Barclays ATP World Tour Finals 2012...London, England

[stotty]

The final analysis

Great final...what a way to seal victory on the final point...stunning, sums Djokovic up. Federer couldn't have played any better....it was great to see him coming to the net and volleying so crisply at times. Those infrequent trips to the net shows that it can be done...and easily...the game is screaming out for a good net player.

Federer REALLY wanted that one...grr...it got away. Always with his eye on the history books, he wants to defeat the best of the era in his twilight years.

Great though Djokovic is, he cannot demolish Federer quite as emphatically as Nadal...doesn't batter his backhand quite as brutally.

Any post match analysis anyone? What splits the two players? Has Djokovic eclipsed everyone? Could he be the greatest player we've ever seen?

[julian1]

return of second serve

I have to say I think I would be out of my depth coaching Murray, especially at the expense of Lendl.

But yes, getting control of his emotions would be key for me. He is still a petulant child and not a patch on Federer and Djokovic (as I sit in from of my watch the final; Djokovic just clinched the first set) in the temperament department. He needs to stop whining...

Oh...and I would get him to come to the net more, too...volleys well, never uses it.

return of second serve was discussed by Arias

[julian1]

Return of serve

Great final...what a way to seal victory on the final point...stunning, sums Djokovic up. Federer couldn't have played any better....it was great to see him coming to the net and volleying so crisply at times. Those infrequent trips to the net shows that it can be done...and easily...the game is screaming out for a good net player.

Federer REALLY wanted that one...grr...it got away. Always with his eye on the history books, he wants to defeat the best of the era in his twilight years.

Great though Djokovic is, he cannot demolish Federer quite as emphatically as Nadal...doesn't batter his backhand quite as brutally.

Any post match analysis anyone? What splits the two players? Has Djokovic eclipsed everyone? Could he be the greatest player we've ever seen?

Djokovic has a better return of serve

[tennis_chiro]

Point by Point Final Summary

I pretty much said what I had to say about Djokovic in #24 on this thread. But I was fooling around with the Hawk-Eye play by play to try to download the match summary in a different/better form. Had to flip it around a little in Excel and a text editor to get to this, but I thought some of you might enjoy it. I charted, but I don't think I'll bother putting up the charts. This seems to have more info.

Let's see if it pastes:

0-0 Federer 123 mph ace down the T

15-0 Federer 1st serve 120 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 55 mph down the middle, 2 shot rally

30-0 Federer 110 mph ace out wide

40-0 Federer 1st serve 120 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 65 mph down the middle, 5 shot rally

0-1 Djokovic double faults

0-15 Djokovic 1st serve 124 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 48 mph down the middle, 10 shot rally

0-30 Djokovic 2nd serve 90 mph into the body, Federer returns the ball at 47 mph down the line, 5 shot rally

0-40 Djokovic 1st serve 123 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 48 mph down the middle, 6 shot rally

2-1 Federer 2nd serve 102 mph into the body, Djokovic returns the ball at 58 mph down the line, 7 shot rally

15-0 Federer 1st serve 121 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 44 mph down the middle, 5 shot rally

15-15 Federer 1st serve 122 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 40 mph cross-court, 4 shot rally

30-15 Federer 1st serve 124 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 70 mph down the middle, 10 shot rally

40-15 Federer 2nd serve 103 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 65 mph down the middle, 6 shot rally

40-30 Federer 2nd serve 89 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 61 mph down the middle, 3 shot rally

3-0 Djokovic 1st serve 117 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 72 mph down the middle, 4 shot rally

0-15 Djokovic 1st serve 119 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 44 mph down the middle, 23 shot rally

15-15 Djokovic 1st serve 124 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 51 mph down the middle, 4 shot rally

30-15 Djokovic 1st serve 120 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 82 mph cross-court, 2 shot rally

40-15 Djokovic 2nd serve 91 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 50 mph down the line, 3 shot rally

40-30 Djokovic 1st serve 121 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 71 mph down the middle, 6 shot rally

40-40 Djokovic 2nd serve 94 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 52 mph down the line, 14 shot rally

AD-40 Djokovic 1st serve 122 mph into the body, Federer returns the ball at 71 mph cross-court, 13 shot rally

40-40 Djokovic 2nd serve 92 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 49 mph down the middle, 8 shot rally

