2013 BNP Paribas Masters...Paris, France

[don_budge]

Everybody's there. Well...at least the top 64. Minus Andy Murray. But check it out.

Coming up...Jerzy Janowicz vs. Rafael Nadal. Hopefully. Both must win their next rounds.

But here is a good one. Grigor Dimitrov vs. Michael Llodra. The Bulgarian Gallivant vs. Lefty Llodra. A couple of things here...right? Get it? Yeah...it's Dimitrov giving us pause for further examination. klacr's thread sizing him up. he's a beautiful player perhaps on the threshold of success. Michael Llodra...a classic lefty who seems to have a lot of success at this tournament. He's got that classic lefty game...he can come over the backhand. He uses the slice to slice and dice...just like Johnny used to.

Lots of good stuff. Something to do. Just killing time.

Genesis-The Mama Tour 1984 (just for the hell of it)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W-Z_NkJ9GQ0

Party on...

[klacr]

Party on.

BNP Paribas Masters in Bercy. Always a nice event to finish the year. Good memories from this event. It's where Tomas Berdych announced himself top the world and won in 2005. You knew I was gonna have a Tberd reference somewhere in this post.

Personally, I have my strong opinions on the city of Paris but I'll keep those to myself.

Dimitrov and Llodra very nice match. I never get tired of watching Llodra play. NEVER. As Tennis Commentator Robbie Koenig would say, Llodra's play up at net is like a "mongoose on amphetamines".

Roger needs to win 1 match to qualify for London. His opponent will be either Kevin Anderson or Mikhail Youzhny. Tough out either way.

Youzhny by the way, played very well against David Ferrer to win Valencia. Talk about a player that does not get enough respect...Mikhail Youzhny. This Russian has a beautiful game, has won 10 singles titles, approaching 450 match wins, Top 35 for 7 straight years, Top 50 for 11 years. Sweet one hander, which he prefers. Let's see some Youzhny love on this forum.

Hate to bring this up but...In 2013 he has more titles than Roger Federer and Tomas Berdych...combined.

Last tournament of the year for vast majority of players so always some good competitive matches as players want to end on a good note. I'll be watching.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stotty]

Tomic

I watched Tomic v Lopez today. Tomic has amazing hands the way he can push, poke and guide the ball around. Unlike the rest of the tour he has doesn't have much pace on his shots...and Lopez found it very difficult against such an opponent to generate any power himself. Overall I found the game a little dull, but intriguing from the point of view of watching Tomic. People can bang on all the day long about Jerzy but at the end of the day he is a wham-bam-thank-you-mam player...with a drop shot. I really don't find Jerzy that interesting from what I've seen so far. Tomic and Paire are a little dysfunctional and slightly at odds with the modern game, and I find them interesting for it. Paire has seemingly the worst forehand on the tour yet still manages to compete at a high level.

I watched a couple of games of Verdasco v Gulbis. I like Verdasco's forehand. It's still a wonderful shot when it's on song.

[don_budge]

The Youzhny Service Backswing...

Party on.

Youzhny by the way, played very well against David Ferrer to win Valencia. Talk about a player that does not get enough respect...Mikhail Youzhny. This Russian has a beautiful game, has won 10 singles titles, approaching 450 match wins, Top 35 for 7 straight years, Top 50 for 11 years. Sweet one hander, which he prefers. Let's see some Youzhny love on this forum.


Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

Another classic player in the modern game. He also has that little hesitation that Roger Federer has as his trademark in his backswing.

Second loss in finals in a row for the Spanish Pit Bull David Ferrer...The EverReady Energizer Bunny. Ouch...that has got to hurt. He is the defending champion here last year but he may have a tough time slugging his way to the semis. Maybe even his next round on the slicker, quicker courts...against Lukas Rosol who apparently manhandled Jeremy Chardy.

Gael Monfils vs. Vasek Pospisil who has been coming on strong as of late. This is a great tournament...the indoor faster courts make the matchups a bit more intriguing than normal. I love seeing all of the French flags on the draw sheet. Parisian mystique...the Parisian hour. Don't ask...don't tell.

