Who said this at this year’s US Open? Prize: Two tickets for the final, if you agree to visit the basement first, just once, please.

“This year I have complimented McEnroe more than his wife”.

Was that Roddick on fire, or is the Beijing ghost rearing its head?

 

Nadal, Djokovic, Federer, Wawrinka and now Gonzalez.  Aren’t these the players who also won a medal at Beijing? And Querrey, Cilic, Andreev, Murray and Roddick didn’t?

Is that what’s going on here?

So we should expect a Roddick-Murray final?

Roddick simply steamrolled Gonzalez in every department. Initially I felt Gonzalez was feeling the ‘Blake’ Olympic incident, since this was the first time he faced an American after that controversy on US soil. Maybe it had something to do with it, specially when you have Roddick across the net. Roddick is not known to mince any words if he feels strongly about something.

But Gonzalez looked completely lost. You cannot just fall apart like that after having a decent run here and at the Olympics. How else can you explain it?

But Roddick was pleased to be feeling the way he felt when he was at the top of his game. He was pretty close. It may have a lot to do with what happened in his match against Gulbis. That come from behind win, more than anything else, raised Roddick belief in himself.

From what looked like a whitewash in the first set, Roddick was able to turn it around by making adjustments on the fly. That may have been just what he needed at the right moment to make his last and final assault on his favorite Slam.

If the Beijing bug is really kicking in, Roddick may be in luck and his decision to skip Olympics may now become standard MO for anyone wanting to win the US Open in future. I mean, that rest and focus has to tilt the scale in your favor somewhere.

Roddick’s win must be even more sweet after watching two legit contenders play gruelling five setters against much lesser opponents. It must give him lot of hope that this may be his time.

The crowd has been heavily behind Roddick who loves that kind of attention and support.

Roddick’s next opponent, Djokovic, has played two back to back tense, emotional and long matches. With the history Djokovic has, coupled with the fact that Roddick beat him at Dubai this year, right after beating Nadal in the previous match, Roddick has to be very upbeat and confident going in.

If Roddick pulls this one out of a rabbit, the credit so far will far will fall in two boxes: Skipping Oympics and beating Gulbis.

But there’s a long road ahead. Just one more Gulbis, couple of those Beijing bugs and Roddick is home free.

Djokovic admits to cheating? From Rick. Thanks.

RICK

From the Djokovic presser:

Did you feel residual results? I mean, coming off of that late‑night match coming in today, did you, starting out even in the first set, did you feel like you had less in the tank than you would ordinarily like?

NOVAK DJOKOVIC: Yes, I did. There is no doubt about that. I didn’t feel well. The moment I stepped on the court,I felt, already, as you said, less energy in the tank. So I really tried to forget about that, to eliminate those things, but I just had to, you know. I had to take a medical timeout a couple of times, go to the bathroom, because just many things involved. You know, I want to do everything to win.

*************************************************************************************************************

Uh-huh. Yeah, we know.

Are you still buying bottled water? You’ve got to be freaking kidding me!!!

Top 6 Myths About Bottled Water:

Click here.

If ‘serve is the last one to go’ is true, what do 11 aces from Federer against Andreev mean?

Isn’t that the famous saying around tennis centers: Your serve is the last shot to falter?

Well, the strong consistent pattern of unforced errors from Federer can only mean one thing: Rest of Federer’s game has shifted more than couple of notches in that last two months. First serve percentage and the ace count are the two shining stars that is still holding the shell of Federer’s usual self on the tour.

With just 11 aces in a five set match and 65% first serves in, this is getting close to a sudden shut down. With no aces to come to his rescue, Federer was left hanging dangerously. This is exactly what would have happened with any of the other three opponents he has faced here, if not for the high ace count.

Federer has now been reduced to a one shot guy. The moment you get him in the rally the percentage has now shifted from 50/50 to 60/40 in your favor. That’s when you are not ranked amongst the top ten. Can you imagine Federer facing Nadal with these numbers. It will be downright embarrassing.

You think Federer knows that? You bet!!! Considering the bloated ego Federer has, he will prefer to lose to a qualifier than eat a bagel from Djokovic or Nadal. This is clearly a bagel eating performance with Nadal or Djokovic across the net.

Looks like the light is flickering on the ace and the first serve percentage too, and if that’s the last line of defense or offense, the slide has sculpted itself to a 90 degree angle.

Federer scrapes by Andreev in an embarrassing five-setter. Did the misery just get extended?

 

Is the limelight reserved for Muller (next opponent) – in straight sets? Federer would have liked it to have ended here, considering a defeat to a qualifier would be worse than to a 23rd ranked player.

What a freaking pathetic display of freaking humiliating tennis. Anytime you reach almost three times as many unforced errors than your opponent, at any point in the match, you should be disqualified to play instantly.

