2017 Matua Madrid Open...ATP 1000...Madrid, Spain

[don_budge]

It's a real live ATP professional tennis tournament despite the obvious fact that Roger Federer is not participating due to his rather unusual scheduling. Even though he is not in the tournament he is still the subject. Why is he not playing? This is some strange scheduling indeed. He's riding a hot hand yet he chooses not to play. It's difficult to understand. Unless...there is an elephant in the living room that I just cannot see.

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

At any rate there are bits and pieces to talk about. Three of the "Big Four" are in Madrid. Andy Murray to play Borna Coric, Rafael Nadal to play Nick Kyrgios and Novak Djokovic to play Feliciano Lopez in the round of sixteen. The action is starting to heat up...particularly for Rafael Nadal.

[stotty]

Apparently Roger has written off the clay court season and is likely playing Roland Garros for ranking points, having missed the event last year he is guaranteed to accumulate points there. Having said that, Roger is great at lurking around and you never know what might happen if Nadal and Djokovic get knocked out.

Roger's preparation, so they say, is being geared towards SW19.

[don_budge]

Stan Wawrinka...MIA

Apparently Roger has written off the clay court season and is likely playing Roland Garros for ranking points, having missed the event last year he is guaranteed to accumulate points there. Having said that, Roger is great at lurking around and you never know what might happen if Nadal and Djokovic get knocked out.

Roger's preparation, so they say, is being geared towards SW19.

Now the story morphs into "The Swiss Disappearing Act". Stan Wawrinka takes the usual unceremonial powder to Benoit Paire 7-5, 4-6, 6-2. No surprise...Wawrinka pulls this sort of stunt nonstop all year round. He shows up at these "meaningless" tournaments and disappears way before his seeding projection. No other top player in the world seems to outdo him in this regard.

Both Swiss players are missed at the later stages of tournaments. Roger is the draw when he is in the tournament. I think that his schedule is outright unprofessional. I really wonder what is motivating his disappearance. For a career long record of stability and reliability to suddenly go AWOL after attaining such unprecedented success after a long layoff...it begs the obvious question. Why? I have followed his meticulous preparation for years...I have written about it. He befuddles me...unless? Hmmm. Nobody is above suspicion. Does the name Maria Sharapova mean anything to anyone?

Grigor Dimitrov, Dominic Thiem, Pablo Cuervas and Feliciano Lopez remaining from the one hand backhand contingent. Four out of sixteen. Here the Swiss are missed again. It would be much better if six one handed backhands were remaining. The controversial question about the disappearance of the one hand backhand loses the heaviest contributors. Here in Sweden it has been illegal to teach the one hand backhand for many years and they find themselves ten years behind in the development of tennis players. These are the words of a fellow conspirator here who at a recent trainer training seminar advocated teaching all students the one hand backhand first and then the two hand before allowing the student to make their own decision. He also advocated stepping to the ball as opposed to walking through with the back foot Swedish footwork style. I couldn't believe my ears when I heard this. He will probably be summoned to the head of the tennis federation and shut up for good. Communists.

Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal remain. But for how long? Nadal to play Nick "The Jerk" Kyrgios. Good bye Rafa? Is it too much to hope for? Ironically the real jerk is Nadal. Go Nick! The guy may just be inheriting the mantle of the "most watchable" on tour with Roger being absent. Let the crying begin.

[klacr]

I prefer when this tournament was played on the blue clay.

On another note, interesting to see Nastase in the stands during Djokovic match.

Thiem and Dimitrov thumping the ball and using their one-handed backhands for all sorts of magic. Slices, flat drives, rolling topspin, drop shots and everything in between. Great stuff.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stroke]

Stan Wawrinka...MIA



Now the story morphs into "The Swiss Disappearing Act". Stan Wawrinka takes the usual unceremonial powder to Benoit Paire 7-5, 4-6, 6-2. No surprise...Wawrinka pulls this sort of stunt nonstop all year round. He shows up at these "meaningless" tournaments and disappears way before his seeding projection. No other top player in the world seems to outdo him in this regard.

Both Swiss players are missed at the later stages of tournaments. Roger is the draw when he is in the tournament. I think that his schedule is outright unprofessional. I really wonder what is motivating his disappearance. For a career long record of stability and reliability to suddenly go AWOL after attaining such unprecedented success after a long layoff...it begs the obvious question. Why? I have followed his meticulous preparation for years...I have written about it. He befuddles me...unless? Hmmm. Nobody is above suspicion. Does the name Maria Sharapova mean anything to anyone?

Grigor Dimitrov, Dominic Thiem, Pablo Cuervas and Feliciano Lopez remaining from the one hand backhand contingent. Four out of sixteen. Here the Swiss are missed again. It would be much better if six one handed backhands were remaining. The controversial question about the disappearance of the one hand backhand loses the heaviest contributors. Here in Sweden it has been illegal to teach the one hand backhand for many years and they find themselves ten years behind in the development of tennis players. These are the words of a fellow conspirator here who at a recent trainer training seminar advocated teaching all students the one hand backhand first and then the two hand before allowing the student to make their own decision. He also advocated stepping to the ball as opposed to walking through with the back foot Swedish footwork style. I couldn't believe my ears when I heard this. He will probably be summoned to the head of the tennis federation and shut up for good. Communists.

Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal remain. But for how long? Nadal to play Nick "The Jerk" Kyrgios. Good bye Rafa? Is it too much to hope for? Ironically the real jerk is Nadal. Go Nick! The guy may just be inheriting the mantle of the "most watchable" on tour with Roger being absent. Let the crying begin.

I would say he is the most watchable since Roger. I would also say he is the most talented since Roger. I don't think a player with his fast twitch type serve(Roddick, Goran, Tanner) has ever had the rest of the package he has. And I don't think any player could beat him in a 40 yard dash.

[bottle]

Then again his pure ickiness could cause the watcher to vomit.

[don_budge]

I would say he is the most watchable since Roger. I would also say he is the most talented since Roger. I don't think a player with his fast twitch type serve(Roddick, Goran, Tanner) has ever had the rest of the package he has. And I don't think any player could beat him in a 40 yard dash.

The match between Kyrgios and Federer at Miami was one for all time. But I guess that just supports what I have been saying about Roger...beyond him there is nothing left. Yesterday...Kyrgios came up with a most lackadaisical effort against Nadal and virtually threw in the towel in the second set. Typical Kyrgios. The tour is in the tank without Federer and I for one am having a difficult time understanding why Federer is not out there bolstering the tour. Unless...he just doesn't want to and he doesn't feel he owes it to them. I have a rather complicated theory as to how his attitude could have evolved to this. But as Stotty says and I have maintained...all roads are headed to Wimbledon. But I don't rule out a surprise appearance at Roland Garros. He just might take 'em by surprise. A sneak attack. With the bolstered backhand he just might be a threat. Wouldn't that be something?

But as for Madrid...why not blue clay? Why not purple? Who cares? Nadal appears to. Murray couldn't be bothered. Neither could Wawrinka. The tour is in the toilet. Djokovic appears to be running on fumes...soon to be coached by Nastase? Why not? Good Lord...why not?

Coric versus Thiem! Whoopee! Next Generation hype. Pablo Cuevas versus Alexander Zverev! More Next Generation! Watch any paint dry lately? Coffin and Nadal. Same old...same old. Nishikori and Djokovic. Ditto. No Federer equals lack of interest. Possible Nadal and Djokovic? Minimal excitement...minimal interest. We can only witness the same spectacle so many times. Further indication as to the state of the tour. Reruns of Nadal and Djokovic are the only possible source of anything resembling interest.

