Welcome to June’s Racquet Mailbag. We’re less than a week deep into Roland Garros and yet there’s already been enough news to fill up months of tournaments: The Osaka situation and fallout, Dominic Thiem out on Sunday, number one Ashleigh Barty out literally minutes ago…
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Feel free to use this thread to decompress and take stock of what’s happened so far, or to look ahead. Ask me any questions you like about Osaka, the results this week, the role of press/media in tennis, the maybe-quicker-than-usual-conditions, or just more general tennis stuff etc etc. Anything goes.
I’ll do my best to answer them all quickly but I might take a bit longer if there are any that require some extra thought.
As data analytics penetrated other sports, it revealed that there were major strategic mistakes being made. Walks were grossly underestimated in baseball. The value of the three-point shot was even more underestimated in basketball. This has transformed the game (not to my taste in basketball!). Analytics have come to tennis later. What are the strategic mistakes in tennis play being revealed? How will the game be transformed?
What are your thoughts on Berrettini's chances? He has had a good clay court season. With so many leading men out it seems like the only drama is Novak/Rafa (at best).
Hi Matt. Thanks for a great newsletter and lots of perspectives that are very handy for a new-ish tennis fan such as myself. Society in general (and therefore also tennis) is very concerned with responsibility and accountability: Players, associations and very much journalists these days. But what about the fans? What is, if any, the responsibility of the modern tennis fan in search of a more equal, sustainable sport in your view?
I really enjoyed your piece on Osaka last week. Hadn't thought about the direct to audience relationship in that way before. With that in mind, do you think all members of the media need to think about that dynamic?
Matt - you have written extensively about Nadal's strength on clay being short ball dominance. Can this be attributed predominantly on his physical strength, i.e. being able to hit the ball through the court & opponent on this surface, when nobody else can?
Another question, why do you think there aren't many younger TV commentators in tennis? For example, in other sports (basketball, american football), many former players go straight from retirement to TV commentators. In the U.S., the highest profile ones are probably still McEnroe and Carillo. Seems like many choose to go the coach or Tournament Director side instead. Feel like it would be interesting to get some recently retired players as they could connect more with the modern game and may have even played a lot of the players they are commenting on.
With Federer commenting how clay is not really that slow and Medvedev suddenly falling in love with the clay in Paris - is it safe enough to say that, at least this year, the courts are indeed playing much faster?
Any insight into the choice of seedings? Why didn't FO place Nadal at 2 given his history and stature, or are seedings only based in rankings now? Unless I'm mistaken and it was someone else, I think it was you who wrote a great piece about how the seedings have been manipulated over the years (possibly for TV and sponsor motivations). Do you think they might have worked the 'Big 3' into the same half pf the draw to make sure Federer gets far enough to play ome of the others?
Hello Matthew. Unfortunately have no time whatsoever for any comment/question to you these days, other than to quickly acknowledge that you hardly could have picked a better timing for The Racquet relaunch a little over a month ago, from my point of view. Professional tennis and professional tennis players truly seem/feel at a turning point, don't they? Greatly appreciate your key contribution to our following/understanding the definitely evolving times for professional tennis both as a professional sport and for professional tennis players, and this in the definitely evolving times at numerous levels worldwide. Best
Hi Matt! Love your insight on Twitter and in The Racquet. Out of curiosity, how did you become interested in tennis and what got you into providing such detailed match insight? Also, on a slightly unrelated note, do you think that tennis may finally depart from some of its archaic traditions given the rise of activist stars like Osaka in the sport (prime example being how the Slams are finally having a discussion surrounding mental health following Osaka's boycott, withdrawal, and the email she sent to the RG organizers)?
Hi Matt, before the event there was a lot of talk about seeding, particularly Nadal being seeded behind Medvedev given their clay court seasons/prowess and its effect on delivering a top heavy draw. Given all the analytics at our disposal (e.g. ELO), what are your thoughts on seedings continuing to be based solely on ranking (except at Wimbledon)?
Bit of a strange question but here goes - I feel like the usually ineffective tennis governance framework has been even more under the spotlight this year. No domestic abuse policies, general PTPA havoc, appalling treatment of umpires going unpunished, the whole quarantining saga at Australia (players complaining non stop), and now the way the GS have responded to Naomi… so many missteps in the past year or two! Feeling deeply frustrated at the sport I love and wondered if you had thoughts on 1) if and how this can improve, and 2) how you personally avoid the drama and just try to enjoy the game (fwiw)
I think you might have mentioned the quality of Thiem's kick serve this week. Watching a bit of Kohlschreiber and Cuevas today they both seem to have good kick serves too. Is there some sort of correlation with having one-handed bhs?
I would have many questions but the one on my mind right now is this : how common do you think doping is in tennis? I'm usually quite optimistic on this matter but talking with friends had me wondering about it recently.
Do you think Nadal should have hired a new coach/added someone else after 2011, like Novak has done throughout his career? His 2nd serve speed was just 136kph in the AO 2012 Final which Djokovic exploited profoundly, something he had done in 2011 as well? If not 2011, then 2015? Wasn't 2017 a bit too late? Wasn't he a bit too conservative in that aspect?
