Just got back from Dubai

[gzhpcu]

and no, I did not meet Federer.... Saw him play, however. Great tournament win for him!

While there I trained with the head pro at the Atlantis, the palm, hotel, where I was staying. He is Javier Molina Peiro, an ex-ATP player from Spain, 44 years old. He had reached rank 100 at the age of 22, when he retired from the circuit, because he was not making enough money. I checked up on him and saw that he played a tournament in Estoril in 1992, losing to Ivan Lendel 5-7, 6-4, 6-2. Friend of David Ferrer. Very nice guy!

[gzhpcu]

Training with Javier...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yoO...ature=youtu.be

[klacr]

Dubai was a great tournament this week. Federer won his 6th Dubai title which pleased many. Berdych made his second consecutive final and looked as though he was going to pull away with it. Still great playing the whole week from Tberd. Didn't lose a set until the finals against Fed.

Ironically, Fed has won Wimbledon each year he has won Dubai. Coincidence?

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

Does the bigger racquet help?

Dubai was a great tournament this week. Federer won his 6th Dubai title which pleased many. Berdych made his second consecutive final and looked as though he was going to pull away with it. Still great playing the whole week from Tberd. Didn't lose a set until the finals against Fed.

Ironically, Fed has won Wimbledon each year he has won Dubai. Coincidence?

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

Roger Federer beating Tomas Berdych may have been termed an upset at this point in time. Berdych is straight setting some tough opposition...a great sign if you are a Berdych fan that his confidence is growing and preparing for the bigger stages. Ala Stanislas Wawrinka possibly? In their previous eight meetings Berdych had won five. Not to mention the Federer upset of Djokovic in the semi's. Could it be that the size of the racquet does matter? Of course it does. Federer got behind a set in both matches but found the wherewithal to hang in there and gut it out. That spells confidence...and motivation. Not to mention a level playing field.

With his old tiny, beloved Excalibur he may have chucked in the towel knowing that deep down inside he was over matched from the get-go...equipment wise.

I watched that match with Federer and the whole time I was trying to imagine Tomas Berdych with a one hand backhand. I imagined he was a better player with more options with one hand on the backhand. He really moves quite well for a big fellow but I wonder if the two handed backhand has limited his options tactically speaking. I really like the way that Berdych sets up on the forehand and I wonder...does the two handed backhand restrict your reach just a bit? If it does...doesn't it restrict your ability to cheat a bit to the forehand side of the court? Is that an advantage that Federer has over his two handed opponents everything else being equal? It's only theory...please don't be annoyed.

With faster courts and a classic one handed backhand complete with slice approach and serve and volley tactics...Berdych theoretically may have been a more dominant player. It's just a theory of mine. I was only thinking. Honest!

Grigor Dimitrov...aka Baby Fed wins in Acapulco. Another one handed backhand player. Fact...not theory.

Court speed? Does it have anything to do with spin rate? Just a question. I'm only trying to formulate another theory. Try not to be annoyed!

[klacr]

don_budge,

Berdych with a one-hander? Now you really got me thinking. I agree with you db, love the set up on the Berdych's forehand. He's not a serve and volleyer (although an excellent doublesp layer) and he has a two hander. Those are usally two big strikes in my tennis book, But I let him get away with it.

great to see Fed win though. He had some quotes about his racquet and that he's happy with it. Some mental clarity. His words...

“I'm just happy that now it's clear, I don't have to think of it, and I can just play tennis,”

"It's not in the back of my mind anymore, Is this racquet good or not? I was convinced in practice, but then you hope that the results are going to follow and they did.

“When you can play that way, you're more free, you have an open mind. That's when you are more successful. I'm very happy."

“I’m happy that the results are paying off, especially in quick succession. I have only just switched (racquets), and here I am, already getting to the finals in Brisbane, semis at the Australian Open, I won my Davis Cup match, and now here I am with a trophy.”

from a 90 sq. in. scalpel to a 98 sq. in. Paella pan. A bit of hyperbole but as long as fed is happy and winning. Bigger is better


Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[GeoffWilliams]

I put up the thread before he switched, feder-er-er, adapt or die, saying he needed to switch to a 98 sq. in frame, with higher string tension, 59/61, an ra of 65, and a mass of 365g. What do you think that frame is?

[don_budge]

Nice shot!

Training with Javier...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yoO...ature=youtu.be

You're looking good Phil...not a day over 62. I'll say one thing for Javier...he never misses in the net does he?

What a beautiful tennis court. Nice high bounce...perfect lines. The backhand is looking good...the forehand too! I notice you didn't share the serve...that would have been fun. Thanks for sharing.

Great comeback too...from the hip surgery. It must have looked pretty dark there for a while. It's a good lesson for us. How to bounce back and all of that.

How did Roger look? Did you sit with a bunch of people with Swiss flags?