jmsx521
Hall of Fame
Tennis Balls: Very bloated and pressurized Penn ATP, but get chewed up quickly by the angry surface.
Kohlschreiber
Confidence: +
With his recent good success he is playing with lots of confidence. Hits fast, deep, heavy and consistent ball from both sides. Comparison to last year, he's added few miles extra on his FH and BH. Last year at this time he seemed to be using the regular Kfactor, while now -- unless it is a paint-job -- he is getting more power with the Kblade.
Berdych
Confidence: -
Really beautiful and smooth game to watch, however doesn't seem to be playing his best tennis. I don't see a whole lot of confidence on him, unless that's how he is personality-wise: mellow. Although his serve is sharp, I don't see him past quarters.
Tsonga
Confidence: -
I was surprised that he is not as powerful as I thought he would be. His
shots were not as polished and deep as he played Nadal at the
Australian. Saw him several times practicing; against Soderling, Tsonga
was on his toes, as Soderling's grounds-strokes were deeper, faster and
more consistent than Tsonga's.
Soderling
Confidence: +
Watch out for this guy to make a major move, and have a major win... I
just don't know when (and if ever!). Gets enormous pace, deep flat
shots, yet quite consistent with quite a relaxed motion.
Safin
Confidence: -
From what I saw on the practice courts, I don't know if he'll last a
round or two. I am sure he made yet probably another fan happy by
breaking a tennis racket... I just didn't watch his full practice... I
didn't think it was worth.
Tipsarevic
Confidence: +
I just don't think he has it to handle the pace of the big guys.
Although he barely missed anything on the practice courts.
Grosjean
Confidence: +
Got to the final of Sunrise, losing to Haase. His game is looking good
and solid.
Nieminen
Confidence: +
His game is awesome to watch as usual. He doesn't seem to have a bad day
on the practice courts, and all ATP players must love practicing with
him, since he is so methodical and consistent. His face expression has a
little smile as well, it is like he is constantly smiling.
Hrbaty
Confidence: -/+
Might as well just repeat what I wrote about Nieminen above.
Although being off the tour for long time because of the surgery (and
you can see his scar on the elbow too) his baseline game is as sharp as
ever. Methodical, consistent, low flat deep ball. He now has a new
serving motion; it's the old Agassi motion: Lifting the racket up first
before tossing the ball... and as a result his serve is about 15-20mph
slower than normal... which will be just enough for the other tour guys
to chew him up alive in the early rounds.
Ancic
Confidence: -
This guy's ground-strokes do not look sound to me.... They do not look
like top 100 ATP! I see something abrupt, strange and technically-wrong
with his ground-stroke swings... quite possibly using the wrong grip for
the type of swings he does. I think he puts a bit too much spin, yet the
motion is a bit unorthodox on both sides. But he is able to make up for
his impaired swings by his great serve and volley game.
Blake
Confidence: +
He is playing relaxed and well. Although he hits his backhand with
confidence... it is one strange non-ATP-looking swing!
Nadal
Confidence: +
The guy can rip the ball with enormous power and on the practice court
he doesn't even rip it at his maximum. If at the Australian Open, Tsonga
made Nadal look like heavy-weight vs. lightweight, at Key Biscayne 2008
I observed the opposite (although I didn't see them practicing
together!). I have no doubt in my mind that there is not an ATP player currently that ruins the tennis balls more than Nadal. He rips it so
much, and the ball comes down to land on the baseline right the last
fraction of the second. I saw Nadal practicing with Hewitt, and it
looked like Heavyweight vs. Lightweight... although Hewitt did well as
well.
Hewitt
Confidence: +
He is very consistent. Since switching back to the yellow Yonex, I think
he's dropped about 5mph on his ground strokes, but nevertheless he plays
the old consistent tennis he's always played. If he however has to face
Nadal for a real match, I'll favor Nadal.
Karlovic
Confidence: -
He didn't seem too confident on his baseline game, although his serves
were great and reliable as usual.
Mayer
Confidence: +
Always thought he belongs in the top 20... His game is beautiful, smooth
and consistent to watch. Maybe some mental lack of confidence between
points, results in him being lower ranked. Well, he lost in the first round already.
Davydenko
Confidence: -
I think his game is in a bit of a decline. Comparing his game to the
last couple of years, he did better then than now.
Del Potro
Confidence: +
Watch out for this guy to make a major move. His game is very powerful
and consistent too.
Melzzer
Confidence: -
I don't see him playing too well.
Ferrero
Confidence: +
His game is sharp and he is playing well... although in the practice
session I saw against Federer... it still wasn't enough to win the
practice match.
Federer
Confidence: not as sharp as usual but nevertheless he might just end up
winning the tournament anyway!
Beat Ferrero in the practice set he played against him. Ground-strokes
are not as sharp as normal. Volleys however were very sharp: The best I
saw out of anyone on the practice courts! Really interesting how he breaks his wrist for a fraction of a second, right before impact on the FH side.
Ferrer
Confidence: -
Not playing as well as usual... and he knows that, and gets quite
erratic. I don't see him progressing much.
