2015 Swiss Indoors…ATP 500…Basel, Switzerland

[don_budge]

The Only Thing…that matters

Karlovic-Gasquet turned out to be an exciting match...for the last 4 points of the 3rd set tie-breaker! The first 2 hours and 25 minutes of the match could have put an insomniac to sleep

Nadal escapes again. Cilic had him. Up a set, a break and momentum on the Croatian's side. This is the 3rd match in a row Nadal escapes what looked like a defeat. Say what you want about Rafa, his antics, his mannerisms, his game, but the guy is a competitor.

Jack Sock vs. Donald young. Two of the best players in American tennis. Well, that's what they say anyways. Nothing special in this match. Sock won it, but neither player played or executed to their full potential.

Federer-Goffin. A popcorn match for sure. Great shotmaking, all-court play, forays into the net from both men. Federer ran away with it in 3rd set after hiccup in 2nd set. Goffin has some game. Enough game to lead his home country of Belgium into the Davis Cup finals this year. No easy feat.

All 4 quarterfinal matches went 3 sets.

Today's semis
Nadal-Gasquet
Federer-Sock.

Basel crowd may get a treat and see Fed vs. Nadal on Sunday.
Not sure which Gasquet will show up against Nadal today. That is the wild card.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

The only thing that matters in the scope of the Swiss Indoors is a Roger Federer versus Rafael Nadal matchup. Everything else is foreplay at this point. This is a big moment in the present tense of professional tennis. Once these two face off everything else will seem like background noise.

Jack Sock and his forehand. I am tired of hearing of it already. Hopefully Roger and Stefan have come up with an effective game plan…it should be interesting to see what it is.

Rafael Nadal versus Richard Gasquet? This will be a rare moment for me…I am pulling for Nadal. Only because I want to see Roger kick his ass-picking behind into next year.

[stroke]

The only thing that matters in the scope of the Swiss Indoors is a Roger Federer versus Rafael Nadal matchup. Everything else is foreplay at this point. This is a big moment in the present tense of professional tennis. Once these two face off everything else will seem like background noise.

Jack Sock and his forehand. I am tired of hearing of it already. Hopefully Roger and Stefan have come up with an effective game plan…it should be interesting to see what it is.

Rafael Nadal versus Richard Gasquet? This will be a rare moment for me…I am pulling for Nadal. Only because I want to see Roger kick his ass-picking behind into next year.

Roger has a game plan. I think it is basicly he is just a better tennis player. Jack is running around so many backhands that it looks to me he his tiring right before our eyes in this tournament. I see Roger winning in 2. I too am really looking forward to a Nadal vs Fed final. Fed is certainly looking like the favorite, but as lc has said, he always does. We all know what Roger and his backhand is up against vs Nadal.

[stotty]

I have watched Nadal quite a bit this week. He is muddling through but is a shadow of the player he's been in the past. He is missing forehands left, right and centre at times. It doesn't seem like his forehand is having the same effect as usual either. From TV it doesn't look like it's ripping off the court. The stats tend also to write a story. He is hitting far less winners and making more unforced errors on that wing than in his glory days.

It's not just mental, it is clearly the forehand that is a persistent problem as well. I haven't noticed any of the commentators, pundits or coaches picking up on this and offering clues as to what might be wrong. I cannot offer any insight to the forum either. But there is something afoot with Nadal's forehand, that's for sure....

[don_budge]

Getting in position…and sustaining it

I have watched Nadal quite a bit this week. He is muddling through but is a shadow of the player he's been in the past. He is missing forehands left, right and centre at times. It doesn't seem like his forehand is having the same effect as usual either. From TV it doesn't look like it's ripping off the court. The stats tend to paint a picture as well. He is hitting far less winners and making more unforced errors on that wing.

It's not just mental, it is clearly the forehand that is a persistent problem as well. I haven't noticed any of the commentators, pundits or coaches picking up on this and offering clues as to what might be wrong. I cannot offer any insight to the forum either. But there is something afoot with Nadal's forehand, that's for sure....

It appears to me that there is something noticeably different with Nadal. It is in everything that he does…as in being a shadow of his former self. The obvious answer is that he is off his meds and that his last injury "timeout" was actually a suspension for using PED's. Now this is only a theory without any backup of proof. But the proof has been all too evident to anyone watching his results and the lack of commentary from the gagged mouth pieces in the announcing positions spells something is rotten in Denmark.

Without the magic that he has been on for all of these years his movement and his endurance fall off a bit. There isn't all that much separating the top tier from the next couple of tiers except the ability to get into position more often than the next guy. Couple that with a tad less strength to provide the turbo boosting spin on the forehand and you have the recipe for what is taking place.

