2015 U. S. Open…ATP 2000…Flushing Meadows, New York

[klacr]

Shame for Lopez t fall short. Would have loved to seen a 5th set. That Lopez game is something isn't it? He hit a great patch of form on that 2nd set. Djokovic too strong in the end. Awesome run fom Lopez to make the quarters though. Djokovic now into his ninth straight us open semi.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

Fascinating comments…the Feliciano Lopez game

I never really thought he had a chance, but he was only a few inches away from getting into a fifth set against Novak. But more than that, the way he put together a strategy and tactical plan with his weapons and utilizing attacking the net at every opportunity made me want to go out and play.

That slice backhand of his may not exactly be Roswallian, but it has more pace on it that anyone else I have seen out there right now and the way he moves through the ball as he hits it to make it an effective approach against the likes of Djokovic is just a thing of beauty.

You just don't see players working their way into the net as their approach shot floats deep into the corner. His backhand is not a liablility by any means. The problem is he doesn't have a forehand that can stand up toe to toe with the top players. But the rest is superior. Just a joy to watch.

don

And as for playing, ... then I remember that if I try those moves I won't be serving and volleying, I'll be serving and going to the emergency room!

I watched a good bit of the match…particularly the set that Lopez won. He barely got that horse in the barn (the second set) against the ultra defence play of Djokovic.

Lopez' use of the slice backhand is a throwback to days gone by. Instead of bludgeoning opponents he sets them up with a slice and dice campaign. He is content to move his opponents from side to side and a bit up and back. He uses placement and spin in lieu of outright speed to maneuverer…spin, placement and speed being the three elements of control. Control being the ultimate power. He angles for the ball that he feels suits his tactic and patiently waits for the opportunity and then he attacks. It is a great demonstration as to how effective this shot was…and still can be.

The commentatoes too are drooling over his tactics which once were the standard operating procedure of all professional tennis players playing the all court game. Obviously yourself included. This is another enormous lesson in the power of propaganda. Lessons of the past are trivialized and made to look like a great invention of the present.

The tennis media is doing much the same with Federer. Federer is merely recapturing a little of those "Glory Days" that have that inspiring effect on you…and me for that matter. Federer's half volley return of serves remind me of the 1984 U. S. Open finals of John McEnroe and Ivan Lendl where Johnny absolutely dismantled Lendl by attacking his first serve and following it to the net behind his return. These tactics brought home the championship for McEnroe and not just an also ran loser in the quarterfinals. Feliciano is a journeyman tennis professional and his results are less than inspirational to me.

But I absolutely know what you are talking about on all levels and truly understand and appreciate what you discuss. This element of attack and subtle play is sorely missing in today's tennis and Federer himself…as gzhpcu quoted from an article earlier in this thread…

"I was able to mix it up, was attacking, was also staying back some. I was pretty much all-out attack as much as I could,” Federer said. “Obviously I have to manage that against different players when the scoreline isn't maybe so one-sided.”

Federer finished the match with 11 aces, winning 86 per cent of first-serve points and clocked 46 winners to Darcis’ eight. He won 19 of the 29 points he ventured to net. The mix of serve-volleying and chip-and-charging was a tactic he had brought back to his game.

“It would be nice to see more players doing it ’cause I think the mix of the different players and characters of those kind of players makes it cool and fun to watch,” Federer said. “Not that these unbelievable baseline rallies are not cool, but it is nice to see a guy at net and a guy trying to pass, a good net player. It's always been a fantastic thing, like Sampras and Agassi is one of those classics, or McEnroe and Borg. It was epic to watch those guys play against each other."

It's strange how the glaring omission of this type of play that used to be such a common thread in the professional game is viewed as something of an anomaly or greater. To me it speaks of a great sadness and an even greater sickness how the present is being manipulated and the past is being so quickly relegated to the dustbin. This business of every time a player reaches the top of the game he is being touted as the best ever is sheer malarky when in fact this version of the game is much inferior to that of the past. Even the equipment is an obvious giveaway. The players in the past made due with some 65 square inches of wooden real estate in their racquet heads where today's latest and the greatest have almost twice as much area of space age graphite. In a game that is largely being umpired now with electronic eyes is there anyone that is going to argue the benefits of larger equipment? Even Roger is illuminating this paradox…almost overnight he has "reinvented" his game back to his origins. All because of an additional 11% or 12% area in his racquet head.

