1. Nadal-It is a mental issue when someone keeps attacking the backhand. Also, does not go for the winners on Nadal second servers. Why not??!!! Because he’s not aggressive enough. He’s at his best when he is dominating. He’s only like that against lower ranked players. Early on, he was like that with Nadal too. Then Nadal go better and Fed just started playing it safe (less aggressive). That’s why in the 5th set, he tights up.

2. Andy Murray-Its a stamina issue with Murray. Fed seem to lose his legs in the third set. Murray game is to get the ball back in play. Wear him out. Which he does.

HOW I THINK ROGER CAN BEAT NADAL:

1. He need to SLICE more to the Nadal two handed BACKHAND. Nadal natural backhand motion is to hit cross court to Fed’s forehand. But, Fed natural one hand slice is to Nadal forehand. So he has to mentally change where he is slicing the ball to. As much as Nadal focus on hitting ALL his shots to Fed’s backhand, Fed should focus hitting his SLICE to the Nadal backhand. It has to be the slice shot because it will be low and it will give him a greater error percentage. Because it is low, it become that much more difficult to generate extra topspin. Plus, a low slice will give him trouble in hitting it down the line to the Fed’s backhand. A regular topspin
forehand or backhand plays into Nadal’s strength, which is generating crazy amount of topspins from these type of returns.

2. Improve his serve and volleying. He leaves way too many second chance for Nadal to hit passing winners. Also, serving and volleying will save his energy to attach Nadal’s service games. It will also make him fresher going into the 5th sets, where Nadal has a greater advantage.

3. Practice attacking the Nadal serve to his backhand. Have practice partners serve all day to his backhand so that he can get use to attacking it in real matches. Practice builds confident.

Seeing him coach-less makes me stressed. I am taking a break.

Maybe that’s why I got so excited about the wedding photos. His personal life is definitely less gloomy than the oncourt stuff.

I think he needs a season to recuperate from all the excitement and to get used to his new status as challenger instead of the challenged (I guess he’s a challenged challenger right now.)

Perhaps he’ll regroup by the US Open and tie Sampras there? I’m not sure how he’ll react to Wimbledon.

I think he needs a break to refocus, particularly just on the non-slam ATP tour, because that generates a lot of momentum for players going into slams anyway. And yes, he does need a coach or a veteran to bounce ideas off, though I think he has commitment issues when the person asking for commitment isn’t named Mirka.

For me, the most interesting thing is the 10 vs. 20 weeks controversy. Fed offered Higueras a short-term arrangement, but then reportedly wanted Darren Cahill for 20 weeks. So perhaps he’s changed his mind due to a desire to improve and/or a desire to replace Mirka’s constant companionship on tour – at least in one or two respects Or maybe he just likes Darren more than Higueras.

It will be so interesting to see what Roger finally decides to do! Everyone and her mother’s been speculating (hi, mom!)

i didn’t read anything nasty from higueras and certainly nothing that is so confidential that no other tennis pro/coach wouldn’t already know/have considered when they know they have to face federer on court.

federer being the way he is, highlighted by the ridiculous comments in recent past against his opponents, culminating in particular, the behaviour in miami, that fell nothing short of tarnishing the image he has projected to the world of his gentlemanly, sportsmanlike qualities, does need a little nip in the arse to get him off his throne of denial.

the way i see it, higueras is an honourable professional who obviously cares about roger and hopes that he has continued success. you can’t have a relationship with someone for that long and not build some kind of rapport. federer wanted higueras to work with him for longer periods but the man could not commit and hence the end of the coach/player relationship. to me, these statements are more of a message for fed, vented in a way that is both strong yet encouraging to the champ…remember folks, even though higueras would be happy to get a good paycheck by working as fed’d coach, he is not a desperate man, begging to feed himself. so lets try to look at the positives rather than the negative.

the only positive is that hopefully with guys like higueras and macenroe making statements and possibly talking to fed, the champ will finally heed to true humility and come down with desire and a thirst for change in his game so that he’ll be back to winning ways and try to build upon his legacy, as nadal will surely be in for the running to break many records over the span of his career.