AD-40 Djokovic 1st serve 122 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 69 mph down the middle, 7 shot rally

3-1 Federer 2nd serve 101 mph into the body, Djokovic returns the ball at 71 mph down the middle, 23 shot rally

15-0 Federer 2nd serve 101 mph into the body, Djokovic returns the ball at 65 mph cross-court, 6 shot rally

15-15 Federer 2nd serve 102 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 66 mph down the middle, 3 shot rally

15-30 Federer 2nd serve 100 mph into the body, Djokovic returns the ball at 61 mph down the middle, 13 shot rally

30-30 Federer 1st serve 126 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 69 mph down the middle, 11 shot rally

30-40 Federer 2nd serve 107 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 66 mph cross-court, 9 shot rally

2-3 Djokovic 2nd serve 106 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 63 mph down the middle, 4 shot rally

0-15 Djokovic 1st serve 122 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 52 mph cross-court, 11 shot rally

15-15 Djokovic 126 mph ace down the T

30-15 Djokovic 1st serve 125 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 53 mph down the middle, 11 shot rally

30-30 Djokovic 1st serve 124 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 50 mph down the middle, 4 shot rally

40-30 Djokovic 2nd serve 88 mph into the body, Federer returns the ball at 52 mph cross-court, 8 shot rally

40-40 Djokovic 1st serve 125 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 50 mph down the middle, 2 shot rally

AD-40 Djokovic 2nd serve 95 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 47 mph cross-court, 9 shot rally

3-3 Federer 110 mph ace out wide

15-0 Federer 1st serve 120 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 39 mph cross-court, 2 shot rally

30-0 Federer 112 mph ace out wide

40-0 Federer 1st serve 116 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 73 mph down the middle, 5 shot rally

40-15 Federer 1st serve 113 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 68 mph down the middle, 3 shot rally

3-4 Djokovic 2nd serve 86 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 52 mph down the middle, 15 shot rally

0-15 Djokovic 1st serve 122 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 36 mph down the middle, 3 shot rally

15-15 Djokovic 1st serve 124 mph down the T, unreturned

30-15 Djokovic 1st serve 122 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 58 mph cross-court, 2 shot rally

40-15 Djokovic 1st serve 116 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 74 mph down the middle, 5 shot rally

40-30 Djokovic 1st serve 123 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 66 mph down the middle, 7 shot rally

It's going to take 3 posts if you are interested

don

[tennis_chiro]

Part two of play by play

Middle third:

4-4 Federer 1st serve 112 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 50 mph down the middle, 3 shot rally

0-15 Federer 1st serve 125 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 53 mph down the middle, 4 shot rally

15-15 Federer 1st serve 124 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 47 mph down the middle, 7 shot rally

30-15 Federer 2nd serve 100 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 61 mph cross-court, 3 shot rally

30-30 Federer 1st serve 125 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 15 mph down the middle, 2 shot rally

40-30 Federer 2nd serve 111 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 65 mph down the middle, 5 shot rally

40-40 Federer 2nd serve 101 mph into the body, Djokovic returns the ball at 57 mph down the middle, 6 shot rally

40-AD Federer 2nd serve 95 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 64 mph cross-court, 2 shot rally

40-40 Federer 1st serve 126 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 53 mph down the line, 3 shot rally

AD-40 Federer 1st serve 124 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 67 mph down the middle, 5 shot rally

40-40 Federer 1st serve 125 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 81 mph down the middle, 3 shot rally

AD-40 Federer 2nd serve 88 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 69 mph down the middle, 17 shot rally

40-40 Federer 1st serve 123 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 61 mph down the middle, 9 shot rally

40-40 Federer 1st serve 120 mph into the body, Djokovic returns the ball at 60 mph cross-court, 2 shot rally

40-40 Federer 2nd serve 95 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 73 mph down the middle, 4 shot rally

AD-40 Federer 1st serve 125 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 54 mph down the middle, 3 shot rally

40-40 Federer 1st serve 117 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 51 mph down the middle, 4 shot rally

40-AD Federer 1st serve 126 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 63 mph down the middle, 3 shot rally

5-4 Djokovic 1st serve 116 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 70 mph down the line, 2 shot rally

15-0 Djokovic 1st serve 121 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 57 mph down the line, 9 shot rally

30-0 Djokovic 2nd serve 88 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 53 mph down the middle, 9 shot rally

