Shanghai Rolex Masters 2012...Shanghai, China

[stotty]

Murray...Djokovic and rope-a-dope

To me, in the end of the 3rd set, it looked like Murray is simply out of gas!
Looked like he just can't move anymore and was trying to finish the points as fast as possible.

Good point, and you're right. You will notice he also gets more tired when he's down in a match.

don_budge's observations on Murray are astute and mainly correct. In addition, though, Murray has a kind of bad tempered irritability about him. Long term coaching staff can start to get on his nerves and he becomes nasty towards them at times...usually when things are going wrong...he'll spew out sarcastic comments to his entourage sitting courtside. He doesn't suffer fools gladly (fools in eyes at least) and he's been extremely rude to many of his coaches in the past. Once he senses a coach has become of little value, that's when he starts chucking mud at them...it's very unpleasant...embarrassing...belittling...to watch. It's made a huge difference having Lendl...someone he cannot disrespect. He needed a coach who overshadows himself. You can't see Murray surpassing Lendl, so the level of respect is likely to continue I would hope.

Moving on to Djokovic...

Djokovic uses rope-a-dope tactics in my opinion. I mean in the way he feigns tiredness. This could be a psychological if he were to be on PEDs. He could be trying to tell the world he's human and that he gets tired in long rallies like everyone else. It could be a guilt reflex or a kind of cover-up. He feigns tiredness, then 30 seconds later plays the most gruelling rally imaginable without seeming tired at all...strange stuff if you ask me.

His rope-a-dope maybe guilt...or merely a psychological ploy to make his opponent think he is wearing him down....but why do that?...better to be like Borg and Federer and give nothing away....why would you want your opponent to see a weakness that isn't there.

I also learned in the Shanghai final that Federer loathes Murray.

[nikae]

To me, in the end of the 3rd set, it looked like Murray is simply out of gas!
Looked like he just can't move anymore and was trying to finish the points as fast as possible.

[don_budge]

Behavior...Federer vs. Murray vs. Djokovic

Murray is still a whiner though. Still clutches his leg, back or whatever he can blame when things sway heavily against him. Further slams won't be easily forthcoming if he can't shake that annoying, losers habit.

Federer rarely reveals what he is feeling inside. He really keeps that deadpan expression of a scowl on his face all of the time. One reason is that he is probably closer to feeling nothing than most of all of the tennis professionals which is an asset when playing tennis. Not too happy, not too sad. He doesn't cheer for himself, save for the occasional fist pump, and he doesn't chastise himself either. It helps to calm the nerves. It keeps him on an even plane where he performs at his best. He is more secure within himself.

Murray on the other hand will reveal himself at key times when he starts acting up as you point out. I think that he does it less and less as he gets more and more confidence. He didn't seem to do it all when he was winning this week which indicates that you are right...it is "a loser's annoying habit". His confidence seems to be on the upswing so I predict that we will see less and less of this kind of behavior. He will learn to disguise his feelings when he is insecure...which is important. Djokovic is watching his opponent like a cat watches a mouse and once he sees the vulnerability he will pounce on it or toy with it to death.

Djokovic on the other hand is not very revealing when he is down or low. But when he capitalizes big time on an opportunity at a key moment in a match he will play to the crowd and he is very successful at using this ploy to gain some momentum at such a moment...to swing the tide of momentum. Instead of playing on whining behavior he uses a big moment to buoy himself...and to turn the tide.

McEnroe and Nastase were actors. They would pull off their little schticks and crazy antics when the moment was ripe. Like great thespians and comedians, they had this great dramatic sense of timing...say what you will about their sense of ethics. They misled their opponents into thinking they were vulnerable when they were not and led them into a traplike snare time and time again. That was gamesmanship of course...and probably not very sportsmanlike, although highly entertaining in a sort of perverse way. Perhaps Murray should learn to be such an actor if for no other reason than to entertain us with his histrionics...or to lure his opponents into a snare. But I don't think that Coach Lendl would approve of that though.

