Having watched him this past year,its quite obvious that the youngsters are catching up to him as he gets older.I have had this burning question all along.Should Federer change his game?

Watching this weeks Masters it seems that he thinks he should.When Federer first started he used to have loads of net play.He then went to the baseline and pundied everyone into oblivion.Now he is seemingly going back to the net.Is this the progression of things?

I havent seen Federer at the net this much in the last few years.Is this the right way forward?I seem to think that he feels that points need to be shorter to save energy.This is ofcourse a Sampras trademark.We all know he can match anyone from the baseline.Im just not sure that this tactic,given the equipment in this day and age is the right one.

The only other remedy for this is a caoch.

What do you guys think?

He should stop hitting FH UE's, that would make some difference.
And yes, i agree he needs a coach. I'm still hoping he will consult Agassi.

It's a tough one to call, and interesting that Fed has the option of staying back or going forward-how many players have that option?
I'ld probably go for him going forward a little more, but i just don't think you can s&v the way that players in the past have done, you have to pick your moments more judiciously these days given how slow things are generally.
Against the likes of Dokovic and Nadal, i deffo think it's worth pursuing a more aggressive stance, he has the option may as well use it.

:ok:

Im not for him robotically serving and volleying but I am fro him going to the net more.Maybe a good combination of groundstrokes and getting into the net more often than would help take his game to thenext level.Its certainly what Im noticing him doing anyway.Maybe a great coach to help him perfect it.Sampras maybe :shrug:

I just feel like if he can regain his form of last year (specially the indoor season), which should physically be possible for another year, then he would easily maintain the no. 1 position and achieve his ultimate goal; the slam record. As this form was good enough to dominate anybody, anywhere, anytime (with the exception of Nadal on clay).
As soon as it starts to become clear he can no longer cope with the pace and power of the new generation, which was the case for Sampras at earlier stages of his career, then it’s inevitable to change a few things. But none of the youngsters convinced me they can outplay the Federer of 2004-2006, and they probably never will...
So for this moment I hope he’ll manage to pick up a few more slams next year the “old-school Federer way”. (To be honest; I’m afraid any other way wouldn’t be that successful.. )

I personally would like to see Roger go into the net more than he currently is. He's one of the few players who is talented enough to mix up his play when he wants to - and knowing how effective his net play, I don't know why he doesn't use it more? :shrug:

Of late, I've seen him frequently hitting balls too short...if he wants to beat Nadal at RG, trying to outslog him in a baseline battle will not work.

I wouldn't change his game - I'd just like to see him use net play more.

Oh, and he NEEDS a coach now - enough time! I'd love for him and Sampras to announce a partnership at the end of their exho. Not only for what it could bring to Feds game, but to witness the meltdown on the Beeb boards :rolleyes:

Can you imagine that?!! :lol:

Would be too weird for both of them, I think. Imagine Sampras being at press conferences as part of Fed's team, being asked about Fed breaking Sampras' slam record?? Also, Roger answering these questions with Pete sitting next to him?

I quite like the idea of it though, partly as I'd like to see Roger tune up his volleying further.

Maybe a certain Mr Henman could help, and be a volleying coach similar to Djoker's approach (he has a volleying coach, doesn't he?)

Greasepipe's suggestion of Agassi as a coach could be interesting too. He needs someone with an excellent tennis brain, that's for sure. I just want to see him develop further as he has the ability to play even better imo..

The funny thing with this is that Novak was set to be employing Mark Woodforde as a "Volley Attack Specialist" WTF that is anyway roflmao These job titles get weirder by the day yet there is something for everyone :rolleyes:

I think pete and Federer would make a great pair.I doubt though that Pete is willing to travel now given the fact that he is a family man now,but imagine the possibilities for Federer!

I don't think many old and new players can give Fed tips on how to volley. None of the old gard had to face the pace and spin of today's rallies. What was true or worked then might not work now.

I agree that he should go to the net more often but going to the net means having perfect approach and using % as a way of winning. And when you are a champion, you don't want to let the match destiny slip from your hands to the hands of the returner. Federer wants to be in control and would not be keen to give the opponent a chance to pass him, especially in a GS and in a tensed moment of a GS. Manouvering the opponent from the baseline, maybe more hard work but less risky and there is always a chance that the opponent might tire and that the rallies might turn in your favour. Going to the net cuts the physical factor so important in a GS and to Federer. He is after all one of the fittest and I am convinced has more stamina than Nadal as his game is also more economic. This is why I think SVing shoudl only be used under great approaches or when trying to save energy (though ruching to the net is pretty exhausting when done constantly). But I don't expect a big change from Fed in this department, especially in slams unless he is 2 sets up and wants to try something.

I still think given Sampras's expertise and maybe Henman and even Rafter could help Federer improve his volleys.Remember Federer is playing now,but a volley is a volley and Im pretty sure they can still rally with him and we will see this with Pete next week and dont be surprised if Pete actually wins.

I have added some remarks here because I basically agree with greasepipe and we have already discussed 10000 about the need of a trainer (consultant) to FED :rolleyes:

Edit: Darky you take my version without the comments roflmao

The scary thing about him without a coach is that he keeps winning.I feel that he would be so dangerous with a coach that the possiblities are limitless. Its hard to actually say that about anyone else today coz not many rack up the amount of talent Fed has let alone match him.The only other is Donut Dave but he is a Safin like character and that doesnt help!

But this is what I had said after the Wimbledon final. You disagreed with it TV, don't you remember?

PS - I am talking about the flatter FH not the coaching issue. I don't believe in coaches at Federer's level. Maybe he can have another friend but on the road to 15 slams, noone can teach him the way but him!

Like McEnroe in 84, what kind of coach did he have then? I am not sure he had one that year.

Not sure there buddy. A volley at a time you could have one grip for Bh and FH and a volley at a time most have DHBH and at a time even a single BH require an adjusting of a grip is different. A volley on an extremely parabolique trajectory ball is considerably different from a volley at a lower pace and simple trajectory. A volley nowadays needs accuracy but lot of pace as well (difficult to generate on a spinny and parabolic ball) to be able to distance fitter and faster baseliners.

If we have no successful SVers nowadays, it s for a reason. If Sampras was struggling on grass versus Hewitt in 2000, then what could he do today?

...And yes Sampras can beat Fed in this exhibition, but let's not forget, IT IS an exhibition.

I remember..But At that time I was not so worry..Now, I see your point..All the question it is to be open min and admit your own mistakes :rolleyes:

By all means. I would not post here if I were not prepared to see and accept other views either. (Though in all honesty, I hardly ever change them and sadly have come to admit to a certain stubborness here) . My Breton blood I guess :shrug: ;)

I don't know about changing his game, I think he should just find back the game he had in 2006 that nobody could deal with and start winning again. I don't think everybody's got that much better. Easy really :shrug:

Yep - Where is this whipping FH that was painting the lines and keeping everybody 4 meters from the ball? You know the one that could leave anybody look hopeless when Fed had simply enough of rallying. The one that bagled at will a fit Nadal and Hewiit respectively at Wimbledon and USO. The famous FH which did not give Agassi a "safe place" on the court. The one that could force Gonzo's into mistakes after mistakes no so long ago....Where the hell is it????

I wouldn’t say his FH has totally vanished this year. It’s still there but it’s not as consistent like it should be. It’s clear the only FH shot he’s still comfortable with is the short cross court FH. But that one's much more effective once it’s combined with an inside/out FH or down the line FH. (“flat please!” I hear ya’ll saying ;) ). He’s struggling with those combination it seems, all due to the lack of consistency, or should I say; confidence
He had a few scares this year, which did some serious damage in the confidence department. I actually thought he was back on track in Madrid and then he ran into outrageously in-form Nalby. The worst possible sparring partner while trying to gain some confidence. 2 weeks later he was unlucky as he went through that again. I think at the moment his game is still suffering from those defeats.
I won’t be surprised if he’ll play next seasons start some more tourneys (Rotterdam? :pray: ) than this year.

To be honest my dear Breton friend It is still there..

After my previous post I simply had a quick look to two main matches at the USO: The match against AROD and the one against Feliciano..

In both of them the (more flat and with plenty of pace) FH was there.. :P :P

My feeling it is simply that he is (for whatever reason) no using this shot so frequently..I have advance an explanation: The clay factor..Add, might be, (an absurd IMO) form of (excessive) respect (fear) of the Nodal's FH and here we have this (useless) research for a (exaggerate) top spin FH..

