Federer’s strategy going forward.
Posted by tennisplanet on February 2, 2008
First of all, this virus crap absolutely cannot happen again. He should have enough measures in place now, to completely eliminate even the slightest possibility of this repeating itself again EVER. Start cutting vegetables and slaughtering chickens and lambs in your hotel room, if that’s what it comes down to.
If betting cannot be eradicated, as it appears, you think interested parties will not attempt this virus BS again with impunity? You bet!!! I mean, heads of state all over the world, with the best security are gunned down routinely. All we are talking here is just a microscopic virus. If this happens again, specially at another Grand Slam, no one except Federer will be to blame.
-Federer needs to resist the temptation of making drastic changes to his game to counter Djokovic’s strengths. His usual game plan, for now, if executed, should be enough to post a comfortable win. It’s not panic time yet. However, if Federer makes it to be, many other parts of his game will suffer. Of course, you have to follow the game plan you have for each individual player, before the match. But that has to be within the existing tools in your shed.
-The obvious edge Djokovic has over Federer, is his youth and the consequent quicker movement and bountiful energy on the court. Well, there are many twenty year olds on the tour languishing down the ranking ladder. So that’s not the whole elephant. But when this advantage is matched by great shot making followed by lack lustre performance from Federer, it is bound to result in a loss for Federer.
The freaking point is this: Djokovic still does not have the ability to trounce Federer even if he executes all of his strengths to perfection on the court. Unless he receives help from Federer, it’s still a losing battle for Djokovic. That’s why talent is the most prized commodity in the world. There are many younger, stronger and fitter players with abundant energy etc. but all that is just mundane stuff without superior skill and talent.
-Translation: Federer needs to use his superior talent and experience to neutralize Djokovic’s strength of youth and movement. How? By putting him on a string from one end of the court to the other. Agassi achieved that impeccably against much younger opponents to perfection. Most of his opponents were begging for mercy after the first set. You think he was trying to level the playing field on the one hand, by removing the youth component from the equation, while on the other imposing his superior skill after that was achieved? You bet!!!!!!!!!!!
The surest way to win against Djokovic for Federer is to use as much of his forehand to fire shots at angles that makes Djokovic tire early. Ferrer’s match at AO is a good example of what happens to his game once his legs are taken away, for whatever reason – breathing problems may be just one of them.
-Federer also has to ramp up his physical regimen to keep pace with slower reflexes bound to surface more consistently as he gets further away from his 25th birthday. He has to play smarter than he has ever played. That’s how greats from Ali, to Jordan to Sampras sustained their perch at the top for so long, despite younger and fresher legs nipping at their heels.
-Stop the emotional outbursts on the court followed by negative body language, already. If you don’t like the freaking Hawk-Eye nonsense, enough water has gone under the bridge now, for you to get over it by now. It’s here to stay, no matter what you think. Like they say: Cooperate with the inevitable. Otherwise more and more players are going to play on your nerves to gain whatever edge they can. They would be stupid not to, don’t you think? It’s legal and within the rules.
Tennis Planet 
Eva said
TP. well, of course. The track-and-field tactic can be good; however, it can turn around, too. I think that among Fed’s skills is what Sampras remarked on: namely, the ability to turn from defense to offense from any part of the court. That, and in my view, the vary the pace, and up the game, and come up with shocking shots. As happened with Ferrer at the Shanghai Masters Cup.
He will have to decide within each match how he will proceed, because a game plan may need to be adjusted cquite a bit, since no one plays alone totally. He does have superior skills, and I wouldn’t make much of the age difference at this point, TP. After all, the one who has shown himself to be vulnerable is Djoko, both physically and psychologically. He needs to have the crowd on his side, and his fans and family, and either he is pretending he needs med breaks, or he needs them to recoup; either way, he has a weakness there too.
Defrogerer said
The Djoker is already the master at irritating his opponents,so that gives him an edge over everyone.Tsonga had the guts to complain about his ball bouncing, so lets hope all the other players step up to the plate.
TP,you are so right about Agassi however,he always played that way.I dont think it was a tactic just for his later years.
Having watched hundreds of hours of Rogers tennis,(and God knows how many thousands of tennis in general,without the threat of my entire family divorcing me),IMHO,the only difference I can see in Rogers game is that he appears less aggressive in his shot making.I know he can rely on his brilliance to ‘finish’ the point but when he used to run round his forehand and deliver that awesome stroke,it always seemed to send a message across the net.Yes,working on his backhand,the supposed “weaker” shot,also sent a message,but there are just times when I want to see a warrior on the court.His unforced error count on occassions has risen dramatically,and that is without going for the big point.Overall though,he is THE one with the clinical tacticians mind,and I think we are going to see more of it this season.
I agree that Djoker needs testing with his fitness and it will happen from a fully fit Roger and Rafa.Lets remember Rome final 2006,and try to picture the Djoker lasting for that one!Not in a million years and not even with his medic time outs for whatever pre arranged injuries he and his camp have thought up.
faith said
I hear what you are saying about the virus and all but ND did beat RF in Montreal with no virus present. Even if he doesn’t eat any bad chicken ND poses a threat in at least a few of these tournaments.
Jenny said
Take your point Faith and you’re right.
LOL Defrogerer, I can certainly relate to the thousands of hours tennis fest. My husband’s attitude is now, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em! I would like to see more of the warrior mindset in Roger too. Re: Mind games by ANY player, Santoro has been the Master for years. However, opponents should try to switch off, and not ALLOW themselves to be intimidated, resulting in loss of confidence and possible defeat. The more sensitive types need to apply an extra layer of skin, a very thick one.
Eva said
Defrogerer, I go with your final assessment. Roger is the One!
However, one must remember that he has already a very demanding training and fitness schedule. That youg lefty player Fed played with in Dubai–is it Cohen?-has said how incredibly hard Fed trains and practices.
But I don;t understand this stuff about Djoke’s “strength of youth, quickness around the court. Remember when Ferrer was hot at Shanghai Masters Cup, and how everybody remarked how quick he was on the court?
Then came the match between Ferrer and Fed, and suddenly the commentators started to say that Fed may be even faster. See what I mean by switching around opinions?
KYou are lucky Defrogerer, toi have all those matches. I would like to acquire them myself, at some point too.
So there you are. What quicker getting around? What more engergy? How did Djoke fare at the Masters Cup? Remember that?
I don’t believe in gamesmanship, and I think it does not suit the game. Trying to behave stupidly is not going to get the player where he wants, and ma u permanently damage his standing and following globally.
What I believe in is following the rules. The umpires, and the tournaments and ATP must make lsure that such scenes do not happen as did at the AO. And it wasn’t because of the French fans. And taking extra time, and constant time-outs, should be monitored. I found it funny that in the final Djoke had “injured his ham-string” at some point, but then proceeded to run around, as always, without any effect, other than shaking his leg.
Tennis is all about competition and playing the very best tennis that a player can manage. It should not be about Sharapova’s screams to intimidate, nor Serena swinging her racket back and forth in what seems like a threatening gesture at the net with her opponnet before a match. That is not needed, and actually looks silly. Surely she had already swing her hands before coming to the court.
So it’s not about being sensitive. It’s about the fact that there are rules, and for a reason. But anything else, other than celebrating a point won, does not belong there. What next,curse a player’s mother out?
As for threats, every tournaments, all of them, always pose a threat.
Jenny said
Hi Eva
Re the rules. Agree, the rules are there to be applied and should be. Unfortunately, some umpires are inconsistent and will sometimes turn a blind eye to blatant delay tactics and other indiscretions. Has anyone heard Murray be warned about his use of loud expletives in the past? and yet Keifer was warned for using a quiet one which hardly any one heard, possibly by the line judge. Question of one rule for one….The umpires need to tighten up their act IMO.
faith said
I found it funny that in the final Djoke had “injured his ham-string” at some point, but then proceeded to run around,
He didn’t call a medical time out when he beat RF did he?