Roland Garros, Paris 2020

[stroke]

Stan is putting a real beatdown on Murray. Stan looks great in all areas, his backhand on clay looks even more lethal. The only one hander I think that one could argue is as good on clay is Gasquet. Murray just looks like a slower version of himself.

[stotty]

Not a good day for the Brits: Murray, Konta, Evans...all out.

Watching Moutet and Guistino at the moment which is turning out to be a more even battle than the first set suggested. It's a tough gig the FO. Easily the hardest slam to win. Staggering to think Rafa has won it 12 times. I don't think anyone is ever going to beat that record.

[stroke]

Not a good day for the Brits: Murray, Konta, Evans...all out.

Watching Moutet and Guistino at the moment which is turning out to be a more even battle than the first set suggested. It's a tough gig the FO. Easily the hardest slam to win. Staggering to think Rafa has won it 12 times. I don't think anyone is ever going to beat that record.

Could not agree more. Just a brutal physical test in the most physically challenging tennis tournament in the world. To me, these are the overall fittest athletes in the world. I said many times what I think of Nadal's achievements here.

[arturohernandez]

Could not agree more. Just a brutal physical test in the most physically challenging tennis tournament in the world. To me, these are the overall fittest athletes in the world. I said many times what I think of Nadal's achievements here.

Everyone‘s wearing jackets. It reminds me of tennis in the winter in the SF Bay Area. Slow and low. Will be an interesting tournament!

[don_budge]

Everyone‘s wearing jackets. It reminds me of tennis in the winter in the SF Bay Area. Slow and low. Will be an interesting tournament!

I've been up at 5:30 every morning and teeing off at 7 for the past month. The temperature has varied from low to mid forties at that time and generally rising to mid fifties to sixty by the time I finish around 10:15. Warming as the sun comes up. It has been absolutely gorgeous here in Sweden. The line of trees in the back field where the horses are started to change color about four days ago. They peaked yesterday. Brilliant colors. Nature on acid as usual. Perfect golf weather...maybe a bit chilly for tennis.

[johnyandell]

Bill Simons of Inside Tennis:

http://www.insidetennis.com/2020/09/...e-french-open/

[stroke]

Big win for Fucsovics over Medvedev. Fucsovics certainly looked the better technique player, which is certainly no absolute recipe for success. That being said once again, it just goes to show us unnecessarily again there are no big 3 on the horizon.

[stotty]

Big win for Fucsovics over Medvedev. Fucsovics certainly looked the better technique player, which is certainly no absolute recipe for success. That being said once again, it just goes to show us unnecessarily again there are no big 3 on the horizon.

True...but in this particular tournament Thiem might just shine. I have him third favourite.

[stroke]

Some 1st round match with Rublev vs Querry. I have always really liked Sam's game, and he rode his power game to 2 tiebreaker wins 1st and 2nd sets. Rublev stayed strong and has extended it to the 5th set. And there are so many very good players out there like Sam to me that do not have much career wise to show for their talent. A brutal sport to make a living at.

To me, let's look at Sam vs the gold standard for modern tennis, Novak. To me, Sam has a better forehand and a better serve. That is pretty significant. Certainly Novak has better movement and a better backhand. Neither has great hands or is a great volleyer, even though Novak does have that backhand deuce side dropshot. And there is Sam at 2 career 500 level titles, and Novak, with all his titles. Just so brutally small margains.

[stotty]

To me, let's look at Sam vs the gold standard for modern tennis, Novak. To me, Sam has a better forehand and a better serve. That is pretty significant. Certainly Novak has better movement and a better backhand. Neither has great hands or is a great volleyer. And there is Sam at 2 career 500 level titles, and Novak, with all his titles. Just so brutally small margains.

Nice comparison. Movement is a massive factor. Another big factor is being able to churn out the same high form day in and day out. The thing with Roger, Rafa and Novak is their basic form doesn't alter all that much other than the odd 5% dip here and there. The younger emerging players are impressive but they cannot hold form for months at a time; Tsitsipas and Medvedev being examples.

Great win by Rublev. He seems quite steely at least.

[stroke]

Nice comparison. Movement is a massive factor. Another big factor is being able to churn out the same high form day in and day out. The thing with Roger, Rafa and Novak is their basic form doesn't alter all that much other than the odd 5% dip here and there. The younger emerging players are impressive but they cannot hold form for months at a time; Tsitsipas and Medvedev being examples.

Great win by Rublev. He seems quite steely at least.

Such a succinct take on all. The 3 assassins stand alone. And I will cocur, Rublev today was steely. now he just nees to do it for 15 years every day.

[arturohernandez]

Nice comparison. Movement is a massive factor. Another big factor is being able to churn out the same high form day in and day out. The thing with Roger, Rafa and Novak is their basic form doesn't alter all that much other than the odd 5% dip here and there. The younger emerging players are impressive but they cannot hold form for months at a time; Tsitsipas and Medvedev being examples.

Great win by Rublev. He seems quite steely at least.

Ahh, but I am going to sound like a broken record here. Tsitsipas and Medvedev are outside of the ideal height range to win major titles. RRN were all right at the ideal height. My guess is that being too tall just takes too much wear and tear and hampers movement. Querry is also too tall. I am with Stotty on Rublev. He is the ideal height and if we use a analytics approach to tennis would be a better bet to win majors than Tsitsipas, Medevedev, or Zverev.

Analytics are not everything but so far the trend continues. 6'1" is the ideal height. An inch or two above or below is acceptable. Once we get past that it becomes very difficult to win a major title or multiple Masters 1000's.

[stroke]

I think Tsitsipas of the tall guys is the true contender for the title. He to me moves very well, as good as anyone pretty much, and plays with plenty of spin(except his serve with that questionable grip). His gait reminds me of a tall Borg, obviously a good thing. Stan looks very good. Obviously Nadal, Novak, and Thiem. We will see. Alex is a toss up today vs the talented Herbert.

[stroke]

Match of the day tomorrow Tsitsipas vs Cuevas. Pablo one of the top 10 clay courters in the world to me. A good chance to see where Stef is in this tournament. Cuevas to me a Thiem lite.

On an unrelated side note, Sinner to me looks like a real dark horse, if there is such a thing anymore. Who knows, Kuertan came out of no where to win this tournament a long time ago, when he was ranked in the 60's.

[stotty]

Ahh, but I am going to sound like a broken record here. Tsitsipas and Medvedev are outside of the ideal height range to win major titles. RRN were all right at the ideal height. My guess is that being too tall just takes too much wear and tear and hampers movement. Querry is also too tall. I am with Stotty on Rublev. He is the ideal height and if we use a analytics approach to tennis would be a better bet to win majors than Tsitsipas, Medevedev, or Zverev.

Analytics are not everything but so far the trend continues. 6'1" is the ideal height. An inch or two above or below is acceptable. Once we get past that it becomes very difficult to win a major title or multiple Masters 1000's.

Very dangerous to have fixed ideas in coaching. Someone will always comes along to blow your theories into oblivion. Usain Bolt is 6'5'' and seems to move pretty well to me.