'OUTRAGEOUS'

Have a look at the following point in the final of the year ending Championships in London between the Bryan Brothers and Dodig and Melo. Now that's entertaining tennis without belting the cover off it.......

Watch Amazing Doubles Hot Shot Between Bryan/Bryan

'TOUGH STUFF'

The Semi Final at the Tour ending Championships in London this week proved that when a top player is in trouble he can think his way through it . The match between Wawrinka and his mate Federer was a nail biter and Stan had 4 chances to close out the match. On all of the match points that he had he was forced to play a shot. 
Now that may seem like common sense but many players at match point down do not make their opponents win it, they instead lose it. It's better to get a ball back into play with a chip return rather than go for the almighty strike as some players do , Federer the best example. On one of the match points he saved he used his brilliant chip technique on the back hand return which forced Stan to volley up which ultimately gave Roger a swing at a pass. 
After Roger had saved the 4 match points he only needed one of his own to close it out, he had weathered the storm. I believe that Stan played the match points well though as he asked the question of Federer each time, he made his buddy win the point by coming into the net. This type of play is gutsy but it can be a smarter way to finish a match rather than playing 20 shots from the back. Obviously however Federer answers most questions from his opponents with relative calmness no matter what the situation in the match is.
In the US Open in September Federer fought of two match points in his quarter final with Monfils and in Shanghai in October he saved five match points against Mayer. The Swiss genius believes he is never out of a match until the umpire says so. In 2008 at the Masters Cup Federer saved seven match points in one game against Murray, how is that technically and mentally possible to do ? Roger did eventually lose that particular match to Murray but his efforts to save that many match points is nothing short of remarkable.
Murray , as I mentioned in an earlier chapter also showed amazing mental strength in two Championship deciders against Tommy Robredo as he saved a total of 10 match points to win both.
What ever these players at the top of World Tennis own between the ears is something that perhaps cannot be taught by any Coach on the planet. It may just be something that these players are born with but maybe a surgeon could study Roger's one day if the great man would give his blessing to do so.
It's one thing to hit a ball well, it's a totally different thing to be able to play the game of tennis........

'MY MATE JONESEY'

I don't do too many dedications on this site, I do a lot of knocking, but apart from my obvious hero's namely Mats, Bjorn etc I don't single too many old mates out for praise. This chapter I will go against the flow, a dedication to an old mate who could play the game well, Dale Jones.
Now from memory 'Jonesey' was a Wesley College Student and once took a set off former West Australian Number 1 Darren Patten in a school comp.
I met Jonesey at the East Fremantle Tennis Club in 1984 or thereabouts and we struck up a friendship. Now here was a man who could not only play the game but he also did some good impersonations of professional players, I found him to be good value.
We decided we would team up together and play a Perth Junior Championship at the Melville Tennis Club, not far from the East Fremantle courts. From memory we did ok in the singles, maybe quarters but it was our doubles play that was creating a bit of a stir.
We had a draw that was not easy and we faced the number 1 pairing of Ken McCreery and Tim Burrows in the Semi's of the 18's Doubles . Now these two guys were in two words, brilliant and funny. In fact I thought they were awesome, not only with their play but with their comments, they were good to be on the same court with.
Ken was a Country Week Men's Singles Champion and ranked top 5 in the State for 18's and Tim at one stage was in the top three 16 year olds in Western Australia, I looked up to these two. I am almost certain that I played Tim in one of my first ever junior tournaments in Perth and received an 'education'. Back to the Semi.
I don't know what Jonesey was looking for in this particular match but I was simply in awe of their stroke play and wanted 3 games each set just to brag to our mates. Sometimes as a kid all you are looking for is respect rather than a win that may seem out of reach.
Our first set against McCreery and Burrows was a good set, an enjoyable one with a few laughs, after all we were only there to 'make up the numbers' , 4-6. Now something happened in the second that I am sure given their time back the two 'Big Guns' may have decided to go a little harder . 6-1 to the 'B Graders', Jonesey and Thommo. I was ready to shake hands, go home and tell all my mates about the second set score against one of the State's best teams. But we had a third to play.
At 4-5 in the second set 30-40 we were forced to save a match point then went on to score one of the most unlikeliest wins 7-5 in the third. I remember Tim saying to Ken " I can't believe we lost that".
The final was a 'formality', we were still on a high from our semi and we won the final 3 and 4 against two guys who from all reports still play at Melville, Richardson and Muenchow, nice guys also. So a State Doubles title was ours and what added to the win was the fact that Jonesey and I had played 'up'. Dale was 16, I was 15 but we wanted to test ourselves so we played the 18's for a 'bit of fun', and it turned out to be just that.
Now to many, many years later, Jonesey and his family decided to come down to Albany for a weekend , I asked him if he could tie it in with the Albany Open Doubles Championship. He was happy for a trip down memory lane, 20 years later.
Now I love this Tournament , always a great day and some tough competition as some pretty handy country players turn up at The Emu Point Tennis Club.
Now to cut a long story short Jonesey and I were on fire all day, no one got close to us . I remember a 6-0 set against a local team who apparently hadn't been beaten in 'two years' ( So one of them told me). I didn't have the heart to tell him that his 'exploits' in Men's Division 2 or 'B Grade' at Bridgetown and Esperance doesn't really count as 'unbeaten in two years'.
Anyhow to our second last Round Robin match against equal tournament favourites' Brad Rundle and Gary Connell , the match to decide the tournament. Now some Country Tournaments have some funny rules and as much as I love Emu Point I felt they had definitely thrown the book of fair play out the window.
At 5 games all I went to the Tournament Director's window just to confirm that there would be a tie break at 5 or 6 all, we all couldn't remember. This was the answer. " No Tie Breaker, first to 6 games wins " !!
As the great Jonny Mac once famously said " You cannot be........." , unfortunately though these were the rules and Brad served out the last game comfortably to 15, shattered. We won our last match easily as did Brad and Gary as they pipped us by a game.
I will never forget the Presentation when the results were read out " And these two won by just one game" Brad Rundle and Gary Connell !!" Now I consider myself a fair player but to lose a tournament, especially Jonesey and Thommo's 'Memory Lane Tournament' by a rather bizarre rule , well .........
So to Jonesey, hope you read this Champ, well played back in 1984 and as far as the Albany Open 'near miss' around 10 years ago, well buddy I have a plan. One day before we are too old to play Men's A Grade let's have another crack at it. It's a 'timed' format now but could you imagine if we were beaten by the clock next time around ????
Legend Jonesey, Regards GT........

