BNP Paribas Masters 2012...Paris, France

[don_budge]

Gay Paris. Home of the happy hour...that special time after work when everyone goes out to play and make merry with somebody else's partner. They don't call it "cheating" or even bending the rules. It's acceptable behavior...especially if you can afford to do it.

Roger Federer pulled out because of some "niggles". Did he really say that? He rarely pulls out of tournaments...if ever. Something new from the Fed...I think some of the talk here on the forum is right. These events matter less and less to him now. He is after big game...London is just around the corner.

Novak Djokovic may of picked up on Federer's strategic exit and beat a hasty retreat of his own. After pounding Sam Querry at 6-0 in the first set he apparently figured it was time to call it a week and rest up for London too. Novak lost two years ago to one of France's own in Michael Llodra. Llodra comes to play in Paris when the big guns are thinking forwards to London. Llodra took out Juan Del Potro this year...another big gun planning ahead.

Speaking of big guns looking forward to London...Great Britain's own Andy Murray managed to find a way to lose to a guy by the name of Jarzy Janowicz from Poland. I was just in Poland last weekend...to pick up Bowie (The Diamond Dog).

There are a few players left in the draw that are participating in London. Berdych, Ferrer, Tsonga and Tipsarevic...but probably nobody with a serious chance of winning. Very interesting.

How about that Michael Llodra though? What's up with Nadal? Is he playing London? What about those knees or whatever was ailing him? Whatever happened to Robin Söderling?

[bottle]

Llodra is the most fun ever. Too bad that eventually he falls apart. But watching him play Andy Roddick in Davis Cup Winston-Salem remains the highlight of my tennis-watching career. Twas on a court juiced up for Roddick's serve.

So Llodra came with a big serve prepared of his own. It was a close match in which there were eight points, all on Llodra's serve, that could have sent the verdict either way.

Michel sent the ball out so wide to Andy's backhand that Andy was practically in the Coliseum's front row basketball seats.

And Michel followed this serve in of course. But the angle from where Andy was positioned was such that he could hit the deep corner BEHIND Michel.

Maybe I'm hallucinating this by now. But I remember Andy hitting that corner again and again and thus winning the match. All Llodra needed was a bit more of a mental solution. Stay back on that serve alone? He would have won. I really wondered if, physically, Andy could put the ball anywhere else other than that one deep corner.

[don_budge]

Another one bites the dust...

Berdych out too. It looks like the real competition is to see who gets to London first.

Two years ago Michael took out Daveydenko then Djokovic. He took Robin Söderling the distance before losing 7-5, 6-7, 7-6 or some score like that.

But bottle...can you clarify. Llodra pulls Roddick wide to the ad court then Roddick hits behind Llodra to the opposite corner? It would seem that he would go down the line to the corner but from what you say he went cross court. That would be a hallucination. Is that right?

[klacr]

This Tournament is wide open!. Federer withdrawn, Nadal out, Djokovic upset, Murray upset, who is supposed to step up?

Well, I was hoping it would be Tomas Berdych, but he laid an egg today against Gilles Simon. TBerd is 2-5 against Simon in H2H. TBerd won this event in 2005, in fact, the only man to win a Masters 1000 in 2005 besides Nadal and Federer.

Jerzy Janowicz is having the biggest week of his career.

Querrey playing well and with confidence. Beating Djokovic and Raonic.

Llodra always plays inspired tennis at this event. Nearly beat eventual champ Soderling in 2010. His lefty serve, serve and volley attacking style, and playing in France gives him this confidence and energy boost that he wishes he had the other 10 months of the playing year.

Tsonga is a former Champ in Paris. With Roger Rasheed as his coach let's see if he can manage the talent and shotmaking and make a dent in the big four.

Ferrer. The Little Giant. If anyone is more deserving of a Masters 1000 title, it's him. He's the highest seed left and if he can get past the big men Tsonga, Querrey/Llodra, then he finds himself in finals against Simon or newcomer Jerzy Janowicz.

This tournament is WIDE open and every player left knows it and is feeling the pressure.


Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[bottle]

Re Llodra-Roddick in Davis Cup

Down the line but at an angle to it using the huge apron outside of the court. Again and again Roddick hit his backhand from the edge of what seemed the Sahara Desert, over by seats designed for Wake Forest University basketball games. Then the ball, once struck, wafted across the burning sands and just caught the near corner, the deep deuce corner, behind the angular Llodra hugging that same outside border of the tennis court oasis but too close to the net to have a play.

[stotty]

Grrr...

Hopeless tournament. Just like Queens Club prior to Wimbledon. These events are tune ups before the main events. The top players barely conceal their lack of regard for these stupidly placed events. The crammed ATP calendar doesn't help.

Berdych even had a beaming smile as he was dumped out of Paris...wouldn't have been smiling had just lost in the US Open, would he? At least Federer had the decency to pull out before the event started.

Djokovic and Murray want shooting. Murray had the audacity to publicly state he needed to get back to London to prepare more appropriately for the ATP finals.

Queens Club is the biggest sham. Once a top player has decided he's had enough grass court practice for the week...tank...out he goes. You wouldn't mind but the tickets are bloody expensive....PEOPLE ARE PAYING TO WATCH!

Grrr....as you can tell, I'm not impressed. I've switched off Paris.

I have a lot of time for Federer. Over the years he's played these events and has never tanked once. It's only recently he's lost heart for the ATP's. There's a difference between losing heart and disrespectfully tanking. It's all about the slams for Roger. He's hanging around hoping to pick another one or two up. He's had his eye on the history books for some years now and knows if can get a handful more he's going to take some catching in the grand slam tally stakes. He wants to be the greatest of the greatest...can't say as I blame him...he'll certainly have earned it.

[tennis_chiro]

Stotty, don't give up on Paris just yet.

There's a great story in this kid from Poland. I really think he will win against Simon, although I don't think he will make it past Ferrer. In the other half, there will be no lack of effort from Ferrer trying to bag his first title in a Masters 1000. And the serve-and-volley efforts of Llodra are a wonder to behold. It will be great to see him try to make them hold up against the Spaniard's passing shots. Llodra has been playing really well this week. I haven't been able to watch much tennis lately, but I got to see a little of today's matches and also the end of Murray's loss to Janowicz. Take a good look. This is more than a tall kid with a good serve and a love affair with the drop shot. He has really sound fundamentals and his feet move better than anyone else I've seen over 6'5" tall. Well, maybe not more effectively than Del Potro yet, but he certainly appears to move lighter than anyone else in that cohort.

Here's the link to my article on him in today's 10sBalls.com

http://www.10sballs.com/2012/11/02/who-is-jerzy-janowicz/

I really love the strokes. Some of the shots he hit today on the move were as good as anything I've seen from anyone, at any height.

don

[don_budge]

Jerzy Janowicz vs. Andy Murray

Ladies and Germs...meet Jerzy Janowicz. The complete match versus Andy Murray at the Paris World Tour Masters 2012. I was wrong...Murray didn't necessarily tank but he did get his butt kicked. Then again...he may have tanked that third set. Plus...another bad haircut. Robocop shoes and when does he find the time to lift all those weights accounting for the beefed up physique.

Great article tennis_chiro. What a sweet service motion from set up to finish. Note the "hanging arms" that John Yandell emphasizes...he maintains that looseness and relaxation throughout the entire motion as well. Oh man...see that racquet drop behind him going into the "rollercoaster loop" behind him. Before seeing this motion I was hard pressed to answer the question for a model pro serve...but now...well, let's see how he holds up in the future. He sure looks promising and not a one hit wonder like Lukas Rosol. Flatter ground strokes can more easily be developed into heavier spin. Your use of the word "fundamentals" is music to my ears. What's more...I see potential in this player. Room for improvement.

I like the tone of tennisspeak these days...noticeably different from a year ago. More talk about volleys, service motions, approach shots etc.

Great tactic to bring the baseliner forwards to the net using drop shots and short balls. Against these modern day baseliners you must use the whole court. It won't work every single time but it serves to disrupt the rhythm over the course of a match. Jerzy has a big bomb on the forehand side but he is very clever as well in how he uses it, frequently mixing up off speed balls before delivering the big one. I love the backswing and the finish on the forehand...nothing stupid or unorthodox.

