tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8948801468516043822.post5434914000439438334..comments2023-07-25T10:37:32.127+01:00Comments on Tennis Is Served...: Wiggling Bepa and the “Man to Beat”Zafarhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11909444215193865334noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8948801468516043822.post-91226636606269767902011-03-06T16:04:01.934+00:002011-03-06T16:04:01.934+00:00To be honest I never pay any attention to the &quo...To be honest I never pay any attention to the "Masterclass" headline and I don't, to be fair, know who the better "qualitative" player was as I didn't see any of it besides the final. I was just pointing out that being able to playto the best of your ability isn't necessarily compromised by an easy draw - that having such an easy draw isn't always inconsistent with being able to reach your best (or better) potential.<br /><br />Given that I didn't watch last week, I might, of course, be completely wrong about this thesis <em>as it relates to Fed and Novak</em>. At some level though I believe Novaks own opinion of how he played last week bears it out <br /><br />In any case, I like that they both were able to bring something resembling their best over the course of the week even if it wasn't exactly when and where they needed it most.Zafarhttp://tennisisserved.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8948801468516043822.post-74699531023938343002011-03-06T15:29:30.454+00:002011-03-06T15:29:30.454+00:00I think it's very telling that the two most em...I think it's very telling that the two most emphatic defeats Federer has suffered at the hands of Djokovic have BOTH come right after Federer has given performances hailed as "Master Classes" on the ATP page. Yes... against Wawrinka and Gasquet...both completely intimidated by Roger. He's relaxed, he can go for his shots... I don't know whether that makes him the better player "qualitatively" speaking...<br />And of course I'm aware that Roger had nothing to do with the draw-fixing in Dubai. One could even argue that he was a victim of it. And Novak an unlikely beneficiary, since I believe, like you, that the tougher opponents helped him get his game together.Yolitanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8948801468516043822.post-11210911686172050102011-03-04T01:29:20.377+00:002011-03-04T01:29:20.377+00:00I kind of think he was due some kind of a let down...I kind of think he was due some kind of a let down after Oz - though perhaps not as badly as he seems to think of his performance.<br /><br />The fact that he still had it in him to bring the tennis he did in the final suggests we shouldn't perhaps be too harsh on him.<br /><br />Rogers draw was of course a joke. That said I still think you can be the better player *qualitatively* speaking up until the final having faced vastly easier competition - not forgetting too that the favourable draw is hardly his fault. <br /><br />Another thing: maybe the tougher opponents actually helped whip Novak into shape sooner than he would have otherwise.Zafarhttp://tennisisserved.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8948801468516043822.post-30766433939789907262011-03-04T00:55:52.691+00:002011-03-04T00:55:52.691+00:00Novak the man to beat? I don't know. One day d...Novak the man to beat? I don't know. One day during the Dubai tournament I got up at 4am to see Novak at his very worst. His demons are all there, all intact, all ready to pounce, two balls away in any given match ... He wouldn't be Novak otherwise. <br /><br />Novak was a little overconfident after his excellent match against Llodra and Lopez caught him by surprise. He managed to win, but his confidence was gone, with Mayer he struggled and with Berdych it was a "catastrophe". But all that was a wake-up call and he rose to the occasion against Roger.<br /><br />Roger, on the other hand, had the easiest of draws, made the finals without facing a Top 20 player, the average rank of all his opponents above 50! And all of them entered the court defeated, not one of them believed they could beat Roger. Gasquet had his chances, but he didn't believe. Of course Roger's game looked good. I don't know whether he was playing better, he wasn't really tested. <br /><br />One thing makes me happy, though, Novak had more Top 10 wins in the first 2 months of 2011 than in the whole of 2010. Plus a Grand Slam. That's a good year for me. Anything else is extra. :)Yolitanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8948801468516043822.post-58946275587005697412011-03-03T13:48:04.779+00:002011-03-03T13:48:04.779+00:00Truly phenomenal, and not at all a one-off but rat...Truly phenomenal, and not at all a one-off but rather a consistent pattern of growing maturity and mental strength over the past year.<br /><br />The only thing missing of course is Kim Clijsters or, for that matter, Serena Williams. I still can't say, hand on heart, that had it been either of them on the other side of the net that we wouldn't be seeing a very different result.<br /><br />But who knows, with a good draw and continuing improvements in concentration (no longer as unlikely), perhaps a Slam isn't a fairy tale after all.<br /><br />You could argue any or all of the above for Woz tooZafarhttp://tennisisserved.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8948801468516043822.post-87996493643945403982011-03-03T13:46:12.322+00:002011-03-03T13:46:12.322+00:00Truly phenomenal, and not at all a one-off but rat...Truly phenomenal, and not at all a one-off but rather a consistent pattern of maturity and mental strength over the past year. <br /><br />The only thing missing of course is Kim Clijsters or, for that matter, Serena Williams. I still can't say, hand on heart, that had it been either of them on the other side of the net that we wouldn't have been a very different result.<br /><br />But who knows, with a good draw and continuing improvements in concentration (no longer seems as unlikely), perhaps a Slam isn't a fairy tale after all.<br /><br />You could argue any or all of the above for Woz tooZafarhttp://tennisisserved.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8948801468516043822.post-36871747916169708452011-03-03T03:00:14.858+00:002011-03-03T03:00:14.858+00:00Er, any of Doha.Er, any of Doha.Tbar0660noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8948801468516043822.post-89621407301993168922011-03-03T02:59:32.268+00:002011-03-03T02:59:32.268+00:00Bepa's progress has been phenomenal. I expecte...Bepa's progress has been phenomenal. I expected her form to collapse after her quite brutal drubbing in the US Open final; but to back up her two GS finals with a semi at the AO and then a win in Doha is stellar. Although I wasn't able to see any of Dubai, the way that she seemed to win several matches, consecutively, while being behind and under-pressure from quality opposition (although not in the final) makes me think she could pick up a GS this year. Please let this be the case tennis gods.Tbar0660noreply@blogger.com