[Jimnik]

Let's have a role reversal. Speed up the clay until RG is the fastest and slow down grass until Wimbledon is the slowest.

[Looner]

It's already been done. You only need to watch last year's tournaments. Maybe except the AO, Wimbledon is the slowest, especially in week 2.

[Jimnik]

Looking at the results of Fish, Lopez, Roddick and Tsonga I find that hard to believe.

[LisaKoh]

The only way they will stop slowing down the courts is when the Wimbledon final turns out to be Almagro-Berlocq. Greedy tournament directors and TV stations will then realize their crucial mistakes.

[Sunset of Age]

Originally Posted by LisaKoh

The only way they will stop slowing down the courts is when the Wimbledon final turns out to be Almagro-Berlocq.

AARRRGGGHHH

Greedy tournament directors and TV stations will then realize their crucial mistakes.

I rather wouldn't be surprised to see it go over the 6-hours mark with all the journo's claiming it's 'the best match ever played', the tournament directors, TV stations and other attention seekers/cash grabbers peeing their pants in glee.

[Slice Winner]

Originally Posted by LisaKoh

The only way they will stop slowing down the courts is when the Wimbledon final turns out to be Almagro-Berlocq. Greedy tournament directors and TV stations will then realize their crucial mistakes.

Nadal-Djokovic wasn't enough?

[GugaF1]

Originally Posted by leng jai

Are you really trying to say Federer has benefited from grass slowing down? How does a fast court player benefit from a court slowing down? How does a does a player who prefers low balls on the backhand benefit from higher bounces?

Look, I agree with the argument that fast HC and grass needs to be restored to its roots. Also, would be nice to have the fast indoor season back, smaller than the other surfaces sure, but at least a swing in the carpet would be nice. As far as this argument goes, Federer did benefit from the slowing down of the surfaces at the time it came. Federer can be considered a fast court player in the current crop, but rewind to 2002 and he would be considered a mild aggressive player at best, he did not have an aggressive style such as Sampras, Philippoussis, Henman or Agassi, from a baseline stand point. These guys apart from Agassi, would all look to finish points in less than 5 strokes, while Federer, never really minded getting into long rallies.


Matter of fact is Federer's style has always been a mildly agressive baseline player. Sure, he has great variety and is able to mix it up serve and volley specially in the early 2000s, but he can not be considered a fast court player by the standard of the 90s. So the slowdown of the grass in 2003 benefited Federer as he was able to get much better look at Philippossis, Roddick and others serve and make his aggressive baseline play work on grass and is good to remember, that Federer was one of the first guys, along with Hewitt in 2002, who began the trend of being able to win Wimbledon primarily from the baseline. It began well before Nadal or Djokovic.

Now, forward to 2012, Federer's game nowadays of course, suits better in faster conditions being 30 year old, who developed his game in 90s decade using classic grips, in this Western grips land of today, also having beefed up his serve significantly, he can be considered a fast court player, just like a player like Haas can, but Haas also could barely enter the category of an aggressive player by the 90s standard. So the speeding up of the courts would probably be beneficial to Federer now, specially with his top match ups like Djokovic, Nadal and Murray. But is good remembering that guys like Isner, Karlovic, Fish, Roddick etc. in a hot serving day with the grass of the 90s, early 00s could make the match a lottery with anyone. Would Federer have won as many Wimbledon's as he did, in a super fast grass court with guys with the serve such as Roddick, Karlovic, Stepanek bumping around the draw? That is where Federer benefited also from the slow down until a certain point.

[LisaKoh]

Originally Posted by Slice Winner

Nadal-Djokovic wasn't enough?

Unfortunately, it made a sh*tload of money for everyone. Aargh.

Originally Posted by Sunset of Age

AARRRGGGHHH



I rather wouldn't be surprised to see it go over the 6-hours mark with all the journo's claiming it's 'the best match ever played', the tournament directors, TV stations and other attention seekers/cash grabbers peeing their pants in glee.

Well if you got Almagro-Berlocq the match would end the same day. It could turn into a four day affair they get Monfils and Simon playing in the final. It would be an epic pushfest of 61 shot rallies with players jostling linesmen to return serve 10 meters behind the baseline. And it would only last three sets with a score of 6-4, 6-2, 7-5.

[Slice Winner]

Originally Posted by LisaKoh

Unfortunately, it made a sh*tload of money for everyone. Aargh.



Well if you got Almagro-Berlocq the match would end the same day. It could turn into a four day affair they get Monfils and Simon playing in the final. It would be an epic pushfest of 61 shot rallies with players jostling linesmen to return serve 10 meters behind the baseline. And it would only last three sets with a score of 6-4, 6-2, 7-5.

lol. I saw Almagro run into the linesman recently, while retrieving, deep behind the baseline.
Although he's hardly a pusher. Just annoying.

[GugaF1]

Wow, I wrote my post because I had only read this thread until page 30 or so and I didn't see that Start the Game covered all the points that I had about Federer's game, sure in a more inflammatory Rafa fan way, but overall he is right about Federer style, which can't be considered really aggressive from 90s or early 00.

If you played Sampras, Edberg, Becker in anything remotely fast in a good day for them you would barely be able to see the color of the ball, as it would have past you by most of the time. With Federer, even in the fastest of conditions it wouldn't be the case, as he likes to rally, let you in points and gain a certain rhythm.

Sure he can be devastating, consistent, versatile with the right touch of aggression like he did with Hewitt in the US open of 2004. But guys like Goran, Becker's on a hot day you would barely be able to touch the ball. That's the difference in aggression in faster conditions.

[Slice Winner]

Originally Posted by GugaF1

Wow, I wrote my post because I had only read this thread until page 30 or so and I didn't see that Start the Game covered all the points that I had about Federer's game, sure in a more inflammatory Rafa fan way, but overall he is right about Federer style, which can't be considered really aggressive from 90s or early 00.

If you played Sampras, Edberg, Becker in anything remotely fast in a good day for them you would barely be able to see the color of the ball, as it would have past you by most of the time. With Federer, even in the fastest of conditions it wouldn't be the case, as he likes to rally, let you in points and gain a certain rhythm.

Sure he can be devastating, consistent, versatile with the right touch of aggression like he did with Hewitt in the US open of 2004. But guys like Goran, Becker's on a hot day you would barely be able to touch the ball. That's the difference in aggression in faster conditions.

Just because he stays on the baseline doesn't mean he's not aggressive.
If the only way to be aggressive is S&V, then Nole, Rafa and Muzz must be the ultimate moonballing pushers. (oh wait...)

[GugaF1]

I didn't say he was not aggressive, but he is not a purely aggressive player. He is a player who likes to engage the opponent, gain a certain rhythm and doesn't mind winning based on consistency as well.

[Action Jackson]

Originally Posted by LisaKoh

The only way they will stop slowing down the courts is when the Wimbledon final turns out to be Almagro-Berlocq. Greedy tournament directors and TV stations will then realize their crucial mistakes.

Wrong players there Berlocq serve volley more than Nadal or Djokovic.

[RIboy]

SARAJEVO (Challenger): "The fastest courts in the world," says Jamie Baker.
SARAJEVO (Challenger) "This surface is a joke. It is fast like ice, bad bounces, and slippery," said Berrer.

[RIboy]

and looks like ice: