OT: Pro Tennis Thread

[JackB1]

The Swiss goes down again! Murray played one of the best matches I have ever seen him play and he put Federer in his place. It was nice to see Murray play aggressive for a change and not be such a counterpuncher all the time. I am not sure why he doesn't play this way all the time? He has the tools. Beating Federer and Nadal in the same tournament is quite an achievement. Hope he can keep rolling into the Open.

[10spro]

Murray's forehand has improved a ton. Big weapon against RF besides his kicking serve and always solid backhand. Yes, he's a threat for the US Open, he looks ready to bloom. After all beating both Nadal and RF back to back doesn't happen every day. I thought that the rain delays would help the Swiss, but Murray was ready to defend his title from the first point. RF didn't play badly, the Scott simply had more winners at key phases of the match.

[JackB1]

Murray's forehand has improved a ton. Big weapon against RF besides his kicking serve and always solid backhand. Yes, he's a threat for the US Open, he looks ready to bloom. After all beating both Nadal and RF back to back doesn't happen every day. I thought that the rain delays would help the Swiss, but Murray was ready to defend his title from the first point. RF didn't play badly, the Scott simply had more winners at key phases of the match.

No, Roger didn't play badly at all. I though he showed a lot of grit to win the semi vs. Joko.

[rhymes450]

Great display by Murray. He's picked up 5 Masters Series titles on hard in the last 2 years (I'm pretty sure that's the best record of any player on the surface in that period). He's also been to the two hardcourt slam finals. It's curious how hard courts seem to favour flat counterhitting from naturally defensive players such as Murray and Simon and these players seem to do far worse on slower surfaces like clay. Murray is much better now at dictating with the forehand (Corretja's influence is probably relevant). I was also really impressed with how he served his way out of trouble in the last game of the final, with 3 consecutive first serves of 220+ kph from break point down. That's the stuff of champions. I guess the dilemma for him is when to take the ball on and when to rely on counter-attacking. When he loses (the matches against Fed in New York 08 and AO 2010, Verdasco AO 09 and Cilic New York 09), people inevitably say he's too defensive but in practice I'd imagine it's a very tough mix to get right. Anyway, round 1 to Murray in the race for Flushing Meadows. On to Cincinnati. I've always had the impression that the courts in Cincinnati and Flushing Meadows are faster than in Toronto. If anyone has any info. on that, I'd be interested.

[10spro]

On to Cincinnati. I've always had the impression that the courts in Cincinnati and Flushing Meadows are faster than in Toronto. If anyone has any info. on that, I'd be interested.

Your eyes are not lying. Don't have the info handy but I did read somewhere that the courts are the quickest for the hard surface season, edging ahead of Montreal. They add less sand to the top coating, making the surface a bit faster. So this should favor Murray with all his confidence.

[rhymes450]

On to Cincinnati. I've always had the impression that the courts in Cincinnati and Flushing Meadows are faster than in Toronto. If anyone has any info. on that, I'd be interested.

Your eyes are not lying. Don't have the info handy but I did read somewhere that the courts are the quickest for the hard surface season, edging ahead of Montreal. They add less sand to the top coating, making the surface a bit faster. So this should favor Murray with all his confidence.

Thanks for that. I think in general terms it's a case of the faster the better for Murray. Of course that could also be said of other players with the capacity to hit though his defence, like say Cilic last year. Talking of Cilic, he lost last week to Troiki and is already a first-round loser in Cincinnati. Wonder what's happened to him. Since Australia, he's done nothing as far as I can make out.

[wco81]

Why did ESPN called this the US Open Series from Toronto?

That makes no sense, eh?

[10spro]

Why did ESPN called this the US Open Series from Toronto?

That makes no sense, eh?

Er, you'll have to ask that question to the folks of ESPN, as the Canadian Open was broadcasted by CBC.

[rhymes450]

Why did ESPN called this the US Open Series from Toronto?

That makes no sense, eh?

