Here's Part 1 in this match series if you missed it: ruclips.net/video/QEzLkU-DupU/видео.html THANK YOU for supporting this channel and the content we're creating!
@@EssentialTennis These are great videos, with Mark, Scott, and then Cole. I love Cole's serve and playing style, what I wanna do when I become that good.
Had the pleasure of coaching Cole throughout his High School career. It’s so nice to see him playing at this high level and growing as a player/young man. Best of luck!
Must have been great for Cole to have a tennis coach who actually coached. I went out for the tennis team as a freshman in hs for a couple months. Our coach didn't coach us one lick. Didn't show us how to hit forehands, backhands, serve. He didn't give us any instruction at all. I quit because it sucked to suck and the coach was just showing up to collect an extra little paycheck. As an adult I found the USTA and through Tennis magazine learned how to serve (110-120 mph range) and get up to about a 4.0 level. Now, with channels like this I'm trying to get back to that level and beyond (after not playing for 5 years working the night shift). Starting to get back in the groove. Yay tennis.
Makes me want to be 20 again. Great shots, great points, Cole is really tough. Mark has absolutely nothing to be bothered about, he hung tough as long as possible. Great match.
Cole is a racehorse! Mark should get a lot of credit-he has shown he can adapt to different styles and play offense and defense equally well. Even though he jokes about his crap diet, I can vouch for his work ethic and love of tennis. He’s fun to watch, and even more fun to play against.
I captain a strong 4.5 USTA league team and Mark is definitely a top tier 4.5 player and I'm sure he can beat many 5.0 players. Very entertaining to watch and usually watching a match later looks much worse than live but this seems very good so kudos to you, Mark and Cole for the exhibition.
@@MarkSansait Yes, for sure. I couldn't imagine doing all that work and not playing but know some just captain. Our two strong singles players last rating season were bumped to 5.0 but we got one back from 5.0 to 4.5 so we are still in good shape. We are out of Southern California.
A good reminder that not every point matters in tennis, as long as you raise your game enough for those important moments, you can win e.g. Djokovic Wimby 2019. Much closer match than the score suggested between these two.
Hey guys i am also a tennis player 12 year old and has played till national level, so..... I am from India and i really have learned about tennis a lot more because of you guys, wanna become the greatest,. And I'm sure you all are giving me that experience and that learning to become one tennis . Love you guys love your content
Absolutely in love with this series, the in game players talk gives amazing insights and makes me more invested , not just in the game but how they adapt to their strategy, Mark is delight to watch, but i can clearly see his dedication and love for the game, waiting for Ian's recovery and return to the court
Tremendous effort from Mark, and just wow on how Cole plays. Every shot he made looks effortless and natural. Mark, I will always be rooting for you, my man. I hope to see more games from you. Ian, love the disecting part of every game the players do. From the moment i saw it i knew you hit the jackpot with it. Cheers from Mexico city.
I love watching these matches. The editing is well done, commentary from both players is a great touch, and Mark is pretty funny. Hope you're recovering well from the injury.
My gosh that match was so physical. Watching Mark was amazing; trying to find that place between ramping his game up to be able to impose his will and win some points against a guy slightly better then him; and cranking his game up to where the ball is flying all over the building. Watching his work to find that middle elevated state was so impressive. Then watching his fight even as he got seriously fatigued, powerful stuff!! And watching Cole stay with his game plan. Weird, he kept the ball on Mark's forehand all the time until he attacked on the backhand. Great stuff across the board.
Keeping the ball to mark’s forehand was actually a strategy. I felt like mark would do too much with his forehand, so I tried to bait him into errors. I also tried to get him to get into crosscourt forehand rallies with me
@@colelindwall9284 And that my friends is why I am barely a 4.0 (that and I am old). I saw a slice backhand and beast forehand from Mark and thought I want nothing to do with that heavy forehand - even Ian commented on the heavy ball Mark was hitting. You saw a beast forehand that you could handle and in handling it get into Mark's head that he had to do more. And once he got outside of himself a little, your game plan kicked in as he made a few more mistakes then you!!! Wow that is next level strategy. So good!
@@vanessamenard4134 Definitely different strategies you can use too. There’s multiple ways to win a match. I just chose a strategy based on how my shots were feeling that day and what I thought would lead to the best result. The first time I played Mark I attacked his backhand a lot more and approached the net, but I opted to use a different strategy for this match.
I now look forward to these more than anything else on RUclips. Mark fought valiantly. He knew he was "outmatched" from the start, at least on paper, but didn't let that back him down and it probably elevated his play a it. But, stretching those limits will almost always lead to errors as it showed here. Cole knew this as well and was content to let Mark go for it, while switching to attack quickly when the moments came. I think the score could have been closer if Mark held back a little, but Cole's consistency still would have won out in the end, so I think Mark made the right choice to have a chance at victory. That's definitely what it seems his personality would go for, instead of just trying to have a close-ish scoreline on paper.
I especially enjoyed the variety of shots -- changes in spin, pace, and especially height over the net as players constructed points. It's always easy to see the drop shots or the squash forehand when pulled wide, but the more subtle differences when both players hit heavy, high balls to push their opponent back were equally easy to identify and to see the impact on the receiving player. That's a credit to the camera placement and editing. Great job guys! Thoroughly enjoyable match.
I've got say I'm really impressed with the quality game of both players. Wow! Great job guys, Great Job Mark. It's very helpful to watch your game analysis and your thoughts on how to improve and find weak spots. Keep it up.
Interesting at this level listening to Cole talk about not going too big. Lots of hitting down the middle while looking for opportunities or waiting for Mark to make an error. Great tennis from both and lots of fun to watch and learn.
It was a total joy to watch these two hammering the shots away. Mark is super harsh on himself, and personally I know how much psychology can lower your game; shout out to Mark for still doing a marvelous job in this match. Cole is just a beast with a racquet, super humble classy dude, of course with a ton of talent ready for the next challenge. My respect for both of you guys and Essential Tennis for this great video production. Amazing.