Once again, a trainer could help him calm down see everything with the right perspective and come back to his fabulous basis i.e. His main weapon the flatter FH :rolleyes:

ok T and TV, for the time being here's a link that will do;
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMwr8UwbvvM

go to 1:40, it's all there; FH, flat, totally out of reach and the icing on the cake; a hopeless opponants face :D

sweet dreams

Thanks for the clip Greasepipe. Some nice memories there.
Federer obviously still has the game to destroy opponents (see the second set against Davydenko yesterday), but I think he is feeling the pressure more these days. In the clip that Greasepipe just posted, at 2:14, there is a great shot of Federer looking up at the Wimbledon honours board with a cheeky grin. He used to be chirpy and cheeky in interviews but I haven't seen that lately. Perhaps the weight of expectation, as well as the stress of dealing with sponsors, managing a travelling tennis roadshow along with endorsements and massive financial decisions daily, have taken their toll on Federer finally. He is even acting on court like he isn't enjoying it as much. To hit free-flowing shots, the looseness needs to be there and if he has knots in his stomach from all the pressure outside of the court (as well as on it), it will alos tie knots in his head and bring self-doubt and physical tension.
Somehow, I think Fed just needs to start enjoying it again. :shrug:

The funny thing is I still have one grip for the volley and there is a guy at our club that plays with a similar amount of spin like Nadal and my volleying technique actually nulifies his spin and Im using 1 grip. :blink:

I think Sampras or Rafter could add an edge to his volleying Tenez no doubt :ok:

Let's not forget as well that Amelie Mauresmo has a total western grip on the forehand and still has excellent technique on her volleys, so she's able to cope with quick grip changes during matches. Brenda schultz also used that extreme western grip, it's very rare to see players playing with such an extreme grip and still volleying so well.

The only player besides McEnroe I can think of in recent times who used the same grip for his serve, forehand and volleys was Stefan Edberg, his forehand was completely continental. Becker and Sampras used more conventional grips on the forehand, Becker seems semiwestern and Sampras seems eastern, you often saw them use quick grip changes before unleashing forehands. As for volleys, from what I understand Sampras used a very tight stringbed to control hardhit shots, Federer has a much looser stringbed, one of the loosest tensions - more difficult for volleying as the ball can "trampoline" more or doesn't matter?

I cant fault you here at all.Yes using string strung at a lower tension allows for more power.It would also explain mishits as these do happen.But in terms of his grips,he does have very fast hands and Im sure he could make the adjustments.I myself use a semi western grip and switch between grips when volley and the more you practice the more it becomes habit or almost like second nature.So yes,Pete could definetly add value to his volleying skills!

Good point laurie about the string tension. Having looser strings could also allow for a bigger sweet spot though. McEnroe had pretty loose strings on his racket and his volleying was superb.

I really think there is nothing to change on Federer Volleying technics. At this level, what makes the difference is anticipation, eye/hand coordination and knowing when to go to the net. We know Federer has plenty of this and therefore am not sure what else he could learn as when going to the net depends very much on the previous shot (not the volley itself) and who is on the other side of the net.

As we saw today, what he needs is confidence and confidence is also very much relative to who he plays.

To be continued.....

The funny thing is that he fluffs so many easy volleys and its got nothing to do with confidence its more technique.And its normally his backhand volley.I really havent seen him hit a hard forehand volley.And when he fluffs them its always into the net.

Having said that its quite apparent that he is changing his gameplan.He is resoting to more serve and volley which Im assuming is to save some energy.We all know he has the weaponry from the baseline,its just choosing the most sensible approach which he gets right but not more often that not!

Today again showed his volley were simply superb. Certainly he is going to fluff some but again that is simply due to pace and spin and more importantly the trajectory of the ball. They simply plunge into the players feet now with a violence technology could not allow 10 years ago. And if you look at any match back then, one might be surprised at the number of shanked volleys back then.

To illustrate again the challenge today for volleyer is best demoed in the last game of Fed V Nadal today when Fed executes a perfect volley in the corner and Nadal gets there and passes him along the line. I don't think 10 years ago baseliners would have been on Fed's volley and had they been there, no way they would have generated the power and spin to pass the volleyer. The first point of FO 05 semi is another perfect example.

Anyway, today's match showed again that Fed's confidence is everything. Coach or not coach, the question is still much open for me but Fed does not seem in a hurry to get one and frankly we should assume by now that he knows best!

I still maintain that you have to measure his volleys against the quality of the opponent and really,no offence to Ferrer but he isnt a challenge to Federer.The quality of his passing shots were a bit paceless allowing Fed to really put in some good volleys.

Against Nadal,he didnt need to get to the net coz he just destroyed him into oblivion.Yes,confidence is everything and it was indicative from the Roddick match, and when he is confident,baked goods will be the order of the day for everyone including Rafa who this year got a bagel and a breadstick from Federer :P

The bottom line is, Federer is changing his game and he is attacking the net more which is good to see.Its like I said,he is allowing the youngsters to develop thier game and he is in the initiation of advanced his game to compete with them.He does want to retire at 35.

:ok: