Tennis Random, Random (On Court)

[meganfernandez]

I think that unfortunately, Roger will play Basel this fall as a farewell. He is 41. We have to admit that, and I wonder if he will.

I think he is totally accepting of his reality. I’m sure he has thought about this a lot more than anyone else and is prepared to stop if he can’t get healthy enough to compete. He has always had a great perspective.


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[ashkor87]

I think that unfortunately, Roger will play Basel this fall as a farewell. He is 41. We have to admit that, and I wonder if he will.

I think he is totally accepting of his reality. I’m sure he has thought about this a lot more than anyone else and is prepared to stop if he can’t get healthy enough to compete. He has always had a great perspective.


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It should be at Wimbledon but he is too modest for that, I suspect...

[Deuce]

Yes, it would be nice, and fitting, for him to 'say goodbye' at Wimbledon. And I think he'd probably prefer to do that, under normal circumstances. But I don't think he'd be physically capable of playing there this year - would he be?

And even if he would be, with the Russian/Belarusian cloud hanging over Wimbledon this year, it would not be a good setting for Roger's curtain call.

[ponchi101]

...
It should be at Wimbledon but he is too modest for that, I suspect...

His injury happened on grass, and maybe he and his team have decided that coming back on that same surface can be risky.
Retiring at home will be fitting too. I just hope he will let the tournament end before an announcement. Or, of course, for some good luck to happen and for him to win it. Retire holding a trophy.

[Deuce]

This has been in the back of my mind for a while - Marie Bouzkova has a rather unique facial appearance, and it really reminded me of someone - but I couldn't figure out who that someone was.
Today, I finally got it...

I believe Marie Bouzkova used to be Meghann Shaughnessy .

[meganfernandez]

This has been in the back of my mind for a while - Marie Bouzkova has a rather unique facial appearance, and it really reminded me of someone - but I couldn't figure out who that someone was.
Today, I finally got it...

I believe Marie Bouzkova used to be Meghann Shaughnessy .

Totally forgot about Meghann Shaughnessy! They do look alike.

[Deuce]

Iga is obviously a very good player...
But WHY is she so good? WHY is she beating everyone - and beating them rather easily?
I don't see that she has one particular or obvious weapon or strength in her game... She's not hitting aces left and right... She's not overpowering anyone... She doesn't have the most variety on the tour...

Maybe she's just slightly better than everyone else at all elements combined?

One thing I do notice with her is that when she wins tournaments, the emotion suddenly pours out of her as soon as she clinches match point. I've seen that a few times now.
And so it seems that she is so focused on the match - and perhaps even so focused on every individual point - that she's not at all thinking of the occasion. Maybe she's not thinking 'If I win this match, I'm in the Semi-Final', or 'If I win this match, I'm in the Final', or 'If I win this match, I win the tournament'.

The way that the emotion is suddenly released and erupts out of her after winning match point rather strongly suggests that she is so incredibly locked in and focused that she isn't affected by the nervousness and anxiety which typically comes with thinking of the occasion, which creates pressure, etc. She seems to be able to put the occasion completely out of her mind and thoughts.
And maybe that's her 'secret weapon'; maybe the primary reason that she is so dominant is because she can do this significantly better than anyone else can.

[meganfernandez]

Yes, it appears that she is making all the right decisions. She is extremely clear-headed and her mind is in the exact right spot for most of the match, if not all of the match. Her intensity and her strategy are perfectly calibrated.

Also, her defense to offense is incredible. But mostly she's taking the ball early and controlling the court, smothering the opponent. And her forehand is pretty big. She attacks with it extremely well. The weight of her shot might be hard to see on TV, but it's a big weapon. We shouldn't underestimate the quality of her actual game - the stroke production, movement, and anticipation.

On top of all that, now she is supremely confident, at least on slower courts. Might change on fast courts. She might not be able to get her teeth into points as fast.

Iga is obviously a very good player...
But WHY is she so good? WHY is she beating everyone - and beating them rather easily?
I don't see that she has one particular or obvious weapon or strength in her game... She's not hitting aces left and right... She's not overpowering anyone... She doesn't have the most variety on the tour...

Maybe she's just slightly better than everyone else at all elements combined?

One thing I do notice with her is that when she wins tournaments, the emotion suddenly pours out of her as soon as she clinches match point. I've seen that a few times now.
And so it seems that she is so focused on the match - and perhaps even so focused on every individual point - that she's not at all thinking of the occasion. Maybe she's not thinking 'If I win this match, I'm in the Semi-Final', or 'If I win this match, I'm in the Final', or 'If I win this match, I win the tournament'.

The way that the emotion is suddenly released and erupts out of her after winning match point rather strongly suggests that she is so incredibly locked in and focused that she isn't affected by the nervousness and anxiety which typically comes with thinking of the occasion, which creates pressure, etc. She seems to be able to put the occasion completely out of her mind and thoughts.
And maybe that's her 'secret weapon'; maybe the primary reason that she is so dominant is because she can do this significantly better than anyone else can.

