2016 Mutua Madrid Open…Madrid Spain…ATP 1000

[don_budge]

After a nice polite debut in Monte Carlo where he lost to his exhibition buddy…Jo-Wilfred Tsonga…Roger Federer makes an appearance in Madrid, Spain. It's only fine tuning. Preparation is the mantra of the man. He has his goals but he keeps his cards close to his chest. Is it the French? Doubtful. It's Wimbledon.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/federer-confirms-madrid-2016-presence

It's good to have him in the draw. It gives credibility to the tournament. Without him there is a rather large yawning void. Soon the tennis world is going to playing the game of "filling in the blank". It will rather interesting to see what the brain trust can come up with.

Even with a really dumbed down tennis playing public it is going to be quite a stretch for these "geniuses". I don't have any high hopes. The "Next Generation" looks like a "Generation Lost in Space" to me.

[don_budge]

2016 Mutua Madrid Open…The Draw

The Draw...

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/scores/current/madrid/1536/draws

[stotty]

The Draw...

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/score...rid/1536/draws

Looks like Federer and Nadal are on a collision course.

[klacr]

Bring on Madrid. Altitude may help. Anyone else miss the blue clay?

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[nickw]

Yes, looking forward to a good event this week. The altitude certainly adds an extra factor to make it interesting. I can't say I do miss the blue clay, just didn't seem right to me! The European clay season is defined by the colour of courts, as is the upcoming grass season. Blue dye for Wimbledon?

[nickw]

Disaster, Federer has to pull out again.

[gzhpcu]

Yeah, not good. Hope he is well for the French Open and, of course, Wimbledon.

[klacr]

Now it forces his hand to play Rome. Fed needs to get healthy. Tennis misses him. We all miss him.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

The Time is Coming…Roger Federer

Disaster, Federer has to pull out again.

It's nature taking its course. The guy played so many years virtually injury free. His motor and movement was so good that he was a classic illustration of the expression…"it ain't the miles, its the terrain".

But the years of pounding and going the distance or nearly the distance in all of the tournaments that he has played is taking its toll now. Once these injuries start piling up it will be difficult for him to get the old rhythm and preparation that he so desperately needs at this point in his career.

He'll be hanging it up soon. Maybe after Wimbledon. Maybe after the U. S. Open. Maybe after this year. It is only a matter of time. The sand is running out in the hour glass.

Now we will see what the modern game is truly all about. I feel another culmination point coming on. There are going to be some decisions to be made. We'll see. Time will tell. It always does what it is supposed to do. Time…that is.

[gzhpcu]

Just watching Stepanek - Murray. Stepanek just won the second set. Great forays to the net to terminate baseline exchanges. He is 37, by the way... He has a Swiss connection - Hingis's ex-boyfriend...

[klacr]

love the serve and volley from Steps. Radek had some lovely play.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[gzhpcu]

Stepanek showed that volley attacks during baseline play at the right moment, cut the long boring groundstroke duels short with a spurt of adrenaline!

[don_budge]

2016 Mutua Madrid Open…Radek Stepanek versus Andy Murray

Radek Stepanek might be appropriately called a "journeyman doubles player" at this point in his career. He has been a successful Davis Cup player for Czechoslovakia as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2g0BGwtBkI

In this highlight video Radek evokes some fading memories of a game that was so different tactically speaking that it is virtually unrecognizable today. In the few minutes that this video captures the play he is playing the role of the counterpuncher and biding his time until he is given an opportunity to be in a position to aggressively take position in the forecourt.

Radek makes good use of the slice backhand and his approach game is clever enough. He understands how to get Murray in a position where he will have to "hit up" to him once he takes the net. His volleys are firm and well placed…usually just out of reach of Murray.

Stepanek's two hand backhand is a bit of a liability so he uses his one handed slice to his advantage to parry off the stronger and more aggressive baseline game of Murray. It isn't so much serve and volley as it is all court tactics. There is no reason that some of the players that are using one handed backhands could not be playing the same style of tennis. You can see that one of the big advantages for the one handed player is when he brings the two handed player forwards.

When the one handed player brings the two handed player forwards he is dictating the play. Play in the forecourt is traditionally a one handed backhand affair. It is to the advantage of the one handed player to have play as much as possible such as this. Stepanek sure is an interesting player to watch even though it is obvious from the beginning he may be over matched on account of his age…possibly not the best athlete out there either. But he makes it interesting by making good use of his brain to go along with his tactics. He certainly makes good use of his doubles skills. Even his serving tactics are subtly clever enough to keep a great returner such as Murray at bay.

[klacr]

Stepanek: 5 career singles titles, Highest singles ranking of #8 in the world, 2 grand slams in Doubles. Over $10 million in career prize money. Great career for a journeyman. Love watching him play. Breath of fresh air. Especially with the contrast of Murray's game.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stroke]

Stepanek: 5 career singles titles, Highest singles ranking of #8 in the world, 2 grand slams in Doubles. Over $10 million in career prize money. Great career for a journeyman. Love watching him play. Breath of fresh air. Especially with the contrast of Murray's game.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

I agree, Stepanek has had a great career. Great transition game, hands, volley skills.