Interactive Forum May 2023: Lorenzo Musetti One Handed Backhand

[stroke]

I'd add that unlike some other purveyors of the singleton that I won't mention, Musetti can hit off the short hop under pressure and from inside the court. Lots of hand speed. I only wish he would do that more often instead of drifting back.

Very good point. That to me is what made Federer's maybe the best of all, maybe even better than Gasquet's and Stan. Feds was the only one that ever stood up and could defeat Nadal, solely because of that ability to consistently take the ball off the rise, which to do so vs the Nadal forehand, was the ultimate test.

[jimlosaltos]

Daniil Medvedev's new-found comfort on clay, demonstrated in his Rome title, sure didn't last long. Out in the first run to a qualifier, Thiago Seyboth Wild, 23 yo Brazilian, ranked 172 (re-checking , yes 172th in the world) in 5 laborious sets.

Only seen highlights but it appears he is applying the template for how to attack Medvedev and the "return from the back wall" cohort -- go wide, attack a lot, including going to the net. Said fast, sounds easy. Or rather, it looked easy when Alcaraz did it in Indian Wells, but awfully hard with the likes of Holger Rune, and Frances Tiafoe tried to do the same and failed.

Wild won 38 of 55 net points (69%), and 54% behind his second serve to 46% for Medy, and differential of 5 points out of the 7 margin to the upstart.

Wild also had 69 winners vs 77 UFEs, vs Medy's 45/48.

Proving absolutely nothing Wild hit exactly 666 ground strokes, or as Medvedev might now believe, "The Sign of the Devil"

[jimlosaltos]

Is last year's finalist, Casper Ruud, finally getting his A game back after a dismal start to this year? Straight vs Ymer but, yes he's a qualifier.

Meanwhile, 2021 WTA champ Barbora Krejč?kov?'s regression to the mean holds -- out in first round like Medy.

One of the big questions for me is whether Sasha Zverev, so badly injured in last year's semifinal vs Nadal, will find his A game after a full year of recovery. Wins in 3 vs Harris.

Holger Rune took 4 sets to dispatch of S&V retro player Eubanks.

Sinner, Alcaraz, Fognini all straight sets while Iga served up -- yes, her first bagel of the fortnight

[jimlosaltos]

Very good point. That to me is what made Federer's maybe the best of all, maybe even better than Gasquet's and Stan. Feds was the only one that ever stood up and could defeat Nadal, solely because of that ability to consistently take the ball off the rise, which to do so vs the Nadal forehand, was the ultimate test.

Reminds me of the critical point in the 2017 Australian Open final - Fed ending a lengthy rally by taking a big Rafa forehand right off the baseline, DTL for a winner (albeit a forehand).

But Fed's down the line backhand really came into its own vs Rafa only after he finally changed to the RJ97 racket -- and got acclimated to it -- winning 7 of their last 8 matches, including 2019 Wimbledon. The only loss in that final streak was the "Federer of Arabia" match, the Roland Garros 2019 semifinal in a sandstorm.

[klacr]

Fognini, playing like a FO contender he is certainly capable of playing like, is up 2 sets to none over FAA.

Not to take anything away Mussetti's gorgeous one-handed backhand forum...or Fabio Fognini's victory but...
From players and my coaching clients that are currently at Roland Garros...there is a stomach bug going around the locker room. FAA had it and mentioned it in the post match presser. Dusan Lajovic was unable to finish his match in the 1st round after retiring down 1-6, 1-4. Medvedev saw the trainer today mid-match was was complaining of fatigue.

Kyle LaCroix
USPTA, PTR
Delray Beach
SETS Consulting

[stroke]

Not to take anything away Mussetti's gorgeous one-handed backhand forum...or Fabio Fognini's victory but...
From players and my coaching clients that are currently at Roland Garros...there is a stomach bug going around the locker room. FAA had it and mentioned it in the post match presser. Dusan Lajovic was unable to finish his match in the 1st round after retiring down 1-6, 1-4. Medvedev saw the trainer today mid-match was was complaining of fatigue.

Kyle LaCroix
USPTA, PTR
Delray Beach
SETS Consulting

We all know Fabio is fools gold. He will never win this tournament, even though he clearly has the game.

[stotty]

Not to take anything away Mussetti's gorgeous one-handed backhand forum...or Fabio Fognini's victory but...
From players and my coaching clients that are currently at Roland Garros...there is a stomach bug going around the locker room. FAA had it and mentioned it in the post match presser. Dusan Lajovic was unable to finish his match in the 1st round after retiring down 1-6, 1-4. Medvedev saw the trainer today mid-match was was complaining of fatigue.

Kyle LaCroix
USPTA, PTR
Delray Beach
SETS Consulting

I see Meddy bit the dust, which is a bummer. Plenty of that stomach bug stuff going around at the moment. I had myself last week. Talk about ill...could barely stand up.

[jimlosaltos]

Thought this backhand by Musetti in his straight set win over Norrie might be of interest.

Set up: Musetti wasn't shy at all about taking his backhand at the lefty forehand. In this sequence, the Italian went at Cam's forehand 3 shots in a row. Rally ended on this backhand when Cam left his forehand short, cross court. Musetti ran in to take the ball high, on the rise, with his one-handed backhand. The racket-head speed was amazing. Just snaps over the top, I believe he closed the racket face to hit down into the court. If you're old enough to remember Stefan Edberg this is a bit like his "Swedish Meatball", a closed forehand put away on a short ball -- but with a one-handed backhand.

Four images in sequence from Tennis Channel, I believe it was. First 2 here, next 2 in reply.

1 of 4


2 of 4. Hit it shoulder high.
filedata/fetch?id=101005&d=1685819187&type=thumb

Images 3 to 4 in reply. {Sorry, the first image repeats here and I can't seem to delete it}

[jimlosaltos]

Next Blogs & Groups images of Musetti backhand here.

3 of 4 Look at his racket head facing down at say 45 deg, so Musetti rotated the racket face over the ball.
filedata/fetch?id=101009&d=1685819642&type=thumb

4 of 4 And follow through.

filedata/fetch?id=101011&d=1685819642&type=thumb

#

[stroke]

That one reminded me of Gasquet.

[jimlosaltos]

That one reminded me of Gasquet.

Me too. Only other player I can think of with that sheer racket head speed at impact. {Sadly, he's disappointing vs Carlos as I type. Oh, well )