Talked to Brad Gilbert yesterday at Davie Fest

[GeoffWilliams]

I showed him my new string: Dryeex black edge 1.25mm. He said, "I use a lux gut job, as most guys do on tour. I use a continental grip and hit flat anyway. I'm not going to all of a sudden start hitting top spin. Poly hurts my arm and many guys then have to string low to avoid that. I string at 51/48."

I mentioned playing him at the old indoor courts in Albany. He said, "Yeah the big guy with the turban ran that place. It was the only indoor courts around. I used to play at Mosswood, in Piedmont, at San Pablo park, and at Golden Gate park on the week ends. I nominated them for the public park championships."

I said, "I used to see your father driving around town."
"Yeah, he's got 8 buildings around, but they moved to Marin."
"Worked near the Domincan college and saw your wife driving a green suv."
"I live there."
"Yeah, up the hill. You've got that small tennis shop in town."
Also talked to Wayne Ferreirra. He looked tired and said, "I haven't hit a ball since July. I don't like chasing the ball around anymore, and don't play. Rog has that record now." (57 slams in a row played). Spoke to him about seeing him and his son at the rose garden in Berkeley many times. He saw me hitting there with a guy who was using a woodie.

Entered the fast serve competition and got a 94mph serve, but that's no warm up. Winner got a 101 I think. They made it seem like the $25 entry fee would allow you to enter the contest, then charged another $10 to do so! I had been hitting to the deuce court dtl, and they only allowed serves to the ad court. Sucked. Oh well. Serve sucks. Sad to work so hard on something for such little gain.

[GeoffWilliams]

I asked him, "What do you think Blake would have done if you were his coach?"
"I wouldn't coach him. You know, for a guy who went to Harvard, he's very inflexible about how he plays."
"What do you think he would have been able to do if you had taught him to hit cross court a lot like you taught Agassi, to neutralize your opponent?"

(No answer.) "He stuck with the same coach he started with at 14." (No answer.) "I read your piece on tennisplayer.net, about the set up point."
"John Yandell is an interesting guy." ? (That could mean a lot of things!)
"Do you mean he's a nice guy?" (No answer.) I guess it's better to be interesting than nice, John!

[DougEng]

I asked him, "What do you think Blake would have done if you were his coach?"
"I wouldn't coach him. You know, for a guy who went to Harvard, he's very inflexible about how he plays."
"What do you think he would have been able to do if you had taught him to hit cross court a lot like you taught Agassi, to neutralize your opponent?"

(No answer.) "He stuck with the same coach he started with at 14." (No answer.) "I read your piece on tennisplayer.net, about the set up point."
"John Yandell is an interesting guy." ? (That could mean a lot of things!)
"Do you mean he's a nice guy?" (No answer.) I guess it's better to be interesting than nice, John!

Great point on Blake! I definitely agree (I know his longtime coach too). I don't think Brian is "responsible" for Blake's one-dimensional game. I think it was from being a small, counterpuncher in the juniors. Possibly he wanted to get far away from that and thought being bigger (later in life and) fast on his feet might favor whoever can draw (as in the old west) with him. So James goes blazing down in glory. But really, he should have followed the Nadal, Djokovic, Murray, Federer model...a more even offense/defense arsenal. Blake could have used a better defensive backhand slice for example. Too flat a backhand (short, shallow backswing).

[GeoffWilliams]

At least he knew who he was as a player. While Gilbert's game was all about neutralizing, and frustrating his opponent, Blake's game was all about killing him. He who lives by the winner dies by the winner. It's harder to be consistently hitting them in the fifth set and the score is tight. It's not that he couldn't hit heavier top spin, or heavier slice, but that he preferred to hit heavy flat. This game favors the heavy ball hitters of all type, not just one.