4th Round- Djokovic Vs Gilles Simon

Gilles Simon Vs Novak Djokovic.

Simon seems like a laidback player, no animation or agitation on his face or in his body language.  But it is deceptive indeed like Feliciano Lopez who we feel is getting ready for a stroll in the park.

Let’s not deviate though.

I am betting Djokovic will win in 4 sets.  He will lose a set because of his failure to read Simon right and also because he will try adventurous shots which won’t work.  Now I hope that Gilles does not run out of steam because Novak certainly won’t.  We have had the longest rally of the match and we are barely in the seventh game of the match with the rally ending when Djokovic hits a lob long.  Simon is patient, Djokovic is able and willing to laugh at himself and at the situation.  This is what helps him precisely in tough situations when he is about to be broken.

8^th game of the 1^st set and a double fault from Simon. Simon got a forehand down the line and Djokovic got a deep cross court angle pressuring Simon to commit an unforced error by hitting a wide down the line forehand.  Djokovic has broken Simon again and at 5-3 is serving for the match.  Please count on Simon to break back.

9th game- 10.26am- Please count on Simon to break back. It is 40-30 at the moment.  Can Simon equalise? 2^nd serve for Novak. Yes and he does.  A routine cross court forehand finds the line wide.  Novak is using a lot of sliced backhands.  Not letting the opponent settling in to a pattern of baseline rallies.  Perhaps he thinks he can afford the unforced errors in a bid to try something different. Now at deuce and Advantage Novak via an ace. And back to Deuce when he hits a backhand long.
At this point Novak has committed 8 unforced errors. And Advantage Novak when he Simon hits a forehand in the net. A down the T for Novak equalises the score at 40-40.  Another long rally and Simon hits a forehand wide. It is advantage for Novak and Simon fritter the advantage by losing the game and the set.  The first set has lasted 58 minutes. And I suspect the duration was lengthened by the change in Djokovic's game more than Simon Gilles' guile. 8 unforced errors, a heightened variation in the strokes, a greater mixing of shots.  While I can question if its necessary, the other argument is why not?

