Greg Sharko of the ATP just told me the players call David Ferrer “The Beast.”
He’s also a clever, tricky competitor who seems to strategically use sound effects to his advantage.
Sitting in the media boxes about 30 rows up from court level, I could hear just about everything in the stadium, including wife Sarah Haas’ words of encouragement, “Come on, take your time Tommy.” And that one guy with the baritone yell, all match long, cheering Tommy on: “One at a time Tommy…Come on Tommy…Right here Tommy…YEAH TOMMY!”
In the second set, is when I first noticed Ferrer alternating his grunts. with Haas leading one set and on serve 2-3, Ferrer began to utilize variety in his grunts. In this key, turning point game, hye was grunting AFTER contact for several balls and points in a row. Haas began to miss and he got the break. Then on the next point in the next game, he switched and suddenly was grunting DURING contact. I really believe it confused or subconsciously mixed up the timing of Haas, who continued to look suddenly off beat and off on his shots. Ferrer held easily and then closed out the set 62.
The third set was a break-fest early. Of course, Ferrer has been in these pressure packed situations a lot more than Haas for the last five years, and was of course the more steady man during the deciding set. The Spaniard built up a 5-3 lead.
In the last game, the pattern of sound effects changed, it was Haas who was grunting loudly, sounding exactly like Ferrer had earlier. It was like he was imitating Ferrer perfectly. But now Ferrer was silent. Ferrer closed it out 46 62 63. Fell to his knees, Borg-style, and then got up and shook hands with Haas.
Ferrer is now in the finals for the first time in Miami, awaiting the survivor of Gasquet vs. Murray.
Steve · March 29, 2013 at 7:10 pm
Scoop is this grunting tactic something you’d incorporate into you game???
Andrew Miller · March 29, 2013 at 8:00 pm
Ferrer wins this and it is a dream come true. Actually any of them win it and it’s great news for them.
Scoop Malinowski · March 29, 2013 at 8:04 pm
Try to incorporate it Steve, but so many times I barely remember to try to grunt, playing 4.5 or 5 players, it’s so much of a struggle it’s easy to forget, but when I do grunt it definitely helps with timing and it just feels good.
Steve · March 29, 2013 at 8:05 pm
Gasquet as better hands than Mac. Yeah, I said it. Just confirmed it with the greatest half volley ever. Crazy.
Scoop Malinowski · March 29, 2013 at 8:13 pm
Man, that was an impressive set by Gasquet, he has as much talent as any player alive today. He is like a Rios, an overabundance in talent, maybe a lack of the obssessive desire and hunger to win big events. As far as pure raw aesthetic tennis talent, Gasquet is a marvel – and superior to Murray in that regard.
Steve · March 29, 2013 at 9:42 pm
Gasquet is getting closer but the top 5 just are on a different level in finding ways to win. I esp. liked Gasquet’s returns tonight.
Murray’s inside-in forehand paid huge dividends in the last two sets. I hope Gasquet and his coaches look at that and figure out how to deal with it. And no more 2nd serves to Murphy’s backhand.
This match had many amazing moments.
Scoop Malinowski · March 30, 2013 at 12:08 pm
Patrick McEnroe said after the first set he still thought Murray was the favorite. Quite a wise observation. I think Gasquet is more talented slightly than Murray but Murray of course is more physically fit and stronger. Murray is known for his off court training and running and sprinting…it’s hard to imagine Gasquet venturing out the running track and putting himself through 200 and 400 meter sprints.
Andrew Miller · March 30, 2013 at 2:55 pm
Murray’s absorbed Lendl’s fitness mantra. Clearly we see what separates the slam champions from everyone else – in addition to talent, they’re more fit. I saw some youtube of Kuznetsov vs. Nadal from 2012 Oz Open – and Kuznetsov has some pretty nice groundstrokes, especially off the backhand wing. But Nadal had a few things in his corner. Nadal was (1) faster, (2) stronger, (3) more fit and (4) far more strategic. I think the same goes for Murray – he just knows (like Lendl says) that every time he plays anyone else, he knows they probably can’t keep up as the match progresses. That’s hard won knowledge. If you know that no matter what you’ll be focused across a match, odds are that match is already won.
Gotta love tennis. So much to it – you just can’t show up and win (maybe you can, but odds are it won’t happen). I think that’s why I really appreciated the 2008 Wimbledon final between Federer and Nadal. You could tell Nadal had to get better at Wimbledon every year to have a shot in the match, that he had to see it through to the very last shot.
Kudos to these guys. It’s one thing to know that this is what’s necessary to win the big titles. But it’s quite another for a Djokovic to make the sacrifices to be there. As Agassi said you can’t phone in the results!
Nonetheless – I think Dan and Scoop have been saying this all year – Gasquet’s re-emergence on the scene is welcome. He really does do special things on the court. Seeing him play well is a great experience. Some of my relatives are also in love with him, they think he’s a handsome Frenchman. (So did that girl that nearly got him booted from the tour, but that’s another story!).
Scoop Malinowski · March 30, 2013 at 3:26 pm
Andrew, Wasn’t Murray already super fit pre-Lendl? Murray’s been big and strong and super fit for a while now, I thought Lendl injected Murray with the final ingredient, the missing piece of the puzzle, the X factor that only a great champion understands and can share. Murray was unlucky to be in the midst of an impossible era to win a major, with prime Fed, Rafa and Djokovic, but Lendl figured out what was missing and filled that subtle gap. Gasquet is actually in a similar spot as Murray was. He’s so close, in this impossible era to win a major. He needs someone like a Lendl in his corner. If Gasquet really REALLY wants to win a major – some of the French journos question that notion – he will hire that type of coach. But speculation is that Gasquet is happy where he is making the $ he makes, his big goal, which he stated at a press conference this week, is top 8 and making Masters Cup in London. Whether he wins a major or not, Gasquet is always a tremendous pleasure to watch play, he’s a one of a kind. BTW I just spoke with Richard Williams about Federer and he said if Federer was more of a tougher, meaner guy, like Rios, he thinks he’d win more majors. Richard really respects how Federer is such a nice guy and has been so successful, maybe if he was a biut meaner and tougher… interesting concept. Maybe Gasquet needs to be meaner and tougher, but like Fed that’s just not his nature.
Mitch · March 30, 2013 at 4:05 pm
Murray’s fitness predates Lendl. In fact, I think his coming out party was coming back from two sets down against Gasquet at Wimbledon. I only caught a little bit of last night’s match, but it’s a shame Gasquet reinjured his foot/ankle. It’d be great to see him be more of a factor this year.
Steve · March 30, 2013 at 4:52 pm
It’s really tough to win a major with Fed, Djoker and Nadal in the mix. Lendl has had a huge impact. Not only on Murray’s forehand but also on his focus. Obviously, Murray is a fantastic tactician even if it’s not always pretty to watch he did have some sweet offensive lobs.
I think Gasquet making the WTF is a realistic and great goal which he’s achieved before. Winning a Masters 1000 would be sweet. He certainly was competitive. Even for Murray having Nadal and Djoker out of it paves the way for good chance at victory though Ferrer seems to beat everyone else rather easily.
Scoop, I agree, I can’t see Gasquet doing sprints but I believe he plays rugby and he’s plenty strong for a tennis player it’s just the fitness of the very top guys is a little crazy.
He was really trying hard and after he exchanged words with the umpire he came out and blasted some angry winners. Never seen him angry before.
I’ll never forget that first half volley he did for a winner but now everyone can see his alliance with Piatti has made him much tougher in these matches.
Dan Markowitz · March 30, 2013 at 7:01 pm
Richard Williams is wack saying if Federer were a meaner buy like Rios he’d have won more slams. How many slams did Rios win being an ornery guy? Come on, please. That’s absurd. Firstly, Federer’s a nice guy, but he’s also a hard-core guy in a lot of ways.
Scoop Malinowski · March 31, 2013 at 11:13 am
Steve I think he needs someone like Lendl as a coach, or even Johnny Mac, someone who knows what it takes to win majors. What do you think about that idea for Gasquet?
