Cincinnati, JohnY, tennis_chiro on Mardy Fish

[don_budge]

http://www.10sballs.com/author/don/

Nice article again tennis_chiro. Good consistent work. I like the way you use your insider information to develop your story with some history.

Regards Fish. He beat Gasquet in straight sets and I like the way he finished the match. No muss, no fuss.

I agree with your analysis of his game. He doesn't really have any deal breakers in his repertoire. If he does...it is his intelligent use of tactics which includes being a threat at the net.

Interesting match up now in the quarters. Nadal was pushed to the brink by his lefthanded countryman...Verdasco.

Something to share with us...John?

[johnyandell]

Uh, Verdasco just never looked like he actually believed he would/could win. He hit one amazing forehand after another--and then missed the same balls when he could have ended it. Rafa dominates Spanish tennis mentally.

[don_budge]

Match of the Day...potentially

Nadal vs. Fish...a weary Nadal against tennis_chiro's budding diamond in the rough. Could be a Thrilla in Cincinnata! Keep us posted on your take of this match...John. Any predictions tennis_chiro? If you're with Fish...I'm with you.

Federer vs. Berdych...good night, Irene.

Murray vs. Simon...time for an upset?

Djokovic vs. Monfils...any doubters?

The women? Anybody care...except, please Samantha...stick a sock in her mouth.

[tennis_chiro]

I got my picks in at 3AM

Nadal vs. Fish...a weary Nadal against tennis_chiro's budding diamond in the rough. Could be a Thrilla in Cincinnata! Keep us posted on your take of this match...John. Any predictions tennis_chiro? If you're with Fish...I'm with you.

Federer vs. Berdych...good night, Irene.

Murray vs. Simon...time for an upset?

Djokovic vs. Monfils...any doubters?

The women? Anybody care...except, please Samantha...stick a sock in her mouth.

I didn't get my picks in until 3AM this morning, but they are up at 10splayer:

http://www.10sballs.com/2011/08/19/the-men-are-rounding-into-form-for-the-us-open/

Tell me what you think,
don

[vrc10s]

Fish

Nice prediction on Fish!

[tennis_chiro]

He beat the odds! Serve and Volley lives!!

Nice prediction on Fish!

I didn't think he could do it with just 54% first serves, but he won 16 of his 71 points on 19 trips to the net. I actually thought he could have played better and stayed a little more away form Rafa's forehand, but Rafa was missing a lot of those today. But the skill that he has to sneak into the net as well as serve and volley made a huge difference. I hope some teaching pros out there notice! I think if he serves around 66%, he can go head to head with Rafa even when he is fresh and playing well, at least on the faster surfaces. The match tomorrow with Murray could be terrific. It was important for Mardy to get off the court in two sets and he did. He also had a bit of luck in being so correct and being so rewarded on his challenges at key points throughout the match.

That smile on his face at the end of the match was great. His joy was absolutely genuine! And it's good for tennis too!

don

[don_budge]

tennis_swami?

Good call on the Djokovic-Monfils match. Do I read that correctly, did you predict a three setter with Monfils winning the first?

We get a pass on the Federer-Berdych match.

It looked to me as if Federer would rather take the rest of the week off and rest. I think that I see more and more of this subtle tanking from the top players at times, Roger in particular...especially when it is time to lead up to the majors. They know what butters their bread.

I am hoping for a Fish-Djokovic final!!!

[don_budge]

The Fish Phenomenon and The Approach Game...

Regards the Fish Phenomenon...and his approach game:

While it is refreshing to see someone like Mardy Fish come to the net it looks to me that the Fish approach game is lacking in a classical sense...and lacking in imagination as well. He rarely plays underspin and he approaches far too often cross court which is a lower percentage play. Too often he takes balls in the middle of the court or short balls and plays them with either his two handed backhand or his forehand with topspin which tends to sit up thereby giving your opponent a good look at the passing shot...when approaching the net, variety is the spice of life. He should mix up the depth, pace and spin. Gonzales he is not!

It's actually amusing to listen to the commentary on LiveScoreHunter about his coming in to the net...as if it is a revolutionary new tactic. It reminds me of why I am so critical of the modern game...I almost found myself getting sucked in there, because of my love for the game. On the other hand, judging from the spirited comments, the tennis public finds "the Fish tactics" refreshing. Get ready for another round of engineering...remember the powers that be are only interested in market share when it comes to television. They couldn't care less about you or I. The profit motive rules! This time it will probably be a combination of the court surface and the balls...which will of course require some more monkeying around with the strings. jimlosaltos has already given us a heads up on the ball situation with the switch to the new Babolat ball at the French Open where Mats Wilander gave us the dirt on the scoop here in Europe...secret meetings! The fix is in! Ante up!