Wikipedia (who else was it going to be?) offers an explanation. Actually seems to be pretty significant in terms of possible prize money.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/US_Open_Series

[10spro]

I used to do this to my doubles partner in my University years.

[rhymes450]

Ouch...How many doubles partners did you go through?

Reminds me of a club doubles match I played as a kid against this guy who held the raquet with a frying pan grip and hit his first serve at well over 100 mph. The ball would fly from his raquet and adopt a horizontal trajectory until it invariably hit the wire fencing at the other end of the court (approximately 0% of first serves in). This was the ritualistic prelude to a 10-mph 2nd serve that took the form of a dinked blobby lob that he almost never missed. All proceeded serenely until the back of his partner's head (he was probably half asleep at the net in the knowledge that no tennis would be played until the 2nd serve was hit) interrupted the path of the 1st serve. Getting hit in doubles is pretty common but that was the 1st and last time I saw somebody knocked unconscious. He was probably only out for less than a minute and actually finished the match but it was a bit dramatic for a while.

I've great respect for Fed's technique and accuracy but I wouldn't be totally at ease as the human prop for that particular trick. "Don't move" is right!!

[10spro]

Ouch...How many doubles partners did you go through?

Reminds me of a club doubles match I played as a kid against this guy who held the raquet with a frying pan grip and hit his first serve at well over 100 mph. The ball would fly from his raquet and adopt a horizontal trajectory until it invariably hit the wire fencing at the other end of the court (approximately 0% of first serves in). This was the ritualistic prelude to a 10-mph 2nd serve that took the form of a dinked blobby lob that he almost never missed. All proceeded serenely until the back of his partner's head (he was probably half asleep at the net in the knowledge that no tennis would be played until the 2nd serve was hit) interrupted the path of the 1st serve. Getting hit in doubles is pretty common but that was the 1st and last time I saw somebody knocked unconscious. He was probably only out for less than a minute and actually finished the match but it was a bit dramatic for a while.

I've great respect for Fed's technique and accuracy but I wouldn't be totally at ease as the human prop for that particular trick. "Don't move" is right!!

Well rhymes, since I missed a few I went on to concentrate on singles. Yeah, I do recall being hit in the back of my head during a doubles match which knocked me almost unconscious. My partner had a boomer of a serve and he blamed it on me as we were supposed to be playing the Australian formation for that particular point. Ah those days, it's all about good chemistry in the doubles game.

[rhymes450]

That Australian formation has its pros and cons. That Fed trick shot also reminded me of this ad, which ran on Spanish TV. It probably belongs in the "Funny Commercial" thread (and for all I know it could be there already) but the fact that it features Nadal (and Pau Gasol) just about qualifies it for here. The audio is in Spanish but the visuals alone capture quite a bit of the humour.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nX1Iw5SzUc

[rhymes450]

Great QF line-up for Cincinnati.

Roddick finally gets to play the match against Djoko that he should have played at Wimbledon. Roddick looked very sluggish against Stahosvky (crap spelling...I know...) but he seems to have got things together.

Nadal was outplayed for long spells against Benneteau and had to save a match point. Things won´t get any easier against Baghdatis, who I think has a game that matches up very well to Nadal on this surface. OTOH, Nadal is usually very good after surviving a war.

The Fed-Davydenko match-up might come a bit soon for the Russian after his injury.

When I extoll the virtues of a player, it usually proves to be the kiss of death and the signal for them to enter into a prolonged slump prior to announcing their retirement. Mardy Fish seems to be impervious to my praise thus far so I'm going to give him a fighting chance against Murray, who looked jaded yesterday. Fish has beaten him the last two times, though admittedly, it was during Murray's post-Melbourne hangover.

[10spro]

Nadal was outplayed for long spells against Benneteau and had to save a match point. Things won´t get any easier against Baghdatis, who I thinks has a game that matches up very well to Nadal on this surface. OTOH, Nadal is usually very good after surviving a war.

