MONTREAL, Canada—I would not consider Mardy Fish to be a serve-and-volleyer, but he serves well and hits good volleys. But considering the paucity of actual serve-and-volleyers in the pro game, Fish's frequent net forays give him the appearance of one. Either way, it worked this afternoon against Janko Tipsarevic at the Rogers Cup; the attack-minded American encountered little trouble in winning 6-3, 6-4, reaching his fourth career Masters final.
This tidy, 75-minute semifinal should serve as good practice for tomorrow's encounter, no matter Fish's opponent. Engaging in a baseline battle with Novak Djokovic seems futile, and it might not be enough against Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, either, based on the Frenchman's recent form. Instead, an all-court assault—what Fish has been doing all week in Canada—gives him the best chance to reel in his first Masters title.
It was evident from the start of today's match that Fish was adhering to this tactic. After holding his first service game, Fish crept in for a winning volley that earned him triple break point. Up 2-0, Fish returned to the net at deuce; he won that point, then rushed forward with the advantage, though only his strong first serve was needed. (Fish would end up winning 85 percent of his first-serve points.)
Later, a volley winner gave Fish a 4-1 edge, and he took the first sent when Tipsarevic couldn't handle a big serve—with Fish approaching, just in case. It's no wonder that after Fish broke Tipsarevic for a 4-3, second-set lead, he came in after all four of his ensuing first serves. He'd hold that game at love. Two games later, after more serve-and-sprints, Fish dug out a low ball at net, and the Tipsarevic reply found the net. Fish committed to his plan today, and as difficult as that must be to accomplish against more talented players, it strikes me as a must. That, and showing off his textbook backhand, a shot Fish struck well this afternoon.
I mentioned yesterday that simply reaching the final isn't enough for Fish, a player who's repeatedly stalled at the later rounds of Masters events. For Tipsarevic, his final-four run should be a huge boost. We nearly had three Serbian quarterfinalists in Montreal, and I feel that Tipsarevic has even more to offer than countryman Viktor Troicki, the tournament's 12th seed (who squandered three match points against Gael Monfils). Tipsarevic has an explosive forehand with a whipping follow-through and a solid two-handed backhand, and he seems eager to improve.
We've seen Tipsarevic's potential sporadically; he took Roger Federer to five sets at the 2008 Australian Open and beat Andy Roddick at Flushing Meadows last year. But now it appears we might be seeing Tipsarevic, who will enter the Top 20 on Monday, on a more regular basis. Sort of like it's been with Fish, who's into his third final in four weeks.
—Ed McGrogan