Next Generation? A bunch of duds. Make that Duds...capital "D". Kyrgios is the most interesting of the bunch and he only picks and chooses when he will show up to play. It's a sad state of affairs. Does it remind you of anything else?

[stroke]

Roger will probably be the oddsmakers pick for Wimbledon, which is really something at his age. Nadal, to me the 2nd best player of all time, is clearly the best clay court player of all time. I still feel like his French Open run, 2005 through 2014, is the single greatest achievement in sports. And like Roger, he wants more real bad. It would be a shock if Kyrgios ever gets anywhere close to reaching his potential. Surely, he will win a major or two at some point. Zverev, not as talented as Kyrgios, seems a much safer bet to really impact the sport. Zverev to me has a very similar game(and size) to Berdych. Great ball striking(with more spin) off both sides, a better mover than Berdych, and a better and certainly more reliable serve. Similarly, he also has less than ideal hands/feel.

[don_budge]

Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal L (roman numeral for 50)

Another indication as to just how weak the overall field is in the modern game. When the same players meet so often in semi's and final's it isn't that the players are so good...it's only that there isn't so much competition. Novak struggling to find his moral compass as of late...Nadal probably peaking from his cycling schedule. Djokovic has the game plan but the question becomes one of intestinal fortitude now.

Dominic Thiem and Pablo Cuevas in the other semi. It is so nice to see once again that two one handed backhand players have made the semifinals. The demise of the one hand backhand was greatly exaggerated. It is only that modern coaching and the game itself was hijacked by some special interests. Interests that had basically nothing to do with the players or the fans. It was all about money. It still is and from now on...always will be. It's Big Time Tennis now...a bastard cousin to Big Time Wrestling.

Trying to make a big show out of two aging and struggling players of the "Big Four". The "Big Four" have dominated the game for the past 16 years or so...only because of a lack of depth on the tour. Let the game begin.

[don_budge]

Novak Djokovic vs. Rafael Nadal L (roman numeral for 50)

Another indication as to just how weak the overall field is in the modern game. When the same players meet so often in semi's and final's it isn't that the players are so good...it's only that there isn't so much competition. Novak struggling to find his moral compass as of late...Nadal probably peaking from his cycling schedule. Djokovic has the game plan but the question becomes one of intestinal fortitude now.

Dominic Thiem and Pablo Cuevas in the other semi. It is so nice to see once again that two one handed backhand players have made the semifinals. The demise of the one hand backhand was greatly exaggerated. It is only that modern coaching and the game itself was hijacked by some special interests. Interests that had basically nothing to do with the players or the fans. It was all about money. It still is and from now on...always will be. It's Big Time Tennis now...a bastard cousin to Big Time Wrestling.

Trying to make a big show out of two aging and struggling players of the "Big Four". The "Big Four" have dominated the game for the past 16 years or so...only because of a lack of depth on the tour. Let the game begin.

Average time between points...Djokovic 32 seconds, Nadal 30 seconds. This is the best tennis has to offer. Nadal...17 bounces before first serves. Not to mention the quirks and twerks. The mind boggling twitches.

[don_budge]

Average time between points...Djokovic 32 seconds, Nadal 30 seconds. This is the best tennis has to offer. Nadal...17 bounces before first serves. Not to mention the quirks and twerks. The mind boggling twitches.

A bit of a stinker I would say. Nadal definitely the sharper of the two. Djokovic has lost the passion. Or maybe it has something to do with the cycle of PED's. One cannot be certain these days. The disappearing acts. The sudden reappearances in peak condition.

For Nadal's part he is just beyond watchable. I started out watching the match but lost interest very quickly. It's funny you know...it's fake tennis. Just like the fake news that has been proliferating the reality of the average everyday shmoe for the last how many years. Certainly the last sixteen. It's all fake now. How can you even call it tennis anymore? Why would I say that?

