Brain Game Tennis Blog
Learn tennis strategy, read analysis of pro matches, and more from the Brain Game Tennis blog. All posts are written by ATP tennis strategy coach & analyst, Craig O'Shannessy.
Roger Federer: The 2018 Australian Open Final = His 2022 Blueprint.
Thursday, 23 December 2021
The First 4 Shots Video – Learn More HERE The last major Roger Federer won was the 2018 Australian Open. When Roger finally returns to the tour in 2022 he needs to look no further than how he won the 2018 Aussie Open final against Marin Cilic for the blueprint to once again be successful
- Published in 0-4 Shots, ATP Tour, Australian Open, Roger Federer
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The Roger Federer Library: 120+ Analysis Stories
Sunday, 07 November 2021
Welcome To The Roger Federer Library Here you will find a growing library of more than 120 analysis stories I have written about Roger Federer in recent years. Some focus on specific matches while others help explain what makes him one of the greatest players of all time. Enjoy all things, Roger! ATP BRAIN GAME
- Published in Roger Federer
Sand + fuzzy balls = backhands
Saturday, 16 October 2021
The courts are slow. The balls are slow. Welcome to Indian Wells in October. Daniil Medvedev said, “this court is more like clay, it is so slow, and I hate clay” after squandering a set and two-break lead against Grigor Dimitrov. Well, there you have it… Players have been complaining all tournament that it is
- Published in Uncategorized
2021 US Open: It’s What Djokovic Is NOT Doing That You Need To Pay Attention To
Sunday, 12 September 2021
G’day, The last time Novak Djokovic won the US Open in 2018, I was on his coaching team along with Marian Vajda. My specific role was match strategy. Keep a finger on the pulse of Novak’s game and research the daylights out of opponents. My goal was to always know the opponent’s tendencies better than
- Published in US Open
2021 US Open: Djokovic’s Stunning Net Statistics
Friday, 10 September 2021
Novak Djokovic Is A Short Ball Hunter What are your chances of out-rallying, out-hustling, and out-thinking Novak Djokovic in a baseline rally? It’s somewhere between slim and none. You may be able to win some arbitrary points here and there, but nothing to form a game plan around. Nothing that allows you to create a
- Published in US Open
10 Keys To Novak’s 2021 Wimbledon Success
Monday, 12 July 2021
Imagine winning Wimbledon… one, two, three, four, five… six times!!! Novak just powered through the 2021 Wimbledon draw for the loss of just two sets. Dominant. Controlling. Commanding. Superior. Supreme. Here are 10 keys to his tournament victory. 1: Serve & Volley = 88% Won (36/44) Novak served and volleyed nine times in the
- Published in Novak Djokovic, Wimbledon
The Italian Tennis Renaissance
Tuesday, 08 June 2021
G’day, Steve Tignor just wrote an excellent piece at Tennis.com about Italian tennis. Specifically, it was about the sudden influx of great male players doing so well at the Roland Garros. I have been consulting with the Italian Tennis Federation since 2016 and have had a first-hand look as to why this is happening. Firstly,
- Published in Italian Tennis Federation
June 3, 2015: Djokovic rocks Nadal at Roland Garros
Wednesday, 02 June 2021
Right out of the gate, it was drop shot mania on Court Philipp Chatrier. Novak Djokovic stunned Rafael Nadal 7-5, 6-3, 6-1 in the quarter-finals of Roland Garros with raw power through the court and subtlety and panache dragging Nadal to the front of the court. It was quintessential French theatre to begin the match, with
- Published in Roland Garros
Roland Garros Match Analysis: 2014-2020
Tuesday, 01 June 2021
G’day, It’s been such a pleasure to cover Roland Garros for the ATP World Tour website in recent years, breaking down key patterns of play and match metrics that matter most to winning this prestigious event. Below are links to seven match analysis stories from 2015-2020, as well as a full report of the 2014
- Published in Roland Garros
Rome Final: Rafa v Nole. 10 Things To Look For.
