Can Kozlov Overcome His Forehand To Be A Top Player?

[markowitz]

I just watched the second set of the Marin Cilic v Stefan Kozlov match at the Queens Club. Kozlov is the 19 year old wunderkind via Macedonia and South Florida who took the tennis world by storm a couple of years ago when he reached a Challengers finals in California. Now Kozlov is older, ranked #149 in the world, but he has the same “steer the ball” forehand he’s had since he was 16. Watching Koz play Cilic and analyzing their games is almost unfair to the young American.

Cilic, of course, is a top 10 player (#7), a Grand slam champion and nine years older than the Koz. But while the Koz plays a game seemingly not to lose, Cilic blasts away on both sides. You can see how even though his slam might be a one-slam deal, he can win a slam if he gets hot because he comes out with such heavy artillery. The Koz plays more of a game of managing a match. He massages his forehand. He aims his backhand. Now granted, it’s grass court tennis and one can’t be as sure-footed and heavy-hitting as on a hard court.

And the Koz is not lacking in self-confidence. When I asked him two years ago at Newport what he thought about Tim Mayotte, a former top 10 American, saying his forehand is iffy, the Koz shot back, saying, “I don’t care what anyone thinks about my forehand. I have confidence in it.” But the problem is–and I don’t know who’s coaching the Koz now, if it’s only his pops or not–the Koz should care about revamping his forehand. In my opinion, it’s not nearly big enough to make much of a dent in the top 100.

By the way, Cilic won 6-0, 6-4. Join me in Newport in a few weeks to watch the Koz’s first round match. The Koz needs more of a forehand like this American player.

 

[scoop]

Hey I just realized the lower photo is my forehand BTW Kozlov's coaches are Stan Boster and his dad Andrei. The Koz forehand has two wins over Steve Johnson who is playing top 25 tennis and he barely lost to Young in IW in three sets. That Koz forehand is underrated.

 

[El Dude]

He reminds me of someone like Borna Coric, with a good "floor" but low "ceiling" (that is, absolute potential). I could see both Coric and Kozlov hanging out regularly in the 20-50 range, but never establishing themselves in the elite because they both lack that "artillery" needed to take the next step up.

 

[scoop]

Kozlov actually is a fan favorite and popular. His matches always have a good crowd and I hear people talking about him and they like his game. And I think they like his boyish innocent looks and how hard he works. Plus he competes well and fair and no shenanigans. He's like the perpetual underdog because he's not big and not a heavy hitter and he looks so young. Tennis fans definitely like Kozlov. I remember one guy at US Open last year yelling out "KOZLOVE!"

 

[Ricardo]

He reminds me of someone like Borna Coric, with a good "floor" but low "ceiling" (that is, absolute potential). I could see both Coric and Kozlov hanging out regularly in the 20-50 range, but never establishing themselves in the elite because they both lack that "artillery" needed to take the next step up.

again over simplified 'tier' talk, repeated over and again.....as if all is so predictable. many players were seen without high 'ceiling' yet achieved a lot, shouldn't try to be smart when these guys have only just started.

 

[scoop]

Right now Kozlov is Paul Goldstein but he has several years to upgrade his jg comparisons. )

 

[scoop]

Andrew; Kozlov is a very emotional player and he roars out there in singles and doubles but sometimes he bottles it up. I've seen his fire and passion though and make no mistake about it Kozlov is very fiery.

 

[scoop]

Andrew; Are you saying Gills Muller's backhand is better than Sock's??? Isner's BH is better than Sock's?? F- LO?? If we start selling t shirts here at Tennis-prose which say "I Hate Sock's BH" I know we will have at least one buyer

 

[scoop]

Duke; Johnson should get the call if he keeps up the steady results and does not crash into a slump like he did in the first half of last year.

