The racquet change is not getting enough attention

[Qubax]

It's getting some attention sure. But not nearly enough.

If you watch Fed vs Djoko at Wimbly 14, 15, US Open 15 and AUS Open 16 it is apparent that the racquet was not an extension of him at those events.

He was good enough with it to roll to the end of tournaments, but watch Fed vs Nadal in A017 final and you see a different guy.

The 6 months off wasn't just about getting healthy it was about grooving millions of strokes with the current stick.

That's why Fed not only has the two majors, but suddenly takes the Sunshine Masters Double in 17'.

When you watch Fed from 2006. You see a dynamic, electric athlete, who was willing and capable of ending 10 shot rallies with beautiful winners. ---> Fast forward to today and Fed wins those points in 3-5 shots. This is one reason why people left Wimbledon not really sure how Fed's backhand looked or how his overall game looked. He almost didn't get into enough protracted rallies to even judge his form.

The hardcourt season, with the truer bounce, will be a little more grueling then the grass just was, but it will also help cement this notion of how effeciently Fed is winning points, games and matches.

Fed use to win 8-10 shot rallies when Hewitt wanted to play 20 shot rallies.

Now Fed is winning 3-5 shot rallies with the new racquet. His increasing efficiency also speeds up how quickly a match slips away from someone. You get down a set and a break and you've only been out there 34 minutes.

Anyway, I think the racquet being an apendage/extension of his body, which the 6 months off really helped mature that process is one big reason that he is looking like another 3 slam per year champion.

Unless or until Novak or Rafa can return to peak form on Hard courts or Zverev can become a viable opponent I think Fed can win as much as his body and scheduling can afford.

 

[Qubax]

Another way to look at it is, Fed definitely spent less time on court, ran less, hit less balls at this Wimbledon victory then any other Wimbledon victory.

And probably hit less balls in A0 per game then any other successful A0 per game.

Sure Pierre Pagini and everyone does a great job keeping Fed in shape. But assuming Fed enters a tournament healthy and ready for 5 setters and ready to run -- now that he has the new racquet dialed in, he actually doesn't have to run.

 

[Long Face]

Dark power in his racquet? Hmmm...

 

[SLD76]

Dark power in his racquet? Hmmm...

The Sith have knowledge the Jedi consider......unnatural

 

[kabob]

Dark power in his racquet? Hmmm...

I mean, how else do you explain his racquet transforming from red and black to a sinister all matte black?

 

[Deleted member 733170]

It's getting some attention sure. But not nearly enough.

If you watch Fed vs Djoko at Wimbly 14, 15, US Open 15 and AUS Open 16 it is apparent that the racquet was not an extension of him at those events.

He was good enough with it to roll to the end of tournaments, but watch Fed vs Nadal in A017 final and you see a different guy.

The 6 months off wasn't just about getting healthy it was about grooving millions of strokes with the current stick.

That's why Fed not only has the two majors, but suddenly takes the Sunshine Masters Double in 17'.

When you watch Fed from 2006. You see a dynamic, electric athlete, who was willing and capable of ending 10 shot rallies with beautiful winners. ---> Fast forward to today and Fed wins those points in 3-5 shots. This is one reason why people left Wimbledon not really sure how Fed's backhand looked or how his overall game looked. He almost didn't get into enough protracted rallies to even judge his form.

The hardcourt season, with the truer bounce, will be a little more grueling then the grass just was, but it will also help cement this notion of how effeciently Fed is winning points, games and matches.

Fed use to win 8-10 shot rallies when Hewitt wanted to play 20 shot rallies.

Now Fed is winning 3-5 shot rallies with the new racquet. His increasing efficiency also speeds up how quickly a match slips away from someone. You get down a set and a break and you've only been out there 34 minutes.

Anyway, I think the racquet being an apendage/extension of his body, which the 6 months off really helped mature that process is one big reason that he is looking like another 3 slam per year champion.

Unless or until Novak or Rafa can return to peak form on Hard courts or Zverev can become a viable opponent I think Fed can win as much as his body and scheduling can afford.

You raise much to think about with your well reasoned post.

Many posters insist that his forehand has declined considerably with the new racket. Sure he may not be hitting at 85+mph as regularly but at Indian Wells and AO he was hitting wonderful inside outs at will with great accuracy. He also appears to be hitting it earlier than ever. It's these adjustments which make the 2017 Fed a worthy competitor of 2007 Fed.

What do you think?

Don't forget he will also be a beneficiary of the more reliable bounce come the hard court season.

 

[kabob]

It's not that his forehand "declined" per se, it's just that he can't use it with as much variety and topspin as in the past. But he still has that wonderfully flexible wrist of his and, along with taking the ball earlier, covers up for the deficiencies. It only really gets exposed when he has to hit running forehands off the low bounce like in this year's Wimbledon. You're right, though, the truer bounce on hard courts will help him immensely. That's why I think he "appeared" to be playing better during the early hard court season this year than during the grass leg.

 

[Tennis_Hands]

Finally Federer plays with a stick suitable for the current game.

 

[smoledman]

Can I rub Ljube's head?

 

[Smasher08]

It's getting some attention sure. But not nearly enough.

If you watch Fed vs Djoko at Wimbly 14, 15, US Open 15 and AUS Open 16 it is apparent that the racquet was not an extension of him at those events.

He was good enough with it to roll to the end of tournaments, but watch Fed vs Nadal in A017 final and you see a different guy.

