2012 Wimbledon Championships...London, England

[stotty]

1 set each. Out of nowhere...Fed should never have won that set.

[stotty]

That bloody roof!

[johnyandell]

Well at least Andy and Ivan are starting from the same spot now, 0-4. Think this one was destiny for Roger.

[lobndropshot]

I miss rain delays...

What happend to the days when players had to finnish the match on the court that they started on? I may be alone but, I miss the Wimbledon I watched as a kid where a match could have been delayed for what seamed like days. I remember players holding on and stalling for the skys to open up; giving them a chance and giving them a fresh start.

[don_budge]

Federer...the Once and Future King. Part 1

My favorite book of all time is "Journey to the End of the Night" by Ferdinand Celine. Jim Morrison, the poet and songwriter who died in Paris in the early 70's liked it as well. He wrote a song called "The End of the Night" that he named after the book. Both the book and the song speak of the end of something. I guess all good things must come to an end. My wife came home from a horse show yesterday and the first thing that she talked about was how everyone in the crowd was so attached to their devices...their ipod's and their cell phones. Nobody gave a shit about the people around them. Even in the car with her son and his fiance...they were more interested in their little gizmo's than each other. Modern love and modern man...holding hands as they journey into the night.

Tennis has always had a metaphoric nature to me. I have always searched inside the game for clues as to the meaning of life and even lesser issues...for instance love means nothing. So forgive me if I get a bit philosophical, a bit whimsical here. I guess in a way it is nostalgia...as I have so often been accused of. Yesterday we witnessed a real classic of a tennis match. Roger Federer in his quest to be the world's number one player and to tie Pete Sampras' seven Wimbledon men's singles titles succeeded handily over Andy Murray. Murray was on a quest of his own and one for his nation...as Britain was seeking their first homegrown boy to take the crown in so many years. There never really was any doubt about the outcome right from start, even though Murray managed to win the first set...Federer is a man of destiny. Murray is not. Simple as that.

You could tell from the body language that Murray was very stressed compared to the relaxed and composed continence of Federer. Murray was breathing very hard at times and his footwork seemed to be a little slow and almost clumsy. Throughout the match Murray dumped first serve after first serve into the net which is an indication of a motion that is too fast...which is an indication that the player is anxious and stressed. Sure he managed himself out on the court and he had nothing to be ashamed of in his loss to Federer...but the fact of the matter is much of Murray's energy was being sapped right out of the top of his head as he reacted overly emotionally to little things that occurred during the match. Whereas our "Once and Future King" never gave his hand away...he never revealed what was on his mind. He was going about his business with a steely resolve. With the cunning of an old and wily wolf hunting down his prey. The difference with Murray this time was that he managed his emotions better...but the fact remains there is room for improvement and in order for him to lift that trophy...he is going to have to make that improvement. It is not enough to care. It is true passion that a man of destiny possesses...such as Roger Federer.

The match was a beautiful thing in its tactical brilliance. The third set was one of the best that I have ever seen played...it was just white light. It was a simple thing as I suggested to Federer in my post "Listen up...Roger Federer"...my imaginary chat with the Swiss Maestro. First of all...trade in that antique racquet. Well he didn't do it. No surprise there. He should though. If he does he could be a threat for a couple of more Slams. Maybe even the US Open later this year. As it is...this is perhaps the biggest reason of all to love him. His respect for the game. His resolve to maintain some integrity in the game that he loves. Secondly my fantasy chat had to do with the business of the slice backhand. Everyone was marveling at his usage of it yesterday. My question is...what took him so long? Why doesn’t he use it more? Slice is the antidote to the powerful two hander. It is the nullifier. The negator. The beauty and advantage of the one handed backhand is in its flexibility...its variety of shot capability. Federer has a beautiful one handed drive backhand but unfortunately by its nature and its physics it is probably going to be weaker than the better two handed backhands on the tour. Therefore he must tactically match his backhand with the stronger strokes by varying the spin, depth of shot, and the pace of shot. By doing so he keeps his opponents off balance in order to set up his knockout punch...which is more often than not, the forehand.

Tactically hitting the slice to the strongest two handed backhands is a good idea for a number of reasons. The crosscourt slice is very difficult to hit aggressively down the line and even if it is it is hit into the strength of the Federer game...that nasty, stinging forehand. The Federfore. By keeping the ball low and varying the depth it forces the opponent to hit up to Federer and since he can anticipate that it will be crosscourt he is going to eventually run around the backhand and paste a forehand into one corner or the other. He has the ability to hit forehands in either direction from anywhere on the court...often as far out of position as his backhand doubles alley...even beyond. Slicing the ball also gives Federer just a bit more time to recover for the next shot than when he drives the ball. Federer used the slice backhand to perfection against Andy Murray...he surgically took the stronger backhand of Murray out of the equation. Even when he sliced to the Murray forehand the same principles held true. It is more difficult to go up the line aggressively so more often than not the following shot is going to be to Federer's forehand or an awkward topspin safety shot up the line to the Federer backhand. Roger has some rather profound answers for either of these offerings.

