re: The Unofficial 2018 Australian Open Thread

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Fed's forward style is just amazing

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It really is. We all know that Fed can be ground down and out by the top guys, and clearly Fed knows this as well, because he's just not allowing it to happen. Apologies in advance for using a phrase that announcers -- Paul Annacone, especially -- have just driven into the ground the last couple years, but he takes all your time away from the first strike and pretty much just suffocates you. And then, of course, he's always always looking to end the point. The latter part has always been true, but the way he gets on top of you from the jump is the recent addition.

Cilic actually didn't play bad from what I saw. To counter Fed's strategy you have to throw the attacking style right back at him. Make him have to run to get that first rally ball. And, most importantly, you have to serve well. That was the difference in the match. Cilic, when he was rolling, was dong the former but not the latter.

A guy with a one-handed backand isn't doing himself any favors standing a foot inside the baseline on the ROS unless he's seeing a lot of second serves or he's playing in the women's final. Cilic let him see way too many second serves, and he was sticking them right back at his feet (a la novak) djokovic).

That's my attempt at a match analysis, but since I watched less than half of it, tifwiw.