I am going to miss the Dimitrov vs. Llodra. I owe...I owe...it's off to work I go. Actually I don't anybody anything...in fact I barely exist. Except on the forum here. I am barely a figment of the imagination. The Dimitrov thread and the Dimitrov serve have peaked my coaching interest. I am dying to fix that serve and to teach that young Bulgarian Gallivant how to use proper tactics with a newly engineered motion. That would put me on the map!

[klacr]

Jo Wilfried Tsonga out! Before today, he was a perfect 8-0 in 3 set matches at Paris-Bercy. Not the best start for him and his new coaching hires, Nicolas Escude and Thierry Ascione.

Dimitrov and Llodra played an entertaining 3 sets. When is it not entertaining when you have a serve and volleyer? Well, maybe the early Rafter years when he got passed by everyone...but I digress.

Tough match for Youzhny against Kevin Anderson. Up 6-4 5-4 serving for the match and he gets broken and loses the set. Then retires at 1-2 in the 3rd set with a right elbow injury. Something tells me if he would have won that 2nd set and match his elbow would feel just fine. Too bad to end your season on that note.

The real story now is Pierre-Hugues Herbert. Gave Djokovic a very nice set of tennis today. He beat Benoit Paire in the 1st round. Herbert likes to serve and volley, is a very good doubles player and is coached by his very modest and level headed father. Will be interesting to see his development. He's 189 as of this week but that stock is rising.

Federer plays Kevin Anderson. Nadal plays Granollers. Haas plays Kohlschreiber. Del Potro plays Cilic.

Oh, and Berdych will play Pablo Andujar tomorrow. In case someone was curious. LOL.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

Kid Gallivant vs. Italian Playboy

Jo Wilfried Tsonga out! Before today, he was a perfect 8-0 in 3 set matches at Paris-Bercy. Not the best start for him and his new coaching hires, Nicolas Escude and Thierry Ascione.

Dimitrov and Llodra played an entertaining 3 sets. When is it not entertaining when you have a serve and volleyer? Well, maybe the early Rafter years when he got passed by everyone...but I digress.

Tough match for Youzhny against Kevin Anderson. Up 6-4 5-4 serving for the match and he gets broken and loses the set. Then retires at 1-2 in the 3rd set with a right elbow injury. Something tells me if he would have won that 2nd set and match his elbow would feel just fine. Too bad to end your season on that note.

The real story now is Pierre-Hugues Herbert. Gave Djokovic a very nice set of tennis today. He beat Benoit Paire in the 1st round. Herbert likes to serve and volley, is a very good doubles player and is coached by his very modest and level headed father. Will be interesting to see his development. He's 189 as of this week but that stock is rising.

Federer plays Kevin Anderson. Nadal plays Granollers. Haas plays Kohlschreiber. Del Potro plays Cilic.

Oh, and Berdych will play Pablo Andujar tomorrow. In case someone was curious. LOL.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

Grigor Dimitrov vs. Fabio Fognini. Good looking match-up. A couple of real ladies man types...but they can sure play tennis! Right now...3-3 in the first. Good contrasting styles...two stylish players.

Dimitrov uses a Wilson Pro Staff 95 BLX...perhaps the "real thing" would be better off copying "the copy" in this case.

[tennis_chiro]

Inability to close is concerning

I just watched the Federer/Anderson match and, as he has repeatedly this year, when he had the match well in hand, Roger had trouble closing out the match.

He may actually be a little bit slower, but I don't think it is so much his physical deterioration as his confidence. Just seeing the look on Mirka's face in those last few games told as much as anything. I think she recognizes the trouble he is having closing it out. He is close physically, but he seems to be somehow mentally somewhat fragile. He's also hitting balls down the middle of the court instead of picking tougher, more aggressive and effective targets that put pressure on his opponents.

He'll be dangerous the next couple of weeks, but I think he is looking forward to a long training block to get his confidence back where it belongs. He won't get it until he wins a lot of matches, but he can't do that until he first has confidence he has done the physical preparation that he thinks is necessary. Right now, I don't believe he thinks he has done enough to have the confidence in his game he needs.

He needs his long training block and I think I heard that he is not doing as much in the way of exhibitions this off-season and is going to get in a really good training block before Australia. He needs that and he needs a little luck to string a few wins together and he could still be a factor in the top 5. But I think the back problem has cost him a half a step and he's not going to be a real threat for the top three.