Great to watch thanks for putting it online. Imo the biggest difference was Cole's 2 handed back hand was a lot strong then Mark's 1 handed one. On backhand shots where as Cole could attack most of the time Mark had to slice and when Mark did attempt a proper topspin one there were too many errors.
One of the separators I saw was the short ball. Cole was able to consistently get up and rip the corners with topspin, whereas Mark had to go with a volley that was either weak, or inconsistent. That is a very difficult shot, and one of the last to get added to anyone's arsenal. It is also one that is improved by fitness and speed.
Damn Mark, I was really hoping for 4-4 in that 2nd set. My heart sank you got broke there. Awesome job to both hitters, inspiring content. Thanks Ian and ET video squad!👍
Very nice match with some really great points. Cole is so solid off both wings. He seemed far less comfortable at net and it seemed like Mark recognized this and tried to draw him in a few times, but Cole is really quick and punished the balls up the line so he didn't really need to hit a difficult volley. Cole's game plan of hitting deep mostly down the middle of the court put Mark into a very challenging situation. With Cole's speed, fitness and age, it wan't going to be to Mark's advantage to try to grind with him down the middle, but trying to attack from well behind the baseline is not going to be a favorable risk/reward ratio unless you have some serious weapons. When Cole dropped a few shots in the second set a little shorter, Mark was able to take advantage and show off the difference between hitting an aggressive controlled shot from the baseline and one 5 feet behind it. I though that it might be a turning point and maybe Cole was getting a little tired and or nervous. But, he obviously regrouped like a seasoned player. Wonderful sportsmanship. It's easy to be a good sport when you're winning. Less so when you lose. Kudos.
I thought that there’s supposed to be only a couple hits per point. 😆 The rallies were instructive and entertaining. Mark’s and Cole’s fitness is amazing. Kept waiting for Mark to pull back from being tired. Great job ET all around and thanks to these two players for allowing us to watch. 👍
Great job 👍💪👌👏👐 to both of you. Mark has nothing to be ashamed of. Cole played mentally strong. The strokes on both sides, fh & bh, extremely solid. Also from both competitors. Cole just had a few more tricks in his bag, and closed in on good approach shots to close the point. Mark played extremely well, but like his soliloquy, poor court awareness. Plus Cole has excellent mobility sideline to sideline, fore court to back court. Just all over the place. Ian and essential tennis. Thank you for providing such good viewing performances. Quite possibly better than watching the atp/wtf now because it is on a more realistic level. Crowd applause 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏🖐️🖐️🖐️🖐️🖐️🖐️🖐️🖐️🖐️
Big thanks to both players and those filming, I enjoyed this more than many pro matches on TV! The match play is great by itself but the strategy bits between change-overs really add an extra dimension. Love the format, looking forward to the next one! Big thanks from a UK fan.
Cole hits the ball so early and on the fly, it reminds me of old school tennis back in the 90s. Being a shorter person hitting the ball on the fly is such a big advantage and it puts so much pressure on the opponent. Mark played some great tennis today and this match was a great match for everyone involved and I enjoyed watching this match so much I liked it twice and saved to my play list. Great match fellas thank you for posting this match.
This is great. This is real life tennis, not the ones we see played by the gods of the game. I think I can learn more here based on what works, what doesn't.
This was a really fun watch, both guys are terrific!! Cole is just too solid on the backhand (think he said it's his favorite?), so it would be interesting to see what would happen if Mark tried less to keep it to that side and worked both corners more, even attacking the FH on occasion from a short ball. Seemed like most approaches to Cole's BH just didn't pay off. Looked like Cole got pretty "comfortable" (notwithstanding Mark's heavy shots) expecting to hit a BH, and his strategy was to keep hitting consistent deep balls to the middle and wear Mark out. Who knows, it might not have made much difference since Cole looked pretty well-rounded. Maybe Ian will give us a full analysis of forced/unforced errors based on FH/BH?!
Ian, you are a man of many talents. You have amazing film production and editing skills. Love the music and how you cut the video footage up. Huge fan. Keep it up, my friend.
Remember the Cole's law, "eat a salad" -Mark. Good game to both, those mishits by Mark, most likely because of the heavy shot or heavy spin by Cole, which grinds you little by little the longer you rally. Nice game Mark, and I'm sure lots of highlights sample to you by Ian, featuring Cole's patience and point making.
Great match guys! Since there's so much I wanna say, il just say this... The higher ranked player is hitting inside out backhands. My mind is blown. Ian please don't forget to touch on that when you release your analysis of this match.
Step #1: be a SUPER talented strong athlete with unnatural strength and discipline Step #2: hit inside out short angle backhands Step #3: ??? Step #4: profit!
@@MarkSansait haha you did really well man and I appreciate your honest n straightforward analysis of the match. People really seem to like you so I hope you start charging Ian for your services ;)
This series of matches has been really valuable. Great work Ian. This match was interesting. The ebb and flow of mental focus and intensity was clear to see because these guys are so technically/physically sound. Again, even still, most points were won on unforced errors. That was Cole's explicit strategy. It seemed there were a lot of really safe shots, and from Mark strategically unfocused shots. Cole was clearly going to mainly out-steady Mark as his strategy so just hitting safely to the same side was a waste of effort for Mark. I wonder if Mark could have taken a significantly more aggressive approach to achieve a better outcome. Consistently moving Cole side to side more, going for a winner to the open court sooner. And coming in to volley on the last shot, knowing that Cole will run down most balls. There was a big difference in how mark and Cole handled drop shots/very short balls. Several times, Mark made the mistake of trying to drop shot back when he got a short ball. Cole's just too fast for that. Mark lost all those attempts. When Cole chased down Mark's droppers he hit almost all of them deep to the corner and won all of those. That situation resulted in a 5 or 6 point differential in Cole's favor. Both guys were very impressive. Tough, consistent, pressuring. Much to aspire to. Keep Bringing it.
What a match, very well played by both, I think cole consistency managed to overcome mark’s offense, very hard hit a winning ball on cole. Mark was getting the hang of at the end
Huge thank you to both Cole and Mark (and Ian too)! Really interesting and entertaining to watch. The self-analysis is so unique and enjoyable. You're both great people and great players - thanks for sharing!
