Thank you!Also, his new YouTube channel. Can't say he's not committed to being fit.
Also starring: Jean-Lennard Struff, Dennis Novak and Ernests Gulbis.
Should be training tactics insteadThis dude is probably going to be so burnt out by the time he's 30.
I admire Dom's fitness but you're so right. He's been with Bresnik since he was 7 or 8 years old; it's time to inject some new blood into his coaching staff. Ball bashing and extremely lousy point construction off clay need to be addressed.Should be training tactics instead
I got burnt out just watching thatThis dude is probably going to be so burnt out by the time he's 30.
In fairness, Lendl was 10 times the player Dom is or will ever be. Lendl also choked away endless big matches and ended up 8-11 in major finals. He was 1-6 in the first seven slam finals he played, so not a "brute" at all in many respects.Another problem he has which has held him back from more success is that he is way too nice and lacks the killer instinct to become a champion. He needs someone like Lendl as his coach. Lendl was a brute on the court and his goal was to win big titles and not just participate which is what Thiem does.
Another problem he has which has held him back from more success is that he is way too nice and lacks the killer instinct to become a champion. He needs someone like Lendl as his coach. Lendl was a brute on the court and his goal was to win big titles and not just participate which is what Thiem does.
In fairness, Lendl was 10 times the player Dom is or will ever be. Lendl also choked away endless big matches and ended up 8-11 in major finals. He was 1-6 in the first seven slam finals he played, so not a "brute" at all in many respects.
Edberg was incredibly nice and gentle but still won 6 slams because he was a great player who had phenomenal gifts. Dom isn't in that league either. He's losing not because he's too nice, but because he's not as great as the guys winning majors.
I'm full of admiration but just no! It's too much and it will hurt more than help. My 2 cents. Gotta love him, though!
And edited to add: Hope I'm entirely wrong.
but he needs to work on the more important aspects of the game - the mental part. Construct points better, become mentally stronger, and for goodness sakes, play fewer events.
I don't know what Thiem thinks about that but Bresnik has stated time and time again that mental strength comes from being better prepared (physically and technically) than your opponent and the rest is nonsense. So yeah, not going to happen anytime soon.I'm sure Fed and Nadal probably trained as hard in their younger days, but I do agree though, he spends all that time and still he only has one major final appearance and zero major titles to his name. At that point, you gotta realize that it's not about effort or shape. He's obviously fit enough to play 5 sets and 4 hours, but he needs to work on the more important aspects of the game - the mental part. Construct points better, become mentally stronger, and for goodness sakes, play fewer events. It seems like the guy plays a tournament nearly every week of the ATP Calendar.
I think about this and then I think about the drive and love they have for the game. The ultimate reward would be the big titles, but being able to play day-in and day-out at the highest possible levels is perhaps a reward for him in an of itself...It's amazing how hard this guy works and how much he plays, and to what end? I mean obviously he's making a very tidy living, and that is the main thing, but god... He's not really getting better at all, is he?
There are definitely guys on the tour who you can tell by now don't really care about taking that extra step and are just happy travelling all over the planet, playing tennis, and making their living - Tsonga, Monfils, Gasquet, etc. Sounds like a dream life.I think about this and then I think about the drive and love they have for the game. The ultimate reward would be the big titles, but being able to play day-in and day-out at the highest possible levels is perhaps a reward for him in an of itself...
Why would you say Federer isn't in the league with mentally strong players, @BeatlesFan? I know you must mean something very specific?All 100% true, but it's almost impossible to become a mentally strong player when you're not, it's almost innate. The only great player I have ever seen become mentally a beast when they started out mentally fragile was Djokovic. Mentally strong players are few and far between: Mac, Pete, Boris, Nadal and a handful of others (and no, Federer isn't in that league). Maybe Thiem believes supreme fitness will gift him mental strength, but he wilts in big matches in slams. Hope he can overcome that, but it's going to be extremely difficult to "learn" mental toughness.
@Rafa.the.MagnificentWhy would you say Federer isn't in the league with mentally strong players, @BeatlesFan? I know you must mean something very specific?
Were any of them playing at 33 like Fed did in Wimbledon 2014?@Rafa.the.Magnificent
Short and sweet:
There is no way Pete Sampras, Boris Becker or Mac would ever have lost the slam finals listed below. Fed lost these ones due to mental fragility:
1. Wimbledon 2008
2. AO 2009
3. USO 2009
4. Wimbledon 2014
Sampras, Mac, Becker or Connors also would have learned by 2006 to expect 95% of Nadal's serves to be kicked high to the BH and they would either have learned how to hit a reply or punish these balls when they came so predictably. None of those guys lost so many endless matches while holding MP's either, as Fed continues to do.
Federer is a greater and more talented player than Rafa, but is nowhere near Rafa's mental strength IMO.
I don't know what Thiem thinks about that but Bresnik has stated time and time again that mental strength comes from being better prepared (physically and technically) than your opponent and the rest is nonsense. So yeah, not going to happen anytime soon.
He still plays a lot of events but much less than he used to, btw. He played 75 matches in 2018. Zverev played 83, Tsitsipas played 86, Nishikori 70...