The game has been engineered beyond all recognition. EBAR. Or fucked up beyond all recognition. FUBAR. Take your pick...there isn't much to choose from. Without Roger Federer...the last of the Living Proof in the don_budge paradigm for teaching tennis there isn't much to salvage. Here are the two top players of the last how many years and neither one can execute a simple serve and volley. Neither one can execute a classic approach and volley. All court tennis is dead. Interesting how they did it and nobody seemingly batted an eyelash. Except you know who.

The final tally was 6-2, 6-4. I had to look it up because I opted for a couple of stupid reruns of "2 and 1/2 Men" with the wife scarfing down a couple of cheese sandwiches and soup. I watched a good part of the first set. Zero net play. A couple of guys taking forever to put the ball in play. As if they are thinking over their strategy while bouncing the ball incessantly before they can pull the trigger on the serve. My God...just serve the fucking ball would you? Novak...Fafa? Idiots. Greatest of all time? Surely you jest. Neither would stand a chance all things being equal against a real tennis player...on a real tennis court, with real tennis racquets and real tennis strings. It's rigged. Jersey rigged. Whatever the hell that means.

The Greatest of All Time. stroke...I can understand. At least I can say that I understand. But let me put to you bluntly. How would we know? How can you compare? Roger Federer? I'm not so sure of that one either. He just hasn't had much of a field to compete against. A few players that seem to be superior to the rest...but superior at what? Rallying behind the baseline. In real tennis the things was settled at the net. It always had and has been. Ever since Tilden's days. The 1920's...the roaring 20's! What have we got now? A lame and dumbed down version. Tennis for dummies.

Roger Federer benefits the most. Look what he has done since opting for the bigger equipment. Look how his backhand "appears" to be so improved. I wonder how each and every single tennis player in 1978 would have looked with a nice, shiny new Prince Graphite 110? Every one of them would have looked like Roger Federer. It would be nice to transport all of them into 2017 and insert them in the draw against the latest lackluster crew. Put a player from the past against a player of the "modern game". It would be a blood bath. Just quicken the courts a tad at the same time. Bing...bang...bye. Shut out the lights. Good night Iran.

Dominic Thiem versus Rafael Nadal in the semi-finals. Hoping that God will intervene here. Nadal makes me sick. Seriously.

[stotty]

I didn't see any of the Madrid Open as I am snowed under with work as usual at this time of year. I do a seven day week from now until mid-July.

I think Djokovic is the best modern day baseliner I have ever seen. He's just so good off both flanks.

What I have always questioned is his decision-making. He's fired his entire coaching staff...a weird decision. He for some reason courted the presence of Pepe Imaz...strange decision. His drop shot isn't all that good yet he overplays it and that often costs him dear. He comes to the net at vital moments yet he cannot volley to save his life, not really. Roger and Rafa rarely make bad decisions on court, but Djokovic does.

Have you ever noticed when someone drop shots him on his forehand wing that he will always race up and hit a sliced forehand crosscourt. Never once have I seen him hit up the line in that scenario.

[don_budge]

Dominic Thiem...Poster Boy

Dominic Thiem served and swing volleyed one time. It was an accident...and an error in judgement. He served wide to Nadal's backhand in the deuce court and Nadal stabbed at it lofting a highly arched shot into the middle of the court for Thiem to bury. It looked to me that Thiem could have either; a) quickly moved in and smashed it into next week or b) bounced the ball and smashed it into next week. Instead he elected to become the poster boy for serve and swing volley and he drove it into Nadal's backhand where the wily one was waiting...he had guessed right. Nadal blocked it back up the line for a winner.

I have to give the commentators credit...everything they see now deserves a rich explanation and their attempts to hype every ordinary tennis shot into the "hot shot" of the moment is courageous. I can only imagine my being in a booth with my tendency to try or at least attempt to tell the truth. Trying to keep it real.

[don_budge]

I didn't see any of the Madrid Open as I am snowed under with work as usual at this time of year. I do a seven day week from now until mid-July.

That is impressive. Be careful and take care of yourself.