Basel and Valencia live chat.

SOL

Yes, he is back! Good match (saw about 20 minutes of it but he looked in control just the way we like seeing him).

TP, may we have a Valencia and Basel thread please? Thank you.

Here’s your chance to put a face to your name for the curious lunatics here.

Which celebrity have you been told you resemble the most – EVER?

Me?

Clint Eastwood. You also have to keep in mind that the only human to point that out was someone I know very ‘personally’. What else do you expect from a lunatic with non humans as the only contact.

Basel signs that Djokovic may have grown up.

-There was no, yes no jubilation after winning the first set despite the fact that it took him forever to close the deal.

-There was no negative body language after losing the second set and it was considerably controlled throughout the match.

-The award ceremony speech was business-like with no hint of attempting to endear the crowd. It was like ‘I won it and it’s not a big deal anymore – at least to the annoying scale it used to be in the past’.

-Is bringing his family back in the players box – piecemeal. His father was sighted. Rest to follow gradually.

-Handshake at the net was matter of fact stuff too. No forced smile or pat in an attempt to appease Federer - something Nadal specializes in. It was like ‘I won it, deal with it. I don’t give a rat’s ass if it’s your home, kitchen or whateverfreakingelse’.

-Winning the championship point fervor was as if it was rehearsed to add another dimension to the loss Federer suffered at home. It was like ‘I don’t think I am too far behind now. I may even be on equal footing. After all, this is my third win over you this season with two more to come’.

But then all this could also be a reflection of being in someone else’s living room with their neighbors.

Either way it was a welcome departure from his previous juvenile antics.

With his recent showing Djokovic may have come close to his post AO era with the burden of consolidating these victories to be considered a real contender for at least a multi-Slam crown if not the No. 1 rank – his real dream.

Did infusion of another coach result in all this? Maybe. The fact that you consider your coach your second father does not mean you are bonded at the hip. Even a father’s role changes / diminishes as you move from one stage of your life to another.

I still think this is an opportune time to break free and attach yourself to someone who can take you to the next level. So much of the stuff evolves over a period of time that unless you keep pace with appropriate gadgets to stay fresh and current, your progress can be hampered without you even realizing.

It has taken many false starts for Djokovic to build momentum again. To now just leave it to ‘what’s been working in the past’ BS is not just risky it’s outright shooting yourself in the foot.

With the sun gradually setting on Federer, tennis needs Djokovic and Murray to find rhythm to keep the sport from reverting back to the bad and dreary days.

The ultimate vindication of whatever Djokovic has done recently will have to be the AO crown. Nothing short of that should satisfy him and his team now. Once he is off that one-Slam monkey slate, the drive may become far more scenic and enjoyable.

Federer vs Djokovic final: Basel highlights.

Click here.

Photos.

Big win for Djokovic. Was the event even bigger?

I mean he completely shuts out a clown with two bagels then saves three freaking match points in the semis and then convincingly eliminates the overwhelming favorite kid – in his own den.

Can it get any freaking better for your psyche? Sure. Should have been a Slam?

Federer paid the price for the ‘house house’ layoff, home court complacency and easier drive through the draw.

But considering how important this must have been for him, aside from the Slams, it’s a pity that he wasn’t able to step his game up to meet the challenge. Federer is now on a losing streak at two of the most coveted titles – for him.

Djokovic however is relishing in the glow of being in the best shape at this time of the year. With both Nadal and Murray not being able to cope up with him of late, this could prove to be the most fruitful months for Djokovic.

Djokovic was 960 points away from No. 2 before this event. This win and the solid momentum he has built up for the remaining events of the year, he may be coming up on his third shot at moving to No. 2 by displacing Nadal.

With Federer losing points here, Djokovic may now be looking past Nadal for the first time. If Federer continues to falter that ‘considered a foregone conclusion’ year-end No. 1 rank may suddenly come up for grabs. And so far no one appears better positioned to make a move on that than Djokovic.

Could this be the turning (event) point for Djokovic?

Pictures of the week.

Click here.

Number of years as a tennis pro.

Player.	Age turned pro	Years as pro
Borg	14	11
Sampras	17	14
Connors	20	17
Agassi	16	19
Lendl	18	16
McEnroe	19	14
Wilander	17	15
Federer	17
Nadal	16
Djokovic	16
Murray	18
Del Potro	17

Athletes popular by just their first name.

Kobe.

LeBron.

Serena.

Venus.

Shaq.

Federer vs Djokovic @ Basel final.

When you are Federer playing at home you want to ensure the final at least is against a bona fide player to deflect the mickey mouse effect while maintaining the stature of the event.

Federer has played Rochus, Seppi, Korolev and Chiudinelli. And that may not be that bad considering the event if not for the line up Djokovic has had to battle: Beck, Hernych, Wawrinka and Stepanek.

