Feliciano Lopez

[klacr]

Been at the Delray Beach ATP event all week. A few connections with tourney staff (tournament doctor, stringer, players, club pro). A few retirements and nothing extraordinary but I did get a chance to watch Feliciano Lopez play. Very interesting, exciting and frustrating to watch. He lost today to Steve Johnson who has been playing the tennis of his life this week. Johnson beat Haas earlier in the week in what was a great match.
Hard to watch Lopez, a player that possesses such an aggressive attacking mindset on his service games and a completely passive and defensive posture on the return games. Like watching two different players in one. Doesn't help when he sliced 95% of backhands in his match as well.

On another note...got a good look at ATP player from Georgia Teimuraz Gasbashvili. May be only player left on tour that lands on his right foot after the serve. Just an observation.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stotty]

Hitting the deck with the right foot....

On another note...got a good look at ATP player from Georgia Teimuraz Gasbashvili. May be only player left on tour that lands on his right foot after the serve. Just an observation.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

Well spotted about Teimuraz Gasbashvili. I just took a look myself. Being a right-foot-lander myself, it's great to see another one. We've become a rarity.

[worldsbesttenniscoach]

As in most ATP & WTA players today, Feliciano Lopez waits for the ball with a strong forehand grip. Therefore, if the ball comes back quickly to him, he cannot change his grip quickly to hit a strong topspin backhand. He must rely on his weak-gripped slice backhand, which is okay, but not great.

Instead of hitting strong slices the way players used to do, decades ago (for example, Rosewall, Hoad, Roche), Lopez & other current players catch their slice backhands too late, & too much towards the sideline, & with too much flutter caressing under the ball.

I did not see this Lopez match, but if Lopez's opponent was hitting the ball wide to Lopez's backhand side (thereby making Lopez stretch too much), or was getting the ball back fast to Lopez (preventing Lopez from adjusting his grip comfortably), then Lopez was forced into hitting the slice rather than his topspin backhand.