[klacr]

I greet the day too with the forum at TennisPlayer.net. Sometimes I just love to spend the whole morning here on the keyboard. I look for the whole crew here and eagerly look forward to all of the comments and insights. Sometimes I wish that we all lived in the same neighborhood or at least in the same vicinity.

I imagine a party and being able to get together for a bit of nonsense, tennis and what have you. It's great fun as it is...besides we would probably start getting on each others nerves if we were too close! We coaches tend to be very opinionated don't we?

I think it's great too the Murray has sort of broken on through to the other side. I know how much you pull for him.

don_budge,

What a great post. My thoughts mirror yours exactly. If we all lived in the same neighborhood there would be lots of tennis happening, it may be a problem as it would afect our other jobs/careers, family life, other responsibilities and obligations. Personally, I wouldn't get anything done. I would just hang out with everyone and play until the lights shut off.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

The feeling is mutual...

Every morning I come downstairs to see what don_budge and bottle have been up to in the forum. It's a bit like collecting the morning post.

I greet the day too with the forum at TennisPlayer.net. Sometimes I just love to spend the whole morning here on the keyboard. I look for the whole crew here and eagerly look forward to all of the comments and insights. Sometimes I wish that we all lived in the same neighborhood or at least in the same vicinity.

I imagine a party and being able to get together for a bit of nonsense, tennis and what have you. It's great fun as it is...besides we would probably start getting on each others nerves if we were too close! We coaches tend to be very opinionated don't we?

I think it's great too the Murray has sort of broken on through to the other side. I know how much you pull for him.

[stotty]

Murray, stop whining just play!

Great write up from don_budge. Every morning I come downstairs to see what don_budge and bottle have been up to in the forum. It's a bit like collecting the morning post.

Good to see Murray hugging his baseline more and driving Djokovic further behind his. He's become much more offensive at times since acquiring Lendl. Murray can even demote Djokovic to retrieving at times. He's the only player on the tour that can do that. Murray was also happy to slip back well behind the baseline and simply blanket the court. Defensively he is fantastic. He can say..."okay beat me with the ball if you can"...his movement is superb (rather like Djokovic's) and Djokovic struggles to get the ball past him...suddenly Djokovic seems to be taking all the risks and getting frustrated. Who's shot tolerance is higher, Murray's or Djokovic's? I'm beginning to think it might be Murray's.

I think Murray mixes things up better than anyone (except Federer). He's the one player who can slow ball for a couple of shots then switch to belting it...that's handy. Andy maybe a dull bloke...no quarrel here...but his game isn't. He can mix things up...hits the cleanest ball you'll ever see... he's the smartest of the top four in my view...got a native intelligence for the game. I actually think Murray can improve from where he is now...scary thought. Murray lost but the future looks bright to me.

I think Murray is the closest/truest to his real self in interviews. The other three I find hard to get past their facade...they're a little banal. Better to be like Connors and Mac were...just come out and say you hate someone...no pretending....much more entertaining for us.

Murray is still a whiner though. Still clutches his leg, back or whatever he can blame when things sway heavily against him. Further slams won't be easily forthcoming if he can't shake that annoying, losers habit.

[don_budge]

Djokovic vs. Murray...The Wily Serb and He who hesitates is Lost.

That was one interesting match yesterday and it seemed to me that it all hinged on one shot. The final score was 7-5, 6-7, 6-3. See how the momentum swung...the pendulum of fortune. The difference between winning and losing is a fine line...in this case fate hung in the balance of one silly ball, one "lucky" shot and one poor tactical decision.

The shot was the between the legs return of a lob over his head by Djokovic and once again he played to the crowd to foster their support. Does this lightning bolt strike a chord with anyone but me? Remember that comet of a return of serve against Federer on match point in the semifinals of the 2011 U. S. Open? Talk about the importance of hanging in there and waiting for the match to come to you and then pouncing on the opportunity. You can discuss technique until you are blue in the face but how to account for turning the tide of fortune with one shot. Patience is a virtue...and in today's world there is so little virtue. Take note and hang in there. Life will come to you if you are committed.

