Becker to coach Djokovic

[Kieran]

Speaking of old Boris, there's an interview in today's London Times with Lynn Barber. It's behind a paywall which you'll be glad of if you haven't paid, or if you like Becker, or if you value integrity, or good journalism. This is a woman with her nose in the gutter. A journalist equivalent of a fart in an elevator, or a sh1t on your heel. You know the kind of sneaky, lowbrow, canteen-level provocative stuff. As I read it, I was amazed at how restrained Boris was. I read the print edition. It's a good newspaper, until she shows up... :cover

 

[brokenshoelace]

Speaking of old Boris, there's an interview in today's London Times with Lynn Barber. It's behind a paywall which you'll be glad of if you haven't paid, or if you like Becker, or if you value integrity, or good journalism. This is a woman with her nose in the gutter. A journalist equivalent of a fart in an elevator, or a sh1t on your heel. You know the kind of sneaky, lowbrow, canteen-level provocative stuff. As I read it, I was amazed at how restrained Boris was. I read the print edition. It's a good newspaper, until she shows up... :cover

How do you feel about Lynn Barber?

 

[Kieran]

Speaking of old Boris, there's an interview in today's London Times with Lynn Barber. It's behind a paywall which you'll be glad of if you haven't paid, or if you like Becker, or if you value integrity, or good journalism. This is a woman with her nose in the gutter. A journalist equivalent of a fart in an elevator, or a sh1t on your heel. You know the kind of sneaky, lowbrow, canteen-level provocative stuff. As I read it, I was amazed at how restrained Boris was. I read the print edition. It's a good newspaper, until she shows up... :cover

How do you feel about Lynn Barber?

Apart from all this? :snicker

EDIT: by the way, she's the interviewer who insinuated Rafa was gay because he didn't want to discuss his private life... :cover

http://www.nadalnews.com/2011/06/05/anyone-for-tension/

 

[Front242]

That must be why he bumped Rosol so :snicker

 

[Kieran]

Thinking on Becker, he came on board at the end of 2013. They've won two slams together, out of six, which isn't bad, but it's not a huge improvement on what Novak was winning before Boris came on board. Okay, Nole has been sweeping up the MS titles, so credit there, but there's nothing to suggest he wouldn't do that anyway. He's got no fixed rival to stop him.

I'm not seeing anything which tells me, there's where Boris changed his game around. In the interview today, Boris says his job isn't technical, "he knows how to hit a forehand. But I talk about strategy, mentality. I can tell him how to win."

Okay so, there we have his role summed up by the man himself: "strategy, mentality. I can tell him how to win."

Do you think he's made a huge difference in that department?

 

[Front242]

Today was no mental lapse, he was simply outplayed. Can't blame Becker for anything or Djokovic for that matter. Same as Roger was outplayed by Stan and same as Roger was outplayed by Cilic at last year's USO. Sometimes a guy just plays like a man possessed and you can't do anything about it.

 

[Kieran]

Today was no mental lapse, he was simply outplayed. Can't blame Becker for anything or Djokovic for that matter. Same as Roger was outplayed by Stan and same as Roger was outplayed by Cilic at last year's USO. Sometimes a guy just plays like a man possessed and you can't do anything about it.

Obviously, but that's not the question. Have you seen anything different in Novak, using Becker's own job description, that suggests hiring Becker has improved Novak's chances, or his game?

 

[Front242]

Today was no mental lapse, he was simply outplayed. Can't blame Becker for anything or Djokovic for that matter. Same as Roger was outplayed by Stan and same as Roger was outplayed by Cilic at last year's USO. Sometimes a guy just plays like a man possessed and you can't do anything about it.

Obviously, but that's not the question. Have you seen anything different in Novak, using Becker's own job description, that suggests hiring Becker has improved Novak's chances, or his game?

Nope. Maybe he's better at firing back pints in the pub to celebrate victories thanks to the help from his red faced mentor who's had much practice or a good snort of charlie to psych himself up before the match starts :snicker Seriously though, no. His volleying is still 50/50 so it's not like Boris helped there although that's not what he hired him for anyway. He should actually hire someone to help his overheads. He hit some good ones against Murray but also some horrific ones.

 

[Riotbeard]

As disappointing as today was, Novak has had his best 12 months under boris since 2011. I would say see what happens at Wimbledon and the USO. If Novak wins multiple slams this, then credit to Boris. To me, at this point in Novak's career, I would not expect a radical change nor think one is necessary, whenever he brings on staff/coaches. Much the same when people talk about Mauresmo, did we expect these coaches to make substantive stylistic changes to the players? I assume not. Andy is a bit more aggressive, but it is not night and day. I think Novak's approach game is where I see the biggest style improvement, and he has been more aggressive overall this year.

 

[Kieran]

Bear in mind, Riotbeard, Becker's says he doesn't work on technique: "mentality, strategy. I can show him how to win."

I think if he's had any effect, it's just in having somebody with his experience of the game on board. Boris credits his own commentary skills for having impressed Novak so greatly that he signed him up, but I find that a tough one to swallow. I think it's having Boris experience in his corner, somebody who knows what it's like to be out there in big finals, dealing with everything at once and still staying sane. Boris also describes it as a kind of "quasi-paternal" relationship: "the relationship becomes very personal, very intimate," broad strokes kinda stuff to show how little things in life affect the player on court.

