Tennis Prose




Mar/17

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Did Stan Sacrifce His Full Potential For Roger?

Roger_Federer_training_with_StanStan Wawrinka has always shown a hesitancy and slight discomfort to beat his “big brother” Roger Federer. When Wawrinka plays Federer you rarely see the full fury of “The Stanimal.” You don’t see the ferocity unleashed in the form of full-fledged fist pumps. You don’t see the alpha male points to his brain power when Stan plays Roger. You don’t see or hear the primal screams that Stan will express against other players especially Djokovic and Nadal.

What you see of Wawrinka against Federer is like a tamed version not even close to full intensity. It almost seems Wawrinka is afraid to beat Federer so as not to offend “The God” of tennis or his global legion of supporters and worshippers.

Wawrinka even hinted that such a mental dynamic exists in his runner-up speech yesterday after losing the BNP Paribas final to Federer in straight sets: “Everybody wants to see (Federer) win” and “I was your biggest fan when you played the Australian Open final.”

It all makes one wonder: Just how many majors would or could have Wawrinka have won if he didn’t have to defer to Roger Federer for basically his entire career? Is it a consequence of a profoundly complicated tennis psychoanalysis that Wawrinka has “subconsciously tanked” his full potential at the altar of Roger Federer?

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61 comments

  • Hartt · March 22, 2017 at 3:01 pm

    So many MTOs today.

    Youngsters watch: Nishioka won over Jordan Thompson, who is fairly young himself, turns 23 next month.

  • Hartt · March 22, 2017 at 4:15 pm

    Youngsters watch: Escobedo just won over Evans – 7-5, 0-6, 6-3. Evans was jawing at the chair ump in the third set, he went on and on. I was on a stream so I don’t know why he was upset but he would not stop complaining. Finally the crowd got fed up and started to show their displeasure with him. I was rooting for young Escobedo but Evans’ behaviour made me even happier that the youngster won.

  • Hartt · March 22, 2017 at 7:25 pm

    At 23 Vesely is no longer a youngster, but he beat an oldie, Haas, in a close match (3 sets). Tommy turns 39 next month. I am very sad to see him out of the tourney – don’t imagine he will play in many more tournaments. Wonder if he will retire at the USO. This match even had an iguana watching – they removed him but I thought they should have allowed him to stay and watch the match. 🙂

    In a match between 2 youngsters, Shapovalov won over 19-year-old Santillan, 7-6, 4-6, 6-3 in a Challenger in Mexico. Denis was not sharp in the 2nd set but managed to do enough to win the 3rd.

  • Andrew Miller · March 22, 2017 at 9:35 pm

    Vesely is the Czech Bellucci. He had risen so high – he could use some doubles and maybe some counseling from Gilles Mueller. Every lefty could. For whatever reason these lefties are unbelievably talented and then do little to nothing much on the ATP tour. Vesely had been rising far and fast – and here he is. Isn’t he Doogie’s favorite player?

    Yeah I think the lefties just have instability. On the men’s side only veterans Verdasco, Mueller have been convincing. Nishioka may yet be. But to be a great lefty – this seems impossible these days.

  • Scoop Malinowski · March 22, 2017 at 10:11 pm

    Hartt: A linesperson tattled that Evans said a bad word which he denied but I did hear he said “You’re fn feeding this guy easy balls” or close to that – Esco was just too good and too strong for “Evo” – What power this kid generates on his forehand – very very VERY good player we have here – watch out for Esco –

  • Scoop Malinowski · March 22, 2017 at 10:15 pm

    Escobedo is a heavyweight hitter and he was too good for Evo – Haas played great but he can’t finish I think it’s because he just has not played but a few ATP matches all year and since last year he’s just not match tough like all the other tour players are – Nishioka is a class above Jordan THompson who was shaking his head in awe of Nichioka’s shots angles anticipation patience and power and creativity – JT beat Ferrer this year so he’s no slouch –

  • Scoop Malinowski · March 22, 2017 at 10:16 pm

    Remember this name: Amanda Anisimova – you’re welcome –

  • Andrew Miller · March 23, 2017 at 12:21 am

    like Escobedo a lot. Just his movement towards the backhand wing is a little weaker than I’d encourage a player and he could benefit from watching some Edberg there. He has a nice beam me up, up tempo game and I root for him.

    Can anyone solve the lefty craziness? Are lefties, who terrorize many a junior tournament, too crazy to be amy good on tour? Why the dearth of elite lefties? Why no Muster or Johnny McEnroe or Rios among the top ten? Was it watching Ivanisevic that convinced them it wasn’t worth it, given his losses in the Wimbledon final until his epic 2001 victory?

    My guess. No one can solve the lefty crazyness. As soon as you have a player you like and they are doing well, they crazy out of the tournament.

    Vesely, its not because you aren’t Steps that you’re losing. It’s because you are a lefty and Lloyd Carroll hasn’t written a column daring lefties to wake up.

  • catherine bell · March 23, 2017 at 4:09 am

    Fewer people are left handed. It is commoner in males but as far as I know there is no proven link with ‘craziness’ on court or off.
    You’d expect a minority of left handed players among men and a smaller number among women.
    (I’m left handed BTW)

    Something I do find interesting is a those players who are more or less ambidextrous – don’t know about the men but among women Margaret Court, Martina Navratilova and now Angie Kerber play (played) left handed but write etc with their right hands.
    There’s a clip of Angie taking advantage of this and hitting a reflex volley with her right hand. Winning shot 🙂

  • Scoop malinowski · March 23, 2017 at 6:37 am

    Mmoh trained at IMG for many yrs. Hes an IMG player. Also he was not in IW draws.

  • Scoop malinowski · March 23, 2017 at 6:40 am

    I saw Fritz warming up on outer court before night match vs Pavlasek doing mid court volley winners. Ordering coach (Moyano?) to hit em lower. Also doing a lot of overheads. Very focused player oblvivious of large crowd watching.

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