Scoop Malinowski · March 31, 2013 at 11:16 am
Dan here is what Richard said: “I think he’s so nice and friendly to everyone that it’s unbelievable. But I think if he was a rough guy…I think he would keep winning for the next three or four years. He has enough (title) but some players are just good. Some players are rough and tough players like Rios. Roger is not what you call a rough, tough player. He’s a nice, smooth player, something like Pete Sampras…” I’ll save the rest for the Federer book : )
Dan Markowitz · March 31, 2013 at 1:29 pm
Rios being a rough guy, obviously, didn’t serve him well. There aren’t many No. 1 players who never won a major, but Rios was one of those exceptions. I think Roger’s niceness has actually boded well for him because players might not feel that anger to push harder against him. But, I think in the end, nice or not, it comes down to talent and work ethic and playing under pressure. You can be nice or mean, it doesn’t matter as much as the other three factors.
Andrew Miller · March 31, 2013 at 4:03 pm
Richard Williams is always a good quote. Murray seems to have another gear.
Scoop Malinowski · March 31, 2013 at 11:37 pm
Murray is the better player than Ferrer, he has advanced further into majors, won OLY and US Open, Ferrer has never been to a major final. Murray has also won more Masters Series titles. Herculean effort today by Ferrer to come so close, he did more than enough to win. BTW, winner prize was $719,190, finalist got $350,970 – that was a costly couple of centimeters for Ferrer on MP.
Steve · April 1, 2013 at 12:46 pm
Scoop, I think Piatti & co. are doing a fantastic job. Gasquet’s already had a huge improvement from where he was. Lendl would be great too but there’s only one Lendl. Even if a slam isn’t in the cards I think Piatti will get him to win some of these matches against the top 5.
I’m quite happy with his victory over Berdych. That’s a great result. I’m curious what adjustments they make for the next time he plays Murray.
Steve · April 1, 2013 at 12:48 pm
Roger likes fair play on the court. Not the type to feign injury or use all his challenges & other tactics to ice a player. Perhaps this is what Richard Williams was referring to???
Steve · April 1, 2013 at 12:51 pm
On the broadcast I watched it seemed like Ferrer knew he couldn’t chase down that match point ball. Even with his speed he was beat. The challenge seemed very desperate.
Murray has had the best and most expensive coaching in the world. How much did the UK pay Brad Gilbert to coach him???
Scoop Malinowski · April 1, 2013 at 6:31 pm
Steve I think Gasquet can be even better, but the French journos I was talking with say he is quite content where he’s at and the money he makes, playing his brand of fantastic tennis all over the world, there’s nothing wrong with that, he may not be capable of having the obsessive desire to be the very best like the top 4 do. #5 in the world might be the ultimate maximum achievement possible for Gasquet.
Scoop Malinowski · April 1, 2013 at 6:34 pm
I don’t think so Steve, more like Roger is not a sadistic ruthless killer on court, like Djok and Nadal actually seem to like to make their opponents suffer physically. Roger has more of the nature to play aesthetic tennis, not to be a mean or decepetive or vicious competitor. Imagine if Roger, as talented as he is, was also a mean tenacious SOB on the court like Connors, Nasty, McEnroe, Lendl were? I think that’s what Richard Williams meant.
Scoop Malinowski · April 1, 2013 at 6:36 pm
Not sure what LTA paid BG but I did learn last week from the Japanese reporter seated to my left the whole tourney, that Kei Nishikori did not re-sign BG to continue coaching him because he was “too expensive.”
Steve · April 1, 2013 at 9:15 pm
Agree with your points Scoop. To be top 5 now, no matter your talent, takes that obsessive whole life dedication.
I’m glad Roger isn’t sadistic and ruthless but I see your point.
And, yeah, this Nishikori news kinda confirms the HUGE amount of money the UK invested in Murray.
Scoop Malinowski · April 2, 2013 at 8:32 am
Julian, didn’t Todd Martin pull out a wood racquet to close out a senior match last year and he actually played well with it and closed out the win? I remember hearing this but did not confirm it. Think it was vs. Chang. But I agree with you, tennis would be a different ballgame if all players used the same weapon. The same guys would still likely be at the top presumably. The cream and the best always rise to the top.
Steve · April 2, 2013 at 8:47 am
Would absolutely love to see a tournament with the top guy with wood.