When you are a host of Federer’s stature you want to lend as much credibility to the event as possible for obvious reasons at a time when even Slam locations are being debated. 

So Federer surely must have been happy to see Djokovic save two match points to reach the finals to improve the likelihood of a larger fan base tuning in. That, however, may not be the only reason.

He knows what expectations Djokovic is coming in with. That US Open straight set loss is still fresh and this win here could be one way of seeking redemption. Add the fact that Federer added insult to injury by taking away the satisfaction of losing to the eventual winner.

Djokovic will certainly be banking on the weaker competition Federer has ploughed through, comparatively, to pump himself up for the challenge – not to mention the ‘house house’ performance Federer is just out of.

Additionally, you always have that ready-made crutch of ‘just coming off a lay off’ to not take this loss as hard. But Djokovic’s presence and the venue may take care of that.

But just the intrigue of Federer squirming and crying at the award ceremony is enough to entertain the possibility. And if Djokovic can add his chest thumping before jumping on to the players’ box it would make one heck of a spectacle.

Realistically though, it’s hard to imagine Djokovic EVER beating a 100 percent Federer. Federer has to fall real steep for Djokovic to have any freaking chance. And then look for that forced hug and patronizing smile to make your day instead. 

Photos.

Federer’s getting old – in a hurry. Those late nights catching up?

Wonder what’s in it for a girl in a hug? And now I finally know why coaches wear track suits.

Djokovic vs Stepanek Basel semifinal: Highlights.

Click here.

NFL legend Jim Brown was hustled by 9-year-old Andre Agassi. From Monique. Thanks.

MONIQUE

Click here.

Competing as a pro tennis player – with an eye patch.

Have you heard of a pro athlete using just one eye to excel? Sure you haven’t. Wait. Wasn’t there some cricketer who played with one glass eye? Or am I just dreaming?

Freaking point is this: While there’s a general consensus that defense usually wins championships and trophies, offense has to be somewhere in the loop not far behind, to complete the circle.

Every freaking sport provides a clear advantageous offensive weapon. In soccer, is it the team that starts the game in possession of the ball? Basketball teams fight for one last possession to close the deal. In baseball, aren’t you on the offense when batting?

Now if you are able to win matches / games without efficiently utilizing the offensive weapon in your sport, wouldn’t you be considered a superman? Isn’t it tantamount to winning with an eye patch?

Wouldn’t it be logical to assume you WILL do far better with both eyes?

Tennis’s BIGGEST offensive tool is …….wait for it……… the freaking serve. Duh!!!!!!

If you are winning Slams by averaging a shade over three aces a match – for five freaking years, isn’t that enough time for you to figure out a way to remove that eye patch somehow?

If the overwhelming offensive tool not even heard of in other sports is being replaced with an over the top emphasis on defense, year after year – shouldn’t the injury then be called self-inflicted?

Talk about quantum jump and return on investment BS. How freaking foolish do you have to be to not freaking see that?

 

Did Federer choose the wrong sport?

I mean given the fanaticism on soccer world over, if Federer had achieved half of what he has done in tennis he would have been an icon far surpassing Maradona and other clowns. He could have been close to Pele or even Ali, don’t you think!!!!!

Guy is freaking ’standing alone’ at what 80 freaking percent on those records. And all that with ‘no visible mark on his face’ – like Ali used to say. The wear and tear on that hectic activity just fails to show up year after year when others with not even half of that motion are crumbling all around him.

That’s not even considering the grace and ‘making it look easy’ BS.

While it’s impossible to predict how he would have done at other more popular sports, it’s safe to say that mediocrity wasn’t happening.

But then you look at Tiger Woods and see how he has single-handedly transformed a truly boring board game into an international phenomenon so much so that in his absence the rating plummet deplorably.

So what’s Federer lacking to match Tiger in worldwide appeal? Or is it just the US media to blame for hyping their local boy? Could Federer have achieved the same draw if he switched places with Woods, as a Swiss citizen?

Or Tiger so far above everyone today that he transcends all and everything pushing Federer to second place?

But if Federer had taken up soccer, there appears a strong probability that he would have overtaken Woods and become at least the most dominating sportsman of his generation, if not of all time.

Federer’s awesome freaking portfolio? Are you freaking kidding me!!!!!

