Does Isner Have a Chance? I thought Gilles Simon would get enough returns in play to dominate John Isner in rallies. I figured Isner might win one set in a tie-break, but that Simon would be too much. I was wrong. Can he beat Andy Murray? The positive side of me thinks Isner has one…
Category: Professional Tennis
Rafael Nadal Labor Leader?
Impressed I know some people referred to Rafael Nadal’s reaction to the short court time in misty conditions yesterday as “venomous.” Still, Nadal joined notorious rebels such as Stefan Edberg and Mats Wilander who stalled before their 1987 US Open semifinal match as a protest against what the two Swedes saw as disastrous scheduling….
Jimmy Connors Part 1
Jimmy Made an Early Impression My earliest tennis memories involve my father playing on Saturdays with a friend of his and Jimmy Connors winning the 1982 Wimbledon final over John McEnroe in 5 sets. I was 6 years old when Connors won his second Wimbledon title and had no idea how big of a tournament…
Who are the Beneficiaries of a Washout?
This is a quick post due to a slow day. I think the player who emerges from the Djokovic side of the draw will have an advantage on the final Sunday. If Nadal’s side of the draw has to play back-to-back on Wednesday and Thursday and again on Saturday and Sunday, it would be logical…
Quick Picks for Men’s US Open 9-6-2011
Andy Murray vs. Donald Young Murray can throw out a really odd or off effort. Still, the odds of Young beating Murray twice this year seem pretty low to me. I see Murray winning in 3 or 4 sets. Gilles Muller vs. Rafael Nadal Rafa has looked shaky since Wimbledon. Muller played Rafa tough on…
Mini Renaissance for US Men
Golden Age I will be the first to say that the handling of tennis in th United States has at times bordered on being criminally negligent. From 1989-2002 one generation of US born players won at least one Grand Slam title per year. In 2003, Andy Roddick extended the streak by one more year. Did…
Roddick’s Big Chance
2009 Heartbreak Andy Roddick lost to Roger Federer in the Wimbledon final for the 3rd time in 2009. The match went to 16-14 in the fifth set with Roddick being almost unbreakable during the final showdown. Roddick’s close loss to Federer as well as his out muscling of Andy Murray in the semifinals did revive…
Why not Grind with Nadal?
Everyone knows that Rafael Nadal likes to play long points and plays slowly between points. My theory has always been that Rafa has the best powers of concentration on tour so playing slowly gives Nadal a comparative advantage. A long match means that his opponent’s mind may wonder. Throw in Nadal’s exuberance and physique and…
Previewing the US Open Sunday September 4, 2011
Men’s Matches Rafael Nadal’s Quarter The Nadal-Nalbandian match is intriguing. If Nalbandian can hold up physically, I think he has a chance at the upset. Rafa has not looked sharp since Wimbledon, and David Nalbandian is exceptionally good at changing pace and direction during a rally. This skill somewhat blunts Rafa’s ability to grind and…
Michael Russell
This is more of a musing than a full length post, but anyone who has tried to play tennis has to appreciate Michael Russell. His game is not overwhelming, but he has obviously pushed himself to maximize his abilities. As a tennis player and fan, I have to give him great credit. In his…
Tennis Abides: Dan Martin on Tennis and Life 