2018 Miami Open...ATP 1000...Miami, Florida, USA

[don_budge]

My dear old tennis coach used to tell me that you had to play five tournaments to peak for the tournament you want to peak at. Roger played the first of his last five exactly five months ago. He is losing that edge. What a masterful job he has done to eek out what he has from his body and his skills. I admire him for that. Look at the results of those last five. Notice too that the top names in the game are noticeably absent in his run.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/players/roger-federer/f324/player-activity?year=all

Realistically it is not enough match play to stay "match tough". The tipping point. Arguably skipping the French buys him time and rest. But the flip side of the coin is that he needs matches to stay sharp. A dilemma that has no viable solution. He is weighing every little thing and soon he will come to the realization...the inevitable. I type this with a tear in my eye.

[don_budge]

You ready...fine. Let's make this the one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KmactMIhrRM

I'll never find another you...The Seekers 1965

[stotty]

That was a great performance from Kokkinakis. He was under pressure throughout on his own serve while Roger mostly cruised through his. You felt sooner or later Kokkinakis would capitulate, he didn't. Usually when Roger turns the screw like that, he gets his reward.

Full marks to Kokkinakis who kept pummelling Roger and forced him back into defensive mode many times over

The last four matches Roger has found himself defending more than usual; physically that's going to hurt. He simply has to cruise 75% of the time not to get overrun by the tide of "new gen" kids stepping up to knock his block off. That said, Roger's defence the last four matches has been the best I've seen it. It would just be nice to avoid it at 36.

[stroke]

It happens to the best of them. Father Time stops for nobody.

I wonder...what I saw the last two tournaments was a lack of match play. Del Potro has become hardened under the strain of playing so many weeks in a row. But Roger has a dilemma. There is only so much he can put his body through at this point in time. His mind and psyche are fragile as well...how many more miles can he put on that engine. There is a tipping point and that point is where it is time to call it quits. The tipping point for a tennis player is where he cannot put in the necessary work to become match tough without putting too much strain on the body. What I saw was rust. It was evident last week yet he fought like a dog. Yesterday he couldn't do even that. The time is coming close where we are looking at the post-Roger Federer era in tennis. This will be a sad day for all and me in particular.

My teaching paradigm is William Tilden is the book. Richard Gonzalez is the model with the Don Budge backhand. Harry Hopman is the coach. Roger Federer is the Living Proof. It's roots are in old school and fundamentals. Wooden racquets. Roger is the only example of tennis that can conceivably trace it's roots back to tennis when tennis was tennis. Remember that song...American Pie. That is an old song too.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uAsV5-Hv-7U

"And the three men I admire most: The father, son, and the Holy Ghost, they caught the last train for the coast...the day the music died"

He will be the favorite at Wimbledon and I think he will win it. Skipping the clay season is a no brainer for him.

[stroke]

That was a great performance from Kokkinakis. He was under pressure throughout on his own serve while Roger mostly cruised through his. You felt sooner or later Kokkinakis would capitulate, he didn't. Usually when Roger turns the screw like that, he gets his reward.

Full marks to Kokkinakis who kept pummelling Roger and forced him back into defensive mode many times over

The last four matches Roger has found himself defending more than usual; physically that's going to hurt. He simply has to cruise 75% of the time not to get overrun by the tide of "new gen" kids stepping up to knock his block off. That said, Roger's defence the last four matches has been the best I've seen it. It would just be nice to avoid it at 36.

So true

[stroke]

Roger's comeback was a good achievement but not as incredible as is made out. A meniscus tear is a three month lay off at the very most. The outcome of the surgery is nearly always successful. Roger spent at least half of that 6 month layoff training. We all know that now. It's not a secret.

Djokovic has hardly hit a ball for 9 months. Luckily he was at least able to train on maintaining his footwork.The outcome for elbows is far less certain. Tim Henman still has elbow problems today and he's been retired a decade. For some, it never clears up.

Murray's predicament is worse than Roger and Djokovic's put together, and some. No play for a year, and laid up and unable to train on footwork or anything that will contribute to tennis. It's a disaster.

Boris Becker, who resides in London and simply cannot resist a passing microphone no matter how minor the editorial, says Djokovic doesn't have his heart in it. Once Djokovic had won his four majors in succession, Boris says he could't get him out to practice with any kind of intensity. He thinks Djokovic is bluffing about his return. He might be right.

