2012 French Open Championships...Paris, France

[tennis_chiro]

Probably a little too rough on Murray

The 10's Balls articles were a great read. I just love reading your posts over at 10's Balls. I respect your views and have come to consider you as something of an authority on the game.

But I disagree about Murray. I'll rephrase that. I disagree with you if Murray is fully fit. Murray is a better player than Ferrer, even on the dirt. He has the touch and the skill to defeat Ferrer. I think Murray is 60/40 favorite if both players are fit. I even think Murray has a chance against Nadal.

I feel Murray and Djokovic can beat Nadal because their backhands are so good. Murray's backhand is even better than Djokovic's. I think Murray has the best two-hander I have ever seen...even better than Connors.

Perhaps you are right about Murray, ... IF HE IS FIT. If he is, he definitely has more game than Ferrer and probably even Djokovic and Nadal. I've just been so disappointed by his inability to deliver on expectations. I certainly got them up pretty high after his swing through the Asian circuit last fall.

It's hard to know how much of a problem his back is. If it is his back, then he's got a legitimate excuse for some of his losses since last fall. But if it's not really his back, then we are seeing some serious problem in how much "heart" he has for the confrontational existence he is immersed in at the top of the game. If he is dealing with a back problem all this time and still maintaining his ranking, that's pretty impressive. He didn't seem to be complaining about his back that much the first few tournaments with Lendl at his side.

If he plays aggressively like he did against Nadal at Tokyo, he is a different player. Yes different surfaces and conditions, but the mind set is so critical. His tendency is to fall back to playing steady, reactionary tennis. When he moves up to proactive tactics, he may be better than any of them.

It takes such a clear mind to play the way any of the top four (including Murray) play when they are firing on all cylinders. It just seems like he has a hard time getting to that place in his head.

don

[stotty]

Yeah, actually I am completely overwhelmed by trying to get ready to drive cross country with my machines and teach full-time in the Hamptons this summer. But I do have some thoughts on the French, and they did include Brian Baker. Check it out here:

http://www.10sballs.com/2012/05/29/djokovic-and-nadal-are-tied-but-still-over-1700-points-behind-federer/

I also had some comments on the NCAA's in Athens that wrapped up yesterday

http://www.10sballs.com/2012/05/29/springtime-in-paris-a-hot-time-in-athens/

don

The 10's Balls articles were a great read. I just love reading your posts over at 10's Balls. I respect your views and have come to consider you as something of an authority on the game.

But I disagree about Murray. I'll rephrase that. I disagree with you if Murray is fully fit. Murray is a better player than Ferrer, even on the dirt. He has the touch and the skill to defeat Ferrer. I think Murray is 60/40 favorite if both players are fit. I even think Murray has a chance against Nadal.

I feel Murray and Djokovic can beat Nadal because their backhands are so good. Murray's backhand is even better than Djokovic's. I think Murray has the best two-hander I have ever seen...even better than Connors.

[tennis_chiro]

I'm overwhelmed by packing!!!

The clay is still red for the time being. The tournament is still being played at Rolland Garros. The French championships have begun. ...

...
Anybody else? tennis_chiro? I hope you are not too busy packing.

Yeah, actually I am completely overwhelmed by trying to get ready to drive cross country with my machines and teach full-time in the Hamptons this summer. But I do have some thoughts on the French, and they did include Brian Baker. Check it out here:

http://www.10sballs.com/2012/05/29/djokovic-and-nadal-are-tied-but-still-over-1700-points-behind-federer/

I also had some comments on the NCAA's in Athens that wrapped up yesterday

http://www.10sballs.com/2012/05/29/springtime-in-paris-a-hot-time-in-athens/

don

[stotty]

Your wife is right. Another Nasty wouldn't go amiss...flawed, misbehaved characters always seem to fascinate the most.

I'll tell you what's missing from the game, don_budge: frailty. All we get is one high class rally after another with the top four...yes...that can be get boring. We need a player who self-indulges in his talent, like Nastase and Mac. We need players that fall apart and get nervous under pressure like they used to.

But back to reality. I think it's a Novak/Nadal final if everything pans out. It will the most fascinating encounter if it is. So much at stake.

[don_budge]

The clay is still red for the time being. The tournament is still being played at Rolland Garros. The French championships have begun. This is what tennis is all about...it is the competitive spirit of the game that transcends everything else about it.

Clay court tennis isn't what it used to be. That is just a statement of fact and not a lamentation or yearning for the past or yesteryear. The clay court game is nearly as fast as the grass court game as all of the surfaces tend to resemble each other in the style of play. The Big Four have dominated everything in the major tennis tournaments in the recent past and is there any reason to believe that this will change with this tournament? Djokovic, Federer, Nadal and Murray...The Big Four.

I am not sure there is any interest on this forum in the actual playing of the game as all attention appears to be consumed by discussions about technique. As for myself...my attention is being consumed by my own obsession with technique, only my fascination is focused on my golf game which I am resurrecting after a two year layoff. I have begun to rebuild my swing from scratch...then I am going to have to recreate my short game. This is a daunting task!

I see that the "amazing Brian Baker" made it through the first round beating a credible opponent. I witnessed Ryan Harrison pretending to be so upset on a couple of inconsequential points as he not so noisily exited Rolland Garros. Andy Roddick quietly departed also. John Isner pounded somebody into submission. Another American named Jesse Levine is into the second round. Sam Querry and James Blake have yet to play. Not much is anticipated from the Americans in Paris these days. That is a tradition of sorts.

There are other comings and goings of course...but in the early rounds they are of little interest except to those that love them or their families. The one thing that has drawn my attention is the style of play...the modern clay court game. Most of the professionals possess ATP forehands which sort of makes sense seeing as they are ATP professionals...and all subtlety has been cast to the wind. They pound everything in sight. Imagine Tiger Woods hitting driver on every single shot. Has tennis been dulled with the obsession of power..."shock and awe" tennis? With regards to technology...every new find comes with a curse.

My wife said to me last night as we were glancing at Eurosport..."none of these players seem to have any charisma, they are boring". She longs for an Ille Nastase or the likes of, I think. Someone who can caress the ball with deceptive, devious mischief...all of the while grinning sheepishly at their opponents futility. Something sexy. Somebody just a little "Nasty". I wanted to tell her that it was only early rounds and that the more charismatic players were still to come...but I wasn't so sure she isn't right. I also wanted to tell her that my fraternity brothers at Ohio University nicknamed me Nasty, after the original...but that was so many years ago. Obsolete. Keep in mind she does not know very much about tennis. Most of it is from what she has heard from me. But that being said...she is certainly entitled to her own opinions.

Anybody else? tennis_chiro? I hope you are not too busy packing.