Really fun game to watch! Great job everyone and ty to ET for the nice camera quality/angles with fun commentary. It seems like most people who have inside out backhands tend to prefer their backhands. With that said, in the second set I wish Mark played to Cole’s forehand some more. They kept playing each other’s backhand but it seemed like most of Mark’s backhands only went crosscourt which might’ve become predictable. Not saying just hitting to Cole’s forehand would’ve completely changed the outcome, but I think it would’ve changed the percentages. Really entertaining video and congrats to Cole. Well deserved. Great fight and humongous serves from both sides, I’m definitely peanut butter and jelly!
Very nice match to watch. Mark had several good opportunities to tie 4-4, but I think he was too much anxious and missed them all. In the other hand Cole (after 4-1) give Mark the initiative and almost cost him the come back, but he stayed very consistent and obligated Mark to make the points...Good job both of them.
Definitely found a good channel niche Ian, and props to Mark and Cole. Great play and learned a lot watching. And the biggest props to the person or folks behind the production and post for some well-done storytelling. Cheers all.
WOW!! That was so satisfying to watch!! I really like the way players talk after every switch giving their insights and the way they feel etc. Again great match, real pleasure watching :) Excited to see more content from @Essential Tennis
Mark, you were truly close, just one wide shot, than seemed like you were disturbed by it. Refocus is an art, I’m also still learning it. Thanks for the great effort.
Takeaway from me watching Cole (both guys, great job!)---it is ok to back up when your opponent hits a strong, deep ball. You don't have to hug the baseline and play balls on the rise or high above your strike zone. Getting a bit lazy on court as I approach 54 so a good reminder.
@@MarkSansait oh absolutely. Your commentary about planting anxiety in your opponent is something that I always think about... And it is because I have lost matches when up a set and a break... Even ones in which I've had match points. The panic is real. While match point is just another point, I think it is the hardest one to win for most people... Especially if they've already squandered one or two. I always think to myself that as long as I'm on the court, there's a chance.
I was seriously looking forward to this second part and it was really great! I sincerely enjoyed this. I think it helps get an insight into the mental game of tennis. Great job guys!
Enjoyed every minute of this match. Found myself pulling for Mark the older guy. Very high-quality Tennis from both sides enjoyed watching the tactics play themselves out. Hope to see Mark on the court against maybe somebody right at his level who is also on a fast food diet. Could be a match for the ages.
Great competition between a 4.5 and a 5.5. I recently watched a match between two 5.5 players. One was 18 yrs and the other was around 50 years. The match went to 3rd set TB and the older player won at the end. It was basically a match of skill vs experience. The older player used everything he has learned during his life to win over the talented younger player.
Great job to Mark hanging in there. The fact that you can compete at this level says more about your game than the ratings imply. I would like to use this as an anecdotal example of the failures of the ratings system used by USTA and others. If USTA had its will you would never be allowed to play against a player like Cole since your rating “wasn’t good enough.” Stay in your place pretender! 😉 Nice job all involved, thanks Ian good stuff!
"We all know that feeling giving the break right back" ~ no lies here. Great match from both players, I think Cole hit that shot down the corner on short ball just about every time.
great match, fanatic high-quality rallies, I felt it was like Mark was playing against a younger version of himself, I would have tried to shorten the points either come to the net more or make Cole come to the net
13:37 is such an impressive point from Mark. Down 15-40, 3 games to 1, it looks like Cole is easily going to win the point. He hits it just weakly enough that Mark can get to it. Incredible defense at a critical point.
This is amazing stuff. I've watched a few of Mark's more recent matches. Here, you can only tell he was overmatched by the fact that he basically had to redline in other to stay with Cole. But the points were very competitive, and quality was top notch. Good stuff.
So much fun to watch, and educational too! Cole is a beast and Mark...so engaging. I hope to see more matches with Mark in it. Please, doubles? James - once again, the soundtrack is great. This is high quality production! More matches soon please - perhaps with Ian and Mark in doubles?
I would say honestly these guys played at 5.0 level for this match. Tight call I know but Ian is 4.5 and I feel these guys would have won agaisnt him at this level of quality. This takes nothing away trom Ian as a great player. Just for clarification. Really solid hitting and great court sense from both of you. Well done.
Such a great content! Keep it up guys! hope that you can bring us more matches like this one and hope to see you soon in the court playing games like this one Ian, get well soon!
Would be interesting to see you analyse this match Ian. Both in style differences between the two players with how they try to dictate points and gain superior court positioning advantage; and also maybe with hindsight some possible things Mark could have done differently to maybe get the upset.
Good match, enjoyed watching it. A lot closer than the score line suggests. My money is on Mark in the rematch if he can start punishing some of those short service line groundstrokes from Cole. Cole also had an easy out when in trouble in a rally by hitting to Mark's backhand, knowing that most of the time he would get a slice back in the middle of the court. If Mark has a decent net game could also push Cole back with the heavy topspin FH and approach the net as Cole doesn't seem to be able to take the ball on the rise (so hits defensive from a deep position). But all in all, both played well and Marks drop shots perhaps costing him the match
Great match. I love watching the footwork of both players... very precise, and both are always utilizing ready steps and split steps to get in position for the next shot, which is an absolute must at their level of play. I would love to see Mark or Cole play Most Exhausting Player! Ian, make it happen!
Another great match. Really starting to enjoy this alternative to the ATP 😂. Just a couple of notes. There was always only going to be one winner. Mark was too passive on the backhand for far too long with those recurrent backhand slices. It’s almost as though he didn’t believe in his own backhand shots. He was unable to apply any real pressure from that backhand wing. By the time he started really going for his backhand topspin shots (and they worked beautifully) it was too late in the match.
MARK IS A WARRIOR AND COLE IS A BEAST! Such a high level of shotmaking. New found respect for Mark, talk about digging deep, raising your level and being able to hold your head high even after taking the loss. A shoutout to Cole, he had not played on this court, he was expected to win so he had everything to lose so to speak, but he had the confidence and courage to take on someone a notch below him but who is VERY dangerous and if everything fell in place for Mark, he could have made it very dicey for Cole. Sitting on my lazy butt here as a mediocre player at best, I'd say for Mark if he had served as well as he did against Scott and maybe flattened out a few more of those forehands, could have been tiebreaker city in the second set. Wow ... so good and so entertaining, kudos to both players!.