30-15 Djokovic 1st serve 124 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 55 mph down the middle, 13 shot rally

30-30 Djokovic 1st serve 124 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 46 mph down the line, 2 shot rally

40-30 Djokovic 2nd serve 91 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 53 mph down the line, 9 shot rally

40-40 Djokovic 2nd serve 89 mph into the body, Federer returns the ball at 51 mph down the line, 19 shot rally

40-AD Djokovic 2nd serve 86 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 53 mph cross-court, 10 shot rally

5-5 Federer 1st serve 119 mph into the body, Djokovic returns the ball at 68 mph down the middle, 4 shot rally

15-0 Federer 123 mph ace out wide

30-0 Federer 1st serve 124 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 53 mph down the middle, 7 shot rally

30-15 Federer 1st serve 122 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 51 mph down the line, 4 shot rally

40-15 Federer 109 mph ace out wide

5-6 Djokovic 1st serve 120 mph into the body, Federer returns the ball at 52 mph down the middle, 11 shot rally

0-15 Djokovic 1st serve 120 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 64 mph down the middle, 4 shot rally

0-30 Djokovic 1st serve 125 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 51 mph down the middle, 5 shot rally

15-30 Djokovic 124 mph ace out wide

30-30 Djokovic 1st serve 122 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 20 mph down the line, 2 shot rally

40-30 Djokovic 1st serve 124 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 46 mph down the line, 3 shot rally

6-6, 0-0 Federer 2nd serve 99 mph into the body, Djokovic returns the ball at 65 mph down the line, 20 shot rally

1/0 Djokovic 1st serve 121 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 39 mph down the middle, 4 shot rally

2/0 Djokovic 1st serve 120 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 67 mph down the line, 12 shot rally

1/2 Federer 2nd serve 91 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 65 mph down the middle, 10 shot rally

2/2 Federer 1st serve 112 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 42 mph cross-court, 2 shot rally

2/3 Djokovic 1st serve 124 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 54 mph down the middle, 7 shot rally

3/3 Djokovic 1st serve 126 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 47 mph down the middle, 10 shot rally

3/4 Federer 2nd serve 99 mph into the body, Djokovic returns the ball at 66 mph down the middle, 4 shot rally

4/4 Federer 2nd serve 94 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 69 mph down the middle, 13 shot rally

5/4 Djokovic 2nd serve 89 mph into the body, Federer returns the ball at 52 mph down the middle, 12 shot rally

5/5 Djokovic 2nd serve 86 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 47 mph down the middle, 8 shot rally

5/6 Federer 1st serve 123 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 49 mph cross-court, 7 shot rally

6/6 Federer 2nd serve 102 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 60 mph down the line, 3 shot rally

7/6 Djokovic 1st serve 125 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 51 mph down the middle, 3 shot rally

7-6 (6), 0-0 Djokovic double faults

0-15 Djokovic 1st serve 121 mph into the body, unreturned

15-15 Djokovic 1st serve 114 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 74 mph down the middle, 8 shot rally

15-30 Djokovic 2nd serve 89 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 47 mph down the middle, 8 shot rally

30-30 Djokovic 1st serve 126 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 53 mph down the middle, 4 shot rally

30-40 Djokovic 1st serve 124 mph into the body, Federer returns the ball at 51 mph cross-court, 3 shot rally

40-40 Djokovic 2nd serve 85 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 46 mph down the middle, 5 shot rally

40-AD Djokovic 1st serve 125 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 58 mph down the middle, 8 shot rally

40-40 Djokovic 1st serve 127 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 49 mph down the line, 7 shot rally

AD-40 Djokovic 2nd serve 89 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 84 mph cross-court, 3 shot rally

40-40 Djokovic 1st serve 126 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 49 mph down the line, 18 shot rally

AD-40 Djokovic 2nd serve 88 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 53 mph down the middle, 8 shot rally

40-40 Djokovic 2nd serve 90 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 50 mph down the line, 7 shot rally

AD-40 Djokovic 1st serve 119 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 73 mph cross-court, 8 shot rally

40-40 Djokovic 1st serve 111 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 71 mph down the middle, 7 shot rally

40-AD Djokovic 1st serve 117 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 69 mph down the middle, 6 shot rally

40-AD Djokovic 2nd serve 111 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 58 mph cross-court, 7 shot rally