soderling imite nadal

RIDICULOUS'

I find it rather hard to believe that at the Tour Final Championships out of a total of 8 sets played over 50 per cent were decided with a 6-1 score line. In fact 5 of the 8 sets played were 6-1, work that one out or does the 'cream' simply rise to the top in Championships such as this ? 
Thomas Berdych has suffered two huge losses lately and he is a player in need of a head Doctor to work out why in fact he can't win against the players in front of him. He doesn't just lose against these guys, he gets smashed.
Novak served for a double 'bagel' against Thomas a few weeks back but proved he is a Gentleman after all and let him have two games. Against Wawrinka last night, a man who he pushed all the way in the Australian Open Semi's in January , he barely turned up , he won just two games again.
I thought Federer would win in straight sets as I wrote in my last chapter as he learns from a loss better than most but a 6-1 first set win against Raonic was rather brutal. Perhaps Milos was thinking just where he was , up against the best in an and of year showdown for the first time , maybe nerves played a part. His second set was more than competitive yet he failed to win a point in the second set tie breaker.
Murray was disappointing against Nishikori but at least a 6-4, 6-4 loss is a competitive loss, Murray very rarely gets belted. Cilic was very disappointing against Novak , I felt that his serve and big hitting may put the World Number 1 on the back foot initially but it never happened. Another 1 and 1 result in a tournament that should never really have one sided results to the extent we have seen so far. 
So to the next round;
Federer vs Nishikori        Tough match but Fed's net attacking may throw the 'new kid on the block's' back court game out but it should be close, Fed in 3.
Murray vs Raonic          Andy should bounce back here, providing Raonic doesn't serve too many bombs, I will go Andy in two close sets.
Berdych vs Cilic        Who really cares ?? After their first round efforts I doubt the public will care who wins, me included but I will tip Cilic in 3.
Djokovic vs Wawrinka       Big match, tough match, should be a ripper , Wawrinka to win the first but lose in 3, big call I know but Stan the Man can play and he hits it hard, match of the round.
I tipped 3 from 4 last round but way off in my set predictions, see how we go this time.......

'THE TOUR FINALS'

I am going to put down a few tips as to who I think will go well at the year ending Tour Finals and who I think may be a disappointment. Taking into consideration however that these guys are the World's Top 8 , Rafa being the only injured exception;
Murray vs Nishikori   Andy is in red hot form and I believe he will be too strong for Kei in this first match but I believe it will go three sets.
Federer vs Raonic      I believe that Roger always learns from a defeat and his loss to the Canadian in Paris last week will give the great man all the inspiration he needs to reverse the result. Fed in two.
Wawrinka vs Berdych      Tough to pick but Berdych has never performed well at this event and I doubt he will start this year, Stan the man but in three sets.
Djokovic vs Cilic       By all reports US Open Champ Cilic is slightly injured but I think he will come out and try to make a statement with the big serve early against Novak. One break is all Marin will need to perhaps win the first set against the World Number 1 but I can't see him sustaining it. Perhaps a close first set but Novak in three.
I like trying to tip the big matches, always tough as these guys are brilliant and quite often it simply comes down to a point or two to decide a set and a match for that matter.
Murray, Federer, Wawrinka and Novak as First Round winners for my tipping, let's see how we go....