Superb image General. Royal purple no less. :)
Respectfully,
masterclass
it is our legendary thread general.
it would not be success that it has become without you.
Thanks for the kind thoughts and words General.
Roger already has 18 majors in the bag.
Tomorrow he goes for major #19 and title #93 in the Wimbledon final against Cilic
I predict your legendary thread Mother of All Quests: 20 slams and 100 titles (http://www.menstennisforums.com/2-general-messages/197166-federer-mother-all-quests-20-slams-100-titles.html) thread will soon be fired up again. :)
Respectfully,
masterclass
It's incredible General. After this RAFA can ride into the sunset without a care.
But he will probably keep playing as long as he can. The money is just too good.
Each one of these victories probably adds another 100 million in the bank if not more.
Sorry I haven't been posting lately anywhere until now. I've been in the hospital again for a few days.
This time I had to have classic open surgery to take my gallbladder out.
It was in bad condition, so they couldn't finish the normally easier laparoscopic procedure, so now I have a lengthy cut across my abdomen with about 15- 20 metal staple stitches. Some pain and it's difficult to move, but in 14 days I will have those stitches out and it should be better. Then a few weeks to recover strength and a special diet.
I hope you are doing well.
Best Regards,
masterclass
General, I think Monte Carlo still has the most magnificent view in tennis, but if Rafa plays back any further he'll need to hit from his JetSki.
(https://www.camelotfantasies.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi.dailymail.co.uk%2Fi%2Fpix%2F2013%2F03%2F06%2Farticle-2289172-187B57EF000005DC-859_634x475.jpg&hash=887eeffd3c67d4d85e65bb1f0942800b249a8736)
(https://www.wired.com/wp-content/uploads/blogs/playbook/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/federer6.jpg)
Respectfully,
masterclass
https://sports.yahoo.com/news/nick-kyrgios-pinpoints-key-strengths-100043103.html?src=rss
I don't know general. If Djokovic, Murray, and Federer are not playing then Rafa has a chance.
I guess there is always Wawrinka. But who else, the Lost Generation like Dimitrov, injured Raonic, always injured Nishikori? Or maybe the Next Generation, like Zverev and Kyrgios?
It seems that Rafa could do well on the clay if he puts in some effort. He's the greatest clay warrior of the generations. That has to count for something.
Respectfully,
masterclass
general I saw some of the highlights of the Rafa match:
1. he does not have enough sting/bite to his shots
2. he doesn't have enough spin. the spin of old days. he blames it on the dry heat.
3. he doesn't have sufficient fitness. that is one reason he is choosing to stay on the hard courts. he doesn't have the fitness to grind it out on clay.
4. he still cant volley. he is terrified at the net for a brave warrior. I saw one volley and that says it all. he again guided and pushed it when he could have clobbered it out of existence.
so naturally he got a reply which he could not handle.
5. return is weak
6. his most significant weapon--his topspin forehand--lacks the spin, power, and the accuracy.
7. confidence level needed to win titles is not there. I can tell easily that he really doesn't believe. and he is not dumb. he knows he cant win because he has been farting around for 4 years while the world has been busy with continuous improvement.
I cant see him winning any titles anywhere.
Great post general, but a little sad for me.
I still see only one solution.
He has to overcome his infatuation with hard courts and get some courage and get back on the clay.
Who said it? "It is clay or the exit. "
As I said in the other thread, he needs to skip Miami, practice and work hard on the clay for a month and maybe get in a small tournament before Monte Carlo.
Nothing comes easy after 30, he has to work twice as hard. I don't buy the "missing a great serve" excuse. He has rarely had a great serve. His second serve return was maybe the worst I've seen it. His first serve return just sits up begging to be spanked.
He is fit and healthy enough to get out there and get his game back on the clay, he just has to want it badly enough.
From match to match, you can still see the brilliance at times. But it is not consistent anymore. He misses basic shots he would never miss in his prime.
If he doesn't want it enough to work for it, he might as well go to his Academy with his Uncle and teach the kids.
Respectfully,
masterclass
general I saw some of the highlights of the Rafa match:
1. he does not have enough sting/bite to his shots
2. he doesn't have enough spin. the spin of old days. he blames it on the dry heat.
3. he doesn't have sufficient fitness. that is one reason he is choosing to stay on the hard courts. he doesn't have the fitness to grind it out on clay.
4. he still cant volley. he is terrified at the net for a brave warrior. I saw one volley and that says it all. he again guided and pushed it when he could have clobbered it out of existence.
so naturally he got a reply which he could not handle.
5. return is weak
6. his most significant weapon--his topspin forehand--lacks the spin, power, and the accuracy.
7. confidence level needed to win titles is not there. I can tell easily that he really doesn't believe. and he is not dumb. he knows he cant win because he has been farting around for 4 years while the world has been busy with continuous improvement.
I cant see him winning any titles anywhere.
General, I heard that Toni has been complaining that nobody is listening to him anymore - that others have been making more and more decisions every year instead of him and he has had enough of this situation and the travel.
I'm not sure if it will have any effect on Rafa. I think he does things the way he wants the last few years.
But who knows?
Respectfully,
masterclass
Thanks General. I appreciate it.
I'll be logging in from time to time when I feel up to it.
I'm tired now, but I'm glad I'm home and have internet again and could touch base with you all and let you know what happened :)
Take care and best wishes.
Hi General, I just returned home today after a month in the hospital.
Touch and go for a short time in ICU, but I pulled through.
First time I ever stayed in the hospital, I hope not anymore.
Holiday season is a terrible time of year to be in the hospital...but I'm thankful that I've recovered.
Now I recuperate here at home for another month.
I hope your holidays went better, and you and everyone here have a Happy New Year!
Joyfully,
masterclass
Rafael Nadal: 'I want to be world no. 1 again' (http://www.tennisworldusa.org/news/news/Rafael_Nadal/38273/rafael-nadal-i-want-to-be-world-no-1-again-/)
Respectfully,
masterclass
Nice general.
And I imagine a pot of gold where the end of the rainbow and casino intersect. : ;D ;D ;D
Respectfully,
masterclass
Andy Murray looks very smart in his kilt.
General, I fixed the link... sorry about that.
I don't know what to make of his last statement about he being ready to die to win grand slams.
I think we would have seen him get in the shape of his life if that were the case.
It has to be for his fans and sponsors.
Respectfully,
masterclass
Ok General, glad you have good beach weather.
Djokovic looks like he is in free fall.
Everything points to Murray now.
World #1 just upped his value. He is set to make some big money. Look at this article:
Andy Murray can net sponsor boost after reaching top of tennis (http://www.bbc.com/news/business-37861918)
Respectfully,
masterclass
The great Dunblane warrior rises to number 1.
Congrats to Andy and his fans.
General, I posted the following on Discuss Tennis in The Fall Of Rafael Nadal thread, quoting your post of Aug 14th (2 weeks before the US Open).
Of course I expect to be attacked for telling the truth.Quote from: ClayDeath, post: 29594, member: 46I am a harsh task master.
I am rafa's greatest fan on this planet.
that is why I am also his greatest critic. that is because I care the most.
inspired effort and inspired/passionate heart at the Olympics does not equal any real progress for rafa.
still means zero titles on the hard courts since 2013.
it may show some intent to compete and win again. lets see how it goes in Cinci and at flushing meadows.
at this point I just want to see him shut it down after the u.s. open and go fix the fitness and physicality issues.
he cannot afford anymore injuries. way too much inactivity already in the last 3 years.
inactivity is his greatest enemy. he is basically just beating himself but continuing to show up unfit and unprepared.
"General ClayDeath called it correctly and before hand (see bold above). No blind adoration, no spin, he said that Rafa should shut it down after the US Open, and he is not the only one who has said it.
Now after the fact Uncle Toni admits Rafa playing after the US Open was wrong. (http://"http://www.sportskeeda.com/tennis/rafael-nadal-should-not-played-after-us-open-toni-nadal") He lost unnecessarily and played with a wrist that couldn't hit the forehand properly because of the pain, and now they need to stop, recover, and train for next year. Too bad he wasted that time.
This is not rocket science. If Rafa wants a chance at anything big in 2017, Rafa needs to rehabilitate the wrist if it is still bothering him, get his body as fit as he can, so he can avoid unnecessary injury, and then go and get on the clay and train hard.
He still has a small window of opportunity to rise again, as he has so many times, but everything has to be done right and he has to have some luck. Time is not on his side. The younger players want to prove themselves, other players like Murray are working hard to get to the top. Djokovic appears to be having a bit of a mini-crisis and Murray is poised to take advantage. Things don't stand still in this sport.
Respectfully,
masterclass"
I am a harsh task master.
I am rafa's greatest fan on this planet.
that is why I am also his greatest critic. that is because I care the most.
inspired effort and inspired/passionate heart at the Olympics does not equal any real progress for rafa.
still means zero titles on the hard courts since 2013.
it may show some intent to compete and win again. lets see how it goes in Cinci and at flushing meadows.
at this point I just want to see him shut it down after the u.s. open and go fix the fitness and physicality issues.
he cannot afford anymore injuries. way too much inactivity already in the last 3 years.
inactivity is his greatest enemy. he is basically just beating himself but continuing to show up unfit and unprepared.
More lip service from the clay warrior.
Now I have heard everything.
He says slower balls are needed.
Why don't you get out of your retirement and go work on your game and your fitness.
It just gets more and more ridiculous with each passing week.
Objective fans can see this is ridiculous lip service and more excuses for his lack of fitness and decline.
The blind adoring irrational fans will believe every word from him and his camp General.
It is one of the most preposterous proposals I have heard from Team Nadal. And their reasoning is even more ludicrous.
If anyone at a site like MTF suggested it, I would normally say it is trolling of the highest order, but in team Nadal's case it is just more excuses for Rafa's decline and lack of fitness/effort to improve.
It is right up there with the idea of raising the net so that serves can't go in so fast so that players having trouble with returns don't have to be like football goal keepers facing a penalty shot.
It's more of the same "Pim Pam Pum" Uncle Toni drivel.
The real problem is that his return game has declined. His movement, footwork, and reflexes have declined. He is getting wrong footed because his game style has always been prone to that, but he can't play his retriever defense now because he doesn't move as well and isn't as fit as he once was.
Over the last 15 years the game has played slower than ever. There are no true fast conditions (Court Pace Rating > 45) remaining, and there are very few medium-fast (CPR 40-44) conditions left, though there have been some recent attempts to speed up conditions at some venues in Australia. The top players are so used to playing on clay and slow and slow-medium hard courts that a medium-fast court like Cincinnati seems fast to them. The balls used for men at Wimbledon are as big and heavy than ever. Shanghai is also a medium-fast court, but they also use slower balls to compensate. There is no fast carpet.
