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Vote for speeding up the courts or against it!

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"Speed up the courts and general court speed Thread"

149K views 2K replies 436 participants last post by  kafkavert 
#1 ·
A few weeks ago I watched some old matches of James Blake including encounters against Kiefer (Vienna 2002), Agassi (Washington 2002), Safin (Hopman Cup 2004) and Moya (Indian Wells 2003) and it is quite obvious that today's game is far slower than it was then. James was able to generate direct winners off the forehand wing, whereas currently he has to fire his forehand at least two or three times to end the point. I just wonder whether his shots are less powerful now but looking at the shot and serve speeds it is probably not the reason. He uses the same frame as back then in 2002 or 2003, therefore it shouldn't be blamed on the technology of rackets. So what's the main reason - the balls or changes in surface? Or maybe James game is simply slower?
 
#966 ·
Roger Campaigning for Faster Courts on Tour

Roger is the only one concerned with speeding up the courts these days it seems. :rolleyes: He would like to help to end the constant
grind-fests and injuries on the tour and he is lending his voice to a cause to save Tennis for many fans bored of these 5-6 hour marathons.

This is from Tennis Earth:

Roger Federer joined the likes of Pat Cash to use faster court on the tour as the slower surfaces not only come to rescue of the defensive players but also cause rally to last longer and increase the chances of injuries.

Federer asserted that the aggressive style of play that is well suited on the hard courts and the grass courts has also lost its advantage as they're now designed to be slower than they used to be.

"It's an easy fix,” said Federer failing to defend his ATP World Tour Finals title. “Just make quicker courts, then it's hard to defend. Having an attacking style is more important. It's only on this type of slow courts that you can defend the way we are all doing right now."

With the initiation of faster courts, Federer believes that other players will have a chance to challenge the ‘Big 4’. “I think some variety would be nice, some really slow stuff and then some really fast stuff, instead of trying to make everything sort of the same," commented Federer. “You sort of protect the top guys really by doing that because you have the best possible chance to have them in the semis at this point, I think. But should that be the goal? I'm not sure.”

Former Wimbledon champion Pat Cash also addressed the subject of slower courts, Cash said, “It is taking a heavy toll. I don’t want to see more and more players getting exhausted and injured, and I also don’t want to see everyone playing the same sort of game. The slow abrasive court surface contributes to more extended rallies and therefore longer matches.”

“Just the other week, Djokovic and Murray contested a best of three sets final in Shanghai that lasted three and a half hours. Back in my day, we hardly ever went beyond two. And of course it’s almost routine now for best-of-five sets encounter on hard courts in Grand Slam to stretch beyond the five hours mark. Remember this year’s Australian and US Open finals.”
Bravo, Roger! :worship:

In other news, it appears that Rogers split with IMG Management is primarily responsible not only for the Abu Dhabi snub, but also his decision to skip the Miami Masters. IMG was recently involved in an embarrassing betting scandal, so Roger's judgement is sound in my opinion.

Meanwhile, Rafa continues to sponsor with ill-advised "Poker Stars". :rolleyes: I wish Roger could impart his wisdom to Rafa sometimes, but what can he do other than serve as an example. :shrug: They seem like they are drifting apart in so many ways.
 
#968 ·
Re: Roger Campaigning for Faster Courts on Tour

As usual, Roger is correct about these things. Since this is the greatest player of all time talking, they will surely listen and speed up the courts. That would be best for the tour. It also means that Nadal will lose more often, which is always good for tennis.
 
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#971 ·
Re: Roger Campaigning for Faster Courts on Tour

shame it wont happen old man.........
It better happen. The tour was almost dead a few years ago with Nadal winning everything. Nowadays, it's slightly better with Nadal gone for the moment, Roger getting back #1 and Andy winning a slam. Djokovic messes it all up but at least he's not as bad as Nadal.
 
#970 ·
Re: Roger Campaigning for Faster Courts on Tour

no court will be faster until rafa and the djoker will retire....
 
#973 ·
Re: Roger Campaigning for Faster Courts on Tour

no court will be faster until rafa and the djoker will retire....
And that's the way it should be.
 
