What's up with Fabrice Santoro?

Question

When you listen to the commentators, some of them describe Santoro as a "tricky opponent"...

I've seen him play before, and I watched part of his match with Roddick tonight (before I got seriously bored).

Sure, he comes up with some seemingly impossible shots, but he reminds me of myself when I'm "playing" billiards. I make amazing shots without meaning to. i.e. I get amazingly lucky!

Tonight, he looked like he was going through a practice session with Roddick, as opposed to playing a primetime match at the US Open.

So, seriously, what's up with Fabrice Santoro? What is so "TRICKY" about his game?

Answer 1

fabrice has played better. i worked his matches the previous two years when he played against federer and blake and he looked much better in those matches than last night. he's usually a pesk and because of the way he holds his racquet, the ball does take weird bounces off the ground.

i'd be upset too if my game was going awry the whole match and i almost get hit by a 140 mph serve into the body on the second to last point. fabrice still congratulated andy at the net for a great match and andy apologized for the bomb into the body. i have no problems with santoro's reaction.

Answer 2

i too heard he was a good player but didn't come to roddick's level.his stupid reaction in the last point made me angry.

Answer 3

Santoro always possessed "tricky", crafty, play making. Thats what had kept him in the game for all these years. Surely not due to power.

He had some nice wins through out his career, and has shown that power isnt the only thing to succeed. However, he has stated all season that The Open will be his last hoorah, and he knew this match would be quite difficult, despite Roddick not playing well lately, besides being injured. Perhaps Fabrice might have displayed some more fight, but against the big servers, proves hard to do, especially on a huge stadium court.  

Answer 4

Santoro has the ability to make you play as badly as possible. This US Open was not a good showing of his normal game.He had not touched a racquet in months since coming into the Tournament.

Santoro is high unorthodoxed, he uses a 2 handed backhand (which is actually his power shot) and employs a 2 handed slice forehand. When he's better prepared he has a good instinct for court position and alleys, and despite being old, he still is very nimble on his feet.

He's tricky bc most opponents aren't used to recieving slice/underspin shots when returning their opponents forehand. He's also very adept at using a topspin lob, and his placement, dropshots, and angles are usually very acute. He has one of the better mental aspect of the game down (like Brad Gilbert) in which he can pick at your weaknesses albeit with a limited amount of weapons.

Youtube some past matches and you'll no doubt be entertained. Usually he's one of the more cheery players on the tour but he was uncharacteristically sour last night.

Answer 5

I have no idea, but I really lost any respect for him today after what he pulled at the end of his match with Roddick. How childlike and selfish of him to completely obliterate any chance of Roddick rejoicing for such a strong win. Santoro was nothing but a big baby, and I'm glad Roddick put him in his place so early in the tournament.  

Answer 6

hes a very good and talented player.  maybe just one of those bad days

Answer 7

He's OLD, tired, and needs to play only doubles.  I really don't think Andy tried to hit him.

Answer 8

I don't know what has happened to santoro he used to such a funny guy but yesterday i thought he would have taken the incident in funny manner but he got really angry and behaved like a child and he did knew roddick didn't do it on purpose but that thing was not expected from a person like santoro!!