CAMELOT FANTASIES

Milos does Wertheim’s Mailbag:

Very insightful answers to the questions.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/tennis/news/20140416/milos-raonic-tennis-mailbag/

Fan asks Raonic: who out of the so-called Big Four (Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic

Milos: As far as your last question, I have struggled with Rafa the most. It was much closer the last time we played, in Miami, than any previous match. [Editor's note: Nadal won 4-6, 6-2, 6-4 at the Sony Open last month, improving to 5-0 against Raonic.] I believe he is the toughest of the four because he is unique. No matter who you play in the previous round or can practice with, no one plays like Rafa, so you have to adjust every match. His left-handed play, the amount of spin he puts on the ball and his competitive drive make him very tough to play against. But I am getting closer to him.

Milos: I don't want people to lose their jobs, but it is obvious that Sloane Stephens' hiring of coach Paul Annacone is not working. I am not sure what her problem is, but she obviously is not listening to a word he is saying, unless he is telling her to "play for the majors." This partnership was a good idea, but she is not at the level right now that Annacone will make a difference. It is time to sell your Sloane Stephens shares.
-- Scott P., New York City
Fan:  I don't want people to lose their jobs, but it is obvious that Sloane Stephens' hiring of coach Paul Annacone is not working. I am not sure what her problem is, but she obviously is not listening to a word he is saying, unless he is telling her to "play for the majors." This partnership was a good idea, but she is not at the level right now that Annacone will make a difference. It is time to sell your Sloane Stephens shares.
-- Scott P., New York City

Milos: I totally understand you concern, but I don't think it's fair. You have to give them time. Sometimes coaching relationships click early, but I believe it takes about six-to-nine months to see the work with the new coach incorporated into the player's game. For me, it took many weeks and a lot of effort for things to click in my game after a recent coaching change. When I started with Ivan Ljubicic last June, I was not playing well, and just by having him around didn't mean that would instantaneously change. It took a lot of patience and hard work. We are seeing the true development of it all this year, now that we've had time to incorporate things over the last ninth months.
Sloane is great talent and athletic, and the time will come for her game to click, as well. She needs to continue to develop and improve, and I believe Annacone can guide her down the right path.
Based on his wins in Indian Wells and Miami, do you see Djokovic dominating Nadal this year? As a Nadal fan, I'm now worried about what's to come.
-- Wendy Edelstein, Berkeley, Calif.

Milos: It's a long year, and there is a lot to play out between the two. Right now, it's too early to jump to conclusions about what will happen, especially during the clay season. In addition, many people are forgetting that Nadal has already been in a Grand Slam final this year, at the Australian Open. There's still a lot of tennis to be played this year, and it will no doubt be fun to watch. However, don't count out the other players; there are many of us pushing to compete with those two.

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