Indian wells - woo hoo !!

[PaulP]

Del Potro could have been anything, particularly after his US Open win some time ago.  Injury has absolutely cruelled his career.  A much more interesting player to watch than Djokovic or Nadal (champs that they are).

I love watching the Fed play.  Just has a grace around the court that so many don't.

My opinion is a little different. Watching Fed play is a little like watching a machine. Superbly engineered, finely tuned, but ultimately lacking in something.

Rafa and Fed, to me, highlight yet another example of what one may call the difference between imperfection and perfection.

If you look at Rafa's shot making, there's nothing that you could say is really outstanding. His 1st and 2nd serves have always been ok. His forehand and backhand, lots of power and topspin, but nothing that will make it into the tennis record books. His volleying is pretty good for a clay courter, but once again, not the stuff of dreams. I can't remember the last time I saw him hit an overhead smash. One could say that his skill level is not dissimilar to a number of his clay court colleagues.

What sets Rafa apart, IMO, are three things :

1. fantastic tennis brain
2. a huge heart
3. fanatical appetite for the contest, the battle, for something that will allow him to overcome his limitations, time and time again. And he takes these things to unusual places : changing from right hand to left hand, supposedly wearing his shoes too small, all the ticks, rituals etc.

When I watch Fed, I'm impressed, even entertained. But I'm not inspired. When I watch Nadal, I'm inspired. When I watch Fed, I'm getting a tennis lesson. When I watch Rafa, I'm getting a life lesson. That someone with a less than spectacular skill set can achieve so much - the grit, the sweat, the total focus and dedication to every shot, every point, every opponent. He has squeezed everything he could out of his body, his skills, and I would say has exceeded expectations. He's taken on the limitations of his humanity, and won. I find that to be a really great thing.

Fed is a better tennis player no doubt, but Rafa's reach is beyond tennis IMO.

My 2 bob's worth.