Turn Back the Clock: Federer vs. Ferrero 2004

Roger Federer’s 6-2, 5-7, 6-1 win over Juan Carlos Ferrero got me thinking about an earlier match between the two in which far more was at stake 2004 Federer vs. Ferrero in Melbourne It is easy to forget how well Juan Carlos Ferrero played in 2003.  At the end of the 2003 season, a split…

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Federer aims at number #1 rank

Originally posted on Yashaswini's Zone:
After capturing the Madrid Open title and knowing he will climb back above Rafa Nadal to number two in the world, Roger Federer has set his sights on reclaiming the top ranking.. The resurgent 30-year-old Swiss came from a set down to beat Tomas Berdych in the Madrid final…

Blue Clay Angst is a Sad Moment for Tennis

Counter Factual Time Imagine the organizers at the Key Biscayne event announcing, “Because we are the last event before the European clay court season starts, we will be changing our tournament from a hard court event to a green clay event as a transition to softer courts.”  Would the same players be up in arms…

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Madrid Wrap: Postmodern Adaptation

Originally posted on All I need is a picket fence …:
Federer pondering the same question we’ve all struggled with for the past year: how the fuck are you meant to hold this thing without sniggering? Let us skip the boring parts shall we: one paragraph about how untouchable Berdych was in the first set – committing…

Power Ranking for the Week of May 14 – May 20

Dan Martin’s 2012 Power Rankings for the Week of May 14 through May 20 (a lot of changes from the last few weeks) 1.  Novak Djokovic – Novak is the number one player in the world, but the next few months will be interesting. 2. Roger Federer – Titles in Dubai, Rotterdam, Indian Wells and Madrid…

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Power Ranking for the Week of May 7 – May 13

Dan Martin’s 2012 Power Rankings for the Week of May 7 through May 13 1.  Novak Djokovic – Novak is the number one player in the world, but he will face challenges to remain number one in 2012. 2. Rafael Nadal – He is the greatest ever on clay.  Can he master blue clay in an elevated…

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Rare Species: 90’s Style Tennis

Endangered Species While I do not feel as rare as the East African Bongo (pictured above), I was watching some top junior players in my region hitting.  They all hit with extreme grips, generated a lot of topspin and hit two-handed backhands that were slightly different from the form I observed as a kid (I…

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