2nd set, 1st game 10.34- 2unforced errors already by Novak in the first game of the second set. Simon closes the game by a spectacular down-the-line backhand as an answer to an unplayable down-the-forehand by Djokovic.
2nd game- 10.37- Will Djokovic switch back to a clinical game? 3rd unforced error as he nets a routine forehand. 30-15.  Simon caught on the wrong foot as he rushes to the centre and Djokovic hits a backhand again.  this after some unplayable shots by both the players.  But then we know of Navak's ability to retrieve, restore, revive and then repeat the whole chain AND win!
its 1 game all.
3rd game. 10.40am.  We are one hour and seven minutes into the match and its just the third game of the second set. 21 shot rally!
9th Game, 11.13 am- the deuce- advantage hide and seek continues, with Djokovic making unforced errors and employing the slice unsuccessfully at the unlikeliest points.  Anyways Its back to deuce and Advantage Novak as another forehand from Simon finds the net.  Now will Simon be able to equalise? Yes he ddoes as Novak commits another harakiri shot when he smashes only for Simon to return and then picks up a return to volley in then net.  Unbelievable retun backhand volley for Simon to hold his serve.  Novak is at the net to hit a crosscourt volley and then Gilles retrieves it to hit another crosscourt over the crouched Novak and it is 5-4 and Gilles is leading.  Novak is serving to stay in the set, if imight say!
10th game, 11.19- it is 30 love
12th game and the the match is 1hour 56 minutes old. An ace from Novak and he holds his serve to hold at six games all.  Tie Break- Novak loses the first point. On to SImon now.  Can he make it 3-love?  After another punishing rally, Novak decides to end it by slicing a drop shot and it is out! 2 love to Simon.  Another furious trading of shots, back hand for backhad, corner for corner and then giving Djokovic a taste of his own medicine as the commentator puts it, from Simon and he is 3 love. 4 love, and 5 love as another drop shots sputters into the net. Finally a point for Nova.  Will he be able to arrest he slide in this tie-break or will he make a clean break and start afresh in the 3rd set?  Simon leading at 5-1 and yes, Gilles Simon win the tie break and the second set.  Will Djokovic come back as usual and win the following sets?  History says yes but history also gets made.
3rd set, 3rd game, 11.47- Djokovic breaks Simon and leads by 2 games to love.  And like the previous sets, there is every chance that Simon will break him back, thanks to some nifty moving around the court and Novak's senseless slice shots.  An ace fro Djokovic closes the 3rd set and now leads three games to love.
What have we learnt so far?
Djokovic is willing to experiment like a bartender does with cocktails.  But a singlemalt just doesn't mix with a carbonated drink, though one cant say till one has tried it.  So Novak has and a slice doesnt work if you can put away a shot by just hammering it back to a corner or right back at the oppoent's shoes. Will Novak play his natural game 3rd set onwards except of course for the unforced errors?
4th Game 11.51- Simon leads forty love.  Now 40-30.  Old or will get broken? Hold.  Another sliced backhand from Djokovic lands in the gutter and Simon holds.
5th Game, 11.55-  Djokovic serves, love 15. His shots are now accompanies by sound as well.  A sign that some effort is involved.  Love forty and Simon breaks Djokovic.  He deserves the result.  As I said, he has been running well, chasing down every ball, finding corners and hitting clean down-the-shots, waiting patiently at the baseline when needed and getting rewarded for his efforts.
6th Game, 11.58. Simon serving, thirty love,  thirty all.  two winning backhands in a row and Novak is back in the game.  Deuece.  Advantage Novak. 2 hours 29 minutes. Back to Deuce. and three games all.
7th game- The Serbian and the Frenchman are freely using the whole court.  40-30 for Novak.  And....game Djokovic.
8th Game- thirty love, a cool down the line backhand and it is forty love.  a terrific backhand retrieval by Simon and Djokovic is ready, alas the shot is too deep ffor Novak to volley and it is four games all.
9th Game- 12.14- love 15 after Novak challeges the umpire's overrule.  The court is now vertically sliced by sun and shade.  It must be difficult to spot the ball coming from either side for the players andd the line umpires as well.  Another cross-court backhand slice from Novak and another failed retrun off a Simon bachhand.  It is just not Djokovic's day as far as varying the shots are concerned.  He is doing the right thing but it is not reaping dividends.  30-30 now. The match is 2 hours and 44 minutes old.  Djokovic's decibel levels are positively higher.  Time for the opponent to up his game now Djokobic holds without any further disturbing events and clenches his fist.
10th game-  9 games have taken 43 minutes.  Simon serves and serves well to go up fifteen love.  Djokovic's shots are lading close to the service line now albeit with a heavier top spin. It is fifteen all.  A very sedate rally with Simon finishing with a down the down the line shot and Djokovic barely moving to hit it back. Now is the time for Simon to keep pushing without pausing, ensuring that there is no respite for Novak and the sounds keep getting louder.  Both the players are tired but Novak draws forst blood after the tie break in this crucial set to break Simon and win the third set. Now we will have to see if Gilles Simon has lost the match even before the 4th set has started or he is willing to go all broke to even the match at two set all. My bet is Novak will break him once and take the set 6-3
4rd set, 1 st game- 12.28- Novak to serve at 15-40.  2 hours 59 mintes and we are into the second game of the 4th set. And that passing backhand again from Simon to level at thirty all.  2nd game, 4th set- Djokovic is looking the stands, smiling a little, shaking his head after a routine forehand finds the net.  Simon holds and it is one game all.
3rd game, 2nd set, 12.37, three hours and three minutes. Simon to serve.  15 love.the question in my mind is will Simon be able to conserve his steam and motivation to press ahead or will they take a hit and .  Another unbelievable cross court forehand that lands on the exacct corner of the long line and baseline.  I feel fortune always favours the brave.  And players who dont let moss grow on their racket heads and feet often get lucky.  All you have to do is move moutains and get to the ball and throw your racket in the way of the ball.  And again deuce for Simon. And advantage for Simon as a forehand lands long for Djokovic.  And Novak hits another forehand wide off the long line and advantage for Simon.  Deuce again.  Game duration is now 8 minutes and some seconds.  And one more forehand from Novak kisses the net.  Advantage Simon. and Deuce Novak. Simon's coach on tenterhooks.  Becker has shed a few kilos.  A lazy forehand from Simon and he faces his karma instantly. Djokovic holds his serve after a thrilling game that stretches eight and a half minutes.  And therein lies the secret to his succcess.
4th game, 4th set.  3 games have taken 24 minutes as of now.  Simon to serve, Novak has changes his t-shirt to a pristine white but Simon still makes it fifteen love and thirty love, a very careful slice by Novak kisses the line all right but unsuccessful to deliver the point.  it is forty love. A backhand hit long and Simon holds his serve.  The shortest service game by far in the match.
5th game. it is Novak's turn.  A deep, deep serve that springs as if the logn line has spat it out and it is 15 love, then 30 love.  A tit for tat? Another short service game? looks like as it is forty love now.
5th game- 40 15 with Novak leading.  2nd serve. A potent backhand down the line and he bags the 5th game.

On a different court Berdych and Agut have won one set apiece.  My bet is Berdych in 4 sets.