Nadal has for years been playing "rodeo" tennis. He has been all forehand and all of the time. That is not to say that he has any bad strokes…but it is the LEFT-HANDED rodeo forehand that is his major weapon and advantage. When you take that advantage away he is vulnerable to a whole lot of players on the tour.

If this "theory" is in any way correct or close to the truth and it very well could be…it is another facet of the game that needs to be thoroughly scrutinized. I'll be willing to settle for a match to tomorrow for some further analysis. It would be a telling match from two points of view…from the perspective of Roger's change of equipment and all of the resulting ramifications of that and from the perspective of Nadal's current plight. He has fallen so far…so fast. While Roger at the same time immediately resurrected himself and his game. Two leading contenders going in opposite directions.

What other plausible explanations are there? I never heard any detailed information about his supposed injury that kept him off of the tour for so long this last time. You never really hear any explanations for any of his disappearing acts…just sketchy details. Mumbled nonsense…a shrug of the shoulders. He simply walks away at a very convenient time in his schedule and then he reappears tougher than ever. Except this last time. So the question is…what has changed? Any other ideas?

[stroke]

I agree with lc that Nadal's forehand, even though technique wise, looks the same, it is definitely not having that same body blow impact on players as it used to. As far as Roger and Nadal's games are going in different directions, I don't think anyone is really surprised. Rogers inimitable game seems still just beautiful to watch, technically flawless. Nadals brutally physical game obviously is not going to close in on 30 really well. He is really only a possible threat at the French Open as far as majors go, if that at this point. I still think he could contend in 2016 for that one. That being said, his legacy vs Federer is not going to change and that unbelievable record over the last 10 years(up to last year) at the French Open remains to me one of the greatest achievements, if not the greatest, in all of sports.

[stotty]

Out of the blue...genius from Federer

Great comments from stroke and don_budge. Who knows what is going on but Nadal but will get to know EXACTLY where he stands right now if a Nadal v Federer final comes about. It will be a benchmark for both players. Robbie over at TennisTV thinks Nadal's problems are mental. I am having none of it. The forehand is the problem and he is struggling mentally because of it.

Federer was amazing the other day against Goffin. Play is level at one set all and you wonder whether Goffin might pull off a surprise. Then in the second game of the third set Roger hits two early, almost half-volley forehands which would be impossibly difficult to pull off for anyone but him. He placed those forehands so beautifully in spots that left Goffin stranded.

Anyway he caught Goffin and whole stadium of spectators off guard....no one saw those forehands coming....out of the blue. Next thing you know Roger is 3-0 in the third and that's the end of that.

Roger hit just two shots that suddenly changed the whole complex of the game and which won him the set and the match...two shots!

Can you think of any other player that can do that? I can't...not now...nor in the past.

[don_budge]

Richard Gasquet…serving for the second set approaches cross-court

Richard Gasquet does his part and lamely laid down for Nadal when he served for the second set. He went up 15-0 then double faulted twice. At 15-30 he goes to the net behind a cross court topspin backhand into the Nadal forehand. The results? Pretty predictable right? A cross court pass by Nadal for 15-40 and two break points…he converted on the first.

Rafael Nadal…the most obviously self absorbed tennis player of all time. Between his ticks…his pre-serve routine has actually been lengthened by an almost imperceptible motion where he touches the ball in his pocket after he picks his shorts out of his ass…his manipulation of his towels and the towel/ball boys…his arranging of his water bottles…incessant bouncing of the ball when serving…inspection of the balls before serving...his overall fake everything…it's hard for me to believe that anyone buys into his schtick. He is the biggest hotdog to ever play the game. Everything he does is so contrived…it's such an act. Fafa is a real piece of work. Cannot stand anything about him.

But for once I am happy to see him win. Gasquet also had two set points in the tie-break but he meekly played some low percentage shots that Nadal capitalized on. That cross court approach shot sort of exemplifies the low standard of play on the tour nowadays. It's up to Roger now. He is the only one that truly plays the game the way it was meant to be played. He still has to navigate Jack Sock. Patriotism aside…I hope Roger drop kicks him into next week. I'm not a fan of Sock's game either.

[stroke]

Great comments from stroke and don_budge. Who knows what is going on but Nadal but will get to know EXACTLY where he stands right now if a Nadal v Federer final comes about. It will be a benchmark for both players. Robbie over at TennisTV thinks Nadal's problems are mental. I am having none of it. The forehand is the problem and he is struggling mentally because of it.

Federer was amazing the other day against Goffin. Play is level at one set all and you wonder whether Goffin might pull off a surprise. Then in the second game of the third set Roger hits two early, almost half-volley forehands which would be impossibly difficult to pull off for anyone but him. He placed those forehands so beautifully in spots that left Goffin stranded.

Anyway he caught Goffin and whole stadium of spectators off guard....no one saw those forehands coming....out of the blue. Next thing you know Roger is 3-0 in the third and that's the end of that.

Roger hit just two shots that suddenly changed the whole complex of the game and which won him the set and the match...two shots!

Can you think of any other player that can do that? I can't...not now...nor in the past.

LC, I was thinking the same thing in that 3rd set sequence you refered to, nobody except Roger, ever. To use Tennischannel Robbie quote he has used about Roger, "so easy on the eye". Speaking of self absorption greatest of all time, I have to go with Serena, slam dunk.

[don_budge]

What a couple of...

Speaking of self absorption greatest of all time, I have to go with Serena, slam dunk.

I stand corrected…let's call it a tie.

[klacr]

Federer vs. Nadal

Giving the people what they want.

Federer handles Sock and his forehand pretty comfortable today. Nadal and Gasquet was predictable. Gasquet didn't have the guts or the tactics, just some backhand flair. Nadal too much of a competitor for the Frenchman.

Federer will have the crowd behind him. The court surface in his favor. And Nadal not at his Nadal best. I'd love to see the SABR against Nadal just to send him in into a tizzy. Hoping for an ass-kicking tomorrow, but Nadal is a competitor and always makes things interesting with Roger. Roger's biggest opponent tomorrow is between his ears.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stroke]

It appears that there is somewhat of an anti Nadal swelling going on here for the match tomorrow. I have to admit, I like both players and have no issue with either winning. Like everyone else here, I really like Fed. His game and talent is like no other. But Nadal to me has just done it the blue collar way, no where near the natural talent level of Fed but here he is in the conversation for the greatest ever. Sock just wasn't feeling really like competing all out today, kind of like the very talented French players way to often. That Davis Cup showing vs Switzerland was their essence, their signature. Nadal will compete. That being said, I am picking Fed as usual, as lc would not be surprised.

[stotty]

I have been waiting for this one...

stroke has a good point. Nadal is a tremendous competitor and has made it to the final and in doing so has given himself a chance. If anyone is going to bring out the best in him it will be Roger Federer. Nadal loves to beat Federer. He has had him firmly by the balls for years now and Roger has been unable to do anything about it. Tomorrow, on paper at least, could be different. But Roger still has to go out and do it.

don_budge and Klacr were right in saying Gasquet lacked the gumption to win that second set against Nadal. He had that second set on a plate, but then handed it back on a plate. Like don_budge I'm glad Gasquet screwed up because the Nadal/Federer match up is the one I most want to see.

I really think Nadal is there for the taking tomorrow. His game is still way off for me and he is vulnerable. On top of this the court is ideal for Roger.

I hope Nadal can find something and the match goes down to the wire...a three setter, please.

[don_budge]

Wish Lists...

Hoping for an ass-kicking tomorrow...

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

It appears that there is somewhat of an anti Nadal swelling going on here for the match tomorrow.

stroke has a good point. Nadal is a tremendous competitor and has made it to the final and in doing so has given himself a chance. If anyone is going to bring out the best in him it will be Roger Federer. Nadal loves to beat Federer. He has had him firmly by the balls for years now and Roger has been unable to do anything about it. Tomorrow, on paper at least, could be different. But Roger still has to go out and do it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ozv054JxieY

Everyone has a wish list. Eddie Vedder wishes he was a neutron bomb so that for once he could go off. Me…my wish list will be fulfilled if Roger Federer absolutely smokes the greatest imposter ever in tennis. Ok…throw in Andre Agassi and Serena Williams.

All of the planets are lined up. The homework has been done. The changes have been made. Rafael Nadal has found himself playing on a level playing field for the first time in many years. He isn't comfortable and his many ticks are looking more and more ridiculous as he wishes on these absolutely moronic habits to somehow invoke the old magic.

I could go on and on…I would begin with the sleeveless shirts and the clam-diggers. Just for starters. I wish…I wish. Please…Roger. For all times sake. For the sake of tennis. Kill him.

[klacr]

No anti-Nadal swelling from me. Just more of a pro Roger swelling. I've mentioned numerous times how much Nadal is a great competitor, and that folks, is one hell of a talent. Nadal has had a marvelous career....but when push comes to shove, Federer gets my nod.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stroke]

Oddsmakers have Roger big favorite at 4/11, Nadal at 10/4.