You don't have to have played tennis to have realized that he won today in one of the greatest matches ever on center court. It's hard to believe that Nadal lost, at the end of the 4th set it looked to me like Federer was done for, Nadal was getting stronger and more confident. Then to be down 15-40 twice in the final set to pull it out, shows what kind of heart he has. Congrats to a great champion.
:lol: Terry O' you are right in stating that the Wimbledon's finals between Federer and Nadal was a riveting event to watch as two super athletes banged away at each other. The one minor deficiency that Nadal has vs Federer is that he uses a two-handed backhand while Federer has a faster reaction time with a one hand backhand and a greater reach. That little bit of difference was the clincher as Federer kept Nadal hitting off his backhand while he lined him up for a down the line pass shot of spectacular precision. Roger Federer to me is up there with #23 and Tiger Woods....there never has been such a overpowering and stable tennis prodigy as Roger.....who now has won 35 straight grass courts matches and his fifth straight Wimbledon.........he'll win at least three more if not six before he's done unless injury sidelines him.
I thought it was interesting that Johnny Mac observed that the high ball to Federers backhand was the Nadal strategy in the French and he kept pressing it at Wimbleton due to the courts giving more bounce than the old courts. I thought Nadal had him after the 4th set, dunno what happened to Nadal in the 5th he couldn't seal the deal when he had him 15-40 twice!! Maybe his knee was the issue in the fifth. But Federer had all he could handle and up until the 5th set never really got anything off of Nadals serve. I wonder if Nadal will have a good hardcourt season, it would seem that the hardcourts in the US might give him just enough edge to get him by Federer. I think he has beaten Federer something like 8 out of the 14 times they have played.
:lol: Nadal is a machine on clay courts......bouncy topspin shots and kick serves always throw opponents off balance with a weak return of serve allowing Rafael to dominate the point. In grass its usually a non factor due to the lack of bounce the ball has.....it skids and stays low....even if Nadal had kept the ball high grass changes the character of the balls trajectory and speed. What killed Nadal is the two handed backhand.......only Agassi used the two handed backhand with deft and expertise.....its too complicated a motion to be a stable weapon. I know......I changed....my game is far faster and more predictable
:lol: there s only two male players who have won five Wimbledons....Bjorn Borg and Roger Federer Both have a one hand backhand
Here is a good picture of Bjorn's backhand. Note the position of his hands: An old article from CBS Sportsline:
Two comments: 1. Two-handed vs. one-handed backhand. As a younger man I was a decent tennis player, generally not as good as the people I played but always competitive. I tried the two-handed backhand and didn't like it. I thought it took something away from the shot....power? speed? I was much more confident and comfortable with the one-handed backhand. 2. The Great Federer. He very well may be the best ever, but it won't be known until his career has come to an end. Here we go again, this instant gratification society of ours, always wanting the very best ever in anything to be here and now, directly before our eyes. The fawning media certainly feeds the monster. I believe that the "best" relates to each generation and the unique circumstances and challenges that exist within them. I'm sure that belief puts me in a small minority, but that's how I feel.
You were way ahead of your time experimenting with the 2 handed backhand Sid!! Anybody remember Monica Seles, she played two handed both sides and was once the worlds top female tennis player till somebody came out of the crowd and stabbed her. She was never the same. Also anybody notice that the women squeal/grunt when they hit the ball and the men don't.
Terry, Actually, I was trying something I had seen at the time from the professionals. I could be mistaken, but I believe Chris Evert was the first to be successful with it. At least she was among the first. Re: the grunting/squealing, IMO it detracts from the enjoyment of the match. It usually is a repetitively bothersome sound. Having said that, I must confess that it's been a long time since I've watched a women's match.
I was assuming that you were talking about your HS days, which if my math is correct. would have been 57-61, right? Hard to imagine you saw anybody hit a two handed backhand then. But Chris Everett did hit one and was one of the first to do it and win big with it. But that was the 70's. Jimmy Connors also hit a 2 hander, again the 70's.
I didn't start playing until college and continued to play throughout the 70s and early 80s. It must have been around the time you cited that I tried the two-handed backhand. Quick story. I learned to play tennis by playing two people: my college roommate who had been a #1 singles player in HS and at the invitation of a priest acquaintance on campus who was very active in tennis and handball. He had several students, including me, on his "call list" and he would rotate among us for games. When the cold weather came, he/we would move indoors to the Rock for handball. Over time in handaball, I noticed his tendency to call close shots in his favor and even some shots that clearly were "out". I lived with this for quite awhile until I was certain that it was a continuing problem and not just a once-in-awhile occurrence. One day I called him on it. He said nothing at the time, but I never heard from him again after that. I can't remember his name.
Sid's modesty is sometimes gets in the way of hard edged reporting. He was quite the player in his day, in fact, I did a little research and found this photo of Sid Baker in action. 8)
Hey Terry! See my one-handed backhand in George's photo? (Actually, believe it or not, that's not me. I'm left-handed. :roll: ) Joel was cute as a young man! :lol:
:lol: Bjorn Borg was a one hander backhand player who used two hands infrequently. Rod Laver, who still holds a bunch of records.....a one hander backhand If you have been to some majors ( like I have), the men do grunt but a much lower volume than the women. At Bolleteri they teach you to use an "eeeeeeeeeeeeee....umph" timing using your vocal cords to get good and systematic rhythm in your shots. Sid.......I am a leftie at tennis too.......a rightie at golf.