Andy Murray was cruising along as if out for a Sunday stroll in the park like a teddy boy with his best girl. He won the first set and had arrived at a point in the match where the tournament was his for the taking. All that he had to do is serve out the set and not shoot himself in the foot...just hold serve one more time. It is amazing how the psychology changes when it is time to seal the deal. Murray seemed to be dominating his service games the way that a professional tennis player is expected to at that level of the game but when he got to the point where it was on his racquet he hesitated...and he who hesitates is lost. Particularly against such a worthy opponent who will capitalize on any little scrap that is dished his way.

At 5-4 and 15-15 in the second set the two adversaries engaged in the one point that turned the tables of the match. Murray had been having some pretty good success in changing the speed of the rallies to the Djokovic backhand with the use of underspin and a combination of power and guile. Once again he dictated play with this tactic only this time Djokovic persevered to the net, but it was Murray who executed a perfect lob over his head and the point should of been over. But Murray hesitated...he should of followed this lob over the head of his opponent to the net where he would of had a relatively easy volley to go up 30-15 two points away from victory but instead he chose to stay back and the wily Serb managed to subsequently neutralize the point and eventually end the point with the deftest and tenderest of backhand drop shots. Comets and lightning bolts come in variations of speed and spin in the game of tennis that run the gamut of the spectrum. It is all about the moment. What does the moment call for? Carpe diem.

Instead the score was 15-30...Djokovic had bought himself a reprieve and the serve of Murray got to be less and less decisive as the tie-break and match progressed and the bottom line is that Djokovic took home the "girl"...the victory. It looked to me that the serve of Murray has improved by tossing the ball more to the right and into the court...he seemed much more aggressive with it against Federer in the semifinals as well. Particularly on the second ball. He didn't seem to be missing nearly as much in the net with the first ball either. When you are that aggressive and winning your service game handily you can afford to be more aggressive and fatalistic on your return game which Murray demonstrated as well by taking 81% of the second serves at one point in the final inside of the baseline. How many times was Federer handcuffed by the aggressive return tactics by Murray in the semifinals?

But once Djokovic had bought himself that get out of jail free card...at 5-4 and 15-15 he began to whittle away at the confidence of Murray which has arguably been the chink in his armor to date. Little by little the seed of doubt grew and grew into a lump in his throat, until at the end Murray was psychologically defeated and as Stotty noticed...he seemed to throw in the towel a bit. He may have...but he made a real game of it. It is only that he hesitated at the moment of truth. He failed to execute the coup de gras. He had the bull by the horns but he failed to plunge his saber deep between the shoulder blades for the kill. You must have a matador's mentality when the time is ripe.

Well...great players learn from their mistakes and I am sure that Ivan Lendl has gently, or not so gently made this clear to Andy...that the match was there for him to take but you must follow through and never count your opponent out until it is signed, sealed and delivered. The horse must be securely in the barn and the money must be in the bank. It ain't over until the final point has been won. Not in tennis and not in life.

A significant win for Djokovic...the great players somehow find a way to win with their B games even when there opponents seem to have their A games. You must find a way to upset their rhythm...to take them out of their comfort zone. Derail a freight train that is coming straight at you. Only the wiliest...can pull off that trickiest of magic tricks. Sleight of hand...smoke and mirrors. Somehow, someway...whatever it takes.

[stotty]

Throw some more money at them?

How about the one who wins gets to take the girl home...

[don_budge]

Money?

Murray happy to let the match go in the end...very careless in the latter stages. Makes you wonder how much these lesser tournaments mean. They need to make these events mean more to the very top players somehow...any ideas?

Throw some more money at them?

[don_budge]

Djokovic...

Match to Djokovic. Close down to the wire. Hinged on one shot...the between the legs save at 5-4, 15-15 in the second set. Rattled the Murray cage.

Big improvements in Murray's deal. More maturity. More confidence. He has more potential to be developed. He is a contender now where I didn't think that he was before.

If this is the case this tough defeat should only make him stronger.

[stotty]

Murray happy to let the match go in the end...very careless in the latter stages. Makes you wonder how much these lesser tournaments mean. They need to make these events mean more to the very top players somehow...any ideas?

[klacr]

tennis getting its due

Murray and Djokovic are trending topics worldwide on Twitter right now. Love seeing so many folks paying respects to what is turning out to be a great match. 2-all in the 3rd set as I type this. Just as I had hoped for, a great match between two great players.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

Murray second serve returns...

http://www.livescorehunter.com/Livescores/Livescore-Tennis.html

Watching Murray dismantle the Serbian Djokovic in the first set...Murray has taken every single second serve return inside the baseline except one. He put the ball in play 81% of the time while returning very aggressively. He really took advantage of Federer's second serve also. He has been very fatalistic about the second serve return...stepping in and taking a swing at it without the slightest hint of fear or reluctance.

He also appears to be tossing the ball a bit more to the right on his serve which is enabling him to be much more aggressive and unleash all of his energy into the delivery. All in all...he looks to have gained some significant confidence in himself. What a boost that is...let's see if he can keep it up.

I will tell you another thing...every single time that I see Murray initiate using backspin on the backhand side he wins the point. Djokovic does not like this tactic as it takes him out of his rhythm...and it gives Murray an element of control of the point.

Uh oh...Murray serving for the match at 5-4 and 15-15...he uses underspin off the backhand but Djokovic comes to the net whereas Murray gets a lob over his head but Djokovic returns between his legs and eventually wins the point with a deft dropshot off of his backhand. Murray is just a bit rattled and stumbles losing his serve...while Djokovic holds to go up 5-6.

Funny enough Murray gets a lob over Djokovic's head in this game and Djokovic tries the between the legs again...he misses but Murray was following up his lob over the head and went to the net. This is the correct play. Whenever you get the lob over your opponents head you follow to the net...within reason. Murray holds for 6-6. Tie-break time.

12-11 for Djokovic...Murray starts to emote like the Murray of old after barely missing a forehand long. He has avoided this type of behavior so far, staying within himself. Of course, Djokovic serves out the set. Djokovic converts on his between the legs shot off of a Murray lob at 5-4 and 15-15 to win the set. Murray slightly lost his composure which is all that Djokovic needed to hang in there, buy some time and win the set. Third set to come...tournament hanging in the balance.

[klacr]

Take the Prince racquet for instance. It was as if I was the only one that cared when "they" were making the switch...when "they" stole the sport right out from under us. I yelled bloody murder...and got repaid in scorn. That's alright, I played my part...instead of Kramer vs. Kramer with Dustin Hoffman and Meryl Streep, it was Kramer vs. Prince Graphite. It was DeNiroesque and Pacinoesque all wrapped into one. Navarroesque one might say. I wish you guys could of seen it...one of you probably did. Ok...it was really stupid and set the tone for the rest of the futility and the nonsense. No wonder you can't appreciate Celine, Kyle. You are too level headed.

It's ok Don, we all have moments where the truth confronts us rather than us confronting the truth. The Federer thing is something I've suspected for years, and quite frankly has become alot more obvious. When he and Wawrinka are laughing, giggling and smiling while losing handily in the doubles of Davis Cup vs. USA. It's ok, He's still Roger and has done more in this game from a competition perspective than any other man before him.

But mentally I've had to prepare myself for when his career may end. Not sure when it will be and I truly hope that's never. But it is inevitable. Federer came into my life a few years after all my favorites were calling it quits or nearing the end of their careers (Edberg, Becker, Kraijcek, Muster) He came at a time when I had nearly given up on having a favorite.

Not sure where this post is going so I'll end it with the brutal truth...don_budge, I'm sorry to tell you, brace yourself...Easter bunny and the tooth fairy also do not exist.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

Santa Claus...

He's not been caring for a while now...at least not in the lesser events. He looked banal yesterday. He's not prepared to dig in anymore, that's what it is. He'll go through all the motions and so long as he meets little resistance he still looks the same old sublime player he was. It's a testament to the man that he can still beat the whole world bar the top 4 playing that way.

Geoff is right, it's all about the slams. You never know if he keeps pacing himself like this and the draw pans his way he might just nick another grand slam yet.

All three of you are right. It is only me that has suffered yet another letdown. I remember when I found out there wasn't a Santa Claus...I think that I was eighteen at the time.