2015 ATP World Tour Finals

[Carol]

2013 was a different history, Rafa was the best player, then 2014 was injured and he also got a surgery and 2015 he has suffered the consequences. It's not an excuse but a fact
Let's go to see what happens from now

 

[Carol]

It seems like Nishi has woke up

 

[pavlik89]

[video=youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOhDfAttwrE[/video]

 

[the AntiPusher]

The Incline is still in effect: bigger test for Rafa on Wednesday...

Question I have for you my Brother(we all are brothers and sisters under our God).. What are your thoughts to what Jimmy Cou and Paul A stated yesterday about why did Rafa change his service grip(US Open). They both felt that it was a very effective that enhanced Rafa's ability to win free points on his serve. I know Rafa has stated that he wasn't comfortable with his serving percentage but it makes no sense to just have a serve to put in play while the other players are just waiting in the weeds to cash in on it. See this is where I say another added coaching voice would have convinced him that his philosophy is a bit flawed. Your thoughts.

I think from Rafa's perspective, he felt the bigger serve affected the rest of his game. He constructs points off the serve, but to take control of the rally in a specific way. With the wham-bam serve, it kinda threw the rest of this out of kilter and so he felt less comfortable with it. I think he should still carry it in his satchel because it gave him a lot of cheap points. I don't see where another coaching voice would change this because I'm sure he's fully aware of the arguments for it...

well Jim and Paul was baffled why Rafa would go backwards because he typically looses control of the point when he gets his serve in. This is why I felt another voice would have convinced him that his current approach to his service games isn't effective. Look at the changes Novak has made with his service game, it's a position of strength coupled with his fantastic return of service plus his defense has made it very difficult to be defeated.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Taking nothing away from Novak, however You do realize that Djoker is only slightly more than a year younger than Rafa. Djoker made numerous grand slam and ATP series finals but didn't have the "fortitude" to win the matches. I think this is where Becker has helped the past two plus years. The thing that makes Rafa H2H is that he did it doing Fed's reign as well as the others. However, its not Djoker's fault that Rafa's game has regressed to the point that their matches this past year hasn't been competitive. Let's hope it changes so Djoker can really have his "greatness" truly tested.

To your first sentence, while they are about a year apart, Novak didn't reach his best level (2011) until about three years after Rafa reached his peak (2008). Now both were elite players for a few years before those years, but in terms of attaining their peak level, the gap is about three years.

Just as Rafa reached his prime a couple years ahead of Novak's schedule, so too is it looking like Novak's prime will last a couple years longer than Rafa's.

And I think Novak's greatness was tested by Rafa. 2011 saw them both at the peak of their powers and Novak outplayed him by a good margin. Rafa surged back a couple years later, but it has all been Novak since. But regardless, their primes overlapped from 2011-13, during which Novak lead the H2H 10-6.

I would agree with your assessment. Thanks EL Dude

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Looks like Novak will win all his matches and Bird will lose all his matches.

If that is true, the second place will be decided by a head-on collision between Fed and Kei on Friday.

 

[nehmeth]

It seems like Nishi has woke up

Or maybe he wasn't playing against Novak's smothering defense and was able to eke out a few more points. :snicker

 

[the AntiPusher]

2013 was a different history, Rafa was the best player, then 2014 was injured and he also got a surgery and 2015 he has suffered the consequences. It's not an excuse but a fact
Let's go to see what happens from now

Carol Rafa was the best player in 2013 until the after the US Open. Novak changed his tactics and Rafa has been trying to catch up since. Rafa can turn this around but he will need to change his tactics. He cannot continue to loose control of the first point from service or the center of the court and he has to regain his cc bh to pull Djoker off the court. Otherwise it will continue to be :clap for herios, nehmeth, riotbeard and the rest of his fans.

 

[Kieran]

Question I have for you my Brother(we all are brothers and sisters under our God).. What are your thoughts to what Jimmy Cou and Paul A stated yesterday about why did Rafa change his service grip(US Open). They both felt that it was a very effective that enhanced Rafa's ability to win free points on his serve. I know Rafa has stated that he wasn't comfortable with his serving percentage but it makes no sense to just have a serve to put in play while the other players are just waiting in the weeds to cash in on it. See this is where I say another added coaching voice would have convinced him that his philosophy is a bit flawed. Your thoughts.

I think from Rafa's perspective, he felt the bigger serve affected the rest of his game. He constructs points off the serve, but to take control of the rally in a specific way. With the wham-bam serve, it kinda threw the rest of this out of kilter and so he felt less comfortable with it. I think he should still carry it in his satchel because it gave him a lot of cheap points. I don't see where another coaching voice would change this because I'm sure he's fully aware of the arguments for it...

well Jim and Paul was baffled why Rafa would go backwards because he typically looses control of the point when he gets his serve in. This is why I felt another voice would have convinced him that his current approach to his service games isn't effective. Look at the changes Novak has made with his service game, it's a position of strength coupled with his fantastic return of service plus his defense has made it very difficult to be defeated.