This was more a case of Andreev turning into another Djokovic and floundering break points as if the next one was due next minute. Federer must be seriously shaken up with the result, if not devastated, despite the win. It could have gone either way considering how close the second tie-break was.

Are we just seeing the natural progression of the nose dive here or what? So a straight set win by a qualifier shouldn’t be a shocker? Nadal must be jumping off the trampoline with his uncle right about now.

Djokovic’s five setter few hours ago suddenly becomes a consolation match with a strong dose of ‘misery loves company’. Granted Andreev is not a complete tomato can, but you are gunning for your 13th Grand Slam for crying out loud. It’s not that Andreev was on this ‘Tsonga’ hot run to justify this spectacular performance.

With Djokovic and Nadal looming large, there has to be a quantum jump with where Federer is now, to just avoid losing in straight sets. Djokovic would love to dish out a bagel to feed his many frustrations from the US Open final loss to remarks directed at his parents.

My biggest barometer of what went on in the match is the number of break point opportunities offered. Federer offered more than twice he received – 15 to 7. This three hour 31 minute match will hurt Federer more than it will benefit him, unlike Djokovic.

My only fear is that the losses will get uglier – straight sets with bagels to tomato cans – to force Federer to hang up and quit. There is nothing on the board to not think otherwise.

Djokovic barely beats Robredo. Title hopes dashed?

If you are planning to win this year’s US Open and you have the following road ahead of you, this is the last match you want at this juncture: Roddick, Federer and Nadal.

Or is it? Can this match be a catalyst to arouse the giant within Djokovic like it has done numerous times with greats like Sampras, Federer etc.? The biggest silver lining for Djokovic has to be the mental boost he will receive knowing he can physically withstand a three hour 44 minutes five-setter and come out as a winner. It may not be the best match physically but how many times have we seen the mind exhorting the physical body to great heights?

Just the fact that he was able to finish a match this long, will not only register the spike in Djokovic in many ways, but it will also erase the notion of him being physically vulnerable in the locker room.

That being said, he is now getting into a dog fight with clowns who have almost half his ‘time on court’, not to mention the sets they have lost compared to him. With three legitimate contenders back to back on a hard court in a five set format is a daunting task even when you are Nadal.

Both Federer and Nadal must be pleased to see Djokovic extended at his last two matches, raising hopes that his breathing, back etc. problem will flare up sooner than later.

Djokovic served just 11 aces in five freaking sets. That will not get it done against both Roddick and Federer who are currently as close to being an ace machine as you can get.

Translation: This match may have ended Djokovic’s chances of winning the US Open. It’s not that he was having a dominating run here anyway to feel too bad for him. With both Roddick and Federer getting closer to their usual self, it’s hard to imagine Djokovic getting past even Roddick. If he does, Federer should all but close the deal in straight sets.

Nadal would have preferred a much fresher Djokovic until at least he faced Federer to drain some of the fuel for an easier time in the finals. But he may still be happy knowing he will be facing a fragile Federer than a young ambitious Djokovic.

Another Federer-Nadal guaranteed? Looks like it, don’t you think?

US Open breaks all time record for first week attendance.

How come? Are you telling me that tennis has become gained more popularity than Connors, McEnroe, Sampras and Agassi days? Or has the population just exploded to keep the percentage steady?

Has it something to do with the new No. 1 and 3 on the tour? Then should we have requested Federer to fall earlier for this boost? Or is this just the force of impetus provided by Federer driving the numbers?

If this keeps up, shouldn’t we be thinking of an even bigger stadium to accommodate the surge? Or this US Open venue is as big as it can get for tennis?

Or are the American players like Roddick, Blake, William sisters, who still have a slim chance of winning it, peaking the interest? Or are more people getting educated and subsequently affluent enough to gravitate towards tennis? Remember the stat I posted earlier about how tennis fans are more likely to be highly educated and better off financially?

Or has the stupidity of game fixing at NBA, the steroid BS at baseball and the dog fighting rings at football driving fans to tennis by default?

Or is the city so starved of an EVENT, that this is it? It’s more of a social vent than the fondness of tennis? It’s just become the hip place to be?

WHAT? WHAT? WHAT?

Federer vs Borg. From Gerard. Thanks.

GERARD

…. duck season is over, but I will stick my head out, so don’t shoot Andy…. thanks too for your worthy reply and valid points and keeping alive this topic of great interest to me …..

Without allowing my opinion to rule the roost here (or whatever is the equivalent for ducks) and responding with as much objectivity and a void of bias from me as possible, I will top up my earlier 5 cents worth and double your 200 yen, to what you said and proposed in your response and in the politest way possible dispel the conjecture you put forward as weighing in Federer’s favour and I do so with conviction and a sense of ease in the reply ….. I have seriously studied both of these wonderful players in serious depth and awe and when opinion is totally removed and believe me when I say this, much to my surprise and again without any bias what-so-ever, Borg wins in every department … so let me have the pleasure to reply to your ‘check marks’ you assigned and correct their allocation.

