2015 Wimbledon Championships…ATP 2000…London, Great Britain

[stotty]

You plan on going Stotty?

I have tickets for this Monday but now may not be going. I have two coaches away this week and may have to cover their group coaching work. It's a shame... but group coaching is very lucrative at this time of year so it's tough to lose the income. I may be able to get round it...we'll see.

Why you ask, are you going?

[don_budge]

The Big Four Domination…the "BIG LIE"

From the ATP website...

"BIG FOUR DOMINATION – Since 2005 Roland Garros when Rafael Nadal won his first Grand Slam title, the Big 4 of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, Nadal and Andy Murray have combined to win 37 of the past 41 Grand Slam titles with the only exceptions the 2009 US Open (del Potro), ‘14 Australian Open & ’15 Roland Garros (Wawrinka) and ’14 US Open (Cilic). It’s the most dominant era in the history of tennis. During the current stretch, Nadal has won 14 titles, Federer 13 titles, Djokovic eight and Murray two. The last Wimbledon champion other than one of the Big Four was No. 1 Lleyton Hewitt in 2002. The foursome also have accounted for 44 of the last 48 ATP Masters 1000 titles (since ’10 Monte-Carlo)."

Typical modern day media spin and hype. This is only testimony to the lack of depth in the game. While the big racquets give the deceptive feeling…the illusion...that the game is faster and more powerful so therefore superior…when in fact the exact opposite is true. Skills that were present in the game from day one are now almost nonexistent…you will see how the game has actually devolved in the two weeks to come. Only Roger Federer can save the day…the game.

Interesting how this propaganda has fooled almost all of the people. It's tennis simulating life. It's a brave new world…that is for certain.

[don_budge]

The Brave New World of Tennis…The Wimbledon Championships 2015

But was it evolving...and in what way? Where is the evidence that McEnroe and Borg were better than Gonzales or Hoad (the zeniths of those duets being twenty five years apart)? What evidence suggests the game had evolved to a higher level in those twenty five years?

Thanks for bringing up this conversation. It's a great prequel to the championships themselves.

You may just be misunderstanding what I mean by "evolution". I have written so many times that "there is nothing new under the sun". The Bible in fact says as much. But as for John McEnroe and Bjorn Borg…they merely reinvented the concept of the "great rivalry" and gave it their own twist. Their own spin. It was the game that was evolving in the sense of the way that the public perceived it. After the game went into an "Open Era" it was evolving at a rather astounding speed.

For instance the court surfaces. Both the U. S. Open and Australian Opens went to hard court surfaces. This surely had an effect on the play. Any guesses on how much this reduced the grass court season? But more than that…it was the stadiums that were being built. The complexes that were hosting the tournaments were a sure indication that the game was evolving in terms of the public and mass appeal. Read that article that I posted about the racquets and how it effected the game. That is a very different thing.

The evidence? It was in the crowds. I was there in 1984 (there's that year again) and that crowd would have been there even if the players were all playing with wooden racquets. But already the deception had taken root. All four players were using modern racquets in the semifinals of the U. S. Open for the first time…with the exception possibly being Ivan Lendl. This massive stud took out the pesky Pat Cash in five exciting sets while surviving match points and Cash's infernal Prince racquet.

What McEnroe and Borg brought to the game was the single most perfect rivalry of the Open Era. This in turn brought a lot of attention to the game on every level. Richard Gonzales and Lou Hoad was probably every bit as good…who knows…maybe even better but not as many people had the privilege to see it…or to even be aware that it existed. McEnroe and Borg? They took the planet by storm. Everyone knew who they were.

But after the intervention of the equipment came a series of other interventions and now the game is unrecognisable and doesn't really deserve to be called tennis anymore…it has been redefined by the conditions that it is being played. It's a sorry thing that one cannot measure the greatness of the modern player versus that of those of ages gone by. But this is by design…of course. There are no accidents. It became the age of the pretender best exemplified by Andre Agassi who used the biggest racquet he could his whole career. The reason the Roger Federer looks so other wordily is because there is simply nobody else playing the same game. They have all been coached into a box…a nice tidy little box.

"You can use a tomato can attached to a broomstick if you think it will give you a chance to win." What a horrifying thought. What a ludicrous paradigm. Thank you for your comment.

[don_budge]

Players, take your mark…get set…go!

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/...review-federer

It's all about preparation. The more experience you have the more you are able to prepare yourself for what it in front of you. Roger Federer has seven Wimbledon titles in his bag and so many miles of experience. Here is a tennis player who knows what it takes to get there and once there how to get the job done.

