2017 U. S. Open Championships...ATP 2000...New York, New York, U. S. A.

[stotty]

I have two thoughts:

1) Everyone keeps thinking Rafa will breakdown and disappear and he keeps proving everyone wrong; He won two slams this year.

2) Rafa is not immune to the drop in play at age 30. His best performance was by far on clay. He cannot win on grass anymore and hardcourt tennis will get even worse. This is his best year and he was losing to people that would not touch him on clay.

I don't think he can win two more slams again. The US open was an anomaly. A gift from the heavens. He might be able to win one more French but I really think his style will not lend itself to winning any more slams outside of clay.

But he could prove me wrong. Agassi said Nadal was writing checks but his body keeps on cashing them in.

I don't anyone expected him to be this successful.

It will be many years before we see someone with this kind of motivation.

Fed is the only one who can match him now and he is getting to the point where I think his only chance will be wimbledon.

If I were him, I would take as much time off until the hunger and motivation came back.

All good points...very valid.

But who else? Who is going to win these slams instead?

[gzhpcu]

Thiem? Shapolav? Zerev?

[arturohernandez]

Thiem? Shapolav? Zerev?

Good question. We seem to have a gap with no real contenders in the next generation.

I don't think Them will do well outside of clay. His game is predicated on big shots from way too deep in the court.

I think Zvererv will do better but he is like DelPotro just a little too tall.

My bet is on Shapovalov if he stays healthy and continues to improve. He is the right height and has the right game.

Dimitrov might look like Fed but he defends too much.

Even Nadal attacks at any chance he gets.

Shapovalov is the only one who has that kind of attitude.

But he is really young so it could take a few more years.

Until then you are right, there is really no one that can threaten the big four when they are healthy.

But they have to be healthy and that is where I think age will take its toll.

Should be a really interesting 2018...

[stotty]

Yes that was my point. The young guns aren't quite there yet. Roger and Rafa are still the best of the lot right now. Pat Cash came out today and claimed Roger is still the man to beat, the best player in the world. He could well be right but I am not sure Rafa is too far behind if he is behind at all.

I personally think Rafa would have won the US whether the draw had panned out or not. He tends only to play as well as he needs to. He won't be all that aggressive if he can win by popping balls in play.

I heard yesterday through a physio closely associated with someone from the Murray camp that Murray has a latral hip tear which won't heal without surgery. Having surgery would mean 9 months out of the game. Apparently Murray, being at the twilight of his career, has opted not to have surgery but to manage the injury instead. The physio said this will damage the hip as it will result in bone rubbing against bone. He said Murray will pay for this decision physically later down the line.

[arturohernandez]

I heard yesterday through a physio closely associated with someone from the Murray camp that Murray has a latral hip tear which won't heal without surgery. Having surgery would mean 9 months out of the game. Apparently Murray, being at the twilight of his career, has opted not to have surgery but to manage the injury instead. The physio said this will damage the hip as it will result in bone rubbing against bone. He said Murray will pay for this decision physically later down the line.

My sense is that Murray was tight when he played. This shows in his forehand and serve that use more muscle than they use the loose acceleration seen in Federer and Nadal. That is why he is having problems. He spent too much energy and was too tight. I think he is done. He will just limp along losing, eventually opt for surgery and then never get back to the top.

Have you heard anything about Fed's back. I suspect that he was not 100% at the US open. Not that he was hurt but just that he could not hit certain balls very well.

That is why he was missing so many of the shots he normally makes against Delpo.

[stotty]

My sense is that Murray was tight when he played. This shows in his forehand and serve that use more muscle than they use the loose acceleration seen in Federer and Nadal. That is why he is having problems. He spent too much energy and was too tight. I think he is done. He will just limp along losing, eventually opt for surgery and then never get back to the top.

Have you heard anything about Fed's back. I suspect that he was not 100% at the US open. Not that he was hurt but just that he could not hit certain balls very well.

That is why he was missing so many of the shots he normally makes against Delpo.

No I haven't had any news about Roger's back other than he's had problems for a few months and the situation was being managed. He seemed absolutely fine in some matches but not in others. His back problems goes back a few years now. I thought it had been resolved, but either it has reoccured or it's different kind of back problem. Roger keeps pretty quite about these things so it's hard to tell. Most players suffer physically at some point or other but choose to soldier on.

