Rome Masters 2013 (Internazionali BNL d'Italia)

[Moxie]

What a rally! Something is wrong with JJ's elbow.

 

[Johnsteinbeck]

JJ is going to implode soon.

looks much like it. he's going for broke on most everything because he's got nothing left to give. Fed made him pay for the second serve as well now. chance to serve it out.

 

[tented]

Congrats, Federer! That wasn't easy.

 

[ftan]

Congrats, Federer! That wasn't easy.

But it was fun

I was too busy watching the match that I forgot to check here..JJ went for broke on all the points towards the end and hence committed too many UFE's

 

[Moxie]

Good job, Roger! Still, I think JJ is doing something to back up his promise.

 

[shawnbm]

Jerzy has big game and big attitude. He will take some big scalps in the next few years to come IMO. Federer had to play a pretty clean and tight match with no lapses--he did, and he wins. It was close and Federer showed why his service is still the standard.

 

[DarthFed]

I do think it is only a matter of time before JJ becomes a major force on tour. Right now he is just very raw. JJ not only has power he has a lot of variety and that might be part of the problem as it leads to poor shot selection at times. But with that power, movement and surprising all around game he is likely a future top 5 player.

 

[Johnsteinbeck]

wow. that was some GOOD stuff. great match. too bad (despite my personal preferences) that JJ faltered a bit, mentally when he was serving for the second. back-to-the-wall, he put out some amazing stuff, but then the physical fade kicked in quite visibly. Fed will be quite happy he righted the ship just in time to avoid a third - looking at JJ's exhaustion, the outcome would've been no different, i'm sure, but that's 20-40 minutes Roger gets off the court earlier. since he's playing against the guy who actually played at noon today (who does that scheduling?), and got the equivalent of a walkover+hitting session.

that said, i'm not trying to pre-emptively build any fatigue excuses - for all the drop shots, this match was still dominated by big serving on both sides, and that's the best way to conserve energy. looking forward to tomorrow - their first two encounters were quite the let-downs - Paire in the past was so easily overwhelmed by seeing Fed in action, it seemed. curious if this one will be different. it seems though that Fed has set on the old "draw opened" autopilot. imagine, if Rafa had lost today, Fed would be preparing bagels for Paire by now

 

[tented]

I do think it is only a matter of time before JJ becomes a major force on tour. Right now he is just very raw. JJ not only has power he has a lot of variety and that might be part of the problem as it leads to poor shot selection at times. But with that power, movement and surprising all around game he is likely a future top 5 player.

You could be right, but I don't think his head would allow it.

 

[Johnsteinbeck]

Congrats, Federer! That wasn't easy.

But it was fun

I was too busy watching the match that I forgot to check here..JJ went for broke on all the points towards the end and hence committed too many UFE's

absolutely. but it's clear that he was out of steam, and going big on every shot was all he had left.

---

I do think it is only a matter of time before JJ becomes a major force on tour. Right now he is just very raw. JJ not only has power he has a lot of variety and that might be part of the problem as it leads to poor shot selection at times. But with that power, movement and surprising all around game he is likely a future top 5 player.

You could be right, but I don't think his head would allow it.

it did for Berd, didn't it? we're not talking #1 here. the head is a big question mark, but he's young enough so that i won't fully write him off for the future for mentally imploding here (twice, the second time aided by physical tiring). just over half a year ago, he was almost invisible, so he's taking some good steps. we'll see how the learning curve is from here on.

alright, i'm out. good night everyone, 'twas fun!

 

[Moxie]

Congrats, Federer! That wasn't easy.

But it was fun

I was too busy watching the match that I forgot to check here..JJ went for broke on all the points towards the end and hence committed too many UFE's

absolutely. but it's clear that he was out of steam, and going big on every shot was all he had left.

---

I do think it is only a matter of time before JJ becomes a major force on tour. Right now he is just very raw. JJ not only has power he has a lot of variety and that might be part of the problem as it leads to poor shot selection at times. But with that power, movement and surprising all around game he is likely a future top 5 player.

You could be right, but I don't think his head would allow it.

it did for Berd, didn't it? we're not talking #1 here. the head is a big question mark, but he's young enough so that i won't fully write him off for the future for mentally imploding here (twice, the second time aided by physical tiring). just over half a year ago, he was almost invisible, so he's taking some good steps. we'll see how the learning curve is from here on.

alright, i'm out. good night everyone, 'twas fun!

---

I think future top 5-8 potential is not out of the realm, once the stranglehold up there starts to ease. I know I'll catch it from Kieran and tented for being on the 'bandwagon' too early, but I like JJ's game. And Lord knows I'm a sucker for a head-case. LOL!

 

[I.Haychew]

I do think it is only a matter of time before JJ becomes a major force on tour. Right now he is just very raw. JJ not only has power he has a lot of variety and that might be part of the problem as it leads to poor shot selection at times. But with that power, movement and surprising all around game he is likely a future top 5 player.

I don't really see the variety. I see:
1) Hit the ball as hard as you can or...
2) Hit a drop shot

I do agree, however, that he is very raw and that he moves extremely well for a guy of his height. He should be a force if/when he matures.

Just my opinion.

 

[brokenshoelace]

I think people are being too quick with going for the de-facto "he probably doesn't have what it takes mentally" when it comes to most of these young kids. To me, the reason the tour is lacking in promising up-and-comers is simply due to lack of elite talent, as opposed to talented players not being mentally ready, though there are some that fit the latter description. Now, in fairness, I definitely do see why one would be apprehensive about JJ since he does act crazy, but my point is about the general picture. Ask yourself this, how many young prodigies looked like they'd be mentally tough at their younger age? Not Federer, not Djokovic, not Murray. The one that stands out is obviously Nadal, who looked mentally tough from day one, but he's the exception.