I'm not saying Rafa is correct about the serve, but if he feels it's correct then he is correct. A player can't play against his natural instincts. Only when a player is desperate in a match does he do that.

By the way, I think Berdy losing guarantees Rafa fifth in the ranking, no?

 

[the AntiPusher]

I think from Rafa's perspective, he felt the bigger serve affected the rest of his game. He constructs points off the serve, but to take control of the rally in a specific way. With the wham-bam serve, it kinda threw the rest of this out of kilter and so he felt less comfortable with it. I think he should still carry it in his satchel because it gave him a lot of cheap points. I don't see where another coaching voice would change this because I'm sure he's fully aware of the arguments for it...

well Jim and Paul was baffled why Rafa would go backwards because he typically looses control of the point when he gets his serve in. This is why I felt another voice would have convinced him that his current approach to his service games isn't effective. Look at the changes Novak has made with his service game, it's a position of strength coupled with his fantastic return of service plus his defense has made it very difficult to be defeated.

I'm not saying Rafa is correct about the serve, but if he feels it's correct then he is correct. A player can't play against his natural instincts. Only when a player is desperate in a match does he do that.

By the way, I think Berdy losing guarantees Rafa fifth in the ranking, no?

After the total debacle of 2015, Rafa finishing #5 is a Yes, That's a Rafa "NO"..

 

[Carol]

2013 was a different history, Rafa was the best player, then 2014 was injured and he also got a surgery and 2015 he has suffered the consequences. It's not an excuse but a fact
Let's go to see what happens from now

Carol Rafa was the best player in 2013 until the after the US Open. Novak changed his tactics and Rafa has been trying to catch up since. Rafa can turn this around but he will need to change his tactics. He cannot continue to loose control of the first point from service or the center of the court and he has to regain his cc bh to pull Djoker off the court. Otherwise it will continue to be :clap for herios, nehmeth, riotbeard and the rest of his fans.

His serve is his worst shot which is the main thing playing on HC and even more Indoor, having a good and strong serve everything become easier

 

[the AntiPusher]

2013 was a different history, Rafa was the best player, then 2014 was injured and he also got a surgery and 2015 he has suffered the consequences. It's not an excuse but a fact
Let's go to see what happens from now

Carol Rafa was the best player in 2013 until the after the US Open. Novak changed his tactics and Rafa has been trying to catch up since. Rafa can turn this around but he will need to change his tactics. He cannot continue to loose control of the first point from service or the center of the court and he has to regain his cc bh to pull Djoker off the court. Otherwise it will continue to be :clap for herios, nehmeth, riotbeard and the rest of his fans.

His serve is his worst shot which is the main thing playing on HC and even more Indoor, having a good and strong serve everything become easier

Agreed.

 

[Kieran]

Rafa's service games can be a mixed bag, but he's usually strong at protecting his serve. This season every shot has been vulnerable but it's all improving. Should he work on getting back that serve that gives cheap points? It would be great if he did, but even at his best, Rafa's serve was more a strategic weapon, not a WMD...

 

[Kirijax]

Morning to everyone on the wrong side of the planet. I see Nishikori won in three sets. Midly surprised but good for him. I guess Nishikori fans will be rooting for Fed to lose in straight sets and then Nishikori and Fed can play for No. 2 in the SS group on Thursday. Berdych is now something like 1-12 against the others in the WTF this year. That one win being from Nadal in the AO QF. Berdych just can't beak through that barrier above him. Greatest No. 5 player of all-time? lol

 

[the AntiPusher]

Rafa's service games can be a mixed bag, but he's usually strong at protecting his serve. This season every shot has been vulnerable but it's all improving. Should he work on getting back that serve that gives cheap points? It would be great if he did, but even at his best, Rafa's serve was more a strategic weapon, not a WMD...

Its all about taking control of the first point. He needs to change the grip and go back to the flat serve. He needs to make his opponents "Feel It".. Its funny I have been saying this for years and I heard Jimmy Cou mention it yesterday. Maybe these guys read these posts.:laydownlaughing

 

[Front242]

Just home from a good leg session in the gym. Stream is fubar again

 

[Kieran]

Roger seems to be holding firm, just tuned in myself...

 

[Front242]

Streams are awful last week or so here Can't watch it at all.

 

[El Dude]

Is Roger's unshaven look new? I haven't seen that before.

 

[Kieran]

Fromhot.com

Try that, buddy.

The great slavering ignorant mob are lopsidedly cheering for Federer again...