Paris Masters ATP 1000

[stotty]

Well, Roger's in the house and set to play Fognini any moment now as I write. Novak has cruised through to the second round where he took on and steamrollered Dzumhur into submission. It's the Novak show all over again for another two or three years by the look of it...or can Roger stand in his way.

Here's the draw: http://www.protennislive.com/posting/2018/352/mds.pdf

[stotty]

I missed Roger's match versus Fognini but the scoreline suggests he was efficient about things. Good to see Thiem and Zverev getting through today. Poor old Isner lost in a really tight affair in his match.

The draw isn't too interesting just yet. Novak and Roger are slated to meet in the semis....might be worth watching that one.

[klacr]

Paris is such a great tournament. Shame that it happens as the last tournament of the year (excluding the Top 8) and by this time every player is arriving with injuries. Berdych won this event in 2005. Sorry, it's been months since I made a Berdych reference so please forgive me for this one.

Kyle LaCroix USPTA
Boca Raton

[stroke]

Khachanov Zverev was a dud, Alex appeared to have some kind of shoulder issue and clearly was not up to the fight, Sock's forehand is on clear display early vs Thiem. We will see.

[stotty]

Roger strolled past Nishikori in routine fashion. Novak got through in three against Cilic but I missed the contest. I wonder if Roger can make a better game of it than when he last played Novak. What's the court speed? What are the odds?

[stroke]

Novak is listed as about 73% chance of winning vs Fed. Clearly, the oddsmakers are liking what Novak has been doing lately.

[stroke]

Novak wins the 1st set 8-6 in tiebreaker. Very high quality set from both players. Novak as per usual is winning more long baseline exchanges.

[bman]

Great match! Novak probably the slightly better player overall today, but good to see that Federer can still compete at this level. Federer also needs to figure out a way not to play awful in deciding set tiebreakers. (Del Potro, Khokannakis, just in the last 6 months).

[stotty]

I watched the first two sets on replay. Roger was almost exclusively hitting sliced backhands in the first set which was a decent tactical manoeuvre. You can understand why he would opt to do it. Nevertheless Novak looked the much more comfortable of the two in the rallies and had the more chances to break. You felt Novak would always win that first set.

I thought Roger's opted to shot-make much more in the second set and he hit some real corkers. He played a lovely tactical game to break Novak and steal the set. I prefer it when Roger uses the slice and dice stuff right in the crux.

I will watch the third set tomorrow.

[bottle]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/more/la-sp-tennis-20181104-story.html

[stotty]

http://www.latimes.com/sports/more/l...104-story.html

Can't open this article...seems to be only viewable from inside the US...

[bottle]

Can't open this article...seems to be only viewable from inside the US...

But you know what happened, right?

[don_budge]

I watched the first two sets on replay. Roger was almost exclusively hitting sliced backhands in the first set which was a decent tactical manoeuvre. You can understand why he would opt to do it. Nevertheless Novak looked the much more comfortable of the two in the rallies and had the more chances to break. You felt Novak would always win that first set.

I thought Roger's opted to shot-make much more in the second set and he hit some real corkers. He played a lovely tactical game to break Novak and steal the set. I prefer it when Roger uses the slice and dice stuff right in the crux.

I will watch the third set tomorrow.

"Do you or ( anyone else) have any comments or video examples of any pros closing in with a flat block like Mac?"

Yes sir...Doc. What about Roger Federer for instance? Much has been made of Roger's "new" found ability to come over the backhand and drive it with gusto. But much less has made about the fact that generally speaking when the match is trekking into the danger zone...the touchy feely zone where push comes to shove, Roger makes sound tactical use of the block and slice returns off of the backhand to insure he gets the ball back in play number one but equally important he gets the ball back in play WHERE he wants his opponent to play from. I often wonder why Federer doesn't just stick with the slice/block return throughout. At least as option number one.

Looking at all of the videos that John has generously bestowed upon us in the "Stroke Archive", McEnroe looks to be blocking most of his returns on the backhand side and he blocks with different variations including flatter balls and balls with a modicum of topspin. I love that word...borrowed it from the original Don Budge backhand.

Much is made of Federer the tennis player and the beauty of his strokes. But beyond the technique is the ability to produce tactics and it never ceases to amaze me that it is the slice and blocked backhands that he sends back to his opponent that seem to befuddle them. Rarely to you see any player really able do something serious with these neutralizing shots. Even Novak Djokovic is hand tied when Federer is able to get some teeth on his slice or block. The power is in the control...elements of speed, spin and placement. Many times it is the lack of speed that befuddles the opponent. Take the air out of the ball so to speak. Other times he uses this technique to hit short and low to the two handed backhand which seems to have a built in weak spot in this vicinity.

That's right Stotty...when push comes to shove Federer is going to use this "slice and dice" tactic to set up either the knockout or his opponent is going to lose patience and do something unadvisedly...namely make a stupid mistake. Rarely, if ever is the opponent going to take real advantage of a Federer well played slice. This is a keen observation when understanding the advantage of the one handed backhand game as compared to the two handed backhand. One of many tactical facets to be explored.

The "slice and dice" is tantamount to the "rope-a-dope" used famously by Cassius Clay.

[bottle]

Magnifico!

[gzhpcu]

Can't open this article...seems to be only viewable from inside the US...

I see it without any problem...