He's had time to rest and he's had time to put in the work. He even had time to go and win his eighth title at Halle. Eight's a charm. He is shooting for his eighth. He has Rafa Nadal, Andy Murray and Tomas Berdych in his side of the draw. He's taking it one match at a time…and one point at a time for that matter. He always knows the score…on the court and off of it.

On Eurosport they had Tomas Berdych in his London apartment or home. He showed the camera around his lodging. klacr may have been interested in this five minute spot. Berdych comes across as a nice guy…but not too nice. He's got it in him emotionally. I think that tactically he has shortchanged himself because of the way that he plays the game. He's a poster boy for developmentally challenged tennis players adhering to the modern paradigm.

[klacr]

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/...review-federer

It's all about preparation. The more experience you have the more you are able to prepare yourself for what it in front of you. Roger Federer has seven Wimbledon titles in his bag and so many miles of experience. Here is a tennis player who knows what it takes to get there and once there how to get the job done.

He's had time to rest and he's had time to put in the work. He even had time to go and win his eighth title at Halle. Eight's a charm. He is shooting for his eighth. He has Rafa Nadal, Andy Murray and Tomas Berdych in his side of the draw. He's taking it one match at a time…and one point at a time for that matter. He always knows the score…on the court and off of it.

On Eurosport they had Tomas Berdych in his London apartment or home. He showed the camera around his lodging. klacr may have been interested in this five minute spot. Berdych comes across as a nice guy…but not too nice. He's got it in him emotionally. I think that tactically he has shortchanged himself because of the way that he plays the game. He's a poster boy for developmentally challenged tennis players adhering to the modern paradigm.

Tomorrow it all begins!!!

Do you have video of the Berdych segment. I remember he did the same thing a few years ago for a tour of his Wimbledon abode. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a3WKKERUcts

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stotty]

Even this potential match for instance has a huge speed bump in the middle of it. Yen Hsun-Lu. He's been a handful for everyone lately and he may prove to be too much for "Downtown" Dustin Brown. But how can you not like a guy playing in dreadlocks. A guy who insists on playing with the ball that won the last point for him. A guy that doesn't go to the towel in between every single freaking point. t just wonder about his diet of ganja. How does he get around the procedures?

Well, Dustin got through. His next match with Nadal will either be something or nothing. I saw Dustin last year and can tell he works off extremely small margins...talk about flat and hard. He isn't the great volleyer everyone gives him credit for but he is certainly better than most. When he's on he's on...fingers crossed for an interesting match and not a damp squib. It will be one or the other.

[stotty]

But I like Federer's draw. I am down on my knees praying for the Nadal semifinal. Please Lord.

Don't pray for that match up. If Nadal makes it that far (and he may well not) and Federer is his opponent, you can bet Nadal will find something from somewhere to win that match. Federer hasn't genuinely beaten Nadal since as long as I can remember, and he's unlikely to do it now whatever the state of play.

Pray for Nadal to go out...it's a safer option.

[lobndropshot]

Don't pray for that match up. If Nadal makes it that far (and he may well not) and Federer is his opponent, you can bet Nadal will find something from somewhere to win that match. Federer hasn't genuinely beaten Nadal since as long as I can remember, and he's unlikely to do it now whatever the state of play.

Pray for Nadal to go out...it's a safer option.

Or Federer will find a ways to lose the match...

[don_budge]

The Meaning of Life…and Death

Don't pray for that match up. If Nadal makes it that far (and he may well not) and Federer is his opponent, you can bet Nadal will find something from somewhere to win that match. Federer hasn't genuinely beaten Nadal since as long as I can remember, and he's unlikely to do it now whatever the state of play.

Pray for Nadal to go out...it's a safer option.

Safety is not an option. This is a tennis tournament. The is the Grand Daddy of them all. This is the match that I want to see. Sometimes it isn't about winning or losing. There are more important things in life. We have seen over and over how players have been beaten time and time again and yet refuse with the "Vitas Gerulaitis" syndrome to concede defeat for the umpteenth time in a row.

"And let that be a lesson to you all. Nobody beats Vitas Gerulaitis 17 times in a row."

I love this spirit in tennis. It speaks of character…it speaks of the irony of the game. It speaks of the core of the game. This is the match for all of us to pray for and then when it is played we will leave God out of it. He has no interest in sporting events. In a billion years it will be of absolutely no consequence…just like the rest of the nonsense.

But just once…just once. I want to see them play on even terms. Equal terms. You probably can guess what I am talking about. You can probably guess what I am getting at. Roger Federer has been my "Living Proof" from day one…day one of the so called modern day of tennis. He is worthy and deserves to have his feet put to the fire. Just like any other player in the draw. This is how the game of tennis is played. There are several matches to be played before this even becomes a possibility.

Thanks again for your comments about the "evolution of the game". You provoked some rather interesting thought with your comment. You struck a chord.

