Are You Being Served?

It's almost 4:30 AM on a Sunday morning, and they are showing the men's final of the Australian Open. When I was growing up, I watched a lot of tennis on TV, especially through my teenage years. Once college rolled around, I saw a lot less, especially in grad school. Watching the Australian, I've probably watched more tennis than I have in a very long time, no doubt, due to having "cable" (really, satellite).

Having come back to tennis, I now see a few things I didn't see. In particular, the serve is very useful in gaining advantage, even when you don't hit an ace or a winner. It can lead to a weak response, and give the server advantage hitting off the ground. It's not always obvious, and sometimes the rallies do turn neutral, waiting for one good shot to turn up.

Right now, the quality of tennis is pretty high. Both sides were really nervous opening the match, but the hard hitting has come quickly.

Key to Tsonga's success is his serve, as he's one of the hardest servers in the game. Djokovic returns well, but Tsonga has played some heaters. What you see in Djokovic's game is the ability to hit really solid shots even out of position. Indeed, this skill is what makes the best pros the very best. It says something when you can hit a shot with plenty of time for preparation.

It say something quite a bit more when you can hit a shot when it seems you should be on the defensive. This is, ultimately, what makes Roger Federer so good. You are only as good as the shot you produce while on the defensive. On a good day, your opponent will put you on the defensive, from time to time. If you can take those shots and hit a good shot in return, it can completely deflate the opponent.

Both Tsonga and Djokovic have these skills in spades, which is one big reason both are in the final.

Now back to watching more tennis.