Murray is making a big mistake. Having a hip replacement aged 40 would be a disaster for anyone. It's not worth it for a trophy, not really.

[don_budge]

My sense is that Murray was tight when he played. This shows in his forehand and serve that use more muscle than they use the loose acceleration seen in Federer and Nadal. That is why he is having problems. He spent too much energy and was too tight. I think he is done. He will just limp along losing, eventually opt for surgery and then never get back to the top.

Have you heard anything about Fed's back. I suspect that he was not 100% at the US open. Not that he was hurt but just that he could not hit certain balls very well.

That is why he was missing so many of the shots he normally makes against Delpo.

All you have to do is look at the physique of Andy Murray to know that he is an accident waiting to happen regarding injuries. Couple his physique with his style of play and it is a recipe for trouble. I don't think that I have ever seen anyone so heavy in the legs playing the way that he does. Jerking around side to side grinding out matches is not the style of play that a bunch of current players currently at the top should be playing. Going forwards is so much more seamless. If they hadn't changed the conditions though we would be seeing bazooka serve and volley which is where the game was headed during the Becker, Edberg era. Points at Wimbledon were averaging less than two strokes. A serve and maybe a return.

Engineering of the game has virtually eliminated players moving forwards which is traditionally the way the game has always been played. Never before in the history of the game has there been so much infernal backcourt play. Somebody call a physio.

[arturohernandez]

If they hadn't changed the conditions though we would be seeing bazooka serve and volley which is where the game was headed during the Becker, Edberg era. Points at Wimbledon were averaging less than two strokes. A serve and maybe a return.

Engineering of the game has virtually eliminated players moving forwards which is traditionally the way the game has always been played. Never before in the history of the game has there been so much infernal backcourt play. Somebody call a physio.

And they extended one generation at the cost of the next. Hence, the older players have figured out how not to grind and yet at the same time do not have to worry about a young gun outqucking them.

But the tide will change. We just need one or two aggressive players like Shapalov to come around.

Here is hoping that it is sooner rather than later.

[arturohernandez]

No I haven't had any news about Roger's back other than he's had problems for a few months and the situation was being managed. He seemed absolutely fine in some matches but not in others. His back problems goes back a few years now. I thought it had been resolved, but either it has reoccured or it's different kind of back problem. Roger keeps pretty quite about these things so it's hard to tell. Most players suffer physically at some point or other but choose to soldier on.

Murray is making a big mistake. Having a hip replacement aged 40 would be a disaster for anyone. It's not worth it for a trophy, not really.

My guess is that the larger racket not only improved Fed's game but it also alleviated the strain on his back. He can hit as big with less effort.

Hence, his rebirth.

One thing that gets lost in the Nadal discussion is the fact that there is not many tweaks left to his game.

Fed was reborn when he started playing on an even field with his new 98. You also have to add a couple of years to fully adjust.

Nadal and the rest of the graying top players will not have anything like that.

Or maybe everyone will just start playing less than the full calendar year.

That is something that Nadal has been advocating for a long time.

[hockeyscout]

Watching the women's final. This is as dumbed down as it can possibly get. These women are getting equal prize money? What a joke...but it is no laughing matter. The implications are staggering. Neither of these two players could beat a top 10,000 player on the men's side. That side isn't so deep either. Unseeded Sloane Stephens against the number 15 seeded what is her name...Madison Keyes? hockey scout might have something going on here if he gets the young on headed in the right direction.

Well, coach Steve aka don_budge, you've seen video of my kid play now! I'm doing my best to get her in the right direction - we'll see!

[don_budge]

Watching the women's final. This is as dumbed down as it can possibly get. These women are getting equal prize money? What a joke...but it is no laughing matter. The implications are staggering. Neither of these two players could beat a top 10,000 player on the men's side. That side isn't so deep either. Unseeded Sloane Stephens against the number 15 seeded what is her name...Madison Keyes? hockeyscout might have something going on here if he gets the young on headed in the right direction.

Well, coach Steve aka don_budge, you've seen video of my kid play now! I'm doing my best to get her in the right direction - we'll see!