[JazzNU]

Britain's Laura Robson retires from tennis with ongoing injuries

Britain's former junior Wimbledon champion and Olympic mixed doubles silver medallist Laura Robson announced her retirement on Monday due to persistent injury problems.

A former world No. 27, Robson lifted the junior crown at the grasscourt Grand Slam as a 14-year-old in 2008 and followed up her success with an Olympic medal partnering Andy Murray at London 2012.

The 28-year-old, who made the fourth round at the U.S. Open in 2012 and Wimbledon the following year, had a wrist operation in 2014 ago before three hip surgeries derailed her career.

She was last in action at an ITF tournament in 2019.

"I went through every possibility of rehab and of surgery," Robson told the BBC. "I had another hip surgery and probably did the best rehab block of my life ... and then the second time I hit, I just knew.

"It feels weird to say out loud, but I'm done, I'm retired. I've sort of known that for a while because of what I was told by the doctors last year, but it took me so long to say it to myself, which is why it took me so long to say it officially."

https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_/id/ ... g-injuries

[JazzNU]

[ponchi101]

Murray recently posted that tennis was the most brutal of sports, and "joked"/commented with fellow players that for a non-contact sport, it really puts a lot of demands on the body.
The number of players that retire simply because their bodies cannot put up with the physical demands bears him out a bit. Robson is only 28 CeCe Bellis also retired recently because her body could not stand it. No need to mention Emma, and two greats (Roger and Serena) plus a very good player (Delpo) are sidelined and very close to retirement, with injuries that have put them aside for considerable time. Add to all this how tough it is to come back from certain injuries (Raonic, Thiem, Stan, Andy himself) and well,
I had never had a long injury other than twisted ankles or a muscle tear until 2 years ago, when I busted my elbow simply because of playing a 2 setter (90 minutes match). Sure, I am an old foggy but it was not as if I had never played the sport before. But there is a reason why we have an "injury" topic.
Too bad for Robson.

[meganfernandez]

Murray recently posted that tennis was the most brutal of sports, and "joked"/commented with fellow players that for a non-contact sport, it really puts a lot of demands on the body.
The number of players that retire simply because their bodies cannot put up with the physical demands bears him out a bit. Robson is only 28 CeCe Bellis also retired recently because her body could not stand it. No need to mention Emma, and two greats (Roger and Serena) plus a very good player (Delpo) are sidelined and very close to retirement, with injuries that have put them aside for considerable time. Add to all this how tough it is to come back from certain injuries (Raonic, Thiem, Stan, Andy himself) and well,
I had never had a long injury other than twisted ankles or a muscle tear until 2 years ago, when I busted my elbow simply because of playing a 2 setter (90 minutes match). Sure, I am an old foggy but it was not as if I had never played the sport before. But there is a reason why we have an "injury" topic.
Too bad for Robson.

For sure, tennis puts a lot of strain on the body - and the whole body. It's extremely dynamic movement. I interviewed a top online tennis instructor this weekend. He knows exactly how to hit each shot and how to show someone else, frame by frame (he does a lot of video analysis). But that doesn't mean he can do it perfectly himself. He has a rotator cuff injury because he doesn't uncoil into his one-handed backhand property, causing him to use his arm too much. After cranking on the ball over and over while improving his backhand, the rotator cuff finally gave out. He was putting too much strain on it. Every tennis player has these issues, amateur or pro.

[Deuce]

Iga is obviously a very good player...
But WHY is she so good? WHY is she beating everyone - and beating them rather easily?
I don't see that she has one particular or obvious weapon or strength in her game... She's not hitting aces left and right... She's not overpowering anyone... She doesn't have the most variety on the tour...

Maybe she's just slightly better than everyone else at all elements combined?

One thing I do notice with her is that when she wins tournaments, the emotion suddenly pours out of her as soon as she clinches match point. I've seen that a few times now.
And so it seems that she is so focused on the match - and perhaps even so focused on every individual point - that she's not at all thinking of the occasion. Maybe she's not thinking 'If I win this match, I'm in the Semi-Final', or 'If I win this match, I'm in the Final', or 'If I win this match, I win the tournament'.

The way that the emotion is suddenly released and erupts out of her after winning match point rather strongly suggests that she is so incredibly locked in and focused that she isn't affected by the nervousness and anxiety which typically comes with thinking of the occasion, which creates pressure, etc. She seems to be able to put the occasion completely out of her mind and thoughts.
And maybe that's her 'secret weapon'; maybe the primary reason that she is so dominant is because she can do this significantly better than anyone else can.

Yes, it appears that she is making all the right decisions. She is extremely clear-headed and her mind is in the exact right spot for most of the match, if not all of the match. Her intensity and her strategy are perfectly calibrated.

