Wow! Three sets in the women’s final. And I have no idea how Serena shifted gears from 3-5 down in the third to capture the last 4 games. And the men – 5 sets, 54 stroke rally, and at the end Murray got it right, in his 5th try in a Grand Slam final, much the same as his coach Ivan Lendl did winning his first title in his 5th try at this same event. I guess this was fitting.
We had a tremendous response from you on your picks. In the women’s Greg got it precisely correct ! He picked Serena over Azarenka 7-5 in the third. Greg, choose something from our product line – and it is all yours.
The men’s picks were not as precise, we had two who picked the winner and runner up, as well as in 5 sets, both picked 6-3 in the fifth and truly that is good enough for me. So the winners for the men are Joe Farah and Wan Rahman – go shopping in our product site and let me know.
Consider both matches when everything was on the line. In both instances I suggest it was the serve that made the difference. Azarenka served for the title at 5-3 in the third and was broken at love. Yes Serena was stepping up, but equally at that point in time Vika needed something big and into the corners. Equally, in the men’s 5th set Murray’s serving stats were well ahead of Djokovic – 70% of first serves in play, winning 71% of those points, while Novak got 45% of his first serves in play and won just 38% of those deliveries. Two service breaks, 30 points won vs 19 for Novak, this fifth set was a formality.
Two years ago at the Australian Open the statistics were nearly reversed, where Murray served poorly, and Novak made him pay for it. But Andy has clearly put in the work, evident in his narrow loss in the Wimbledon finals, his Olympic gold medal and now his first Grand Slam title.
Are you doing the work on your serve? Not necessarily bombs and cannonball serves (remember that from the 60′s) but more about the confidence to place the ball to all parts of the service box, and to come up with the goods on big points when an unreturnable serve is needed.
Tell me about your serve – what are your projects – are you making progress? And have you checked out our latest product run BTS 3.0
Leave A Reply (8 comments So Far)
McComment
216 days ago
See? With the same amount of rest, Novak beat Murray in the Shanghai Openfinal. Murray started to cramp up after only 2 1/2 sets over 2 1/2 hours and Novak ultimately won.
In the US Open final, without a days rest between matches, Novak held out and didn’t start to fade physically until the 5th set. If Novak had gotten a days rest, he would have one the US Open.
McComment
250 days ago
I think Novak got robbed like he was robbed at the French Open.
In this case, Murray got an extra days rest that Novak did not get. He played a tough match the day before with Ferrer and had to play a grueling 5-setter against Murray.
He could hold out for 4 sets, but the lack of rest took its toll in the 5th.
Rodger Schuester
250 days ago
Note: regarding compensating for distance it is not unusual for me to be standing as far to the left or right as is legal, from time to time.
Rodger Schuester
250 days ago
I’m having good success with my serve progress and six month contract regarding placement – with increasing accuracy. I like the idea of looking for the blur of the racquet or the ball – either way I’m getting better at keeping my head and hand up (head up longer than hand) and truly it provides good value in doing so. I also make good use of the target box concept above the net, but I draw the box on the back fence and move my target up or down the back fence as needed because it is easier for me to visualize and then hit outward that way. Really helps my flat serve.
I slice down the add court T or out wide to the deuce court, topspin second serve down the center with the same pace as my first serve and with confidence, kick serve down the deuce T and wide out the add court – sometimes I get a pretty good bounce out of it as well, sometimes just a good place is enough. My flat serve consistency is also increasing.
Ray, a 4.0, commented when we played together yesterday that my topspins serves were harder to return for many of the players because they were bouncing up enough to throw opponents off who are otherwise use to fairly flat bomber serves.
Regarding the slice, I use more “up spin” out wide in the deuce than down the add court T to compensate for the distance. I also move all over the baseline mixing my hitting positions up.
So from BTS 1 to 2 and now 3, and Kick serve 1 and 2, with you over the last 4 years more or less.
(Note: I still sneak in an occasional underhand sidespin serve wide to the add court side for a surprise ace or forced error, sometimes more than once depending on how well my opponent can or can not adjust). And yes, I did that against Ray today for an untouchable that bounced wide onto the service sideline a few inches over the net, and spun out like a bullet to his left/my right.
Most difficult serve to make is when I’m laughing.
Martin Hassner
250 days ago
Becoming a bullwhip ain’t as easy as it looks through your guidance. Old, old habits do die slowly but two things are becoming evident: the launch up rather than out becomes critical to that nanosecond when the racket makes contact with the ball in an upward thrust, the snap takes place and that’s all…
And the grip must be so loose that it becomes almost difficult to do much more with the swing than let it flow after contact. Finding the second when your elbow is still up, and your forearm and racket is pointing down and you could actually tell time because your wrist is right there…ain’t easy McGee…
When it works just right the racket handle has “slipped” into the area between the thumb and forefinger andthose two fingers are all that are in contact with the racket.
One other thought about the open. Right at the very end both guys had one exactly 136 points or something like that. I wonder how many points Murray won when he was playing into the wind with all kinds of “stuff” while Nole slammed away with or against the wind
randy
250 days ago
I have been using bts 2.0 and find it helpful. I am still too tight and push more than pull. I am not getting the racket to drop and scratch the back. On placement, I can hit corners in the ad court but not the duece. I struggle with the out wide duece court placement and tyically go down the t or not out wide enough.
Regarding the Open, Andy has dramatically impoved his serve, particularly the second, and this is what gave him the W.
Lynne
250 days ago
Good take.
I’m working constantly on my serve. It’s a great intro to the point and it’s all about confidence for me.
Eric Neil
250 days ago
Great advice and wisdom as ever Jim.
Wasn’t Lendl’s first slam title the French in 84 though, with the US title following in 85?