I suspect you are quite right re a serving problem (albeit it seems like the "mother of all serving problems"): even the 2 games he held were a struggle if I recall from yesterday. But, I'm sure all players get this from time to time in periods of a match, and how they cope with it/gradually get it back on track (and stay in the match until the serve quality returns) is probably something the calmer and more methodical players do well.

- Andy certainly goes through bad patches, but hangs in.

- Serena couldn't serve for toffee in her match against Li Na earlier this week and lost 4 straight games in set 1. She lowered the serve speed, got them all in play, went for consistency and placement on her groundstrokes, and Li Na actually started making mistakes with the reduction in pace all round. By the end of the set, her serve speed was ramping back up, and by the end of the match it was an ace fest once more. If someone of that talent, power and success is prepared to eat humble pie and go back to basics for a game or two until it starts flowing...... 

- I'm betting that Oli was getting more and more frustrated, and simply upped the speed and/or started going for aces on second serve. And inevitably this wouldn't have a great impact on one's rallying game. The "I'm better than this...." syndrome.

I do hope there's an explanation forthcoming.

I believe he's off to train with Andy Murray in Miami at some point, but does anyone know if that's it for the year with regard to Futures and Challengers. He was very active in November/December last year with a few points to defend (like Loughborough CH), so I'd be surprised if there are no tournaments on his agenda.

steven wrote:

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korriban wrote:

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I believe he's off to train with Andy Murray in Miami at some point, but does anyone know if that's it for the year with regard to Futures and Challengers. He was very active in November/December last year with a few points to defend (like Loughborough CH), so I'd be surprised if there are no tournaments on his agenda.

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 This seems to answer the last bit:

"The year has gone fast! Been plenty of ups and downs but on the whole not bad. 10 days off now then pre-season to come back strong in #2013

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 Absolutely spot on description of his year. "Not bad". Certainly no disaster, certainly a few highlights, I just sense there is so much more under the bonnet, and that attitude might be THE key thing to crack to justify his genuine potential! (There have been many losses from strong starts, including a few collapses, even if I the circumstances and opponents are different in each case).  

He'll end the year ranked around 450ish, pretty good, although I think he was quoted as aiming for 350 for 2012. His direct contemporaries, Vesely, Thiem already inside 350 with more futures/challengers to come before the year end. Saville at 375 and also on track to beat 350 in the next few weeks (another SF in an F$15k this week and still in). It's a marathon, not a sprint, but I'll keep looking at these guys as a benchmark.

Not a mention of what went so wrong in Israel, which in itself is interesting. My take on this (backed up by the tweet) was that he was probably de-mob happy........

.....been away for 4 weeks already, missiles overhead, holiday and pre-season coming up, done OKish already this year, so this tournament won't make a difference........if the match "comes to me" OK, but if it doesn't wouldn't be a problem to go home early. From the middle of set one (with no injury), given the double faults and service game collapse you could easily make an argument that he wasn't trying to win, or something similar. I can't imagine someone like a Heather EVER thinking/playing like this, even if she's been bagelled many times to date. 

Roll on 2013. Hope he really finds his mojo!