Sunday, 16 May 2021
G’day from Roma! It’s been an amazing week in Rome working with the coaching teams of Jan-Lennard Struff, Matteo Berrettini, and Lorenzo Sonego as well as the Italian Tennis Federation. Having limited crowds back at matches is amazing. The electricity in the stadiums has been sorely missed by players. They really do feed off the
- Published in ATP Tour
2021 Monte Carlo Final: Rublev’s Forehand Went Missing
Sunday, 18 April 2021
G’day, Andrey Rublev’s forehand caught fire in Monte Carlo this week. He was hitting it from all compass points of the baseline, especially as a run-around forehand from the Ad court. These run-around forehands were shots that opponents were trying to get to Rublev’s backhand, but he was too quick. He was a step ahead,
- Published in Andrey Rublev, ATP Tour, Monte Carlo, Stefanos Tsitsipas
It Was An Avalanche To The Nadal Backhand.
Saturday, 17 April 2021
G’day, Let’s focus on the word “control”. Meaning = the power to influence or direct people’s behavior or the course of events. This is exactly what happens when Rafael Nadal is in full flight on a clay court. He controls both sides of the court. His wicked forehand and rock-solid backhand heavily influence the flow
- Published in Andrey Rublev, ATP Tour, Monte Carlo, Rafael Nadal
Dan Evans Dismantled Novak Djokovic: Here’s How.
Friday, 16 April 2021
G’day, Dan Evans dismantled Novak Djokovic. That’s not my opinion. It’s Novaks. Here’s what Novak said after the match, after losing 6-4, 7-5 in the Rd16 at the Monte Carlo Masters 1000. “Today was completely the opposite of what I felt yesterday (against Sinner),” the 33-year-old said. “Just was obviously very, very windy, tough to
- Published in ATP Tour, Dan Evans, Novak Djokovic
2015-22: Monte Carlo Matches
Saturday, 10 April 2021
G’day, It’s clay court season again, so here is a little refresher from the Monte Carlo Country Club. Below are links to ten recent matches as well as the full analysis from the 2016 final Rolex Monte Carlo Final. Enjoy! 2022 Final: Tsitsipas def. Davidovich Fokina 6-3, 7-6(3) Summary What’s also important to note
- Published in ATP Tour, Dominic Thiem, Monte Carlo, Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal
Jannik Sinner: Italian Phenom
Saturday, 03 April 2021
G’day! The hat was blue. The hair was red. The shirt was yellow. The raw, unadulterated talent was both unassuming and overflowing. The first time I laid eyes on Jannik Sinner was Sunday, December 3rd, 2017, at the Monte Carlo Country Club. I was there with Novak Djokovic, completing a training week to prepare
- Published in Jannik Sinner, Tennis
One Minute Clinic: Full Extension On The Serve
Wednesday, 24 March 2021
Full Extension On The Serve It’s your turn to serve. You get into position and toss the ball and… it’s too low. It still feels like you can make it in the service box so you go ahead and hit it anyway. You might be able to save it, but the odds are that it
- Published in One Minute Clinic
Should You Serve More To The Forehand? Novak Does.
Monday, 22 February 2021
G’day, Traditional tennis mantra dictates that the primary serve location is to your opponent’s backhand return. ✅ Then you sprinkle in some surprise serves to the forehand. The theory is that backhand groundstrokes hurt you less than forehands (correct) and that philosophy blindly carries over to the return of serve. So we serve to the
- Published in Australian Open
Djokovic & Medvedev: Where They Serve On Break Points
Saturday, 20 February 2021
G’day, Tonight’s Australian Open final between Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev is shaping up as a blockbuster. Two guys in great form who are so ready to rumble. This match is probably going to come down to a point here and a point there. Those points are probably going to be break points. I have
- Published in Australian Open
Djokovic v Medvedev: Aussie Open Final Preview
Saturday, 20 February 2021
G’day, You come for the long rallies. You will wake up after midnight to watch the spectacular lactic-acid-inducing points between baseline heavy-weights Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev. You come for the cartoonish side-to-side sliding that makes these guys look like they are playing on clay instead of hard. You come for the bruising backhands and
- Published in Australian Open
Here’s How Brady Can Defeat Osaka.
Friday, 19 February 2021
G’day! Can Jennifer Brady upset Naomi Osaka in the final of the 2021 Australian Open? On paper, it’s a tough ask. Once Osaka has ventured beyond the fourth round at a Grand Slam, she’s won 11/11 matches. Half of her six tournament victories are majors. She is match-hardened against big-hitting opponents in this tournament such as Serena
- Published in Australian Open