Feliciano's backhand is a strength in the way that he is utilizing it against players that do not know how to respond to it. But as I saw on numerous occasions last night against Djokovic…when Feliciano needed to be aggressive on that side or when he needed to make a pass when Novak was coming to the net…he fell short. Woefully short. You are right too about the forehand of Feliciano…it doesn't cut the mustard. The whole thing about Feliciano is two things. Number one…he is left handed which creates a moment of indecision in every exchange…a precious moment. Number two…he is employing tactics that his opponents NEVER see. Between these two factors he starts each match…each point for that matter with his opponent somewhat off balance.

Feliciano's backhand does illustrate one very important aspect of the Djokovic game…he is somewhat vulnerable to balls that are spinning with backspin. He doesn't seem to be able to be assertive on these balls…particularly when they are played short and shorter into his court. Especially on the backhand side…he really struggle with the short sliced backhand. He inevitably drops his second hand and now he is playing one hand backhand with only one option…slicing in return. He doesn't look comfortable with this kind of ball and particularly on a faster and slicker court. This game has been engineered and tampered with so that it doesn't even resemble the original but the fundamentals do not change. Quite a paradox if you ask me…not that anyone is.

[tennis_chiro]

Feliciano is inspirational!!

I never really thought he had a chance, but he was only a few inches away from getting into a fifth set against Novak. But more than that, the way he put together a strategy and tactical plan with his weapons and utilizing attacking the net at every opportunity made me want to go out and play.

That slice backhand of his may not exactly be Roswallian, but it has more pace on it that anyone else I have seen out there right now and the way he moves through the ball as he hits it to make it an effective approach against the likes of Djokovic is just a thing of beauty.

You just don't see players working their way into the net as their approach shot floats deep into the corner. His backhand is not a liablility by any means. The problem is he doesn't have a forehand that can stand up toe to toe with the top players. But the rest is superior. Just a joy to watch.

don

And as for playing, ... then I remember that if I try those moves I won't be serving and volleying, I'll be serving and going to the emergency room!

[stroke]

stroke, for the last five years at the slams we've been saying Roger looks unstoppable. Only once in the last 22 slams has he come up with the goods. Five sets is a long haul. No matter how well he plays he may not be able to beat Djokovic. Djokovic is a little bit special. He may not have as an attractive game as Roger but it's a bulletproof game and equally as good.

You are right to play Roger's chances down. I am doing the same. If we all get off his back, he might just be light enough to win that one more elusive slam that he and the rest of us craves.

I agree. I feel Novak at his best beats Roger at his best, 3 out of 5 sets, at this point in their careers. We pretty much saw that at Wimbledon. But it is a tough task for Novak to keep that level going throughout a whole match vs Roger, particularly with the universal crowd support Roger gets. They like Novak too, just not the level of love Roger gets. That sometimes seem to bother Novak, but I do think Becker has really helped Novak here.

[stotty]

McEnroe a couple of times in his US Open commentary has called Rogers game the most beautiful ever. It is hard for me to see anyone other than Novak(at his sustained best, a la Wimbledon) beating him. Of course, we have seen this before, Rodger looking like only me he can, and not winning the tournament. At Wimbledon, Novaks relentless defense looked like it had actually discouraged Roger in that last set. The only other player that to me had actally ever got Roger discouraged out there(almost giving in a bit) was Nadal.

stroke, for the last five years at the slams we've been saying Roger looks unstoppable. Only once in the last 22 slams has he come up with the goods. Five sets is a long haul. No matter how well he plays he may not be able to beat Djokovic. Djokovic is a little bit special. He may not have as an attractive game as Roger but it's a bulletproof game and equally as good.

You are right to play Roger's chances down. I am doing the same. If we all get off his back, he might just be light enough to win that one more elusive slam that he and the rest of us craves.

[stroke]

McEnroe a couple of times in his US Open commentary has called Rogers game the most beautiful ever. It is hard for me to see anyone other than Novak(at his sustained best, a la Wimbledon) beating him. Of course, we have seen this before, Rodger looking like only me he can, and not winning the tournament. At Wimbledon, Novaks relentless defense looked like it had actually discouraged Roger in that last set. The only other player that to me had actally ever got Roger discouraged out there(almost giving in a bit) was Nadal.

[klacr]

That Murray-Anderson match was special. Perhaps more so because of Andy's inability to get the job done. Credit to Anderson. Court certainly favored him as Armstrong plays faster than Ashe.

Gasquet-Berdych supposed to be a day match. That turned into a night match. And it stunk.

