Following the win over Jo-Wilfred Tsonga, Roger Federer moves to the world number three behind Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. Winning 6-3 6-7 6-3 in a tough three setter, the match was not as close as the score suggests. Overall I felt that Roger Federer was very dominate with his serve and forehand, allowing him to close and finish points at the net. Although Tsonga was able to pounce on Fed's second serve on occasion and produce winners of his own, Tsonga just didn't have enough firepower or mental fortitude to combat Fed.
However, there is much to be said about Fed's style of play in this match. The variety of his style of play threw Tsonga off in many ways, mainly because although Fed is able to rally behind the baseline he does not hesitate to come in behind approach shots. This gives Fed the edge because Tsonga is typically a player who likes to dominate from behind the baseline and come into the net on his own terms. Although Tsonga is good defensively during baseline rallies, Fed's net play takes away the time Tsonga needs to reply with a formidable shot; this forced Tsonga to go for an all-or-nothing pass which ultimately was not enough to garner the win.
Concerning 2012, I'd say definitely look out for Roger Federer. He is now coming into his own with his new style of play, coming over more backhands and looking to finish points early at the net. This allows him to be a more efficient player while still being aggressive and playing within himself. With 17 consecutive match wins as well as wins in Paris, Basil and now the WTF, Federer is gaining momentum going into the 2012 tennis season.
Highlights:
Monday, November 28, 2011
Saturday, November 26, 2011
On Court Coaching: Strings
Everyone is always looking for new ways to give themselves an advantage on the court. This is seen by professional players such as Mardy Fish and Andy Roddick, who lost weight to improve mobility; Novak Djokovic, who switched to a gluten-free diet; and Andy Murray who hired multiple coaches so he can excel on different surfaces. Although these are all important, the role of strings that players use have become a greater factor as the game of tennis evolves.
The use of polyester strings has definitely changed the way that tennis is played. Players are now moving from a more traditional serve and volley style to counterpunching behind the baseline. This is not intentional. Because the polyester strings give players more margin more error with increased spin, players are able to hit harder without having traditional technique. A modern example is, of course, Rafael Nadal who uses Babolat RPM Blast. This augments his heavy topspin on his forehand, giving him more margin for error even though he is hitting the ball harder than the players who played in the 70s and 80s. The latter players used more of a gut string which gives players more feel and finesse, skills conducive to serve-and-volley play. However, a combination of both of these strings is ideal, exemplified by legend Roger Federer who uses both poly and gut. This helps him with his all court game, characterized by initial baseline play and a finish at the net.
Although the type of strings can help a player's game, the tension at which the racquet is strung is also very crucial. The higher the tension the more control that a player has over the ball.This gives the player more accuracy and consistency. However, this comes at the cost of power which comes from lower tensions. The key to string tensions is finding a tension that is conducive to your game. For example, a counter puncher might want higher tensions so that he is able to control the ball as he moves around the baseline; however, a more aggressive player might want a lower tension so that he is able to gain more power and hit through the opponent.
This brings up another factor: conditions and the environment. The hotter the temperature is and the higher the altitude of the court, the more the ball flies through the air. This makes it harder to control the ball. Thus, a player might have to increase the tension he normally has in order to control the ball like he wants to. Conversely, if the environment is colder he might have to decrease the tension in order to get the same amount of sting that he normally does.
The use of polyester strings has definitely changed the way that tennis is played. Players are now moving from a more traditional serve and volley style to counterpunching behind the baseline. This is not intentional. Because the polyester strings give players more margin more error with increased spin, players are able to hit harder without having traditional technique. A modern example is, of course, Rafael Nadal who uses Babolat RPM Blast. This augments his heavy topspin on his forehand, giving him more margin for error even though he is hitting the ball harder than the players who played in the 70s and 80s. The latter players used more of a gut string which gives players more feel and finesse, skills conducive to serve-and-volley play. However, a combination of both of these strings is ideal, exemplified by legend Roger Federer who uses both poly and gut. This helps him with his all court game, characterized by initial baseline play and a finish at the net.
Although the type of strings can help a player's game, the tension at which the racquet is strung is also very crucial. The higher the tension the more control that a player has over the ball.This gives the player more accuracy and consistency. However, this comes at the cost of power which comes from lower tensions. The key to string tensions is finding a tension that is conducive to your game. For example, a counter puncher might want higher tensions so that he is able to control the ball as he moves around the baseline; however, a more aggressive player might want a lower tension so that he is able to gain more power and hit through the opponent.
This brings up another factor: conditions and the environment. The hotter the temperature is and the higher the altitude of the court, the more the ball flies through the air. This makes it harder to control the ball. Thus, a player might have to increase the tension he normally has in order to control the ball like he wants to. Conversely, if the environment is colder he might have to decrease the tension in order to get the same amount of sting that he normally does.
Monday, October 17, 2011
On Court Coaching: Andy Murray's Forehand
First of all, let me apologise for the long period without posting...Truth is, I forgot my email to the blog and I didn't remember it until now! Things happen right?
Now to the topic...
