2015 Australian Open…ATP 2000...Melbourne, Australia

[stotty]

Murray v Djokovic

Murray versus Djokovic is my least favourite match-up. If they both play well, they are likely to have some mind-numbingly long rallies. Both have amazing court-shrinking footwork and neither one cannot put the ball where the other won’t get it. So it all comes down to tolerance, shot tolerance, mental tolerance…sheer tolerance all round. The decision making of both players could be the deciding factor...when to pressurise...when to pull the trigger in those long rallies. I think the faster court suits Andy’s wide serve and this could be worth a fair few points here and there. He also has a better sliced backhand than Djokovic which I hope he will put to good use here and there too.

There has been much talk over here about Amelie Mauresmo and Andy’s decision to appoint her as his coach. I know no more than any of you about what goes on in the inner sanctum of Murray’s coaching team. But I do know she got his off-season training spot on. If Klacr is right in his assessment of the value of off-season training, then it could prove pivotal were Murray to win on Sunday.

[GeoffWilliams]

Interesting. I will have to find those bad positions, and see how we can practice them! Everyone is always practicing good positions, so why not bad ones?

Sliver hitting. Hit to the sliver first and most often and you will beat anyone.

[klacr]

Murray versus Djokovic is my least favourite match-up. If they both play well, they are likely to have some mind-numbingly long rallies. Both have amazing court-shrinking footwork and neither one cannot put the ball where the other won’t get it. So it all comes down to tolerance, shot tolerance, mental tolerance…sheer tolerance all round. The decision making of both players could be the deciding factor...when to pressurise...when to pull the trigger in those long rallies. I think the faster court suits Andy’s wide serve and this could be worth a fair few points here and there. He also has a better sliced backhand than Djokovic which I hope he will put to good use here and there too.

There has been much talk over here about Amelie Mauresmo and Andy’s decision to appoint her as his coach. I know no more than any of you about what goes on in the inner sanctum of Murray’s coaching team. But I do know she got his off-season training spot on. If Klacr is right in his assessment of the value of off-season training, then it could prove pivotal were Murray to win on Sunday.

It seems to me that Djokovic is simply Murray version 2.0. On paper, what does Murray do that is better than Djokovic? Djokovic has same strengths as Murray just greater. Then again, matches never get played on paper.

And yes, The Australian Open is all about the sweat equity done in December.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[hockeyscout]

Sliver hitting. Hit to the sliver first and most often and you will beat anyone.

Yes, thats in, insanely small targets. That is hockey. Small targets to score. Its got to be perfect!

[don_budge]

Evolution of the Species?

I am watching a replay of the Serena Williams and Madison Keys. Serena is one strange looking character. But it isn't necessarily the looks…but the behaviour is bizarre. Already the commentatoes are talking about the virus or the cold that she supposedly has.

Even the announcers were talking about the obvious and they were only tip toeing around it. The elephant in the living room. She was screaming at the top of her lungs at the end of the match. For me it is very hard to stomach the spectacle.

She and Maria Sharapova are set to play in a couple of minutes. This is "The Ladies Game" as it has evolved to in 2015. On the one hand we have Serena Williams and what you see is what you get. On the other is Maria Sharapova who is another character as well. The thing about Maria is her screaming also on the court. So between the two of them…hysterical behavior is at a premium. Hardly the "Lady Like" behavior that I was brought up watching when I was young. Pure and simple social engineering. It's ok…it's going to be ok everyone.

I saw Maria Sharapova play a quarterfinal match at Roland Garros in Paris…when Paris was still Paris…and her screaming took on tactical proportions. The volume and the pitch varied depending upon the situation, the score and depending upon the effect she could impose on her opponent. Her screaming seems to be situational to me.

Finally there is Barbara Schett. I have poked fun at her previously here on a couple of occasions. I witnessed a couple of obnoxious interviews she had conducted…one in particular with Tomas Berdych where he was obviously very annoyed. I called her "horsey faced". The other day, without telling my wife any details, I asked her if there was anything about this woman…this talking mouthpiece…this commentatoe, as we were watching "Mats, Set and Match". Sure enough…she said "is it something about her mouth?". My wife is the horse breeder on our "team"…right from the horse's mouth.

There has been much talk over here about Amelie Mauresmo and Andy’s decision to appoint her as his coach.

Then there was my infamous quote when I referred to Amelie Mauresmo as "the lesbian coach" of Andy Murray. It is true that she is a lesbian…at least she has said as much. I personally do not care which way she goes…gay, bi, trans, metro, left or right. It makes absolutely no difference to me. I merely stated a fact. There is no crime in that…yet.