Back to Rod Laver and i am thinking long games are back on as Novak leads 3 games to 2
6th Game- Simon to serve- love 15.  Simon levels 15 points all.  His visage not betraying the effort. No Gallic shrugs or self remonstration.  He is a Burgundy of calm! An inside out backhand by Simon levels at thirty all.  Another nearly inside out followed by a deep backhand and he reaps 40 points to Novak's 30.  Unforced error from Gilles.  It's Deuce.  Please let this not be the Frenchman's downward slide. Advantage Djokovic and he hits a forehand long. It is deuce again.  2nd serve for Simon. Unforced error for Novak and it is advantage Gilles Simon.  Simon is stretching for to return a smash.  it is Deuce again.  A spectaculaar sliced drop shot by Gilles lands and merrily springs away.  Side to side and to the net and back again and smash and Simon holds to level at three games all.

Will Gilles Simon play the match of his life, make it all the more poignant by losing?
I think yes!  I am on his side, simply because he has not given up.  He is trading shot for shot.

7th Game- Novak serving and getting to 40 love easily.  Wait what was that again? That passing backhand brings him much needed 1 point and one more when Novak slices a drop. It is now 40-30.  And Novak holds his serve.  That was the second fastest service game in recent minutes.
8th game- Novak is leading at four games to three.  Gilles must hold his serve.  An unncessary, unforced error,  I know I am being repititive.  AHA! Djokovic hits a drop shot and Gilles pounces on it like Serena.  Serves Novak right for not learning from his mistakes. 40-15 after the ball is rightly called in.  Simon is anticipating correctly.  He is stretching, is going all out,  I think it will be two sets all. his reward for doing it the right way, the hard way. It is now 4 games all.
9th Game, 13.12- and it ends at 13.17 by Gilles Simon breaking Djokovic.

It is now 5sets to 4, with Gilles leading two sets each.

My prediction is if Gilles Simon wont give up till the last moment, he will WIN. At this level it is about not relenting ever, not resting on your sets, not raising your hands till it is over and duly acknowledging your opponent.  Gilles deserves to win this one for not giving up.  Normally a lesser player would have shown signs of giving up after the third set. Monsieur Simon GO GO GO!
Another failed drop shot from Novak and 40-15 for Simon. Deuce.  Will Simon hold or will his nerves sing? Not yet, not yet.  Advantage Gilles.  Set point! No, Deuce. A cracker forehand from Novak sees Simon scurry unsuccessfully.  and ANOTHER failed drop shot from Novak..This is astonishing! But I also admire Novak, Going for it time and again!  Set point no 4 and first sign of a smile from Gilles Simon. Fist pumping gently.  Mon Dieu! This guy deserves to win.

Now if he meets Wawrinka, it will be aother cracker of a match. Perfect pendulum backhand versus a nuclear single handed one.

13.25 and it is 2 sets each. the last set took all of 60 minutes.

13.27, 1st game, 5th set, Novak serving and it is love 15. My thoughts immediately go to what if Gilles wins this match?  Will he be able to sustainthe momentum and his game for the quarterfinals?  Often after such a huge upset, the winning players often tank in the next match.  But then Gilles Simon is no Lucas Rosol or Steve Darcis or Sergiy Stakhovsky or Fabio Fognini.  He is a cool customer. And has been around for long.  I am going for a the same level of performance in this next match as well unless his opponent is better.

2nd game, 5th set- Simon is serving and is 30- 30.  40- 30 with another Novak long forehand. Oh my this forehand from Simon would have stopped any weak heart. It teased the line and levelled the set at one game each.
3rd Game, 5th set, 13.35- Novak serving and is up by 15 love.  30 and 40 love in quick succession.  Will this set be a tie break? because it is game Novak and he leads two games to one.
4th Game- I feel Gilles Simon will lose this game. But I dont want him to. 15 love.  Another ripper backhand from Simon and it is 30 love and 40 love in quick succession eeriely mirroring Novak's earlier service game. 40-15. And 40-30.  Novak is creeping up on Simon.  And Deuce! ANd Djokovic gets his break.
5th Game, 13.43- Novak leadds three games to one.
6th game, Novak leads four games to one and 15- 30 while Simon is serving.  15-40. And some muttering has started from Simon.  and Novak breaks him again to lead by five games to one.  Did Simon give up? And just when we were saying defeatist things, no no no, Simon Gilles hasn't given up.  He runs to a dropped ball which is beyond him and takes it and wins the point. It is love 30 at this point.  Will Simon break back and stay in the match?  I say again, he deserves to because he hasn't bagged up his racket mentally.  He can win four games on the trot, his forehand is still working, his backand still kisses the lines and YES it is 15-40.  Break point for the frenchman. In fact 2 breakpoints but Novak come up 30-40.  Still there is one more break point. And Simon breaks Novak in an unbelievable rally at this point for an opponent who is three games behind at 2-5.
Will the unthinkable happen?  
8th Game- Gilles Simon serving and he serves 15 love. Djokovic levels at 15-15.  An unforgiving forehand hit to the extreme corner and Novak surges 15-30.  A winning forehand stikes the net and falls out. it is now 30-30.  A senseless challenge by Simon gives Djokovic match point. Will he, wont he.  No he wont.  A netted backhand saves Simon and they are level at deuce! Advantage Novak.  another long forehand by Djokovic and Deuce! A deep serve from Simon and he reaps the advantage. Djokovic asks for a review and gets it right.  Deuce!  Come on Simon!  Indeed and Advantage Simon as Djokovic hits the forehand to the tramlines and Gilles Simon holds his serve.  What an outstanding effort!
9th game- Novak serving for the match or Gilles playing to break and stay in it.  30-0.  4 hours and 31 minutes.  An ace and it is 40-0.  Match point and Novak wins this thrilling match in 4 hours and 32 minutes.  Mammoth effort by Gilles Simon and an equal one by Novak.  Brilliant match.