Monaco
Confidence: +
The best I've ever seen him play. He is getting quite consistent with
good shots!
Gasquet
Confidence: +
He is hitting well. I think it's the most consistent that I've seen him play.
Mathieu
Confidence: +
Hitting good as well.
Haas
Confidence: -
I don't think his game is up to his best.
Malisse
Confidence: I can never tell.
The guy plays like an artist. His game is beautiful to watch... yet as
usual I don't think he'll deliver a brilliant performance as expected
for how many years already.
Youzhny
Confidence: +
He is playing well and confident. Watch out everyone!
Gonzalez
Confidence: -
Not playing as well as he was last year.
Mahut
Confidence: +
He is playing well.
Almagro
Confidence: +
Playing well. He can rip the biggest FHs and BHs... with very fast and sharp swings! Carries himself very relaxed around the court... kind of like Federer.... Maybe he thinks he is one! He can get far in the tournament though... just like Federer!
Canas
Confidence: +
Never underestimate a Canas; he can always do some damage!
Robredo
Saw him missing some shots against Iankovic (they practiced together), so, that's one reason why I am not going to pick him to go far.
Henin
She plays like a short 200-500 ATP guy. Hits very deep too: That's one reason why her shots are difficult to handle. And another one is she can create good angles!
Surprise of the tournament
I already posted about this here:
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?p=2193178#post2193178
I had no idea ARAVANE REZAI can hit such fast, big, deep & flat ground-strokes. When I was watching her practice, she just goes for kill shots right away... or maybe I am wrong and she was just practicing kill shots.... But whatever they were, they are the real deal! I guess she can't really do them on a consistent basis though... or else she would be #1 in the world for sure. She is short and slightly chubby girl; the extra weight definitely helps her to put the extra weight on her shots. From the baseline, she absolutely matches the power of many ATP tour players, and I am not kidding!
No surprise
Just as usual, tour players (males mostly) have poor maners... yet as a reward they get asked for their autograph by the kids that are bound to grow up just as dull. Many lazy idiots can't drag their lazy feet to the garbage can (on the side of each court) to throw away their used water-bottles and tennis cans. Instead many would prefer to smash them and kick them around. Well, but in Key Biscayne, there is a constant breeze, so the wind rolls some loose bottles and cans back on the court. In one instance, after the wind blew a tennis can onto his court, the fool got annoyed and went to smash and kick the can... but again somehow the garbage can's purpose was overlooked.
Annoying
The fans, and the cell-phones, the loud-talking people, the bees that attack your food... the over-priced food: $6.75 for a slice of pizza!? And the prostitutes that barely wear anything and hang around the players' lounge.
Kohlschreiber
Confidence: +
With his recent good success he is playing with lots of confidence. Hits fast, deep, heavy and consistent ball from both sides. Comparison to last year, he's added few miles extra on his FH and BH. Last year at this time he seemed to be using the regular Kfactor, while now -- unless it is a paint-job -- he is getting more power with the Kblade.
Berdych
Confidence: -
Really beautiful and smooth game to watch, however doesn't seem to be playing his best tennis. I don't see a whole lot of confidence on him, unless that's how he is personality-wise: mellow. Although his serve is sharp, I don't see him past quarters.
Tsonga
Confidence: -
I was surprised that he is not as powerful as I thought he would be. His
shots were not as polished and deep as he played Nadal at the
Australian. Saw him several times practicing; against Soderling, Tsonga
was on his toes, as Soderling's grounds-strokes were deeper, faster and
more consistent than Tsonga's.
Soderling
Confidence: +
Watch out for this guy to make a major move, and have a major win... I
just don't know when (and if ever!). Gets enormous pace, deep flat
shots, yet quite consistent with quite a relaxed motion.
Safin
Confidence: -
From what I saw on the practice courts, I don't know if he'll last a
round or two. I am sure he made yet probably another fan happy by
breaking a tennis racket... I just didn't watch his full practice... I
didn't think it was worth.
Tipsarevic
Confidence: +
I just don't think he has it to handle the pace of the big guys.
Although he barely missed anything on the practice courts.
Grosjean
Confidence: +
Got to the final of Sunrise, losing to Haase. His game is looking good
and solid.
Nieminen
Confidence: +
His game is awesome to watch as usual. He doesn't seem to have a bad day
on the practice courts, and all ATP players must love practicing with
him, since he is so methodical and consistent. His face expression has a
little smile as well, it is like he is constantly smiling.
Hrbaty
Confidence: -/+
Might as well just repeat what I wrote about Nieminen above.
Although being off the tour for long time because of the surgery (and
you can see his scar on the elbow too) his baseline game is as sharp as
ever. Methodical, consistent, low flat deep ball. He now has a new
serving motion; it's the old Agassi motion: Lifting the racket up first
before tossing the ball... and as a result his serve is about 15-20mph
slower than normal... which will be just enough for the other tour guys
to chew him up alive in the early rounds.