Okay, so there's been all of this skepticism about Andy Murray's forehand. People are saying that his forehand is weak and that he's not aggressive enough, doesn't take enough chances etc. However, there is much to say about his backhand in the sense that it is easily one of the best returns; furthermore, he can create angles, drive through the ball, loop or slice the ball, not forgetting that he can change the direction from cross court to down the line and crank a winner out of nowhere. So the question is, why all of this disparity? Let's analyze the two strokes:
Backhand:
Notice that even before the winner he always makes sure that his shoulders are turned and that his stances he uses are primarily closed stances. This is the opposite of the popular open stances that are taught in today's contemporary game. Another thing is that he takes the racquet back independently of his head, meaning that he keeps his head still while he turns his body instead of turning his head first and then turning his body. This allows for a solid follow through. Finally, the extension through the ball in addition to good core rotation allows him to hit the cross court winner as seen in the video (at about 10 seconds in).
Now for the forehand:
Alright...In this video Andy Murray is still dominating by hitting the forehand winner, so all is fair in this analysis. However, there are minute disparities that make a huge difference between the backhand and forehand shots. A major thing is his stance. An open stance is fine for being stretched off of the court or when moving to a shot, but five seconds into the video where he gets the ball that is directly to him that stances needs to be closed. This allows for a better and easier drive through the ball since your body is not prone to opening as it is with a open stance. Another thing is that he slightly opens his body before hitting the shot. This is evident at 25 seconds in the video. In this particular case he is clearly at the advantageous part of the point. However, this lack of footwork and the slight flaw in the forehand can produce errors under pressure. Also, the footwork issue can be a problem towards the center of the court where you usually try to end the point. This causes the slight self doubt that comes with Andy Murray's forehand.
Here's on of my favourite videos...Andy Murray practicing the forehand and backhand while recovering from a wrist injury:
Fyi, I do not own these videos...Just using them for example and for your entertainment
Now to the topic...
Okay, so there's been all of this skepticism about Andy Murray's forehand. People are saying that his forehand is weak and that he's not aggressive enough, doesn't take enough chances etc. However, there is much to say about his backhand in the sense that it is easily one of the best returns; furthermore, he can create angles, drive through the ball, loop or slice the ball, not forgetting that he can change the direction from cross court to down the line and crank a winner out of nowhere. So the question is, why all of this disparity? Let's analyze the two strokes:
Backhand:
Notice that even before the winner he always makes sure that his shoulders are turned and that his stances he uses are primarily closed stances. This is the opposite of the popular open stances that are taught in today's contemporary game. Another thing is that he takes the racquet back independently of his head, meaning that he keeps his head still while he turns his body instead of turning his head first and then turning his body. This allows for a solid follow through. Finally, the extension through the ball in addition to good core rotation allows him to hit the cross court winner as seen in the video (at about 10 seconds in).
Now for the forehand:
Alright...In this video Andy Murray is still dominating by hitting the forehand winner, so all is fair in this analysis. However, there are minute disparities that make a huge difference between the backhand and forehand shots. A major thing is his stance. An open stance is fine for being stretched off of the court or when moving to a shot, but five seconds into the video where he gets the ball that is directly to him that stances needs to be closed. This allows for a better and easier drive through the ball since your body is not prone to opening as it is with a open stance. Another thing is that he slightly opens his body before hitting the shot. This is evident at 25 seconds in the video. In this particular case he is clearly at the advantageous part of the point. However, this lack of footwork and the slight flaw in the forehand can produce errors under pressure. Also, the footwork issue can be a problem towards the center of the court where you usually try to end the point. This causes the slight self doubt that comes with Andy Murray's forehand.
Here's on of my favourite videos...Andy Murray practicing the forehand and backhand while recovering from a wrist injury:
Fyi, I do not own these videos...Just using them for example and for your entertainment
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
On Court Coaching: Tennis Footwork Drills
This is a video I found that really helps tennis players develop footwork and also understand court positioning...Complements of Fuzzy Yellow Balls!
Monday, August 15, 2011
On Court: Mardy Fish and Novak Djokovic
The Montreal tournament final featured Djokovic and Fish, surprisingly going to three sets. Not to say Fish isn't a formidable opponent but Djokovic has only lost one match all freaking year. The guy is on a hot streak and it seemed Fish wasn't about to be that guy to end the tirade.
To be honest the quality of the tennis played in the first set was pretty sub-par given what you would expect from Djokovic, two time major champion of the year. However, with all of the matches he's accrued throughout the year it's no wonder that he would be a little bit tired. After being on serve for the first four games, Djoker was able to take the upper hand and close out the set. Once again, he was definitely not at his best but did manage to win. What a champion.
The second set was able to be garnered by Mardy Fish, who more than doubled his first serve percentage compared to the first. That, and employing serve and volley tactics evoked a change in pace for the match when serving. Being aggressive on the serve return and coming in also proved to pay dividends, gaining a break and winning the second set 6-3.This time, Fish was able to exploit Djoker's slow start.
