Monte Carlo, ATP 1000

[jimlosaltos]

I actually like Rune's serve. He keeps it very simple, kind of a narrow platform Roddick set up, pushing off of both feet somewhat equally. I think he does have a decent kick serve, not Hurcatz good, but good enough. He lost the match to Rublev serving at 5-5. First 2 points, he bosses the point and Rublev throws up defensive lobs on both points that were going to land around the service line or a bit deeper. Rune misses both overheads to go down love 30. He loses the next point, love 40 now. Then he double faults to get broken. Rublev then, boosted by what had just happened, served out the match. I was thinking when Nadal bossed points on clay and got a defensive lob, which happened a lot as he did a lot of bossing, I can only recall him missing one overhead ever.

Thanks for sharing. Yes, match could have gone either way to the end. Botched overhead "might" be a symptom of tired legs, but no, Nadal doesn't miss either even if it was at the end of a 5 hour match

On Rune's serve. Forgive me if I already mentioned this, but after the Australian Open I thought he didn't have a kicker at all. if he used it once in his 5 setter vs Rublev then, I missed it. Against Sinner he showed a very good one and used it yesterday vs Rublev. But Rune only won 38% of second serve points vs 52% for Rublev. I was surprised when I saw that. Watching the match, Rune was brutalizing, attacking Rublev second serves -- so how, with all the problems we have all seen with Rublev's second serve, did the Russian win so many points on his second and Rune so few? Rublev is a good returner but he's hardly Murray, Djokovic, Schwartzman good.

Like you, I was expecting Rune' backhand to help him control court position, push Rublev around a bit. But Rune lost the backhand battle somehow, negative 15 on the backhand (8 winners vs 23 UFE) while Rublev was negative 7 (5 winners 12 UFEs).

Also, Rune was only 8 of 20 at the net. I thought he looked pretty good at the net vs Sinner.

Perhaps just a bad day at the office. Reminding myself he's only 19 yo.

[don_budge]

I think in retrospect it looks as if Novak Djokovic did himself a favor with his disappearing act against Mussetti. I don't think he had back to back matches with Sinner and Rune as something he may be up to at this point. Or he is just saving it for another day. Performance is the end. All else are means to an end. His focus is on the French Open. His performance there will be void of any questions of motivation. Between Sinner and Rune are a lot of horsepower in the legs. Novak's big consideration these days are in his legs. He has reached that point. This is why he was able to dominate Roger Federer once Federer hit the age of 32 or so. You begin to go over the hill and it all feels to be uphill from here on out.

A more favorable format for Novak this week. A good chance to get some much needed match play in the run up to the French Open which is his target at this point. The competition is not nearly as daunting. Rafael Nadal is measuring his steps as well. He pulled out of Barcelona. Nadal might be another story as he might be in decline. Perhaps he is somewhere on the sidelines juicing up to once again emerge from hibernation as some sort of superman. At any rate...it is all about preparation now for the Roland Garros target date. Preparation...preparation...preparation is the mantra of a tennis player. Coach Collins told me more than once that you play five tournaments in order to peak for the target. Both Novak and Nadal understand to the last infintismal detail what it takes to get there and get the job done. They can hit the ground running if they have too. Maybe not as good as Federer but they know how to measure each and every precious step leading up to the target.

[don_budge]

DB may have a point.

Nah...not possible.

[stroke]

I actually like Rune's serve. He keeps it very simple, kind of a narrow platform Roddick set up, pushing off of both feet somewhat equally. I think he does have a decent kick serve, not Hurcatz good, but good enough. He lost the match to Rublev serving at 5-5. First 2 points, he bosses the point and Rublev throws up defensive lobs on both points that were going to land around the service line or a bit deeper. Rune misses both overheads to go down love 30. He loses the next point, love 40 now. Then he double faults to get broken. Rublev then, boosted by what had just happened, served out the match. I was thinking when Nadal bossed points on clay and got a defensive lob, which happened a lot as he did a lot of bossing, I can only recall him missing one overhead ever.