Also, her defense to offense is incredible. But mostly she's taking the ball early and controlling the court, smothering the opponent. And her forehand is pretty big. She attacks with it extremely well. The weight of her shot might be hard to see on TV, but it's a big weapon. We shouldn't underestimate the quality of her actual game - the stroke production, movement, and anticipation.

On top of all that, now she is supremely confident, at least on slower courts. Might change on fast courts. She might not be able to get her teeth into points as fast.

That may all be so... but I maintain that the reason she is able to execute the things you mention is because she is so incredibly focused and is not distracted by the nervousness, anxiety, and pressure which comes from thinking about the occasion in the way that most other players are.
She might be the best example of a player being in 'the zone' that we've seen in a while.

[meganfernandez]

Iga is obviously a very good player...
But WHY is she so good? WHY is she beating everyone - and beating them rather easily?
I don't see that she has one particular or obvious weapon or strength in her game... She's not hitting aces left and right... She's not overpowering anyone... She doesn't have the most variety on the tour...

Maybe she's just slightly better than everyone else at all elements combined?

One thing I do notice with her is that when she wins tournaments, the emotion suddenly pours out of her as soon as she clinches match point. I've seen that a few times now.
And so it seems that she is so focused on the match - and perhaps even so focused on every individual point - that she's not at all thinking of the occasion. Maybe she's not thinking 'If I win this match, I'm in the Semi-Final', or 'If I win this match, I'm in the Final', or 'If I win this match, I win the tournament'.

The way that the emotion is suddenly released and erupts out of her after winning match point rather strongly suggests that she is so incredibly locked in and focused that she isn't affected by the nervousness and anxiety which typically comes with thinking of the occasion, which creates pressure, etc. She seems to be able to put the occasion completely out of her mind and thoughts.
And maybe that's her 'secret weapon'; maybe the primary reason that she is so dominant is because she can do this significantly better than anyone else can.

Yes, it appears that she is making all the right decisions. She is extremely clear-headed and her mind is in the exact right spot for most of the match, if not all of the match. Her intensity and her strategy are perfectly calibrated.

Also, her defense to offense is incredible. But mostly she's taking the ball early and controlling the court, smothering the opponent. And her forehand is pretty big. She attacks with it extremely well. The weight of her shot might be hard to see on TV, but it's a big weapon. We shouldn't underestimate the quality of her actual game - the stroke production, movement, and anticipation.

On top of all that, now she is supremely confident, at least on slower courts. Might change on fast courts. She might not be able to get her teeth into points as fast.

That may all be so... but I maintain that the reason she is able to execute the things you mention is because she is so incredibly focused and is not distracted by the nervousness, anxiety, and pressure which comes from thinking about the occasion in the way that most other players are.
She might be the best example of a player being in 'the zone' that we've seen in a while.

For sure, this is baked into the focused part. I'm sure she has nerves and anxiety, but she has learned to manage them and use them to her benefit. I'd say the same of anyone who reaches her level.

I find myself wondering if we focus on the mental aspect with women more than we do men. In looking for a reason for Iga's performance, we are focused on the mental/emotional and not the game. Of course they're connected, but people tend to analyze men (first, primarily) based on their games - the body part - and not the head part. With women, I think it's different. You might say that anything a player does with their body is related to what's going on in their mind, and yes, for sure, but we tend to stop at the body (the physical part of the game) when talking about men. We don't put the emotional/mental analysis before the physical.

[ponchi101]

...

For sure, this is baked into the focused part. I'm sure she has nerves and anxiety, but she has learned to manage them and use them to her benefit. I'd say the same of anyone who reaches her level.

I find myself wondering if we focus on the mental aspect with women more than we do men. In looking for a reason for Iga's performance, we are focused on the mental/emotional and not the game. Of course they're connected, but people tend to analyze men (first, primarily) based on their games - the body part - and not the head part. With women, I think it's different. You might say that anything a player does with their body is related to what's going on in their mind, and yes, for sure, but we tend to stop at the body (the physical part of the game) when talking about men. We don't put the emotional/mental analysis before the physical.

Nerves I think can be handled. Anxiety is when nerves get out of control. If you have nerves, you can clamp then down and play well. If you have anxiety, you are toast.
I never thought about it that way, until I read your post. Indeed, they are two different things.
I remember that Pam Shriver once said there was a difference. Nerves was having to go to the bathroom before going on court against Graf. Anxiety was having to go to the bathroom AGAIN after the first game.

Something else about Iga. I noticed on Sunday that her FH is not completely textbook; she has a bit of an odd motion, yet it is one of her weapons. She can unleash it very well. Then I noticed another thing: she plays with a Technifibre racquet that it similar to another strange FH player, Medvedev. Surely a coincidence, but maybe the racquet lets them do that?
And you know where I stand about the mental aspects of the game.