I hope this tells Gilles Simon what he is capable of.  I guess that speaks of most Frenchmen- Gaels Montfils, Gasquest, Tsonga, Gilles himself.  All have defeat the game-heavyweights,
Here's a toast to Gilles.  Come back at French Open and we will be watching you Monsieur! Well played!

Flavia of the end of season!

Viva Flavia Penetta! I am going to give you a quick snapshot of why I toasted her win.
During the interview, I laughed with her and cried with her.  She says she is retiring from the circuit because of lack of motivation for smaller and non-grand slam tournaments and that she no longer has it in her to keep going- come rain or sunshine.  I admired her honesty and the way she savoured her win, her only won and that to at a grand slam at 33 and her last.  Penetta says she is retiring after this tournament and she is ging to find out what life is like with her partner but without tennis; her parner bring the the mad, temperamental and equally talented , world no 22. Fabio Fognini.  She wants to go bycycling in New York and maybe visit Victoria's Secret.  She want to go around the city, stop at a bar for coffee.  For celebrations, Penetta will go out with her team, have lots of wine, dinner and sleep.  Well deserved and much needed!
Well done Flavia Penetta for being refreshingly honest about retirement and for wanting all the things normal people do and for savouring this win like your first swig of wine or your first airborne moment, your first trip alone with friends and who better to do it with than the very friend who you have started your tennis journey with- Roberta Vinci.  There was such joy in the end of match ceremony- something that is missing when veterans like Serena Williams or Sharapova win championships- They enjoy winning more than playing.  These cats and tigresses of the ocurt forget one cardinal rule of the sport they play- the spirit of the game.  And today Vinci and Penetta had that in plenty.
May there be many more Penettas and Vincis and Bartolis and yes Lisickis to win matches and elevate the game with their hearts that shine in their eyes and soar in their words.

US Open 2015- Bigger, Better , Richer

The final grand slam of the year starts August 31st and ends on August 13.  It comes with biggest prize purse of  US $ 42.3 million.  Federer is trying to win one more slam, Nadal is trying to come back, Murray is forever trying to come back, having reached the haloed top 4- there but not quite there, Djokovic is No 1 and the only guy is not have a 'conditions attached' tag to his participation.  Kei Nishikori will try and ride till the semi finals on his awesome form with a searing forehand and super backhand- all working like as ans when he wants it. Stan Wawrinka will try and win more to end 2015 on a high.
These players are want more, are in the right fram of mind, so much so that Federer said that this is the start of the long hard court season  for the next six months when we ordinary mortals were calling it end of the season. He has dived into Flushing Meadows with wons over Murray and Djokovic in the semis and final respectively.  He played an aggressive game in Cincinnati and will want to carry over his game in New York too.
What about the women, you will ask.  I have only one answer- Serena Williams unless ofcourse she decides to defeat herself.  Women's tennis is at an all time nadir with Williams reigning supreme.  There are no contenders, plenty of rising stars that fade away and nobody to lift the WTA save Williams but then she needs a strong opponent to lift her game as well.  Right now all she is doing is carry on her practise game in to the all the rounds and the final as well.  Women do not deserve equal prize money as the men's simpley because they do not put in the work,  an average of 3 hours or more and 5 sets to an average of just over an hour with three sets is not what you earn 3 million dolalrs for.  Best of 5 will actually lift women's games from the doldrums that it lies in now.  A chance to rise, pull up your game in the 3rd set, a comeback in the 4th and then its anybody's game in the 5th.  Out of the Top 10 in WTA only Williams, Sharapova, Kvitova and Ivanovic have won grand slams out of which Serena's recent win has been Wimbledon this year, Sharapova's being last year French Open, Kvitova winning last year's Wimbledon and Ivanovic's last and only grand slam being the French Open in 2008.
I think we definitely need the roller-coaster of 5 sets in women's game.

Andy Murray- Does he have the will to play?

