Federer wants faster surfaces

[Steve0904]

SOURCE: http://www.tsn.ca/tennis/story/?id=409373

With the top defensive players increasingly getting the better of him often in recent years, Roger Federer would like to speed up the game of tennis.

Or at least the courts the matches are played on.

Federer lost to Novak Djokovic in the final of the season-ending ATP finals on Monday, and then praised the top-ranked Serb's ability to retrieve so many shots and keep the ball in play. That's a trait Djokovic shares with Federer's other two biggest rivals -- Rafael Nadal and Andy Murray -- and the Swiss star said attacking play doesn't always reap the benefits it deserves even on hard courts because they're often slower than they used to be.

"It's an easy fix. Just make quicker courts, then it's hard to defend," Federer said. "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."

Monday's final at the O2 Arena had a familiar feel to it. Federer did most of the attacking, trying to dictate play with his forehand and aggressive shot making. But Djokovic, as he often does, kept finding ways to get the ball back over the net and was sharper on the key points.

Federer won the first nine points of the match and was up an early break in both sets, but Djokovic recovered to win 7-6 (6), 7-5.

Federer was the two-time defending champion in London and emphasized that he was happy with this court, calling it one of the faster indoor surfaces on the circuit. He said slower courts are also good for long rallies -- which are a big crowd pleaser -- but that having more variety in the surfaces would force players to learn to be more aggressive.

"What you don't want is that you hit 15 great shots and at the end, it ends up in an error," he said. "So I think sometimes quicker courts do help the cause. I think it would help from time to time to move to something a bit faster. That would help to learn, as well, for many different players, different playing styles, to realize that coming to the net is a good thing, it's not a bad thing."

Federer has won a record-equaling seven Wimbledon titles on grass, the quickest surface, but has only one French Open title on the slower clay, where Nadal has repeatedly thwarted him.

Djokovic and Murray also rely heavily on their great defensive abilities, which have helped set them apart from the rest of the pack.

Having more tournaments played on faster surfaces could make it easier for other players to challenge the sport's "Big Four," Federer said, adding that he wasn't sure tournament directors would necessarily buy into that.

"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," he said. "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."

Djokovic said his strategy against Federer is usually to try and extend the rallies and hope for an opportunity.

"He's somebody that is very aggressive, that likes to finish points very quickly," Djokovic said. "But I managed to get a lot of shots back into the court, being passive, a couple meters behind the baseline. ... That was one of the goals tonight, to always try to get him into the longer rallies where I think I had the better chance."

My thoughts on this are as follows:

This will sound like sour grapes from Fed given its timing, but I've always agreed with him in this regard, but I can almost guarantee that fans of the other 3 won't. He's not saying all the courts should be fast, he's just asking for some variety. There are probably too many HC's as it is, and almost all of them are too similar IMHO, not to mention the grass is slower. Think of it this way if you're a fan of 1 or more of the other 3. It should prolong their careers, and that would be better for everyone.

So what does everybody else think?

[SoBad]

How about a modest condo in a quiet retirement community in Florida - has he considered that?

[90's Clay]

Fed realizes he isn't going to win anything of significance anymore without a fast surface so obviously this for his own personal benefit.. But I agree with him, there should be a some fast surfaces. Wimbledon, YEC, and Flushing should have stayed. We have enough slower courts during the first hard court swing and clay season.. Thats half the season.. Thats enough


One of the great things about tennis before was guys had to deal with both conditions (fast and slow) during the first and second half of the season.. Now its the same old slow crapola year round. It breeds complacency, no game plan, no implementation of new strategy.. NOTHING.. its a free ride for slow court grinders

People think I'm crazy when I say were going to have 4-5 more players in the next 10 years win the career grand slam.. But this is the reason why its going to happen. When Prior it was done ONCE in 30 some years?

[ninman]

Originally Posted by SoBad

How about a modest condo in a quiet retirement community in Florida - has he considered that?

Given that he's world number 2, was number 1 for a few months this year, won 3 masters series titles, Wimbledon, and had very consistent results all year, I'd say that retirement is the last thing on his mind.

He could easily have won the match today if he'd served better at the crucial moments. I expect he'll be disappointed and angry with himself for not winning the match.

Don't expect Federer to go anywhere for a good while yet.

[Towser83]

Originally Posted by Steve0904

SOURCE: http://www.tsn.ca/tennis/story/?id=409373








My thoughts on this are as follows:

This will sound like sour grapes from Fed given its timing, but I've always agreed with him in this regard, but I can almost guarantee that fans of the other 3 won't. He's not saying all the courts should be fast, he's just asking for some variety. There are probably too many HC's as it is, and almost all of them are too similar IMHO, not to mention the grass is slower. Think of it this way if you're a fan of 1 or more of the other 3. It should prolong their careers, and that would be better for everyone.