In my imaginary coaching pep talk with the Fed Express I also emphasized the importance of making net play a functional part of his tactics. It seemed that Federer was going to the net a bit more yesterday and trying to rush Murray by taking him out of his comfort zone pace of play. I don’t know how many times Federer forced Murray into a position where the only shot that he could come up with was...a lob. Federer’s overhead was completely up to the task...I don’t think he missed one. The most important feature of Federer’s tactical use of his slice backhand is that it was a perfect complement to the rest of his strategy which is to serve tough and back it up with devastating forehands. It made a lot more sense too for Federer to employ the slice backhand return of serve as his opponent was never approaching the net on his serve. To get the ball back in play on the return of serve is rule number one in my book...although today it seems that players are required to try and hit winners off returns.

[bottle]

I'm glad that you decided to take on this subject-- right from the beginning of The Fortnight.

Personally, I don't think there's any substitute for spontaneous reaction to life whether it's your wife talking about IPods or you on Celine and slicing to the two-handers.

People are too long impressed by artificial structure when it comes to tennis. Aside from what occurs on a court, tennis best exists in its informal talk-- the most important reason to keep it up and not shy away from it and always to be looking for the next useful thing.

Go, Roger. I tell you, we Swiss have got to stick together.

[klacr]

Roger does it!

Yesterday before the match I posted on Twitter that Roger would win in 4 sets. I knew Murray had improved since his previous 3 GS finals. Plus, that home crowd was gonna give Andy all the support in the world.

Federer once again showed his genius and although Murray played well at times, Roger just had a better game and better shots when he needed to. Clutch, like great champions always seem to do. When Murray played that 20 min. long service game it was not a good sign. You could see Roger thinking, playing, managing, adjusting and tweaking his game. Although Murray tried to be aggressive, it just wasn't as natural for him as it was for Roger.

I'm sure Murray wil have many more chances to be in GS finals and hopefully win one, but it's gonna take some improvements. His backhand is excellent in a rally situation, but I'd love to see him go for it with that shot more often and not be content with just sending it back. His volleys are also an area where he can improve and I'm sure he will. He's too good not to get better.

But the better player won yesterday, as is usually the case. The technique, the footwork, the shot making ability...We can use all the superlatives we want to in discussing Roger's game, but let's just make it easy and say what all of us are already well aware of...he's great! Congrats Roger. could not happen to a better guy.

Sincerely,

Kyle LaCroix USPTA

[bman]

Federer's backhand has improved in the past year. This is why he is back to #1.

[don_budge]

Federer...the Once and Future King. Part 2

Federer's backhand has improved in the past year. This is why he is back to #1.

I agree bman...but only in the sense that Roger resorted to the tactics that he has used in the past. I would love to coach him to tactically dismantle Nadal with his backhand but that will be another post in another thread.


"Federer in the same respect may profit in this analysis...if I might be so bold to suggest. He does not employ the slice backhand as much as he might, or as much as he used to for that matter and he seems to prefer to go with the cross court topspin which unfortunately for him goes right into the teeth of his two toughest opponent's strengths currently. There were moments during his match against Djokovic when he used the slice quite effectively but he never seemed to stick with it on any consistent basis. Again, I don't so much believe that his technique is defective as his tactical frame of reference is deficient...and that being said he has made a rather substantial living exploiting two handed backhands. Over the years Roger has demonstrated his capability of hitting low and wide to the two hander forcing them to use one hand...then he has them."

The above quote from don_budge from post #39 titled “Considerable thought...leads to possibilities”. From the thread “2011 U. S. Open Tennis Championships” (page 9 in the forum).

Great timing on the G.O.A.T. thread Stotty. Federer's climb back to the #1 ranking in men's tennis makes it appropriate for that kind of discussion...for that kind of speculation. During the Wimbledon fortnight The Fed Express eclipsed a couple of key records and when you consider that he has spent a record 286 weeks at #1 in the men's singles ranking which surpasses Pete Sampras in that regard...you would think that he deserves some serious consideration. To think that he has tied the same Pete Sampras with seven Wimbledon singles titles is further matter to fuel such talk. Then when you consider that he now possesses a total of 17 Grand Slam Titles of the 24 finals that he has played in...of the total of 51 total grand slam tournaments he has competed. You certainly could make a case for Roger Federer as G.O.A.T.. The Greatest Tennis Player of All Time.

But there is just one small problem. This is not the same game being played as it was in earlier years, so we might want to qualify the greatest of all time statement with the words...in the modern era. If we do that we can certainly give him a nod. The Greatest...on paper and in our hearts as well. This guy has all of the credentials, all of the trophies and titles...yet he is still sort of a matter of fact speaker when it comes to himself...he doesn't go for the dancing in your face demonstrations when he has vanquished yet another contender for his throne. This guy is a class act. All the way up into his friend's box where his father, his mother and his wife and two young daughters sit and root for him. He's a throwback to another era...when sports meant something more than being paid a king's ransom. At least that is what we were led to believe. Whatever...this young man has been a class act his whole career. Keep in mind though...he is a human being. Just in case we learn that he is not so perfect in the future.

But for now he is our King...as he has been for so many weeks, so many years. He wears that crown with a dignity and honor that is representative of the title of "The Greatest Player of All Time". You see it wasn't so long ago that everyone was hopping on the Nadal bandwagon or the Djokovic bandwagon. Up and comers who are hot to trot. Grabbing up their share of titles and moolah. But they never could come up with the image. The unflappable look under any and all conditions. Just like in the finals of this years Wimbledon from the warmup to the awards ceremony. Steely eyes, steady breathing and an unflinchable attitude. Never a feather ruffled. No celebrating, no complaining right up until the handshake at the net. What a player...what a man. He is the definition of class in my book...grace under pressure.

Roger has all of the titles. He has all of the money. Over and above the material things...he possesses the intangibles. This guy is never injured. John McEnroe himself was even speculating that Roger's back discomfort early on in the tournament was some form of gamesmanship...he said that he could never recall Federer summoning the trainer to the court for an injury timeout. So much for his physical endurance...his weeks at the number one spot, his years on the tour and never pulling out of tournaments. Testimony to his flawless technique and his ability to move around the court with feline grace...it makes one recall another G.O.A.T. candidate and this one from the classic tennis era...Richard Gonzales.

http://www.inficad.com/~1stbooks/PG_.htm

Intangibles...what an interesting category to ponder about when considering a candidate for the title of the Greatest Player of All Time. Just take into consideration last years U.S. Open tournament. Remember how the Meteoric Djokovic cast that dagger to the Federer heart in the semifinals with that rocket out of nowhere return on match point. Remember how shaken and seemingly dismantled Roger appeared to be as he staggered through the rest of that match...his very heart broken by the New Kid on the block in front of the New York throng. I do. It was a sad sight...almost as if we were watching Elvis once more leaving the stadium. Journeying once more...into the End of the Night. Celine style. But he came back...with a vengeance. With the passion of a King possessed. He lived and loved to play another day. He followed through with a a royal flourish. He believed in himself and never lost faith. In the face of all that discouragement. He showed us what he is made of. To be or not to be. That is the question...isn't it? When it is all said and done. Intangibles.

It all culminated in his seventh Wimbledon triumph. He played some scintillating tennis as Stotty put it but what is more than that...he showed up. He put himself in position. Get in position, that is the mantra. He was in position so that when the dominoes started to fall he was there to capitalize. First it was the early exit of Nadal, insuring a final against Murray who lacks the passion to be king. Then it was the cold that took Djokovic out of his game...not that Federer would not of derailed him anyways, but it certainly looked easier than it should of been. Nevertheless...he was there. In position.

The Swiss Maestro put himself in position. He has been doing it for years. He is "The Once and Future King". He deserves that title and just perhaps he has earned himself another one...The G.O.A.T. of the modern era of tennis. Somehow I won't give him anything to surpass Richard Gonzales from back in the day...but that is not to say that I wouldn't pay for a ticket to see the two of them slug it out. Preferably...center court at Wimbledon.

"Great effort. The hardest thing to do in sports is the ability to stay on top. Roger has been able to do so by great play and durability." Pete Sampras on Roger Federer surpassing him for most weeks at the #1 position.

[stotty]

But for now he is our King...as he has been for so many weeks, so many years. He wears that crown with a dignity and honor that is representative of the title of "The Greatest Player of All Time".

So many would agree with you...no question...but my point has been missed in this GOAT business...which was:

If Nadal and Djokovic had been around at the start of Federer's career, what is the likelihood he would still have his 17 slams? I say very slim indeed. More likely the 34 slams they collectively hold would by now be evenly split between the three of them. That's why I can never subscribe to this GOAT business.