Novak situation is reminding me a small bit of Wilander, who won 3 of 4 majors in 1988 at age 24/25 and never won another major

[stotty]

Novak situation is reminding me a small bit of Wilander, who won 3 of 4 majors in 1988 at age 24/25 and never won another major

Well you can't help feeling these attritional game-styles have a limited lifespan, and perhaps mentally more than physically. Slugging out long rallies and edging perhaps 60% of those rallies by slight technical advantage and superior movement is damned hard work. Matts wasn't dissimilar, not Borg, and they both reached a point where they couldn't stomach it anymore. You can understand it.

That's where Roger has the advantage. He can shortcut points and, probably, it is this aspect makes the game more interesting for Roger himself, not just us.

I have a hell of a lot of time for Novak. The game has really missed him and his absence has made it one-way traffic for Roger over the last 18 months or so. I would love to see Novak back at his best if only for another year.

The Kokkinakis result over Roger shows a lot in a way. It seems like Roger towers above the rest of the pack by an ocean, but it only takes a little dip in form and he is there for the taking like the rest of them. That big gap perhaps isn't so big as it appears at times.

The amazing thing about Roger is that he is usually within 5% of his best form. He is literally great every time he walks out on court. I have never known that to the same degree in on other great player, past or present...except perhaps Novak during his 5-year reign.

[stroke]

Sampras had that shortcut thing going on too in a different way, way different. But he was out of the game way before Roger and really before that last US Open win, he had not really been competing that well. You are right, Roger stands alone. And without Novak or Nadal, Roger may have had 40 Majors.

[don_budge]

Filip Krajinovic defeats Benoit Paire who defeated Novak Djokovic...

So much for these huge wins over the big names. The big names aren't what they used to be. Big wins? It has to be put in perspective and Filip Krajinovic handled the question about Benoit Paire nicely. Paire beat Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 and then was trounced out of the Miami Open by Filip Krajinovic 6-3, 6-3. So much for Paire.

Let's see what happens to Kokkinakis in the next round against Fernando Verdasco. Just to get a little perspective about the state of Roger Federer. Kokkinakis ranked what? #175? So number one beaten by #175? Something doesn't add up. When was the last time a number one ranked player was beaten by someone ranked so low? klacr? Anyone?

[stotty]

Del Potro dispatches Nishikori with aplomb. Playing well, isn't he? He must be strong favourite to win the tournament from here on.

[don_budge]

Del Potro dispatches Nishikori with aplomb. Playing well, isn't he? He must be strong favourite to win the tournament from here on.

He sure is playing well and is there ANYBODY in the field that can derail this Argentine Freight Train? Kokkinakis? Think he will get to the finals? Juan Martin is just rounding into top form as he has been playing consistent high level tennis for a number of weeks now. Along the way he has been picking up confidence as evidenced in his hard earned victory over Roger Federer in the finals of Indian Wells. I noticed a number of times Federer had pulled Del Potro clear off of the court with his forehand crosscourt to the Del Potro forehand side and Juan Martin would respond with the riskier down the line forehand. He not only went down the line but he went with a vengeance and just blew the ball by a helpless Federer. On the match points that Del Potro faced tennis_chiro observed he was also winning these with aggressive play. That's confidence.

I didn't see this match against Nishikori but here is another top player who is not himself. It seems that once these guys are injured and layoff for any amount of time it is difficult to get back in the saddle.

I haven't looked much after the Federer defeat...the tournament loses a lot of air...but I will. Judging by all that we know it looks as if Juan Martin can put himself squarely in the drivers seat once the tournament develops into its final stages. The top half is depleted with the absence of Federer and the bottom half wasn't that tough to begin with. Federer's loss is one of those inexplicable losses that he suffers and sometimes appears that he is not interested in winning. He shanked so many forehands once again yet he was in position to win. He basically snatched defeat from the jaws of victory once more. Go figure.

[gzhpcu]

Shame that nobody is imitating Rogers game to shorten points. Coric and Shapolalov had one exchange that went 33 shots. Murder for the body in the long range.

[stotty]

Shame that nobody is imitating Rogers game to shorten points. Coric and Shapolalov had one exchange that went 33 shots. Murder for the body in the long range.

They had a good game last night. Coric ground Shapolalov out of it in the end. I think Shapolalov is going to be decent.

[gzhpcu]

What I wonder is why nobody is copying the Federer type game. It has shown to be easier on the body and promotes longevity. Not that it is easy: takes talent and discipline.

[1alexander]

The annoying thing is kokinakis loses in the next round and does a dustin brown with nadal at Wimbledon so screws the tournament up for everybody to watch. Fed was tired that's all after a long week in Indian wells. Everybody looks into the match and analyses what happened when a fresh fed would've kicked his arse.