*epic movie trailer voice* "One man, ONE KFC BUCKET, can the seasoned @essentialtennis Tour participant fend of this new young gunner? STAY TUNED TO FIND OUT"
Great hustle out there mark, way to hold your own even though you were outmatched on paper. Was wondering how you like your asics gel res 8s? Was hesitating on pulling the trigger
@@nicolasmorin9549 Its a really high qualitly shoe and the most durable shoe I've ever worn, second only to the Adidas Barricades. My only gripe with The ASICS Gel Resolutions (including this version) is that there is a little too much room in my forefoot box. It's not as snug as I'd like it to be. Source: I have somewhat narrow and VERY flat feet.
Nice match from both players! Watching as a coach, I think Mark needed to play a lot more shots into Cole's forehand, especially late in the 2nd set. Whenever I see someone favoring a shot under pressure or when the ball gives them time to make a choice, I label that as their stronger or more confident side. Cole was running around his forehands a lot near the end. (He even said the inside-out backhand was his favorite shot.) If Mark could have pressured the forehand side more at 3-4 in the 2nd, made Cole come up with a couple good passes or lobs from that side, he might have snuck out that 2nd set.
Very good match up, quality content ian! Overall cole was the better player but i thought mark could have a chance if he took a little more risk especially in the short ball situations.
I think Mark could have made this a much closer match IF 1) He stopped trying to pound the ball against Cole and gave the ball a lot more air look at 7:18, got a weak reply off a nice medium pace deep ball 2) Offense off the backhand - at 6:38 Mark gets a ball that he could have hit a more aggressive shot on. Of course, at 6:43 you banged a crazy winner off the backhand so obviously you can, just have to practice more offense off the backhand. Nice work - and props for putting it up on RUclips for us arm chair experts to toss our 2c
Here's Part 1 in this match series if you missed it: ruclips.net/video/QEzLkU-DupU/видео.html THANK YOU for supporting this channel and the content we're creating!
I haven’t clicked faster on a video ahaha. I love these. Thanks Ian!
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@@EssentialTennis These are great videos, with Mark, Scott, and then Cole. I love Cole's serve and playing style, what I wanna do when I become that good.
@@Charovfam5364 Wait.... what about my play style? 😭😭😭😭
@@kaitlynholman7766 😁
Had the pleasure of coaching Cole throughout his High School career. It’s so nice to see him playing at this high level and growing as a player/young man. Best of luck!
Thanks for watching Charles! Cole is a great player!
I owe a lot of credit to you for where I am today. Thanks for watching and go silver eagles!
Must have been great for Cole to have a tennis coach who actually coached. I went out for the tennis team as a freshman in hs for a couple months. Our coach didn't coach us one lick. Didn't show us how to hit forehands, backhands, serve. He didn't give us any instruction at all. I quit because it sucked to suck and the coach was just showing up to collect an extra little paycheck. As an adult I found the USTA and through Tennis magazine learned how to serve (110-120 mph range) and get up to about a 4.0 level. Now, with channels like this I'm trying to get back to that level and beyond (after not playing for 5 years working the night shift). Starting to get back in the groove. Yay tennis.
@@johnvfx143 I played 3 years in high school 1980-82 and NEVER ONCE got a SINGLE BIT of instruction from the high school coach.
@@scrabbleking1965 Monona Grove is lucky to have him
Such an epic intro. This should be a Netflix series.
Much more to come, thanks for watching!
Seriously. The benefits of watching a grand slam doesnt even come close to watching this.
Makes me want to be 20 again. Great shots, great points, Cole is really tough. Mark has absolutely nothing to be bothered about, he hung tough as long as possible. Great match.
Well said!
@marc noble I am already strategizing on how to cut all of Cole's string for my next rematch with him :)
@@MarkSansait Too funny. Hey man, you're a darn good player. Good luck on the next match with Cole.
Mark has a lot to say when each point is over with comments that are supposed to be funny. He should go into stand up comedy.
@@ponchogp7870 🎤🎤
Cole is a racehorse! Mark should get a lot of credit-he has shown he can adapt to different styles and play offense and defense equally well. Even though he jokes about his crap diet, I can vouch for his work ethic and love of tennis. He’s fun to watch, and even more fun to play against.
Correction: Cole is 1/2 racehorse, 1/2 assasin
Totally agree, Scott!
Correction: Mark is 95% KFC and 5% Calves
@@MarkSansait mostly chicken, a little baby cow?
We need you play against Cole my Scott!
I captain a strong 4.5 USTA league team and Mark is definitely a top tier 4.5 player and I'm sure he can beat many 5.0 players. Very entertaining to watch and usually watching a match later looks much worse than live but this seems very good so kudos to you, Mark and Cole for the exhibition.
💪💪💪 - do you just captain or do you play on the team as well, @neal skuro?
@@MarkSansait Yes, for sure. I couldn't imagine doing all that work and not playing but know some just captain. Our two strong singles players last rating season were bumped to 5.0 but we got one back from 5.0 to 4.5 so we are still in good shape. We are out of Southern California.
I consider myself a 4.5 and Mark can definitely beat me but not by much. Maybe 6-4 6-3.
@@nsebast I considered myself a 4.5 but watching this play I guess I'm a 4.0, oh well!
A good reminder that not every point matters in tennis, as long as you raise your game enough for those important moments, you can win e.g. Djokovic Wimby 2019. Much closer match than the score suggested between these two.
Thanks for watching Foot Fault!
Djoker was SO MENTALLY tough against Fed in those tie breaks! ZERO unforced errors!
Djokovic wins 54.95% of his points: 25,921/47,169. Enough to be number 1 in the world.