Rafa needed to stop complaining and get more fit if anything. He is a shadow of himself. Anyway, it is likely too late for him. He has played too many matches and has lost speed and power. He can no longer camp in his backhand corner running around his backhand and still get to balls wide on his forehand side without spraying them everywhere.
Slower balls and courts are for amateurs with lesser talent and physical ability that need a lot of time to get to their shots and get them in the court. At a professional level, they make the game slower, extend rallies so that the error wins the point later, rather than a winner winning the point sooner. This is what causes more injury. Hitting behind players has always been a sound tactic against players that run their heads off to get to every ball like Murray, Nadal, Djokovic. He simply wants to destroy the tactic, by making the game so slow that he and every other defensive player can get to every ball.
If anything the conditions need to speed up and balls be lighter to reduce injuries. Heavier balls cause more injuries.
Here is an excerpt from a racquet science article (http://"http://www.racquetresearch.com/sevencri.htm") talking about ITF ball changes just after the turn of the century:
The Effect of Heavier, Larger, or Softer Balls[/I]
To slow down the men's game, and thus hopefully to increase its entertainment value for the unsophisticated, the rulers of tennis want to change the balls.
Particularly troubling is the lack of prior consultation with the pros who will be using these balls. Which of them are in favor? True, it is rare to find any touring pros who might be called formally educated, so naturally they must expect their opinions to be ignored and their objections overruled. If they don't want to play, there are plenty of ambitious youngsters eager to take their place. However, even though there might be no reason for courtesy or compassion, wouldn't it be economically prudent to prolong the careers of the marquee players, and not to increase the already alarming rate of injuries among the recreational players?
The ITF has authorized a ball with a 15% greater diameter to be used "on an experimental basis." The intention is that the bigger ball will meet more air resistance, therefore play will be slower. Fluffing the nap (felt covering of the ball) will increase diameter and drag, but apparently the intention of the ITF is to require ball manufacturers to mold a larger rubber core. See the diameter test for the "slow ball" in Appendix 1 to the Rules of Tennis -- fluffed nap will not keep the ball from falling through the bottom hole of the testing apparatus.
The larger diameter of the rubber core, even if the weight of rubber remains the same, will result in a higher rotational inertia for the ball. That means a "heavy" ball because players will be able to impart a lot of angular momentum (spin). Angular momentum is the product of the rotational inertia and the rotation speed, and the higher rotational inertia permits a much "heavier" ball at the same spin rate. High angular momentum of the ball on impact will aggravate Torsion (screwdriver twist on the handle), causing more stress on the arm of the receiver.
Another problem with bigger balls: they will radically change the game in the same way that the "spaghetti string" racquet did, by giving junkballers an edge. The ITF banned (retroactively) the spaghetti strings which imparted such extreme spin. The same reasoning should ban these balls.
Yet another problem with bigger balls: if the same ball weight (57 grams) is to be maintained, the rubber of the bigger ball must be made thinner to stretch over the larger surface. Thinner rubber means that the air will leak out easier, and higher air pressure will be needed to maintain the same ball bounce. These balls will go flat faster. They will also be less bouncy in actual pro-level play because of higher hysteresis loss from more air being compressed. These will be soft balls.
Presently, for professional tournament play, a ball must bounce more than 53 inches and less than 58 inches when released from a height of 100 in. That means that the coefficient of restitution for the ball itself (apart from the racquet) is between 0.73 and 0.76. It should be noted that the 100 in. drop height does not approximate the speed of a pro serve, so for testing the hysteresis loss from the bigger ball this test would be inadequate. Using softer balls, having a bounce at the low end of this range (low c), means higher Shock, Shoulder Pull, Work, Shoulder Crunch, Wrist Crunch, and Elbow Crunch for the players.
As you can see from the formulas, heavier balls (high b) means both higher resultant forces from impact (Torque and Impulse Reaction), and higher Shock, Shoulder Pull, Work, Shoulder Crunch, and Elbow Crunch. With heavy balls, the game becomes more painful and less accurate. See the formulas.
Club players can take a lesson here, especially those who play on clay, where the balls get heavier as play goes on. Change balls often to protect your arm. Tennis balls are a bargain, so leave them on the court.
Rafa and his team are simply very desperate, and has to come up with something to explain away his lack of fitness, movement, and power.
It is just more lip service and everyone can see through it.
He wants to only have to work as hard to get to balls in singles as he does in doubles.
Respectfully,
masterclass
More lip service from the clay warrior.
Now I have heard everything.
He says slower balls are needed.
Why don't you get out of your retirement and go work on your game and your fitness.
It just gets more and more ridiculous with each passing week.
Stan is out.
That emaciated, 1/2 starved to death Frenchman got by him in straights.
Shouldn't Simon be out looking to steal food somewhere.
Now clay warrior says he is switching focus to 2017.
How long can this lip service last before even the color blind circus clowns figure out that Rafa is not interested in winning matches anymore..
More later.
You are 100 percent correct general.
He has insufficient depth, pace, and spin on his shots.
That rank is bogus. He can't beat anybody that can play at a decent level.
There is just no real work on the practice courts and on the fitness front.
Soon he is out of time.
He has wasted 4 years doing nothing but farting around.
Absolutely correct general. Spot on.
Whomever cannot see this is a blind and deaf circus clown trying to sell peanuts in an empty circus tent.
Right now, almost any player in the top 100 willing to work in a match can beat Rafa.
But they are not beating him. They are beating a shadow. There is almost nothing there in any department at the moment.
It's as if Rafa left the building and an imposter returned.
Respectfully,
masterclass
Now clay warrior says he is switching focus to 2017.
How long can this lip service last before even the color blind circus clowns figure out that Rafa is not interested in winning matches anymore..
More later.
You are 100 percent correct general.
He has insufficient depth, pace, and spin on his shots.
That rank is bogus. He can't beat anybody that can play at a decent level.
There is just no real work on the practice courts and on the fitness front.
Soon he is out of time.
He has wasted 4 years doing nothing but farting around.
General, Murray was robbed of 1000 Olympic points by the ATP.
The ATP wanted the ITF to subsidize the ATP tournaments affected by the Olympics, and they wouldn't agree to the ITF offer. So the ATP did not award points for the Olympics and then extended that to Davis Cup as well. This internal squabble between the ITF and the ATP should have remained that. Why did the ATP punish the players by not awarding the points? It was scheduled to award 1000 points to the winner this year. They got their medals and that's it. All the medalists lost out on a good amount of points: In singles it would have been 1000 to Murray, 600 to Del Potro, 360 to Nishikori.
It's my belief that the ATP should retroactively award the points.
So Murray should be only about 500 points away from #1. If he ends the season as less than 1000 points from Djokovic, I'll consider Murray Year End #1 no matter what the ATP says.
Respectfully,
masterclass
Can somebody update the Federer thread at MTF?
85 titles now.
Just a few to go before he hits the century mark.
Pretty amazing, huh? And you called it a long time ago? Unreal. It's amazing when people don't have foresight and choose to scoff rather than wait and see.
Can somebody update the Federer thread at MTF?
85 titles now.
Just a few to go before he hits the century mark.
you may be right lady TT. ferru does have a bit of an issue at slams when he faces top flight players at the business end. his best showing was obviously facing Rafa in 2013 in the final at RG.
we have to see how the European clay season unfolds. Rafa has to do some damage there in order to go into RG with confidence and momentum.
and lets see if Ferru can deal with the top players on the European red clay.
I guess we'll have to watch and see. I think Berdych is making great strides. I hope he continues to do well. I hope Andy gets back to his best. I don't know what's going on with Kei, something seems off with him. Ferrer, 3 titles. That's great. He just needs to have more belief. Right now I'm not seeing that much. I guess I am too preoccupied with Rafa and what's goin on with him.
Lady TT, I agree that Berdych appears to look better than he had. Maybe it is a fresh outlook and work with his new coach Dani (formerly on team Murray).
Let's see how consistent he stays. I think it wouldn't hurt him to lose some mass. He looks a bit too bulky to me. It could improve his quickness/movement around the court, which is what I see holding him back against the top guys.
I think Kei may be feeling the pressure of expectations from his country and ranking. He might be one of those players who does better ranked higher, feeling less pressure, nothing to lose, that sort of thing.
Respectfully,
masterclass
you may be right lady TT. ferru does have a bit of an issue at slams when he faces top flight players at the business end. his best showing was obviously facing Rafa in 2013 in the final at RG.
we have to see how the European clay season unfolds. Rafa has to do some damage there in order to go into RG with confidence and momentum.
and lets see if Ferru can deal with the top players on the European red clay.
I guess we'll have to watch and see. I think Berdych is making great strides. I hope he continues to do well. I hope Andy gets back to his best. I don't know what's going on with Kei, something seems off with him. Ferrer, 3 titles. That's great. He just needs to have more belief. Right now I'm not seeing that much. I guess I am too preoccupied with Rafa and what's goin on with him.
You're right General. Look at Ferru. As you said, 32, well really 33 in a month. These guys are fit, taking care of themselves, as much or more than the 20 somethings. Sometimes they need a bit of break, but then they are back right away. 3 titles already for the smallish Spaniard with the big heart. Who ever thought someone 5'9" (in heels I think), would be competitive, much less beating the giants around these days. And some people were calling him finished after barely making the top 10 last year. Yeah right, I predict he'll get back in the top 5 in not too much time, if not higher. He handled now 4th ranked Nishikori in style.
Rafa looks like he might be getting his act together, but I'm still not so sure. Who has he faced, really? He was very lucky to take that 1st set from Berlocq of all people. Berlocq out and out choked, 6-1 up in the tiebreak, he just got nervous that he could win a set from Rafa. Now Rafa plays his good friend Monaco. Rafa needs lots of matches. He needs work on the clay, Muster style if he is going to get that fitness back. The older you get, the more you have to work on fitness. And it applies to clay even more where the ground strokes are honed the most. Too much time on hard court has left him with almost nothing. If I were Toni, I would lock that gate in Manacor to that hard court. I would skip at least Miami or Indian Wells or both and practice hard on the clay and hire Moya and Ferrero or any one of the many Spaniards to hit with him 4-6 hours every day until Monte Carlo. He's got the money if they have the time. He needs this Roland Garros and a couple of other Clay Masters. If he loses early at RG as he has been to some relative no-name, it will be disaster. Usually, we say Rafa needs 20 matches on clay to be ready for RG. This year, I think he needs 30 or more. That's how far behind he is, due to the last 1/2 of 2014 being up in smoke.
Not to beat the drum, but look at Federer. Edberg told him he needs to play regularly if he expects to stay near the top, with just a break here or there, but once he starts playing he needs to keep playing or practicing hard. Look at what Federer's plan this year is on clay General:
4/11-4/19 Monte Carlo
4/27-5/03 Instanbul Open
5/4-5/10 Madrid
5/11-5/17 Rome
5/25-6/7 Roland Garros
Almost 34 and playing 5 clay tournaments. Why?
1. This year there is more time between Roland Garros and Wimbledon. He can take a week off after Roland Garros and play Halle, then a week off and play Wimbledon.
2. Last year on clay he basically only played Monte-Carlo reaching the final - Their second set of twins came, Rome was one match, and then 4 matches at Roland Garros losing to Gulbis of all people.
3. Yes, he won Halle, but I think was undercooked for Wimbledon. Not enough endurance built up from clay for 5 set matches at Wimbledon. His ground game was not that good. He hung in mostly due to his serve and aggressive tactics in the 4th set. In the 5th set vs. Nole in the final at Wimbledon he had nothing left.
4. Maybe he senses that he needs his ground game in better shape, and be good for Roland Garros to be in position to snatch it if Rafa is not somewhere near his best. Why should Djokovic get the reward by default if Rafa goes out early? Federer has a win and 4 finals there.
5. Of course he doesn't have to make finals in all the clay events, but if he can get 20 matches in, it will serve him well at RG and Wimbledon.
So Rafa needs to get that work and matches on clay in. There is no other way around it, or the others will pass him by. He has a chance to win 10. Yes, I know that 9 is unbelievable, but he will turn 29 at Roland Garros. The opportunity is there.
Respectfully,
masterclass
perhaps his last opportunity at #10 given the rate of his decline. we both saw this decline coming right after he ran over Nole at the u.s. open in 2013.
we knew he was going to overextend himself trying to chase the #1 rank. well it was a lousy tradeoff: he threw away the opportunity to snatch his 2nd Australian open.
he showed up worn out and his body simply decided to quit on him.
and the rate of decline had already started. he was spending too much time on the hard courts trying to chase the #1 rank. I know they dangled big time appearance fees at him also.
well now he finds himself at #4 and not even able to gun down Fog on clay. Fog basically ran him right off the court in the last 2 sets in Rio.
all his injuries are a direct result of less than optimal training and scheduling. he should never installed an indoor hard court in Mallorca.
we knew his ground game would suffer and we also knew that hard courts would continue to punish his body.
it is still not too late. there is very little time left now but it is still not too late. he has to get hold of himself and realize that the clay is the wellspring from which he flows.
he cant win anywhere if he cant win on clay. clay furnishes him with the ground game he needs to beat the world.
and now he is 2 steps behind:
1. not enough match play and practice on clay
2. very poor fitness given his own standards of the past
what worries me the most is the 2nd one. he is very vulnerable with considerably diminished fitness and a huge drop in his physicality. top players can beat him now.
even the 32 year old berlocq was hitting the ball harder than Rafa the other day.
and another reason I am worried is that it is this loss in fitness that is the leading cause of all his ailments and injuries. it could lead to more injuries.
in fact I am worried to death about his drop in fitness. he is huffing and puffing after just 40 minutes of play.
I am worried about it. there are endless way to be fit. you can swim, cycle, or do it in the gym.
his vo2 max is declining with age and he has not maintained it.
anyway as for Roger and his clay activity, he sees an opportunity out there and he is making a run for it. I don't blame him
he is very focused and he works on his fitness 2 times a day. that is how you dominate the sport even at age 34.
you may be right lady TT. ferru does have a bit of an issue at slams when he faces top flight players at the business end. his best showing was obviously facing Rafa in 2013 in the final at RG.
we have to see how the European clay season unfolds. Rafa has to do some damage there in order to go into RG with confidence and momentum.
and lets see if Ferru can deal with the top players on the European red clay.
I am out on the road general.
Will reply to your post when I get home.
Great post general.
The deal with rafa is this:
He has significantly diminished fitness and his physicality.
It is going to be tough to beat the top players without his once supreme fitness and his physicality.
He can still take RG but will need 25-30 matches on clay---as you have accurately pointed out---and he will need some luck there this year.
Maybe finally Ferru can take Nole out there this year.
Rafa should be able to take down Ferru in a best of 5 set match at RG.
But first things first: Rafa desperately needs time on clay and he has to find a way to improve his fitness.
You're right General. Look at Ferru. As you said, 32, well really 33 in a month. These guys are fit, taking care of themselves, as much or more than the 20 somethings. Sometimes they need a bit of break, but then they are back right away. 3 titles already for the smallish Spaniard with the big heart. Who ever thought someone 5'9" (in heels I think), would be competitive, much less beating the giants around these days. And some people were calling him finished after barely making the top 10 last year. Yeah right, I predict he'll get back in the top 5 in not too much time, if not higher. He handled now 4th ranked Nishikori in style.
Rafa looks like he might be getting his act together, but I'm still not so sure. Who has he faced, really? He was very lucky to take that 1st set from Berlocq of all people. Berlocq out and out choked, 6-1 up in the tiebreak, he just got nervous that he could win a set from Rafa. Now Rafa plays his good friend Monaco. Rafa needs lots of matches. He needs work on the clay, Muster style if he is going to get that fitness back. The older you get, the more you have to work on fitness. And it applies to clay even more where the ground strokes are honed the most. Too much time on hard court has left him with almost nothing. If I were Toni, I would lock that gate in Manacor to that hard court. I would skip at least Miami or Indian Wells or both and practice hard on the clay and hire Moya and Ferrero or any one of the many Spaniards to hit with him 4-6 hours every day until Monte Carlo. He's got the money if they have the time. He needs this Roland Garros and a couple of other Clay Masters. If he loses early at RG as he has been to some relative no-name, it will be disaster. Usually, we say Rafa needs 20 matches on clay to be ready for RG. This year, I think he needs 30 or more. That's how far behind he is, due to the last 1/2 of 2014 being up in smoke.
Not to beat the drum, but look at Federer. Edberg told him he needs to play regularly if he expects to stay near the top, with just a break here or there, but once he starts playing he needs to keep playing or practicing hard. Look at what Federer's plan this year is on clay General:
4/11-4/19 Monte Carlo
4/27-5/03 Instanbul Open
5/4-5/10 Madrid
5/11-5/17 Rome
5/25-6/7 Roland Garros
Almost 34 and playing 5 clay tournaments. Why?
1. This year there is more time between Roland Garros and Wimbledon. He can take a week off after Roland Garros and play Halle, then a week off and play Wimbledon.
2. Last year on clay he basically only played Monte-Carlo reaching the final - Their second set of twins came, Rome was one match, and then 4 matches at Roland Garros losing to Gulbis of all people.
3. Yes, he won Halle, but I think was undercooked for Wimbledon. Not enough endurance built up from clay for 5 set matches at Wimbledon. His ground game was not that good. He hung in mostly due to his serve and aggressive tactics in the 4th set. In the 5th set vs. Nole in the final at Wimbledon he had nothing left.
4. Maybe he senses that he needs his ground game in better shape, and be good for Roland Garros to be in position to snatch it if Rafa is not somewhere near his best. Why should Djokovic get the reward by default if Rafa goes out early? Federer has a win and 4 finals there.
5. Of course he doesn't have to make finals in all the clay events, but if he can get 20 matches in, it will serve him well at RG and Wimbledon.
So Rafa needs to get that work and matches on clay in. There is no other way around it, or the others will pass him by. He has a chance to win 10. Yes, I know that 9 is unbelievable, but he will turn 29 at Roland Garros. The opportunity is there.
Respectfully,
masterclass
good morning everybody.
first slam is out of the way. now lets start getting ready for the 2nd slam.
there is much history to be made there.
I think roger is going for 100 titles and more.
he is going to compete until he is 41-43.
que pasa general masterclass. you might as well fire up the great roger Federer thread at MTF. I think he will snatch the Basel title.
that is the prediction here at Camelot.
Already been fired up General Hercules and Lady TT... It dies down when he is having off days at the office, or not playing, but it's going to get more and more attention if Roger Federer keeps winning, which is I think what you envisioned.. He has 81 titles now and a lot of people in that thread early on said he would be lucky to get 80. When (if) he reaches 90, I can just imagine the countdown and the debate. That thread will sticky itself. ;D ;D ;D
Respectfully,
masterclass
que pasa general masterclass. you might as well fire up the great roger Federer thread at MTF. I think he will snatch the Basel title.
that is the prediction here at Camelot.
Already been fired up General Hercules and Lady TT... It dies down when he is having off days at the office, or not playing, but it's going to get more and more attention if Roger Federer keeps winning, which is I think what you envisioned.. He has 81 titles now and a lot of people in that thread early on said he would be lucky to get 80. When (if) he reaches 90, I can just imagine the countdown and the debate. That thread will sticky itself. ;D ;D ;D
Respectfully,
masterclass
que pasa general masterclass. you might as well fire up the great roger Federer thread at MTF. I think he will snatch the Basel title.
that is the prediction here at Camelot.
que pasa general masterclass. you might as well fire up the great roger Federer thread at MTF. I think he will snatch the Basel title.
that is the prediction here at Camelot.
That is one heck of a prediction General ;D They would be going nuts on your 100 titles thread if you added that to it.
Hmm, maybe I'll create another thread for that. "Bold Prediction: Federer could play into his 40's and be ranked in the top 20!" but should I give you credit? I'm sure that thread will be bashed. :)
I wouldn't put it past him though. He'll play as long as he wants and can. He enjoys playing, the family seems to enjoy it.
Of course, if his back gets consistently worse, then he might have to call it quits, as so many players have done in the past, but he has some of the best physios to help him avoid it.
I have to laugh at the people there who say he's definitely not playing till he's 40, or not past 2016-2017. How do they know? Sounds like wishful thinking. He enjoys playing, enjoys the crowds that fill the stadiums to watch him, of course enjoys winning.
As far as Rafa goes it is stranger than anything I've seen yet from his camp. You've said it all. I don't understand it.
It's getting even more bizarre.
Uncle Toni just announced that Rafa would attempt to play in Basel, then see if he feels good enough to play Paris, but that he is almost definitely out of the World Tour Finals as he is scheduled for surgery at the latest early November, or earlier if he doesn't play Paris. I guess he might be playing in Basel for the big appearance fee, but still seems risky. Anyway, I'll believe all this when it happens...
And the he keeps making these videos about bluffing. Latest one is playing golf and getting hurt:
golf course injury video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwEooZFhGBc&feature=youtu.be)
Sort of an odd thing to joke about. Those people were really concerned for him.
