Radek Stepanek Officially Joins Team Djokovic

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Fed and Rafa had their best years over age 30 Fiero, so it's possible and probable that Djokovic could actually have his best year in the future. Maybe he subconsciously needed a break from being at the top. It's normal. All the greats have had those off years. Djokovic had his off years, now it looks like his hunger and drive is back. I think last year really bothered him, especially those two losses to Kyrgios and the French Open flop to Thiem.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Sounds odd that Norman would dump Stan because he was displeased with Stan's time off from injury. Maybe it was a faked injury? Norman is a super nice guy. To bust Stan's you know whats for an injury hiatus seems uncharacteristic. Not buying it. Has Norman resurfaced with another player yet? If not, the whole thing sounds fishy.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

No but I find it odd that Norman just couldn't wait it out. Now Norman looks like the bad guy. Unless Norman knows the injury or surgery was not real. Maybe Norman needed to ditch Stan because he got a better offer to work with a different player like Nishikori or Thiem or Tomic or who knows. Just find this break up by Norman to leave an injured player to be odd.

 

[Moxie]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Fed and Rafa had their best years over age 30 Fiero, so it's possible and probable that Djokovic could actually have his best year in the future. Maybe he subconsciously needed a break from being at the top. It's normal. All the greats have had those off years. Djokovic had his off years, now it looks like his hunger and drive is back. I think last year really bothered him, especially those two losses to Kyrgios and the French Open flop to Thiem.

You don't really believe that Federer and Nadal had their best years over age 30, do you? They've had some success, yes, but "best?" There's no reason to think that Djokovic doesn't still have a few more good seasons ahead of him, but I doubt any will be better than, say, his 2015.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Yes I do Moxie. Nadal never stormed through a Roland Garros draw as easily as he did last year. And Federer to me looks better, moves equal or perhaps even better, hits his backhand better and serves better now than ever before.

 

[roberto]

Moxie you sound a bit afraid that Djokovic WILL come storming back quickly lol. Scoop---hats off to Nadal for his FO win, but as you know he didn't face a lot of top 10ers.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Roberto; Rafa handled everyone they put in front of him. That's all he can do. If the top tenners went down in flames early, maybe it's because they had one eye on a raging bull.

 

[roberto]

I agree that you can only play who is across the net. But I was reacting to your earlier comment that Rafa has never stormed thru this easily. A big reason for that is whom he had to play.

 

[Moxie]

I agree that you can only play who is across the net. But I was reacting to your earlier comment that Rafa has never stormed thru this easily. A big reason for that is whom he had to play.

I agree with this, Roberto...much comment was made that he lost fewest sets of any of his RG wins, but he had a retirement from Carreño Busta after PCB had only won 2 games. I still think his '08 RG performance was his best there. And no, btw, I'm not "afraid" of Djokovic coming back strong. I just don't think anyone can know how he's going to come back, and how quickly. His drop in level and mental motivation was long and mysterious, and not just a matter of injury, which we have more experience seeing players come back from. I've also said on another thread that Safin has no reason to say that Novak won't come back strong. I'm just saying we don't know.

 

[roberto]

I agree with you 100%. And Murray/Stan will be question marks, and of course everyone wonders if Roger & Rafa will duplicate their stellar year next year. Lots of intrigue.

 

[Moxie]

I agree with you 100%. And Murray/Stan will be question marks, and of course everyone wonders if Roger & Rafa will duplicate their stellar year next year. Lots of intrigue.

If nothing else, I think everyone is expecting that the AO will be pretty wild and wooly next year!

 

[Front242]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Yes I do Moxie. Nadal never stormed through a Roland Garros draw as easily as he did last year. And Federer to me looks better, moves equal or perhaps even better, hits his backhand better and serves better now than ever before.

Both Nadal and Federer were far better in the past. In the case of Federer, 2004-2007 were undisputedly his absolute best years on tour. 2008 and 2010 were Nadal's best years and he did very well in 2013 too. In all cases mentioned, both guys played better during those years and the level of competition was much better than it is now and both of them moved better in the past. This is also indisputable if you watch older matches. Federer has been slow getting to balls on his forehand side for years now and both of their forehands have noticeably declined.

 

[brokenshoelace]

The idea that Nadal and Federer at their current ages are better than ever is silly.

 

[brokenshoelace]

PS: Nadal storming through the FO, while very impressive, isn't as impressive as him storming through the French Open in 2008, where he dropped almost the same amount of games, also didn't drop a set, except beat Djokovic and Federer along the way.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

THey are 1 and 2 in the world. Are you saying the rest of the field has declined too? How can you know that?

 

[Front242]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

THey are 1 and 2 in the world. Are you saying the rest of the field has declined too? How can you know that?

The field has been shit for the last few years.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

THey are 1 and 2 in the world. Are you saying the rest of the field has declined too? How can you know that?

They were 1 and 2 in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010 too. And yes, the rest of the field has surely declined. The easiest way to know that is Djokovic and Murray's forms this year. It's really not rocket science.

 

[brokenshoelace]

I can't blame anyone for forgetting, as it has been a decade, but anyone who truly thinks Federer is now better than ever must have really forgotten what his forehand was like when he was younger. That was something else. And yeah, some aspects of his game are actually better now (the serve being one, perhaps even the return if we look at this year), and he's smarter and wiser (which comes from experience), but I'm sure he'd sacrifice that for the athlete who glided all over the court in 2006 and just hit winners from both sides with insane ease, whose forehand was almost literally unplayable.

As far as Nadal goes, like Federer, there are aspects of his game that are better now (the serve is an obvious one), as is his variety. But he was a much much much much MUCH better mover in his athletic prime, and he was just physically unshakable during a match. He could go for hours, wear you out, defend like nobody else in history, never missed a passing shot (almost literally), got to unthinkable balls, and his ability to finish points with the forehand was definitely much better.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

How can you tell me with any certainty Fed and Rafa are not as great now? I think it's possible they are greater now. Smarter, fitter, just as hungry. Playing with more experience and more shots and refined weaknesses.

 

[scoop]

Scoop Malinowski writes:

Not related: But Jan Michael Gambill's brother is in a heap of trouble... http://www.krem.com/news/local/spok...suspect-i-didnt-lay-a-finger-on-her/495253047