6-7, 1-0 Federer 2nd serve 105 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 56 mph down the middle, 5 shot rally

0-15 Federer 2nd serve 90 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 71 mph down the middle, 3 shot rally

15-15 Federer 2nd serve 99 mph into the body, Djokovic returns the ball at 66 mph down the line, 3 shot rally

30-15 Federer 1st serve 117 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 69 mph cross-court, 2 shot rally

40-15 Federer 2nd serve 110 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 65 mph down the line, 5 shot rally

7-6, 0-2 Djokovic 2nd serve 96 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 51 mph down the line, 3 shot rally

15-0 Djokovic 1st serve 119 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 48 mph down the middle, 3 shot rally

15-15 Djokovic 1st serve 116 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 65 mph down the line, 5 shot rally

30-15 Djokovic 1st serve 120 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 55 mph down the middle, 6 shot rally

40-15 Djokovic 2nd serve 108 mph out wide, unreturned

6-7, 2-1 Federer 1st serve 124 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 62 mph down the middle, 8 shot rally

0-15 Federer 1st serve 123 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 39 mph down the middle, 3 shot rally

15-15 Federer 2nd serve 104 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 56 mph down the line, 10 shot rally

30-15 Federer 1st serve 123 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 66 mph cross-court, 14 shot rally

30-30 Federer 2nd serve 103 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 65 mph down the middle, 7 shot rally

40-30 Federer 2nd serve 98 mph into the body, Djokovic returns the ball at 73 mph down the middle, 6 shot rally

40-40 Federer 1st serve 110 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 52 mph down the middle, 2 shot rally

AD-40 Federer 119 mph ace down the T

[tennis_chiro]

Last 8 games

7-6, 1-3 Djokovic 1st serve 119 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 65 mph down the line, 4 shot rally

15-0 Djokovic 121 mph ace down the T

30-0 Djokovic 1st serve 111 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 76 mph cross-court, 3 shot rally

30-15 Djokovic 1st serve 93 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 55 mph down the middle, 7 shot rally

30-30 Djokovic 1st serve 114 mph out wide, unreturned

40-30 Djokovic 1st serve 123 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 69 mph cross-court, 9 shot rally

40-40 Djokovic 1st serve 116 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 69 mph down the line, 10 shot rally

AD-40 Djokovic 1st serve 94 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 55 mph cross-court, 3 shot rally

40-40 Djokovic 1st serve 124 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 47 mph down the line, 4 shot rally

AD-40 Djokovic 1st serve 123 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 48 mph cross-court, 6 shot rally

6-7, 3-2 Federer 1st serve 126 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 65 mph down the middle, 2 shot rally

15-0 Federer 1st serve 121 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 20 mph down the middle, 4 shot rally

30-0 Federer double faults

30-15 Federer 1st serve 125 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 71 mph down the middle, 6 shot rally

40-15 Federer 2nd serve 102 mph into the body, Djokovic returns the ball at 59 mph down the line, 2 shot rally

7-6, 2-4 Djokovic 122 mph ace down the T

15-0 Djokovic 2nd serve 93 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 72 mph down the line, 2 shot rally

30-0 Djokovic 1st serve 114 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 68 mph down the middle, 6 shot rally

30-15 Djokovic 125 mph ace out wide

40-15 Djokovic 1st serve 123 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 33 mph down the middle, 4 shot rally

6-7, 3-4 Federer 1st serve 110 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 62 mph down the middle, 9 shot rally

0-15 Federer 2nd serve 91 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 71 mph cross-court, 15 shot rally

15-15 Federer double faults

15-30 Federer 2nd serve 99 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 61 mph cross-court, 3 shot rally

30-30 Federer 2nd serve 103 mph into the body, Djokovic returns the ball at 71 mph down the line, 3 shot rally

30-40 Federer 127 mph ace out wide

40-40 Federer 2nd serve 90 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 70 mph down the middle, 16 shot rally

40-AD Federer 1st serve 124 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 73 mph down the middle, 6 shot rally

40-40 Federer 1st serve 111 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 62 mph down the line, 13 shot rally

AD-40 Federer 1st serve 122 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 68 mph down the middle, 4 shot rally

7-6, 3-5 Djokovic 2nd serve 92 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 53 mph down the middle, 4 shot rally

