Contrasting/Similar Game Styles

I turned on the Aussie Open to find Maria Kirilenko down a set and a break to Zheng Jie, both players are counter punchers, that's how they both got to the Quarterfinals, being backboards and mixing up spins and speeds to throw off their opponents.  Something happens when you play someone with a similar game style, you either love it or you really hate it.  This was an example of a match where one player hated playing against the same game style, Kirilenko wasn't comfortable playing a counter punching Jie, so she tried to play a different game style, one she wasn't comfortable with, one that hadn't gotten her to where she was, she tried to overpower Jie.  Kirilenko forced the issue and it got her a nice butt-kicking, because Jie was very content playing her game, getting her 80mph serve in and just being solid from the baseline, and Kirilenko wanted no part of the patience game.  She went away quickly 6-1, 6-3 and probably is still wondering how she got destroyed by the smaller Jie, and the answer is easy, once you go outside of your game, and try to do more, you instantly put more pressure on your strokes, and it's not a strategy that you've been practicing everyday, such a drastic change is really uncalled for, because it's not who you are.  Players that stick with their game, and make subtle changes that actually are within their skill level are the players that will be more successful, as they will have much more confidence in what they're doing because they don't need to change their mindset.

Adversely the Roddick vs. Cilic match pits two very different players together, you have the American Machine in Andy Roddick that blasts serves in and tries to put holes through your racket with his forehand, and then you have the European artist, Marin Cilc that has a much more complete, much smoother game that can combine power and finesse.  In the beginning Roddick was trying to play high percentage tennis, work the point, pick his spots, find his way into the net, while Cilic just stayed calm and played his game, he had a couple loose forehands, but he stayed with his game, and BOOM, he takes a two set to none lead without even wasting half the energy Roddick had.  Roddick's attempt at finesse was unsuccessful, and it was predicated on his inability to get a first serve in and setup the point correctly.  After the shoulder injury timeout, he realized that his shoulder wasn't going to get better, and he wasn't going to last on the court if he kept trying to construct long drawn out points, so he raised his first serve percentage, by moving his serve around the service box, and started playing his game.  Roddick started pounding his groundstrokes to the corners, instead of trying to roll the ball with heavy spin, that game style plays right into what Cilic likes, he's 6'5'' he likes high loopy balls, it gives Cilic time to move that lanky frame around the court and setup.  But in the 3rd and 4th sets, Roddick started hitting through the ball, being more aggressive on 2nd serve returns and short balls, he even started hitting through his backhand, points got shorter and the match rhythm switched in his favor, now Cilic had to play at his tempo, and Cilic was not prepared for it.  Persistence and confidence in what you do best, is the only way to go, unless there's a glaring weakness on the other side of the net, taking the risk of playing a way you're not comfortable with is unwise.  Roddick snapped out his slump and just started playing his game, but now in the 5th, he's back to playing conservative, and now Cilic is back in rhythm.  We'll see what happens!