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I think you are overestimating Roger's sliced backhand if you think it can play a key tactical role in beating Djokovic or Nadal...especially Nadal. He simply doesn't hit his slice backhand well enough for that. Sure, it can neutralise a rally at times but on the other side of the coin it doesn't present too much of a problem to Djokovic or Nadal either. don_budge pointed out that Djokovic cannot do much with Roger's sliced backhand and this is true, but it doesn't present much difficulty for Djokovic either. Against Nadal it has no effect. In fact it often presents an opportunity for Nadal to run around and hit his forehand.
Roger has better luck hitting slice to Djokovic's forehand than to his backhand...yet it does nothing to impair Nadal's forehand...nothing. If Roger can slice his backhand well enough down the line to Djokovic's forehand he often gets a decent result as Djokovic has trouble getting under it. I've seen Tommy Haas execute this tactic to good effect more frequently and better than Roger does it. It's a chink, albeit a small one.
Roger has been able to do little to avert the pattern of play that always develops in his matches with Nadal. There are two problems here. Nadal has a better forehand and, in my view, a better backhand. It's tough to get round that just by having more versatility.
It seems to me Roger has two key ways to start points off on his own terms: off his serve and off his opponents weaker second serves when they come around. And he must impose himself early in both situations. Once rallies have gone beyond six or seven strokes and Djokovic or Nadal are hitting a length it gets really difficult for Roger to change the dynamic. Hitting a length does seem to negate even the best shotmakers, even Roger. The tactical conundrum for Roger is how to win a hatful or more of the longer rallies as they crop up...what to do...how can he do it?
On the issue of volleying. None of the top three volley well. I actually think Nadal closes down and mops up the best...and his backhand volley is decent; his forehand volley is mediocre. Djokovic has hands like planks of wood at the net and is stumped with anything the requires anything slightly intricate. Roger isn't great either. But this is just the times...players across the tour don't volley well generally. At Wimbledon this year I witnessed many doubles matches where all four players stayed back on the baseline after serving.
Hope this post reads okay...writing on a tiny smart phone from Venice is tricky...especially when you're not used to a touch pad.
Roger has better luck hitting slice to Djokovic's forehand than to his backhand...yet it does nothing to impair Nadal's forehand...nothing. If Roger can slice his backhand well enough down the line to Djokovic's forehand he often gets a decent result as Djokovic has trouble getting under it. I've seen Tommy Haas execute this tactic to good effect more frequently and better than Roger does it. It's a chink, albeit a small one.
Roger has been able to do little to avert the pattern of play that always develops in his matches with Nadal. There are two problems here. Nadal has a better forehand and, in my view, a better backhand. It's tough to get round that just by having more versatility.
It seems to me Roger has two key ways to start points off on his own terms: off his serve and off his opponents weaker second serves when they come around. And he must impose himself early in both situations. Once rallies have gone beyond six or seven strokes and Djokovic or Nadal are hitting a length it gets really difficult for Roger to change the dynamic. Hitting a length does seem to negate even the best shotmakers, even Roger. The tactical conundrum for Roger is how to win a hatful or more of the longer rallies as they crop up...what to do...how can he do it?
On the issue of volleying. None of the top three volley well. I actually think Nadal closes down and mops up the best...and his backhand volley is decent; his forehand volley is mediocre. Djokovic has hands like planks of wood at the net and is stumped with anything the requires anything slightly intricate. Roger isn't great either. But this is just the times...players across the tour don't volley well generally. At Wimbledon this year I witnessed many doubles matches where all four players stayed back on the baseline after serving.
Hope this post reads okay...writing on a tiny smart phone from Venice is tricky...especially when you're not used to a touch pad.
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