I, in no way was penalising Borg in my comments, regrettably and with ignorance might I say, others do when they compare the depth of talent in his day to that of Federer’s today, as a way of making an argument and bolstering one versus another my comment was to be a balanced one in redirection … for those same Federer supporters the same argument will, I am sure one day be leveled as a way to promote a future players credentials and they will say the same irrelevant point against Federer that the depth of talent (true or not) in say 30 years is greater than in Federer’s day.

We who marvel at Federer now (and I am definitely one) will pooh-pooh that notion as an being irrelevant point, the talent Federer has is a gift and one that very few people have been blessed with and this talent is regardless of era and technological advances. Such rare talent with all other factors being equal in that regard, I am sure Federer would hold his own in any era and Federer fans would agree, I know I will.

So, it is with Borg, his records weren’t achieved by happenstance as being some person who just happened to pick up a tennis racquet one day, see others having a hit at Wimbledon and ask for a game and with much chagrin to those he played against win a few matches. Regardless of opinion and certainly not fact being used to lessen the quality of his 41 opponents in succession that he beat in his unbeaten run at Wimbledon, which Federer tied this year, I dismiss and totally do not agree that his 4th round opponents or any other round were any less a quality to that which goes around to day in the Grand Slams. Jose Higueras (Federer’s most recent coach), Fred Stolle, John Newcombe, Tim Gullikson, Tony Roche and so on and many other former greats are coaching and passing on their wisdom to the Federer’s and Agassi’s etc in todays tennis, these same players were around and playing tennis in Borg’s day. The respect that these few players I have mentioned have rightly earned amongst todays players as being truly former great players and it seems to me to rightly dismiss any notion of any of them being poor opponents and to me it is such disrespect to them that they would be adjudged by opinion only as being weak 3rd and 4th rounders. Add, Ken Rosewell, Wojtek Fibak, Gerulaitis, Vilas, Tanner, Curran, Connors, Brian Gottfried and I could give you a list of many more and that is without mentioning, McEnroe and Llendl. So, check mark can not at all go to Federer, sorry. Era of talent was just as strong in Borg’s day as it is today and in no ways is it weaker than todays … only the technology and speed of game that has been an evolutionary component of the game has changed and there would be no doubt that if these were a part of the game back in Borg’s day or earlier you would have still seen the same champion players rise to the top because of their champion qualities. So …. era and technology play no part at all I am sorry to say in this topic to preposterously lessen a Borg to a Federer in talent.

Spitz vs Phelps …. skin suits versus speedo togs/trunks, buoyant faster water, sports science and nutrition are some of the many advances in technology not available to Spitz in his day, but no one, even Phelps would lessen his qualities because of the 30 year era difference and the technological advances that come over time, nor his opposition. Nicholas Vs Woods in golf … one modern day great chasing a champion of a different era, we don’t hear of anyone attempting to diminish the greatness of Jack Nicholas champion qualities and downgrade him, because of era and technology or opponents.

So, check mark clearly goes to Borg for his superior statistics and winning ability in any period of his career to any period of Federer’s including Federer’s best 4 years. Did you realise that Borg’s best 4 years is superior to Federer’s. People will downplay Borg here because he didn’t play the Australian Open, the facts are that in all the tournaments he did play he won more often than Federer at his best. Hard to accept I know but he did.

The real reason to give Borg the tick on top of that is more a case of his utter and complete dominance in his time made that made his opponents look weaker than they were, that is the truth here. Like Federer has up until this year done excluding his rivalry with Nadal and the early rivalry with Hewitt, Federer has dominated the tennis world and the Phillippoussis’, Rafter’s, Henman’s, Nalbandians, Rodick’s, and Safins to name a few have been made to look a weaker player. So too did Borg dominate that much in his era that people incorrectly assume his opponents were weaker, Wrong. It was purely a case of Borg’s incredible and incomparable dominance that is the fact here, like Federer’s 4 year dominance, but Borg did it for 9 years, so you can see 9 years (Borg) vs 4 years (Federer) of domination wins, hence check mark definitely goes to Borg without an ounce of hesitation or reservation.

You correctly gave the 2nd check mark to Borg and any tennis follower will agree that Borg has had a mental toughness second to none. The consideration that a point here or there could have championed the call that Federer produced the greatest comeback ever didn’t happen, Nadal won. A point here or there has never won a Grand Slam, the final point wins it and until that match, the greatest ever match at Wimbledon has been considered by tennis greats the 1980 final between Borg and McEnroe and whether the 2008 final between Nadal and Federer is to match that one, opinion will decide. I have the official video in my keeping of that match in 1980 and have watched it many times and it loses nothing in comparison to this years final. Borg’s steely and icy resolve is unparalleled.