Hey guys i am also a tennis player 12 year old and has played till national level, so..... I am from India and i really have learned about tennis a lot more because of you guys, wanna become the greatest,. And I'm sure you all are giving me that experience and that learning to become one tennis . Love you guys love your content
Awesome, keep working hard, veer!
We r cheering for you!
It’s like watching two gladiators battle. Really, really enjoy these matches. Amazing tennis by Mark and Cole! 👍🎾
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thanks so much @andre!
Absolutely in love with this series, the in game players talk gives amazing insights and makes me more invested , not just in the game but how they adapt to their strategy, Mark is delight to watch, but i can clearly see his dedication and love for the game, waiting for Ian's recovery and return to the court
Much more to come Gaurav!
Tremendous effort from Mark, and just wow on how Cole plays. Every shot he made looks effortless and natural. Mark, I will always be rooting for you, my man. I hope to see more games from you. Ian, love the disecting part of every game the players do. From the moment i saw it i knew you hit the jackpot with it. Cheers from Mexico city.
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Thanks so much for the support!
I love watching these matches. The editing is well done, commentary from both players is a great touch, and Mark is pretty funny. Hope you're recovering well from the injury.
My gosh that match was so physical. Watching Mark was amazing; trying to find that place between ramping his game up to be able to impose his will and win some points against a guy slightly better then him; and cranking his game up to where the ball is flying all over the building. Watching his work to find that middle elevated state was so impressive. Then watching his fight even as he got seriously fatigued, powerful stuff!! And watching Cole stay with his game plan. Weird, he kept the ball on Mark's forehand all the time until he attacked on the backhand. Great stuff across the board.
Keeping the ball to mark’s forehand was actually a strategy. I felt like mark would do too much with his forehand, so I tried to bait him into errors. I also tried to get him to get into crosscourt forehand rallies with me
Thanks for watching Kurt, glad you enjoyed it!
@@colelindwall9284 And that my friends is why I am barely a 4.0 (that and I am old). I saw a slice backhand and beast forehand from Mark and thought I want nothing to do with that heavy forehand - even Ian commented on the heavy ball Mark was hitting. You saw a beast forehand that you could handle and in handling it get into Mark's head that he had to do more. And once he got outside of himself a little, your game plan kicked in as he made a few more mistakes then you!!! Wow that is next level strategy. So good!
@@vanessamenard4134 I appreciate it!
@@vanessamenard4134 Definitely different strategies you can use too. There’s multiple ways to win a match. I just chose a strategy based on how my shots were feeling that day and what I thought would lead to the best result. The first time I played Mark I attacked his backhand a lot more and approached the net, but I opted to use a different strategy for this match.
I now look forward to these more than anything else on RUclips. Mark fought valiantly. He knew he was "outmatched" from the start, at least on paper, but didn't let that back him down and it probably elevated his play a it. But, stretching those limits will almost always lead to errors as it showed here. Cole knew this as well and was content to let Mark go for it, while switching to attack quickly when the moments came. I think the score could have been closer if Mark held back a little, but Cole's consistency still would have won out in the end, so I think Mark made the right choice to have a chance at victory. That's definitely what it seems his personality would go for, instead of just trying to have a close-ish scoreline on paper.
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"It's easier to hit it out than to have to run for the lob." :-) LOL
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I mean.... its true! lol
I can only run down so many of mark’s drop shots
Running for the lob really feels shitty. It's a low percentage chance to win and it takes so much breath and energy out of you.
I especially enjoyed the variety of shots -- changes in spin, pace, and especially height over the net as players constructed points. It's always easy to see the drop shots or the squash forehand when pulled wide, but the more subtle differences when both players hit heavy, high balls to push their opponent back were equally easy to identify and to see the impact on the receiving player. That's a credit to the camera placement and editing. Great job guys! Thoroughly enjoyable match.
I've got say I'm really impressed with the quality game of both players. Wow! Great job guys, Great Job Mark.
It's very helpful to watch your game analysis and your thoughts on how to improve and find weak spots. Keep it up.
Glad you found it helpful Luiz!
Interesting at this level listening to Cole talk about not going too big. Lots of hitting down the middle while looking for opportunities or waiting for Mark to make an error. Great tennis from both and lots of fun to watch and learn.
Couldn't agree more, thanks for watching!
It was a total joy to watch these two hammering the shots away. Mark is super harsh on himself, and personally I know how much psychology can lower your game; shout out to Mark for still doing a marvelous job in this match. Cole is just a beast with a racquet, super humble classy dude, of course with a ton of talent ready for the next challenge. My respect for both of you guys and Essential Tennis for this great video production. Amazing.
He's the second most humble guy I know.
The first humble guy is: me
Great to watch thanks for putting it online. Imo the biggest difference was Cole's 2 handed back hand was a lot strong then Mark's 1 handed one. On backhand shots where as Cole could attack most of the time Mark had to slice and when Mark did attempt a proper topspin one there were too many errors.
Cole's footwork was really like an energizer bunny in this. He didn't stop moving while waiting the ball
This series with player commentary is awesome. And this was a great match. Thanks for this content. Helps my game.
Glad you enjoy it!
Such a high level of tennis from both of them, thrilling to watch! In awe of Cole's footwork and fitness.
Thanks for this awesome match! It really inspires me and tells me what I'm doing wrong sometimes when I'm playing. Really enjoyed this!
Glad you enjoy it!
One of the separators I saw was the short ball. Cole was able to consistently get up and rip the corners with topspin, whereas Mark had to go with a volley that was either weak, or inconsistent. That is a very difficult shot, and one of the last to get added to anyone's arsenal. It is also one that is improved by fitness and speed.
Damn Mark, I was really hoping for 4-4 in that 2nd set. My heart sank you got broke there. Awesome job to both hitters, inspiring content. Thanks Ian and ET video squad!👍
❤🙏
SAMESIES!
