Roland Garros Day 8: Sunday, June 1 - Order of Play

[herios]

Milos is one set up on Marcel Granollers

 

[brokenshoelace]

The Federer inside out forehand is arguably the greatest shot in tennis history. A bit disheartening at times seeing him so tentative with that shot. Obviously it's not as good as it used to be, but still.

 

[kskate2]

trouble for Fed. 0-40

 

[britbox]

I know Edberg lived on the backhand... but maybe a discrete message down to the court like holding up a giant placard "ATTACK THE FOREHAND" might be in order.

 

[nehmeth]

0-40 here.

 

[kskate2]

Milos is one set up on Marcel Granollers

Good deal. Someone needs to eat that loud Granola.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Ernie breaks...let's see how Roger responds to this.

 

[nehmeth]

Courier is pretty crass sometimes... Called Fed for the "nice donation" on break point. :nono

 

[kskate2]

Ernie up 3-0 in the 5th

 

[crystalfire]

Don't understand why fed is not using the slice like he normally does.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Must hold game coming up for Roger. He has to give Gulbis a chance to self destruct.

 

[Garro]

Seems like Fed doesn't come back from a break down in the final set much these days. Gulbis is a headcase though so I'm not ruling it out.

 

[brokenshoelace]

I know Edberg lived on the backhand... but maybe a discrete message down to the court like holding up a giant placard "ATTACK THE FOREHAND" might be in order.

Yeah. The problem though, is that a lot of the times Roger's first ground stroke in the rally is a backhand, and in order to truly attack Gulbis' forehand, he has to fire up a quality rally backhand up the line -- a shot he doesn't particularly excel at (it really risks dropping short too). Nevertheless, I'd still do that and give Gulbis a cross court forehand in order to initiate a forehand-to-forehand exchange over ill-advised backhand exchanges.

 

[nehmeth]

Ernie needs to keep on top of his own serve from here on out... Fed not giving him any pace when it's in play now.

 

[britbox]

I know Edberg lived on the backhand... but maybe a discrete message down to the court like holding up a giant placard "ATTACK THE FOREHAND" might be in order.

Yeah. The problem though, is that a lot of the times Roger's first ground stroke in the rally is a backhand, and in order to truly attack Gulbis' forehand, he has to fire up a quality rally backhand up the line -- a shot he doesn't particularly excel at (it really risks dropping short too). Nevertheless, I'd still do that and give Gulbis a cross court forehand in order to initiate a forehand-to-forehand exchange over ill-advised backhand exchanges.

He's hardly attempted to go down the line in the whole match IMO.

Even that last rally (which he won), probably a couple of shots ago by the time I write this - he was still going inside out when the forehand down the line was on.

Gulbis has played a great match by the way, which is also getting overlooked.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

As long as Roger holds, he is not out of this . Always expect the unexpected from Gulbis.

 

[kskate2]

4-2. Fed still down a break

 

[kskate2]

great rally. Fed stayed the course

 

[kskate2]

clutch BH volley from Fed. 15-30

 

[kskate2]

Big hold from Ernie. 5-2