The third component that you attempted to give to Federer is the easiest one to dismiss. Conjecture and opinion with the utmost respect to you was all that you used …. no one (including me nor you) can say for sure whether Borg would have or not dominated for another 2,3 or more years after 1981. Remember he still won 90% of his matches in 1981 and made 3 Grand Slam finals, winning 1 and losing in the finals in the other 2 … then he retired. In my opinion that does not announce a forthcoming losing streak.

Retirement does not diminish in anyway Borg’s career, how could it. How many times have we heard champions should bow out at the top and similarly some players don’t know when they are past their prime. We want to remember the champions as winners and hopefully the slump Federer is experiencing this year will improve and re-right itself and with dignity allow him to bow out as the true champion he is and in a time of his choosing as Sampras did, however if he chooses to continue playing and this years results reproduce themselves then he has shot himself in the foot in the champions stakes, Borg didn’t he retired at the top. Michael Jordon possibly the greatest sports person who has ever lived retired and came back and once again won MVP awards and made a minnow team (Milwaukee I think) a champion team and his final retirement was as illustrious as any period in his career. The number 26 was retired and the legend lives on …. so does his Nike Air brand. Federer is at the cross roads of his career and the changing of the guards I believe has happened, Nadal and others have his measure. Not one player had a better for and against with Borg, only McEnroe went close with a 7 all match-up between them. Federer cannot say the same he is 6 – 13 with Nadal and the fact many of those wins are on clay is not a reason to deny Nadal that he does have superiority over Federer and now with his win on grass at Wimbledon and more recently on hard courts, Federer is no longer the number 1 player and possibly will struggle to as you said yourself have the same dominance he once did. So maybe Federer should have retired at 26 as Borg did and go out as a winner, it will be sad to see this years results become common place, he deserves better. So, credit should go to Borg for retiring at the top and allowing us to remember his pedigree as the greatest of his time and perhaps ever .

Ponder I have … and the result 3 check marks to Borg …. hope your Sunday morning was fine …. thanks again Andy for your passion and knowledgeable opinion, I love this topic ….. most readers won’t … too verbose is their call and to them I apologise but I just let it flow … over to you … remember i did double your bet and believe I collected…. lol

cheers
Gerard

Reduce freaking stress by listening to your conscience.

Stress that you bring upon YOURSELF is killing you – silently.

All that meditation, massages, squeeze balls etc. are fine, but the only natural way to lead a stress free life is by being a decent human being. If that small voice within us all is obeyed every single time, there won’t be so much misery in your miserable life.

Listening to that voice does not only include not committing theft and murder and other serious crimes, it also includes not telling a lie, not eating like a pig, not going berserk to compete with your neighbor and relatives at every freaking race, not backbiting, being jealous, being angry, not coveting your neighbor’s wife etc. etc.

Going for meditation and other BS is expecting your doctor to cure you after you have screwed your life over with whole lifetime worth of abuse from junk food, no exercise etc. etc.

Cut the root and the branches will whither off by themselves. If the root is still there, whatever else you do to circumvent the problem is futile and short sighted.

Nadal never helps the ball boys. Why?

Nadal will never touch a dead ball, even if it is coming right at him. Most players will tap it to the ball boys/girls.

Is that just one of his many egocentric antics? Or is he so much in the zone that a slight tap of the ball will snap him out of it and transport him to the freaking ET ride at Disneyland, making him lose the match? Geeezzz!!!!

I think he also makes an effort to not step on the lines.

Fish, are you listening? Twenty bucks to a ball boy can get you a win and a semifinal berth here.

Has the train already left the station for Murray, with Djokovic and Nadal on board?

The growing up, mentally, and dealing with all the injuries that stalled Murray’s career in the last two years, may have also left him alone at the station. How?

Because the next train fully loaded with Del Potro, Querrey, Cilic and Gulbis has already arrived – with no room for late bloomers. This may get substantiated when Murray plays his next match against Del Potro. Even if Murray wins it, the message will be so unmistakably conspicuous that it will make him wish he had straightened out his act earlier.

Both Cilic and Querrey may have lost too, but not without a clear warning that the window has already started closing in. If Nadal is today’s Federer, then there are at least four Nadals already charging at him.

Both Nadal and Djokovic have just next year to rake in whatever they can before this train runs them over. Murray will have to squeeze in somewhere too to make up for lost time.

Translation: The fight is going to get ugly and fierce before the younger lions mature with full grown mane. You think Nadal, Djokovic and even Federer have already sensed that? You bet!!!!