ATP Cincinnati 2013...Cincinnati, Ohio

[klacr]

Nadal playing at a ridiculously high level. All players have got to be fearing him right now.

I still believe Djokovic in good form can take him but the task just got much tougher. Nadal's forehand seems even more viscious.

Great result by Isner making it to the finals. 7-6, 7-6 is not too shabby of a result against Rafa. isner had chances in both the 1st set tie-break and with 2 break points in the second set.


On an unrelated and slightly bias note...Tomas Berdych is now #5 in the rankings. Career high. Just thought I'd mention that.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stotty]

Shredder...

As tennis_chiro pointed out, Nadal is making as few errors on his forehand playing aggressively as when plays it more cautiously....remarkable. His up the line forehand has hit new heights and has been pivotable in turning the tables on Djokovic...and it's simply shredding the rest of the field. Good players have been left rooted to the spot.

I have always preferred Federer's forehand for it's versatility but these days Nadal's forehand is proving more consistent, and inside the baseline it's become just as deadly. The securest forehand in the game is looking just as secure even when the owner opens up and hits it at full pelt!

I have never seen anyone thump forehands up the line like Nadal has been doing this week.

Berdych did well yesterday but it was really an easy 7-5 7-5 in my book.

[stroke]

Like nothing we have seen before, regarding the Nadal forehand, is right. He does make it so tough on his opponents. When he moves toward the deuce side of the court to hit his forehand, he uses his unique hook spin to move the ball away from the court when going down he line. When he goes inside out, he brings, or draws it back, into the court. His hook cross court forehand is just vicious. Shot spot revealed that his last, match point, inside out fh vs Fed, was out, but it was definately hooking back toward the line. I thought it was in, watching on TV, but I was surprised Fed did not challenge since it was so close, and matchpoint. He really attacks the outside of the ball on his forehand, like no one else.

[tennis_chiro]

The New Rafa

Rafa has never played better than he is doing this year. His forehand is even better and he's serving better too. He is more aggressive, and his sense of what to do and when in points has been amazing this year. But it's the aggression factor that makes him a strong contender for the US Open this year...don't forget it's a slam he's only won once....

I had a long discussion just two days ago with another tennis mind I respect a great deal about the fact we both thought Rafa has reinvented himself. I thought he was playing more aggressively than I remembered, but my friend felt he had gone much further. In fact, he felt it was a deliberate effort to spare his body the wear and tear of the long points he has played in the past and accordingly, Nadal was playing more aggressive, shorter points, attacking more and even going to the net a little more, as well as serving bigger. I think I have seen him sometimes fall back to his old habits, but then he turns up the aggression to a higher level than we have seen in the past and, lo and behold, he has the skill to keep the ball in the court despite the greater risk in the shots he is trying. That forehand down the line and inside out to the deuce corner is like nothing we have ever seen before and it is making the court too big for his opponents.

I think my friend is right; and Stotty is right; this may be the best Rafa we have ever seen.

don

[stotty]

Nadal may just have it...

Rafa may set new records for how far back he can get to return serve. The linesmen may have to sit in the first row above the court to keep from getting run over!

don

Rafa has never played better than he is doing this year. His forehand is even better and he's serving better too. He is more aggressive, and his sense of what to do and when in points has been amazing this year. But it's the aggression factor that makes him a strong contender for the US Open this year...don't forget it's a slam he's only won once.

It's a close call as to who stands further back to receive serve: Borg or Nadal. It would be splitting hairs but Nadal may just have it.

[tennis_chiro]

Women holding break!

Just watching a little of JJ and Vika in the Cincy semis. 3 holds through the first 21 games and first 3 games of the third set. Vika has the sole hold in the third for 4-1.

Sometimes I have my students serve from 8 to 10 feet behind the baseline to practice reaching up, but that's actually trying to hit a hard serve. It's tough to do, but it's pretty easy to spin the ball in because the ball drops a lot faster as it goes a greater distance under the influence of gravity. And the height the ball bounces is a function of how high it goes.

These girls are so bad on their second (and first) serves that I wonder if they might be better backing up and trying to hit a second serve that travels higher through the air, easily clearing the net before it dives faster naturally having been under gravity's influence for a greater period of time and therefore bouncing higher and perhaps even deeper.

