Indian Wells

barrystar wrote:Djoko has a lot on his plate: (a) the elbow; (b) the new service action; (c) basic match fitness - although that should be the least of his worries; (d) having recently cleared out his team, perhaps not for pure tennis reasons; (e) these 'on court' issues could muck up the mind of even the best adjusted and happy player; (f) he does not seem to be particularly well-adjusted or happy - there's the family situation and what I'd term the 'man child' problem - the long-term issue of his strong but unrequited desire to be universally loved.

There may be a bit of the 'Tiger Woods' in his situation - but as a golfer Tiger has had more time to deal with his issues than a tennis player.

The thing with Tiger was the base and force of his swing was very much in the back, and that was always going to lead to long term issues. When he then started to restructure the swing, a lot of power and accuracy went out of his shots. Started slicing and fading a lot of shots. Couldn't get his weight distribution right in the legs. It was a mess and hence the knees took a lot of pressure they hadn't before. 

He was what 32 when he last won a Major. Last top 10 finish was in 2013. I think Tenez made a great point in a post earlier about how fast these sports changes and when you look at when Tiger took a time out to recover, McIlroy and Speith burst on the scene and the game Tiger had a decade ago cannot hold up in today's conditions especially with longer courses and narrower fairways. 

Djokovic was making the right moves when he was healthy and on top. Had Becker in which was a new voice and perspective and did show signs he was trying to develop and expand his game. Last 18 months feels like he's gone backwards. Because of the changes he's made and the progress that stopped dead in it's tracks.

Tenez wrote:It looks like it's going to take a few more years for Zverev to really be a dominant player. Is he the new Raonic?

The other day I remembered seeing Zverev for the first time.

It was in Boodles, when he was 14, practising on the side court with Nole...more for journalists it looked at the time.

I remember thinking, what is the big deal with him?
All I could see was nice flat long shots going down the middle...and nothing else.
I couldn’t not see what the hype was all about.

He was also exceptionally skinny, maybe even skinnier than Rublev.

Then he obviously went away and beefed up (even though he still looks skinny but that’s his tall frame which looks even more elongated and unproportional in real life)) and continued to play the same game.

All last year we could see he could not cope physically and sustain that style he was not built for despite all the latest fitness/medicine trends.

To me, he is not a new Raonic, more new Coric...though Coric never was as highly ranked.

I still think he has a good potential and could become a new Delpo at best, but only if Becker who is alleged to become his new coach manages to change his mentality, a little like Lendl did with Murray.

bogbrush wrote:Needs a specific thread really, it’s very big when a #1 looks like fading fast, especially the implications for other players left behind.

Anyone want to set out the framework of discussion? Barry did a good job above abd I don’t want to plagiarise his post.

I've taken up the challenge...

Interesting that Fed is obviously choosing to play in day sessions, because evening is snail slow.

Wow, some stat showing day bounce is 40cm higher in day session.

Fed is playing in ridiculously good form, brimming with confidence.

Footwork is amazing.

Watch out!

I was weary of Kraji as he breezed through his previous rounds..but clearly Fed must be playing well.

First time I notice those thick veines on Federer's legs.

Some serious Federer exho stuff there. A little wobble at the start, then a beatdown.

Yet another player who now knows what it means to play the maestro.

Annabel basically just melting down on Court standing next to Fed.

Fed in 58 min, good warm up.

Since BB seems to be into "melting & orgasms", I'd like to add that I the ball girls, proper hormone injected meat, hips, boobs, etc. I guess they are under-age, so you old lot, behave yourself 

One stat against Fed was, rallies over 9 hits, Fed only 1, Krajin. 9! Maybe Fed just didn't want to extend them.

Also he can drop the ever so often fisting on points when he plays any player outside of top 10. Against top 10 fine.

Jahu wrote:Fed in 58 min, good warm up.

Since BB seems to be into "melting & orgasms", I'd like to add that I the ball girls, proper hormone injected meat, hips, boobs, etc. I guess they are under-age, so you old lot, behave yourself 

I only noticed lads. That’s a worry.

Annabel would probably do anything warm right now, she was looking pretty revved up after that interview.

Guess the heat giving her a sun-fuelled body shiver, out of London cold weather. 

The older she gets the more she seems hungry for it, you know the old saying woman are like wine, the older blla blla

Coric is playing pretty well nowadays.

Tenez wrote:Coric is playing pretty well nowadays.

To be fair the slow high bouncing courts suit him perfectly.

I remember IW was quicker than Miami....It's been slowed down badly.

Tenez wrote:Coric is playing pretty well nowadays.

I noticed his scores - no worse than 6:3 through three matches - but have not seen him play yet. From what I remember of him, I thought he just did not have enough power, but maybe that changed (strange if so)?

Tenez wrote:

Tenez wrote:Coric is playing pretty well nowadays.

To be fair the slow high bouncing courts suit him perfectly.

I remember IW was quicker than Miami....It's been slowed down badly.

Nothing was to be left to chance after last years pummelling.

In the mean time Chung beats Berdych to end his losing streak against him.

And poor Thiem is out too.. Retiring in 3rd set trailing 2-4.. could he not have stayed on till the end of the match?

Sore loser.

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:And poor Thiem is out too.. Retiring in 3rd set trailing 2-4.. could he not have stayed on till the end of the match?

Sore loser.

Lol!

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:In the mean time Chung beats Berdych to end his losing streak against him.

Yes, I am pretty sure those courts suit him perfectly. Must be tough to hit through him there.

Tenez wrote:

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:In the mean time Chung beats Berdych to end his losing streak against him.

Yes, I am pretty sure those courts suit him perfectly. Must be tough to hit through him there.

He didn't do that bad on the faster AO courts. Chung is the only young gun with some good wins this year.

gallery play wrote:

Tenez wrote:

raiders_of_the_lost_ark wrote:In the mean time Chung beats Berdych to end his losing streak against him.

Yes, I am pretty sure those courts suit him perfectly. Must be tough to hit through him there.

He didn't do that bad on the faster AO courts. Chung is the only young gun with some good wins this year.

He is scheduled to play Fed in two matches.

Could be a good one if he has heled those blisters.

The closest we’d get to see a Fed-Nole.

Del Potro looks pretty good.

Ouch!

Cilic ...tamely beaten by old Kholschriber.....a joke this guy.

Delpo is the highest remaining seed other than Fed. And Delpo has no BH, as I like to mention.

Two medium good matches today:

Fed-Chardy, no drama but some guaranteed great tennis, again day session (I am not complaining as I can actually watch it in normal hours )

Chung-Cuevas, two quality in-form players, and a chance for Chung to prove again he is the leader of the young breakthrough pack

summerblues wrote:Delpo is the highest remaining seed other than Fed.  And Delpo has no BH, as I like to mention.

He does have one.  As I keep mentioning.  He doesn't need an amazing one - because he has a lethal forehand and a lethal serve when it's on side.  He can beat Federer.  He's coming off the back of a tournament win.  I don't know why you give him such small praise?  You expected Djok to beat him easily... look how that turned out.

Wow, that was a total demolition from Chung in the first set, 6:1. Very powerful shots.

Chung certainly loves those conditions. His ball is heavy seems able to hit through those slow conds. He is going to be a force to be reckoned with from now on. ...bar injury as he seems to have bandage on his arms already.

Daniel wrote:

summerblues wrote:Delpo is the highest remaining seed other than Fed.  And Delpo has no BH, as I like to mention.

He does have one.  As I keep mentioning.  He doesn't need an amazing one - because he has a lethal forehand and a lethal serve when it's on side.  He can beat Federer.  He's coming off the back of a tournament win.  I don't know why you give him such small praise?  You expected Djok to beat him easily... look how that turned out.

Delpo is too slow for current Fed.
Even in these conditions.

I'd like Cuevas to win.

What a rally...Chung really is a baby Nole.

So good off balance on both wings.

He is maybe even tougher than Delpo atm.

In fact, Chung is a powerhouse compared to Nole, stronger legs and upper body.

But same game. Chung probably has better hands, too.

I like the fact he doesn’t grunt either.

Serving for the bagel now...

IMXS blasting away....

The court is so sandy/grippy that one can see the effect of the spin so well there.

I don’t think Chung can last in this mode in the best of 5.

Cuevas putting up a great fight grying to prevent the bagel.
7th deuce!

noleisthebest wrote:I don’t think Chung can last in this mode in the best of 5.

....

Maybe you right but the way he plays he is going to be Nadal's main opponent on clay this year!.

Chung needs to learn to serve on the T in add court...

Tenez wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:I don’t think Chung can last in this mode in the best of 5.

....

Maybe you right but the way he plays he is going to be Nadal's main opponent on clay this year!.

For three sets max, if he gets anywhere near him in the draw.

He lost this last game because he is dead...two DFs.

Not sure he is tired. He has won a few good 5setters in that AO.

DJ is a scream, playing Gotta go home...as the camera pans out to Cuevas....

Tenez wrote:Not sure he is tired. He has won a few good 5setters in that AO.

Yes but AO was fast, so his shots were more efficient.

This court really is a baseliner’s nightmare. The bounce is ridiculous,

I am so glad Nadal is not playing so all that sand was in vain.

Larry is such a nit.

It was 4/0 for Coric in the second set TB when I went out for a take away...what a surprise!

noleisthebest wrote:

Tenez wrote:Not sure he is tired. He has won a few good 5setters in that AO.

Yes but AO was fast, so his shots were more efficient.

I am pretty sure Chung's tempo is killing his opponent too.

noleisthebest wrote:This court really is a baseliner’s nightmare. The bounce is ridiculous,

I am so glad Nadal is not playing so all that sand was in vain.

Larry is such a nit.

Larry clearly tried to reproduce the USO conds.

Taylor hasn't got a great game but I like him.