2017 Australian Open...ATP 2000...Melbourne, Australia

[don_budge]

Federer is winning...first set 6-4. Brilliant tactics...much as I outlined in the Tilden/Djokovic mode. Keep up the good work...don't let this rat back in the door.

Serving for the third set at 5-1. Brilliant tactical set. Tilden is the book.


"There is another approach to this tactical problem, which is that your opponent is never completely beaten until you have broken his morale and made him conscious of his impending defeat. Pounding a weakness is one way to do it. It is the longest, often the surest, and certainly the most universally used method. A method I frequently prefer is quicker, more exciting, and perhaps more dangerous, but if it's successful it inflicts the most lasting of all defeats. It is to play your opponent's strength until you break it. (This, of course, is the exception to the tactical rule of not giving your opponent a shot he likes to play.) Believe me, once a player finds his favorite shot won't win for him his whole game collapses. If he can't win with his strength he can't win at all. Once a player admits defeat to himself he is through, even though he plays on gamely, and tries to hide it. Certainly, the very fact that you attack his strong point with assurance and confidence will shake him, if you get away with it a few times. It makes him aware of your strength of purpose and will to win, and keeps tremendous mental pressure on him that is worth much to you in a long match. It takes courage and determination on your part to attack his strength, but if you do it of your own volition you are prepared for his reply and you can tune your own game accordingly."

[don_budge]

When Roger Federer is serving for the set it is almost as if he can smell it. Taste it. He gets this look in his eye that says..."this is my service game and you cannot touch it". What an advantage to have that kind of confidence on the biggest stage in the world. The finals of a Grand Slam event.

One of the keys to this match is Roger Federer's ability to take his backhand aggressively to the Nadal forehand. In this manner he is demoralizing Nadal by defeating his strength. Tilden is the book...Federer is the Living Proof. All points in between. Keep maintaining pressure on your opponent. This is Federer's challenge in this crucial moment. Don't let up.

[don_budge]

Epic Moment...Serving for the Championship

Roger Federer serving for the title with new balls. 0-30...settle down. Ace...15-30. Be calm. 15-40...first serve now. Ace...30-40. First serve now...second serve and back to deuce. Here we go...Roger in position. First serve in and championship point. Double fault...deuce. Nope...challenge gets him the first serve back. Missed forehand...back to deuce. He knows the score. Ace...advantage Federer. Championship point. Championship to Roger Federer...The Living Proof!!!!!!!!!

[stroke]

What a win for Roger, for number 18. It is hard to put into words the magnitude of that win. He certainly earned it. Epic match. Watching him, it is hard to believe that it could have been 5 years since his last major title. It is tough out there. As we have all said before, no one looks like Federer out there.

[klacr]

Roger reminds us to never doubt greatness.

I still remember those people that said he was done in 2008. and 2009. And 2010. and so on and so forth. I will always remember the doubters.

After 4 sets. The total points won were tied at 110.

-Federer is the first player to beat four top 10 players en route to a major title since Mats Wilander at the 19-82 French Open.

-Federer is first to win three five set matches en route to the title since Gaston Gaudio in 2004 French Open.

-Federer is the lowest ranked (17) male player to win Aussie Open since Thomas Johansson (18) in 2002

Most Grand Slam Final Meetings:
9 Federer/Nadal
7 - Djokovic/Nadal
7- Djokovic/Murray
5- Agassi/Samprad
5- Lendl/Wilander

What a tremendous match.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[klacr]

One of the keys to this match is Roger Federer's ability to take his backhand aggressively to the Nadal forehand. In this manner he is demoralizing Nadal by defeating his strength. Tilden is the book...Federer is the Living Proof. All points in between. Keep maintaining pressure on your opponent. This is Federer's challenge in this crucial moment. Don't let up.

THE key!!!

That backhand was the best I have ever seen it against Nadal. And he needed every bit of it.

few stats

Aces
Federer 20 Nadal 4

Net Points won
Federer 29/40 (73%) Nadal 10/12(83%)

Winners
Federer 73 Nadal 35

Unforced Errors
Federer 57 Nadal 28

Differential
Federer +16 Nadal +7

Total Points won
Federer 150 Nadal 139

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[klacr]

Top 10 ATP Rankings as of Monday, January 30th

1. Andy Murray
2.Novak Djokovic
3. Wawrinka
4. Raonic
5. Nishikori
6. Nadal
7. Cilic
8. Thiem
9. Monfils
10. Federer

Federer is back. Top 10 be prepared. Be very prepared.

