Now you can see what I was talking about

I haven't stopped thinking about the Achilles comparison (see previous post), so now I want you to see what I was talking about. Here it is:

And then because it is newsworthy, Xavier Malisse battled the elements and came back from being a set down on the second day of play to beat James Blake . Disappointing for me, to be sure, but that's a solid win for Malisse.


The weather has finally warmed up here too. In fact it was a glorious day to live in Colorado. I wanted to play outside but we had practice indoors still, but it was nice to go outside all sweaty and bask in the glow of the sun instead of sprinting to a freezing car in the kind of cold that makes it feel like the inside of your nose is falling out. I hope it stays.

Footwork - kind of important

So I was watching the movie Troy tonight, and in the midst of Brad Pitt kicking Hector's ass, I made a comparison that only I could make: Achilles had amazing footwork. Roger Federer has sick strokes, and Achilles could use a sword and throw the damn spear like no body's business, but how amazing must their footwork be to be able to dictate like they do (or did) in all of their matches and duels and stuff? I have been really working hard on my footwork lately when I've been playing because I have realized two things: it is without question the most important aspect of tennis, and I suck at it. I have been hitting so many balls while leaning back and away from the ball that I have been driving myself mad. So the new comparison is this: could Achilles beat anyone down if he was striking and leaning back at the same time? HELL no.

Watch this video, but when you do so, don't watch any of the strokes. I challenge you to just watch Federer's footwork. Don't look at the strokes, don't watch Hewitt...just look at Federer's feet. I know it's kind of an older clip (from the 2004 TMC), but the audio is really keen at court level. Just keep an eye on Fed and listen. Watch how he never stops moving, the little steps he takes to set up the shot, how he might be a foot and a half behind the baseline but is always moving forward to hit the ball and then steps inside the baseline when he gets a ball he wants to hit. That is why he's number 1 in the world. And watch Troy too, it's not a bad movie.