It has been a tough month and a half (and, at least to me, it seems a lot longer). Mornings sitting at the kitchen table with my cup of coffee, staring blankly at the box scores in the sporting pages. I know there is nothing of interest there for me but it's a tough habit to break - it's just been too deeply ingrained over the years.

Funny thing is, I don't even particularly care where the scores are from. It could be a Grand Prix event in Monte Carlo or a Division III high school match in Turlock, but when I look at the names and read the scores, I can't help but imagine what might have taken place on the court or on the sidelines. I look for that close score that could have been the deciding match in a team competition. Or the heroic comeback from probable match points down. Was it a twisted ankle or a broken spirit that forced that player to retire in the third set? I play it all out in my mind over coffee.

Yeah, this (from the players' point of view) all too brief break may be good for the players but its putting me into a funk. I can't wait for the season to start up again and it won't be long. The tour gets back into swing this week at Adelaide with a pretty good field that includes Hewitt, Berdych, Blake, Murray, Ancic, Hrbaty, and Robredo. Chennai starts with Ljubicic, Moya, and Schrichaphan, and at the Qatar Open we get our 2006 debut of Federer.

The women get rolling the next week at the Medibank International at the Sydney International Tennis Center where Clijsters, Mauresmo, and Henin-Hardene will square off and Nadal will jump into the fray on the men's side.

The two Belgian champions, Justine Henin-Hardene (right) and Kim Clijsters, are set to sqaure off in the season's first tournament.

Who else will pop up to surprise us at the start of 2006? I'll be checking the scores. So in the meantime I have filled my restless mornings conjuring up some fanciful New Year's resolutions for the common tennis player and my personal takes on them. You'll have to excuse me, that's what happens when you've got too much time on your hands and few options as to how to fill it up. I think we'll all be glad when play starts up again.

Here is my list of 2006 New Year Resolutions and reality checks.

1. For the doubles player, communication is the key. Resolve to communicate better with your partner. Reality check: The only words your partner wants to hear from you are either, "good shot," "good try," or "I got it." The rest will just fly by like a Roddick first serve.

2. Since doubles is controlled at the net, resolve in 2006 to improve your doubles by being more aggressive. Reality check: Being aggressive at the net doesn't mean smacking the top of the net with your racquet after you dump that sitter volley.

3. For the mental player: Tennis is said to be 90% mental, so resolve to strengthen your mental game by subscribing to a Mental Toughness Workshop. Reality check: To avoid head problems, follow John Newcombe's advice; take a couple of aspirin. (Does anyone remember Newk? I think the only head problems he experienced on the court were caused from too many Fosters the night before.)

4. John Newcombe's advice for avoiding head problems, Fosters and a couple of aspirin.

   Tennis requires a good attitude and so resolve in 2006 to keep a daily journal of positive affirmations to help you maintain a more positive outlook on the court. Reality check: A positive attitude depends on only three simple principles - denial, denial, and denial.

5. To improve your service percentages, resolve to cut down on your double faults by practicing your serve three times a week. Reality check: To avoid a double fault, remember that when you miss both serves, it is either your coach's fault or the sun's fault but don't blame them both.

6. For the strategist: To follow Andy Roddick's plan for 2006 resolve to be more offensive on second serve returns. Reality check: Just follow the current ATP fashion trends and you are already likely to be more offensive on the court.

7. Footwork is key to good tennis so resolve that 2006 will be the year you improve your movement on the court. Stay light on your feet by running and skipping. Reality check: You'll do better to skip second helpings of mashed potatoes and dessert, and skip that extra glass of wine also (whoa - my buddies in the grape juice game won't like that one).

8. Finally: Above all, keep in mind that the most important thing is to have fun. Resolve in 2006 to follow the immortal credo of great sportsmen everywhere; "It's not whether you win or lose but how you play the game." So just keep focused on how you play the game; how you serve, how you volley, how you move, how you missed that overhead at breakpoint. On second thought it's not a bad idea to follow Newk's advice and keep that bottle of aspirin handy. You never know when you might have a reality check.

Happy New Year!

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