The other side of this is that the server is so uncomfortable immediately after hitting the serve because they are moving backwards trying to reestablish position behind the baseline and they often are caught a foot or more inside the baseline. Even if they do get back, they are moving backwards and have to hit a defensive return. Wouldn't they be better running up to a yard or even a yard and a half behind the baseline after hitting a higher bouncing, even if somewhat slower, serve and then moving forward to the return as they do so well later in the rally? They look so bad handling the returns off of their second serve, and both of these players have been ranked number one in the world!

One hold through the first six games of the third! 20 service breaks. How much worse could it be?

don

[tennis_chiro]

Isner playing well this week. Does he stand a chance against Rafa tomorrow? With that serve, absolutely. How many tie-breaks will we see?

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

Rafa may set new records for how far back he can get to return serve. The linesmen may have to sit in the first row above the court to keep from getting run over!

don

[GeoffWilliams]

He needs to read my piece: lull-jam-finish that jy has not put up!

[klacr]

I think what you have to remember is Berdych isn't the best mover, if he takes the backhand down the line and Nadal either takes it crosscourt or hits behind him that might be all it takes to get the error or weak reply. Not that he shouldn't have tried it, but if his speed was a little better I think that would allow him to try other options than to stay in the crosscourt pattern with him backhand to forehand.

Good insights Jason, I can't disagree. It's hard to call Berdych a bad mover, but relative to who his opponent was today then he was certainly the worst mover on the court. As is just about everyone else that plays Rafa. I see his tactics and I can accept them. But I can't accept that he didnt change and let that happen again and again, and then again and again some more.

All good though. I'll get over it.

Great win from John Isner over Delpo today as well. Isner playing well this week. Does he stand a chance against Rafa tomorrow? With that serve, absolutely. How many tie-breaks will we see?

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[jasonfrausto]

I think what you have to remember is Berdych isn't the best mover, if he takes the backhand down the line and Nadal either takes it crosscourt or hits behind him that might be all it takes to get the error or weak reply. Not that he shouldn't have tried it, but if his speed was a little better I think that would allow him to try other options than to stay in the crosscourt pattern with him backhand to forehand.

[klacr]

The King of Ephyra...Sisyphus

Can someone please explain to me why in Today's semi final, Berdych was content getting into a crosscourt backhand to forehand rally with Rafa? Rafa changed direction to down the line and beat Tberd consistently.

I'll always root for the guy, but losing a close scoreline of 7-5, 7-6 to Nadal, who won so many points with that pattern was just frustrating to watch. With that score, a few less points gained from this pattern could have been useful.

Tberd was also up 4-2 in the second set. Guess I'm just venting. Rooting for Berdych is like being like Sisyphus, I get that boulder close to the top of the hill, only to have it roll down again. Am I or Tomas being punished for Chronic deceitfulness by Zeus? I hope not. I've been a good boy. Please someone help from this eternity of useless efforts and unending frustration.

Like a fool, a loyal fool, I'll still root and cheer and support him.



Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[tennis_chiro]

Man among Boys!

I just got done watching the Nadal/Becker match from Cincy. At first glance, you have to marvel at the athleticism and fitness of Benjamin Becker. At 32 years old, he looks amazingly strong, fast and fit. I even like the way he hits his forehand and backhand. At 5' 10" and 158 lbs (according to the ATP data), he is on the small side among the current giants of the ATP Tour, but he appears to be an imposing physical presence, until...

until you see him and his shots in comparison to the 3" taller and 30 lb heavier (but no less cut and chiseled) Nadal; then he looks like a good 12 year-old playing up in a 16s National Open. Geez!!

Is it just my imagination or is Nadal hitting his forehand much bigger and deeper than ever. That inside out forehand to the deuce corner is dive-bombing much closer to the baseline than I remember and giving him unbelievable angles going inside out to that side. Of course, he had the cross-court angle in his sleep. At the beginning of last week, he looked a little rusty and there was some doubt in my mind how he would fare in the hardcourt season. But he brought it up enough to get past Djokovic (who also appeared a little rusty) and now he seems to have gone up another level. I really think he has made a conscious decision to play shorter points on the hardcourts to protect his knees and also to be more proactive so he doesn't have to react and change directions on defense so much. He may also be going to the net just a little bit more, although he doesn't get much chance behind that forehand because he is hitting so many winners with it.