[jimlosaltos]

Rune hardly ever uses the backhand slice in rallies. Now I know why watching him vs Rublev. His bh slice is nowhere close to the gold standard Fed knifing slice. Rune's really floats, which is a bit surprising because his form on his bh drop shot is very good. Based on that, I would have thought he would produce a much better quality rally slice than he does.

Lots positive about Rune on display this week. He'd already shown his great groundies off both sides and ability to hold the baseline against big hitters.

Now, he's also displayed great touch on drop shots, good net play vs Sinner (but apparently not today?), ability to attack second serves, strong Serve + 1 offense .... all at 19 yo.

[jimlosaltos]

Rune hardly ever uses the backhand slice in rallies. Now I know why watching him vs Rublev. His bh slice is nowhere close to the gold standard Fed knifing slice. Rune's really floats, which is a bit surprising because his form on his bh drop shot is very good. Based on that, I would have thought he would produce a much better quality rally slice than he does.

If you get a second, what did you think of Rune' serve, particularly his second serve in this final? (I have not yet watched)

I thought Rune served tremendously vs Sinner - far better than he served at the Australian Open. Plus, I was pleasantly surprised that he hit some excellent kick serves vs Sinner. I had come to think he was like FAA or Arnya, having no kick serve at all. In his loss to Rublev at the Australian, I don't recall a single kick serve in 5 sets. Now, I may well have missed a few. It's not like I was charting the match.

As for you comment on Rune bachand slice, I was wondering about that in the semifinal. Seemed like Sinner hit the solitary slice backhand in the entire match.

[stroke]

Starting 3rd set, Rune is attempting to move forward some but his volleys often do not get the job done.

[stroke]

Tough 1st set loss 7-5 for Rublev. He had better winners to errors stats, and more break points, but lost it anyway, as sometimes happens when one does not win the big timely points.

[stroke]

Rune hardly ever uses the backhand slice in rallies. Now I know why watching him vs Rublev. His bh slice is nowhere close to the gold standard Fed knifing slice. Rune's really floats, which is a bit surprising because his form on his bh drop shot is very good. Based on that, I would have thought he would produce a much better quality rally slice than he does.

[stroke]

Rune is definitely hurting Rublev with his dr. feelgood backhand dropper to the short deuce court. He is also really bothering Rublev by attacking his second serve. Rune cam really move forward and lean on that backhand return.

[stroke]

Rune is the favorite vs Rublev with an implied probability of winning at just over 63%. Certainly no surprise there. DB may have a point. So many dangerous young guys out there now that are very good clay court players, I am not sure Novak has the motivation any more to do what he would have to do physically to win a Masters 1000 on clay. The FO will be very interesting though. He certainly still wants the Majors, and even though it is best of 5 sets, he does get a day off between matches, which he does not get in the Masters 1000's at the business end of the tournament. And he already has, far and away, the most accomplishments at Masters 1000's. Just not much motivation for him at this point.

[don_budge]

I think in retrospect it looks as if Novak Djokovic did himself a favor with his disappearing act against Mussetti. I don't think he had back to back matches with Sinner and Rune as something he may be up to at this point. Or he is just saving it for another day. Performance is the end. All else are means to an end. His focus is on the French Open. His performance there will be void of any questions of motivation. Between Sinner and Rune are a lot of horsepower in the legs. Novak's big consideration these days are in his legs. He has reached that point. This is why he was able to dominate Roger Federer once Federer hit the age of 32 or so. You begin to go over the hill and it all feels to be uphill from here on out.

Novak could just run out of gas at some point and very possibly some point soon. With the young gang now maturing and him having to face round after round of fresh legs...it looks to be very daunting. Let's see how it plays out.

