Indian Wells ATP 1000

[jimlosaltos]

RF: Fritz is obliterating his forehand. Tennis Channel's Jim Courier, "I don't think you can appreciate on TV how hard Fritz is hitting his forehand but Sinner is standing up to."

Stat: Jannik Sinner hit higher max speed on his forehand (108 MPH) and virtually identical average speed (78 MPH)

The main difference (aside from Sinner's forehand seeming effortless while Frtiz was coming out of Nike Air Vapors) is the depth. Sinner's forehand forms a line about 2 feet from the baseline, while Fritz's landed shorter. That's consistent with Fritz's complaints about the wind: If he hit with the wind it flew, if he hit into the wind his shot landed short. Also for the "first 4 points dictate" crowd, Fritz won more 0-4 shot rallies, but lost to Sinner who was only better on rallies of over 9 shots. (Sorry, Craig O'Shannessy!)

Hmmmmm ..... can't place the court map here, so I added another response.

Thanks/ jim


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[jimlosaltos]

The Sinner- shot placement image:

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[stroke]

I watched the match. Absolutely to me, the Alcaraz forehand the biggest shot on the court there.

[jimlosaltos]

I watched the match. Absolutely to me, the Alcaraz forehand the biggest shot on the court there.

I agree. It was the biggest. And it was certainly decisive. But is that the "weight", i.e. the combination of velocity and spin that we perceive?

If I'd taken a quiz afterwards I would have said his forehand was going faster, but I'd have been wrong.

Update: Just remembered the RPMs are in one of the boxes I posted. Alcaraz's forehand averaged 1/3 more topspin than Medvedev's (3000 vs 2300). More kinetic energy overall, and big jump off the bounce. Particularly when Carlos took Medy wide repeatedly. Ball must have seemed like a rabbit bolting away from Medvedev.

[jimlosaltos]

Discussing Rod Laver led me to dig out this 2019 photo of him, alone in the hotel lobby, pursuing his phone.

I wanted to say hi & he's so personable I'm sure he wouldn't have minded, but I couldn't bring myself to intrude. Seems to be at IW every year.

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