The court looked too fast for him for long stretches. Too bad Benneteau run out of gas in the third but in the end the Spaniard's never say die attitude carried him on.

[JackB1]

Ouch...How many doubles partners did you go through?

Reminds me of a club doubles match I played as a kid against this guy who held the raquet with a frying pan grip and hit his first serve at well over 100 mph. The ball would fly from his raquet and adopt a horizontal trajectory until it invariably hit the wire fencing at the other end of the court (approximately 0% of first serves in). This was the ritualistic prelude to a 10-mph 2nd serve that took the form of a dinked blobby lob that he almost never missed. All proceeded serenely until the back of his partner's head (he was probably half asleep at the net in the knowledge that no tennis would be played until the 2nd serve was hit) interrupted the path of the 1st serve. Getting hit in doubles is pretty common but that was the 1st and last time I saw somebody knocked unconscious. He was probably only out for less than a minute and actually finished the match but it was a bit dramatic for a while.

I've great respect for Fed's technique and accuracy but I wouldn't be totally at ease as the human prop for that particular trick. "Don't move" is right!!

Federer wouldn't admit he really did that stunt. All he said was "it was shot in one take". I am sure he hit the ball slightly over his head and then they yanked the can off the guys hed with a piece of fishing line or something and added the sound effect in. Federer could get the ball in a "window" about 2'x2' above the guys head, but I am not so sure he would risk hurting someone by hitting a can like that.

[JackB1]

That Australian formation has its pros and cons. That Fed trick shot also reminded me of this ad, which ran on Spanish TV. It probably belongs in the "Funny Commercial" thread (and for all I know it could be there already) but the fact that it features Nadal (and Pau Gasol) just about qualifies it for here. The audio is in Spanish but the visuals alone capture quite a bit of the humour.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nX1Iw5SzUc

Isn't the "Australian" when you move and poach the crosscourt shot after the serve is hit? If that's true, it's not really a "formation", but a movement AFTER the serve.....correct?

I play 3.5-4.0 level doubles and whenever I try to add "signals" for different serving strategies, it always seems to complicate things. I notice about 90% of the teams in my doubles league don't use signals and start out in the 1up/1back formation. I would think the "I" formation would be better because you are already in the middle and can go either way easier.

[rhymes450]

Nadal was outplayed for long spells against Benneteau and had to save a match point. Things won´t get any easier against Baghdatis, who I thinks has a game that matches up very well to Nadal on this surface. OTOH, Nadal is usually very good after surviving a war.

The court looked too fast for him for long stretches. Too bad Benneteau run out of gas in the third but in the end the Spaniard's never say die attitude carried him on.

Totally agree. Nadal seemed very uncomfortable with the speed of the court. He said after the match that he was happy enough with his forehand but that his backhand was off. When he resorts to slicing it a lot, I think it's a sign that he's not on top of his game.

[rhymes450]

That Australian formation has its pros and cons. That Fed trick shot also reminded me of this ad, which ran on Spanish TV. It probably belongs in the "Funny Commercial" thread (and for all I know it could be there already) but the fact that it features Nadal (and Pau Gasol) just about qualifies it for here. The audio is in Spanish but the visuals alone capture quite a bit of the humour.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nX1Iw5SzUc

Isn't the "Australian" when you move and poach the crosscourt shot after the serve is hit? If that's true, it's not really a "formation", but a movement AFTER the serve.....correct?

I play 3.5-4.0 level doubles and whenever I try to add "signals" for different serving strategies, it always seems to complicate things. I notice about 90% of the teams in my doubles league don't use signals and start out in the 1up/1back formation. I would think the "I" formation would be better because you are already in the middle and can go either way easier.

Actually, I'm not sure. Could be my mistake. I presumed 10s was referring to what I know as the tandem formation, where the guy at the net is on the same side as the server, "forcing" the returner to go down the line rather than cross-court to avoid him. In the club matches I play in Madrid, there are no doubles matches (not even in the Veterans League) and people rarely "get together" for a doubles. I usually only play a bit of doubles on holiday in Ireland and people tend to play it pretty straight, with the guy at the net just cutting across to intercept weak or badly placed returns.