Now it Rune versus the man without a country. Without a flag. Soon they will take his name from him. It was really sporting to see Fritz and Rublev meet at the net after their match. The two countries are at war with each other...yet they could just easily put it aside and play a little tennis.

[jimlosaltos]

Rune routines Med in 1st set, really pushing him around and hurting him with very good drop shots. It will be interesting to see Med's response.

And Rune used droppers vs Sinner.

To think players used to be embarrassed to resort to a "bail out shot". Now, it's the trendy thing on ATP, thanks to Carlos.

Had not seen this touch from Rune before. ++++

[jimlosaltos]

Daddy is a world class coach. Watched him carefully over three or four practice sessions - and he's one the best on the tour. Runs a very well organized practice and treats the hitting partners like gold. The son - walked past a group of young fans without signing autographs ... and, I did not really like a lot of his interaction with his team. Best to not say more. Other players always whine about his dad - but, it's a good tactic - complain against the old man, say he is doing this and that, pin the kid against dad, good narrative - etc ... it's a great tactic. Dad seems fine. I saw a old Ukrainian player that acted like this Tsitsipas - he acted this way at 45 ... some never learn and he pissed away a superb career. I called him out on it and told him it doesn't fly in pro sports ... he went away pouting like a 6 year old child - baby. Borje Salming the Swede who passed away is probably the gold standard for how to interact with kids, players, etc ... he was a great guy - sad he passed away - such a great player ...

read this ... great story ...

A lesson to all NHL stars who balk at signing autographs for a kid: you never know what that kid is going to be when he grows up.

As a 14-year-old in 1983, Brendan Shanahan approached Leafs star Rick Vaive for an autograph.

Vaive turned the kid down.

And the snub would stay tucked away in Shanahan's memory.

"When I was 14 years old I was skating in the summertime at a rink in Toronto," recalled the Mimico native. "Rick Vaive happened to be skating at an adjoining rink and we were actually in dressing rooms that were right next to each other. I went in when he was sort of settled and asked him for an autograph. I didn't get the best response from Rick Vaive at that time."

Retelling the story to the Newark Ledger and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman's radio show, Shanahan never forgot the snub.

His career rocketed, with the Devils selecting him in the first round in 1987. He'd eventually meet up with Vaive four years later, the two lining up for a faceoff in Buffalo when Vaive was finishing out his career with the Sabres.

"Fast forward four years later and Rick Vaive is waiting for a meaningless faceoff in Buffalo," Shanahan said. "He's now playing for the Sabres. He's lined up next to some 18-year-old kid from New Jersey. When the puck dropped, I attacked Rick Vaive.
"It was a quiet, uneventful game. He couldn't believe the rage I had, not only in attacking him, but it took two (linesmen) to restrain me afterwards and throw me in the penalty box."

Vaive hardly knew what hit him. He approached former teammate Jim Korn – then with the Devils – to find out what was wrong with Shanahan.

"He said... `By the way, what's wrong with that kid and why was he coming after me?'" said Shanahan. "Jim Korn said, `Apparently he asked you for an autograph when he was a little kid and you weren't that friendly to him. So he's harboured those feelings since then.'"

Vaive approached Shanahan about three years ago in Toronto and introduced him to his 14-year-old son – with different results.

"I signed the autograph, took a picture and gave him a piggy-back," Shanahan said. "I didn't want karma to come back and get me."

Good story.

I don't know how good a coach Apostolos is. But many of the good tennis parents become "general contractors" later. We'll see who and if he brings in.

As for Tsitsipas, I've seen him be very gracious. But he gets grumpy in some matches. Might have been the case.

Also, I'm guessing he is NOT over his shoulder injury, and is still unhappy for new ATP rules that, he seems to feel, "forced" him to play injured in Indian Wells and Miami. So, perhaps some slack there?

[jimlosaltos]

What a match. Rune has to be the favorite vs Rublev. He was so impressive.

Indeed. Tough, tough conditions for both. 19 yo showed up big.