No kidding! Becker looked like a kid playing up two age divisions and completely overmatched. I guess we will get a better gage on the reality of what I am seeing when he plays Dimitrov tomorrow night. I gotta work, but thank goodness for TennisTV.

And during the day, an exciting match between Haas and Federer. Haas got him last year in the Halle final, but Federer won there this year. It will be a good chance to see just how good Federer's back feels; Haas appears to be playing very well and made quick work of Granoliers today. Didn't drop serve; didn't allow any break points in the second set. Only a 75 minute match. I think Federer will really have his hands full, especially playing in the heat of the day for the first time.

To me, it looks like the rest will go according to seeding although I wouldn't bet against Isner upsetting Raonic's apple cart; but that's not really that much fun to watch. The other match that I think might be interesting if the underdog plays well is Ferrer/Tursunov: consistency vs aggression if Dimitri is playing well. Robredo will make Berdych struggle a little, but I think it goes according to script.

But I really look forward to seeing whether Rafa continues to play this aggressively. I think he has changed his tactics significantly. But we won't know until we see him against better players. And now in his 7th match back, he has shaken off almost all of the cobwebs. I haven't been this interested in seeing how Rafa's playing in a long time.

don

[bottle]

Lie Down with Ryan Harrison on a Couch?

Well, Ryan took DahVEEEEED all the way to crunch time. With all that USTA braintrust on his bench, he should have. And he didn't do any entrechats in the middle of his serves, so not even the meanest person in existence could ever allege that he was affected.

Not affected but self-conscious. No more than three points to go and he stiffened as some sort of palsy spread to the end of every one of his limbs.

And his baby-face, one of the factors in Justin Gimelstob coming to like him, took on a look of 10,000 miles distance.

And of course DahVEEEEED tangoed across the line.

Gimelstob has been working hard in cahoots with the USTA to rehabilitate Ryan Harrison and Sam Querrey, to enable them to flourish as top ten players by infusing them with personality.

To this end he makes TV scenarios in which he lies down with them on a couch in the middle of a tennis court, etc., but it doesn't work.

They show they're regular guys (!?) for just a minute but then revert to robot the next big moment in a major match.

They need to learn from Sloane Stephens, who knows as much about a poker face on a tennis court as they.

The difference occurs off-court, in post-match interview. After her come from behind 3-set upset of Sharapova, Stephens was entirely animated and un-selfconscious as she viewed film of her coach's inter-set sessions with her.

"Look how calm he is!" she cried.

I like Jay Berger's theory that what Ryan Harrison needs do is ask himself whether he enjoys being out in center court for the love of competition, and if the answer is yes, all the rest will come to him.

I've heard that saw before and thoroughly believe it: TENNIS WILL COME TO YOU.

But wonder, in the Harrison and Querrey cases, if this can ever come to be.

They both need something else and I don't pretend to know what it is.

Perhaps if Harrison had spouted out for all the world to hear, with three points to go, "Omigod, this midget is smoother than silk!" he would have had a chance. If winning counts (which it may not), he couldn't have done worse.

[klacr]

Ohio...I was born in Toledo and went to Ohio University. I guess the makes me a Buckeye/Wolverine/American/Swede. It's complicated.

But anyways...all eyes on Roger Federer. Bored with the tennis of today. Here is the last remaining link to Classic Tennis. In my book anyways. tennis_chiro has it right in a nut shell.

But this is a great tournament by reputation and our main man is always there. The Montreal tournament surely was interesting and I have some thoughts about Nadal which I will post in the near future. But I want to make certain that everyone reads what Don has to say. Such a poignant post regarding Jerzy, tennis equipment and the state of the art. Of playing tennis that is.

You can't be a Buckeye...You seem to be literate and can actually write complete sentences. .

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Wolverine for Life
Boca Raton
GO BLUE!!!

[don_budge]

Ohio...I was born in Toledo and went to Ohio University. I guess the makes me a Buckeye/Wolverine/American/Swede. It's complicated.

But anyways...all eyes on Roger Federer. Bored with the tennis of today. Here is the last remaining link to Classic Tennis. In my book anyways. tennis_chiro has it right in a nut shell.

But this is a great tournament by reputation and our main man is always there. The Montreal tournament surely was interesting and I have some thoughts about Nadal which I will post in the near future. But I want to make certain that everyone reads what Don has to say. Such a poignant post regarding Jerzy, tennis equipment and the state of the art. Of playing tennis that is.