OVERALL GRAND SLAM CHAMPIONSHIPS RECORDS

Overall	Record accomplished	Player tied
Wimbledon 2003 — Wimbledon 2009	15 Grand Slam titles	Stands alone
Wimbledon 2003 — US Open 2009	21 Grand Slam finals	Stands alone
Wimbledon 2005 — US Open 2007	10 consecutive Grand Slam finals	Stands alone
Wimbledon 2004 — US Open 2009	22 consecutive Grand Slam semi-finals	Stands alone
2004 — 2007	Most consecutive years winning at least 2 Grand Slam titles (4)	Stands alone
2004 — 2007 & 2009	Most years winning at least 2 Grand Slam titles (5)	Stands alone
2004 & 2006 — 2007	Most years winning at least 3 Grand Slam titles (3)	Stands alone
US Open 2006 — French Open 2007	Most consecutive Grand Slam sets won (36)	Stands alone
Wimbledon 2003 — Australian Open 2006	Highest streak of consecutive initial Grand Slam finals won (7)	Stands alone
US Open 2008 — Wimbledon 2009	Simultaneously held Grand Slam titles on clay, grass and hard court	Nadal

INDIVIDUAL GRAND SLAM CHAMPIONSHIPS RECORDS

Championships	Years	Record accomplished	Player tied
Wimbledon Australian Open US Open French Open	2003 2004 2004 2009	Career Grand Slam	Rod Laver Andre Agassi
Australian Open	2004 — 2007	3 wins in 4 years	Andre Agassi
Australian Open	2004 — 2009	6 consecutive semi-finals	Ivan Lendl
Australian Open	2006 — 2007	2 consecutive wins	Ken Rosewall Guillermo Vilas Johan Kriek Mats Wilander Stefan Edberg Ivan Lendl Jim Courier Andre Agassi
French Open	2006 — 2009	4 consecutive finals	Björn Borg Ivan Lendl Rafael Nadal
French Open	2005 — 2009	5 consecutive semi-finals	Stands alone
Wimbledon	2003 — 2007	5 consecutive wins	Björn Borg
Wimbledon	2003 — 2009	7 consecutive finals	Stands alone
Wimbledon	2003 — 2009	7 finals overall	Boris Becker Pete Sampras
Wimbledon	2003 — 2009	7 consecutive semi-finals	Stands alone
U.S. Open	2004 — 2008	5 consecutive wins	Stands alone
U.S. Open	2004 — 2008	5 wins overall	Jimmy Connors Pete Sampras

OTHER RECORDS

Year(s)	Record accomplished	Number
2 February 2004 — 17 August 2008	Most consecutive weeks at No.1	237
October 2003 — January 2005	Most consecutive wins against top 10 ranked players	26
2005 — 2006	Most consecutive wins on hard courts	56
2003 — 2008	Most consecutive wins on grass courts	65
2003 — 2005	Most consecutive finals won	24
2007	Most prize money in a single calendar year	$10,130,620

WOW Fed and Mirka are having a blast……. From Monique. Thanks.

MONIQUE

WOW Fed and Mirka are having a blast…….

Click here.

Djokovic’s bagel shut out of Jan a milestone or just another day?

What’s your favorite song?

And can you post a video of it?

Mine? I have never been big on music. Michael Jackson? Maybe.

Photos.

CNN, Talk Asia with Rafa. From Gracie. Thanks.

GRACIE

CNN, Talk Asia with Rafa

Click here.

Serena, allegedly, sent this pic to the ATP officials reviewing her outburst for appropriate punishment. Could there be a dual message here?

Coaching Djokovic.

They thought about it – absolutely!!!!!!!!!!

What is the ‘clutch’ equivalent for tennis?

Top clutch sports people would be Jordan, Kobe, Jeter, Jerry West, Montana, Tiger etc. For five of the best clutch players of all time, click here.

So what’s the tennis equivalent for that? The tie-break? Isn’t that the closest you can come to the basketball / football fourth quarter – in tennis?

Federer’s 2009 in review.

For six months of the year, Federer stayed at No. 2 and played six freaking events to start the season with no title, dipping as low as losing to Wawrinka in the third round at Monte Carlo right after the racket smashing loss to Djokovic at Miami – in the semis.

But other than that Wawrinka loss all other losses were against Djokovic (2), Murray (2) and Nadal – four in semis.

But since then he has defeated Djokovic twice, Murray and Nadal once – with Murray and Djokovic back to back at Cincy.

So while some may question the uptick and surge without a healthy Nadal, the fact that Federer turned it around against the other two far younger fitter and hungrier players should take away some of the sting off that claim.

On the surface the sea may appear calm and cruising for Federer, but there were numerous mitigating factors that helped him not only turn the season around but actually salvage his career. Not to mention that he didn’t face any of the top three at the remaining three Slams of the year.

This is not to take away from Federer’s achievements (OK may be it is) but the long view from here seems to rest more on where the other three are positioned healthwise, spacingwise, gamewise etc. than it has ever been in the past.

Additionally, the only time in the Slams Federer went past the top three to No. 4 (realistically) at the US Open final, he lost in a manner not too distant from both the AO and Wimbledon finals. That to a guy who mercilessly butchered Nadal two straight times and is notoriously known for losing steam in five setters.

Freaking point is this: In years past the outcome was predicated solely on Federer’s game with a disdainful disregard to what anyone else was upto. But four freaking five setters in four Slams this year (one to Roddick – on grass) is a sign of collapse of that building.

The game has reached a tipping point where what others have to say will begin to count more and more, as it should given Federer’s age and mileage.

First six months of this season is a far accurate barometer of where Federer’s is headed than the last six despite the booty loaded package the latter is loaded with.

Besides the reenactment of the first six months where the titles were distributed more evenly and with a fight would benefit the sport, fans and the players far more than the dreary, injury-laden last few.

Interesting matches to come at Basel.

-Federer vs Isner. Both will have the US Open final in their rear view mirror.

-Djokovic vs Wawrinka – for obvious freaking reasons.

-Djokovic vs Cilic.

It appears that the tree tops from on are going to take turns rampaging the little guys. Del Potro did it at the USO, Cilic reached the final at Beijing and Vienna, Isner here?

Who is most likely to be the next multi-Slam winner?

Did they have any more Slams in them?

Is it wise or foolish to mark your territory in tennisdom?

Two obvious ones today are Basel and Barcelona, or are they Wimbledon and Roland Garros? Both? With different meters?

While the sanctuary surely adds that ’signature’ strain to your legacy, getting knocked off that pedestal can trigger an avalanche of demise, retirement……death rumors.

While most players obviously love to make Wimbledon their refuge, some from the four nations, feel mighty conflicted with patriotism fighting tradition.

Not so much for ones outside the quadrant. Their dilemma and pick however is determined not by what they would love but rather with their body type, style of play, courts their country specialize in etc. etc.

Will Nadal agree to trade his four FO titles to two straight Wimbledons? Maybe. If the second one also gets bagged at the expense of Federer, could it then be ‘SURE’?

Djokovic is in the same ’second class citizen’ boat too.

Could the first Slam, in these vagabond cases, force its affinity despite not being the first preference at the starting blocks? Could be. If the other surfaces already have a ruling king, it could move into that slot by default.

Does the closest sensation to ‘home court advantage’ which the familiarity of the first Slam evokes match the high these clowns from four countries ride to hone in on their ‘home’ Slam? Federer and Nadal?

With a strong surge eliminating the quality of jokers from the ‘home’ Slams making any name for themselves in the future while simultaneously amping up players from every other country, only two outcomes are now likely:

-Moving of Slam(s) to other countries.

-’Local boy winning a Slam’ stat is bound for the Smithsonian.

The wide discrepancy in the variety of Slam titles won by tennis greats in the past may be a product of that thinking. However, Federer may end up being the first one to narrow that margin to its lowest ebb and prove the ‘unfair’ advantage a player out of that quadrant of countries enjoys. 

So eventually not being from the big cat nation may prove to be a good thing as long as you are not so tunnel visioned on any one Slam to make you indistinguishable from that malaise.

Usually Wimbledon is the culprit in that game but with the recent changes in the game, that specialization needed to win on grass may soon dissolve for a more rounded tennis player of the future to take down a more balanced mix of Slams before he hangs that racket.

Does that mean career Slam will be just a routine part of a player’s portfolio in the very near future? How about a calendar Slam?

These citizenship-less folks need to lock in a Slam as tightly and passionately as the quadrant guys do, to drop anchor to base their Slam building run on. Who knows it may pay even richer dividends in this fast-changing landscape for a more satisfying career than say Lendl (Wimbledon) or Borg (US Open).

I am watching this freaking movie.

Have you watched ‘The American President’ yet?

It’s freaking fascinating. Get the freaking movie tofreakingnight. You’ll love it.

Agassi calls for apology to Rusedski. From Monique. Thanks.

MONIQUE

Click here.

Photos.

French Open could leave Roland Garros – official. From Jef Costello. Thanks.

JEF COSTELLO

Click here.

Mercurial tennis star Safin will retire having never quite maximized his enormous talents. From DK. Thanks.

DK

Another farewell to Marat:

Click here.

Livestream for Basel. From Sol. Thanks.

SOL

If anyone is interested, you can watch the Basel tournament here:
http://www.tsr.ch/tsr/index.html?siteSect=800020&sid=11417935

It’s a livestream from the swiss tv, like Julien mentionned on another thread.
For those of you who understand french, you can find some vids of Roger being interviewed on swiss tv on that same page. He talks about the crying at AO and breaking his raquet in his match against Djoko. He explains it very simply, he says he was surprised to see he’s still able to break a raquet since he hasn’t done it in awhile and he also says he always cries when he loses big matches, except that usually he’s in the locker room and noone sees it, he says he understands people criticized him for it but that he couldn’t hold back his tears this time. He’s such a sweet guy. I know that’s such a fangirl thing to say but he really is