When asked about the 5th set, Federer responds "I don't really remember what happened."

In his victory speech "If there were [draws in tennis] I would have been happy to share this trophy with you tonight, Rafa". Class act by Roger. But this is tennis, thank goodness there are no draws. A winner must be crowned. And that winner is Roger Federer. All hail the king.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[don_budge]

What a win for Roger, for number 18. It is hard to put into words the magnitude of that win. He certainly earned it. Epic match. Watching him, it is hard to believe that it could have been 5 years since his last major title. It is tough out there. As we have all said before, no one looks like Federer out there.

Yeah man...nobody looks like Roger. He conducts himself like he was born to be there. Being there. Man...when he has the ball in his hands he knows how to take care of business. Served out that match with everything riding on it like a real champion. Can you imagine trying to steady the nerves in a situation like that? He knows that his motion is perfect and therefore he can afford to be a little fatalistic as well. Just let it fly.

[don_budge]

THE key!!!

That backhand was the best I have ever seen it against Nadal. And he needed every bit of it.

few stats

Aces
Federer 20 Nadal 4

Net Points won
Federer 29/40 (73%) Nadal 10/12(83%)

Winners
Federer 73 Nadal 35

Unforced Errors
Federer 57 Nadal 28

Differential
Federer +16 Nadal +7

Total Points won
Federer 150 Nadal 139

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

Within these stats you can read the tactical game that Federer employed against Nadal. He was forcing the issue and conceding the long points more or less. He was out to get the quick drop...stay on top...and deliver the knockout.

The backhand? A real transformation. But just a little deceptive as well. You have to factor in the courts where the "fast" surface enabled Federer to flatten the ball out somewhat instead of having the ball sit up so high on his backhand he had it more in his wheelhouse.

Do you see how the paradigm of the game can be changed through only subtle engineering?

It was an exciting match to watch for sure...I am quite certain that John Yandell is sitting someplace thinking to himself how dramatic it was. It was in the composition of the courts. Djokovic and Murray who have been dominating the scene disappeared early and rather timidly. It was refreshing to see that there were three out of four players in the mens singles semifinals using one-handed backhands. It's a much more elegant game when it is played one-handed. It was great that even Dimitrov rose to the occasion and put on a great showing against Nadal. The Federer/Wawrinka match was outstanding to watch as well.

Tennis doesn't have to be so god awful boring and the Australian Open proved it with just an incrementally faster surface. It enable Federer to get on top and stay on top. Interesting to watch him calculate what was worth going for and what he had to concede.

With Roger Federer back in the mix it becomes a sport again. Isn't it amazing how much difference he makes to the sport? Without him it is a dull and drab affair. With him there is that element of inspiration that we are all so desperately searching for in our lives. A reason to believe. Well...I guess that is why I call him "The Living Proof" because he confirms everything that I believe to be true about the game of tennis. The wonderful game of tennis. The game that I remember falling in love with so many years ago.

[don_budge]

Question for klacr...

When was the last time that three our the four semifinal contestants in a Grand Slam tennis tournament played with one hand backhands. I was thinking that it must have been at least 15 years...maybe more.

[stroke]

Yeah man...nobody looks like Roger. He conducts himself like he was born to be there. Being there. Man...when he has the ball in his hands he knows how to take care of business. Served out that match with everything riding on it like a real champion. Can you imagine trying to steady the nerves in a situation like that? He knows that his motion is perfect and therefore he can afford to be a little fatalistic as well. Just let it fly.

Yep

[klacr]

Question for klacr...

When was the last time that three our the four semifinal contestants in a Grand Slam tennis tournament played with one hand backhands. I was thinking that it must have been at least 15 years...maybe more.

Great question! I never thought you'd ask.

The last time at least 3 mens semifinalists used a single handed backhand in a grand slam was at The Australian Open in 2007. Roger Federer, Tommy Haas, Fernando Gonzalez. (Roddick only one of four to use two hander). And yes, Roger won that tournament.

And before that it was the 2004 US Open Open, the final four featured Federer, Henman, Joachim Johansson and the two hander was Agassi. And yes, Federer won that title as well.

