Jeff Salzenstein sent his take on Federer's performance in the Wimbledon final against Djokovic to his email list earlier this week. I hope he doesn't mind if I post it here, I thought it was really interesting:
Interestingly, in a match that was so darn close, there were actually
some clear patterns and tactics that Federer was not executing or
utilizing that certainly would have turned the tide in his favor.
If I had the chance to coach Federer before the match, or at a
changeover during the match, this is what I would have told him.
1) "Roger, when you're balanced on your backhand you must pull the
trigger and rip the ball down the line. You can't stay in the backhand
crosscourt pattern too long because Djokovic is just so rock solid
on that side.
You can even slice the ball down the line because the objective is
to play down the line with your backhand so that you can rip
forehands down the line on the next shot."
Interestingly, Federer ripped two backhand down the lines late in the 4th
set and it helped him gain more momentum. Unfortunately, he didn't
do this enough earlier in the match, a tactic that surely would have shifted
the advantage in his favor.
2) "Roger, when you serve and the ball comes hard and deep to
your backhand side and you're on the defensive short hopping
the ball, you must not move to your left and hit forehands. When
you play defensively with your forehand while moving to your left,
you give up WAY to much court to the forehand side forcing to into
vulnerable position.
When you're stressed to your wide forehand, you aren't able to do
much with that ball and even if you make that ball Djoker, can get you
moving side to side.
So...when the ball comes hard and deep to your backhand, especially
after you serve, hit a backhand instead of a forehand. Only run around
your backhand when you know you can go on the offensive and crush
this ball."
In the match, Federer got hurt with this play multiple times because after
hitting a defensive forehand from the backhand corner, he was scrambling to
hit a running forehand on the next shot. Djokovic would take the offensive on
these points when this pattern was established. Advantage Djokovic here.
3) "RF, when you get 2nd serve returns, you must make the Djoker pay.
If he hits any 2nd serves under 90MPH, take good cut at the ball.
You're going to hold serve because you're serving so well, so you
must take more chances on Djoker's service games.
Don't get passive on your returns.
Be aggressive and flatten out the ball even if you make some errors.
This will put so much pressure on Djoker that he might take pace off
his 1st serve so that he doesn't have to hit more 2nd serves. He also
might double fault in big moments if you continually apply return of
serve pressure."
Roger didn't go for his returns enough in this match. I know Roger is
capable of playing more aggressively, but it's not his natural style of play.
In the past, he has been able to beat just about everyone by getting returns
in play and winning more points in rallies. Against Nadal and Djokovic, this
doesn't work for him that often.
A more conservative approach on his return strategy doesn't favor Fed
against a great baseliner like Djokovic who rarely misses, moves like a
gazelle, and can play offense and defense equally well.
4) "Roger, on your 2nd serve returns, you're NOT going to chip and
charge. Ok, maybe you can do it once or twice as a surprise play, but
here's what you're going to do. When you get 2nd serves on big points
you're going to move in and look for a backhand to rip.
You're to change that grip on your backhand so that you can
drive the ball hard off the 2nd serve and follow that shot to the net.
The chip and charge won't work against Djoker because he's simply
too good at hitting passing shots.
I need you to drive the ball and come in and rush Novak. Here, let me
show you some past matches on video of Sampras doing it successfully.
You can do this as well. It will work..commit to this strategy and you'll
win the match."
The one unofficial stat I kept in this match was how many points Federer
won when he attempted to chip and charge because I wanted to see how
this pattern worked for him.
Unofficially, he was 1 for 11 and that included chip returns he missed
before trying to advance to the net.
1 for 11.
Not good...
When Federer made his chip returns and advanced to the net, he often
got passed, most of the time with a short crosscourt backhand angle from
Novak.
This tactic just won't work against the best players in the world
unless you're supremely skilled at it like Pat Cash or Patrick Rafter
was back in the day. And, I'm not even convinced they could pull it off
now against today's players.
I also felt this first hand as a pro player when I tried to "chip charge."
I rarely won those points because players just hit passing shots too well
now. It simply works much better to drive the backhand and get to the net.
For years I've been saying that Federer needs to add this "drive backhand
and charge" play to his game before he retires, and he will beat Novak and
Nadal.
Think back to how Sampras used to play. Sure, Pete used the chip charge
on occasion, but he was also absolutely devastating at hitting the
backhand hard and getting in to net.
Sometimes, he would even hit could clean winners off the return and wouldn't
even have to hit a volley.
A shot like this would completely turn the tide in a match and would have
helped Roger immensely.
5) "Roger, on your running forehand, use the buggy whip finish
and go hard crosscourt or even hard down the middle. Don't go
down the line unless you have a huge opening. Whenever you hit
your runner down the line and Novak is there, he can rip the backhand
back crosscourt keeping you on string, running you side to side.
When you really crush that running forehand hard crosscourt and
through the middle, you'll get good looks at thenext ball so that you
can rip a backhand or even have time to hit another forehand from
the middle of the court."
The harsh reality is that Fed's weakest shot right now is his running
forehand and Novak and Nadal know it. In this match on Sunday,
Novak hurt Federer several times with his down the line backhand
forcing Roger to hit his forehand on the dead run.
Djokovic knows that Federer is dangerous with this forehand from the
backhand corner, but not nearly as intimating with his forehand moving
to his right.
Federer did hit some good running forehand crosscourts later in the
match, but you could tell by the mistakes he was making off of that shot
that he doesn't totally own his buggy whip forehand on the run.
Again, Fed should take a page out of Pistol Pete Sampras' book and
master the running forehand. If and when Roger focuses on improving this
shot in practice and in matches, Novak's down the line backhand wouldn't
be as effective against him anymore.
Instead, Novak would fear Roger's running forehand like past players
were scared of Sampras' lethal runner. If you followed Pete's career,
you'll remmeber that he would actually dare his opponents to go to his
running forehand so he could run over there and swat it hard
crosscourt.
All Fed needs to do is get the reps in practice until he masters this
running forehand drive like Sampras. Unfortunately, I don't think his team
is aware of the importance of him developing this shot.