Or Federer will find a ways to lose the match...

Yes lobndropshot…this is what we do in life. Some of us find a way to win some of the time and then we find a way to lose. It works through all of us…nobody here is immune. Nobody here gets out alive. We are all human and so are these players. Roger for his part has found a way to win but he doesn't walk on water either and he puts his pants on one leg at a time. Rafael Nadal for his part…I won't get into it.

But suffice it to say…I believe that this would be the match of the tournament and a fitting way for Roger Federer to go out or stay in…either way. One way or the other. This match has all of the irony…all of the drama. It is the history of the modern era. The paradox. Roger Federer versus Rafael Nadal. The Real Thing versus The Usurper. It is only fitting. Look for Nadal to duck out early anyways. This is the match that he doesn't want to play. Trust me.

First round action is completed…64 winners and 64 losers. 64 happy players…64 sad players. That's how it works. No sorries. No thank you. Just move on. Losers pack your bags. Winners get ready for tomorrow. Everybody has a story to tell.

Come on Roger. Time is running out.

[don_budge]

The Shape of the Draw...

The draw is out,see here: (I thought I would post a proper draw sheet, don_budge)

http://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/scores/draws/ms/msdraw.pdf

Federer's half looks tricky. Nadal, Murray and Ferrer are all in his half. Djokovic has a less than easy first round match against Kohlschreiber. He also has a potential semi final with Wawrinka...but better not to look that far. Berdych has a tricky opener against Chardy.

Thoughts on the draw anyone....?

Reposting for easy reference of the draw. It's shaping up a bit. What do you think? Federer's draw isn't looking so bad, is it? Djokovic has his hands full of some big hitters in the top half and his preparation for this tournament consisted of rest and possibly rehabilitation from a nagging injury. It didn't appear to me that he was himself in the French Open Final.

Cilic, Isner, Wawrinka, Raonic are looming. Notice that I didn't mention Nishikori. Is that an omission?

[gzhpcu]

Don't pray for that match up. If Nadal makes it that far (and he may well not) and Federer is his opponent, you can bet Nadal will find something from somewhere to win that match. Federer hasn't genuinely beaten Nadal since as long as I can remember, and he's unlikely to do it now whatever the state of play.

Pray for Nadal to go out...it's a safer option.

Don't think so. Nadal's self confidence is gone, Federer is very hungry for this one, and he is a great grass court player. Remember Djokovic beat him in straight sets at the French Open...

[klacr]

WIMBLEDON!!!

So nice to see the tennis whites and the green grass. The tennis whites will remain, the color of the grass won't

Karlovic took out the young Swedish hope Elias Ymer.

Borna Coric took out the serve and volleyer Stakhovsky 9-7 in the fifth set

Berdych played until 9:30pm to take care of Jeremy Chardy.

Federer looked damn good. Watching him, it's obvious that he seems the most natural player on the grass. Federer and the grass of Wimbledon seem to be connected on a metaphysical level. Never seen someone so comfortable and the grass so accepting of a player. Fun stuff.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[GeoffWilliams]

Anyone remember SErena's red under wear in the final she played? They should have told her, "Change or be defaulted.", while Fed got fined for a small red Nike swoosh, nothing happened at all with that disrespectful act.

[stotty]

Reposting for easy reference of the draw. It's shaping up a bit. What do you think? Federer's draw isn't looking so bad, is it? Djokovic has his hands full of some big hitters in the top half and his preparation for this tournament consisted of rest and possibly rehabilitation from a nagging injury. It didn't appear to me that he was himself in the French Open Final.

John McEnroe was asked whether Djokovic's preparation was adequate for Wimbledon. "It's whatever works for you" was Mac's reply. "Borg never played a warm-up tournament on grass either, and he won five straight titles".

I think Mac is right. It worked for Borg, and it will most likely work for Djokovic.

I still haven't seen the French Open final except for a handful of games where Djokovic seemed to be playing too conservatively. He probably felt he could soak up whatever Wawrinka threw at him...play the law of averages games. I will watch the match when I get chance.

But this is Wimbledon, a different venue and tournament altogether. It's grass...not the grass of old, but grass nonetheless. It's grass where you can win from the baseline, which was previously unthinkable.

It is possible to win by coming to the net at Wimbledon. Maybe not as an out-and-out game style, but certainly as a frequent tactic. Federer is probably the only player with the skill set to employ it, and he should. If Edberg has got it right, in the bigger matches we should see Federer approaching more than usual. There is an escaped rumour going around at Wimbledon that this will be the case.

[lobndropshot]

Stan put a lot of pressure on Novak. But I feel that Novak lost that match more than Stan won it. Novak played a lot of questionable shots. i.e. too many drop shots