I can see from that angle how necessary someone like Boris might become to the team, because of who he is...

 

[Riotbeard]

Bear in mind, Riotbeard, Becker's says he doesn't work on technique: "mentality, strategy. I can show him how to win."

I think if he's had any effect, it's just in having somebody with his experience of the game on board. Boris credits his own commentary skills for having impressed Novak so greatly that he signed him up, but I find that a tough one to swallow. I think it's having Boris experience in his corner, somebody who knows what it's like to be out there in big finals, dealing with everything at once and still staying sane. Boris also describes it as a kind of "quasi-paternal" relationship: "the relationship becomes very personal, very intimate," broad strokes kinda stuff to show how little things in life affect the player on court.

I can see from that angle how necessary someone like Boris might become to the team, because of who he is...

I wasn't disagreeing with any of that. Saying Novak approaches better is more about strategy than technique.

 

[Carol]

Speaking of old Boris, there's an interview in today's London Times with Lynn Barber. It's behind a paywall which you'll be glad of if you haven't paid, or if you like Becker, or if you value integrity, or good journalism. This is a woman with her nose in the gutter. A journalist equivalent of a fart in an elevator, or a sh1t on your heel. You know the kind of sneaky, lowbrow, canteen-level provocative stuff. As I read it, I was amazed at how restrained Boris was. I read the print edition. It's a good newspaper, until she shows up... :cover

How do you feel about Lynn Barber?

Apart from all this? :snicker


EDIT: by the way, she's the interviewer who insinuated Rafa was gay because he didn't want to discuss his private life... :cover

http://www.nadalnews.com/2011/06/05/anyone-for-tension/

What a idiot and ridiculous is that Lynn Barber :nono

 

[brokenshoelace]

Well, I mean Djokovic is one of the few players in today's game without an obvious major weakness, so you were never going to see any substantial changes in his game. As such, it's tough to look at what he's doing a put your finger on what is or isn't a direct influence of working with Becker. He does seem more competent around the net though his approaches have always been solid.

 

[BIG3]

Thinking on Becker, he came on board at the end of 2013. They've won two slams together, out of six, which isn't bad, but it's not a huge improvement on what Novak was winning before Boris came on board. Okay, Nole has been sweeping up the MS titles, so credit there, but there's nothing to suggest he wouldn't do that anyway. He's got no fixed rival to stop him.

I'm not seeing anything which tells me, there's where Boris changed his game around. In the interview today, Boris says his job isn't technical, "he knows how to hit a forehand. But I talk about strategy, mentality. I can tell him how to win."

Okay so, there we have his role summed up by the man himself: "strategy, mentality. I can tell him how to win."

Do you think he's made a huge difference in that department?

strategy - terrible in the last few games of 4th set. Volley after 2nd serve, right after S&V?
mentality - RG 2015 better than USO2013 final. He didn't give up and fight hard.
I can tell him how to win - ???

Technically, Nole improved his serve under Becker, but ROS (not attack 2nd serve) way deteriorated.

 

[Kirijax]

I hear what a lot of you are saying but I'm still not convinced that Becker has brought anything significant to the table. Would Djokovic be doing any worse if he wasn't on-board? I have a hard time thinking so. But Becker says he's there more for the mental aspect, so who knows.

 

[Fiero425]

I hear what a lot of you are saying but I'm still not convinced that Becker has brought anything significant to the table. Would Djokovic be doing any worse if he wasn't on-board? I have a hard time thinking so. But Becker says he's there more for the mental aspect, so who knows.

That's the last weakness of Nole; more a psyche thing! It bothers him when the fans aren't on his side and when adversity hits, he goes into a funk and walkabout before righting himself! Anything could have happened if he had been able to close out that 4th set and gotten into that 5th! Stan was playing well, but Nole was helping his effort quite a bit with sloppy, incomprehensible play! Supposedly Becker's helps him in that respect to right the ship by the end of most match! I too haven't seen it, but if Nole believes it helps, more power to him! :angel: :dodgy:

 

[Moxie]

Bear in mind, Riotbeard, Becker's says he doesn't work on technique: "mentality, strategy. I can show him how to win."

I think if he's had any effect, it's just in having somebody with his experience of the game on board. Boris credits his own commentary skills for having impressed Novak so greatly that he signed him up, but I find that a tough one to swallow. I think it's having Boris experience in his corner, somebody who knows what it's like to be out there in big finals, dealing with everything at once and still staying sane. Boris also describes it as a kind of "quasi-paternal" relationship: "the relationship becomes very personal, very intimate," broad strokes kinda stuff to show how little things in life affect the player on court.

I can see from that angle how necessary someone like Boris might become to the team, because of who he is...

I wasn't disagreeing with any of that. Saying Novak approaches better is more about strategy than technique.

I think there may well be a mental advantage to having an all-timer in your corner, as Novak negotiates winning lots of big matches, handling streaks, etc. A consigliere, if you will. I can't count the number of times I've read that Djokovic is a "dominant" #1 at the moment. That's not just tennis, but a mentality that takes grooming, and this is where Becker may be relevant. Yes, they've only won two Majors together, but Novak can be a skittish racehorse. The benefit might be long-run.