So what does everybody else think?

well apparently he said the WTF is one of the fastest indoor courts and he wants slow and fast, so it doesn't sound like he's blaming the loss on the court speed, maybe he was asked about players becoming so good at defending

[SoBad]

Originally Posted by ninman

Given that he's world number 2, was number 1 for a few months this year, won 3 masters series titles, Wimbledon, and had very consistent results all year, I'd say that retirement is the last thing on his mind.

He could easily have won the match today if he'd served better at the crucial moments. I expect he'll be disappointed and angry with himself for not winning the match.

Don't expect Federer to go anywhere for a good while yet.

Perhaps the reason why retirement is the last thing on his mind is because there are serious problems with his brain.

[beast of mallorca]

Originally Posted by SoBad

How about a modest condo in a quiet retirement community in Florida - has he considered that?

You are seriously bad my friend.
But no retirement yet for the big four. Maybe in 7 years time once I'm fed up with their rivalries.

[Goosehead]

i was expecting federer to come into the net way more than he actually did..still too much trading shots from the baseline from fed, he has the skills to do it more.

that would shorten things..but its obvious the courts are getting slower, in a way it helps federer..if he is out of position because maybe he is a bit slower or tired than the old days..it gives him a split second longer to reach that shot if the ball isnt skidding through..

the downside being longer rallies with the baseline boys, unless....fed comes to the net more...confused: its all up to fed that is.

[Sabratha]

Federer wants to speed up the courts so he can win more? Is that what this is about?

[Bartelby]

Yes, well, if the game ends up as an entirely defensive one upon Federer's retirement then it will be to the detriment of the game.

[ninman]

Originally Posted by SoBad

Perhaps the reason why retirement is the last thing on his mind is because there are serious problems with his brain.

Yeah, because winning a GS and making the final of WTF is a good indicator that it's time to retire.

[kragster]

No sane tennis fan can argue with the statement that we need more variety. Varying speeds varying bounce varying wind conditions etc.

Incidentally I think the homogenization of surfaces has also meant a faster RG which has been bad for the true dirtballers like Monaco, while guys like isner take a set off Nadal !

[JustBob]

He's right. No wonder that the top 5, aside from Federer, are all glorified pushers. No need for talent and shotmaking ability because it will be neutralized by endless baseline retrieving. So you get 4-5 hour matches on so-called fast hard courts with 20+ shot rallies which invariably end up with an error. Not to mention that the length of matches has been steadily increasing, which will lead to more injuries and shortened careers.

[Gizo]

There needs to be more of a balance between fast and slow surfaces on the tour. Deep down every tennis fan knows Federer is correct whether they like him or loathe him.

It's like peope knew Nadal was correct when he was saying that there is far too much hard court tennis on the calendar.

If I had my way, every indoor tournament on the calendar would be held on carpet instead of hard courts. There are already so many tournaments held on outdoor hard, why do there need to be so many indoor hard tournaments as well?

There are just way too many slow hard court tournaments on the ATP calendar, and slow hard courts are the most dangerous and damaging surface to/on players' bodies as well.

[90's Clay]

The 90s conditions are the only way to go.. A varying distinct difference between all surfaces all throughout the year..This makes dominating all through the year much more difficult. You have to adopt different strategies and game plans.. You have to develop more of an all court game.

Tennis has gone downhill in this regard.

[Sabratha]

Originally Posted by 90's Clay

The 90s conditions are the only way to go.. A varying distinct difference between all surfaces all throughout the year..This makes dominating all through the year much more difficult. You have to adopt different strategies and game plans.. You have to develop more of an all court game.

Tennis has gone downhill in this regard.

The 90s: Where every year you have a new winner at Roland Garros!

[Mustard]

You can't go back to the 1990s because the racquet and string technology is different. Tennis changes and evolves by going forwards, not backwards.

[90's Clay]

Originally Posted by Sabratha

The 90s: Where every year you have a new winner at Roland Garros!

You had different winners at a lot of places (outside of Sampras at wimbledon and to a lesser degree USO) but the conditions broke up the monotony of 2-3 guys dominating everything because of homogenized conditions.. Made it way more exciting to me.

It was exciting to see a lot of different threats and names to the potential throne throughout the season.

[90's Clay]

Originally Posted by Mustard

You can't go back to the 1990s because the racquet and string technology is different. Tennis changes and evolves by going forwards, not backwards.

So 20 shot pusher rallies at every tournament without lack of all court prowess, strategy,etc. the ENTIRE year is going forward?

OK i guess. Some people love it.. Not everyone has to though

[Mustard]

The modern technology enables players to dictate with authority and depth from their own baselines in a way they never could in the 1990s, let alone in decades before that.