It was nauseating to watch Murray burn himself or saw the very branch he was perched on or score a self-goal to defeat the very team he was  part of.  Watching the reigning Queen’s Champion relegate himself to a shock third round ouster against Radek Stepanek was painful.  Murray looked sluggish, as if he were playing with ankle weights.  He couldn’t wrest the initiative from Stepanek and looked content to simply respond shot for a shot.  It was Stepanek who tried to do something different by playing backhand spin, rushing to the net and made Murray chase the yellow fluff all over the court- twice in the same game- from the net to the baseline. 

Was Murray sleep-walking through the game? Why is he so reluctant to let go of his defensive game?  A forehand for a forehand, a sliced backhand for a sliced backhand and on and on it went until Radek altered the pace and hit a drop shot, then suddenly the atoms on the court would go on overdrive and Murray would come charging to the net….in vain.  This was the scene during the two straight set defeat of Murray at the Aegon Championships.  His body language gave no indication that he was the defending champion.  Honestly he looked like he couldn’t wait to get the match over with. 

Andy looked tired- mentally exhausted.  Unlike the sharp looked he debuted yesterday to much appreciation- a clean shaven, closely cropped look, his mental frame seemed to sag. 

Maybe it is about peaking at the right time, some would say Nadal too was ousted in the second round at Halle yesterday.  But When Nadal loses it is not due to a lack of will, it is simply because his game fell short or maybe due to a physical discomfort- perhaps an injury or aching muscles.  Murray shots were mediocre but I know with a certainty that Murray does not lose due to his game, his game always matches that state of the mind that he is in.  Case in point being Wimbledon last year (it will always be a benchmark to measure Murray’s prevailing game until he gives us something better to compare). 

I won’t talk about fitness or athleticism because that is a give and all things being equal it is the mental fortitude or lack of thereof in the closing stages of the game that decides the winner.  So When will Murray be ready?  Has he come all this way to go back to square 1? 

Mauresmo has to a lot to work on here. To work on the game is the easiest.  It comes with hard work and hitting balls upon balls endlessly until you get it right.  Working on someone’s mind is the toughest- it is like groping in the dark to feel that you have caught a big fish only to be saddled with a dirty shoe when you finish reeling up.

Who is Amelie Mauresmo?

Looks like Amelie Mauresmo will always be in the news inspite of her intense desire to be out of it.

The erstwhile world no 1 and winner of Aus Open and Wimbledon in the same year is on board Team Murray as the Scot's coach. 

I have seen Andy Murray play the Wimbledon final against Novak Djokovic and it was as close to perfection as he has ever played and I hope I am wrong- he will ever play.

His anticipation, serve, return of serve, footwork and reach were perfect.  I felt that this was the best of Murray I will see for a long time to come and the prediction wasn’t that off.  Since then Wimbledon and Olympics, nada! A bit like Wawrinka then who has struggled with his form since he won the Australian Open in January.  We know Murray has it. How does his potential manifest itself on the court? Without the immovable Lendl by his side, Murray appeared a bit lost, directionless.  But now that he has appointed a new coach, things hope to change for the better and how! His new coach is Amelie Mauresmo, a player I have admired more for her off- the court-news that her play on it.  I have not watched many matches of Mauresmo’s.  She has been a grand slam champion on court and off it for coming out.  I say that takes more courage than being in a final and winning it.  On court there is a certain order and discipline.  Off it, the gloves are off which is what happened when she came out as lesbian.  There were snide remarks from women players and more notably from davenport and  Martina Hingis about her masculine physique and her looks.  It was hurtful but Mauresmo took it in her stride.

And today Amelie is in the news for being appointed as the only woman coach to a man player and that too a No.3 at that. The media was in a tizzy, there were bouquets at this brave decision and derogatory, misogynist brickbats from the players themselves.  Gulbis and Matosevic led the front with comments that reminded you of a BBC radio commentator of a certain age and his remarks vis-à-vis Wimbledon champ, Marion Bartoli. I want to shake hands with Murray and laud him for his brave decision.  Ordinarily it is just one player using the coaching services of another player- older, experienced.  But many saw this as a joke- a woman player coaching a man?  Well as I would love to remind you, it is ‘coaching’ not wrestling! And that sums it up. I can understand if a ‘man’ boxer appointed a woman sparring partner.  I guess it all comes up to educated folks understanding the difference between ‘separated at birth’ and ‘twins’; one has absolutely no connection with the other and more often than not, there is always confusion between the two. 

So we will let the illiterate media cavemen and women wrestle with it while we focus on Mauresmo and Murray.  I always like players who go against the grain- Navratilova, Mauresmo, Venus and Serena Williams, Marion Bartoli, Wawrinka and now Murray.  Why do we doubt Mauresmo’s capacity to contribute to Murray’s winning ways?  She has been on Bartoli’s and Azarenka’s team before. She has also coached Michael Llodra.  I am sure Murray knows more about her than we do as far as coaching abilities are concerned.  He said that she is a great listener and a thinker just like him. While he a teetotaler, she is passionate about wine.  Mauresmo splurged on a bottle of 1921 Chateau d’Yquem after her Wimbledon triumph. 