I still have Federer and Lopez to root for though.


Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

The 2015 U. S. Open Quarterfinals…the Top Half

Novak Djokovic vs. Feliciano Lopez…At first glance this appears to be a gimme. A can't miss. But wait a second…Feliciano is playing a game that professional tennis players are not familiar with. The problem is that Feliciano has a gaping hole on the backhand side that Novak is going to looking to exploit. You see how Novak started the bleeding on Fafa Nadal…he was the first to get into his noggin to attack left hander's backhand. Feliciano however has taken down too very serious seeds in the last two rounds in straight sets. He is uncharted waters and he needs to take command early if he is to make a match of this. Novak's journey to this point has been rather uneventful…hopefully Feliciano can get the quick drop on him. Djokovic leads 5-0 in their head to head and there isn't any reason it won't be 6-0 when the final ball is played.

Jo-Wilfried Tsonga vs. Marin Cilic…Once again here is "The Sleeper" of the draw. Last year's champ. Marin Cilic has quietly made it through to the quarters again just as he did last year before he stunned a fatigued Roger Federer in the quarters. Marin started to steamroll on Jeremy Chardy and let's see if he can continue to bulldoze on the French contingent. Tsonga has likewise had a rather quiet time of it. His opposition has been virtually rolling over him. This is a huge match for Tsonga…if he can win it he has an opportunity to face off in the semi's. Cilic owns him 4-1 head to head…and he might just be in Tsonga's head a little bit. I don't think Jo-Wilfried is such a tight wrap by nature.

[stotty]

Even the commentatoe says that the potty breaks are getting longer and longer.

The extended potty breaks are working out that the players are merely irritating each other. They are counter productive these days. They aren't really going to the potty as we all know. More likely they are sitting on the loo doing a crossword. It's gamesmanship loophole that is starting to irritate everyone...even the players themselves.

The draw: http://www.usopen.org/en_US/scores/draws/ms/msdraw.pdf

The only result I was upset about yesterday was Richard Gasquet getting through. A good thing about it is Roger will sail through, the bad thing is there will be nothing to watch. He has nothing to hurt Roger with and openly admits he has little or no chance of winning. A snoozer...

Tsonga has crept quietly through the draw without losing a set so far. His match up with Cilic is the pick of the quarters to watch.

I watched the first two sets of Murray v Anderson last night. Murray just couldn't find the penetration off the ground. It just wasn't there. Anderson kept up his level and did a remarkably could job of pinning Murray back. I had a feeling it could happen by the way Anderson played Djokovic at Wimbledon. It's the same game plan for Anderson when you think about it. He must have thought if I can do it against Djokovic, then maybe I can take Murray. He did.

I have to say I am hoping for a Roger v Stan showdown and hope it comes about.

[don_budge]

Federer to the Fore! The Lone Ranger

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxsqiAE1AJI

Thanks for the cool response…Stotty. In it's entirety. Beating one is doable. Now Murray is gone. Gone, gone…gone.

Yes I think I might just know the book.

https://www.tennisplayer.net/article/music-videos/

I just love this video. It says everything that one needs to know about balance…and timing. Oh…the energy. It's perfect. Dancing with tennis balls. The music? Gone, gone…gone. It's like the theme song to the "Lone Ranger" from so many years ago. Here he comes…it's Roger Federer time. The theme music to The Lone Ranger is March of the Swiss Soldiers, the finale of Gioachino Rossini's William Tell Overture. How apropos?

In closing out the second set tie-breaker Federer had a set point and he muffed a backhand topspin drive volley. Shame…shame Roger. You know damn well that the only way to hit a ball in the air is with underspin. Well ok…unless you are Roger Federer. But he muffed it…into the net. A simply placed textbook backhand volley would have gotten the job done. John Isner won the next point on his serve to make 6-6. On the very next point after switching sides Federer takes the Isner bomb on his forehand and blasts it straight up the line for a winner and set point. On set point he serves and after a brief exchange he blasts a backhand up the line and catches half of it. Isner challenges but deep down inside he knew it was in. Vintage Federer…he's applying the pressure and maintaining it.

John Isner takes his toiletry bag and heads for the bathroom and keeps the Swiss Maestro waiting for an extended period of time. Even the commentatoe says that the potty breaks are getting longer and longer. The commentatoe only notices because he has empty air to fill. But typical human behavior on Isner's part…enough is never enough. I have written Isner off for this indiscretion. bottle wrote him off for another. That was extremely rude…and nobody is rude to Federer.