Very nice match with some really great points. Cole is so solid off both wings. He seemed far less comfortable at net and it seemed like Mark recognized this and tried to draw him in a few times, but Cole is really quick and punished the balls up the line so he didn't really need to hit a difficult volley. Cole's game plan of hitting deep mostly down the middle of the court put Mark into a very challenging situation. With Cole's speed, fitness and age, it wan't going to be to Mark's advantage to try to grind with him down the middle, but trying to attack from well behind the baseline is not going to be a favorable risk/reward ratio unless you have some serious weapons. When Cole dropped a few shots in the second set a little shorter, Mark was able to take advantage and show off the difference between hitting an aggressive controlled shot from the baseline and one 5 feet behind it. I though that it might be a turning point and maybe Cole was getting a little tired and or nervous. But, he obviously regrouped like a seasoned player. Wonderful sportsmanship. It's easy to be a good sport when you're winning. Less so when you lose. Kudos.
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I thought that there’s supposed to be only a couple hits per point. 😆 The rallies were instructive and entertaining. Mark’s and Cole’s fitness is amazing. Kept waiting for Mark to pull back from being tired. Great job ET all around and thanks to these two players for allowing us to watch. 👍
Great job 👍💪👌👏👐 to both of you. Mark has nothing to be ashamed of. Cole played mentally strong. The strokes on both sides, fh & bh, extremely solid. Also from both competitors. Cole just had a few more tricks in his bag, and closed in on good approach shots to close the point. Mark played extremely well, but like his soliloquy, poor court awareness. Plus Cole has excellent mobility sideline to sideline, fore court to back court. Just all over the place. Ian and essential tennis. Thank you for providing such good viewing performances. Quite possibly better than watching the atp/wtf now because it is on a more realistic level. Crowd applause 👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏🖐️🖐️🖐️🖐️🖐️🖐️🖐️🖐️🖐️
Big thanks to both players and those filming, I enjoyed this more than many pro matches on TV! The match play is great by itself but the strategy bits between change-overs really add an extra dimension. Love the format, looking forward to the next one! Big thanks from a UK fan.
Cole hits the ball so early and on the fly, it reminds me of old school tennis back in the 90s. Being a shorter person hitting the ball on the fly is such a big advantage and it puts so much pressure on the opponent. Mark played some great tennis today and this match was a great match for everyone involved and I enjoyed watching this match so much I liked it twice and saved to my play list. Great match fellas thank you for posting this match.
This is great. This is real life tennis, not the ones we see played by the gods of the game. I think I can learn more here based on what works, what doesn't.
Thanks for watching!
This was a really fun watch, both guys are terrific!! Cole is just too solid on the backhand (think he said it's his favorite?), so it would be interesting to see what would happen if Mark tried less to keep it to that side and worked both corners more, even attacking the FH on occasion from a short ball. Seemed like most approaches to Cole's BH just didn't pay off. Looked like Cole got pretty "comfortable" (notwithstanding Mark's heavy shots) expecting to hit a BH, and his strategy was to keep hitting consistent deep balls to the middle and wear Mark out. Who knows, it might not have made much difference since Cole looked pretty well-rounded. Maybe Ian will give us a full analysis of forced/unforced errors based on FH/BH?!
Agreeed!
Ian, you are a man of many talents. You have amazing film production and editing skills. Love the music and how you cut the video footage up. Huge fan. Keep it up, my friend.
Thanks for watching, our team is always hard at work!
I hit the like button just for that opening sequence. Well done Ian.
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best YT editing ever!
Great match! Fun to watch. I really like the interim dialogue with the cameras. Keep up the great work! Thanks!
More to come!
I love watching Mark play please keep bringing him back for more challenge matches!
We definitely will!
@@EssentialTennis wooo!!
😘
Remember the Cole's law, "eat a salad" -Mark. Good game to both, those mishits by Mark, most likely because of the heavy shot or heavy spin by Cole, which grinds you little by little the longer you rally. Nice game Mark, and I'm sure lots of highlights sample to you by Ian, featuring Cole's patience and point making.
“Cole’s law”
Nice
It’s funny that you assume that I, a lazy college student, eats any better 😅
"Cole's law"
Nice
Great match guys! Since there's so much I wanna say, il just say this... The higher ranked player is hitting inside out backhands. My mind is blown. Ian please don't forget to touch on that when you release your analysis of this match.
Step #1: be a SUPER talented strong athlete with unnatural strength and discipline
Step #2: hit inside out short angle backhands
Step #3: ???
Step #4: profit!
@@MarkSansait haha you did really well man and I appreciate your honest n straightforward analysis of the match. People really seem to like you so I hope you start charging Ian for your services ;)
Yeah, it's a ridiculous shot, not sure how he does it consistently, thanks for watching!
This series of matches has been really valuable. Great work Ian.
This match was interesting. The ebb and flow of mental focus and intensity was clear to see because these guys are so technically/physically sound. Again, even still, most points were won on unforced errors. That was Cole's explicit strategy. It seemed there were a lot of really safe shots, and from Mark strategically unfocused shots. Cole was clearly going to mainly out-steady Mark as his strategy so just hitting safely to the same side was a waste of effort for Mark. I wonder if Mark could have taken a significantly more aggressive approach to achieve a better outcome. Consistently moving Cole side to side more, going for a winner to the open court sooner. And coming in to volley on the last shot, knowing that Cole will run down most balls.
There was a big difference in how mark and Cole handled drop shots/very short balls. Several times, Mark made the mistake of trying to drop shot back when he got a short ball. Cole's just too fast for that. Mark lost all those attempts. When Cole chased down Mark's droppers he hit almost all of them deep to the corner and won all of those. That situation resulted in a 5 or 6 point differential in Cole's favor.
Both guys were very impressive. Tough, consistent, pressuring. Much to aspire to.
Keep Bringing it.
mark's lobs are firee. big props for going toe to toe with Cole!
LOB SQUAD!
Glad you enjoyed it!
What a match, very well played by both, I think cole consistency managed to overcome mark’s offense, very hard hit a winning ball on cole. Mark was getting the hang of at the end
Huge thank you to both Cole and Mark (and Ian too)! Really interesting and entertaining to watch. The self-analysis is so unique and enjoyable. You're both great people and great players - thanks for sharing!
So glad you found it helpful, thanks for the support!
Really fun game to watch! Great job everyone and ty to ET for the nice camera quality/angles with fun commentary.
