Australian Open 2018

[stroke]

I saw Djokovic's matches and he looked great. I think the serve may be where he feels the elbow. But the cause to me is in his flexibility. I don't know why the forehand has always hurt me when I watched him hit it.

The newcomers are coming and it is not the one's we expected.

It's almost better to have less pressure as a junior...

I guess at this point we are all kind of just repeating our self, but I think Fed's inimitable perfect technique is what has enabled him to continue on(at the very top of the game) age wise past what anyone thought possible. Novak's forehand, like most players, does seem somewhat physically taxing. Roger, with that straight arm and perfect head position, looks totally relaxed, no strain. He is the Michael Jordon of tennis. I do not think we will see another, Jordon or Roger.

[stotty]

I think Kyle Edmund is a revelation. He's my countryman and I didn't see this coming. Like Zverez and Thiem, he, too, will now have to deal with expectation from now on. That's not easy. Even Roger had trouble with that one early on in his career.

Edmund versus Cilic is a match I am really looking forward too. If Cilic plays his best, Edmund won't match it, but if he doesn't, I think Edmund can win. Edmund is a typical northerner...honest and down to earth. Crucially, he believes in himself, and he has Murray, who is as shrewd as they come, to call on for advice and support.

[arturohernandez]

I saw Djokovic's matches and he looked great. I think the serve may be where he feels the elbow. But the cause to me is in his flexibility. I don't know why the forehand has always hurt me when I watched him hit it.

The newcomers are coming and it is not the one's we expected.

It's almost better to have less pressure as a junior...

[gzhpcu]

Federer's comeback was phenomenal. Up to now, only Nadal came close. Murray, Wawrinka and Djokovic won't make it I feel. It will be Federer versus the newcomers...

[stotty]

It will be unlucky if Novak has to have an operation that puts him out for another 6 months or so. I thought he made a really good account of himself in the tournament. His baseline game wasn't that far off considering the length of time he's had out of the game, and he was moving really well. His serve was an issue and I'd much rather he stuck with his full wind up. His old serve had become so dependable. I don't get how the abbreviated wind up helps the elbow?

If he can get healthy, it's all still there if you ask me.

[arturohernandez]

What about Dimitrov's serve. He imitated Fed but then he seems to pause too long. Fed just moves through this idiosyncracy smoothly.

Imitation is great until it is not.

In Dimitrov's case it leads to a muscled second serve that is unreliable leading to double faults.

Should we start the discussion on Junior serve training again?

[arturohernandez]

I swear I hadn't read this before this last post. Seems that doctors agree.

https://ausopen.com/articles/features/where-now-djokovic

[arturohernandez]

A bolder prediction. Djokovic is done. I don't see him coming back and ever reaching anything close to his former level.

The elbow is the straw that broke Joker's back.

I stuck my neck out...

[arturohernandez]

More bad luck for Nadal at the AO. Just too much of a grind for him even though the court is slower. Winning outside of Clay will just get harder for him moving forward.

[stotty]

That was a great performance from Cilic. I watched the first two sets. Nadal started superbly to go a set and a break up. Cilic then got a time violation, which only served to fire him up and help shed his nerves. He played brilliantly to close out the second set. Shame Nadal got injured. The fifth would have been interesting.

Roger still has work to do. All the remaining players are playing at the top of their game and all are capable. Let's hope we have some good five setters to watch in the last furlong.

[klacr]

Cilic takes out Nadal. Door opens wider for Federer. But don't underestimate an in-form Berdych. Federer knows the danger that the big Czech possesses. If he gets past the Berd man the chances of 20 become remarkably high.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[tennis_chiro]

Don_budge, you are only demeaning yourself with your comments. If your bias keeps you from recognizing the quality of that match, you should not upset yourself by watching Nadal's matches.

Great effort by both players. Unbelievable level from Cilic.

don

[don_budge]

He quits. The skunk quit. Congratulations anyways to Marin Cilic. Kyle Edmund versus Marin Cilic in the top half.

[don_budge]

Nadal is not going to finish. He is injured...or he is acting. He's playing it up. Give him an Academy Award. He is looking to make a sympathetic exit. The easy way out.

[don_budge]

Nadal is looking good so far over Cilic. His court positioning is way better than last year. He's not standing too far back to return and he is taking on second serves inside the baseline. That's a good sign. He is clearly more aggressive so far than last season.

Cilic's only chance here is to take the racket out of Nadal's hands.

The skunk of Majorrca takes a medical timeout when Cilic is getting the upper hand. It is Nadal who is taking the racquet out of Cilic's hands. The great John McEnroe is questioning the ethics of medical timeouts and bathroom breaks. All in the game of modern tennis. Big racquet, big egos...less talent.