I hope I'm wrong, but I also hope I'm right that he can be a major factor again once he gets what he considers satisfactory preparation.

It's all about confidence and you need wins for confidence. It's kind of a chicken and egg thing. You need one for the other. Gotta get past that hurdle somehow.

don

[don_budge]

"C" words...Closing and Confidence

I just watched the Federer/Anderson match and, as he has repeatedly this year, when he had the match well in hand, Roger had trouble closing out the match.

He may actually be a little bit slower, but I don't think it is so much his physical deterioration as his confidence. Just seeing the look on Mirka's face in those last few games told as much as anything. I think she recognizes the trouble he is having closing it out. He is close physically, but he seems to be somehow mentally somewhat fragile. He's also hitting balls down the middle of the court instead of picking tougher, more aggressive and effective targets that put pressure on his opponents.

He'll be dangerous the next couple of weeks, but I think he is looking forward to a long training block to get his confidence back where it belongs. He won't get it until he wins a lot of matches, but he can't do that until he first has confidence he has done the physical preparation that he thinks is necessary. Right now, I don't believe he thinks he has done enough to have the confidence in his game he needs.

He needs his long training block and I think I heard that he is not doing as much in the way of exhibitions this off-season and is going to get in a really good training block before Australia. He needs that and he needs a little luck to string a few wins together and he could still be a factor in the top 5. But I think the back problem has cost him a half a step and he's not going to be a real threat for the top three.

I hope I'm wrong, but I also hope I'm right that he can be a major factor again once he gets what he considers satisfactory preparation.

It's all about confidence and you need wins for confidence. It's kind of a chicken and egg thing. You need one for the other. Gotta get past that hurdle somehow.

don

Brilliant.

Yes...closing and confidence go hand in hand. The Swiss Maestro used to stand supreme when closing out matches. He and Sampras, McEnroe, Gonzales, Budge and Tilden....going back some generations. Great champions have that supreme knack of closing out a match. No stumbling...no bumbling. Just goodnight Iran...see you never. No prisoners. The knockout blows reigning down on the opponent driving them back to the locker room in a daze of defeat. He doesn't have that look any longer does he. He cannot summon the dragon like he used to. He just may need Merlin at this point.

Closing out a match requires serving it out and serving it out requires a liquid mercurial service motion iced in astute serving tactics. Bing...bang...bye. We are going to see where exactly he is standing in the food chain of professional tennis now. Or perhaps the wily warrior senses that enough is enough and is staking his chips on showing up in London with no regard for what has happened there in the past and like a riverboat gamble be content to risk it all on one toss of the dice...like some character out of Rudyard Kipling's "If". Only he knows for certain...but it will all hinge on what you have pointed out. Does he have the confidence to close it out..."if" he gets to the position to do just that?

Does he let up now that he has qualified and view the rest of the proceedings of this week as unnecessary? It wouldn't surprise me based on what we have seen from him in the recent past. He changed his coach but he has still to make the most important change of all and the one that might just give him the confidence to close things out. He has not traded in his trusty "Excaliber" for a newer and superior model. In this way he may have failed to take everything into account.

[don_budge]

I have eight questions...all of them good.

And the questions are...

Nadal vs. Janowicz? What kind of impression can Jerzy make?
Gasquet vs. Nishikori? Samurai time?
Ferrer vs. Simon? Too much Battery? Energy?
Raonic vs. Berdych? klacr?

Federer vs. Kohlschreiber? Cabbage Kid time?
Dimitrov vs. Del Potro? Be a man about it?
Wawrinka vs. Almagro? Swiss cheese?
Isner vs. Djokovic? America?

Good questions....don't you think so?

[don_budge]

The Match to Kill for...

There is a match to kill for...it is just a matter of who.

To see Dimitrov against Federer again would be too much to hope for.

[klacr]

And the questions are...

Nadal vs. Janowicz? What kind of impression can Jerzy make?
Gasquet vs. Nishikori? Samurai time?
Ferrer vs. Simon? Too much Battery? Energy?
Raonic vs. Berdych? klacr?

Federer vs. Kohlschreiber? Cabbage Kid time?
Dimitrov vs. Del Potro? Be a man about it?
Wawrinka vs. Almagro? Swiss cheese?
Isner vs. Djokovic? America?

