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by TLR
Host Todd
Hello TLR Nuts and tennis fans! The 2009 grand slam
season has begun and Tennis Live Radio will be back
soon. I thank you for your patience and very much look
forward to speaking to you all again. While we wait for
our radio return, I decided to express some of my
Australian Open opinions right here during the next two
weeks. Please excuse any spelling and/or grammatical
errors. We do this on the fly. |
#1 THOUGHTS on
FEDERER/RODDICK: Although I stayed up to watch
it live at 3:30am, this match played out exactly as I
thought it would. As a result, I honestly don't know
what to say that hasn't been said before, but I'll try.
Here were a few of my sleep deprived determinations.
a. I'M LOST: It has been
made clear that Andy Roddick put in the time off court
with Larry Stefanki to alter his fitness with the hope
that it would improve his on court performance versus
the Top 4. Roger Federer entered 2009 mono free and
hungry to reclaim his top spot and pass Pete. Following
Thursday's 18th encounter, I asked myself one question.
When am I? Who watches ABC's Lost? Currently
the team of airplane crash survivors are warping back
and forth through time on the undetermined, mysterious
island on which they fell. It's too complicated to
explain if you haven't followed the show, but basically
the characters are unwillingly warping back and forth
through time on a stage (island) that changes very
little. The same can be applied to this match. The stage
is the same, the result is the same, but the year is
different. In last night's episode after being warped in
time, a main character asked When amI?
After this SF match I not only asked myself, When am
I, but also I asked myself, What have I learned?
In my opinion, we haven't learned whether Roddick's
fitness will be a factor in 2009 or if the game Federer
flashed vs. JMDP and AD will be enough against the one
man who has taken what he cherishes the most. Roddick's
determination is unwavering, Federer's cross court
forehand and flick cross court backhands are insane, but
we already knew this. I'm calling it like I see
it....Will Roddick's new game be enough be best the top
4 and capture a second slam he wants most? While Federer
looks on fire, will it be enough to defeat his real
nemesis in 2009? I'm not sure
b. NIGHT VISION: "One thing
that's probably not going to get talked about much is
Roger, he enjoys playing at night. Seems like he sees
the ball pretty big at night. I think that's a factor
that needs to be at least thought of or discussed."
Those are the words of Andy Roddick following the match.
I wonder what his vision is?
c. WORDS of AGASSI: Check
out this Roddick post match quote. "The thing about
Roger is you can know where to go, and you can still
come out on the bad end of it sometimes. So that's where
it differs from a lot of people. A lot of people you
know exactly what have to do and the majority of the
time you execute it, you're going to come out on the
good end it of. That part is a little bit frustrating at
times." Sounds a little like Andre after the 2005 US
Open final, "Pete
[Sampras] was great. I mean, no question. But
there was a place to get to with Pete, you knew what you
had to do. If you do it, it could be on your terms.
There's no such place like that with Roger. I think he's
the best I've played against."
d.
BECAUSE MICKEY LOVES YA!: How many of us can
relate to the frustration Andy Roddick must feel. He
sets his goals. He puts in the time. And then he puts in
more. He creates a game plan. And then develops a new
one. He has been incredibly consistent and successful by
most standards, but suffers yet another convincing loss
to the Swiss on a big stage. He is now 0-7 in slam
matches vs. Roger. I'm not sure most people have the
fortitude to pick them themselves up and get back in the
fight as Andy has. Why does he doe it? "Get up you
son-of-b#@*%, because Mickey loves ya". I had to throw
in a Rocky V quote. Here's Roddick reason, "I
think at 25, 26, for a lot of people, it's tough to kind
of get the motivation and kind of keep going and keep at
it. But, you know, as long as I decide to play this
game, I'm going to do what I can to try to improve out
there. There's no reason for me not to."
Roddick has to accept, which I'm sure he has, that this
is simply a bad matchup for him.
e. 38-18: Roddick's Winners
to Unforced errors. With his serve, probably good enough
to beat everyone but 2-3 players on the planet. |
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#2 TOO TIGHT and TYPICAL: Serena will
look to grab her 10th slam title after beating Elena.
Dementieva looked tight and in typical fashion refused
to approach the net after driving angled ground strokes
away from her opponent. Serena looked sharp from the
first ball and tough to beat. Go ahead and ask me what I
was thinking during this match....."When am I?"
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#3 THE UNTHINKABLE ANAOLOGY:
Dementieva's serve is greatly improved there is now
question about it, but a few double faults slipped into
her game during the SF. I'm sure people in the past have
used several different terms to describe the Russians
serve, but I have to believe ESPN's Chris Folwer used a
first. He compared her serving yips to that of Herpes.
Yes, Herpes. He said something along the lines of, "The
yips, like Herpes, always seems to come back." |
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#4 BIG BOY NICKNAME: A new
Tennis Live Community
nickname has surfaced courtesy
Sue in Raleigh, NC. Here's Sue:
"And I don't know anyone else who might appreciate
it. For months, I've been thinking Verdasco looks like
the Shoney "Big Boy".
Therefore, I hereby bequeath Verdasco his new
nickname "Big Boy Verdasco" and who forever
shall be known."
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