15-0 Djokovic 2nd serve 109 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 75 mph cross-court, 5 shot rally

30-0 Djokovic 1st serve 122 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 57 mph down the middle, 3 shot rally

40-0 Djokovic 1st serve 118 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 64 mph cross-court, 4 shot rally

40-15 Djokovic 1st serve 123 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 29 mph down the middle, 2 shot rally

6-7, 5-4 Federer 1st serve 125 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 40 mph down the line, 7 shot rally

15-0 Federer 1st serve 95 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 73 mph down the line, 2 shot rally

30-0 Federer 1st serve 124 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 71 mph down the middle, 6 shot rally

30-15 Federer 2nd serve 101 mph into the body, Djokovic returns the ball at 64 mph cross-court, 4 shot rally

40-15 Federer 1st serve 126 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 50 mph down the middle, 3 shot rally

40-30 Federer 1st serve 120 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 70 mph down the middle, 7 shot rally

40-40 Federer 2nd serve 103 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 66 mph down the middle, 3 shot rally

40-AD Federer 1st serve 125 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 69 mph down the middle, 17 shot rally

7-6, 5-5 Djokovic 2nd serve 86 mph into the body, Federer returns the ball at 50 mph down the line, 6 shot rally

15-0 Djokovic 127 mph ace out wide

30-0 Djokovic 1st serve 121 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 64 mph down the line, 9 shot rally

30-15 Djokovic 1st serve 122 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 48 mph cross-court, 5 shot rally

30-30 Djokovic 2nd serve 87 mph down the T, Federer returns the ball at 51 mph down the line, 8 shot rally

40-30 Djokovic 1st serve 124 mph out wide, Federer returns the ball at 47 mph down the line, 4 shot rally

6-7, 5-6 Federer 1st serve 116 mph into the body, Djokovic returns the ball at 67 mph down the middle, 13 shot rally

0-15 Federer 2nd serve 100 mph into the body, Djokovic returns the ball at 64 mph cross-court, 11 shot rally

15-15 Federer 1st serve 122 mph down the T, unreturned

30-15 Federer 1st serve 101 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 63 mph cross-court, 5 shot rally

30-30 Federer 1st serve 118 mph out wide, Djokovic returns the ball at 70 mph down the middle, 5 shot rally

30-40 Federer 1st serve 123 mph down the T, Djokovic returns the ball at 55 mph down the middle, 10 shot rally

7-6(6), 7-5

If you really want to study it, copy the text out and put it together in something a little more manageable. I'm afraid it loses the formatting when you copy it out of here. Someone else may know how to save the columns. Hope you find it interesting. I like seeing all the serve speeds and looking at where the first serves were or were not made and the effect on breaks.

don

[don_budge]

This is the End...The Doors

I'm the sort of coach who tells his students that when you get to the endzone, you need to act like you've been there before. And the bouncing the ball; oh my gawd!

Roger would be playing his third match in three days if he got to the final and judging by his unforced errors against Delpo today, he's already fraying at the edges. The difference in demeanor in the Murray/Djokovic round robin match was massive. As much as Andy may have improved his mental and emotional skills under Lendl, he is still in a different league from Djokovic.

Given what I have just said about how great Nole is playing and how the only interesting matches that could be played against him are from Murray or Federer (especially with Nadal out of the mix, but while he may fight a little harder, his tools may be a little duller than either Roger's or Andy's), I am finding the whole thing a little dull. I went to watch one of my student's play a 16s Sectional doubles quarters in SoCal today. Obviously way too much emotion on those courts, but it was still so much more exciting for me, even watching kids I wasn't coaching. Paris was exciting to watch because of the different style of Llodra and especially the emergence of Janowicz.

And while Jerzy kept it together, he showed his emotions and showed both that he cared and that he was having a good time. You couldn't help but want to go on that ride with him.

That whole dynamic is completely missing. We root for Federer the underdog, but even he is almost "too cool" now as he tries to reserve all of his energy for the task at hand.

I detest and deplore the distasteful histrionics of McEnroe, Connors and Nastase. Love the way they played, but hated the bull*%#! It may have sold a lot of seats for entrepreneurs and extended Nastase's earning power, but it definitely cost both Ilie and John a lot of matches.