Of course these are mere footnotes to the more important  issues at hand.  She is my kind of woman- a cellarful of vintage wine bottles, a Harley Davidson bike and a home in Geneva.

Will Mauresmo be able to fill Lendl’s shoes?  The shoes in themselves are easy to fill but what they achieved is not.  Will she be able to instill the confidence back in Murray? Wean him away from his defensive game, his propensity for endless rallying and bring him again on par with his game that he played to perfection at Wimbledon?

Well I for sure don’t know but am all gung ho about this new arrangement.  I have nothing but the very best for Mauresmo and Murray. May theirs be a collaboration for many more grand slams that Murray gas the game for and so richly deserves.

The drama that was Australian Open 2014 Men’s singles Final.

And……Stanislas Wawrinka takes the first set 6-3 in 37 minutes.  Considering he has  first serve percentage of a mere 35% ad against 73% for Nadal, Wawrinka has been playing like a gladiator on the second serve.  No anxieties or uncertaintu while firing the second serve.  In the second set,  Stan has been abale to rattle Nadal in the second game itself.  That’s the thing about playing the best player in the world.  You can produce brilliance in fits and starts, you cannot slip up at all and the one time he did, Stan paid the price if being almost broken before he saved three set points and pocketed the first set.

22 shots were exchanged in the first game of the second set and Wawrinka came up tops.  Three winners in a row and Wawrinka is 0-40 in Nadal’s serve.  I must say Wawrinka is mixing his shots in a willy way, three sharp backhands and then a stunning forehand that rockets down the line at the speed of light and Wawrinka has broken Nadal again with a winning backhand cross court return.  Federer must be wondering what he could have differently to produce a game like that.  Wawrinka serving the second game and unleashes an ace.  At this point, there is just no room for error, forehand has to be perfect, almost outside the court, for anything within an inch of the baseline and Nadal will pounce on it.  The play it that precision dependent, you have be execute unplayable shots, faultless tennis that is tactical as well.  You simply cannot fall in the bashing-from-baseline trap with Nadal.  The opponent is going to get moments of weakness only far nd few between and you need to be ready and with footwork and good shot selection to exploit them in our favour.  Wawrinka has done just that.

We are into the third game of the second set.  Nadal serves as Wawrinka returns a crosscourt backhand wide.  He is hitting them all deeper, sharper around the bend, Wawrinka is taking more chances by hitting winners and for that you need to be courageous.  Oh oh, wait a moment, I see nadal bending and touching his back.  Is it a moment of regretting a shot or ruing his tactics? What is it? It is deuce,  Nadal’s game has lost a bit of the ball destrying ferocity.  It is a strange sight albeit for a moment.  It is advantage Nadal who has saved a break point to hold his serve.  Wawrinka has taken his chances, has ruched to the net at the right time to execute the brilliant winning volleys.  Something that players are reluctant to do against Nadal.  There is safety in sticking to the baseline but then Nadal dictates the game and makes you do end to end running drills.  So far, we haven't seen Stan scramble madly after the ball. 

At this point Nadal has called a trainer and will receive medical timeout.  A three medical timeout.  Wawrinka is visible agitated. He retires to his chair, does some stretches, spreads the towel over his thighs and speaks to the chair umpire. He tells him…”you need to tell me why..” Chair Umpire says, “ I am not asking why, you just need to accept it  and wait.” The chair umpire’s word is final and there is some frothing from Wawrinka who is basically feeling cheated  that there is no information about the the nature of the medical timeout.  He is thinking that these are delaying tactics a la Azarenka in last year’s Aus Open against Sloane Stephens.  Nadal comes back on to the court, bare chested and is greeted with boos reinforcing the my sentiments that the crowd too has the same thoughts as Stan. 

I just hope that Wawrinka is able to focus on the game. This can prove to be a fatal distraction. Wawrinka responds with an ace and another one, he has so far fired seven aces to Nadal’s one.  It is an all out service game. This was a good one.  It is better at this juncture to just kill it as quickly as possible.  Wawrinka is now leading three games to one.  Nadal is clearly struggling but we know just as well that it wont take time for the game to turn around.  Wawrinka has a temper and tendency to break rackets, it could be his undoing.  Nadal always finds reserves of mental and physical strength and he lets it play havoc with his unsuspecting opponents.  But Nadal is also at his most vulnerable now. His mobility and footwork is awkward.  Nadal touches his back, bends as if to test if his back can stand the effor tof serving.  A very strange sight to see Nadal do away with is usual tics, no ball bouncing or tossing, just throw it up erratically and bring down the racket without the ususal service movements.  Wawrinka breaks again and leads 4 games to 1.  My question now is it the game or is the back? My feeling the pain is going to lull Wawrinka into a complacency or it will cause him question his tactics. Will it be fair to attack a Nadal in pain? What should be his approach? As of now, Nadal is coming undone at the hands of Stanislas Wawrinka.  A ripper of a backhand from Nadal.  There you go.  Nadal is now playing like the fighter he is, but an ace from Wawrinka hands him the advantage.  The ball hits the net before going over to the other side, giving Stan time to get into position to hit backhand down the line.