The 6 months off wasn't just about getting healthy it was about grooving millions of strokes with the current stick.

That's why Fed not only has the two majors, but suddenly takes the Sunshine Masters Double in 17'.

When you watch Fed from 2006. You see a dynamic, electric athlete, who was willing and capable of ending 10 shot rallies with beautiful winners. ---> Fast forward to today and Fed wins those points in 3-5 shots. This is one reason why people left Wimbledon not really sure how Fed's backhand looked or how his overall game looked. He almost didn't get into enough protracted rallies to even judge his form.

The hardcourt season, with the truer bounce, will be a little more grueling then the grass just was, but it will also help cement this notion of how effeciently Fed is winning points, games and matches.

Fed use to win 8-10 shot rallies when Hewitt wanted to play 20 shot rallies.

Now Fed is winning 3-5 shot rallies with the new racquet. His increasing efficiency also speeds up how quickly a match slips away from someone. You get down a set and a break and you've only been out there 34 minutes.

Anyway, I think the racquet being an apendage/extension of his body, which the 6 months off really helped mature that process is one big reason that he is looking like another 3 slam per year champion.

Unless or until Novak or Rafa can return to peak form on Hard courts or Zverev can become a viable opponent I think Fed can win as much as his body and scheduling can afford.

Imo, this can be put another way: with his 97, Fed is now finally is able to hit forehands on a dime, his rejigged backhand finally has power nearly comparable to his forehand, he gets a little more oomph on his serves (surgically placed), and he still has his touch shots -- especially his dropper.

For me, that's the biggest difference between Fed now, and from 2014-2016.

 

[chjtennis]

I am sure the bigger frame makes up for any losses in reflex Fed may suffer at the age of 35.9. There's no way you can be as quick as you were at 23 at that age.

 

[Deleted member 307496]

You raise much to think about with your well reasoned post.

Many posters insist that his forehand has declined considerably with the new racket. Sure he may not be hitting at 85+mph as regularly but at Indian Wells and AO he was hitting wonderful inside outs at will with great accuracy. He also appears to be hitting it earlier than ever. It's these adjustments which make the 2017 Fed a worthy competitor of 2007 Fed.

2007 Federer could actually play defence properly as opposed to 2017 Federer who has to end points early because that part of his game is quite shaky; which could be observed at the same tournaments you use as "proof" he'd tango with himself from 10 YEARS ago.

Agassi did a similar thing in his later years, taking the ball even earlier and limiting the amount of shots he hit in a rally.

I, and countless others would vehemently disagree with you if it was put to us that 2004 Agassi could "compete" with himself from 1994.

 

[Jackuar]

The 6 months off wasn't just about getting healthy it was about grooving millions of strokes with the current stick.

One of the most important truth that's getting least attention. The racquet simply didn't give a bigger sweetspot overnight. That point about grooving millions of strokes is so very true.

 

[Dolgopolov85]

2007 Federer could actually play defence properly as opposed to 2017 Federer who has to end points early because that part of his game is quite shaky; which could be observed at the same tournaments you use as "proof" he'd tango with himself from 10 YEARS ago.

Agassi did a similar thing in his later years, taking the ball even earlier and limiting the amount of shots he hit in a rally.

I, and countless others would vehemently disagree with you if it was put to us that 2004 Agassi could "compete" with himself from 1994.

Fed has been adapting to the competition. Against the likes of Roddick, he could force them to take the game to him and attack the net upon which he would pass them because their defence was no match for his. This didn't work once Djokovic/Nadal reached their prime (on HC/grass) and the old racquet didn't give him enough margin to attack without making mistakes. He has figured that out in the break. But if he had to play the younger Fed, the latter would keep getting back balls and in fact convert defence to offence and make winners from way out of court.

 

[Deleted member 733170]

2007 Federer could actually play defence properly as opposed to 2017 Federer who has to end points early because that part of his game is quite shaky; which could be observed at the same tournaments you use as "proof" he'd tango with himself from 10 YEARS ago.

Agassi did a similar thing in his later years, taking the ball even earlier and limiting the amount of shots he hit in a rally.

I, and countless others would vehemently disagree with you if it was put to us that 2004 Agassi could "compete" with himself from 1994.

I have not for one moment suggested that his defence has not declined.

Nor I am going to be sucked into your delusions and use the word proof. I've always caveated that these theoretical match ups are utter conjecture.

I do maintain that because of the new racket, interalia, such as technique and experience, 2017 Fed versus the 2007 version would be a worthy match up. You appear to deem such opinions as a form of heresy, which is absurd, as the bottom line is we cannot ever actually know.

 

[Qubax]

If Fed had this racquet technology back in 2008 I think he could have kept winning slams even just 1-2 a year during the lean years of 2010-2017.

That said it took the rise of Nadal and Djokovic. The evolution of the nutrition, gear etc., for Fed to be tested, defeated etc., This also kept Fed hungry and looking for solutions.

You probably can't have revisionist history. The timing is what it is. But if Fed had taken 6 months off after Wimbly 2013 and come into 2014 with the racquet grooved, perhaps, 2014,15,16 would have seen a slam or two extra on Feds career.

I'm not upset though. I'm just aware of how having the stick grooved is making a difference.

Fed can still off set his aging body with timing/taking the ball earlier, serve efficiency, return improvements (Which the racquet has undoubtedly helped with) and his ever growing stardom to help win the first week of slams easily and have gas in the tank for any necessary battles from the QF onward.