Wimbledon QF: Federer v Simon

[isabelle]

It's over for Simon who couldn't win a single set

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

Federer wins in straights as expected.

 

[DarthFed]

All rested up and ready for a brawl on Friday.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Popsicle won more games off Murray than Simon did off of Fed.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

Popsicle won more games off Murray than Simon did off of Fed.

Do not underestimate Popsicle on grass. Had he not played so much tennis, he could have even snatched a set maybe...maybe...

 

[nehmeth]

Popsicle won more games off Murray than Simon did off of Fed.

Do not underestimate Popsicle on grass. Had he not played so much tennis, he could have even snatched a set maybe...maybe...

Seeing what the weary Vasek was able to accomplish against Murray, is one reason why I am believing Fed will take him down Friday.

 

[tented]

Popsicle won more games off Murray than Simon did off of Fed.

Do not underestimate Popsicle on grass. Had he not played so much tennis, he could have even snatched a set maybe...maybe...

I agree, but this also means he needs to work on his fitness. As Federer once said (I'm paraphrasing), "At the beginning of a GS, I know I need to be able to play seven five-set matches in two weeks."

 

[nehmeth]

Popsicle won more games off Murray than Simon did off of Fed.

Do not underestimate Popsicle on grass. Had he not played so much tennis, he could have even snatched a set maybe...maybe...

I agree, but this also means he needs to work on his fitness. As Federer once said (I'm paraphrasing), "At the beginning of a GS, I know I need to be able to play seven five-set matches in two weeks."

That's a valid point. Still, if your opponent played three set matches while you were going the distance in each of yours, he will probably be fresher - no matter how fit you are. While I agree with you that Vasek does need to improve his fitness, he also needs to learn how to close out his early matches quickly.

 

[Moxie]

Do not underestimate Popsicle on grass. Had he not played so much tennis, he could have even snatched a set maybe...maybe...

I agree, but this also means he needs to work on his fitness. As Federer once said (I'm paraphrasing), "At the beginning of a GS, I know I need to be able to play seven five-set matches in two weeks."

That's a valid point. Still, if you're opponent played three set matches while you were going the distance in each of yours, he will probably be fresher - no matter how fit you are. While I agree with you that Vasek does need to improve his fitness, he also needs to learn how to close out his early matches quickly.

He also has to decide if he's going to make his mark in doubles, or roll the dice on his singles career. Didn't he have a long doubles match yesterday?

 

[herios]

I agree, but this also means he needs to work on his fitness. As Federer once said (I'm paraphrasing), "At the beginning of a GS, I know I need to be able to play seven five-set matches in two weeks."

That's a valid point. Still, if you're opponent played three set matches while you were going the distance in each of yours, he will probably be fresher - no matter how fit you are. While I agree with you that Vasek does need to improve his fitness, he also needs to learn how to close out his early matches quickly.

He also has to decide if he's going to make his mark in doubles, or roll the dice on his singles career. Didn't he have a long doubles match yesterday?

Two days ago. The same day he went on to 5 sets against Troicki, he and Sock had a 5 setter they lost. So he played 10 sets 2 days ago. Sock also broke a finger in his match against Groth in the first round, but he played on in doubles.
These 2 young men are troopers, and they deserve a lot of credit.

 

[nehmeth]

That's a valid point. Still, if you're opponent played three set matches while you were going the distance in each of yours, he will probably be fresher - no matter how fit you are. While I agree with you that Vasek does need to improve his fitness, he also needs to learn how to close out his early matches quickly.

He also has to decide if he's going to make his mark in doubles, or roll the dice on his singles career. Didn't he have a long doubles match yesterday?

Two days ago. The same day he went on to 5 sets against Troicki, he and Sock had a 5 setter they lost. So he played 10 sets 2 days ago. Sock also broke a finger in his match against Groth in the first round, but he played on in doubles.
These 2 young men are troopers, and they deserve a lot of credit.

Definitely warriors, herios.

Moxie makes a valid point that goes for Sock just as much as Pospisil. They need to make a decision about focusing on their singles careers or their doubles partnership. They have good prospects as singles players. They are already slam winners as a doubles team. Big choices ahead of them.

 

[Moxie]

He also has to decide if he's going to make his mark in doubles, or roll the dice on his singles career. Didn't he have a long doubles match yesterday?

Two days ago. The same day he went on to 5 sets against Troicki, he and Sock had a 5 setter they lost. So he played 10 sets 2 days ago. Sock also broke a finger in his match against Groth in the first round, but he played on in doubles.
These 2 young men are troopers, and they deserve a lot of credit.

Definitely warriors, herios.

Moxie makes a valid point that goes for Sock just as much as Pospisil. They need to make a decision about focusing on their singles careers or their doubles partnership. They have good prospects as singles players. They are already slam winners as a doubles team. Big choices ahead of them.

I was thinking about Sock, too, when I wrote that. I really like both players. They've made a good team, and have grown a lot through doubles play, which is showing up in their singles results. They are both young enough and talented enough to see how it plays out in singles for each of them, though it has to be tempting, when they've had big wins (and pay-days) as a doubles team. At a certain point you can't do both, though, in the big tournaments. Or you have to have a teammate you can ditch when you go deep in singles.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

He also has to decide if he's going to make his mark in doubles, or roll the dice on his singles career. Didn't he have a long doubles match yesterday?

Two days ago. The same day he went on to 5 sets against Troicki, he and Sock had a 5 setter they lost. So he played 10 sets 2 days ago. Sock also broke a finger in his match against Groth in the first round, but he played on in doubles.
These 2 young men are troopers, and they deserve a lot of credit.

Definitely warriors, herios.

Moxie makes a valid point that goes for Sock just as much as Pospisil. They need to make a decision about focusing on their singles careers or their doubles partnership. They have good prospects as singles players. They are already slam winners as a doubles team. Big choices ahead of them.

On the one hand, it is difficult to play both singles and doubles. On the other hand, doubles actually helps your singles also. The best strategy for these kind of up and coming players is to play both singles and doubles until the point that they can reach top 25 or so and be there for an year or so. At that time, they should ditch the doubles and focus on singles exclusively.

Until then it does not hurt to play both anyways, as they basically will not be going deep in singles. This is essentially the strategy of Kristina Malendovic in WTA and it is not a bad strategy.

There is a second phase to this strategy too. Once you decide to pursue singles exclusively and are not making progress even after giving reasonable time, it may be a good time to admit that you are better off in doubles and try to make a name for yourself in doubles. Doubles pays peanuts compared to singles while costing almost same expenses to travel and stay in hotels. So, the finances are also important part of the decision. Even if you are a singles player oscillating in the rankings anywhere between 20 and 70, you might still make more money than playing doubles exclusively.