Anybody else getting tired of the MurderInc mentality of Djoker/Fed/Murray/Nadal? Something is missing!!!

don

That is an awful lot for us to mull over tennis_chiro. I don't want to be presumptuous, but it appears that you and I agree on many things. You and I are a good balance...your cautious conservatism and respect for conventional wisdom to my radical call for revolution. We basically see the same thing...from different points of view. Given your slight edge in "seniority" we must defer to you...but nonetheless. You are damned right about Paris too...Llodra and the Pole gave us something to relate to. Real tennis.

Act like you've been there before. That's a good one too! The curtain calls in the endzone...the curtain call on the tennis court where the victor is taking a bow. Soaking up all of that phony adulation. Seems a bit phony to me. In fact it seems really phony to me. No wonder it was all born of Agassi, who was the biggest phony of them all. Image is everything...my butt. Substance is everything. Federer has been providing that and he is on life support. This is the end...my friend.

Even Roger is showing some signs of wear...some signs of the times. Much has been made of a controversy in his hometown of Basel, Switzerland where he has upped the ante to 2 million dollars from the paltry 500 thousand he has been receiving for the grace of his appearance at the tournament there. We have seen a change in our icon in the recent past...revealing that he is human afterall. Where's the girlfriend? It's only a matter of time. Money talks...bs walks.

Once again we witness "The Man" providing the only source of inspiration that is left on the men's tennis tour. The last two matches were the only thing outside of dull and boring that London had to offer. Who knows? Maybe Roger has been toying with the fragile eggshell mind of Murray all year...setting him up for the match that mattered. He didn't look like he cared about the gold medal and he didn't look like he cared about the final in Shanghai. He cared the other day and it showed. Murray was once again reduced to a pretender...right in front of the whole of Britain. He left the arena with his tail tucked neatly between his legs as Federer stuck around to signs millions of autographs. Buying support for the finals. A small price to pay...and the announcers were marveling at his generosity. How easily we are deceived.

Alright...I can accept the fact he is in the twilight of his career and he is playing his cards wisely...and shrewdly. He knows a thing or two about timing. Like he said he has been around the block a time or two. He is a magician in that sense. He almost got it right here again...he had it in his grasp and was up a break in each set. In the end...and this is the end, my friends, it isn't enough sometimes with smoke and mirrors. The reality is that tennis_chiro is right...Djokovic is too good when it matters, most of the time. In some ways it can be boiled down to statistics...and numbers. That being said he was off just a smidgeon last night and Roger had him in his sights but there is something that divides them now. Years and 10 square inches. The difference in their ages and the differences in their equipment. The difference in that match wasn't all that much in the years, but the difference in their respective racquets is light years. Ten percent area in the hands of a trained professional is everything.

If you look at the game and the way that they played it...it was the equipment that made the difference. Federer clearly looks to be the better tennis player but somehow the other man found a way to win and it looked to me that it was the equipment that is the difference. I am calling for standardization once again and crying foul on the tennis establishment for not laying proper ground rules. It's fundamental and it is beyond comprehension except when you factor in the bucks...money talks. The establishment always did have a license to kill...a license to cheat.

I can hear a sound in the horizon...it sounds like the air being sucked out of a balloon. It is Federer's retirement that is looming as he seeks to pad his already huge retirement funds with additional appearance fees. It will be interesting to see how much he can obtain by the vehicles that are available to him. While the common man struggles for his daily bread the sports icon is more than a King...he is above us looking down. No wonder the speeches sound canned. How can one expect one to be a human being and behave like one after the experiences he has had? With the power that he wields?

You detest the antics of the bad boys...and I say bring them back. Honest human emotion and frailty. Even obvious cheating and gamesmanship. Didn't Federer take the bench reserved for the number one player in the world before Djokovic could secure his spot? What is it that McEnroe, Nastase and Connors did that was so bad...other than remind us that in life there exist "bad guys" or even that the bad guy is everyone of us. General Patreus has now become General Betrayus over night. Caught cheating...trying to get just a little. It's never enough. Who knows what the real story is? Bring the boys back...they didn't hurt anyone except to offend our frail sense of right and wrong. I thought Connors was boring with his momma's boy behavior but the other two...Rasputin and Loki...they were good for the mix. It gave us someone we could point our fingers at and say...look, there's the bad guy.

