Tennisers of the World, Unite! The topspin blog

To all those lamenting the new Novak/Rafa dominance, and the fear of a tennis landscape devoid of creativity, all-court play, and offense, I say fear not! For each zig has within itself the seeds of its own zag, as sure as Borg gave way to McEnroe who gave way to Lendl and Wilander who gave way to Becker, Edberg and Sampras...

I've heard the baseliner lament over and over, and it never sticks. But if you're impatient next time Rafa and Novak are locked in a 40-stroke rally, check out some of this action, featuring three of the greatest serve and volleyers of all time. Its really a lost art right now; we always hear that serve and volleyers can't survive in today's slowed down surfaces, but I don't buy it. First of all, the racquet and strings today generate so much power that it more than compensates for a slower Wimbledon. Secondly, just look at these guys! No one today can volley anywhere near this level. Even Fed, the best volleyer in the top 20, or Rafa who would probably be second, have nowhere near the skills of these guys who pull off incredibly aggressive, deep pin-point shots against amazing pressure.

Enjoy! French Open preview coming soon!

When I was a kid, I remember there was a Superman clone bad- guy who was going to fight superman. And the cover of the comic said something about What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object?
That's one of the toughest questions I've ever grappled with.
And practical.
Because it came to pass that the man who couldn't lose met on clay against the one and only Clay Monster. Novak had a 30 match win streak on the line, including an Australian Open and the first two hardcourt masters. He'd beaten Federer and Rafa multiple times during the streak. But that was on hard court. This was in Madrid, on clay, in Rafael Nadal's backyard. Not literally his backyard though.
Rafa had established his bona fides as the greatest clay courter in the eyes of most. Better than Borg, Lendl, or any others. He hadn't lost once last season, cleaning up at the 3 Masters Events, French Open. His streak had continued, with a win at the Monte Carlo Masters, which Nole had sat out.
So here was Nole's 2011 undefeated streak on the line against a man who hadn't lost on clay in two years.

The Reign of the Clay Monster is over.

NOvak won more definitively than he had beaten Rafa in the recent Indian Wells and Key Biscayne finals (that makes 3 straight Masters finals between these two- bit of a rivalry?). On the slow clay, the best returner in the game was all over Rafa's serve. Rafa had no answers for Novak. He out Rafa'd Rafa, running, grinding, and waiting for opportunities.

This clip shows the shot, maybe the point of the match. Rafa wins this, but you can see the feel of the relationship.

Then there's this version, with my new guest commentator:

Dig it.
Now, not to forget about some scrub named Federer he is pretty hot on clay right now too. He took apart Soderling in the quarters, and took a set off Rafa in the semis. He played high risk tennis, but was just a tad too inconsistent and lost in a close 3rd set.

So now the last of the clay Masters before Roland Garros. Rome. Again, Fed lands on Rafa's side, and they both face some tough competition. Nole and Murray or on the other side, each with cakewalks (well, maybe not, Nole gets Soderling next round). So Nole, who now has the best start to a season since MacEnroe's 42 win start to 1984, and he looks to pocket another couple before the finals. Fed demolished Tsonga yesterday, and draws Gasquet today, before possibly Berdych Friday, and Rafa Saturday.

If Nole takes this title, we have a new favourite for the French. Even if he falls, this clay season has gotten a lot more interesting, and Nole's case as the true #1 is looking really good.

Madrid Masters, 2pm Thursday

The Clay Monster vs The Tower of Tandil

Rafa puts his 2 year streak of clay perfection on the line against Juan Martin del Potro, the man who demolished him in the USO semis 2 years ago, before a year off to heal his wrist.

DelPotro's comeback this season has been spectacular, last week he won his first clay court tournament in two years with wins over clay powers Soderling and Verdasco. But those two worthies are as nothing next to the Beast that is Rafa.