Here are the highlights of the match…

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PmpbxVn1umQ

Berdych falls lamely to Gasquet and Murray leaves bitching and moaning to Anderson. This is a game changer…the table is set. All Swiss semifinal? Djokovic and Cilic…The Sleeper once again? Naw…we'll see.

[klacr]

I liked her already, but after watching the way Simona Halep dealt with the pulled muscle in her leg in her match with Lisicki, she is my new favorite player, at least among the women. I don't think she was faking it and I wonder if she'll be able to walk tomorrow (or in her mixed match later today). At the beginning of the second set it looked like it was just a matter of time before she threw in the towel. Yeah, if I had to go into a foxhole with somebody, Simona would be a great choice. What a warrior! What a great attitude! There's a lot of room for growth in her game and she'll make tremendous progress with Darren Cahil helping guide her path, but you can't ask for a better competitive attitude on the court.

don

Can't do much better than Darren "Killer" Cahill in your corner.
I still have a VHS tape with his us open semi-final vs. Wilander back in 88. Serve and volley from the Aussie.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[tennis_chiro]

My new favorite player

I liked her already, but after watching the way Simona Halep dealt with the pulled muscle in her leg in her match with Lisicki, she is my new favorite player, at least among the women. I don't think she was faking it and I wonder if she'll be able to walk tomorrow (or in her mixed match later today). At the beginning of the second set it looked like it was just a matter of time before she threw in the towel. Yeah, if I had to go into a foxhole with somebody, Simona would be a great choice. What a warrior! What a great attitude! There's a lot of room for growth in her game and she'll make tremendous progress with Darren Cahil helping guide her path, but you can't ask for a better competitive attitude on the court.

don

[stotty]

You know there is an awful lot of air time that needs to be filled up and let's face it…there isn't a whole lot going on on the court. Commentatoes are forced to ad-lib and much of what comes out of the pie hole seems to be forced…contrived. Just making conversation to fill in the dead air.

I kind of came to this conclusion myself. Silence doesn't work well on radio. You have to come up with something even when there is nothing to talk about.

I have always liked Fabio Fognini ever since as he is a very stylish player straight out of the Italian mode…they tend to disappear in the heat of the battle. They seem to be a little fragile emotionally for the sport. They are lovers…not fighters. Fabio's rewards are always waiting for him back in the room…win or lose.

Against the late, great Rafa though he stuck around for once to see that the job was done. He got down quickly in two rather routine sets but rebounded to win the next three. His forehand was really remarkable with a number of short bounce down the lines that were just delivered into the forehand corner of Nadal like greased bullets. But the rest of his game was top notch too…particularly his return of serve and some timely net play. Rumor has it he plays a bit of doubles now and then. Just enough to keep Nadal a touch more off balanced. Fabio utilized rather well known tactics of Djokovic (and don_budge) of playing aggressively on the Nadal forehand to open up the weaker backhand. Once this tactical objective is accomplished it is take your pick once you have him on his heels. Take a look at the highlights of his match with Nadal…it's even better than sitting through the whole five sets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEicaPh-Q2I

Thanks for the highlights. I will watch them. What I liked most about Fabio is that he throws caution to the wind at any point in the match...whatever the score. Wreckless...yes. Foolish...yes. But it's fun to watch because he's the only one that does it. He is an exquisite timer of a ball as you have no doubt witnessed for yourself.

He's the son of a wealthy businessman and doesn't have too much to worry about...it shows.

Federer looks as elegant as usual but I wonder about his ability to gut it out in a five setter with the likes of Murray or Djokovic.

Yes this is my concern. Five sets is a haul. And were everything to come about, would he be able to get past Murray...and then Djokovic after that? Beating one seems doable; beating both is a hard act.

But it's tennis and absolutely anything can happen. That's why we watch. All three players could get knocked out in the next round.

You know who the book is too…don't you?:

Yes I think I might just know the book.

[klacr]

Agree with tennis_chiro's point on the bautist Agut stroke model. Looks easy, no wasted motion. Gave Djokovic a real headache in that 2nd set.

But how about Feliciano Lopez? Into the quarterfinals after a victory over Fognini. Lopez with a beautiful game. Will be interesting to see how Djokovic handles the unrelenting pressure of the Lopez net play. It's the only chance Lopez has. Djokovic will eat him alive from the baseline.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

Fabio "Fabulous" Fognini…and Roger Federer playing it by the book

Yes Batista has excellent strokes. Very efficient with no wastage in there. I cannot think what would have prompted McEnroe to say that.