A couple of days ago I was watching a challenger tournament in Knoxville and George Russell's son, Michael was playing Dennis Kudla someone or other. Nobody was even watching as they were only playing for 7,500 lousy bucks...the stands were virtually empty and it was a pretty close match that was being played entirely from the baseline with an absence of imagination. Russell was prevailing and Kudla was getting a little hot under the collar. First he pounded a ball at the empty stadium and the next thing you knew he was hurling his racquet into the wall of the club. Not a peep out of anybody, not the umpire, not his opponent. Not a soul. What was the harm? I thought that it was interesting.

Something is missing? What exactly is missing? Maybe it is the reality of the situation that is slipping away from us. The truth of the matter. Soon there will be something missing. I can hear the air being sucked out of the balloon. Elvis will be leaving us eventually. What will be left? You want to breath some life back into this great game...reduce the size of the racquet head. It's simple...therefore not doable.

Two great matches from "The Man". He made it interesting in the end. And this is the end...trust me. If I was to replace Lendl and take over coaching Murray...the first thing that I would do is to start working on the service tactics and to debug the service motion...and then proceed from there and plan an exit strategy for the inevitable day that he would fire me...for telling him the truth.

[tennis_chiro]

So what would you do?

...If I was to replace Lendl and take over coaching Murray...the first thing that I would do is to start working on the service tactics and to debug the service motion...and then proceed from there.

In the interest of fighting insomnia...

It's pretty late to change that motion. Conventional wisdom says it is just fine. Like you d_b, I see some deficiencies. If he were 14 or 15, and we had about 6 months, well at least 3, I see some areas for improvement.

Andy serves quite a bit of the time in the mid 130's inspite of the fact you can see on the rear view

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/pro_men/andy_murray/am_serve/am_toss/am_toss.html?AM1stSDeuceTossRear1.mov

that there is not enough internal rotation. Check from 1 click before contact to 1 click after in that clip of Andy and compare to 5 clicks before to 5 clicks after contact in this high speed clip of Sampras and you will see part of what is missing:

http://www.tennisplayer.net/members/strokearchive/high_speed/High_Speed.html?PeteSampras1stServe.mov

Of course, he would never listen to me about my "Bubble" and "Burp" drills, but they do work. But it does take a lot of time. And ingrained habits are hard to change. Someone better have true belief to make the effort to make that kind of change.

But that's really incidental, unless you want to be the best you can be, because he can already hit it fast enough at over 130mph. Check his match stats from the ATP:

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Finals/2012/Tennis/Players/Top-Players/Andy-Murray.aspx?t=mf

or perhaps better yet, his match stats for the US Open he just won:

http://www.usopen.org/en_US/players/overview/atpmc10.html

or the Wimbledon stats, especially the final he lost:

http://www.wimbledon.com/en_GB/players/overview/atpmc10.html

Biggest match of his life, 6' 3" tall and he can only get in 56% of his first serves. I don't remember, was it terribly windy that day?

So, you and I, d_b, think there is a problem with the toss. Looks nice and rhythmic, but there is a sense of hesitation before he goes up to the impact and I don't think he really rolls up through the ball the way he could. I don't like to see the toss hand drop behind the front hip as much as Andy's does. I like to see the motion a little simpler as far as all the bending at the waist even in his initial starting position. I'd stand him up a little taller. I want the server to feel "regal", looking down upon his realm. I want him to stand as tall as possible at the start because then he stands a better chance of easily returning to that extended upright position when he meets the ball. I think perhaps today's biomechanists worry more about hip over hip and shoulder over shoulder rolling, but I want to see full extension up to contact.

When he rocks back, I don't want him to go past about 50/50 so that he almost bounces back to the front. And I want to synchronize the hands and arms with that weight transfer: hands down/weight back, hands up/weight forward. Very, very simple and repeatable. But I'd need to get rid of that little hesitation he has. To synchronize the hands for that, I'd bring the right hand up to the left in the starting position; now the left hand will start back up when it reaches the front of the left thigh. There will be no rush, but the pause will be eliminated and he will roll simply up to the ball. The right hand will have a little farther to drop and it will get a little more help from gravity. Gravity is a lot more consistent than anything else we have readily available. (Although I did once have a pacing wrist watch you could set to between about 50 and 200 beats per minute and I would set it to the rhythm of my golf swing. I would use it on the practice tee to slow me down. Sometimes I used it in actual play, but mostly because it absolutely drove my playing partners bananas! Never did try it on my toss-and-catch drill.)