He certainly doesn't play like he is 6' 8" tall. He looks to be much more agile than say John Isner. He seems to be very "quick" for his size. He's a retriever too...he runs down balls and knows how to reset the point. I really like the way that he carries himself on the court...all of his movements even between points seems to be loose and flowing. Very cool at changing sides...crosses his legs looking very contemplative. He carries and conducts himself like a tennis player. Temperament wise...he never looks completely satisfied until the match is in the bag. He saved two match points in the second set to come back and take the tie-breaker. Perfect. He's demonstrative too...showing his emotions in his own personality. Very refreshing...possibly charismatic. On the other hand...Murray failed to serve out the match once again.

Finalist at the U. S. Open junior in 2007 and the French in 2008. Age 22...nice maturity and there is no reason that children must start at such young ages. It is a ten year deal and if one starts to play at the age of 12 or 13 it is certainly not too late to develop into a first rate competitive tennis player...even a champion. This of course contradicts conventional wisdom.

One more thing...an all white tennis outfit complete with a collared shirt. Matching socks with his initials on them "JJ". Is he a classic? I like him. So does tennis_chiro.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRbxJVDHkHo

[julian1]

A minor correction

Ladies and Germs...meet Jerzy Janowicz. The complete match versus Andy Murray at the Paris World Tour Masters 2012. I was wrong...Murray didn't necessarily tank but he did get his butt kicked. Then again...he may have tanked that third set. Plus...another bad haircut. Robocop shoes and when does he find the time to lift all those weights accounting for the beefed up physique.

Great article tennis_chiro. What a sweet service motion from set up to finish. Note the "hanging arms" that John Yandell emphasizes...he maintains that looseness and relaxation throughout the entire motion as well. Oh man...see that racquet drop behind him going into the "rollercoaster loop" behind him. Before seeing this motion I was hard pressed to answer the question for a model pro serve...but now...well, let's see how he holds up in the future. He sure looks promising and not a one hit wonder like Lukas Rosol. Flatter ground strokes can more easily be developed into heavier spin. Your use of the word "fundamentals" is music to my ears. What's more...I see potential in this player. Room for improvement.

I like the tone of tennisspeak these days...noticeably different from a year ago. More talk about volleys, service motions, approach shots etc.

Great tactic to bring the baseliner forwards to the net using drop shots and short balls. Against these modern day baseliners you must use the whole court. It won't work every single time but it serves to disrupt the rhythm over the course of a match. Jerzy has a big bomb on the forehand side but he is very clever as well in how he uses it, frequently mixing up off speed balls before delivering the big one. I love the backswing and the finish on the forehand...nothing stupid or unorthodox.

He certainly doesn't play like he is 6' 8" tall. He looks to be much more agile than say John Eisner. He seems to be very "quick" for his size. He's a retriever too...he runs down balls and knows how to reset the point. I really like the way that he carries himself on the court...all of his movements even between points seems to be loose and flowing. Very cool at changing sides...crosses his legs looking very contemplative. He carries and conducts himself like a tennis player. Temperament wise...he never looks completely satisfied until the match is in the bag. He saved two match points in the second set to come back and take the tie-breaker. Perfect. He's demonstrative too...showing his emotions in his own personality. Very refreshing...possibly charismatic. On the other hand...Murray failed to serve out the match once again.

Finalist at the U. S. Open junior in 2007 and the French in 2008. Age 22...nice maturity and there is no reason that children must start at such young ages. It is a ten year deal and if one starts to play at the age of 12 or 13 it is certainly not too late to develop into a first rate competitive tennis player...even a champion. This of course contradicts conventional wisdom.

One more thing...an all white tennis outfit complete with a collared shirt. Matching socks with his initials on them "JJ". Is he a classic? I like him. So does tennis_chiro.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRbxJVDHkHo

Eisner is NOT the correct spelling of the name

[tennis_chiro]

Jerzy's Interviews

I get them on TennisTV and I had trouble getting it to come in on the regular ATP site, but check Jerzy's interviews. You have to love this guy's attitude. I sure do. I know Stotty, don_budge and KLACR are all going to love his style. And Bottle finally will have a player he can look up to (what was it for you, Bottle, 6' 7"; Jerzy is 6' 8"). I know Bottle will love the fact that he keeps winning with drop shots when everyone keeps saying he can't get away with that. Bottle, this is the best model for your strokes.