It seems like most people who have inside out backhands tend to prefer their backhands.
With that said, in the second set I wish Mark played to Cole’s forehand some more. They kept playing each other’s backhand but it seemed like most of Mark’s backhands only went crosscourt which might’ve become predictable.
Not saying just hitting to Cole’s forehand would’ve completely changed the outcome, but I think it would’ve changed the percentages.
Really entertaining video and congrats to Cole. Well deserved. Great fight and humongous serves from both sides, I’m definitely peanut butter and jelly!
Agreed! His forehand was more dangerous, but also more prone to error.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Very nice match to watch. Mark had several good opportunities to tie 4-4, but I think he was too much anxious and missed them all. In the other hand Cole (after 4-1) give Mark the initiative and almost cost him the come back, but he stayed very consistent and obligated Mark to make the points...Good job both of them.
Definitely found a good channel niche Ian, and props to Mark and Cole. Great play and learned a lot watching. And the biggest props to the person or folks behind the production and post for some well-done storytelling. Cheers all.
So Intense! Loved it! More of these types of videos please.
Totally love Cole and Mark. Thank you Cole. Great demeanor and maturity!
Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks for watching!
Such a tough match. You did really well Mark! Good job to both of you guys!
🙏🙏🙏
Thanks!
WOW!! That was so satisfying to watch!! I really like the way players talk after every switch giving their insights and the way they feel etc. Again great match, real pleasure watching :) Excited to see more content from @Essential Tennis
Mark, you were truly close, just one wide shot, than seemed like you were disturbed by it.
Refocus is an art, I’m also still learning it.
Thanks for the great effort.
Whatta match! So gutsy plays from both.
Thanks for watching!
The intensity is insane
INSANE IN THE MEMBRANE
insane in the brain!
Glad you enjoyed it!
What a battle! Some of those rallies were unbelievable. Props to both players for putting on such a great show. Can't wait for the analysis ^^
2:22
"EAT A SALAD" 😂😂😂😂 Mark is hilarious
This was awesome to watch. This was one of those matches that the scoreboard doesn't reflect how hard fought this match was.
Takeaway from me watching Cole (both guys, great job!)---it is ok to back up when your opponent hits a strong, deep ball. You don't have to hug the baseline and play balls on the rise or high above your strike zone. Getting a bit lazy on court as I approach 54 so a good reminder.
That 4-3 game was huge. Very critical game that could've (should've?) turned the tables around. Too bad, but that is tennis!
It's the name of the game! Thanks for watching!
Great Battle! Enjoyed it very much. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it
Excellent tennis. I love how Mark has such an understanding of the mental aspect of the game.
Glad you enjoyed it, and yes, Mark is a very smart player!
comes from experience. and by experience I mean losing.
@@MarkSansait oh absolutely. Your commentary about planting anxiety in your opponent is something that I always think about... And it is because I have lost matches when up a set and a break... Even ones in which I've had match points. The panic is real. While match point is just another point, I think it is the hardest one to win for most people... Especially if they've already squandered one or two. I always think to myself that as long as I'm on the court, there's a chance.
Thank you Mark, Cole & Ian. Great match to watch!
More to come!
I was seriously looking forward to this second part and it was really great! I sincerely enjoyed this. I think it helps get an insight into the mental game of tennis. Great job guys!
Well played , cant wait to see more quality games from both of you!
Much appreciated
Wow! Two great players! Very intense match. Enjoyed too mutch. Congrats to booth.
I love that they are mic'd. NFL, MLB, NBA does it. Would be awesome if ATP did it too right?
Yes it would!
Enjoyed every minute of this match. Found myself pulling for Mark the older guy. Very high-quality Tennis from both sides enjoyed watching the tactics play themselves out. Hope to see Mark on the court against maybe somebody right at his level who is also on a fast food diet. Could be a match for the ages.
Great competition between a 4.5 and a 5.5. I recently watched a match between two 5.5 players. One was 18 yrs and the other was around 50 years. The match went to 3rd set TB and the older player won at the end. It was basically a match of skill vs experience. The older player used everything he has learned during his life to win over the talented younger player.
Great job to Mark hanging in there. The fact that you can compete at this level says more about your game than the ratings imply.
I would like to use this as an anecdotal example of the failures of the ratings system used by USTA and others. If USTA had its will you would never be allowed to play against a player like Cole since your rating “wasn’t good enough.” Stay in your place pretender! 😉
Nice job all involved, thanks Ian good stuff!
"We all know that feeling giving the break right back" ~ no lies here.
Great match from both players, I think Cole hit that shot down the corner on short ball just about every time.
Love! Great match, video work and commentary. Thank you for putting this together
Glad you enjoyed it!
AMAZING GAME! Both you guys are beyond talented, you’re both gifted! Great job!
Glad you enjoyed it!
🙏
great match, fanatic high-quality rallies, I felt it was like Mark was playing against a younger version of himself, I would have tried to shorten the points either come to the net more or make Cole come to the net
Thanks for the comments Jayson!
Cant waiiiit, who else loves Mark. Keep Mark in more videos
He'll definitely be back for more!
I hate Mark.
JK, he’s great
@@scottbroady3159 🤗🤗
Mark vs Ira??
13:37 is such an impressive point from Mark. Down 15-40, 3 games to 1, it looks like Cole is easily going to win the point. He hits it just weakly enough that Mark can get to it. Incredible defense at a critical point.
22:53 "don't think of the white bear, don't think of the white bear..."
😆
This is amazing stuff. I've watched a few of Mark's more recent matches. Here, you can only tell he was overmatched by the fact that he basically had to redline in other to stay with Cole. But the points were very competitive, and quality was top notch. Good stuff.
Great quality match, very enjoyable video. I really like this format! Keep 'em going Ian
More to come!
So much fun to watch, and educational too! Cole is a beast and Mark...so engaging. I hope to see more matches with Mark in it. Please, doubles?
James - once again, the soundtrack is great. This is high quality production! More matches soon please - perhaps with Ian and Mark in doubles?
@essentialtennis where do you guys get your soundtracks from?! I want to sample it!