Good questions....don't you think so?

To answer your questions...

Nadal. But dont be surprised if it goes 3.
Gasquet. Home crowd is behind him. H wants to qualify for London badly.
Ferrer. Too much tenacity.
Berdych...wants revenge from Bangkok final.
Federer will handle Kohlschreiber
Del Potro too solid, but this may be most entertaining match of the day.
Wawrinka destroyed Almagro
Djokovic. he's gearing up for Londo and playing on all cylinders. Isner already booked flight home.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[tennis_chiro]

four aces in a row for a love game and 3-4 Nadal to serve

How much am I loving this? Has anyone ever served 4 aces for a love game against Rafa? And the fact that Jerzy can finish points at the net puts the lie to the statement that today's balls are too tough to volley.

don

[stotty]

The atmosphere is electric...best atmosphere in a match for yonks. I understand Jerzy's game plan but does it have to be so extreme...trade now and again...please.

I may be changing my mind about Jerzy. He's got persona...and a little bit of something else that I can't put my finger on.

[tennis_chiro]

Fun while it lasted

I don't know if he celebrated those big serves a little too much. I thought it was good to break the tension a little, but perhaps his mentality is not yet matured enough to handle any distraction. Still, I think he is better to go in that direction than to stay bottled up. He is a very expressive player.

Stotty makes a good point about temporizing a little bit. I wish Jerzy and his coaches would realize how well he does with a ball that is not quite so big, but takes more advantage of the angles his reach creates and how much pressure he creates by following his balls to the net. I really think he could double the amount of point he actually serves and volleys on and also he could probably double the number of points he takes forwards to the net from the baseline, whether on a service or return game.

The high bouncing heavy balls bounce right up into his strike zone, unlike other players who may have to struggle a bit. And his brief, somewhat flatter strokes are great for an abbreviated return of serve stroke and he does come up with some absolutely sizzling returns, even off first serves.

Has to get so much better with his shot selection. He went drop shot happy at the end of the first set and it cost him. He also didn't follow those dropshots up to the net.

It could be a very good year for him next year. The great thing is that I didn't see any lingering problems from the back or arm injuries he dealt with through the last few months. He was wearing kinesiotape on his right upper arm and bicep, but he popped in a serve at 145mph so it can't be bothering him too much. And he's still moving around the court pretty well so, against the odds, perhaps the back problems are behind him. That will be something that will only be clear with a lot more time and matches.

Gosh, I just hope someone in his camp gets him to recognize how much advantage he gains if he presses the game forward with more trips to the net, rather than by hitting bigger.

It would also be huge for him if he could learn to demonstrate the same kind of respect and focus for all his opponents as he did for Nadal today.

don

[stotty]

I don't know if he celebrated those big serves a little too much. I thought it was good to break the tension a little, but perhaps his mentality is not yet matured enough to handle any distraction. Still, I think he is better to go in that direction than to stay bottled up. He is a very expressive player.

Stotty makes a good point about temporizing a little bit. I wish Jerzy and his coaches would realize how well he does with a ball that is not quite so big, but takes more advantage of the angles his reach creates and how much pressure he creates by following his balls to the net. I really think he could double the amount of point he actually serves and volleys on and also he could probably double the number of points he takes forwards to the net from the baseline, whether on a service or return game.

don

I agree about the celebration over his big serves. I thought the same. Made me think he was just happy to be playing well, and winning wasn't on the agenda.

He could have traded more often with Nadal. What's he afraid of? He has a range of shots and can go toe-to-toe with Nadal...at least sometimes. In that last game he had to stop slapping at the ball on those big break points and get down and dirty instead....trade...tough it out.

Jerzy lacks brain...no question. Either that or his self-destructive side overrides his instincts. However, it's his go-for-all self destructive side that makes him compelling viewing. Nadal was on to Jerzy's drop shots from the get-go. Jerzy overplayed the shot to the point of stupidity. Nadal couldn't believe his luck and seized on to them in a flash.

And you cannot stubbornly slap at every ball in situations where the geometrics or sheer gravity of the points are stacked against you as Jerzy did, non stop.

He's very much a child...needs to become a man pretty quick...time is moving on.

The boy needs a decent coach...