Women? Evolution? Ok…whatever. But something has changed. Something rather radical. Something that was very traditional…but also fundamental. The changes are obviously products of social engineering…I have witnessed the process. Where is it going? That's what I want to know.

I guess you might say that in this regard that I am a bit "old-fashioned". But to my knowledge that isn't a crime. Yet. I happen to like women…I like them a lot. Well…I should say certain women. Usually I like women who like me. The human species in general doesn't set the bar too high these days. Not that it ever has. This match has some serious "nausea" potential. I don't care what anyone says.

[gzhpcu]

Serena wins 6-3, 7-6. You wonder what would happen if the tie-breaker had never been introduced. Serena has a great serve movement in women's tennis. 19 Grand Slam titles. Wow!

[hockeyscout]

Serena wins 6-3, 7-6. You wonder what would happen if the tie-breaker had never been introduced. Serena has a great serve movement in women's tennis. 19 Grand Slam titles. Wow!

So did Martina ... a real separator (service motion) in woman's tennis where the points are short, and the one who can hammer the ball the hardest to the back line usually wins. So much different than watching the men. Its amazing how much the mens game has progressed, and the woman's hasn't.

[gzhpcu]

So did Martina ... a real separator (service motion) in woman's tennis where the points are short, and the one who can hammer the ball the hardest to the back line usually wins. So much different than watching the men. Its amazing how much the mens game has progressed, and the woman's hasn't.

Navratilova had a great serve and volley game.

As far as today is concerned:
It is probably physiological to a certain extent. Also, women, when serving, concentrate more on jumping up towards the ball, then on including shoulder turn.

[don_budge]

Serena's celebration...

This match has some serious "nausea" potential. I don't care what anyone says.

It was one nauseating spectacle of a celebration after the victory. One of the announcers mentioned the word Kangaroo…we can expect him to be arrested for something…anything.

The match? She out muscled Sharapova. Pure and simple. If you watched the contest it was obvious. Was she sick? She had her excuse already just in case. But judging from the energy that she expended after the match in her celebratory romp…it's mental.

[stotty]

Serena

Margaret Court holds the record for number of grand slam titles won...24 titles. I wonder if Serena has it in the back of her mind to beat that record. I cannot see anything (other than age) stopping her doing it. She's not even a great match player...she just plays so much better than anyone else.

[vrc10s]

Margaret Court holds the record for number of grand slam titles won...24 titles. I wonder if Serena has it in the back of her mind to beat that record. I cannot see anything (other than age) stopping her doing it. She's not even a great match player...she just plays so much better than anyone else.

Madison Keys??

[don_budge]

Hope...

Madison Keys??

Is it too much to hope for?

[vrc10s]

Is it too much to hope for?

Serena would have to win 6 more Slam Titles to pass Court. Even at 3 per year that would be 2017 before she would get to 25. At 2 titles per year it would be 2018. Plenty of time for Keys and Brouchard to develop.

Keys has the power, serve, and foot speed to get there. Just needs to be consistant and be mentally tough.

[stroke]

db, I agree with you completely about Serena on court watchability and Wawrinka's one handed backhand. Maria's shrieking, glaring, and back to the server routine is very, very tiresome also.

lc, I think you are spot on, the only real advantage Murray has over Novak is the slice backhand, but in that one particular shot, it is not a close call. To me, Novak, like Nadal, has too weak of a continental grip on that shot, and because of that, a weaker wrist position on contact and consequently, less bite on the ball.

[don_budge]

Andy Murray vs. Novak Djokovic

lc, I think you are spot on, the only real advantage Murray has over Novak is the slice backhand, but in that one particular shot, it is not a close call. To me, Novak, like Nadal, has too weak of a continental grip on that shot, and because of that, a weaker wrist position on contact and consequently, less bite on the ball.

We talked about and compared the serves of Stan Wawrinka and Novak Djokovic. There wasn't a big swing in either camp. When you look at Andy Murray there isn't a whole lot to differentiate one from the other either.

Both backhands are awfully tough and serve wise there doesn't appear to be anything really telling. It's as klacr puts it…anything that Murray can do…Novak may be able to do just a tad better. Mentally the nod has to go to Novak. While Murray seems to have "grown a pair" recently it may too early in the game for him to hold his milk in a Grand Slam final. Although I do remember him beating Novak in a Wimbledon final. But Wimbledon this isn't. This is down under…Novak has staked his claim.