I missed the Fognini game but heard it was sensational...one of the best games at the US Open for years in terms of shot making and winners. I just love to watch Fognini perhaps more than any other player. I like his cavalier attitude and swashbuckling style. If Fognini were an actor, he would be an Errol Flynn...

You know there is an awful lot of air time that needs to be filled up and let's face it…there isn't a whole lot going on on the court. Commentatoes are forced to ad-lib and much of what comes out of the pie hole seems to be forced…contrived. Just making conversation to fill in the dead air. Perhaps Johnny was referring to the lack of variety in what's his name. He's a forgettable player…his strokes are the standard issue and so is the tactical acumen. McEnroe for his part as a commentator is best in big matches when he is not forced to make small talk and can focus on the bigger moments. Most matches with Novak Djokovic in early rounds of Grand Slams are inevitable conclusions. This fellow's strokes were enough to take an inconsequential set from the Serbian Maestro…but no more.

As for Fabio "Fabulous" Fognini…he is a real swash buckler and he doesn't like to suffer any of what he perceives as foolishness. For this I am in his corner. He's a showman with attitude and I would never hold this against a tennis player either. I like the emotional responses as opposed to the robotic monotony that is so typical of today's players. After about a 15 year hiatus from the game I went to the professional tournament in Båstad about seven years ago as a guest of my tennis club…they gave me an award for my contributions to the club. A real honor for this immigrant from America. Fabio was the first professional tennis player that I had watched in person in many years. I couldn't get over how he could make that ball "talk" as my dear old tennis coach used to say. That is…to make it dip with overspin. I wasn't aware of the new technology in strings at that point. I have always liked Fabio Fognini ever since as he is a very stylish player straight out of the Italian mode…they tend to disappear in the heat of the battle. They seem to be a little fragile emotionally for the sport. They are lovers…not fighters. Fabio's rewards are always waiting for him back in the room…win or lose.

But on this night against Rafael he was particularly inspired and I am certain that he will be receiving "rewards" for years to come on account of this match. A "reasonable" person might just come to this conclusion as the very next match he goes down in straight sets to Feliciano Lopez. Here…check out the highlights. They are very stylish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWzdjC9Rm9c

Against the late, great Rafa though he stuck around for once to see that the job was done. He got down quickly in two rather routine sets but rebounded to win the next three. His forehand was really remarkable with a number of short bounce down the lines that were just delivered into the forehand corner of Nadal like greased bullets. But the rest of his game was top notch too…particularly his return of serve and some timely net play. Rumor has it he plays a bit of doubles now and then. Just enough to keep Nadal a touch more off balanced. Fabio utilized rather well known tactics of Djokovic (and don_budge) of playing aggressively on the Nadal forehand to open up the weaker backhand. Once this tactical objective is accomplished it is take your pick once you have him on his heels. Take a look at the highlights of his match with Nadal…it's even better than sitting through the whole five sets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEicaPh-Q2I

I have been watching all of this but have little to say on this matter. It is all about Roger Federer of course…and you can be certain that I have watched every bit as much of him as I can. Studying…preparing. Trying to read his very thoughts…tennis speaking only. I have enjoyed watching his last two opponents as well…Steve Darcis and Philip Koelshreiber. Two rather classic players in their own right…right out of the book…except with a noticeably lesser variety of shot. Federer looks as elegant as usual but I wonder about his ability to gut it out in a five setter with the likes of Murray or Djokovic. Even Berdych for that matter. Of course you can't even look past the big lug John Isner…lurking on deck.

But yeah…there is only one tennis "God" just as there is only one God in the Christian World. The Native Americans call him "The Creator". There is only one player with any real mojo in the locker room or any where else for that matter. He is the absolute "Maesto" of balance and energy to say nothing of tennis tactics and his ability to carry them out based on his fundamentally correct strokes…right down the ittiest bittiest of shots. Even though his net and approach game may have gathered a lot of rust over the years from non-use he has been able to bring it to the fore since he has switched racquets some couple of years ago. Do you ever wonder how many extra Slams he might have had if he had switched some ten years ago when he should have? Even four years ago when I appeared on the scene questioning his judgement in not using the proper equipment…or tactics as well. I am not taking any credit for these premonitions either because this is only standard knowledge in the world of tennis…it has been available for almost 100 years for anybody who dares to read the book. You know who the book is too…don't you?