 

[markowitz]

I knew Paul Goldstein and the Koz is no Paul Goldstein. Look Goldie was a nice player, but I think Noah Rubin is more like Goldie than the Koz. And if the Koz only summits at like no. 60 and reaches only a 3rd in a slam like Goldie, I think that would be disappointing for the Koz and lots of people who support him.

 

[El Dude]

again over simplified 'tier' talk, repeated over and again.....as if all is so predictable. many players were seen without high 'ceiling' yet achieved a lot, shouldn't try to be smart when these guys have only just started.

The only over simplification is in your interpretation of what I'm saying. I am making no strong predictions, just sharing my impressions.

I like to look at career trajectories and patterns, not only because I find them interesting but they also help me get beyond my own subjectivity. They reveal certain trends that aren't absolute truths, but general tendencies. Coric's developmental path, for instance, is that of a top 10-20 player, not an elite. He's taking too long to reach his peak. One of the big differences between elites and "second tier" (because I I know you love that word--or players that peak in the top 5-15ish range like Tsonga, Berdych, Corretja, etc--is that elites tend to have a steady rise each year of their development, usually with a massive jump or two; second tier players tend to stall out at different levels.

Precedents can be and are broken, but general trends hold true most of the time. And most of the time players like Coric and Kozlov--both in terms of their developmental path and their actual skill sets--don't evolve to being elite players.

 

[scoop]

Rubin has wrist injury which he suffered over a month ago but he is training hard on the track and close to returning. Bencic also had a wrist surgery and will be out for months.

 

[scoop]

Dan Evans is possibly the first athletes in pro sports history to admit to using a banned drug. Usually everyone denies or has some cockamamie excuse. Wonder if Evans, a known hard partyer, was caught in the act? Hingis was caught and got a two year ban in 2007. Gasquet got caught and had the excuse of he kissed a girl who had used cocaine and got a lighter sentence. Will be interesting to see how long Evans is forced to sit. It's unfortunate too because he's close to his career high ranking after so many years of struggles and Futures.

 

[TFBlogGuest]

catherine writes:

Scoop -I understand Dan will get 2 year suspension. He got caught through out of competition testing. Andrew - I told you the mice are playing. No point having 'picks' in the WTA

 

[TFBlogGuest]

britbox writes:

With Evans testing positive in April, what happens to prize money he earned between then and now?

 

[TFBlogGuest]

Andrew Miller writes:

Gotta love Federer for his prep. Asked about Khachanov and Rublev, he says, "I practiced with them last week" - obviously on grass, obviously because he knew there was a chance they'd play. Old man Federer, he's still on top of the game for a reason! His preparation is second to none and so too his scouting. If I were a player of stature I'd never play Federer in practice, it's a set up!!!

 

[TFBlogGuest]

Andrew Miller writes:

Catherine, Kvitova and Muguruza looked serious out there. Even though this week isn't Wimbledon they weren't taking much for granted. Maybe there's a return to order coming back on the wta for Wimbledon. The last three months have been a total free for all.

 

[TFBlogGuest]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

How does one not jump at the chance to play tennis with Federer? Some people pay five figures to hit with him. Some id imagine would pay a million. What a priceless experience. Still remember Young rebuffed Rafas invite to train together in majorca.

 

[TFBlogGuest]

catherine writes:

Andrew - Maybe, but we also have to take into account the action in Mallorca, add Simona to the mix, subtract Angie, allow for other MIA in Birmingham, consider possible casualties at Eastbourne, stir in the weather (bad forecast here for next week) and then hey ho for a predictable WTA

 

[TFBlogGuest]

Andrew Miller writes:

Scoop: Jesse Levine. Practicing with Federer is a curse. Federer practiced with Roddick at the 2007 Australian because he was scared he hadn't prepared enough for Roddick's new serve and volley approach and had lost an exhibition match to Roddick. Federer got Roddick to play a set in practice at the Australian where he got even more info on Roddick's likely tactics if they were to face off in Melbourne. The semifinal they played a week later was the most lopsided match in their non rivalry. You're right. Who would turn this down? That's my point.