On the undercard: Soderling vs Jo Willy
update
DelPo pulls out with a hip injury. Unsure if he'll be back for Rome next week or even Roland Garros. Horribly disappointing. Rafa gets a bye through the round of 16, then has a gimme in the quarters after Melzer eliminated from that section... which means that whichever of Fed/Tsonga or Soderling get through to the semis, they will be facing a fresh and foaming bull across the net.

BOOOM!
BOOOM!
BOOOM!
The nightmarish footsteps of the Clay Monster haunt the dreams of all who would contend on the crushed brick of Europe. For seven long years has the Clay Monster destroyed all who have come through the draw to face him.
From Monte Carlo to Barcelona, from Rome to Madrid to Paris, the Clay Monster comes to feed.

And so it goes again, as we enter the clay season, the question is not whether Rafael Nadal will dominate again; no one doubts this. The only question is whether he can repeat the historic sweep he accomplished last year, winning five straight tournaments on the clay swing, while setting records for domination within some of those tournaments- at Monte Carlo 2010, Rafa lost just 14 games en route to the title. That means AVERAGING scorelines in the 6-2, 6-1 range right through the finals.

While Nole beat Rafa twice in the hard court Masters leading up the Clay Spring, there is still no question that Rafa is the Master here.

Its a bit late to be giving a clay season overview a tourney and a half in, but here goes:
I've said for the last little while that I think Rafa will face more challenges this year because I think there are more challengers. In previous years, only Fed and Soderling seemed to be credible opponents. Fed had twice snapped Rafa's historic clay win streaks, and Soderling had broken up his French Open dominance.
This year, while Fed may be another year older and step slower, I still think he has an outside shot, and Soderling will always have that punchers chance. But this year, I'd add Djokovic and David Ferrer to the mix, perhaps even the quickly improving Juan Martin Del Potro.

Well, the first of the three Masters is already behind us and it was Andy Murray who gave Rafa his greatest challenge- breaking out of his two month slump to take a set off Rafa before an elbow injury left him humiliated in the third set. Fed lost early, Nole withdrew with fatigue from his early season win streak, and Ferrer was the one Rafa met in the finals. And Ferrer fought, losing a very close and very boring match.

Now Rafa is back at the smaller Barcelone event and as of now, Ferrer again looms as his likely finals opponent in two days. If Ferrer keeps getting these shots, I think he'll take Rafa down. Can he, for a first time in his career, turn from bridesmaid to bride?
What will happen when Nole returns, with his win streak on the line?
Can Andy Murray turn his great effort into a full match?
Can Fed or Soderling capture lightning in a bottle one more time when they need to the most?
And is the Comeback Kid, Juan Martin del Potro, ready to challenge for #1 as he was when he left the tour to rehab a year ago?

JOIN us! As we learn the answers!
The CLay Monster awaits fresh meat!

The Greatest Rivalry In Tennis History, episode XXIII

Rafa. Roger.

The hardcourt where the off-clay rivalry began (way back in '05 when the teen Clay Monster first challenged the King away from the red dirt).
One of the very few semifinal meetings ever between the two (due to Roger's slip to #3 in the rankings).
Rafa has an immense head to heaf lead: 14-8.
But, most of those have been on clay. Fed smashed Rafa in their last meeting, on the fast indoor courts at the Year End Championship.

This one is a toss up! I'm going with Raja, as long as the Shankopotamous doesn't show up in his place.

Get your beer. Get your popcorn. Tune in to Fromsport.com if you can't find it on TV.

To add a little bourbon to the beer, Nole (who plays the streaky Mardy Fish this aft) may await in the finals, with a 25 match win streak on the line.

The two old lovers, I mean warriors, discuss their special relationship in warm tones here:

WOW! YOU JUST HAVE TO SEE THE PICTURES IN THIS INCREDIBLE BROMANCE! THEY ARE LIKE ACHILLES AND THAT DEAD GUY...
Is that a secret handshake??
I imagine these pictures as a film montage with “Something tells me I’m into something good” by Herman and the Hermits playing.