Swiss legend Roger Federer is one the best examples of grand slam champions with a strong game plan for every match. Looking back at his 2006 Australian Open win against Greek veteran and former world number eight Marcos Baghdatis, fans saw how Federer displayed the biggest swings in the match to neutralize his opponent’s compact groundstrokes from the second set onwards.
While the Cypriot’s technique was reminiscent of American tennis icon Andre Agassi’s game during his heyday, even seeming like he was on his way to cause an upset, Federer relied on his consistent A-game to bring the win home 5-7, 7-5, 6-0, 6-2.
Of course, no one can deny the passion that burned in Baghdatis’s fighting spirit during the match. He was aggressive for the most part, displaying confident body language and excellent footwork, plus efficient coverage of the entire court. What probably lacked was a well-thought-out game plan that would matter during the latter parts of the match when play called for both mental and physical adjustments. It was quite obvious how Baghdatis grew more anxious and passive during the home stretch, which allowed Federer to step up his game and vanquish his opponent.
The lesson here is simple: never rest on your laurels despite a good lead and be consistent with your game plan while setting up your strength for points throughout the whole contest.
The importance of game plan IQ
As mentioned earlier, Federer’s win was largely attributed to how he relied on his game plan throughout the match. The champion never became complacent despite winning 25 of his last 26 finals and was well on his way to becoming ‘the greatest player of all time’, surpassing other tennis greats like Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg, each of whom had six major titles throughout their careers.
Was it because Baghdatis was labeled as a potential champion slayer for defeating big-name players during the tournament, or how he became the crowd favorite and underdog on route to the finals that led Federer to reassess his game plan?
It turns out Federer’s tennis IQ level allows him to readjust during a match, despite already having planned what techniques, returns of serve, and court positioning his opponents might use.
During the early sets of the 2006 Australian Open finals, Federer was visibly exhausted from playing most of his previous games on a defensive stance which neutralized his opponents. He delivered more strength and tension from his backhand side, using free-flowing topspin backhands more than slice backhands on his returns. Due to this tiredness, Baghdatis appeared to be more in control mentally than Federer in the early parts of the match, gaining himself a promising lead two sets to love.
Both players exchanged groundstrokes from the baseline and the match dragged on for longer. Somehow, Baghdatis game went off course from his usual aggressive game plan to extended play to perhaps distract Federer from his game plan by tiring him out. The Cypriot controlled the ball and was scoring points during several head-to-head plays, then switched to a more attacking stance to display backhand consistency, making it difficult for Federer to neutralize his strong forehands.
But then, Federer got a break by winning the second set of the match which somehow affected Baghdatis’s mental strength. Everything went downhill from there for the Cypriot and his game plan shattered, leaving him to win just two games of the remaining two sets. Federer, on the other hand, maintained his composure despite facing big forehands from his opponent and was able to adjust his game with bigger returns of serve to control the ball as he had planned before the match.
Truly, Federer is gifted with a movement that is often underestimated by his rivals. He hugs the baseline and attacks the short ball to open up the court instead of standing behind it for topspin groundstrokes. This court game plan is uncanny in terms of anticipating the ball and with a strong backhand, he succeeds most of the time to position himself for the big points.
Adjusting your game plan while at play
If only Baghdatis remained consistent with his own game plan of hitting strong returns of serve to break Federer’s confidence, he might have pulled off a legendary upset. He already knew Federer was tired and had more in his tank than his opponent, so it would be logical to make the champion work harder for the ball all the way to the latter parts of the match.
This chance was evident from Baghdatis’s second serve which he directed to the backhand corner, eventually giving him a 15-point lead out of 25 plays. Federer was obviously struggling during the first two sets and even hit Baghdatis in the body on 25 of his serves as he aimed to give the Cypriot no room for a return unless he pivots to a more attacking stance. That should have told Baghdatis that Federer was forcing him to make extra movements that will ruin his footwork and give Federer more time to neutralize him. However, the body serves worked as the Swiss champion was able to place the ball into Baghdatis’s backhand with paced kick serves that countered the unseeded player’s strong returns.
Federer’s game plan was to build opportunities to control the pace, especially against better shot-makers like Baghdatis. By the third set, Federer hit a long forehand then pulled off a killer shot crosscourt that rendered the Cypriot in a compromising position for a return that went all the way to the stands. Soon, Baghdatis’ backhand started straying and his forehand down the line swung wide.
By the final set, Baghdatis started to hit his forehand stronger beyond the baseline and his straight forehand topspins started slamming into the net. Federer finished off the match with a forehand curve that gave him two championship points and the trophy.
Polishing your game plan means remaining consistent with your technique and body movements on the court, while also developing your tennis IQ when it is necessary to adjust your style of play.
Like Federer, being passionate about perfecting your skills is important, and giving 110% effort inside the court while being mentally and physically prepared for your opponent throughout the match will give you more opportunities to improve your overall game plan and court confidence as well.
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