On the question of the Fed trick shot, I think you might be right.

[10spro]

That Australian formation has its pros and cons. That Fed trick shot also reminded me of this ad, which ran on Spanish TV. It probably belongs in the "Funny Commercial" thread (and for all I know it could be there already) but the fact that it features Nadal (and Pau Gasol) just about qualifies it for here. The audio is in Spanish but the visuals alone capture quite a bit of the humour.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_nX1Iw5SzUc

Isn't the "Australian" when you move and poach the crosscourt shot after the serve is hit? If that's true, it's not really a "formation", but a movement AFTER the serve.....correct?

I play 3.5-4.0 level doubles and whenever I try to add "signals" for different serving strategies, it always seems to complicate things. I notice about 90% of the teams in my doubles league don't use signals and start out in the 1up/1back formation. I would think the "I" formation would be better because you are already in the middle and can go either way easier.

Actually, I'm not sure. Could be my mistake. I presumed 10s was referring to what I know as the tandem formation, where the guy at the net is on the same side as the server, "forcing" the returner to go down the line rather than cross-court to avoid him. In the club matches I play in Madrid, there are no doubles matches (not even in the Veterans League) and people rarely "get together" for a doubles. I usually only play a bit of doubles on holiday in Ireland and people tend to play it pretty straight, with the guy at the net just cutting across to intercept weak or badly placed returns.On the question of the Fed trick shot, I think you might be right.

Well the Aussie formation is a strategic formation, and the person at the net stays at the same side of the court as the server. This is to cut off the angle and make the opponent go for the more difficult down the line shot mostly used for second serves. When I got whacked in the head, we were playing the I-formation. Basically it is a poaching formation that heavily pressures the service return. But in the I-Formation the server's partner does not hide behind the receiver's partner to use him as a block and blind. Instead you position yourself in the center and that's how I got hit by my partner in one match with a 167 mm fastball.

[rhymes450]

Just checked and the Aussie and tandem formations are in fact the same thing:

http://www.tennischannel.com/columnists/62606.aspx

[rhymes450]

Great credit due to Fish. He got dealt a bad hand having to come out and serve to save the first set after the rain break and played badly for a few games after that. Roddick will be desperately disppointed not to have served out the match at 5-3 in the 2nd and by the fact that his game completely fell apart in the 3rd. Second time in two days that he´s failed to serve out the match at the first attempt. Against Djoko, he got lucky but Mardy made him pay a very high price.

Fed looked brilliantly severe against Bagdhatis. He's pretty near his best as far as I can see.

[10spro]

RF looked very sharp against Baghdatis who's pretty quick, and as good as Fish is playing the Swiss should take the title today.

Sad that my buddy Del Potro is not able to defend his US title due to his wrist injury.

[rhymes450]

Sad that my buddy Del Potro is not able to defend his US title due to his wrist injury.

He´s been a big loss to the game this year. He was all set to pose a huge challenge to the supremacy of Fed and Rafa. If he can recover physically, I´d back him to get back to where he was and win more big titles, both because of his game and the champion´s mentality he showed before his injury.

So Fed bangs his fist on the table and lets the world know that he´s far from finished. Very good fortnight for him. Fair dues to Fish. He looks in great shape. Sport hacks are happy too with all the headline pun opportunities afforded by his surname. So far, I´ve seen:

Fish hauls Roddick in.
Fish nets Roddick win.

Previous Mardy Fish puns I´ve seen would have enabled:

Fish reels in Roddick.
Roddick lets Fish off the hook.

Anyway, we wait with baited breath to see what he can do at Flushing Meadows.

[rhymes450]

Draws for the US Open are out:

http://www.usopen.org/en_US/scores/draw ... omo=subnav