The genius' want to get it just right this time. I can almost hear the equipment manufacturers and the mad scientists with their string-a-lings drooling and licking their chops.

Berdych opted for the total tank, complete public capitulation...old school thought was that once he took to the court, he should of stayed out on the court short of life threatening conditions and let Djokovic have the pleasure of pounding him into next week. The sporting thing to do. Go home and lick your wounds after you have taken your medicine. It wouldn't of taken long. These guys are really getting pampered. Now they have electric fans and ice packs to keep them cool during the changeovers...and potty breaks too! What next...bikini babes with ostrich plumes?

Djokovic vs. Murray. Any doubters?

[tennis_chiro]

I met Gonzales; Gonzales Fish is Not

Regards the Fish Phenomenon...and his approach game:

While it is refreshing to see someone like Mardy Fish come to the net it looks to me that the Fish approach game is lacking in a classical sense...and lacking in imagination as well. He rarely plays underspin and he approaches far too often cross court which is a lower percentage play. Too often he takes balls in the middle of the court or short balls and plays them with either his two handed backhand or his forehand with topspin which tends to sit up thereby giving your opponent a good look at the passing shot...when approaching the net, variety is the spice of life. He should mix up the depth, pace and spin. Gonzales he is not!

It's actually amusing to listen to the commentary about his coming in to the net...as if it is a revolutionary new tactic. It reminds me of why I am so critical of the modern game...I almost found myself getting sucked in there, because of my love for the game. On the other hand, judging from the spirited comments, the tennis public finds "the Fish tactics" refreshing. Get ready for another round of engineering...remember the powers that be are only interested in market share when it comes to television. They couldn't care less about you or I. The profit motive rules! This time it will probably be a combination of the court surface and the balls...which will of course require some more monkeying around with the strings. jimlosaltos has already given us a heads up on the ball situation with the switch to the new Babolat ball at the French Open where Mats Wilander gave us the dirt on the scoop here in Europe...secret meetings! The fix is in! Ante up!

The genius' want to get it just right this time. I can almost hear the equipment manufacturers and the mad scientists with their string-a-lings drooling and licking their chops.

Berdych opted for the total tank, complete public capitulation...old school thought was that once he took to the court, he should of stayed out on the court short of life threatening conditions and let Djokovic have the pleasure of pounding him into next week. The sporting thing to do. Go home and lick your wounds after you have taken your medicine. It wouldn't of taken long. These guys are really getting pampered. Now they have electric fans and ice packs to keep them cool during the changeovers...and potty breaks too! What next...bikini babes with ostrich plumes?

Djokovic vs. Murray. Any doubters?

Clearly, Mardy Fish is not Gonzales. But in his ability to flow into the court he separates himself from almost any other player I see out there today. I agree he plays way too many crosscourt approaches. Murray made him pay the price for those. Against a lesser player, he can challenge someone to hit the target under pressure and win most of the points, but Murray is not a lesser player. He LOVES a target. Fish needed to respect the geometry of the game and force Murray to beat his volleying skills inspite of the geometry; then I think he has the advantage. My rule was you only hit the crosscourt approach when the opponent cheated to the down-the-line side and you could win with an outright winner to the crosscourt side without taking any additional risk (overhitting); or maybe occasionally just to keep him honest.

In addition, Mardy hit only 52% of his first serves (just 50% in the second set) and yet he was within a whisker of winning at least the second set. And he wasn't that far away in the first set either. He went through three rounds of this tournament without dropping his serve and then dropped it 3 times in the second set today. I don't think he was willing to be as patient with Murray and his forehand looks a little suspect in the extended rallies. (I'd love to have him for a couple of weeks of polishing on my "Twins").

Still, look at the result. He is playing right there with the best in the game; looking comfortable and equal to the task when it comes to rallying with them on the baseline; we haven't had an American that could do that since Agassi. When he gets the chance he can level out a 90 mph forehand or backhand with just enough topspin to keep it in the court. And he consistently drives the ball deep in the court. It may not be 108 like one groundstroke I saw hit today, but it is hit with grace and ease that produces true "pace". My definition of "pace" is deceptive speed. When he moves forward, he is no longer equal to the task; he far exceeds the standard. Yes, it would be nice if he had a true slice approach, but he is a two-handed player; and he certainly whips those short mid-court balls into oblivion better than any player from the days of serve-and-volley tennis (skills plus equipment).

The more I watch him, the more I think he can find a secure place in the top 8 for the next two years and actually be a legitimate threat to move into the top 5. It's a little crowded in that neighborhood right now, but with a little luck I think he has a chance. And that would be a good thing for the dying art of serve-and-volley tennis. He used it too much today, but when he makes it work, it's a thing of beauty and I think it might even inspire some kids to try and copy him. If he actually did well at the US Open, that would be even better.

