2017 Australian Open...ATP 2000...Melbourne, Australia

[klacr]

Rough match for my boy. Bit unfair these titans had to meet in the 3rd round. But life is unfair. Licking my wounds and prepping for next time.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

Federer serves it out only losing one single point in his last three service games. In his interview he mentioned that the court played "fast". This is the single most important factor in his chances on a match by match basis. Kei Nishikori next. Roger says "I am ready now...there is no turning back now". Ominous sign for Nishikori.

[seano]

What a thing of beauty, Federer takes the game to a completely different level. The artistry and the ease of his play is amazing to watch.

[don_budge]

Can he win this tournament? The oddsmakers certainly think he is in with a significant chance, and he sure looks the part. In full flight, which he is now vs Berdych, just inimitable.

Roger to serve it out at 5-4 in the third. Can he win it? The odds against him certainly went down after Novak Djokovic took a powder. But first he must serve this one out. First things...first.

[stroke]

Can he win this tournament? The oddsmakers certainly think he is in with a significant chance, and he sure looks the part. In full flight, which he is now vs Berdych, just inimitable.

[don_budge]

He serves it out maintaining incredible pressure on Berdych. Any questions?

[don_budge]

Super crucial game now Federer serving for the second set at 5-4. It's a test of nerves. A test he sorely needs after a six month layoff.

[don_budge]

Fed is looking like only he can right now. We will see.

Tsonga played great and really took advantage of Sock's love of giving up court to hit forehands. And Tsonga served great.

During the course of a five set match there are bound to ebbs and flows. So far Roger Federer has been all flow. A stream of white light...nearly flawless. He is up 4-3 in the second set and this is a critical junction for him. If he can manage to serve out this set he puts an enormous amount of pressure on Berdych.

He holds his serve at love for 5-3 and this is the hallmark of great champions. Holding serve and routinely serving out the set once you are up a break. Obviously this is going to be a huge factor in Roger's tournament...how he serves. If he can keep the pressure on his opponent...who knows? We will see...as stroke says.

[stroke]

Fed is looking like only he can right now. We will see.

Tsonga played great and really took advantage of Sock's love of giving up court to hit forehands. And Tsonga served great.

[klacr]

Daniel Evans...Blast from the Pasts

Here is a classic player. A dyed in the wool Harry Hopman model. It's great to see this type of player emerge. There should be one hundred more just like him. He has put down carbon copies of the modern player...big names both. Marin Cilic and Bernard Tomic. Neither having the reputation for being the toughest mental tools in the shed. Next up...another carbon copy. Another mental question mark. Evans looks to be fundamentally sound and plays the whole court. He is throwing his opponents off balance with his tactics. I like his chances.

A crafty old school slice and dice play. Great angles. Evans doing a great job up at net. Fun match.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[klacr]

I'm up early and already at work with the match on TV. What match you ask? Federer-Berdych. Need I say more?

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

Daniel Evans...Blast from the Pasts

Here is a classic player. A dyed in the wool Harry Hopman model. It's great to see this type of player emerge. There should be one hundred more just like him. He has put down carbon copies of the modern player...big names both. Marin Cilic and Bernard Tomic. Neither having the reputation for being the toughest mental tools in the shed. Next up...another carbon copy. Another mental question mark. Evans looks to be fundamentally sound and plays the whole court. He is throwing his opponents off balance with his tactics. I like his chances.

[don_budge]

He’s an attention whore, basically.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

So far he has been of little consequence except here and there from those looking for the next up and coming. His mental outlook is so bad it doesn't appear he can offset it with physical talent. I am not all that impressed with his physical presence either. He hasn't demonstrated anything resembling consistency over any extended period of time. So far he is nothing more than a "flash in the pan".

[don_budge]

Zverev vs Nadal next round. A lot of questions will be answered there. I, like McEnroe, think Sock is headed to top 10 this year and could really advance here. And of course the Raonic serve.

So much for Jack Sock. This might be some wishful thinking on The Great John McEnroe's part. Hyping American tennis is part of his role as a "commentator". There isn't much else to hype at the moment but there might be something coming down the pipe. It is all speculative at this point. Jack Sock has not surpassed expectations which is one thing that you look for in an up and coming contender.

Zverev has the type of game that could be effective against Nadal. Nadal is fading. Zverev is a rising star. Look for Zverev to put pressure on the Nadal forehand ala Djokovic to expose the backhand.

[stroke]

Kygios is that kid in high school who WANTS to brag about getting a good score without studying. He still thinks it’s cool to be seen to have unfulfilled potential. He plays up his non-dedication as much as Houston Texans football player JJ Watt plays up his dedication, and it’s both for the same ultimate reason: so that people will talk about them. Kyrgios WANTS people to gush over how talented he is, and how if he only tried a little harder he could be the greatest in the world. He’ll coast off his early victories over Federer and Nadal for the rest of his career, content to let people think that his upward trajectory in his early years necessarily guaranteed that he had the talent to keep moving upward. He wants to be able to hide behind the excuse that he ‘never loved the game’ for justification for never achieving anything over a few exciting wins. He’s an attention whore, basically.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

So spot on. And I still say Nick Diaz would be so unimpressed. He is so not too cool for school. If is sad really.