Another tough close loss in Indian Wells qualis for Stefan Kozlov to Adrian Menendez in straight sets 26 67. It’s the same Menendez who beat him in Newport and who only has five career ATP match wins at age 32.
Ironically, 20-year-old Kozlov’s five previous ATP wins all came on grass his best surface. On the Tennis Channel, Jim Courier spoke high regards of Kozlov’s tennis IQ, court vision and skills and said his talent surplus are just too good to not make it and it’s just a question of “when not if” that breakout will happen.
But you have to wonder if these losses, over and over and over at the ATP main tour level will take a toll. He almost seems psyched out at the main tour level on hard court or clay, and can’t establish a winning formula. There have been so many disheartening losses to Young, Querrey, Ivo, Menendez twice, Donaldson, etc.
You don’t fix what’s not broken but something is broken and in need of a fix. Perhaps Kozlov needs a top coach who has had an ATP career, not a Stan Boster type or Diego Moyano. But a solid former ATP professional who won over a hundred matches. Maybe Kozlov needs a coach like Vince Spadea or Mardy Fish or Tim Mayotte.
Frances Tiafoe and Jared Donaldson are doing the best of the young American brigade and they both have solid former ATP pros as coaches – Jan-Michael Gambill and Robby Ginepri and Donaldson also utilized Taylor Dent for over two years as a teen. Maybe this kind of experienced voice in his corner is what Kozlov needs. Or he needs better fitness. Or to develop a bigger weapon to go rely on in the big points. Kozlov seems to panic and misfire when he goes for the big winner on the big points.
Grinding it out and counterpunching and hoping for the error isn’t working now. Kozlov is such an interesting player and his career journey are intriguing. Hope he takes that next step soon.
To compare Kozlov’s journey with other notable shorter than six-feet tall players, let’s take a look…
David Ferrer was ranked 219 after his 19 yr old season and then 59 after his 20 yr old season. Kozlov is just starting his 20 yr old season.
Fabio Fognini was ranked 97 after his 20 yr old season.
David Goffin was ranked 174 after his 20 yr old season.
Diego Schwartzman was ranked 169 after his 20 yr old season.
Kozlov is in the early stages of his career and still finding his way through the ATP jungle which is a dangerous, merciless, vicious war zone. He has plenty of time to take the next step out of the 100-220 ranking zone in which he has inhabited for a couple of years now.
But it will require doing something different than what is being done now.
Dan Markowitz · March 7, 2018 at 2:39 pm
I’m going to run counter to Courier saying it’s not if, but when Kozlov will break through. He’s been left in the dust now by Tiafoe, JD and Fritz. Even Opelka has pushed ahead. Only Rubin and Tommy Paul and Mmoh really have dwelled below with Kozlov. Paul seemed to be a guy who would make it, but he has these long absences.
Watching Kozlov yesterday, he’s a good tactician, but he has no weapons and because he hits the ball pretty flat, opponents can push him back and then come into net against him or drop shot. Koz is a defensive player by nature and strokes and though he has improved his FH, he’s not very fast. You take Tiafoe who Koz has been compared to mostly since they’re exactly the same age, and one came from Africa, the other from Russia, but Tiafoe has so many more weapons than Koz, serve, forehand, foot speed and volleys.
It would be wise for Kozlov to hire a good former ATP pro, but something tells me that he won’t.
Scoop Malinowski · March 7, 2018 at 3:04 pm
Kozlov trains hard. I saw him train after matches at Sarasota Open. he is a workhorse. But for whatever reason the body doesn’t show it. he’s not ripped. Maybe it’s a mediocre diet. I know he likes Chipotle but that is not really the best fuel for an athlete. I think he needs to do high intensity training. Push himself harder than he’s ever been pushed. Break his own speed barriers. He’s not slow but he looks almost like in slow motion. he doesn’t have that fifth or sixth gear of speed and power and explosive intensity. How to get it? Sprint work at track. Full speed punching boxing combinations with gloves on. Shadowboxing at high speed. light sparring in boxing ring but at very fast pace with heavy gloves and headgear on. He needs that extra level of speed and explosiveness. The foundation is there, he’s a good solid smart player. Just needs that extra gear to start winning these matches and rise up the rankings.
Dan Markowitz · March 7, 2018 at 3:24 pm
The challenge with such intense training in pro tennis is you don’t get that much time to follow such an arduous workout regime, even if you’re only 20. We’re seeing with Nadal and Murray who really worked out hard, is that it wears down the body Now if Koz had 1/10 of those guys’ careers, he’s be flying over the moon.
You’re right though, the Koz has a rather weird body. He’s very big in the legs, but puffy in the midsection and doesn’t look too strong up top. I wonder how many of these top pros really go to the track a lot and run 400’s, 200’s and 100’s? I think it would help their games immensely.
Chazz · March 7, 2018 at 3:29 pm
Jump rope training is a huge help for fitness, quickness and footwork on the court.
Scoop Malinowski · March 7, 2018 at 3:37 pm
Dan, you are a yoga expert. Would you guess Kozlov does yoga off of what you see in his movements on court? If he doesn’t do it, he surely should.
Dan Markowitz · March 7, 2018 at 5:30 pm
Thank you, Scoop, for the title you give me, yoga expert. I wouldn’t think the Koz practices too much yoga, although he’s graceful in his movements. He would certainly benefit by trying to develop long lean musculature. What impresses me about the Koz is how he seems to stay so calm during his matches. But I wonder then if he thinks he’s right on track because he doesn’t seem to be for me. I’m not saying he should get desperate, but maybe he doesn’t think he needs to change anything in his training, coaching and game.
What did we hear in Delray? That the USTA had dropped giving him coaching.
Scoop Malinowski · March 7, 2018 at 6:05 pm
You are right he does not do yoga. I asked him to try it and noted that several top players like Djokovic, Murray, Fed, Serena, Maria and others have done tons of yoga and that it helps in ways that are hard to describe. He thanked me for the suggestion and said he will try it. When I did it a lot – when I used to go to the yoga studio with a former gf – it really helped me play better tennis and feel better. I remember one week I went twice (over an hour each time) and then hit with a friend after and in like two minutes the friend started making comments about how much better I was hitting, how the ball was making a different sound off my strings and he asked if I had gone to IMG academy to hit with coaches down there? I smiled and said No, I’m just doing yoga and this week I did it twice. It’s hard to explain how yoga helps you feel and play better, your body is more agile and balanced. I’m sure it will help Kozlov and it could be that little missing ingredient that can help him take the next step and start winning these close matches. Do you agree Dan?
dan markowitz · March 8, 2018 at 7:59 am
Yoga would definitely help Koz. I wouldn’t say he’s stiff out there, but he clearly needs some flexibility. I can’t believe in this day and age, he’s never tried yoga. It seems like something every pro tennis player has been exposed to.
Scoop Malinowski · March 8, 2018 at 8:44 am
Dan, surprisingly it’s not the case. Yoga takes a lot of effort and sacrifice of free time. I can see a lot of young players not wanting to listen and blowing off the offers to try yoga. Kids at that age in their early 20s think they know everything. I never would have tried yoga except a girlfriend wanted to do it after our gym sessions so I tried it and liked it. But even then after a while when we left that gym it was hard to keep doing it for the over hour session which is best. I remember all the times you were dedicated to go at like 8 am in Newport or Delray. You are a big believer in yoga. Maybe you should try to become the USTA Tennis Center yoga guru 🙂