Most read
- Top 10 All-Time All-World Men Tennis Players
- Roger Federer's victory in the U.S. Open came just when he seemed vulnerable to the other top three players in the world ... Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, all of whom have defeated him lately ... and after a supposed off-year in whic
Wimbledon Confusion
Since 90% of tour players play basically the same style, it is always a treat to see something different. In his first round match, Rafael Nadal faced an aggressive, attacking opponent in Andreas Beck from Germany. Nadal won in three close entertaining sets 6-4, 6-4, 7-6. Beck has a big lefty serve and was willing to take some chances on his second. In fact the average speed of his second delivery was 110 mph. He also did a great job of varying the placement and speed of both serves. Playing Nadal for 3 sets and only getting broken twice has to be considered a major accomplishment. But here is what I find so confusing. Beck approached the net 18 times and won 14 points. Unless I'm missing something, that is a pretty successful conversion rate. Being so successful at net, why would he go in only 18 times in 3 sets? Please let me know what I'm missing.
Just as confusing is the lack of aggression from Andy Roddick in his match against Janko Tipsarevic. With an average 1st serve speed of 127mph and getting 73% of his 1st serves in, Roddick came to the net a total of 31 times in 4 sets. That's an average of 7.75 times per set. That is impossible stat for a player with such a huge weapon. By winning 85% of his 1st serve points he was obviously holding serve easily. That allowed him to be very aggressive in his return games and put a tremendous amount of pressure on Tipsarevic's serve. Instead he chose to be very cautious on his returns and was content to play long baseline rallies with an opponent who has superior ground strokes. Even more frustrating was watching Roddick hit a 140 mph serve, Tipsarevic strain just to get it back, and Roddick backing up letting the ball drop, and then spinning the ball back into play. Obviously being one of the best players in the world, Roddick has heard this before. Why does he continue to play a style that does not help?
By contrast in the 3rd round 4 set match between Feliciano Lopez and our own Bobby Reynolds, the two players came to the net a total of 95 times. Lopez approached 50 times and Bobby 45 times. I call him Bobby because I know him. (He beat me 7-5 in the third his freshman year at Vanderbilt) Both players have great serves. But they don't come close to what Roddick has. Is it coaching, execution, or something else?
Eric Burke - Owner of Hardcore Tennis Atlanta, GA
eric@hardcoretennis.net
www.HardcoreTennis.Net
Eric Burke
Owner Hardcore Tennis
Atlanta, Ga
http://www.HardcoreTennis.Net
eric@hardcoretennis.net