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Brad Gilbert confirmed this yesterday.... slow court speed and slow balls as well this year:

Not shocking!!! They keep slowing the game down. Nothing more boring than 30 shot rallies. I have seen it enough in other tournaments!Brad Gilbert confirmed this yesterday.... slow court speed and slow balls as well this year:
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It is what it is. Slow conditions work against Federer and he isn't suited to play on them.Omfg. Federer fans have the excuse ready. If he doesn't win USO then the reason is slow courts.![]()
More time the players on court = more time for drinking Grey Goose and Heineken = rowdier and happier crowd + more moneySo the US is the slow hard court slam now? This blows.
Haha brilliant comment.I thought court speed was decided after finding out who wins?
Blah! Thanks for sharing this. But what is Gilbert's source?Brad Gilbert confirmed this yesterday.... slow court speed and slow balls as well this year:
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Is that view one that's in light of the current state of the tour? Serious Q. Like surely this wouldn't have been your position around AO time...?If anything this will help Roger. Much less chance of getting blown away by a young gun on this kind of surface.
I mean, it used to be clay though lol.uso might as well change to clay.....with these super slow courts it will be borefest
Yes.Is that view one that's in light of the current state of the tour? Serious Q. Like surely this wouldn't have been your position around AO time...?
Really slow, no?Is there/was there a speed index for clay (Roland Garros)?
He said his son and also Courier have played on the courts and both confirmed Center Court was "playing really slow."Blah! Thanks for sharing this. But what is Gilbert's source?
The court bounce and balls will be far more important I think - pure speed favours both Fed and Rafa over the hard hitters and big servers (who are also typically slower movers)Yes.
At the time of the AO, Fed's main threats were Djokovic, Nadal, and Murray. All would be given a large advantage over Fed with a slower court. Especially Djokovic.
Now most of the "top" players are non-factors, Fed's main worries are young, fresh players who could overpower him. This change neutralises them to an extent.
Okay, I get the reasoning at least.Yes.
At the time of the AO, Fed's main threats were Djokovic, Nadal, and Murray. All would be given a large advantage over Fed with a slower court. Especially Djokovic.
Now most of the "top" players are non-factors, Fed's main worries are young, fresh players who could overpower him. This change neutralises them to an extent.
Interesting that they got that access!He said his son and also Courier have played on the courts and both confirmed Center Court was "playing really slow."
Sure. Players like Kyrgios or Cilic have many more chances to blow their opponents away on faster surfaces. Fed was lucky to play Nick in Miami this year, where it was quite slow.Wait. People still believe overpowering is something that happens on a fast court?
Yes, and Wawrinka has many more chances to blow opponents away on a slow court. Look at Thiem, the biggest mindless hitter on the Tour, and he's useless on fast HC.Sure. Players like Kyrgios or Cilic have many more chances to blow their opponents away on faster surfaces. Fed was lucky to play Nick in Miami this year, where it was quite slow.
This is the crux and most succinct analysis of Thiem.Yes, and Wawrinka has many more chances to blow opponents away on a slow court. Look at Thiem, the biggest mindless hitter on the Tour, and he's useless on fast HC.
The main thing that brings me to this way of thinking is that there are basically no players entered in this tournament that Fed would not be the overwhelming favourite against. Even Nadal, going on form and recent matches between the two.Okay, I get the reasoning at least.
Djok was gone by 2R, though. Murray was never a threat. Nadal, yes, but that was just Nad-Fed. Hadn't definitively solved him at that time. (Apologies for slow response - phone.)
My recollection is that the realization of the profoundly speedier courts dawned progressively during the tourney. Also, there were numerous serious challenges that he faced in his draw, irrespective of surface.
If Fed's mobility is hindered he's not gonna want sludge conditions, methinks. Would be preferable for his strikes to rocket through the court.
Zverev probably the scariest. Don't see a rando beating Federer unless his trash Montreal form rears its ugly head. Nadal always will have his chances against him, and Kyrgios.The main thing that brings me to this way of thinking is that there are basically no players entered in this tournament that Fed would not be the overwhelming favourite against. Even Nadal, going on form and recent matches between the two.
I'm half expecting Federer to be wearing a microphone during his matches in New York.
Under these conditions, I think whichever type of court (and balls) give Federer the lowest possibility of a shock loss to someone who is suddenly redlining on the day would be the best. Because that is his main threat, really.
I'm also assuming he is healthy. If he isn't, that changes things, of course.
Stan isn't playing. If he was, I would actually consider him a serious threat to Fed on this surface, yes. I don't think Thiem has the game to beat Fed in a Bo5 - but obviously Fed is unlikely to be able to go the whole two weeks without facing somebody even slightly difficult. If Thiem is the trickiest opponent he'll have to face then he's likely walking it home.Yes, and Wawrinka has many more chances to blow opponents away on a slow court. Look at Thiem, the biggest mindless hitter on the Tour, and he's useless on fast HC.
Wawrinka never beat Federer outside of clay.Stan isn't playing. If he was, I would actually consider him a serious threat to Fed on this surface, yes. I don't think Thiem has the game to beat Fed in a Bo5 - but obviously Fed is unlikely to be able to go the whole two weeks without facing somebody even slightly difficult. If Thiem is the trickiest opponent he'll have to face then he's likely walking it home.
The wildcard here is
a) His health. If his back plays up, all bets are off.
b) A fluking, zoning big hitter. I still remember Cilic destroying Fed out of nowhere in New York in 2014.
As a Djokovic fan: Sweet. AO the fastest its ever been this year, bounced. USO slowest, dude's taking a 2nd half Nadal-nap.Brad Gilbert confirmed this yesterday.... slow court speed and slow balls as well this year:
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No conditions (surface, balls, anything) would transform Isner into anything more than a perennial 3d/4th rounder in slams. It's who he is, serving people off court is just easier in a BO3 format.US Open's quite fair with this actually. If they really wanted a guy like Isner to win, they could just change the surface to wood. No one would be able to get a racquet on most of his serves, and their knees would just crumble.
I had the same impressionI thought court speed was decided after finding out who wins?
Exactly [emoji16]I mean, it used to be clay though lol.
Funny how it's almost always someone other than Federer's actual fans that brings it all up in the first place.Omfg. Federer fans have the excuse ready. If he doesn't win USO then the reason is slow courts.![]()
This.More time the players on court = more time for drinking Grey Goose and Heineken = rowdier and happier crowd + more money