "see ball, hit ball." Dr. Paul Hamori has written a revealing, groundbreaking book: The Art and Science of Ball Watching–learning to see contact. The book teaches us the neuroscience of hearing, vision and touch–and how to apply it to playing better. Hamori offers an intriguing study of the greatest of all ball watchers, Roger Federer, and gives us a bounty of brain exercises. Even though light travels faster than sound, our brains process sound faster. We do not actually see the ball contact the strings in real time. The process is too fast. So technically we cannot see contact in real time. We perceive it "in delayed perceptual time." Rather than keeping your on the ball, Hamori suggests taking your eye off the ball at certain points in the hitting cycle. He gives us fascinating specifics on turning your head to your racquet side, narrowing your eyes, focusing and resisting the urge to follow your shot. Hamori reflects on the plasticity of the human brain. In many ways an instructional manual, the book
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contains a compelling collection of tips, a 50-minute power drill, workouts with ball machines, suggestions for match play and comments on lines-persons. Filled with fabulous facts (in a two-hour match, we're blind for 19 minutes), the Art and Science of Ball Watching is a deep dive surprise and a fascinating read. You can learn more about Dr. Hamori and his new book by visiting www.DrPaulHamori.com. Bill Simons is the Editor and Publisher of Inside Tennis. You can read all of Simons’ work by visiting InsideTennis.com. He may be reached at simons@insidetennis.com.
LITennisMag.com • July/August 2021 • Long Island Tennis Magazine
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