Moving the baseline back by only 3 years wipes out the decline among all U.S. citizens pursuing graduate degrees and cuts in half the size of the shrinkage among males.
Trying to claim its place as a sport for the masses, tennis decides to shift the focus away from power, by introducing heavier balls and slower synthetic surfaces that extend rallies, and by moving the baselines three feet farther away from the net.
There were occasions when Federer, as if bored with his nonchalant superiority, tried ever more adventurous shots and moved from the baseline into serve-volley mode.
On Monday night at the Open he went on the offensive whenever he moved inside the baseline.
He did it incrementally, the forehand gradually coming into play more often, as Murray moved inside the baseline, taking calculated risks and pressing the exchanges rather than extending them.
At 6 feet 5 inches and about 300 pounds, Marty Simmons moved from the baseline to midcourt at Roberts Municipal Stadium, sweaty and scowling, before finally halting practice and bellowing, "Get over here".
Serving at 15-0 in the next service game, Federer received a weak backhand return from Berdych and moved inside the baseline to attack the open deuce court.
The match turned Ivanovic's way when Stephens's first-serve percentage plummeted and Ivanovic moved inside the baseline to attack the second serve.
He moved inside the baseline to attack, and instead of it going for a routine winner it almost hit Berdych in the head before sailing directly into the back fence.
Their final gasp came with 15 seconds left with Kilpatrick moved on the baseline for a inbounding violation with the Bearcats leading by 4. But Dixon bailed out the Bearcats with a clean and authoritative block of a Snaer 3-pointer with 12 seconds to go.
