2014 US Open

[klacr]

Federer looked sharp post rain delay. As did Berdych. It was really a tale of two matches. Pre and post rain delay. Granollers and Gabashvili were handling themselves quite well against their opponents. After the rain delay, Granollers and Gabashvili only won a combined 8 games.

Very impressive victory for Simon. Ferrer looked gassed. Dimitrov got bageled in the first set but adjusts and wins in 4 sets. Didn't see much of the Monfils -Gasquet match as I wasn't interested in seeing two uber talented and and underachieving Frenchman go at it.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[gzhpcu]

After an initial scare, Federer roared back to beat Granollers. The first couple of games were scary, Federer wasn't making any points. He did begin to recover before the rain started, but when he restarted it was a completely different ball game. Wonder what happened at the start?

Monfils beat Gasquet handily. Monfils has changed his serve motion, it is less abbreviated.

And Kyle will be happy to see Berdych win in 3 sets. He is looking good.

And Giles Simon has done a Federer a favor eliminating David Ferrer. The Spanish armada seems to be going down in this year's Open, espcially without Nadal...

[GeoffWilliams]

If you look at the clip don_budge posted of Hoad versus Trabert here...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b-XxVcDNOk

...not an ounce of kick back to be seen from either player. As far as can make out, kick back just serves to brake the player from moving forward so he can retreat back behind the baseline...basically to stop forward momentum.

A large kick back costs too much momentum and time discouraging penetration inside the service line.

[gzhpcu]

Nishikori vs Raonic will be interesting. If injury-free, I tend to go for Nishikori.

Tsonga vs Murray also. Tsonga has been playing strong. Will he beat Murray again?

Kohlschreiber shows himself to be dangerous again beating Isner. While never a semi-finalist, he manages to get pretty deep in the Grand Slam draws. Too bad Tommy Haas had to withdraw from playing the US Open due to shoulder surgery. A talented player plagued with yet another injury, too bad.

[stotty]

I agree. It makes it hard for some of the players with the big kick backs to learn to S&V.

If you look at the clip don_budge posted of Hoad versus Trabert here...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b-XxVcDNOk

...not an ounce of kick back to be seen from either player. As far as can make out, kick back just serves to brake the player from moving forward so he can retreat back behind the baseline...basically to stop forward momentum.

[vrc10s]

Neither sampras nor becker had kick back either. Too concentrated on sprinting into net.

I agree. It makes it hard for some of the players with the big kick backs to learn to S&V.

[GeoffWilliams]

Neither sampras nor becker had kick back either. Too concentrated on sprinting into net.

[vrc10s]

Groth

It was nice to see some serve and volley but he sure missed a lot of vollies.
I did notice that Groth has very little kick back on his serve. Maybe that is a result of so much S@V. I think it helps him get in quicker. Looks more old school to me.

[GeoffWilliams]

The last game Groth served, he missed five back hand volleys into the net. When Fed got the return low, he seemed to lock up and stop moving.

[klacr]

Federer vs Groth: You must have liked this one Kyle - never saw so much serve and volley in recent years. Groth is an old-style Aussie, and really hit some spectacular volleys. Too bad he has a problem with his serve toss.

Even Federer resorted to lots of serve and volley. Bet Edberg was proud. This match was a throwback to the old days.

Goes to show that one need not write off serve and volley yet.

Groth's only issue with toss is that he was rushing it, trying to make it too perfect and go through it because he knew that return was coming back. Federer's game put pressure on Groth's entire motion.

Was nice to see serve and volley although I'd consider Groth a "server and volley". He missed alot of first volleys and his big serve only helped him when he aced Federer, once fed got a big serve back Groth was either surprised or unprepared. Federer looking real good this event. 18? Maybe?

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[klacr]

Only seven men have come back from two sets down in all four slams.

Krickstein, Becker, Federer, Nalbandian, Verdasco, Noah and Robredo

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[gzhpcu]

Federer vs Groth: You must have liked this one Kyle - never saw so much serve and volley in recent years. Groth is an old-style Aussie, and really hit some spectacular volleys. Too bad he has a problem with his serve toss.

Even Federer resorted to lots of serve and volley. Bet Edberg was proud. This match was a throwback to the old days.

Goes to show that one need not write off serve and volley yet.

[GeoffWilliams]

Only seven men have come back from two sets down in all four slams.

[klacr]

Berdych made it challenging for himself. Won in 5 sets though. Entertaining match. He'll need to get better if he wants to beat Roger in semis and play for the title.

Federer handled Groth and his serve with no problem tonight. Vintage Fed.

Thiem came from back from two sets to love down against Gulbis. Gulbis was spent. Maybe too much smoking and drinking. Claim he had an injury and resorted to chipping his forehand in the last few games. Thiem looked lost in the first two sets out there. No real game plan. Then he started matching Gulbis for pace and depth. Began using that slice backhand to Gulbis' forehand and it began to turn match around. It was Thiem's first two sets to love comeback. He only needs 9 more of those to tie the ATP record held by Aaron Krickstein and Boris Becker.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[gzhpcu]

Verdasco loses in a five setter, second round. Wow, he has really lost it. He had such a great game, but, similarly to Stosur, has problems with his mental side. Hope Stosur does better...