Coach hockeyscout aka David...if you watched any of the Australian Open Women's tournament you see that what I wrote about the U. S. Open Women's tennis still applies. Nothing has changed. The paradigm...well it is what it is. Lacking in imagination, fundamentals and anything that resembles STYLE. Sloane Stephens and Madison Keyes...two American ladies. But even that was not enough to propel this final into anything of any interest to anybody. It was so forgettable that if you ask anyone who played the finals they most likely have already forgotten. Hell...they have probably already forgotten who played in the Australian Open finals. Wozniaki and Help...who? I don't even know how to spell or pronounce their last names. I am simply not aware of them...they have failed to capture my attention for whatever reason.

Now if somebody comes along and is able to solve this simple equation for "the value of x" they just might put themselves in position for a long term dominance of the sport much as Serena William has. Williams did it on brute strength alone but will there come along a wolf with the animal instincts to do it with stealth, guile and a ferocious sense of exposing the jugular and going for it. With style? I haven't seen any sign of it to this point. The women's game remains as dull as can be. Even the eye candy aspect is just a miserable failure. So have at it my man...you can see that the field is wide open and just asking to be taken.

[hockeyscout]

Coach hockeyscout aka David...if you watched any of the Australian Open Women's tournament you see that what I wrote about the U. S. Open Women's tennis still applies. Now if somebody comes along and is able to solve this simple equation for "the value of x" they just might put themselves in position for a long term dominance of the sport much as Serena William has. Williams did it on brute strength alone but will there come along a wolf with the animal instincts to do it with stealth, guile and a ferocious sense of exposing the jugular and going for it. With style? I haven't seen any sign of it to this point. The women's game remains as dull as can be. Even the eye candy aspect is just a miserable failure. So have at it my man...you can see that the field is wide open and just asking to be taken.

I am sure some obscure group of people will figure it out -- but, even if they do they'll likely be seen as outliers and "lucky" exceptions to the system. It won't be true, but if something in tennis is not good for the almighty $$$ and the "power that be" then its not good for the system. $$$ Revenue, and development do not work hand in hand in what is really a system that is focused on short term getting as much out of Daddy Big Bucks as possible while the hope window is open. Results are to important to everyone - and putting in time in the grass roots Bush Leagues is a foreign concept to all these days.

don_budge - you a guy like me that bucks the system. I was thinking about a few things here. You actually are in a terrific position right now to do much more I think.

Yup - now the question we have to ask ourselves is how can we create a new thinking that works for the game?

How do we create a sport that costs the elite kids no money, parents no stress and fosters everything you speak about now.

You have a pretty good deal now in Sweden with the farm and your retirement pension.

Get your beavers together, scrape up a bank loan, ask the government for some funding and build a simple court. You don't need something flashy, hell, I'd just build a cheap barn! You can call it the Tennis Barn.

Stay at home, work dusk to dawn, scholarship kids and go grass roots development.

In 2-3 years you could have guys coming in paying good money if they see what you do works.

Sometimes you gotta be the lone wolf, go at it on your own for a bit, build it, find success, show real results and expand with people who get what you want to do (if they don't, do what Trump does and show them the door so quickly everyone's head spin - he fires all these people on purpose, and you will see in year 2-3-4 everyone will fall into line).

Do it as a hobby.

Focus on real development - take it on the chin and reap the rewards long term.

It would probably anger the country clubs and association - but, if you get results (and you are a capable coach) that is all that matters.

Horses, tennis and clean air -- it would be a real winner I think.

Hell -- I could help you market it - and when my kids are older they can come practice off the grid where she will get left alone to do her thing!

You could even market home cooked meals for the kids - and promote it as ultimate wellness spiritually and physically. Elite players would like a setup like this, as most are sick of toxic environments and want the next in development. The sport has got to big for itself, and we are training these kids in pro environments before they have earned it in the bush leagues.

Great development happens off the grid.

You got a real opportunity now!

Happy retirement sir!

[bottle]

My guess is that the larger racket not only improved Fed's game but it also alleviated the strain on his back. He can hit as big with less effort.

Hence, his rebirth.

But if the increase in area was that significant, why wouldn't he be twice as good with a Weed 125?

[bottle]

I like the allusion at the end. "Thank God almighty. Free at last!" About time you put some respect where respect is due.

[bottle]

I always knew that deep beneath the bluster you actually liked black people.