Q&A With Ken Skupski

606v2 is happy to announce that Ken has agreed to conduct a Q&A for us.

Spoiler:

Ken is best known as a doubles player, most successfully partnering Colin Fleming. Having played college tennis at the Louisiana State University, he turned professional in 2007. His breakthrough year was 2009, when he won his first two ATP tournaments and broke into the world's top 50 doubles players.

In June 2009 Ken and Colin Fleming beat the world no. 1 ranked doubles pair, Mike Bryan and Bob Bryan at the Queen's Club grass court tournament. This victory was followed up in September 2009 by a win at the Open de Moselle in France. In the final they won 2–6, 6–4, 10–5, against the defending champion, Arnaud Clément and Michaël Llodra. Two months later they won a second title at the St Petersburg Open, defeating another French team, Jérémy Chardy and Richard Gasquet in the final.

This is a great opportunity to gain an insight into the life of a pro tennis player and we thank Ken so much for taking the time out to do this for us.

Please post your questions below that you would like to ask Ken, and they will be e-mailed to him next week.

What's the toughest match you have had?

What is a typical day like for you?

If you weren't a tennis player, what would you be doing?

Last film you watched?

What are the major differences you need to be successful doubles rather than a singles player?

Does the lower standing (in the eyes of fans and tv schedules) of doubles tennis bother you?

If you could team with any past player, who would it be?

Do you think you could have been a top contender had you concentrated on singles tennis?

Who do you think is the most attractive player on the Ladies circuit?

Hobo wrote:Do you think you could have been a top contender had you concentrated on singles tennis?

Who do you think is the most attractive player on the Ladies circuit?

Is it easier to play against people you like or people you're not so keen on?

What was the last book you read?

If your partner's having a bad day, what's the best way to encourage them to play better? And vice versa - if you're playing poorly what can your partner do to help and not make it worse?

What is your training regime like? Both during the season and off season?

Who is the most talented player you have played against?

Who is the most talented that you have seen playing or practising?

Who was your tennis idol?

Pick your favourites from the following:

Evert or Navratilova

Graf or Seles

Becker or Edberg

Federer or Sampras

Borg or Nadal

How many different rackets/string types/tensions etc does a pro player try out before settling on what's best for them? There are so many variations that a recreational player like myself can only afford to try very few and hope for the best.

What are the main challenges in choosing tennis as a career from the pov of youngsters?

How many hours per day do you dedicate to training, and what is your daily training program?

Who is the best player you have been playing against, both in single and in double? What differentiates in your view the top players?

The college tennis system in the States is highly competitive and has produced many professional players. Is it correct that college tennis attracts wide support from the general public? And, would you like to see a similarly excellent competitive system in our universities to nuture our players of the future?

Hello



Jeremy stop copying me, get your own questions, thank you.

emancipator wrote:Hello



Jeremy stop copying me, get your own questions, thank you.

Geez, next time I promise I'll read all the questions before formulating my own. LOL

BTW: my Q. is very different: you ask who is the most talented player. I ,on the other hand, ask who is the best player he's played against. Completely different. BOO can testify. BOO?

YIMan - did you get any answers from Sarah Borwell? I suppose I could transfer many of the questions over to Ken Skupski.
https://www.606v2.com/t9053-qa-with-sarah-borwell

Still waiting on the answers Nore.
I did receive an email from Sarah saying sorry for the delay and that she will get them to me as soon as she can.

What do you think about the current WADA drug testing regime?

How often do you get tested?

Do you think that professional tennis has a drugs problem?

Hi Ken, thanks for agreeing to consider our questions here are a few:

How did you get into tennis?

What other sports are you good at?

Did you ever consider playing singles tennis professionally?

What was your most pleasing win / match at junior Level?

What was your most pleasing win / match at senior Level?

What subject did you graduate in and what will you do after tennis?

Is your brother Neal better than you at tennis?

What are the major challenges in going from junior level, where Britain seems to do well, to senior level?

How much contact do you have with the LTA?

If there was one improvement the LTA could make in supporting British players on tour, what would it be?

Do you think all women tennis players should be made to wear costumes designed by Venus Williams?

What Doubles Slam title is the most highly regarded?

Ken, Who are you?

Hi Ken,

do you have any words you would like to say on the amazing achievement by the British Boys Juniors. Three have reached the US Open Boys semi-final: Oliver Golding, George Morgan and Kyle Edmund.

What do you think their chances are (including Liam Broady) when they move up to the seniors? Could they all make the top 100?

When players take 3 or 4 balls from the ballboy is there really any difference between the balls that could make a difference to winning the point?

Hi YI Man - just thinking that you might say in a diplomatic way that we might have got carried away with the questions and so he shouldn't worry about skipping any. I worry that perhaps we might have overloaded Sarah Borwell (I think I have asked too many questions )

Good question from Julius

Do you think a left hand-right hand doubles combination has an advantage over 2 right handed players?

Who is your playing partner on tour now?

Which player do you try and base your game on?

I've just received an e-mail from Ken and will put up the article shortly.

Teaser:

Spoiler: