CAMELOT FANTASIES

It's a mixed feelings day for me.  I was happy to see Federer play well against the big serving 6' 6" tall American Sam Querrey.  His forehand was the best I've seen it since he changed his racquet.  It had real pop on it and he was consistently banging it.  The rest of his game followed suit and at times he was playing exhibition tennis with his variety and trick shots.  Watch the tweener lob if you get a chance.  He won in a bit under an hour and a half, so that's two best of five setters played in about 2 1/2 hours total.  This is what he needs to go deep in a major at his age.  Well done to Roger, and condolences to Sam.

The flip side is the sadness I felt for Rafa today.  We knew Brown was a dangerous player with his high risk serve and volley game and dropshots and it wasn't too much of a surprise to see him play very aggressively in the first set and take it.  I thought Rafa fought back very well in the second set to even the match, even if he wasn't playing his best. 

But what was sad to watch was his performance after that.  To me, it was very plain to see. Nadal got tired.  He just isn't fit enough for a best of five set match, mentally or physically.  We could see previously in the year that he was getting tired in best of 3 matches.  Best of five used to be Rafa's big strength.  He had not only the physical fitness to outlast most players, but the mental fortitude to overcome slow starts and work his way into a match.  But no more, not this year, so far. 

The third set made that obvious. He was breathing hard after points.  He was looking confused on which shots to hit. Brown was toying with him at the net at times so much, I felt sorry for Rafa.  He couldn't come close to breaking Brown.  Then on his own serve he collapsed with consecutive double faults burying serves into the net.  As the match went on, Rafa was returning and hitting shots shorter and shorter in the court.  It was rare to see him hit passing shots.  Brown was beating him at the net.  I also didn't see a plan B from Rafa.   

Ok, part of this was the way Brown played. Let's give him his fair share of credit. He gave Rafa no rhythm and executed his high risk game very well.  But Rafa and Uncle Toni knew that would happen. He played him in Halle. They knew Brown's game.  Uncle Toni and Rafa should have had a plan.  If they did, it wasn't evident.  Rafa needed to serve well, and did at times, but once he started tiring, his serve went to pieces as well.   Brown is #102 in the world.  A player of Rafa's caliber usually is able to figure out a way to beat someone like that.  But it didn't happen, and I still say it was mostly because Rafa tired and then couldn't hit the shots he needed to hit to overcome Brown.

I believe Rafa needed to lob more than he did.  Too many of his shots were like target practice hitting at Brown at the net, and Brown doing what he wanted very close to the net.  He ran Rafa ragged at times tiring Rafa out more and more and making Nadal spin at times till he seemed dizzy.  I hardly saw any shots from Rafa go right at Brown at the net, and very few lob attempts.  Rafa just didn't have the answers.  He was outgunned and tactically outplayed and physically beaten. Sadly, I don't know any kinder way to say it.

Oh well, so Rafa is sadly out at Wimbledon for the 4th straight year.  But there is a positive. There are some clay tournaments after Wimbledon.  Why not play Hamburg, or Gstaad, or some of the others?  Let him jump back on the clay in Manacor and practice his butt off and get more fit?  I mean, if that is what he wants to do. At this point I'm not sure what he wants.  He says all the right things, like he is working hard on his game and getting better with time, but I still don't see it in his play.  To me, he is taking the proverbial one or two steps forward and one or two steps back.  I have not seen any improvement in fitness.  At best he can win straight sets in best of 3.  But when it gets to a third set in best of 3, or 4th or 5th set in best of five, he just doesn't have it.   So I see that as first priority if he wants to get better results.  Without fitness, talking about his bad forehand or returns almost doesn't matter. 

Oh well, I guess I should say congrats to Dustin Brown and his fans. He played outstanding.  Condolences to Rafa and his fans.  Maybe next year will bring much better tidings.  Federer had a poor 2013, and has rebounded. Murray a poor 2014, and has rebounded. Maybe Rafa will have his turn.  But he has to really want it.  These players are not standing still, they are constantly making changes and improvements in their games and fitness. And I'm not only talking about the top 4.  The other players are seeing they have chances if they can do the hard work.  So if Rafa wants to stay in the hunt, he needs to do the same.  He can do it.  It's up to him really.

Respectfully,
masterclass