I would say honestly these guys played at 5.0 level for this match. Tight call I know but Ian is 4.5 and I feel these guys would have won agaisnt him at this level of quality. This takes nothing away trom Ian as a great player. Just for clarification. Really solid hitting and great court sense from both of you. Well done.
💯
Nothing on RUclips is more entertaining than Mark 😆 (congrats Ian for the channel!)
Mark - WOW!! You have won me over, big fan now. Amazing endurance and never say die attitude..... Respect!!!!
I would love to be able to play tennis like they do
Such a great content! Keep it up guys! hope that you can bring us more matches like this one and hope to see you soon in the court playing games like this one Ian, get well soon!
Mark’s forehand is gorgeous
Cole fh is better... More technically refined as well.
Thanks Chase!
Yeah, Cole's is better imo. I like Mark's backhand though. Cole's is very basic but he gets remarkable consistency and decent power with it
lol @iChase I used to play respawnables 5 years ago mate. Seeing you in this unexpected channel brought me memories.
I noticed Cole's forehand as well and wish I could buy it. It's very compact with a lot of power and fluidity.
Would be interesting to see you analyse this match Ian. Both in style differences between the two players with how they try to dictate points and gain superior court positioning advantage; and also maybe with hindsight some possible things Mark could have done differently to maybe get the upset.
I'll definitely be breaking it down!
Good match, enjoyed watching it. A lot closer than the score line suggests. My money is on Mark in the rematch if he can start punishing some of those short service line groundstrokes from Cole. Cole also had an easy out when in trouble in a rally by hitting to Mark's backhand, knowing that most of the time he would get a slice back in the middle of the court. If Mark has a decent net game could also push Cole back with the heavy topspin FH and approach the net as Cole doesn't seem to be able to take the ball on the rise (so hits defensive from a deep position). But all in all, both played well and Marks drop shots perhaps costing him the match
Agreed!
"I'm not going away". Proceeds to lose the next 3 games
lmao
😭😭😭😭
😆
Are you a tennis player?
@@ronimogy1133 I am
Shows you how much a solid down the line backhand can change a match at any level.
It's a very strong shot!
Damn good content! Mark and Cole, both top top players.
Thanks for the support Bobby!
Mark - with that big heavy forehand of yours I'm surprised you didn't go for more directionals. Your game has gone up to a new level!
great match, love this series, thanks Ian!
Glad you enjoyed it
Great match. I love watching the footwork of both players... very precise, and both are always utilizing ready steps and split steps to get in position for the next shot, which is an absolute must at their level of play.
I would love to see Mark or Cole play Most Exhausting Player! Ian, make it happen!
*eats a salad for lunch*
@@MarkSansait LOL. 👍🏾
This kind of match would kill me. So much running is bad for my health
Another great match. Really starting to enjoy this alternative to the ATP 😂.
Just a couple of notes.
There was always only going to be one winner. Mark was too passive on the backhand for far too long with those recurrent backhand slices. It’s almost as though he didn’t believe in his own backhand shots. He was unable to apply any real pressure from that backhand wing. By the time he started really going for his backhand topspin shots (and they worked beautifully) it was too late in the match.
Thanks for your thoughts and for watching Kumo!
MARK IS A WARRIOR AND COLE IS A BEAST! Such a high level of shotmaking. New found respect for Mark, talk about digging deep, raising your level and being able to hold your head high even after taking the loss. A shoutout to Cole, he had not played on this court, he was expected to win so he had everything to lose so to speak, but he had the confidence and courage to take on someone a notch below him but who is VERY dangerous and if everything fell in place for Mark, he could have made it very dicey for Cole. Sitting on my lazy butt here as a mediocre player at best, I'd say for Mark if he had served as well as he did against Scott and maybe flattened out a few more of those forehands, could have been tiebreaker city in the second set. Wow ... so good and so entertaining, kudos to both players!.
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*epic movie trailer voice*
"One man, ONE KFC BUCKET, can the seasoned @essentialtennis Tour participant fend of this new young gunner? STAY TUNED TO FIND OUT"
😆
Great hustle out there mark, way to hold your own even though you were outmatched on paper. Was wondering how you like your asics gel res 8s? Was hesitating on pulling the trigger
@@nicolasmorin9549 Its a really high qualitly shoe and the most durable shoe I've ever worn, second only to the Adidas Barricades. My only gripe with The ASICS Gel Resolutions (including this version) is that there is a little too much room in my forefoot box. It's not as snug as I'd like it to be.
Source: I have somewhat narrow and VERY flat feet.
Mark I’ve literally never commented on a RUclips video before. But just had to say nice job. You’re an inspiring player. Love the grit.
Mark, did you know it's been over 9 years since our one and only full match? Remember it like it was yesterday
Nice match from both players! Watching as a coach, I think Mark needed to play a lot more shots into Cole's forehand, especially late in the 2nd set. Whenever I see someone favoring a shot under pressure or when the ball gives them time to make a choice, I label that as their stronger or more confident side. Cole was running around his forehands a lot near the end. (He even said the inside-out backhand was his favorite shot.) If Mark could have pressured the forehand side more at 3-4 in the 2nd, made Cole come up with a couple good passes or lobs from that side, he might have snuck out that 2nd set.
Great comments!
@@EssentialTennis Really enjoying these match play videos Ian. Thanks for all the great work you do!
Completely agree. I noticed him running to backhand side as well good 👀
@@fingersm 👀👀👀
Nice game thank you guys
Very good match up, quality content ian!
Overall cole was the better player but i thought mark could have a chance if he took a little more risk especially in the short ball situations.
Great match. Well done to both players!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I think Mark could have made this a much closer match IF 1) He stopped trying to pound the ball against Cole and gave the ball a lot more air look at 7:18, got a weak reply off a nice medium pace deep ball 2) Offense off the backhand - at 6:38 Mark gets a ball that he could have hit a more aggressive shot on. Of course, at 6:43 you banged a crazy winner off the backhand so obviously you can, just have to practice more offense off the backhand. Nice work - and props for putting it up on RUclips for us arm chair experts to toss our 2c