This is regarding Stef and Zverev being in the open half of the draw. Do you think the clear path ahead benefits both of their runs? Or are they at a disadvantage (just like Thiem and Zverev in USO final and their nerves) at such an unique oppurtunity? Curious to see your take on this considering you would very well know their mental strengths and how they approach things.
Hey Matt this is a great blog and a great mailbag. My question - how good of a mover is Medvedev on clay? The guy can slide, right? But I haven't really paid much attention to how he comes out of corners/ recovers etc... wondering what your take is? Cheers!
Hello Matt, love your work. What do you think about the Nadal’s level in 2021 so far? In fact, he won 2 tournaments without playing his best. His level on clay seems more volatile this year and less consistant. Against Djokovic, he was playing two great sets, but he dropped his level without any explanations during the second. Same in some matches (Tsitsipas, Shapovalov, Zverev, Popyrin etc.). What are your thoughts about his draw in the FO? Do you think it’s an advantage to Djokovic to face Nadal in the SF? How do you analysis this potential match between both? In my opinion, it’s a very strange year for Nadal. Yeah, congrats, 2 titles without playing his best, but paradoxically, no guarantee according his level.
Why do tournaments suck at scheduling? Like RG putting Tsonga’s likely the last match in Paris the last of the day where no crowds are allowed in, or Rome putting players who had long match night session the day before, on day session the next day.
Idk if I've never paid attention to it before or it's been happening more but ever since the covid break I've noticed a lot of thigh (?) injuries for players. Why is that such a common injury for tennis players?
Do you think that traditional media is more important in drumming up interest in lower-ranked players who do not have a huge social media following? Also, how do you think the traditional media compares in importance to other sports? I remember how Southgate did that big press event where all the squad were made available pre-tournament and that seemed to create a real feel-good mood in the public - is press a bit more important in football?
Last year, with the switch to Wilson balls during the French open, players were complaining about how slow and heavy the balls were. This year though, Medvedev has been saying that the Wilson balls are lighter and move faster through the air. Both can’t be true. I thought the Wilson balls helped him because of the lower bounce/ less top spin which would suit his flat game
As data analytics penetrated other sports, it revealed that there were major strategic mistakes being made. Walks were grossly underestimated in baseball. The value of the three-point shot was even more underestimated in basketball. This has transformed the game (not to my taste in basketball!). Analytics have come to tennis later. What are the strategic mistakes in tennis play being revealed? How will the game be transformed?
what are essentially the differences between a regular in top 100 and a regular in top 10 interms of skill level?
What are your thoughts on Berrettini's chances? He has had a good clay court season. With so many leading men out it seems like the only drama is Novak/Rafa (at best).
Hi Matt. Thanks for a great newsletter and lots of perspectives that are very handy for a new-ish tennis fan such as myself. Society in general (and therefore also tennis) is very concerned with responsibility and accountability: Players, associations and very much journalists these days. But what about the fans? What is, if any, the responsibility of the modern tennis fan in search of a more equal, sustainable sport in your view?
I really enjoyed your piece on Osaka last week. Hadn't thought about the direct to audience relationship in that way before. With that in mind, do you think all members of the media need to think about that dynamic?
Matt - you have written extensively about Nadal's strength on clay being short ball dominance. Can this be attributed predominantly on his physical strength, i.e. being able to hit the ball through the court & opponent on this surface, when nobody else can?
What is it about Isner's game that gets him embroiled in marathon matches and tiebreakers?
Another question, why do you think there aren't many younger TV commentators in tennis? For example, in other sports (basketball, american football), many former players go straight from retirement to TV commentators. In the U.S., the highest profile ones are probably still McEnroe and Carillo. Seems like many choose to go the coach or Tournament Director side instead. Feel like it would be interesting to get some recently retired players as they could connect more with the modern game and may have even played a lot of the players they are commenting on.
With Federer commenting how clay is not really that slow and Medvedev suddenly falling in love with the clay in Paris - is it safe enough to say that, at least this year, the courts are indeed playing much faster?
Any insight into the choice of seedings? Why didn't FO place Nadal at 2 given his history and stature, or are seedings only based in rankings now? Unless I'm mistaken and it was someone else, I think it was you who wrote a great piece about how the seedings have been manipulated over the years (possibly for TV and sponsor motivations). Do you think they might have worked the 'Big 3' into the same half pf the draw to make sure Federer gets far enough to play ome of the others?
Are you using your knowledge to win via betting?
Hello Matthew. Unfortunately have no time whatsoever for any comment/question to you these days, other than to quickly acknowledge that you hardly could have picked a better timing for The Racquet relaunch a little over a month ago, from my point of view. Professional tennis and professional tennis players truly seem/feel at a turning point, don't they? Greatly appreciate your key contribution to our following/understanding the definitely evolving times for professional tennis both as a professional sport and for professional tennis players, and this in the definitely evolving times at numerous levels worldwide. Best
Hi Matt! Love your insight on Twitter and in The Racquet. Out of curiosity, how did you become interested in tennis and what got you into providing such detailed match insight? Also, on a slightly unrelated note, do you think that tennis may finally depart from some of its archaic traditions given the rise of activist stars like Osaka in the sport (prime example being how the Slams are finally having a discussion surrounding mental health following Osaka's boycott, withdrawal, and the email she sent to the RG organizers)?