Ancic
Confidence: -
This guy's ground-strokes do not look sound to me.... They do not look
like top 100 ATP! I see something abrupt, strange and technically-wrong
with his ground-stroke swings... quite possibly using the wrong grip for
the type of swings he does. I think he puts a bit too much spin, yet the
motion is a bit unorthodox on both sides. But he is able to make up for
his impaired swings by his great serve and volley game.
Blake
Confidence: +
He is playing relaxed and well. Although he hits his backhand with
confidence... it is one strange non-ATP-looking swing!
Nadal
Confidence: +
The guy can rip the ball with enormous power and on the practice court
he doesn't even rip it at his maximum. If at the Australian Open, Tsonga
made Nadal look like heavy-weight vs. lightweight, at Key Biscayne 2008
I observed the opposite (although I didn't see them practicing
together!). I have no doubt in my mind that there is not an ATP player currently that ruins the tennis balls more than Nadal. He rips it so
much, and the ball comes down to land on the baseline right the last
fraction of the second. I saw Nadal practicing with Hewitt, and it
looked like Heavyweight vs. Lightweight... although Hewitt did well as
well.
Hewitt
Confidence: +
He is very consistent. Since switching back to the yellow Yonex, I think
he's dropped about 5mph on his ground strokes, but nevertheless he plays
the old consistent tennis he's always played. If he however has to face
Nadal for a real match, I'll favor Nadal.
Karlovic
Confidence: -
He didn't seem too confident on his baseline game, although his serves
were great and reliable as usual.
Mayer
Confidence: +
Always thought he belongs in the top 20... His game is beautiful, smooth
and consistent to watch. Maybe some mental lack of confidence between
points, results in him being lower ranked. Well, he lost in the first round already.
Davydenko
Confidence: -
I think his game is in a bit of a decline. Comparing his game to the
last couple of years, he did better then than now.
Del Potro
Confidence: +
Watch out for this guy to make a major move. His game is very powerful
and consistent too.
Melzzer
Confidence: -
I don't see him playing too well.
Ferrero
Confidence: +
His game is sharp and he is playing well... although in the practice
session I saw against Federer... it still wasn't enough to win the
practice match.
Federer
Confidence: not as sharp as usual but nevertheless he might just end up
winning the tournament anyway!
Beat Ferrero in the practice set he played against him. Ground-strokes
are not as sharp as normal. Volleys however were very sharp: The best I
saw out of anyone on the practice courts! Really interesting how he breaks his wrist for a fraction of a second, right before impact on the FH side.
Ferrer
Confidence: -
Not playing as well as usual... and he knows that, and gets quite
erratic. I don't see him progressing much.
Monaco
Confidence: +
The best I've ever seen him play. He is getting quite consistent with
good shots!
Gasquet
Confidence: +
He is hitting well. I think it's the most consistent that I've seen him play.
Mathieu
Confidence: +
Hitting good as well.
Haas
Confidence: -
I don't think his game is up to his best.
Malisse
Confidence: I can never tell.
The guy plays like an artist. His game is beautiful to watch... yet as
usual I don't think he'll deliver a brilliant performance as expected
for how many years already.
Youzhny
Confidence: +
He is playing well and confident. Watch out everyone!
Gonzalez
Confidence: -
Not playing as well as he was last year.
Mahut
Confidence: +
He is playing well.
Almagro
Confidence: +
Playing well. He can rip the biggest FHs and BHs... with very fast and sharp swings! Carries himself very relaxed around the court... kind of like Federer.... Maybe he thinks he is one! He can get far in the tournament though... just like Federer!
Canas
Confidence: +
Never underestimate a Canas; he can always do some damage!
Robredo
Saw him missing some shots against Iankovic (they practiced together), so, that's one reason why I am not going to pick him to go far.
Henin
She plays like a short 200-500 ATP guy. Hits very deep too: That's one reason why her shots are difficult to handle. And another one is she can create good angles!
Surprise of the tournament
I already posted about this here:
http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/showthread.php?p=2193178#post2193178
I had no idea ARAVANE REZAI can hit such fast, big, deep & flat ground-strokes. When I was watching her practice, she just goes for kill shots right away... or maybe I am wrong and she was just practicing kill shots.... But whatever they were, they are the real deal! I guess she can't really do them on a consistent basis though... or else she would be #1 in the world for sure. She is short and slightly chubby girl; the extra weight definitely helps her to put the extra weight on her shots. From the baseline, she absolutely matches the power of many ATP tour players, and I am not kidding!
No surprise
Just as usual, tour players (males mostly) have poor maners... yet as a reward they get asked for their autograph by the kids that are bound to grow up just as dull. Many lazy idiots can't drag their lazy feet to the garbage can (on the side of each court) to throw away their used water-bottles and tennis cans. Instead many would prefer to smash them and kick them around. Well, but in Key Biscayne, there is a constant breeze, so the wind rolls some loose bottles and cans back on the court. In one instance, after the wind blew a tennis can onto his court, the fool got annoyed and went to smash and kick the can... but again somehow the garbage can's purpose was overlooked.
Annoying
The fans, and the cell-phones, the loud-talking people, the bees that attack your food... the over-priced food: $6.75 for a slice of pizza!? And the prostitutes that barely wear anything and hang around the players' lounge.
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