And before that, it was the 1999 Wimbledon, You had Sampras (Champion), Rafter, Henman and *Agassi.

The frequency starts to pick up the further back you go...

* denotes two hander

1998 US Open: Rafter (Champion), Philippoussis, Sampras, *Moya

1998 Wimbledon: Sampras (Champion), Henman, Krajicek, *Ivanisevic

1998 French Open: *Moya (Champion), Corretja, Mantilla, Pioline,

1997 Wimbledon: Sampras (Champion), Pioline, Stich, Woodbridge - This marks the last time all four semifinalists had one handed backhands.)

Hope that helps.


Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stotty]

(NOTE: My username is now switched to Stotty. All my posts have also come with me.)


Observations over two weeks of the Aussie Open

Roger can still be immaculate.

Tomic is too slow and has not improved

Berdych is still too slow and has not improved. He might be in decline. I am not sure the much lower ball toss suits his motion

Berdych still has the prettiest girlfriend in the house

Monfils still has nothing between his ears

Djokovic looks like he's lost weight

Federer knows precisely what needs to be done. Pancho Gonzales did. A useful trait they share in equal measure.

Where did Dan Evans come from? He's suddenly playing a decent game of tennis out of nowhere. And he's a Brit!

In English rhyming slang, Kyrgios would be termed a 'paper hat'.

Misha Zverez doesn't volley that well. His backhand volley is certainly a good one, but his forehand volley is average. Against Murray, critically, his serve set everything up. He served extremely well.

Murray isn't as smart as I thought.

It's comforting to see a weird forehand (Misha Zverev) can still exist out there

An unorthodox player cannot beat Roger Federer. And Roger knows how to play a serve volleyer. Rule number one: return the ball in to feet. Roger played and beat Sampras, don't forget.

Players need deep-rooted confidence to volley in matches. Few have that confidence. There is huge opportunity beckoning for the player who resurrects the trade

Djokovic is still great. I have a feeling he will be back.

Murray has always been vulnerable to dumping out early, and always will be.

Alexander Zverev will become world number one. His temperament is outstanding.

The scheduling in the second week of the Aussie seems unfair.

It's funny what can happen when the courts are sped up, just enough.

Nadal is a good deal slower than he was. His forehand lands short so often. He's 80% of his former self. Oddly enough I think his backhand may have got better.

Nadal has perhaps the best backhand volley on tour. He sneaks in to put away easy volleys better than anyone else. A skill Borg had. Nadal should come in more.

Nadal's girlfriend doesn't wear makeup.

Nadal has missed 10 majors due to injury. Murray has missed 5. Federer just 2. Djokovic has missed 0

Grigor showed fortitude and character. He buckled those last two games against Nadal but only under enormous pressure. Grigor should have won. I lost count of how many forehands of Nadal's plopped on or just outside the service line. Don't play the legend, play the man.


Roger defeats the pesky Spaniard in the final. I haven't seen it yet as I had to work. If he couldn't beat Nadal today he was never going to. The outcome was never in doubt for me. I had Roger to win in four.

Full marks to Roger for sticking around and waiting, lurking, for a slam draw to pan out his way. Like I said earlier, he knows exactly what's required.

Incredible stats posted by Klacr on Federer's achievements. Despite all this, Federer, statistically, ranks just third amongst the big four in their head-to-head meetings at majors.


On a negative note, it's depressing no one has come through to seriously challenge the big four in all these years. Roger could win another one at this rate; so could Rafa, Murray and Djokovic.

Overall, a good major. The best in many years. This is what I signed up for and why I started playing tennis in the first place, now over 40 years ago.


Roll on Roland Garros....

Stotty

[klacr]

Stotty, Congrats on getting your own name and account! Well deserved.

One more stat on Federer: Federer is the first man to have won at least 5 titles or more in at least 3 grand slams.

Note on Berdych, Esther, the pretty girl in his box is not his girlfriend, she is his wife. All other comments on Berdych I cannot disagree with.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[klacr]

Federer's backhand winners during final
Sets 1-4 - 6 winners
Set 5 - 8 winners

Everyone knew Rafa would attack Roger's backhand with his lefty forehand. Everyone knew how it was going to end. Roger never got that memo. He stepped up and handled it like a champion. The superlatives to describe Federer can never get old, and neither does watching Federer win. 35 is the new 25. I'm turning 35 this year. Bigger things to come.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton