2015 BNP Paribas Open…ATP 1000...Indian Wells, California USA

[stotty]

Roger tames Raonic! Way to go! Roger is much complete as a player than Raonic. To think 1-2 years ago people were saying he should retire!

Hey, you don't suppose he's on something, do you?

[klacr]

...
Novak Djokovic vs. Andy Murray? Remember the last time these two met? Murray was bageled in the last set. This is why you claw and fight to avoid that bagel in the last set. In any set for that matter. That set will be weighing on Murray's mind to remind him who is boss. It also give Novak a lot of confidence going into the match. They are still going to have to play it though…there are no foregone conclusions when it comes to match play…and the spin of the ball.

Speaking of bagels…that one is going to hang around Berdych's neck like a huge albatross.

*cough* *cough*
Moving on...

[don_budge]

2015 BNP Paribas Open…Roger Federer vs. Novak Djokovic

*cough* *cough*
Moving on...

You're responsible for getting me personally interested in the Tomas Berdych game. Just so you know…there is much that I wish I could have helped this young man out with in his tennis game. He did not have the arsenal that he needed to compete with Roger Federer playing at such a high level. He did not have the prerequisite tactical options. He provides a big lesson here for tennis coaches…when they project player development from the junior game to the men's game.

Hey, you don't suppose he's on something, do you?

Oh he's on something alright…he's on FC (fundamentally correctness). Everything he does is so perfectly fundamentally correct…he's the "Living Proof". By the way…he traded in his old dinosaur racquet a year ago that perfectly coincides with his resurgence.

“At the moments when I was playing those match points, it didn't really feel like match points,” said Raonic. “It was just like another point that I was trying to get through… [I was] just sort of going through the paces at that moment of what do I need to do now, not really signifying it as a match point.”

The scoring system in tennis is one of the wonderful aspect of this glorious game that sets it apart from the rest of the sports world. Except maybe save for golf.

It's not over until it's over. If you want to really delve into how powerful the scoring system is read Bill Tilden's "How to Play Better Tennis: a complete guide to technique and tactics". Go directly to Chapter 16 "Maintaining Pressure on your Opponent" for an eye opener. For some white light.

Milos has arrived to another level based on his statement above. He knows the score…each point has it's own significance and they are all important and should be played accordingly to their individual significance. Once you learn this then playing from behind…playing with a lead…or even playing facing match point against is put into perspective. I was very impress with his attitude when he faced match point.

You gotta know the score, Son. Sometimes you just have to be "a man" about it. My good old friend Leon once said that to me. The part about being "a man" about it. I say you gotta know the score…all of the time. You have to be AWARE of where your are at and try with all of your heart to be where you should be, when you should be.

So Milos really appears to be getting a handle on this most important lesson in life. He seems to know where he is and where he is supposed to be. Whether he gets to the top maybe more due to physical limitations…but the jury is still out. He was quite impressive against Federer as he made adjustments between the last couple of times that he has played "The Man".

Briefly…Milos has improved his net play. I predict that we will see more of it in the future. He looked good at the net against Rafael Nadal too. He played some of the acute angles pretty good against Roger and gave him some different looks. His "reverse cross-court" forehand into the Federer backhand was really impressive and he had Roger on the ropes at times and didn't capitalize…here is some more potential waiting to be developed. He moved in a couple of times to knock off the volley. It's a scary thing to think about this "Big Lug" coming in on the net. He is the nightmare the ITF was dreaming about when they engineered the court away from net play. Milos would make the game far too simple.

Novak Djokovic vs. Andy Murray? Come on Andy…where's the beef? Where are your gonads? The lady coach isn't getting it. A woman cannot teach a man to play men's tennis. You are going to have to be a man about it…man up. I almost wish hockeyscout was here to start moaning about the gay rights issue….which isn't one of course. Lesbian or not…she is a she. Misogynist thoughts…spare me. In the jungle…who is the King?…It's the King of the Beasts. What did the Queen say?…If I had balls I'd be King. Novak was so superior to Murray on this day…and the other day in the Australian Open final Murray has to be rethinking his options. He doesn't appear to be overly intelligent to me however. He needs someone to pull his strings…like his Mommy.

Roger Federer? Dare I say anything after the posts that I have written here and there. Since day one. The New Racquet. The Slice Backhand. Need I say more…The Living Proof. From Tilden to Federer and all points in between. There…I said it all.

The match today? There is no use speculating. It is much too sublime for bullshit. We had the spectacle in Dubai. Here we have dessert in the desert. There is nothing to say…except as klacr points out. They are going to play…may the best tennis player win.

Sit back and watch. I have watched every match of Federer's that I can for the past several years. Savoring what is left. I feel the moments ticking away. Federer is tennis. Sadly too…that I would say such a thing. It has never been so narrow. So short of interesting characters and interesting rivalries. Read 'em and weep.

There is only one question for me…can he possibly have something more up his sleeve?

[stroke]

DB, as for the sleeve, yes, I see another major for Roger, probably another Wimbledon. As for today, it should be quite the match. I am picking Roger. Not only is his technique the best ever, so "easy on the eye" as Robbie Koenig of the Tennis Channel would say, but he never brings annoying drama to the court. He just gets on with it. The crowd certainly likes Novak, but certainty not the same as the love for Roger. One can tell that gets to Novak sometimes.

[stotty]

Roger and the commentatoes are saying the courts are somewhat slower than Dubai. I am going to have to go with Djokovic in that case.

[don_budge]

The Advantage Court...

Roger and the commentatoes are saying the courts are somewhat slower than Dubai. I am going to have to go with Djokovic in that case.

Interesting…before his match with Raonic, Roger was quoted as saying that the slower court in this case favors the attacking player as it gives him more time to prepare to attack.

A similar argument was made a couple of years ago when McEnroe was to play Wilander in the finals of the Champions in London. Perhaps you remember this. The court was supposedly slower and it was supposed to favor Wilander. But the reverse ended up being true. It did in fact favor McEnroe for that very reason…it gave him more time.

There are many factors at play in a match like this. I listened to a very interesting interview that Leif Shiras did after the Murray match. One thing is for certain…Djokovic and Federer have a lot of respect for each others tennis. Djokovic gave an incredible amount of credit to Federer's resurgence to his switching to the new equipment. So in doing so he had to be thinking in the back of his mind…how many Slams did Roger cheat himself out of by not switching for all of those years.

Hopefully this match will live up to expectations…both players are playing great tennis.

DB, as for the sleeve, yes, I see another major for Roger, probably another Wimbledon. As for today, it should be quite the match. I am picking Roger. Not only is his technique the best ever, so "easy on the eye" as Robbie Koenig of the Tennis Channel would say, but he never brings annoying drama to the court. He just gets on with it. The crowd certainly likes Novak, but certainty not the same as the love for Roger. One can tell that gets to Novak sometimes.

Easy on the eye and he just gets on with it…without the drama. Another major is going to be a tough ask seeing as the format is best of five. But why not another Wimbledon. He should have won last year.

Tonight…I'm pulling for Roger. But that goes without saying. Just hoping he has something up his sleeve…to tip the scales in his favor.

One interesting stat that someone mentioned last night during the Raonic match. Roger has something like 26 bagel sets against to ten players. The other of the "Big Four" have a combined 26 bagel sets. Tomas Berdych doesn't have to be so singled out…he is merely the latest.

[stotty]

Djokovic leads 2-1..good standard so far. Djokovic looking bulletproof.

[stotty]

5-2...Djokovic is looking strong. Great hold for 5-2.

Courts are slow...not going to be much joy at the net for Roger.

[don_budge]

Second Set...

The eighth game was a titanic struggle. Federer breaks back.

[stotty]

The eighth game was a titanic struggle. Federer breaks back.

Certainly was...now 5-5

[stotty]

1 set each...

Do I stay up or go to bed...

late here..

[don_budge]

Set #3…to come

That was some tie-breaker…eh boys!!!

I've turned off the sound.

[klacr]

Federer: That swinging volly at 3-4 in tiebreak. Yeeeesh!

Djokovic: 3 double faults in a tie-break....double yeeeesh!

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

Break back...

A SLICE backhand produces an error from Djokovic on the fifth or sixth break point. What a game! What intensity from both players.

[stotty]

Djokovic wins. Well, he was the better player, no question. Funny chain of events that caused him to drop that second set...the double faults...the crowd.

Isn't tennis great!