Category: Coaching / Analysis

ATP, ATP World Tour Finals, ATP World Tour Finals 2019, Coaching / Analysis, Daniil Medvedev, Stefanos Tsitsipas, TennisLeave a comment

Did Daniil rely too much on previous success as Stefanos put on a mature display in London?

iainfordyce

Daniil Medvedev came into this first round robin match against Stefanos Tsitsipas with a perfect 5-0 record against the 21 year old. Tsitsipas is the youngest competitor in London this year but put on one of the most mature performances on debut but was helped out by a Russian who seemed to rely on previous success to see him through. Following their meeting in Shanghai, Stefanos described his game as boring to play against. How did the effective style of Medvedev become problematic and for only the second time in 78 matches this year how did he not create a … Continue reading Did Daniil rely too much on previous success as Stefanos put on a mature display in London?

ATP, ATP World Tour Finals, ATP World Tour Finals 2019, Coaching / Analysis, Dominic Thiem, Roger Federer, TennisLeave a comment

Thiem 7-5 7-5 Federer; How the Austrian learnt from his 2018 drubbing & found his depth in a well executed performance!

iainfordyce

For the third time this year Roger Federer has been beaten by Dominic Thiem. In the previous two encounters at Indian Wells and Madrid the Austrian saved match points but this performance was well-thought and well executed. Federer in an interview with Prime Video before the match had this to say about facing Dominic Thiem; Federer on Prime; "When we played here last year, I thought he (Thiem) played a terrible match against me so I expect him to be better. Here again because he has had a wonderful season and I'm a big fan of Dominic, he is one … Continue reading Thiem 7-5 7-5 Federer; How the Austrian learnt from his 2018 drubbing & found his depth in a well executed performance!

ATP, ATP Next Gen Finals, ATP Next Gen Finals 2019, Coaching / Analysis, Jannick Sinner, TennisLeave a comment

Jannik Sinner 🇮🇹; ski champion ⛷ hard hitting 💪🏻 efficiency ✅ meteoric rise 📈

iainfordyce

Jannik Sinner wasn’t even meant to be in Madrid but the 18 year old who had only played 16 tour matches before his wildcard in Milan at the NextGen Finals. He turned up and from day one meant business. Day by day he took apart games of everyone ranked higher than him in the ATP Rankings and finished with a perfectly executed game plan against top 20 Alex de Minaur. What aspects make up his game and the story behind his journey so far? Ski champion! Jannik could have taken a completely different path away from tennis.. Impossibile non riconoscerlo. … Continue reading Jannik Sinner 🇮🇹; ski champion ⛷ hard hitting 💪🏻 efficiency ✅ meteoric rise 📈

ATP, ATP Next Gen Finals, ATP Next Gen Finals 2019, Casper Ruud, Coaching / Analysis, TennisLeave a comment

Casper Ruud; serve ✅ too much topspin? 🤷🏼‍♂️ backhand needs work 👨🏼‍🔧 stats 📈 2020 🔮

iainfordyce

Casper Ruud is someone I’ve watched a lot of this year and I was excited to see him come to Milan and a round robin exit will disappoint him but can walk away with positives and plenty to build on going into 2020. Ruud is from Oslo, Norway and will celebrate his 21st birthday just before Christmas. Ruud is a lifelong Liverpool supporter and his tennis idol is Rafael Nadal spending most of his time training at the Rafael Nadal academy in Majorca. Serve  Very good serve, probably second best to De Minaur out of the eight guys in Milan … Continue reading Casper Ruud; serve ✅ too much topspin? 🤷🏼‍♂️ backhand needs work 👨🏼‍🔧 stats 📈 2020 🔮

ATP, ATP Next Gen Finals, ATP Next Gen Finals 2019, Coaching / Analysis, Frances Tiafoe, TennisLeave a comment

Frances in Milan; Questions but little answers 🤷🏼‍♂️ standout shot 🧐 digging deep 💪🏻 2020 🔮

iainfordyce

For Frances Tiafoe his season has come to an end maybe earlier than he’d have hoped for. I said in a preview piece he had a point to prove in what was his final appearance at the NextGen finals and I feel like we are walking into 2020 with a few more questions than answers. Offering questions but not answers… I’ve watched a lot of Frances this week and I’ve liked what I have seen but I do feel he does face an uphill battle in matches. Frances isn’t going to hit you off the court and will offer questions … Continue reading Frances in Milan; Questions but little answers 🤷🏼‍♂️ standout shot 🧐 digging deep 💪🏻 2020 🔮

Coaching / Analysis, Simona Halep, Tennis, WTA, WTA Finals, WTA Finals Shenzhen, WTA Finals Shenzhen 2019Leave a comment

Perfection. No one redirects the ball and creates space quite like Simona Halep!

iainfordyce

In full swing no one redirects the ball and creates space quite like  quite like Simona Halep. It is poetry in motion from the former world number one and she showed her her full repertoire of shots as she saw off Bianca Andreescu. 9 months ago in Melbourne I remember screaming (inside) watching her play Serena Williams as she played a lot of the match playing tentatively into space instead of thinking about it and going back behind. She did visit that back behind and got some joy off it and if she had that in mind early on could … Continue reading Perfection. No one redirects the ball and creates space quite like Simona Halep!

ATP, Coaching / Analysis, Novak Djokovic, Shanghai Masters, Stefanos Tsitsipas, TennisLeave a comment

Tsitsipas 3-6 7-5 6-3 Djokovic – How one brave backhand winner swung momentum in the faultless Greek’s favour!

iainfordyce

The man from Athens has found some form over the last few weeks. After five defeats on the bounce on the tour he has found some form once again since the Laver Cup. Runner up in Beijing defeating Zverev and Isner and so far in Shanghai has seen off Auger-Aliassime, Hurkacz and now Novak Djokovic. He now sits with Dominic Thiem as the only players to have beaten Djokovic, Nadal and Federer this year. When Stefanos is in this mood, it’s a delight to watch him. He is so focused and just oozes confidence. His thought is just one point … Continue reading Tsitsipas 3-6 7-5 6-3 Djokovic – How one brave backhand winner swung momentum in the faultless Greek’s favour!