By the third set, it seemed that Djokovic was able to find his form and took advantage of the opportunities given to him, winning the match in three sets. Honestly, it was pretty interesting to watch because it's not a match that one encounters everyday. It was pretty much not a matter of playing tennis but a matter of winning and losing in the sense that there were many times where both players seemed to be struggling, whether it be on serve, tactically or moving. There was even a man in the crowd who started to choke on food, stalling play for five minutes. Awkward as hell to say the least. Even so, Djokovic is the first player since Pete Sampras to win the first tournament he's played after gaining the number one position.
Everyone on the men's and women's side is moving to Cincinnati for the prestigious 1000 event. Peep the early round coverage on Tennis Channel from 11am to 7 pm eastern. It's gonna be sickkk.
Follow A2A: twitter.com/AlleyToAlley
To be honest the quality of the tennis played in the first set was pretty sub-par given what you would expect from Djokovic, two time major champion of the year. However, with all of the matches he's accrued throughout the year it's no wonder that he would be a little bit tired. After being on serve for the first four games, Djoker was able to take the upper hand and close out the set. Once again, he was definitely not at his best but did manage to win. What a champion.
The second set was able to be garnered by Mardy Fish, who more than doubled his first serve percentage compared to the first. That, and employing serve and volley tactics evoked a change in pace for the match when serving. Being aggressive on the serve return and coming in also proved to pay dividends, gaining a break and winning the second set 6-3.This time, Fish was able to exploit Djoker's slow start.
By the third set, it seemed that Djokovic was able to find his form and took advantage of the opportunities given to him, winning the match in three sets. Honestly, it was pretty interesting to watch because it's not a match that one encounters everyday. It was pretty much not a matter of playing tennis but a matter of winning and losing in the sense that there were many times where both players seemed to be struggling, whether it be on serve, tactically or moving. There was even a man in the crowd who started to choke on food, stalling play for five minutes. Awkward as hell to say the least. Even so, Djokovic is the first player since Pete Sampras to win the first tournament he's played after gaining the number one position.
Everyone on the men's and women's side is moving to Cincinnati for the prestigious 1000 event. Peep the early round coverage on Tennis Channel from 11am to 7 pm eastern. It's gonna be sickkk.
Follow A2A: twitter.com/AlleyToAlley
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
On Court: Montreal and Toronto
This is the time where Canada gets the tennis spotlight with the top players on the men's side meeting in Montreal and the women meeting in Toronto. Yesterday and Monday saw some sick match ups and some unexpected but well earned defeats.
On the women's side Serena is experiencing a dominating comeback beating Bondarenko 0 and 3 in the first round and just now winning her second match 1 and 6. I feel like she's definitely a favourite for this tournament as well as the US Open which begins Aug 29.
However, on the men's side, there doesn't seem to be any particular favourite for the title. Number four seed Andy Murray was completely blown away by Kevin Anderson. The South African was too overpowering and expressed intent to come forward, preventing Murray from getting into any sort of rhythm. Although a good win for Anderson, it'll be interesting to see if he can maintain this excellent form. He has been known to have off days, but if he can execute the attacking style with margin he should be able to get deep.
Gilles Simon was also ousted early by Phillipp Petzschner, a doubles specialist. Watching the match was a delight as Petzschner was able to maneuver Simon around and open the court with his backhand slice, using the forehand to attack and close the net off. This also prevented Simon from getting into a rhythm. Although I did not see the match, Youzhny was also beaten early.
Tsonga was able to beat Fabio Fognini in straight sets by using his attacking style to end points quickly. Other wins included Del Potro, Gasquet and Verdasco.
Rafa is supposed to be playing Ivan Dogic tonight, followed by Mardy Fish and Feliciano Lopez...But, with the rain delays who knows.
Follow on Twitter.com/alleytoalley for more updates!
On the women's side Serena is experiencing a dominating comeback beating Bondarenko 0 and 3 in the first round and just now winning her second match 1 and 6. I feel like she's definitely a favourite for this tournament as well as the US Open which begins Aug 29.
However, on the men's side, there doesn't seem to be any particular favourite for the title. Number four seed Andy Murray was completely blown away by Kevin Anderson. The South African was too overpowering and expressed intent to come forward, preventing Murray from getting into any sort of rhythm. Although a good win for Anderson, it'll be interesting to see if he can maintain this excellent form. He has been known to have off days, but if he can execute the attacking style with margin he should be able to get deep.
Gilles Simon was also ousted early by Phillipp Petzschner, a doubles specialist. Watching the match was a delight as Petzschner was able to maneuver Simon around and open the court with his backhand slice, using the forehand to attack and close the net off. This also prevented Simon from getting into a rhythm. Although I did not see the match, Youzhny was also beaten early.
Tsonga was able to beat Fabio Fognini in straight sets by using his attacking style to end points quickly. Other wins included Del Potro, Gasquet and Verdasco.
Rafa is supposed to be playing Ivan Dogic tonight, followed by Mardy Fish and Feliciano Lopez...But, with the rain delays who knows.
Follow on Twitter.com/alleytoalley for more updates!
Friday, August 5, 2011
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