The Fish Dilemma

Mardy Fish loses a tight three setter to Falla 7-6, 6-3, 7-6. Visibly frustrated, not making any of his signature shots, and uncannily angry. These were all things that could be used to describe Mardy Fish as he lost to Falla. As I sat there watching him miss shot after shot uncharacteristically, I wondered, "Is this an anomaly or will Fish lose his 2011  performance?". 2011 was one of Fish's best years. He finished the year in the top 8, qualifying for London and playing some spectacular tennis against his peers. He looked crisp, confident, and on the road to contending Grand Slams. And then this. On a hot day in Australia, facing down a man known for almost pulling the greatest upset of all time (vs Roger Federer 2010), Fish looked like a top 30 player. Though he did pull some amazing shots, Fish ultimately made way too many errors, failed to capitalize on the big points, and got stuck on the issue of Falla's cramping. What happened? Some want to say that it was an early match, not enough time for the aging American to get into his groove. But I worry of is that 2011 was maybe just a streak of luck. Now I'm not saying that Fish didn't work for his improved status, but perhaps lady luck helped nudge him along. Fish's usual cool attitude was not present against Falla. He was swearing on multiple occasions, a signature Murray move(Just a joke to all you Murray fans!). But what really stood out was how much he was focused on Falla's cramping. Though Falla was receiving treatment, he seemed to move fine and this rattled the American so much that he began to verbally protest to the umpire. This 2nd round loss was a shock to many of Fish's fans, as they were hoping for a good quarterfinal (or semifinal with luck) run. However perhaps I am delving to deep into the issue. Fish is known for not doing as amazing in Grand Slams and the newer, slower Australian courts perhaps work against his signature quick game. Let's hope this was just an aberration, and not signs that the American will fall back into obscurity.