#974 ·
Re: Roger Campaigning for Faster Courts on Tour

Have to laugh at Roger fans presenting this as him caring for the game! He's benefited from the slower courts throughout his career - far easier for him to rack up all those Wimbledons and US Opens in an era which didn't favour big servers than in the 90s. It's only now that Djokovic, Murray etc. have a clear advantage over him on those courts and he's a step slower that he has spoken about this issue - he's been on tour 14+ years, is in his 30s - speaking about it isn't showing leadership, it's pure self interest.

Also, apart from minorities of vocal fans on messageboards the vast majority of the public don't seem to have an issue with the court speed. Tennis is far more popular now than in late 90s - the top stars get great coverage, top events sell out etc. I'd be happy to see more variety but the idea that all courts are the same is a nonsense anyway. If they were we'd see the likes of Almagro picking up 250 hardcourt/indoor titles rather than only winning on clay and vice versa for those with terrible clay records. If the hard courts are a little slower it's also true that the clay is a little faster.

So it's great for Federer to talk about the top guys being "protected" but it might have meant more if he'd wanted any change when it would have been adverse to him. :rolleyes: No doubt Nadal, Djokovic and Murray will disagree and why wouldn't they - they'll all favour the type of court that helps them.
 
#984 ·
Re: Roger Campaigning for Faster Courts on Tour

Have to laugh at Roger fans presenting this as him caring for the game! He's benefited from the slower courts throughout his career - far easier for him to rack up all those Wimbledons and US Opens in an era which didn't favour big servers than in the 90s. It's only now that Djokovic, Murray etc. have a clear advantage over him on those courts and he's a step slower that he has spoken about this issue - he's been on tour 14+ years, is in his 30s - speaking about it isn't showing leadership, it's pure self interest.

Also, apart from minorities of vocal fans on messageboards the vast majority of the public don't seem to have an issue with the court speed. Tennis is far more popular now than in late 90s - the top stars get great coverage, top events sell out etc. I'd be happy to see more variety but the idea that all courts are the same is a nonsense anyway. If they were we'd see the likes of Almagro picking up 250 hardcourt/indoor titles rather than only winning on clay and vice versa for those with terrible clay records. If the hard courts are a little slower it's also true that the clay is a little faster.

So it's great for Federer to talk about the top guys being "protected" but it might have meant more if he'd wanted any change when it would have been adverse to him. :rolleyes: No doubt Nadal, Djokovic and Murray will disagree and why wouldn't they - they'll all favour the type of court that helps them.
It`s not that easy, I even don`t know on which parts to focus your attention. Let`s start with the fact that faster courts won`t automatically favour Fed as you are trying to describe it. He has better chances on them against great defenders like Murray and Djokovic, true. And what about bighitters - Berdych, Tsonga and so on? Look, to have chance to beat Nadal/Murray/Djokovic even in more favourable conditions at semis/finals he would 1st need to beat someone like Berdych/Tsonga at quarters and on quicker courts with Maestro to lose a step it can`t be easy at all. Losses to Berdych at Cincy last year and US-12, Tso twice last year on quick courts, Delpo recently - it`s not a coincidence if you look at whole picture.

Federer agreed, for example, with such great decision like no week between WTF and Paris after Murrovic proposal in the end, seems to favour him too I guess. :rolleyes: Roger has his own interests as everyone, but for years he proved obvious fact that this game is importand for him in more ways than speaking only about titles, money and records. He succeeded to raise money for early rounds losers, it wasn`t only his merit, but hugely and so on.
 
#978 ·
Re: Roger Campaigning for Faster Courts on Tour

I think it might be good to have some variety: not everything fast, not everything so damn slow. He's right when he says slower courts cause longer rallies and therefore more injures.
 
#980 ·
Re: Roger Campaigning for Faster Courts on Tour

I agree with him in a way. at the very least the US OPEN should be sped up to what it used to be. Australia has never been insanely fast so maybe we can let that go, but still. overall I also agree, it's a shame that practically every hard court masters event plays to the likes of Djokovic or even Nadal

not too fast like the 90s, nor too slow like recent years, a middle ground with a better mix of the two. although what does Federer have to complain about, his longevity seems to be working out fine despite him playing a good portion of his career on these pretty slow courts
 
#982 ·
Re: Roger Campaigning for Faster Courts on Tour

Frauderer trying to save himself :lol:
 
#985 ·
Re: Roger Campaigning for Faster Courts on Tour

too right he is, these grindfest surfaces are a disgrace to the sport, talented attacking players like del potro are losing out to boring pushers like mugray and ferrer

