Wawrinka

[GeoffWilliams]

He does not lift his hitting foot like fed does, so he stays more grounded and stable, which makes along with his bigger coil, a better shot.

I am calling him to win the french by a long shot guess. Wishful thinking. Nadal will probably draw him and get revenge, but I can hope.

[stotty]

Fed wobbled in the second set dropping that early break which he got back and then he stumbled just a little at the beginning of the tie-breaker to let Stan get ahead. Then he compounded it starting the third and after that Stan was clearly the better player.

I recorded this shot off of my monitor so please excuse the quality of the video, but it is such a great shot of how Wawrinka keeps the left shoulder still even as he fully extends the right shoulder. Also, a nice shot of the full weight transfer and when he completes it. This was the short ball he hit to force an error off Federer in a series of three consecutive backhands at the beginning of the 3-5 game in the first set.

I thought Bottle might particularly enjoy it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wClhsprvFA

don

I find the shot fascinating. It's like he is trying creating an extra steel-like post to hit off. He gets down to it beautifully.

[tennis_chiro]

Slo mo of Wawrinka backhand at 3-5, first set

Fed wobbled in the second set dropping that early break which he got back and then he stumbled just a little at the beginning of the tie-breaker to let Stan get ahead. Then he compounded it starting the third and after that Stan was clearly the better player.

I recorded this shot off of my monitor so please excuse the quality of the video, but it is such a great shot of how Wawrinka keeps the left shoulder still even as he fully extends the right shoulder. Also, a nice shot of the full weight transfer and when he completes it. This was the short ball he hit to force an error off Federer in a series of three consecutive backhands at the beginning of the 3-5 game in the first set.

I thought Bottle might particularly enjoy it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-wClhsprvFA

don

[stotty]

He doesn't have Federer's talent, but reminds me of Jim Courier: a guy who really works hard and gets there...

Only a handful of players in history sit alongside Federer for talent, Phil. Wawrinka is talented, just not up with the Gods.

Wawrinka really came in to his own at the end of that Monte Carlo. He was even supremely confident in the last four or five games. The last shot of the match testified just how confident he had become. You don't hit a forehand like that at match-point without a lot of self-belief.

I found the match a little patchy. Federer fell away as Wawrinka usurped him after a wobbly set and a half.

[gzhpcu]

He doesn't have Federer's talent, but reminds me of Jim Courier: a guy who really works hard and gets there...

[lobndropshot]

He's also the only player to take it to Nadal as far as the mind games go.

[GeoffWilliams]

The only player to beat these guys in the last few months: Murray, Djokovic, Nadal, Federer, Ferrer. Most would say he is not one of them. At 29yr. old, he improved his game: fh, serve, consistency, bh. Name me another guy who has been able to do that. I can't remember anyone. Maybe that will teach Fed not to let anyone use his personal trainer anymore!

His bh is an advertisement for players to have a one hander. My new favorite player, due to that accomplishment, and shows it's still possible to raise your level at an older age.

The mind also is stronger. It's one thing to hit aces against a top player in practice, and it's another thing when money, people, and the match is really on the line. Shows that a big coil is absolutely necessary on the bh side.