I don't know who to take tomorrow. Djokovic seems to be a little more rested than earlier in the week and the excitement of the final may give him the enthusiasm and focus he has seemed to be missing. This has been a tough 2 weeks for him. For Murray to get him, he will have to serve better than 50% first serves. If Fish can break him 4 times in 2 sets, think what Djokovic will do to him. But it he plays well, Murray is one player who has shown he has the technical and tactical skills to prevail against Djokovic, even at his best. What he hasn't shown is the will to be adventurous and daring in the big moments and pull the maximum out of the fabulous skills he possesses. If he plays safe, Nole gets him in straights. If he brings all his weapons with him to the match, then it will become a question of who wants it more. Murray also sounds in the ATP interviews like he is not sure of his fitness in long matches just yet. So if it's a battle, but straight sets, I think Murray, but if it goes three, the edge swings to Djokovic.

I sure hope TennisTV puts the final up on VOD quickly because it's blocked out on TennisTV live and I have to teach tomorrow afternoon anyway.

don
PS. Just for the record, I like bikini babes with ostrich plumes (I assume to fan the players) Didn't they use models for ballgirls in Madrid?

[don_budge]

Mardy Fish...and modern tennis.

Another warrior couldn't finish the contest. Cincinnati Epidemic? I wonder what kind of taste that leaves in the mouth of the sponsors, ticket holders and other participants. Without knowing the extent of the injuries, to me it looks disgraceful.

You're right about a lot of things, tennis_chiro, and I hope that Mardy Fish is one of them. The more success this fellow has at the U. S. Open the better. Much has been said to discourage playing the all court game since I began posting here earlier in the year and this guy is proving all of that talk to be in error. Talk of the impossibility of playing the net is proving to be erroneous by Mr. Fish. Talk of the death of the all court game is proving to be premature.

His performance for the past few weeks just may give the all court game a shot in the arm, although it comes rather late in the game. I hope that American tennis players, and coaches in particular take notice and make some sort of move to get back to the roots. Talk of converting to the Spanish way of playing tennis and teaching the Spanish forehand as the fundamental stroke is a mistake, unless all of the hard courts in the USA are converted to red clay.

Tennis is a different game entirely when played moving aggressively forward to the net. The technique and the tactics must be learned in the beginning of the player's development. Instead of practicing solely hitting the ball back and forth from the baseline...it is time to start moving our players forward and backwards, in order to teach them to use the whole court. Underspin is part of the game and has been under emphasized and under utilized in the modern game of tennis. Underspin is used as an aggressive weapon more often the closer one gets to the net. Approach shots and the volleys have virtually disappeared from the professional tennis landscape. Perfect service motions and the accompanying strategy have been neglected. I wonder how much of this is due to engineering and how much is do to the coaching. I suspect that the coaching has had as much to do with it as well. Certainly the strong grips do not encourage this and the sole strategy of backcourt play discourages it.

Perhaps we are starting out children too young. Perhaps the reason the game has evolved into its' present form is because young children need to swing with strong grips and two handed backhands. Teaching 7 and 8 year olds to be professional tennis players is a mistake. At the age of 12 or 13 children begin to get an idea of who they are and what they want out of life...before this age they are pretty clueless. The Williams sisters' were not burnt out at a young age and their records and respective longevity speak for themselves. Mr. Fish apparently did not commit himself full time to tennis until he was 15 years old and he appears to be blossoming at the ripe old age of 29 years. Most of the kids that start to think competitively at the earlier age are burnt out by the age of 13 or 14 from the expectations and pressures that are leveraged upon them by their well meaning parents and coaches.

Playing all court tennis is a bit more complicated than just drilling forehands and backhands from the backcourt. It takes a lot more maturity and moxy to learn such a complicated game with all of the nuances and complexities. Learning the service motion alone takes a lot of maturity. The tennis player is all alone on the tennis court and when playing all court tennis you are faced with a myriad of decisions...and all of them must be made instantaneously, decisively and correctly. Not for the immature...or the faint of heart.

So many of the players these days look like robots. Going through their little rituals and the ticks and limited strategies that they have developed since they were children. Perhaps they were started at too young an age and were not allowed to develop or allowed to think for themselves. Stunted growth. Mardy does not look this way to me. He's out there thinking for himself. Marching to a different drummer. His own.

It is time to rethink and to retool the paradigm. And I am not just talking about tennis in the USA. It's time to cease marching in the wrong direction just because conventional wisdom says so or simply because the powers that be demand it. Revolution baby!!!