3 players (well djoko will almost certainly win the FO) getting a career slam in recent years is ultimate proof of how much damage homogenized surfaces has done to the creditability of players' achievements these days

aggassi's career slam is worth 10 times more than if it were achieved today
 
#1,009 · (Edited)
Speed up the courts and we will see less Career Slam winners like from 1969-1999. Grass is supposed to be very fast and slick not the current green clay. USO is supposed to be a fast HC not these days' blue clay.


too right he is, these grindfest surfaces are a disgrace to the sport, talented attacking players like del potro are losing out to boring pushers like mugray and ferrer

3 players (well djoko will almost certainly win the FO) getting a career slam in recent years is ultimate proof of how much damage homogenized surfaces has done to the creditability of players' achievements these days

aggassi's career slam is worth 10 times more than if it were achieved today
Federer is the only active player that would achieve the Career Slam in ANY ERA. The current homogenization of the slams has made a mockery of the Career Slam.

The YEC is supposed to be played on very fast indoors hc not the blue clay of 2012.
 
#986 ·
Re: Roger Campaigning for Faster Courts on Tour

He is right, and it would be great to see some faster courts again. But he is probably thinking about himself here as well, at this point of his career he would most likely benefit from shorter points much more than his closest rivals.
 
#987 ·
Re: Roger Campaigning for Faster Courts on Tour

Old news, this was said right after WTF final, his loss to Nole - i think his point here was that on faster surface he would have beaten Nole- but agree that we needs faster surfaces, i mean just compare Prague DC court with WTF in London, Paris-Bercy - i mean if bigger events - indoor HC events would be played on faster surface it would be great. Also outdoor HC can have variety from slow AO, IW, Miami to fast Dubai, Cinci - but make more mediuem -fast than slow-medium.
 
#989 ·
Re: Roger Campaigning for Faster Courts on Tour

Of course Roger wants faster courts now. At this stage in his career that's the only way he'll win slams. I don't remember Roger having too many complaints with court speeds when he was winning 2-3 slams a year.

At the same time, faster courts would ensure that Rafa never gets close to his grand slam record.
 
#1,006 ·
Re: Roger Campaigning for Faster Courts on Tour

Of course Roger wants faster courts now. At this stage in his career that's the only way he'll win slams. I don't remember Roger having too many complaints with court speeds when he was winning 2-3 slams a year.

At the same time, faster courts would ensure that Rafa never gets close to his grand slam record.
nadal all his career wants less hardcourts tournys and less speed too.

and federer said many times that the courts were everyears more slowers , especially in wimbledon.

and this ultra-slow courts begginning after 2008 or 2009 , in 2008 with australia and 2010 or 2011 with us open , ATP all the years was slow down the courts for help physicall players like nadal and others.

I don`t consider that the slow courts helped federer against big servers , I mean he defeated sampras in a very fast grass , ivanisevic in a fast indoor and roddick in all kind of surfaces , federer not has many problems against big servers.
 
#990 ·
Re: Roger Campaigning for Faster Courts on Tour

You may argue that he is saying it due to selfish reasons but it is also only thing that could save ATP Tour from this shit what we see now - and you can´t argue on that. :shrug:

But he made a good point - we should have some very slow ones and some very fast ones. That is what I am missing right now and who cannot see this is just stupid.
 
#995 ·
Re: Roger Campaigning for Faster Courts on Tour

Servebotrerer just trying to get a chance to win something in the future too, nothing surprising here. Pathetic and obvious.
You still haven't said who you were in your past life.

As for Roger, well done. Still telling it like it is, after all these years! :yeah:
 
#994 ·
Re: Roger Campaigning for Faster Courts on Tour

He is right . No one eat the same food three times a day,seven days a week and 365 days an year.If you do that you will get sick after a while. If there is a variety more players would play different style so more joy for the players and fans.
 
#997 ·
Re: Roger Campaigning for Faster Courts on Tour

I know that Grass was very much slowed down, but, in a certain way, the games became more entertaining. Maybe they should speed it up again, but not to what it was on 80s and 90s.

I think the point is mainly the HC events. They are all being slowed down, and they are surely the ones that causes the most injuries.

Leave Clay slow, make Grass a little faster, and speed up some HC tournaments. Also, bring Carpet back. WTF whould be played on them.
 
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