He will sign contracts for millions of dollars in the next few weeks. If not, he should call me and I will set him up with the right people. I just hope he has the right kind of people around him so he maintains this fresh outlook and a training team that protects him from the rush to try and cash in on his celebrity and makes sure that he gives that big body the chance it needs to fully develop and especially to develop the strength to withstand the stress of the tour and tough matches. A year ago he was playing futures and now he will rarely play less than an ATP500.

The emotion after each match win is just so great for the game. If he pulls off the ultimate tomorrow and upsets Ferrer or Llodra in the final, he will move into the top 25 (his 1675 points would put him 22nd on today's list). I don't remember the last time we had anyone burst on the scene quite this quickly. He's beaten 5 top 20 players in one week. Prior to this week he'd hardly ever played anyone in the top 50, much less beaten them. If he plays Ferrer tomorrow, that would be 3 top 10s and 3 top 20s in one week. Has anyone ever played that many top 20 players in one week outside of the ATP Tour finals? I doubt it.

Best of all, he plays classic tennis. He likes to finish at the net. And I was wrong: he volleys pretty well. I look forward to reading more about his development and what he went through the last couple of years and what made the difference for him. On the other hand, judging by the interviews, he doesn't even know.

don

[bottle]

Yeah, drop-shots, lots and lots of drop-shots.

[klacr]

I get them on TennisTV and I had trouble getting it to come in on the regular ATP site, but check Jerzy's interviews. You have to love this guy's attitude. I sure do. I know Stotty, don_budge and KLACR are all going to love his style. And Bottle finally will have a player he can look up to (what was it for you, Bottle, 6' 7"; Jerzy is 6' 8"). I know Bottle will love the fact that he keeps winning with drop shots when everyone keeps saying he can't get away with that. Bottle, this is the best model for your strokes.

I've seen his matches against Murray, Tipsarevic and Simon. The big man has a big game. He's not afraid to come to the net. He's a shot maker. Big serve. Loves to slap that forehand. Wishing he had a one-hander but oh well. I'm hoping all this is not a knee-jerk reaction and he actually has a great 2013 and a great career.

Go figure, a player like this breaks onto the scene in the last tournament of the year and now we have to spend our off-season hoping, speculating, raising expectations.

At 6'6", he's two inches taller than me. Love the big guys. I just wish Berdych, Del Potro and Janowicz would have been taught a one-hander.

Can't wait to see how he handles Ferrer in tomorrow's final. or perhaps, How ferrer handles Janowicz.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stotty]

The Pole

I've missed the Pole playing thusfar...if tennis_chiro rates him he must be worth watching. I'll try and catch the final tomorrow, or/and watch the youtube clip don_budge posted.

I still think the top players have bowed out deliberately soon...

It's going to be a funny ATP finals this year: Nadal won't be there, Djokovic has reverted back to his unfathomable Serb temperament, Federer is the underdog for the first time, Murray should win the whole thing....but will he?

Who's your money on? It's Murray for me.

[don_budge]

Drop shots for Ferrer...ala Jerzy Janowicz

Yeah, drop-shots, lots and lots of drop-shots.

The Dream Final did not materialize. Micheal Llodra vs. this New Kid on the Block would have been a zillion times more entertaining. But on the other hand this match may give us a better indication of Jerzy's true worth...of his mettle.

David Ferrer is the most boring tennis player on the planet. I swear I would much rather watch paint dry...or grass grow than watch this energizer bunny play tennis. He is a robot on PED's. Llodra had break points in every single service game yesterday but was unable to apply the clincher and the result was another boring win for the Spaniard.

I love watching Llodra play in Gay Paris...for some reason this seems to be the only venue that brings out the "poor man's McEnroe" in him. Two years ago he put on a McEnroesque display of tennis that would of made you swear that this style of play is still possible but he never seems to be able to follow it up in other tournaments.

As it was, yesterday he once again brought on shades of McEnroe and it was a beautiful sight to behold. It brought back memories of an era of tennis where virtually every tennis player was trained to play in the Llodra style and it was certainly entertaining especially since it was pitted against the bland and drab landscape of the David Ferrer repertoire.