---

I do think it is only a matter of time before JJ becomes a major force on tour. Right now he is just very raw. JJ not only has power he has a lot of variety and that might be part of the problem as it leads to poor shot selection at times. But with that power, movement and surprising all around game he is likely a future top 5 player.

I don't really see the variety. I see:
1) Hit the ball as hard as you can or...
2) Hit a drop shot

I do agree, however, that he is very raw and that he moves extremely well for a guy of his height. He should be a force if/when he matures.

Just my opinion.

I'd like to see an option 3) that combines 1 and 2: Hit a drop shot as hard as you can.

 

[tented]

I think people are being too quick with going for the de-facto "he probably doesn't have what it takes mentally" when it comes to most of these young kids. To me, the reason the tour is lacking in promising up-and-comers is simply due to lack of elite talent, as opposed to talented players not being mentally ready, though there are some that fit the latter description. Now, in fairness, I definitely do see why one would be apprehensive about JJ since he does act crazy, but my point is about the general picture. Ask yourself this, how many young prodigies looked like they'd be mentally tough at their younger age? Not Federer, not Djokovic, not Murray. The one that stands out is obviously Nadal, who looked mentally tough from day one, but he's the exception.

And that's why I posted what I did. He strikes me as significantly more volatile than any of the others I've seen. Even Dimitrov, Paire, Gulbis, and Tomic seem less likely to go postal.

 

[I.Haychew]

I think people are being too quick with going for the de-facto "he probably doesn't have what it takes mentally" when it comes to most of these young kids. To me, the reason the tour is lacking in promising up-and-comers is simply due to lack of elite talent, as opposed to talented players not being mentally ready, though there are some that fit the latter description. Now, in fairness, I definitely do see why one would be apprehensive about JJ since he does act crazy, but my point is about the general picture. Ask yourself this, how many young prodigies looked like they'd be mentally tough at their younger age? Not Federer, not Djokovic, not Murray. The one that stands out is obviously Nadal, who looked mentally tough from day one, but he's the exception.

---

I do think it is only a matter of time before JJ becomes a major force on tour. Right now he is just very raw. JJ not only has power he has a lot of variety and that might be part of the problem as it leads to poor shot selection at times. But with that power, movement and surprising all around game he is likely a future top 5 player.

I don't really see the variety. I see:
1) Hit the ball as hard as you can or...
2) Hit a drop shot

I do agree, however, that he is very raw and that he moves extremely well for a guy of his height. He should be a force if/when he matures.

Just my opinion.

I'd like to see an option 3) that combines 1 and 2: Hit a drop shot as hard as you can.

---

That was a good one!

 

[DarthFed]

I do think it is only a matter of time before JJ becomes a major force on tour. Right now he is just very raw. JJ not only has power he has a lot of variety and that might be part of the problem as it leads to poor shot selection at times. But with that power, movement and surprising all around game he is likely a future top 5 player.

I don't really see the variety. I see:
1) Hit the ball as hard as you can or...
2) Hit a drop shot

I do agree, however, that he is very raw and that he moves extremely well for a guy of his height. He should be a force if/when he matures.

Just my opinion.

It goes back to the shot selection and lack of experience right now. The kid actually has a good return, decent slice and solid net play too. Right now he is just too aggressive and often pulls out the drop shot at a poor time.

 

[jhar26]

Congrats, Federer! That wasn't easy.

No, but Fed looks much, much, much better in Rome than he did in Madrid. I'm relieved really because I feared that he might be declining. But after the matches I've seen from him in Rome I know that he's still got it.

 

[I.Haychew]

I do think it is only a matter of time before JJ becomes a major force on tour. Right now he is just very raw. JJ not only has power he has a lot of variety and that might be part of the problem as it leads to poor shot selection at times. But with that power, movement and surprising all around game he is likely a future top 5 player.

I don't really see the variety. I see:
1) Hit the ball as hard as you can or...
2) Hit a drop shot

I do agree, however, that he is very raw and that he moves extremely well for a guy of his height. He should be a force if/when he matures.

Just my opinion.

It goes back to the shot selection and lack of experience right now. The kid actually has a good return, decent slice and solid net play too. Right now he is just too aggressive and often pulls out the drop shot at a poor time.

Points taken.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Have not seen a point and would appreciate a link for the whole thing , if anyone has one...
Congrats to Roger. This is his 4th generation of rivals, and I think he enjoys playing the youngsters.

 

[Moxie]

I do think it is only a matter of time before JJ becomes a major force on tour. Right now he is just very raw. JJ not only has power he has a lot of variety and that might be part of the problem as it leads to poor shot selection at times. But with that power, movement and surprising all around game he is likely a future top 5 player.

I don't really see the variety. I see:
1) Hit the ball as hard as you can or...
2) Hit a drop shot

I do agree, however, that he is very raw and that he moves extremely well for a guy of his height. He should be a force if/when he matures.

Just my opinion.

It goes back to the shot selection and lack of experience right now. The kid actually has a good return, decent slice and solid net play too. Right now he is just too aggressive and often pulls out the drop shot at a poor time.

Points taken.

A great coach could make something of Jerzy. He's got talent (and fire, guts and charisma, which are important,) but he needs guidance.