All 100% true, but it's almost impossible to become a mentally strong player when you're not, it's almost innate. The only great player I have ever seen become mentally a beast when they started out mentally fragile was Djokovic. Mentally strong players are few and far between: Mac, Pete, Boris, Nadal and a handful of others (and no, Federer isn't in that league). Maybe Thiem believes supreme fitness will gift him mental strength, but he wilts in big matches in slams. Hope he can overcome that, but it's going to be extremely difficult to "learn" mental toughness.
He had that injury during IW at least, which forced him to retire and miss Miami.Now did he play 75 matches because he lost earlier than usual in some events? Gotta factor that into the equation. You make a deeper run, especially at the majors and bigger events with bigger draws, then you'll play more matches. However, if you flame out in the first or second round of several tournaments and your total matches played on the season gets cut down a bit.
some weird serve drill he is doing. what is that ? and also what is that red band he is wearing on his chest ?Also, his new YouTube channel. Can't say he's not committed to being fit.
Also starring: Jean-Lennard Struff, Dennis Novak and Ernests Gulbis.
@Rafa.the.Magnificent
Short and sweet:
There is no way Pete Sampras, Boris Becker or Mac would ever have lost the slam finals listed below. Fed lost these ones due to mental fragility:
1. Wimbledon 2008
2. AO 2009
3. USO 2009
4. Wimbledon 2014
Sampras, Mac, Becker or Connors also would have learned by 2006 to expect 95% of Nadal's serves to be kicked high to the BH and they would either have learned how to hit a reply or punish these balls when they came so predictably. None of those guys lost so many endless matches while holding MP's either, as Fed continues to do.
Federer is a greater and more talented player than Rafa, but is nowhere near Rafa's mental strength IMO.
He played 25 events in total (that includes DC etc.).Now did he play 75 matches because he lost earlier than usual in some events? Gotta factor that into the equation. You make a deeper run, especially at the majors and bigger events with bigger draws, then you'll play more matches. However, if you flame out in the first or second round of several tournaments and your total matches played on the season gets cut down a bit.
Same thing with Australia 2009. It was a great match that went 5 sets, but really it came down to who could play better in the 5th set, and that was clearly Nadal.
The point it that Federer should never have been in a fifth set with Nadal at the 2009 AO final, he should have wrapped it up in four sets. He was up a break in the first set, 4-2 and choked away that set. Nadal had just played a nearly 6 hour match with Verdasco and was clearly the inferior HC player to Fed in 2009. Fed utterly collapsed in the fifth set because his BH had been effectively destroyed and he couldn't stand it. It wasn't fatigue that did him in, it was mental fragility, IMO. I'm not trying to take credit from Rafa, he played amazing and deserved the win.
I'm not convinced. None of the players you mentioned has ever dealt with someone of Nadal's caliber. Federer's problem was tactical and technical, not mental.@Rafa.the.Magnificent
Short and sweet:
There is no way Pete Sampras, Boris Becker or Mac would ever have lost the slam finals listed below. Fed lost these ones due to mental fragility:
1. Wimbledon 2008
2. AO 2009
3. USO 2009
4. Wimbledon 2014
Sampras, Mac, Becker or Connors also would have learned by 2006 to expect 95% of Nadal's serves to be kicked high to the BH and they would either have learned how to hit a reply or punish these balls when they came so predictably. None of those guys lost so many endless matches while holding MP's either, as Fed continues to do.
Federer is a greater and more talented player than Rafa, but is nowhere near Rafa's mental strength IMO.
Nice. I couldn't understand, where is he training? Location I mean. Nice courts.Also, his new YouTube channel. Can't say he's not committed to being fit.
Also starring: Jean-Lennard Struff, Dennis Novak and Ernests Gulbis.
I watched the match again in its entirety last week. If you think his BH was "perfectly good," then please revisit his BP ratio in the match and how many BP's he blew on second serves to his BH. Weak slices into the net, time and time again.I don't know what you were watching, but Fed's BH was perfectly good in the AO 09 final.
It was Federer's serve that let him down in that match.
That built up pressure on him and that finally told on him in the 5th set with his game&mentality breaking down.
I watched the match again in its entirety last week. If you think his BH was "perfectly good," then please revisit his BP ratio in the match and how many BP's he blew on second serves to his BH. Weak slices into the net, time and time again.
Nice. I couldn't understand, where is he training? Location I mean. Nice courts.
The point it that Federer should never have been in a fifth set with Nadal at the 2009 AO final, he should have wrapped it up in four sets. He was up a break in the first set, 4-2 and choked away that set. Nadal had just played a nearly 6 hour match with Verdasco and was clearly the inferior HC player to Fed in 2009. Fed utterly collapsed in the fifth set because his BH had been effectively destroyed and he couldn't stand it. It wasn't fatigue that did him in, it was mental fragility, IMO. I'm not trying to take credit from Rafa, he played amazing and deserved the win.
Bahia del Duque, Tenerife. Gulbis's physio has (or used to have? not sure) his clinic/office in that hotel. Since Gulbis started working with Bresnik (Thiem's coach) in 2012 they've always spent their pre-season there.Nice. I couldn't understand, where is he training? Location I mean. Nice courts.
Whaaaat HAPPENED to UnClE ToNi???Now that Tennis has become a sport which favors 30+ in age, Dominic still has plenty of time to become a multi-slam winner. If it wasn't for RAFA he would have 2 Roland Garros titles already.