I particularly admire the manner in which Llodra uses his backhand as a rapier...as he parry's, thrusts and then sinks it deep. From the backcourt or at the net. His use of underspin from the southpaw side is a wonder to behold as he is neutralizing, probing, inserting then lowering the boom with his drive. Statistics during the match showed that he actually hit a majority of his shots from the backhand side and this is an indication of choice...he wants to carve up his opponent with his backhand instead of bludgeoning him to death with a forehand. Like all of the rest. The beauty of the Llodra backhand is the variety and the disguise. Being able to hold off until that last moment with that backspin he can put the ball in places that leaves his opponent just barely off balance and unable to take the big swing they desperately want to make. The change in cadence and rhythm is genius and maddening. I love to play that way. Shades of Nastase!

Short angled balls to the Ferrer forehand bringing his opponent in then sending him peddling backwards with some high slice deep into backhand corner. Or short slice to the backhand then backing Ferrer once again back into his backhand corner or rolling over it crosscourt. He has a complete arsenal over there on the backhand and all of it isn't geared towards pounding the ball. Death by a thousand cuts. It works...sure it does. It is only that no body is trained to play this way anymore. There are better specimen's out there than Llodra...they just are not trained to play that way.

To Ferrer's credit he does what he does best. He weathers the storm. Once it has subsided he just continues to do what he always does...get the ball back, move around very quickly and bores everyone within eyesight to death. Probably including his opponent.

So along comes Jerzy. To be or not to be. We shall see. Ferrer is probably a better test to predict this supernova's face value in the future at this point. If he can deal with the omnipresent, energizer bunny on roids, robotic Spaniard with the power to put anyone to sleep with his tennis game then he just may be the real thing and a force to be dealt with in the future. We certainly hope so don't we because without the Fed Express there is going to be a huge vacuum in the game to filled by the New Kid on the Block, whoever he might be. Is it Jerzy...soon we will have a little better indication. It looks to be that he is more substance than flash in the pan.

Both Jerzy and Michael made good use of the forecourt on their opponents side. Notice how when they make a particularly good drop shot or sharply angled ball they move in a couple of steps inside the baseline anticipating taking their opponents ball out of the air for either a driving volley, a lob or another sharp angle out of their reach. Wonderful tactics using the forecourt of the opponent. Especially when their opponents are devout baseliners. It would have been some match between Jerzy and Michael but Ferrer refuses to cooperate (to his credit)...even though he has a date in London next week. Maybe the reason he refuses to cooperate is that he doesn't have a snowballs chance in Hades next week. His chips are still on the table in Paris. Bets anyone?

I am taking the Pole. Screw 'em Jerzy. They are all saying you are overworking that dropshot but I say you can't overwork it against the Spaniard. Bring him in where he is a fish out of water. But then I am betting with my heart...like always. One week ago today I brought home my little Bowie, the four month old Siberian Husky puppy with one blue eye and one brown from Poland. When I first saw her in the lobby of the reception area at the ferry on the Polish side she left me speechless. So perfect and so sweet. I had never seen anything so perfect. She fits right in at home too...right in middle of the the pack. Now we are all busy reconnecting and assimilating her into the mix of daily life. It's a big SNAFU now. Topsy turvy time. She is a real chick magnet...and guys too. Everyone loves her! She is my Polish connection now and if Jerzy wins those people will have something to cheer about. Me too. Go Jerzy! Wear all white today!

It's funny klacr...or not. But I was thinking the same thing about his backhand...why not one handed? Do great minds think alike? I won't be so presumptuous. But then I kept studying the game of Jerzy and realized that he is hitting one handed much of the time. Every single one of the millions of drop shots was executed one handed and he has a really nice classical one handed slice...not of the Bernard Tomic variety that we dissected on the forum. He can really come under the ball like a warm knife through butter. There is a great backhand volley in that block of granite if only he gets a nose for the net like you, Kyle...and the "poor man's McEnroe" Llodra at the Paris Open.

[don_budge]

Money? The Man...

Who's your money on? It's Murray for me.

Roger. I always bet with my heart...which is why I never gamble and always lose in love.