Can Fed's ground game be fixed?

[Insideout2]

It's pretty obvious that Federer's ground game has significantly declined, especially his forehand. Whether it be age, new racket, or whatever else Federer just isn't the same force from the baseline anymore. Is there anything he can do to strengthen his ground game and stop being pushed around by players he once dominated?

 

[The-Champ]

can Nadal regain his speed (2005-2008)?

 

[ImageIsEverything]

He can get in the gym. No excuse for a healthy grown man with access to top trainers , nutritionists, and gyms to have a phslysique indistinguishable from Justine Henin's.

 

[Brian2781]

Are you positing that he tires in matches now? Because I don't remember anyone saying that strength or fitness was an issue when he was dominant over far more physically imposing players.

Isn't it more likely he's just seeing he decline in reflexes and speed that comes with the vast majority of athletes as they pass their physical prime?

 

[FedFan07]

I feel like he's lost a step with his age. This causes him to be late on a lot of forehands and this causes a shot lacking penetration into the court. I don't believe that it's the racket. He should be confident with his stick by now

 

[Steve0904]

No. It's called getting old(er).

 

[Charlemagne]

I feel like he's lost a step with his age. This causes him to be late on a lot of forehands and this causes a shot lacking penetration into the court. I don't believe that it's the racket. He should be confident with his stick by now

I think you answered the question... The racquet however does affect shot penetration... I think he lost some feel for the ball, with the larger stick.. His movement has really declined, and I think that has really done a number on his fh penetration.

 

[Wimbledon2015ForKyrgios]

The movement has nothing to do with why he can be perfectly set up for a forehand and it isn't even close to being as powerful as it was in 2003-2006.

 

[big ted]

hes definitely making more errors.. when agassi got older it never happened to him so why is this happening to roger? maybe its something technical that can be fixed?

 

[dudeski]

It's pretty obvious that Federer's ground game has significantly declined, especially his forehand. Whether it be age, new racket, or whatever else Federer just isn't the same force from the baseline anymore. Is there anything he can do to strengthen his ground game and stop being pushed around by players he once dominated?

Time machine that takes him back to 2005 will do it.

 

[Deleted member 410229]

Just look at the way he is sitting on the bench during transfers with a very weird posture, his back in a curve etc. Seems to me he lacks core strength. As you get older you need to train differently, seems he is doing the same routine which would be inefficiënt.

 

[Wimbledon2015ForKyrgios]

hes definitely making more errors.. when agassi got older it never happened to him so why is this happening to roger? maybe its something technical that can be fixed?

And judging by how Agassi played against Muster in an exhibition in Stuttgart, it looks like he can still really hit the ball. Heck, he was even serving into the 120s.

If not for his back, he could still be on tour and getting to the 2nd weeks of slams.

 

[ultradr]

No. It's called getting old(er).

+1.

Plus, if you add more net games, you lose some in ground stroke departments.

 

[Djokovic2011]

Nah, as soon as Fed plays Djokovic again on a fast HC his ground game will be in tip-top condition as always. NID every single time.

 

[Bukmeikara]

He is number 2 in the world, how bad his ground game can be?

 

[TheMusicLover]

No. It's called getting old(er).

Quite right, sir. Brace for impact, folks - it happens to all of them.
As is all too clearly visible right now, and this specific comment doesn't merely apply to Fed. 8)

Father Time has no mercy on anyone. That said, it's pretty possible to still enjoy a rather pleasant life for over 50 years to come thereafter.

 

[TheMusicLover]

hes definitely making more errors.. when agassi got older it never happened to him so why is this happening to roger? maybe its something technical that can be fixed?

Look up on the word 'mileage'. It may just make things a bit clearer for you.

 

[ultradr]

Nah, as soon as Fed plays Djokovic again on a fast HC his ground game will be in tip-top condition as always. NID every single time.

I actually think fast hard courts are harder to deal with if you are getting older (and thus slower).

I also think overall slower condition is one of the reasons why older players hang around longer these days.

Well, it is all relative though.

 

[FedFan07]

I actually think fast hard courts are harder to deal with if you are getting older (and thus slower).

I also think overall slower condition is one of the reasons why older players hang around longer these days.

Well, it is all relative though.

Federer doesn't seem to struggle with the fast hard courts even as he gets older. Just look at Dubai this year and last

 

[West Coast Ace]

OP, welcome to the boards!

So the #2 player on the planet needs his ground game 'fixed'?

Can't wait for your next thread.

 

[Insideout2]

OP, welcome to the boards!

So the #2 player on the planet needs his ground game 'fixed'?

Can't wait for your next thread.

Well obviously if he is #2 in the world he is doing something right. Honestly his ground game isn't anything that it used to be and it's costing him matches. I'm merely asking if there is something he can change to improve it. No way it's ever getting back to how it was in his prime.

 

[sliceroni]

The LA program is only way Fed can retain his glory form.

http://m.livescience.com/23932-lance-armstrong-doping-tests.html

 

[sundaypunch]

hes definitely making more errors.. when agassi got older it never happened to him so why is this happening to roger? maybe its something technical that can be fixed?

Maybe, but Agassi was one of the cleanest ball strikers of all time. Also, the level of competition he dealt with from age 30-35 was not what Federer has now.

He only won two of his slams at age 30+ and they were both Australian Opens with lucky draws (Arnaud Clement and Rainer Schuttler in the finals).

With the 2005 US Open at age 35, he only played one seeded player before losing to Federer in the final. That was a 19-yo Berdych who was the #32 seed.

This is the kind of luck Federer needs if he's going to win another slam. He's not going to make any adjustments to his technique that turn the clock back 5 years.

 

[SoBad]

It's pretty obvious that Federer's ground game has significantly declined, especially his forehand. Whether it be age, new racket, or whatever else Federer just isn't the same force from the baseline anymore. Is there anything he can do to strengthen his ground game and stop being pushed around by players he once dominated?

Feder groundgame has been improving steadily the past couple of years, especially the backhand side, but now he is faced with competition that just wasn't around when he piled up cheap slams during the notorious 2003-2007.

 

[Winners or Errors]

"You cannot be serious"

 

[Insideout2]

Feder groundgame has been improving steadily the past couple of years, especially the backhand side, but now he is faced with competition that just wasn't around when he piled up cheap slams during the notorious 2003-2007.

I agree 100% that his backhand has improved with the new racket. It's his forehand that has suffered

 

[Wimbledon2015ForKyrgios]

I actually think fast hard courts are harder to deal with if you are getting older (and thus slower).

I also think overall slower condition is one of the reasons why older players hang around longer these days.

Well, it is all relative though.

There are positives and negatives to each.

The faster courts reward the more aggressive tennis more, but the older players have less time to get there. The slower courts give them more time but they can't end points as quickly.

For Federer, he has more potential on the faster courts to be dangerous but he's also more vulnerable to losing to absolutely anyone.

 

[Wimbledon2015ForKyrgios]

Feder groundgame has been improving steadily the past couple of years, especially the backhand side, but now he is faced with competition that just wasn't around when he piled up cheap slams during the notorious 2003-2007.

I realize you're a troll, but take a look at how bad Federer's backhand was here against weak backhand Agassi:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L1zrOb6tCc