A non-serve from Nadal, it is as if he is serving at the pre-match warm-up and actually scores two points. Ans just as you felt it was all over for the Mallorcan,  he produces tennis that is a tribute to the steel in his mind.  I don’t think he has made Wawrinka scurry for the ball so much as when he was fighting fit.  He is able to construct points around his serve and that doesn’t need him to move much from the baseline.  Believe it or not, Nadal is dictating play and there goes a double fault from Wawrinka. Another ace from the Swiss and Nadal does not so much as budge from his resting place.  Wawrinka is two set points away and he wins the second set. There is no cheer or relief or fist pumping.  I hope Stan continues to maintain the tempo and temper.  He needs all the reserves fo calm and composure at the moment to ensure that the advantage of being two set up isnot lost.

Nadal serving the first game of the third set.  He has cust short his run up as we say in cricket.  No lengthy prologues, just toss it and hit it acrross the net kind of serve.  It is 15-40 on Nadal’s serve and three break points for Nadal.  And deuce! The power of Nadal is coming in spurts but it is definitely there.  Game Rafa!.  If this continues and Wawrinka is unable to keep his mind on his game, then all will be lost.  Stan serving the second game and double fault! Nadal leads 0-3-. But a fine serve from Wawrinka proves a point only for Nadal to hit a cracking forehand to be a point away from breaking him. A lazy backhand from Wawrinka gives Nadal the much needed break for the forst time in this match.  Nadal leads two games to love.  Nadal is regrouping while Wawrinka’s game is scattering like dist motes.  Unforced errors are flying off the Swiss’ racket fast and furiously.  He has made 9 errors and so far we are only three games into the third set.  Will Wawrinka be able to wrest the initiative and defeat Nadal in straight sets?  Nadal is playing much better now and is certainly aided by the error Wawrinka is making.  Nadal is playing from the baseline.  He has not moved at all and is directing traffic from his favourite spot.  Wawrinka has not been able to read his shots or play and is just retrieving the balls with his racket.  While Wawrinka is fudging regulation shots, Nadal is hitting backhands that defy the rules of angular geometry.   Nadal is leading 5 sets to 3 and looks like we will have a four or even a five setter, of course it depends on the pain that Nadal is going through and if Wawrinka is in that frame of mind to push Nadal to the wire or be pushed instead.

Wawrinka was in the ‘Zone’ for the first two sets.  He was able to maintain the rhythmn even after the medical timeout by Nada, he was able to hold his thoughts about the whole thing at bay and just play tennis.  The beginning of the third set sees Stan serve an ace  and hold his serve.  He goes in for a chage of rackets and it is Nadal’s turn to wait. A nonchalant down-the-line forehand from Wawrinka.  He has been playing his groundstrokes at a much furious pace than Nadal and this was from before medical timeout by Nadal.  Wawrinka screams and shouts at a wayward shot.  Some more drama.  It is 15-30 on Nadal serve.  Nadal hits a backhand wide and the court errupts.  Wawrinka make a ‘zip your lips’ gesture. Is it to the spectators or to himself? A backhand gone long gives Nadal a point.  Wawrinka increases the power of his shots, they do look like missiles and its deuce.  Nadal takes the third set and how! A timeout for his back, a serve without the sting and restricted mobility, all was most unusual to see.  Novices in the game would do well to see this match just to know the mental strength that is needed to stay at the top and the superhuman effort that won Nadal the set. 

Now on to the fourth set.  Will Stanislas Wawrinka, world no. 8 be able to clear the hurdle to topple world no.1 or will he merely pay obeisance to the resilience of Nadal and let his self doubt stop him from the final frontier?  Wawrika is certainly hitting the ball with more brute power.  His serve looks menacing…almost violent.  Wawrinka has gotten into the flow of the game early on.  The uncertainty of the last set seems distant now. It is a new set and a new mind. The quickly dispatches the first game in his favour.  An error from Nadal and it is 15-30 on his serve.  The power of the barrel-chested Swiss has me transfixed.  He has been the balls closer to the net than Nadal, the trajectory is from low to high at a pace and power that is destructive.  Nadal holds his serve.  The power centre is see-sawing between the players now. One point it is Wawrinka and the other sees Nadal barge right back in.  Just when we thought the fire in Nadal had died down, he not just held his nerves and back, but he won the set.  And full marks for Wawrinka for bringing this kind of a game to the match. I haven't seen such raw power even from the likes of Berdych and Janowicz. It makes it particularly fearsome coming as it does from a player who is neither tall not built like a bouncer. Federer make brute look graceful, Wawrinka make  brute like he gave burth to it.  Seriously you just need to look at his strokes. The forehand! 

Two errors from Nadal and  Wawrinka breaks him.  Is Nadal going to break him back?  One moment you felt that it would be lopsided match with Nadal’s pain, but it served to make the match even more interesting and riveting as the initiative travellled back and forth between the two players.  There is just no scope for net play.  Even then Wawinka comes to the net more often to finish the point.  The third set hasn’t dented his confidence.  Nadal breaks him.  I am biting my nails with anxiety.  But Wawrinka breaks him right back.  What kind of a final is this going to be? The index finger points to the temple and fist pumped against the head.  Will the Swiss hold the trophy high over his head or will Nadal finish the story?  It is 40-0. Will he hold his serve or….?And he does it! Stanislas Wawrinka, wins the set point and the match to become only the second person since 2005 to win a grand slam outside of the top 4.  There is no jubilation, no raucous cheer in victory or t-shirt tearing.  He shakes hands and hugs Nadal offers him probably an apology and words of consolation.  It is a prolonged interaction between the conqueror and the vanquished.  And after Nadal shakes hands with the chair umpire, Wawrinka has the court to himself, the winner, he raises his hands and a quiet smile lights up his face, he hugs his team.  I feel for Wawrinka, the sedate appreciation of the moment has only made me root for Stan more.

Here’s hoping he will win more grand slams if for nothing elses than to let out that winner’s roar literally and figuratively.  Here's to Stanislas Wawrinka, finally coming out of the shadows of his illustrious compatriot- Federer and announcing his arrival not only to the world but to Switzerland as well.

Quarterfinal Surprise- Radwanska beats Azarenka

The odds that Radwanska would beat Azarenka were very low indeed.  I thought so too.  Radwanska would simply be no match for the power and sullen aggression of Azarenka.  But, I am going to hang my soothsayer boots and stick to commentating in retrospect.  Radwanska made Azrenka run from one corner to another, made her come to the net to meet her impossibly low and close to the net drop shots, made her scurry back to the baseline for lobs.  Radwanska moved like a demon and she could do no wrong.  She makes it to her first semifinal  of the Australian Open 2014 and awaits the winner of Bouchard V/s Na Li match.  Radwanska plays Cibulkova also called the pocket rocket as she stands at a mere 5”3in she would still be way shorter than Radwanska who is 5”8 in. But watching Cibulkova overcome Sharapova the Russian amazon who packs frightful aggression with her banshee-like screams and her sheer physicality was a spectacle in itself.  There is a gap of 23 ranks and 11 inches between the player and the when Cibulkova plays the backhand, her left knee almost touches the ground.  It was literally and figuratively a David V/s Goliath battle.  Dominika ultimately won the match 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, progressively getting better with every set. 

All my equations are going haywire and as a lover of sports, I couldn't have hoped for a better result and more thrilling entertainment- a more than enough return on my investment in expensive tour tickets and time.  No more predictable outcomes and every match throws up a new player who is a delight for sore eyes. Cibulkova now battles Radwanska and I have absolutely no idea of who will win given the sudden crest and tide in fortunes over three sets.  This ‘inspired play’ throws all my predictions off.  One moment everything is looking great for the usual culprit but then she makes unforced errors and couple with inspired play which is more to do with mental fortitude, the ranked player throws the gauntlet.  The term- play is more apt for the Cibulkova- Sharapova match.  Whereas I would credit Bouchard’s play without any inspired play bit to defeat Ivanovic.  Her composure was remarkable for a mere 19 year old who has no experience playing in such a big theater.  As it has been happening in women’s tennis these days, bigger ranked players who are everybody’s favourite to win matches just self-destruct.

 This year, the ouster of Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova in round 4 and Victoria Azarenka in the quarter finals has really brought in the diversity factor in the semifinals.  Of the four players, we now have Bouchard  who is all of 19 years and has never progressed beyond 3^rd round in a slam, Cibulkova who hasn’t made it beyond quarterfinals just once and only Na Li who won at Roland Garros.  Radwanska even though she hasn’t won a grand slam event yet is the only one who have held the no.1 spot and has made it as a runner up and into the semis at Wimbledon in 2012 and 2013 and quarterfinals in 2011, 2012 and 2013 in Australian Open.

Even though I have hung up my boots, old habits die hard and I say that Bouchard will beat Na Li, Radwanska will beat Cilbulkova.  It will be a Agniszka Radwanska V/s Melanie Bouchard Finals.