Oh, Andy would also need to use a grip a little closer to the continental. He appears to be a little too far to the forehand side to get full internal rotation.

I'm not sure he would serve any faster (I think 135 would be more than adequate), but I actually suspect he could get a little more snap and certainly could be a lot more consistent than he is. Geez, if I had been 3.5" taller that would have increased my reach almost 6"; that's like dropping the net 3". I don't understand how they can struggle to serve just 60%.

But no one is going to listen to me on this one. It would have been nice to have someone like Andy before he had that motion ingrained. Talking about getting him to change anything now is an exercise in futility. Maybe the strategic approach might be possible, but it has to come from someone he respects. Doubtful!

And this is just about the simplest thing to change, that is something that you do when the ball is in your hand under your control. That absolutely can be changed if someone decides to do it. We have a whole different story when we talk about doing something different when you are in motion, something like going forward a little more. That you have to have accomplished for an elite player by age 16. Of course, Rafter didn't perfect his transition skills until he was about 25, but he was already better at it than almost anyone else of his generation when he was 18. But he didn't have groundstrokes and returns like Murray.

Nevertheless, ... what is it that you would do, don_budge?

don

[bottle]

Canadian Doubles

In Post # 38, don_budge opines that the real story about something hasn't been told yet. So here it is:

It's terrible. People should be left alone to have their affairs. The dirty minds come from the left and the right. Why can't these people get a life? O tempores, O mores! Just what's wrong with this society anyway?

Paula Broadwell: The Surge was the greatest military move since Hannibal crossed the Alps. Paying off those Iraqi peasants was absolutely brilliant. You saved that war! It might have ended if it weren't for you. And you saved the Afghan war, too. Still going strong and isn't that a good thing? I'd say that Alexander, Hunyadi Janos, George Marshall, Napoleon and Vercengetorix were pretty good generals but none had the genius of you.

General Petraeus: Thanks, hon.

Jill Kelley: Why can't people understand that you were lonely and far from home? Oh, seems like there's another Surge in the room right here!

Just then a woman breaks through the hotel door.

Paula Broadwell and Jill Kelley in unison: Oh my gosh, it's Holly...David, get that toadstool out of here!

[stroke]

Jimmy Arias said at the conclusion of the match "that may have been the best straight set match I have ever seen". I would add that no one has ever looked as good as Federer does in losing a match. He really played well. In fact, Federer in his consolation speech, said "that's about as good as I can play".

[julian1]

Djokovic running more

Great final...what a way to seal victory on the final point...stunning, sums Djokovic up. Federer couldn't have played any better....it was great to see him coming to the net and volleying so crisply at times. Those infrequent trips to the net shows that it can be done...and easily...the game is screaming out for a good net player.

Federer REALLY wanted that one...grr...it got away. Always with his eye on the history books, he wants to defeat the best of the era in his twilight years.

Great though Djokovic is, he cannot demolish Federer quite as emphatically as Nadal...doesn't batter his backhand quite as brutally.

Any post match analysis anyone? What splits the two players? Has Djokovic eclipsed everyone? Could he be the greatest player we've ever seen?

Are any flaws in the footwork of Djokovic?
Let us drop the issue of sliding for time being.

[bottle]

Re # 40 post by Stroke: But he couldn't sink the eight-ball in either set.

[julian1]

Did you watch on ESPN?

Did you watch on ESPN and comments by Konig?

[julian1]

What is "the eight-ball"?

But he couldn't sink the eight-ball in either set.

What is "the eight-ball"?

[bottle]

Eight-ball is a game in pocket-billiards. It's easy to play very well and still lose if you don't sink the last ball, the eight-ball in a called pocket, or if you scratch (say, sink the cue ball or don't hit anything).

My point is that Roger had Djoker on the ropes in both sets but didn't put him away. But what is "on the ropes." Well, that's a term from boxing. Imagine a guy leaning back on the elastic ropes with his mouthpiece and tongue hanging out and a magic marked black X over either eye.

But what is "magic marked?" Well, that is a term that comes from the use of a magic marker, which is a cylinder a little fatter than an ordinary pen and all full of quick-drying ink.

In view of Roger's failure of nerve at the end of both sets, I'm not sure that he really did play well despite his assertion that he did.