If I remember right, you also play recreationally? What's your preferred racquet/string setup?
Hey Matt! Who do you think is best primed for an upset for the upcoming round 3 so far?
Hi Matt, before the event there was a lot of talk about seeding, particularly Nadal being seeded behind Medvedev given their clay court seasons/prowess and its effect on delivering a top heavy draw. Given all the analytics at our disposal (e.g. ELO), what are your thoughts on seedings continuing to be based solely on ranking (except at Wimbledon)?
Bit of a strange question but here goes - I feel like the usually ineffective tennis governance framework has been even more under the spotlight this year. No domestic abuse policies, general PTPA havoc, appalling treatment of umpires going unpunished, the whole quarantining saga at Australia (players complaining non stop), and now the way the GS have responded to Naomi… so many missteps in the past year or two! Feeling deeply frustrated at the sport I love and wondered if you had thoughts on 1) if and how this can improve, and 2) how you personally avoid the drama and just try to enjoy the game (fwiw)
I think you might have mentioned the quality of Thiem's kick serve this week. Watching a bit of Kohlschreiber and Cuevas today they both seem to have good kick serves too. Is there some sort of correlation with having one-handed bhs?
When do you think the younger greats will take on top ATP rankings?
I would have many questions but the one on my mind right now is this : how common do you think doping is in tennis? I'm usually quite optimistic on this matter but talking with friends had me wondering about it recently.
Do you think Nadal should have hired a new coach/added someone else after 2011, like Novak has done throughout his career? His 2nd serve speed was just 136kph in the AO 2012 Final which Djokovic exploited profoundly, something he had done in 2011 as well? If not 2011, then 2015? Wasn't 2017 a bit too late? Wasn't he a bit too conservative in that aspect?
What kind of adjustments do players have to make when they transition from clay to grass season ?
This is regarding Stef and Zverev being in the open half of the draw. Do you think the clear path ahead benefits both of their runs? Or are they at a disadvantage (just like Thiem and Zverev in USO final and their nerves) at such an unique oppurtunity? Curious to see your take on this considering you would very well know their mental strengths and how they approach things.
Hi Matt, how do you think the "Osaka-gate" ha been managed, both by press and by Slams?
Hey Matt , i wanted to ask about conditions, but i see you have answered it already, yeah , great work as always. Thanks.
Hey Matt this is a great blog and a great mailbag. My question - how good of a mover is Medvedev on clay? The guy can slide, right? But I haven't really paid much attention to how he comes out of corners/ recovers etc... wondering what your take is? Cheers!
Hello Matt, love your work. What do you think about the Nadal’s level in 2021 so far? In fact, he won 2 tournaments without playing his best. His level on clay seems more volatile this year and less consistant. Against Djokovic, he was playing two great sets, but he dropped his level without any explanations during the second. Same in some matches (Tsitsipas, Shapovalov, Zverev, Popyrin etc.). What are your thoughts about his draw in the FO? Do you think it’s an advantage to Djokovic to face Nadal in the SF? How do you analysis this potential match between both? In my opinion, it’s a very strange year for Nadal. Yeah, congrats, 2 titles without playing his best, but paradoxically, no guarantee according his level.
Why do tournaments suck at scheduling? Like RG putting Tsonga’s likely the last match in Paris the last of the day where no crowds are allowed in, or Rome putting players who had long match night session the day before, on day session the next day.
How do you fancy Nadal's chances Wimbledon this year?
Why do tournaments change the balls that they use? Do they take into account how it plays?
Hi Matt. Congrats for the wonderful NL.
A couple of questions for you:
1) which kind of Sinner’s result in 2021 would make you think “ok, he’s ready”? A Slam SF or F, maybe?
2) what are the best sites to gather and analyze stats about tennis matches?
Idk if I've never paid attention to it before or it's been happening more but ever since the covid break I've noticed a lot of thigh (?) injuries for players. Why is that such a common injury for tennis players?
What do you think about the conditions this year? Is it right to compare it to Madrid conditions maybe?
And who do you think the changes favour in terms of playing styles?
Thank you
Do you think that traditional media is more important in drumming up interest in lower-ranked players who do not have a huge social media following? Also, how do you think the traditional media compares in importance to other sports? I remember how Southgate did that big press event where all the squad were made available pre-tournament and that seemed to create a real feel-good mood in the public - is press a bit more important in football?
Last year, with the switch to Wilson balls during the French open, players were complaining about how slow and heavy the balls were. This year though, Medvedev has been saying that the Wilson balls are lighter and move faster through the air. Both can’t be true. I thought the Wilson balls helped him because of the lower bounce/ less top spin which would suit his flat game