Respectfully,
masterclass
general masterclass you might as well fire up the great roger Federer thread at MTF.
he is going to snag another title.
folks i have a feeling that Dimitrov could put himself in a position to win a slam one day at his current rate of improvement and development.
he seemsto have it all. he has the monster serve and he is not afraid of the net.
he moves well and his fitness is improving all the time. he is willing to take his fitness to the next level.
shame to Wimbledon organizers for such a pathetic job yet once again in scheduling and organizing.
Federer was unbelievable today:
25 aces, 44 winners, and only 5 unforced errors.
he is looking sharp.
Rafa practiced on grass today lady TT.
he means business.
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
I just saw this on twitter:
http://www.tennisviewmag.com/tennis-view-magazine/article/why-opportunity-knocks-roger-federer-wimbledon
Roger Federer is going for his 8th title on the hallowed lawns of prestigious Wimbledon.
Nobody in the history of tennis, Open Era, Amateur Era, Challenge Era, any Era, has done it.
That would be amazing to have witnessed the two greatest stars in the game today achieve the almost unthinkable.
First Rafael Nadal did it on the red clay at Roland Garros, and now Roger at Wimbledon has a chance for history as well.
He's prepared well, he has had a fairly good year so far with 5 finals, 2 of them title wins, including the grass prep at Halle.
I, and I'm sure all Camelot wish him well in his quest.
Respectfully,
masterclass
Federer's quest for 100 titles continues sports fans. he now has 79. just 21 more to go.
I think he will get it done.
he just captured Halle title for the 7th time.
congrats to Federer and his fans at Camelot.
http://www.stevegtennis.com/2014/06/federer-i-really-enjoy-winning-titles/
Of course we hope Sir Javier stops by if/when he has time. But we have to remember in the big scheme of things, that forums and the like are not as important as real life issues. So to go along with what you said, the welcome mat is always out and the porch light on.
Respectfully,
masterclass
general masterclass what are your thoughts on the 5th slam?
do we really need one? and if so, what would be your suggestion as to where it takes place?
China? South America? Madrid?
tough break for Federer and for his fans. I was so sure that he was taking this.
he played a poor tiebreaker and it cost him. the forehand failed him in the clutch when he had to have it.
congrats to nole and his fans.
well done.
hey folks who will be kind enough to go to MTF and activate my world famous Federer thread there tomorrow?
I think Federer is going to bag this title. we predicted it long before the tournament started.
this is why Camelot is required reading.
you just line up with your questions for general masterclass at "masterclass fireside"
we will try to give you the best answers we can.
just post away and have fun.
General Masterclass, here is a recent project of mine that I just completed today. I am not sure if you know that, but I am a collector of tennis autographs both through the mail and in person. And since you are an admirer of the history of tennis, I think you are going to like this :)
(https://www.camelotfantasies.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi967.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fae160%2Ftodki%2Fborgmac_zps91beaa19.jpg&hash=e20027fda577768a27af4db8b7b28c59b1b3e87e) (http://s967.photobucket.com/user/todki/media/borgmac_zps91beaa19.jpg.html)
Thank you :)
My next project is getting Boris Becker's autograph on a gorgeous black and white photograph of him and Lendl. I already have Lendl's signature on the photo.
So, I am keeping my fingers crossed that Becker comes with Nole to Indian Wells this year ;)
that is quite impressive general Tee.
are you going to Indian Wells? you might see Nole and Becker there.
also have you considered a special thread about your amazing autographs?
Thank you :)
My next project is getting Boris Becker's autograph on a gorgeous black and white photograph of him and Lendl. I already have Lendl's signature on the photo.
So, I am keeping my fingers crossed that Becker comes with Nole to Indian Wells this year ;)
that is quite impressive general Tee.
are you going to Indian Wells? you might see Nole and Becker there.
also have you considered a special thread about your amazing autographs?
Thank you :)
My next project is getting Boris Becker's autograph on a gorgeous black and white photograph of him and Lendl. I already have Lendl's signature on the photo.
So, I am keeping my fingers crossed that Becker comes with Nole to Indian Wells this year ;)
Well, both Borg and McEnroe autographs I got through the mail.
The ones I have got in person are mostly from Indian Wells and Los Angeles tournaments. It is all about being in the right place at the right time. I normally go for the early rounds when there are not that many people.
About Serena, I have never tried getting her but I can imagine it is pretty tough. I have tried getting Sharapova's autograph and she is next to impossible.
Thank you :)
My next project is getting Boris Becker's autograph on a gorgeous black and white photograph of him and Lendl. I already have Lendl's signature on the photo.
So, I am keeping my fingers crossed that Becker comes with Nole to Indian Wells this year ;)
General Masterclass, here is a recent project of mine that I just completed today. I am not sure if you know that, but I am a collector of tennis autographs both through the mail and in person. And since you are an admirer of the history of tennis, I think you are going to like this :)
(https://www.camelotfantasies.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi967.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fae160%2Ftodki%2Fborgmac_zps91beaa19.jpg&hash=e20027fda577768a27af4db8b7b28c59b1b3e87e) (http://s967.photobucket.com/user/todki/media/borgmac_zps91beaa19.jpg.html)
with Stan's win in Melbourne, is the era of the "big 4" over?
what are your thoughts on this sports fans?
I think Lendl is still giving johnny mac nightmares:
he stopped him at RG and he once blasted him with a shot that knocked him to the ground.
that might have been at the Madison square garden. I don't really have any details at the moment.
I saw the video somewhere.
in that image you just posted at the rivalries thread, they don't even look at each other when they shake hands.
Looks like Rafa will keep the career clay winning percentage for a long time. 93%, if that's not domination over his competition, nothing is. Borg is next just under 86%, and Lendl drops down to just over 81%.
I don't think there is much doubt that Rafa will pass Vilas in the Career Clay Title count. He trails him by 4, 46-42. It's only a question of when. It could possibly happen this year. But Vilas has one Clay record that I think is safe, 634 career clay match wins. Nadal has about 293 or so.
Roger is just over 87% on grass, also very high and leads in titles won, but will not catch the great Jimmy Connors in matches won on the turf. McEnroe next at a little under 86%. There are a group of 4 stalwarts in the 83rd percentile headed by Murray, Borg, Sampras, and Connors. Heady company indeed.
The interesting one for me though is hard court winning percentage for the career.
There are 5 players with 82 and a fraction percent all separated by less the 3 tenths of a percent.
82.61 Connors
82.60 Lendl
82.50 Laver
82.35 Djokovic
82.34 Federer
I would expect Federer's percentage to dip somewhat as he ages. Of course the same would apply to any active player that continues to play after their prime years. But he probably still has a good couple of years before his percentage will get much worse.
But just to show how close it is, if current 5th place Federer were to win Dubai and Indian Wells back to back, as he did year before last, that would be 11-0 and he would be 575-121 and at 82.615 %, which would put him just ahead of current 1st place Connors who is at 82.609 %. By the same token, he has played so many matches it is difficult for him to move the percentage a lot. Even if he finished his career at a 75% clip for a 100 matches or so, equivalent to averaging losing in the 4th round of every tournament, he would still end up higher than McEnroe who is in 6th place.
Respectfully,
masterclass
Great stuff, General (ha ha ha),
If I was a tennis player I don't think I would pay any attention to the numbers and percentages, unless I was checking them to find some improvement. But, as far as highest, most, best, etc. I would ignore that part. Less pressure. I would still want to enjoy my tennis, and I don't think I would enjoy it as much if I was constantly keeping score.
Lady TT, I completely agree with you, when one is a younger or less accomplished player. Then one would think about winning their first tournament, or first masters, or slam, or dreaming of being in the top 10 or #1. But everyone is different and one can't predict how they'll react to success. But I think every player that has longevity and many accomplishments, that has a sense of history does indeed look at those records. For many, it helps their motivation, once they have already achieved much. For others, it might give themselves a sense of where they belong and might end up in history.
Of course, while playing in a match, one probably does not think of those things unless they are about to set or tie a record. I can guarantee you that Federer was thinking about majors #14 and #15, especially once he reached the final. And don't think that Nadal wasn't thinking of getting #14 to tie him with Pete at the last AO. Pressure, sure, but there are many that thrive on pressure. Not everyone succumbs. But as they play each match? Probably not. They are trying to focus on each match. But before a tournament, or before the final, certainly. Or when assessing their goals for a season... I would, but that's me. But I like to have pressure on myself. Without it, I often don't care as much. Some players have a huge dream of winning Wimbledon. Or any slam. Once they've achieved that, some feel so fulfilled, they never win another. They just can't get motivated enough to want to do more. Others see it as just the beginning and want to achieve even more. I suppose it depends on one's personality and ambition.
Federer knows the records that are out there. Ask General Hercules about the video where Federer talked about getting 100 titles and other records. How else do players that have done so much keep themselves motivated? They look at the record books, they set short term and long term goals. Does Rafa think about getting 2 of each major for his career? I would think he does. Does he care about getting the most titles on clay to surpass Vilas? Probably to a degree in terms of lifetime goals. But he probably won't focus on it until reminded of it when he is ready to tie or break the record. Does Roger think about getting an all time record 8th Wimbledon title? You bet. Or breaking the 3 way tie between himself, Connors and Sampras for most US Opens? Does he think about having the highest match winning percentage on a surface? Probably not that much, but it's probably something he recognizes. Some of these stats are clearly for tennis aficionados. Others become targets. Vague awareness when further away, or more obvious when closing in.
Respectfully,
masterclass
Great post, as usual, along with wonderful insights.
It's hard to say what we would do in a given situation. Sometimes you have to actually be in it to know how you'll respond.
I love this statement as it is so fitting for me, in a way. I'm very laid back and don't often often summon up the energy to care, but when I do care I tend to go all out.
I thrive on pressure and without it, I can be a bump on a log.
I do my best work under pressure, if there's no pressure my thoughts aren't as lucid. I need pressure to perform, or want pressure, since it's the only way I'll get things accomplished.
I could work at a stress filled job with looming deadlines and thrive, but I can just as easily give it up and lay on the beach.
So, I guess for me, I would have to be in the situation to see which way the factors would sway me.
OTOH, I would be happy being in the top 100. I would make a decent living, not have the pressure, and be able to preserve my anonymity. Yeah, that's it. I'd be an underachiever sometimes and a comet at other times.
My tennis personality would most probably be like Richard Gasquet. Plenty of talent, but with other things as my priority.
And that's why everyone is different. We each have our own sense of balance in life, where what's good for you and those you care about around you is what counts.
I love to compete in sports and play as hard as I am able. An individual sport like singles tennis is different from playing on a team sport though. On a team sport one has the pressure of doing well for the team and not letting them down. But the good thing in team sports is that good teammates will also be there to pick up the slack when you are having an off day. When you play on a team where you are one of the only good players, you feel more pressure to perform well at all times so that your team has a chance. Still, even in that situation, you will get support from your teammates when you can't make it happen.
In individual sports like singles tennis, one doesn't have the luxury of teammates. It can be brutal and lonely, and one has to have a real sense of balance, looking for positives and not getting down on oneself.
Respectfully,
masterclass
I edited my earlier post a bit to add an example of another great player's thoughts about records - Hockey Legend Wayne Gretzky.
Respectfully,
masterclass
Looks like Rafa will keep the career clay winning percentage for a long time. 93%, if that's not domination over his competition, nothing is. Borg is next just under 86%, and Lendl drops down to just over 81%.
I don't think there is much doubt that Rafa will pass Vilas in the Career Clay Title count. He trails him by 4, 46-42. It's only a question of when. It could possibly happen this year. But Vilas has one Clay record that I think is safe, 634 career clay match wins. Nadal has about 293 or so.
Roger is just over 87% on grass, also very high and leads in titles won, but will not catch the great Jimmy Connors in matches won on the turf. McEnroe next at a little under 86%. There are a group of 4 stalwarts in the 83rd percentile headed by Murray, Borg, Sampras, and Connors. Heady company indeed.
The interesting one for me though is hard court winning percentage for the career.
There are 5 players with 82 and a fraction percent all separated by less the 3 tenths of a percent.
82.61 Connors
82.60 Lendl
82.50 Laver
82.35 Djokovic
82.34 Federer
I would expect Federer's percentage to dip somewhat as he ages. Of course the same would apply to any active player that continues to play after their prime years. But he probably still has a good couple of years before his percentage will get much worse.
But just to show how close it is, if current 5th place Federer were to win Dubai and Indian Wells back to back, as he did year before last, that would be 11-0 and he would be 575-121 and at 82.615 %, which would put him just ahead of current 1st place Connors who is at 82.609 %. By the same token, he has played so many matches it is difficult for him to move the percentage a lot. Even if he finished his career at a 75% clip for a 100 matches or so, equivalent to averaging losing in the 4th round of every tournament, he would still end up higher than McEnroe who is in 6th place.
Respectfully,
masterclass
Great stuff, General (ha ha ha),
If I was a tennis player I don't think I would pay any attention to the numbers and percentages, unless I was checking them to find some improvement. But, as far as highest, most, best, etc. I would ignore that part. Less pressure. I would still want to enjoy my tennis, and I don't think I would enjoy it as much if I was constantly keeping score.
Lady TT, I completely agree with you, when one is a younger or less accomplished player. Then one would think about winning their first tournament, or first masters, or slam, or dreaming of being in the top 10 or #1. But everyone is different and one can't predict how they'll react to success. But I think every player that has longevity and many accomplishments, that has a sense of history does indeed look at those records. For many, it helps their motivation, once they have already achieved much. For others, it might give themselves a sense of where they belong and might end up in history.
Of course, while playing in a match, one probably does not think of those things unless they are about to set or tie a record. I can guarantee you that Federer was thinking about majors #14 and #15, especially once he reached the final. And don't think that Nadal wasn't thinking of getting #14 to tie him with Pete at the last AO. Pressure, sure, but there are many that thrive on pressure. Not everyone succumbs. But as they play each match? Probably not. They are trying to focus on each match. But before a tournament, or before the final, certainly. Or when assessing their goals for a season... I would, but that's me. But I like to have pressure on myself. Without it, I often don't care as much. Some players have a huge dream of winning Wimbledon. Or any slam. Once they've achieved that, some feel so fulfilled, they never win another. They just can't get motivated enough to want to do more. Others see it as just the beginning and want to achieve even more. I suppose it depends on one's personality and ambition.
Federer knows the records that are out there. Ask General Hercules about the video where Federer talked about getting 100 titles and other records. How else do players that have done so much keep themselves motivated? They look at the record books, they set short term and long term goals. Does Rafa think about getting 2 of each major for his career? I would think he does. Does he care about getting the most titles on clay to surpass Vilas? Probably to a degree in terms of lifetime goals. But he probably won't focus on it until reminded of it when he is ready to tie or break the record. Does Roger think about getting an all time record 8th Wimbledon title? You bet. Or breaking the 3 way tie between himself, Connors and Sampras for most US Opens? Does he think about having the highest match winning percentage on a surface? Probably not that much, but it's probably something he recognizes. Some of these stats are clearly for tennis aficionados. Others become targets. Vague awareness when further away, or more obvious when closing in.
Respectfully,
masterclass
Great post, as usual, along with wonderful insights.
It's hard to say what we would do in a given situation. Sometimes you have to actually be in it to know how you'll respond.
I love this statement as it is so fitting for me, in a way. I'm very laid back and don't often often summon up the energy to care, but when I do care I tend to go all out.
I thrive on pressure and without it, I can be a bump on a log.
I do my best work under pressure, if there's no pressure my thoughts aren't as lucid. I need pressure to perform, or want pressure, since it's the only way I'll get things accomplished.
I could work at a stress filled job with looming deadlines and thrive, but I can just as easily give it up and lay on the beach.
So, I guess for me, I would have to be in the situation to see which way the factors would sway me.
OTOH, I would be happy being in the top 100. I would make a decent living, not have the pressure, and be able to preserve my anonymity. Yeah, that's it. I'd be an underachiever sometimes and a comet at other times.
My tennis personality would most probably be like Richard Gasquet. Plenty of talent, but with other things as my priority.
lady TT the press and the media have been known to read some of the posts that we (general masterclass and myself) used to make at MTF.
general masterclass is a bit of a pioneer in deep and profound tennis thinking and tennis wisdom.
people want to know what he has to say.
this is one of the reason "Masterclass Fireside" exists at Camelot.
Looks like Rafa will keep the career clay winning percentage for a long time. 93%, if that's not domination over his competition, nothing is. Borg is next just under 86%, and Lendl drops down to just over 81%.
I don't think there is much doubt that Rafa will pass Vilas in the Career Clay Title count. He trails him by 4, 46-42. It's only a question of when. It could possibly happen this year. But Vilas has one Clay record that I think is safe, 634 career clay match wins. Nadal has about 293 or so.
Roger is just over 87% on grass, also very high and leads in titles won, but will not catch the great Jimmy Connors in matches won on the turf. McEnroe next at a little under 86%. There are a group of 4 stalwarts in the 83rd percentile headed by Murray, Borg, Sampras, and Connors. Heady company indeed.
The interesting one for me though is hard court winning percentage for the career.
There are 5 players with 82 and a fraction percent all separated by less the 3 tenths of a percent.
82.61 Connors
82.60 Lendl
82.50 Laver
82.35 Djokovic
82.34 Federer
I would expect Federer's percentage to dip somewhat as he ages. Of course the same would apply to any active player that continues to play after their prime years. But he probably still has a good couple of years before his percentage will get much worse.
But just to show how close it is, if current 5th place Federer were to win Dubai and Indian Wells back to back, as he did year before last, that would be 11-0 and he would be 575-121 and at 82.615 %, which would put him just ahead of current 1st place Connors who is at 82.609 %. By the same token, he has played so many matches it is difficult for him to move the percentage a lot. Even if he finished his career at a 75% clip for a 100 matches or so, equivalent to averaging losing in the 4th round of every tournament, he would still end up higher than McEnroe who is in 6th place.
Respectfully,
masterclass
Great stuff, General (ha ha ha),
If I was a tennis player I don't think I would pay any attention to the numbers and percentages, unless I was checking them to find some improvement. But, as far as highest, most, best, etc. I would ignore that part. Less pressure. I would still want to enjoy my tennis, and I don't think I would enjoy it as much if I was constantly keeping score.
Lady TT, I completely agree with you, when one is a younger or less accomplished player. Then one would think about winning their first tournament, or first masters, or slam, or dreaming of being in the top 10 or #1. But everyone is different and one can't predict how they'll react to success. But I think every player that has longevity and many accomplishments, that has a sense of history does indeed look at those records. For many, it helps their motivation, once they have already achieved much. For others, it might give themselves a sense of where they belong and might end up in history.
Of course, while playing in a match, one probably does not think of those things unless they are about to set or tie a record. I can guarantee you that Federer was thinking about majors #14 and #15, especially once he reached the final. And don't think that Nadal wasn't thinking of getting #14 to tie him with Pete at the last AO. Pressure, sure, but there are many that thrive on pressure. Not everyone succumbs. But as they play each match? Probably not. They are trying to focus on each match. But before a tournament, or before the final, certainly. Or when assessing their goals for a season... I would, but that's me. But I like to have pressure on myself. Without it, I often don't care as much. Some players have a huge dream of winning Wimbledon. Or any slam. Once they've achieved that, some feel so fulfilled, they never win another. They just can't get motivated enough to want to do more. Others see it as just the beginning and want to achieve even more. I suppose it depends on one's personality and ambition.
Federer knows the records that are out there. Ask General Hercules about the video where Federer talked about getting 100 titles and other records. How else do players that have done so much keep themselves motivated? They look at the record books, they set short term and long term goals. Does Rafa think about getting 2 of each major for his career? I would think he does. Does he care about getting the most titles on clay to surpass Vilas? Probably to a degree in terms of lifetime goals. But he probably won't focus on it until reminded of it when he is ready to tie or break the record. Does Roger think about getting an all time record 8th Wimbledon title? You bet. Or breaking the 3 way tie between himself, Connors and Sampras for most US Opens? Does he think about having the highest match winning percentage on a surface? Probably not that much, but it's probably something he recognizes. Some of these stats are clearly for tennis aficionados. Others become targets. Vague awareness when further away, or more obvious when closing in.
Respectfully,
masterclass
Looks like Rafa will keep the career clay winning percentage for a long time. 93%, if that's not domination over his competition, nothing is. Borg is next just under 86%, and Lendl drops down to just over 81%.
I don't think there is much doubt that Rafa will pass Vilas in the Career Clay Title count. He trails him by 4, 46-42. It's only a question of when. It could possibly happen this year. But Vilas has one Clay record that I think is safe, 634 career clay match wins. Nadal has about 293 or so.
Roger is just over 87% on grass, also very high and leads in titles won, but will not catch the great Jimmy Connors in matches won on the turf. McEnroe next at a little under 86%. There are a group of 4 stalwarts in the 83rd percentile headed by Murray, Borg, Sampras, and Connors. Heady company indeed.
The interesting one for me though is hard court winning percentage for the career.
There are 5 players with 82 and a fraction percent all separated by less the 3 tenths of a percent.
82.61 Connors
82.60 Lendl
82.50 Laver
82.35 Djokovic
82.34 Federer
I would expect Federer's percentage to dip somewhat as he ages. Of course the same would apply to any active player that continues to play after their prime years. But he probably still has a good couple of years before his percentage will get much worse.
But just to show how close it is, if current 5th place Federer were to win Dubai and Indian Wells back to back, as he did year before last, that would be 11-0 and he would be 575-121 and at 82.615 %, which would put him just ahead of current 1st place Connors who is at 82.609 %. By the same token, he has played so many matches it is difficult for him to move the percentage a lot. Even if he finished his career at a 75% clip for a 100 matches or so, equivalent to averaging losing in the 4th round of every tournament, he would still end up higher than McEnroe who is in 6th place.
Respectfully,
masterclass
Great stuff, General (ha ha ha),
If I was a tennis player I don't think I would pay any attention to the numbers and percentages, unless I was checking them to find some improvement. But, as far as highest, most, best, etc. I would ignore that part. Less pressure. I would still want to enjoy my tennis, and I don't think I would enjoy it as much if I was constantly keeping score.
Looks like Rafa will keep the career clay winning percentage for a long time. 93%, if that's not domination over his competition, nothing is. Borg is next just under 86%, and Lendl drops down to just over 81%.
I don't think there is much doubt that Rafa will pass Vilas in the Career Clay Title count. He trails him by 4, 46-42. It's only a question of when. It could possibly happen this year. But Vilas has one Clay record that I think is safe, 634 career clay match wins. Nadal has about 293 or so.
Roger is just over 87% on grass, also very high and leads in titles won, but will not catch the great Jimmy Connors in matches won on the turf. McEnroe next at a little under 86%. There are a group of 4 stalwarts in the 83rd percentile headed by Murray, Borg, Sampras, and Connors. Heady company indeed.
The interesting one for me though is hard court winning percentage for the career.
There are 5 players with 82 and a fraction percent all separated by less the 3 tenths of a percent.
82.61 Connors
82.60 Lendl
82.50 Laver
82.35 Djokovic
82.34 Federer
I would expect Federer's percentage to dip somewhat as he ages. Of course the same would apply to any active player that continues to play after their prime years. But he probably still has a good couple of years before his percentage will get much worse.
But just to show how close it is, if current 5th place Federer were to win Dubai and Indian Wells back to back, as he did year before last, that would be 11-0 and he would be 575-121 and at 82.615 %, which would put him just ahead of current 1st place Connors who is at 82.609 %. By the same token, he has played so many matches it is difficult for him to move the percentage a lot. Even if he finished his career at a 75% clip for a 100 matches or so, equivalent to averaging losing in the 4th round of every tournament, he would still end up higher than McEnroe who is in 6th place.
Respectfully,
masterclass
Here you go general...
Open Era Only recordsCode: [Select]Career matches
Played #
1. Jimmy Connors 1532
2. Ivan Lendl 1310
3. Guillermo Vilas 1215
4. Roger Federer 1148*
5. Andre Agassi 1144
6. Ilie Năstase 1083
7. John McEnroe 1073
8. Stefan Edberg 1071
9. Brian Gottfried 1002
10. Pete Sampras 984
*Still active
Match wins #
1. Jimmy Connors 1253
2. Ivan Lendl 1071
3. Roger Federer 931*
4. Guillermo Vilas 929
5. John McEnroe 875
6. Andre Agassi 870
7. Stefan Edberg 801
8. Ilie Năstase 779
9. Pete Sampras 762
10. Boris Becker 713
*still active
Titles per court type
Hard #
1. Roger Federer 52*
2. Jimmy Connors 48
3. Andre Agassi 46
4. Pete Sampras 36
5. Ivan Lendl 31
6. Novak Djokovic 28*
7. Stefan Edberg 23
8. John McEnroe 22
Andy Murray 22*
10. Michael Chang 21
Andy Roddick
*still active
Clay #
1. Guillermo Vilas 46
2. Rafael Nadal 42*
3. Thomas Muster 40
4. Manuel Orantes 30
Björn Borg
6. Ilie Năstase 28
Ivan Lendl
8. José Luis Clerc 21
9. Mats Wilander 20
10. Andrés Gómez 16
Carlos Moyá
*still active
Grass #
1. Roger Federer 13*
2. Jimmy Connors 10
Pete Sampras
3. Ken Rosewall 9
4. John McEnroe 8
5. Stan Smith 7
Boris Becker
Lleyton Hewitt*
6. Rod Laver 6
Björn Borg
Vijay Amritraj
Mark Edmondson
Alex Metreveli
*still active
Carpet #
1. John McEnroe 43
2. Jimmy Connors 39
3. Ivan Lendl 33
4. Boris Becker 26
5. Rod Laver 22
Björn Borg
7. Arthur Ashe 18
8. Pete Sampras 15
9. Goran Ivanišević 14
10. Stan Smith 11
Stefan Edberg
Yevgeny Kafelnikov
Outdoor #
1. Rafael Nadal 59*
2. Roger Federer 57*
3. Guillermo Vilas 56
4. Jimmy Connors 55
5. Ivan Lendl 52
6. Andre Agassi 48
7. Thomas Muster 43
8. Pete Sampras 41
9. Björn Borg 40
10. Ilie Năstase 34
*still active
Indoor #
1. Jimmy Connors 54
2. John McEnroe 52
3. Ivan Lendl 42
4. Boris Becker 30
5. Björn Borg 23
Pete Sampras
7. Rod Laver 22
Ilie Năstase
9. Arthur Ashe 21
10. Roger Federer 20*
*still active
Career match wins per court type
Hard #
1. Andre Agassi 598
2. Roger Federer 564*
3. Jimmy Connors 532
4. Pete Sampras 427
5. Andy Roddick 426
6. Michael Chang 408
7. Ivan Lendl 394
8. Stefan Edberg 387
9. Lleyton Hewitt 360*
10. Novak Djokovic 350*
*still active
Clay #
1. Guillermo Vilas 634
2. Manuel Orantes 494
3. Thomas Muster 422
4. José Higueras 375
5. Eddie Dibbs 361
6. Carlos Moyá 337
7. Ivan Lendl 329
8. Andrés Gómez 322
9. José Luis Clerc 301
10. Emilio Sánchez 298
Grass #
1. Jimmy Connors 169
2. Roger Federer 122*
3. Lleyton Hewitt 120*
4. John McEnroe 119
5. John Newcombe 117
6. Boris Becker 116
7. Roscoe Tanner 113
8. Wally Masur 112
9. Ken Rosewall 108
Tony Roche
Phil Dent
*still active
Carpet #
1. John McEnroe 346
2. Jimmy Connors 339
3. Ivan Lendl 267
4. Boris Becker 258
5. Arthur Ashe 221
6. Goran Ivanišević 187
7. Brian Gottfried 183
8. Stefan Edberg 182
9. Björn Borg 180
10. Vitas Gerulaitis 166
Career match winning % per court type
Hard % W–L
1. Jimmy Connors 82.61 532–112
2. Ivan Lendl 82.60 394–83
3. Rod Laver 82.50 146-31
4. Novak Djokovic 82.35 350–75*
5. Roger Federer 82.34 564–121*
6. John McEnroe 81.11 292–68
7. Pete Sampras 80.41 427–104
8. Andre Agassi 79.00 598–159
9. Stefan Edberg 78.82 387–104
10. Rafael Nadal 78.13 318–89*
* still active
Clay % W–L
1. Rafael Nadal 93.31 293–21*
2. Björn Borg 86.58 271–42
3. Ivan Lendl 81.44 329–75
4. Guillermo Vilas 79.65 634–162
5. Ken Rosewall 79.30 96-25
6. Jimmy Connors 78.87 197–56
7. Ilie Năstase 77.48 320–93
8. Novak Djokovic 77.38 130-38
9. Jose Luis Clerc 77.38 301–88
10. Rod Laver 77.30 85-25
*still active
Grass % W–L
1. Roger Federer 87.14 122–18*
2. John McEnroe 85.61 119–20
3. Rod Laver 84.03 79–15
4. Andy Murray 83.90 73–14*
5. Björn Borg 83.56 61–12
6. Pete Sampras 83.47 101–20
7. Jimmy Connors 83.25 169–34
8. Boris Becker 82.27 116–25
9. John Newcombe 79.90 167-42
10. Rafael Nadal 79.37 50–13*
*still active
Carpet % W–L
1. John McEnroe 84.39 346–64
2. Björn Borg 82.95 180–37
3. Ivan Lendl 82.66 267–56
4. Jimmy Connors 81.69 339–76
5. Boris Becker 80.12 258–64
6. Arthur Ashe 79.21 221–58
7. Rod Laver 76.60 128–39
=. Pete Sampras 76.60 144–44
9. Yevgeny Kafelnikov 73.66 165–59
10. Goran Ivanišević 71.37 187–75
Respectfully,
masterclass
Here you go general...
Open Era Only recordsCode: [Select]Career matches
Played #
1. Jimmy Connors 1532
2. Ivan Lendl 1310
3. Guillermo Vilas 1215
4. Roger Federer 1148*
5. Andre Agassi 1144
6. Ilie Năstase 1083
7. John McEnroe 1073
8. Stefan Edberg 1071
9. Brian Gottfried 1002
10. Pete Sampras 984
*Still active
Match wins #
1. Jimmy Connors 1253
2. Ivan Lendl 1071
3. Roger Federer 931*
4. Guillermo Vilas 929
5. John McEnroe 875
6. Andre Agassi 870
7. Stefan Edberg 801
8. Ilie Năstase 779
9. Pete Sampras 762
10. Boris Becker 713
*still active
Titles per court type
Hard #
1. Roger Federer 52*
2. Jimmy Connors 48
3. Andre Agassi 46
4. Pete Sampras 36
5. Ivan Lendl 31
6. Novak Djokovic 28*
7. Stefan Edberg 23
8. John McEnroe 22
Andy Murray 22*
10. Michael Chang 21
Andy Roddick
*still active
Clay #
1. Guillermo Vilas 46
2. Rafael Nadal 42*
3. Thomas Muster 40
4. Manuel Orantes 30
Björn Borg
6. Ilie Năstase 28
Ivan Lendl
8. José Luis Clerc 21
9. Mats Wilander 20
10. Andrés Gómez 16
Carlos Moyá
*still active
Grass #
1. Roger Federer 13*
2. Jimmy Connors 10
Pete Sampras
3. Ken Rosewall 9
4. John McEnroe 8
5. Stan Smith 7
Boris Becker
Lleyton Hewitt*
6. Rod Laver 6
Björn Borg
Vijay Amritraj
Mark Edmondson
Alex Metreveli
*still active
Carpet #
1. John McEnroe 43
2. Jimmy Connors 39
3. Ivan Lendl 33
4. Boris Becker 26
5. Rod Laver 22
Björn Borg
7. Arthur Ashe 18
8. Pete Sampras 15
9. Goran Ivanišević 14
10. Stan Smith 11
Stefan Edberg
Yevgeny Kafelnikov
Outdoor #
1. Rafael Nadal 59*
2. Roger Federer 57*
3. Guillermo Vilas 56
4. Jimmy Connors 55
5. Ivan Lendl 52
6. Andre Agassi 48
7. Thomas Muster 43
8. Pete Sampras 41
9. Björn Borg 40
10. Ilie Năstase 34
*still active
Indoor #
1. Jimmy Connors 54
2. John McEnroe 52
3. Ivan Lendl 42
4. Boris Becker 30
5. Björn Borg 23
Pete Sampras
7. Rod Laver 22
Ilie Năstase
9. Arthur Ashe 21
10. Roger Federer 20*
*still active
Career match wins per court type
Hard #
1. Andre Agassi 598
2. Roger Federer 564*
3. Jimmy Connors 532
4. Pete Sampras 427
5. Andy Roddick 426
6. Michael Chang 408
7. Ivan Lendl 394
8. Stefan Edberg 387
9. Lleyton Hewitt 360*
10. Novak Djokovic 350*
*still active
Clay #
1. Guillermo Vilas 634
2. Manuel Orantes 494
3. Thomas Muster 422
4. José Higueras 375
5. Eddie Dibbs 361
6. Carlos Moyá 337
7. Ivan Lendl 329
8. Andrés Gómez 322
9. José Luis Clerc 301
10. Emilio Sánchez 298
Grass #
1. Jimmy Connors 169
2. Roger Federer 122*
3. Lleyton Hewitt 120*
4. John McEnroe 119
5. John Newcombe 117
6. Boris Becker 116
7. Roscoe Tanner 113
8. Wally Masur 112
9. Ken Rosewall 108
Tony Roche
Phil Dent
*still active
Carpet #
1. John McEnroe 346
2. Jimmy Connors 339
3. Ivan Lendl 267
4. Boris Becker 258
5. Arthur Ashe 221
6. Goran Ivanišević 187
7. Brian Gottfried 183
8. Stefan Edberg 182
9. Björn Borg 180
10. Vitas Gerulaitis 166
Career match winning % per court type
Hard % W–L
1. Jimmy Connors 82.61 532–112
2. Ivan Lendl 82.60 394–83
3. Rod Laver 82.50 146-31
4. Novak Djokovic 82.35 350–75*
5. Roger Federer 82.34 564–121*
6. John McEnroe 81.11 292–68
7. Pete Sampras 80.41 427–104
8. Andre Agassi 79.00 598–159
9. Stefan Edberg 78.82 387–104
10. Rafael Nadal 78.13 318–89*
* still active
Clay % W–L
1. Rafael Nadal 93.31 293–21*
2. Björn Borg 86.58 271–42
3. Ivan Lendl 81.44 329–75
4. Guillermo Vilas 79.65 634–162
5. Ken Rosewall 79.30 96-25
6. Jimmy Connors 78.87 197–56
7. Ilie Năstase 77.48 320–93
8. Novak Djokovic 77.38 130-38
9. Jose Luis Clerc 77.38 301–88
10. Rod Laver 77.30 85-25
*still active
Grass % W–L
1. Roger Federer 87.14 122–18*
2. John McEnroe 85.61 119–20
3. Rod Laver 84.03 79–15
4. Andy Murray 83.90 73–14*
5. Björn Borg 83.56 61–12
6. Pete Sampras 83.47 101–20
7. Jimmy Connors 83.25 169–34
8. Boris Becker 82.27 116–25
9. John Newcombe 79.90 167-42
10. Rafael Nadal 79.37 50–13*
*still active
Carpet % W–L
1. John McEnroe 84.39 346–64
2. Björn Borg 82.95 180–37
3. Ivan Lendl 82.66 267–56
4. Jimmy Connors 81.69 339–76
5. Boris Becker 80.12 258–64
6. Arthur Ashe 79.21 221–58
7. Rod Laver 76.60 128–39
=. Pete Sampras 76.60 144–44
9. Yevgeny Kafelnikov 73.66 165–59
10. Goran Ivanišević 71.37 187–75
Respectfully,
masterclass
Career matches
Played #
1. Jimmy Connors 1532
2. Ivan Lendl 1310
3. Guillermo Vilas 1215
4. Roger Federer 1148*
5. Andre Agassi 1144
6. Ilie Năstase 1083
7. John McEnroe 1073
8. Stefan Edberg 1071
9. Brian Gottfried 1002
10. Pete Sampras 984
*Still active
Match wins #
1. Jimmy Connors 1253
2. Ivan Lendl 1071
3. Roger Federer 931*
4. Guillermo Vilas 929
5. John McEnroe 875
6. Andre Agassi 870
7. Stefan Edberg 801
8. Ilie Năstase 779
9. Pete Sampras 762
10. Boris Becker 713
*still active
Titles per court type
Hard #
1. Roger Federer 52*
2. Jimmy Connors 48
3. Andre Agassi 46
4. Pete Sampras 36
5. Ivan Lendl 31
6. Novak Djokovic 28*
7. Stefan Edberg 23
8. John McEnroe 22
Andy Murray 22*
10. Michael Chang 21
Andy Roddick
*still active
Clay #
1. Guillermo Vilas 46
2. Rafael Nadal 42*
3. Thomas Muster 40
4. Manuel Orantes 30
Björn Borg
6. Ilie Năstase 28
Ivan Lendl
8. José Luis Clerc 21
9. Mats Wilander 20
10. Andrés Gómez 16
Carlos Moyá
*still active
Grass #
1. Roger Federer 13*
2. Jimmy Connors 10
Pete Sampras
3. Ken Rosewall 9
4. John McEnroe 8
5. Stan Smith 7
Boris Becker
Lleyton Hewitt*
6. Rod Laver 6
Björn Borg
Vijay Amritraj
Mark Edmondson
Alex Metreveli
*still active
Carpet #
1. John McEnroe 43
2. Jimmy Connors 39
3. Ivan Lendl 33
4. Boris Becker 26
5. Rod Laver 22
Björn Borg
7. Arthur Ashe 18
8. Pete Sampras 15
9. Goran Ivanišević 14
10. Stan Smith 11
Stefan Edberg
Yevgeny Kafelnikov
Outdoor #
1. Rafael Nadal 59*
2. Roger Federer 57*
3. Guillermo Vilas 56
4. Jimmy Connors 55
5. Ivan Lendl 52
6. Andre Agassi 48
7. Thomas Muster 43
8. Pete Sampras 41
9. Björn Borg 40
10. Ilie Năstase 34
*still active
Indoor #
1. Jimmy Connors 54
2. John McEnroe 52
3. Ivan Lendl 42
4. Boris Becker 30
5. Björn Borg 23
Pete Sampras
7. Rod Laver 22
Ilie Năstase
9. Arthur Ashe 21
10. Roger Federer 20*
*still active
Career match wins per court type
Hard #
1. Andre Agassi 598
2. Roger Federer 564*
3. Jimmy Connors 532
4. Pete Sampras 427
5. Andy Roddick 426
6. Michael Chang 408
7. Ivan Lendl 394
8. Stefan Edberg 387
9. Lleyton Hewitt 360*
10. Novak Djokovic 350*
*still active
Clay #
1. Guillermo Vilas 634
2. Manuel Orantes 494
3. Thomas Muster 422
4. José Higueras 375
5. Eddie Dibbs 361
6. Carlos Moyá 337
7. Ivan Lendl 329
8. Andrés Gómez 322
9. José Luis Clerc 301
10. Emilio Sánchez 298
Grass #
1. Jimmy Connors 169
2. Roger Federer 122*
3. Lleyton Hewitt 120*
4. John McEnroe 119
5. John Newcombe 117
6. Boris Becker 116
7. Roscoe Tanner 113
8. Wally Masur 112
9. Ken Rosewall 108
Tony Roche
Phil Dent
*still active
Carpet #
1. John McEnroe 346
2. Jimmy Connors 339
3. Ivan Lendl 267
4. Boris Becker 258
5. Arthur Ashe 221
6. Goran Ivanišević 187
7. Brian Gottfried 183
8. Stefan Edberg 182
9. Björn Borg 180
10. Vitas Gerulaitis 166
Career match winning % per court type
Hard % W–L
1. Jimmy Connors 82.61 532–112
2. Ivan Lendl 82.60 394–83
3. Rod Laver 82.50 146-31
4. Novak Djokovic 82.35 350–75*
5. Roger Federer 82.34 564–121*
6. John McEnroe 81.11 292–68
7. Pete Sampras 80.41 427–104
8. Andre Agassi 79.00 598–159
9. Stefan Edberg 78.82 387–104
10. Rafael Nadal 78.13 318–89*
* still active
Clay % W–L
1. Rafael Nadal 93.31 293–21*
2. Björn Borg 86.58 271–42
3. Ivan Lendl 81.44 329–75
4. Guillermo Vilas 79.65 634–162
5. Ken Rosewall 79.30 96-25
6. Jimmy Connors 78.87 197–56
7. Ilie Năstase 77.48 320–93
8. Novak Djokovic 77.38 130-38
9. Jose Luis Clerc 77.38 301–88
10. Rod Laver 77.30 85-25
*still active
Grass % W–L
1. Roger Federer 87.14 122–18*
2. John McEnroe 85.61 119–20
3. Rod Laver 84.03 79–15
4. Andy Murray 83.90 73–14*
5. Björn Borg 83.56 61–12
6. Pete Sampras 83.47 101–20
7. Jimmy Connors 83.25 169–34
8. Boris Becker 82.27 116–25
9. John Newcombe 79.90 167-42
10. Rafael Nadal 79.37 50–13*
*still active
Carpet % W–L
1. John McEnroe 84.39 346–64
2. Björn Borg 82.95 180–37
3. Ivan Lendl 82.66 267–56
4. Jimmy Connors 81.69 339–76
5. Boris Becker 80.12 258–64
6. Arthur Ashe 79.21 221–58
7. Rod Laver 76.60 128–39
=. Pete Sampras 76.60 144–44
9. Yevgeny Kafelnikov 73.66 165–59
10. Goran Ivanišević 71.37 187–75
Thanks to both of you, Lady TT and General Hercules for your very kind comments.
General Hercules certainly has a firm grasp of knowledge on US sports and what makes them tick. I know he is or was a big football fan. I was more of a baseball fan, and then hockey, football to a lesser extent, especially after the early 1990's, and basketball the least. Tennis probably came after baseball for me until the late 90's.
Curiously enough, that is probably the order of sports that I played the most when I was younger. I played baseball as an outfielder for the most part (center, left) and competed up to the minor leagues. Tennis, college level. Hockey, high school. Football, neighborhood.
Personally, I think there is too much money in the major sports today. But people continue watching and therefore pumping advertising and attendance revenue back into the sport, so it's no wonder. I'm curious to hear more specifics on the "culture" as general hercules calls it.
As I said, in the US, I think that they should try some different things to try to improve tennis participation at an earlier age and viewership. League tennis (team) might be a good way to go. As general Hercules said, the US is very team oriented in sports. I know that they have had team tennis at a professional level, but I would like to see it tried in the younger grassroots level.
Respectfully,
masterclass
Respectfully,
masterclass
general masterclass I will be gone for most of the day and wont return until about 6 pm.
show general CETSVids how to modify boards and make changes if he needs help.
perhaps you can make a list of instructions on his board for him to see.
I listed some instructions too but I am not sure if they are enough.
I cant do anything with my iphone when I am out and about and running around.
fantastic posts general.
I will have more time this evening to respond more properly.
with respect to tennis in America, it is the cultural dynamics at play as well. and we can add to that the money factor.
players outside top 300 are starving to death. they have to beg, borrow, and steal just to make it.
they have to live with friends and relatives or sleep on the subway.
that is not the case in baseball, basketball, and football.
also you are on the tele every single week if you are playing football for bigger schools like Alabama, florida, texas, and the like.
you start getting huge exposure very early on in football.
team sports, for the americans, are vital to develop tomorrow's leaders.
I will have more to say on this later tonight.
general masterclass:
how do you rate andy's chances at Wimbledon?
what is wrong with American tennis?
it looks like it is in shambles. Americans are doing a poor job of developing tomorrow's champions.
whatever happened to the Harrison brothers?
and what about kudla and sock?
what is wrong with American tennis?
it looks like it is in shambles. Americans are doing a poor job of developing tomorrow's champions.
whatever happened to the Harrison brothers?
and what about kudla and sock?
I think the name of this thread should be, From the Desk of Masterclass. Just a suggestion.
Thank you Mr. Tee, or thank General Hercules as he suggested it. :)
The quick answer to your question is no, not in my opinion, primarily due to his stroke technique, and to confidence.
Now for the long answer...get a cup of your favorite beverage. :)
I think for the most part that Mr. Nadal simply had to get used to playing on these surfaces at a higher level and gain confidence on the surfaces against the better players. His advantage was that he was already at the highest level on clay against the best players by 2005, or even a bit earlier. So he already had confidence against those players. I would say he was very proficient on Wimbledon's grass between 2006-2008 as he made it to 3 finals against Roger Federer winning in 2008. He made the QF of the US Open in 2006 and the semis in 2008, so he was no slouch on hard either.
He grew up on clay. His Futures play consisted of 35 matches on clay (32-3), 0 on grass, 1 on hard (a loss), and 5 on carpet (undefeated by the way).
His Challenger surface play was more varied, but still predominately clay with 23 matches (18-5), 13 on hard (10-3), 0 on grass, 8 on carpet (6-2).
In my opinion, Nadal likes to have more time to prepare for his shots, especially as his big topspin requires a big swing. He is not as comfortable taking the ball on the rise. A fast serve by him only gets the ball back to him quicker. A slower more accurate serve gives him time to get ready. He seems to be more comfortable standing 2 or more meters behind the baseline. On higher bouncing courts like clay and many of the other hard courts like Indian Wells and Miami, standing further back gives him more time to prepare and he has more confidence hitting his topspin. The less confident he feels in his swing, the further back he stands, as close to the fence as he can get on some days.
Grass, by it's usual nature, is generally problematic for him, especially when it is fresh or soft from rain. The ball bounces too low to allow him to play as he usually does. It forces him to change his swing. Also sliced balls on grass bounce even lower and if it with sharper angle become impossible to play if he stands as far back as he would like. So he is forced to move in. Now at Wimbledon since 2001 when they changed the grass and soil composition, balls have been gradually bouncing higher than they ever used to, especially if London sees a dry spell. This has the effect of slowing play down, giving players additional time to react and allowing them to hit the ball higher in the strike zone instead of off their feet. It's the soil that gives this affect, as with the change of grass, it has become more dense (less air), more packed if you will, and less like loam.
Also, the affect of drier weather versus wet makes it's affect on the grass behind the baseline where a majority of players make their home these days. As the tournament progresses, the grass is worn out from use, and in drier weather is worn out even faster. By the second week, especially by the semis, it is literally dirt. This makes it much easier for players that use great side-to-side movement to defend. On fresh, more slippery grass, they simply can't do what they do on hard court or even clay. They can't take big long strides and plant their feet hard or slide with precision and change direction. If they try, they slip and fall down. Fresh grass requires and rewards great footwork, not great movement. Footwork are the little steps, the little adjustments you make as you move about. Shorter, quicker steps are rewarded. Many of the top defensive players of today don't have great footwork, namely Djokovic, Nadal, Murray. They have great movement for sure. Other players, such as Federer, have generally great footwork, can make small adjustments, with quick shorter steps and rarely do you seem them slip and fall, even on the freshest, more slippery grass.
So for Rafa, the challenge on grass is for him to survive the first week. He can do that against a majority of the lesser players that he plays against in the first week, but not all. Some players who use good tactics can make him very uncomfortable. In the second week it is generally more difficult to unbalance him. By then, it's predominantly dirt behind the baseline. The correct tactics to use in the second week against Nadal or other defenders with great movement, would be to play with more angles so that a Nadal or a Djokovic or a Murray is forced to run on the grass and not the dirt, or to play shorter slice shots and again force them to run and stop and turn on fresher grass and hit lower shots. Since not many serve and volley these days, the grass is generally still quite fresh from a meter or two beyond the service line to the net. Look at the Federer - Murray 2012 final during the 3rd set in the critical 18 deuce 5th game. Murray falls down 3 times in the one game, a technical knockout in boxing, but look where he falls. In the service box, and wide of the tramlines. The grass is still fresh in those places.
In 2013, I saw a different Rafa on hard courts than I had seen in a while, especially on the Cincinnati and US Open hard courts in the summer. His confidence was very high, and he played closer in than I've seen him, and was much more aggressive. This comes from confidence in his play. His timing was superb and he felt confident that he could make quicker adjustments and a quicker stroke.
I've probably gone on too long, Mr. Tee, I'll stop now. :)
Respectfully,
masterclass
Agreed general. Can you think of a reason why they are not?
Respectfully,
masterclass
My post may have gotten lost.
I think it's to help an aging Federer.
BO5 in regular tourneys might disadvantage him a bit.
He's still a cash cow for the tour and sells tickets.
They kind of always do this to protect their investments.
Lady TT, don't believe this stuff re "aging Federer", as he was about 25-26 when they made the changes. But the rest of what you said near the bottom is pretty much on target. Federer wanted a return to 5 set finals. For example, as a top player, he does not want to be blown off the court in 2 set tiebreakers by a hot serving Isner. He wants time to be able to read the serve and adapt.
The real reason was to protect the tournaments revenue, which is what you alluded to, especially in the back-to-back masters. Here is an article from 2011:
Federer says return to 5-set Masters finals might be nice
5/3/11 2:18 PM | Johan Lindahl
Federer says return to 5-set Masters finals might be nice The Swiss maestro weighs in on 5-match, best of 3 format for Masters winners.
Roger Federer has always been a fan of old-school tennis from his distrust of electronic line-calling to his small-headed racquet designed more than a decade ago. And now the Swiss is calling for consideration of a return to best of five set finals at the Masters 1000 level.
The No. 3, who is making his bid for a third trophy at the Madrid Masters, said that winning any pair of Masters back-to-back (Madrid followed by Rome next week, for instance) is a huge ask. But he said that it might also be a true challenge.
"To win any set of Masters back to back is tough," said the Swiss who beat Rafael Nadal in the Madrid final in 2009 and lost to the Spaniard a year later in the Caja Magica title match, "The fields are always very difficult and there is only one guy who gets the chance (winner of the first event).
"Plus it was tougher before when you had to win six matches and play a best-of-five final. The day off between the two was a travelling day, it was almost impossible.
"Now there is no more best of five and the top eight seed get first-round byes. In some ways, I‘d like to see best of five coming back, maybe something will change."
Five-set Masters finals were reduced in 2007 after a marathon in 2006. Nadal beat Federer in a five-hour five-set Rome final which eventually forced both to withdraw with fatigue from Hamburg which followed a day later.
I think they could go back to 5 set finals, as long as Masters were not back-to-back, which is a little silly scheduling anyway.
Respectfully,
masterclass
Agreed general. Can you think of a reason why they are not?
Respectfully,
masterclass
My post may have gotten lost.
I think it's to help an aging Federer.
BO5 in regular tourneys might disadvantage him a bit.
He's still a cash cow for the tour and sells tickets.
They kind of always do this to protect their investments.
Agreed general. Can you think of a reason why they are not?
Respectfully,
masterclass
their reasoning:
the sport has become too demanding.
I think they destroyed a great tradition. masters finals are also great preparation for the slams which are all best of 5 sets formats.
so the masters series events with best of 5 sets finals should be restored.
Agreed general. Can you think of a reason why they are not?
Respectfully,
masterclass
Agreed general. Can you think of a reason why they are not?
Respectfully,
masterclass
Lady TT, I'm convinced Magnus Norman has the proper plans for a player to beat Nadal anywhere.
But as with any plan, the individual has to have the ability, fortitude, and some good fortune to be able to execute them.
And against top players, it isn't usually just one plan, usually you have to have at least a plan B, since top players are usually able to adapt during a 5 set match, and so one has to be able to vary the tactics so the player is unable to settle into a rhythm. If you listen to top players comments after they lose, you will very often hear them say that they couldn't find their rhythm enough during the match.
This is why I would never agree to having the men play best of 3 set matches in majors. In best of 3, a good player can be swept away before having time to adapt and the lesser player can win. I personally feel all men's finals should be best of 5, no matter the tournament.
It surely isn't easy to execute against the very best players. If it were, everybody would do it. And we know that it not the case.
Also, it's not only one side that can have good tactics. Both opponents are trying to impose their tactics on the match.
Fortune favors the brave, and the most successful execution wins.
It's not just Nadal. Tactics can be developed that can be used to beat any top player.
It's still a question of having sufficient talent, mental strength, and fitness to be able to execute those tactics.
Respectfully,
masterclass
can Federer win another Wimbledon? what will it take? do you believe he is moving in the right direction. i thought he did well in Melbourne considering he is trying out a new racquet and he has a brand new coach.
there were a lot of positives from my own vantage point. i believe he is going to have a great year in 2014.