Mmmmm....
I was so looking forward to a Federer article, I nearly wrote one myself, glad you beat me to it, Tenez
My thoughts on Fed are not as pessimistic as yours, but that's normal since I am primarily a Nole fan and can see other player cool-headedly.
Contrary to popular belief, I think Fed is as good and as fit as ever.
He may not have the juice of a 25-year old any more, his lower back is probably showing need for TLC more than ever, but everything else is intact.
Still, time has never been on anyone's side, and although it has been very kind and gentle to Fed, it's ticking its course nonetheless.
How do I see Fed's future: easily around for at least 2-3 years if his family are willing to trot the globe with him.
Slam-wise: his big rivals do have an advantage at the moment, but despite that Fed's got a lot more chance of winning a slam than Murray.
RG is still a viable option even with Nadal in the picture, but I give fed more chance if he meets nadal in the semi-final.
For Fed to win a slam he will need to choose one and play every match like he did in last year's SF against Nole. He will need to want it very, very badly.
He is very similar to Nole in that respect; Nadal relies predominantly on the circumference of his left bicep, so you just need to be very focused and not relent for a single game.
I reckon Fed to be in Nadal's half at USO and to play Nole in the final.
For the old times' sake
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auszJY1TN7k
Yes Fed is playing as well as then but
1 - I don;t expect this to last for another 2 years
2 - He can play great but I doubt he can recover as well from a match thah when he was 25
3 - The others are improving (essentially being more physical)
On faster conds he'd save so much energy, it would be a completely different perspective for him.
He's not wanting it enough, Tenez, that's the main problem for him.
No other way to explain his loss to Tsonga, two sets up and still lost.
Focus comes from desire and hunger.
He's not wanting it enough, Tenez, that's the main problem for him.
---------------------
I don't think so. He is not the kind of player whose game will get better if he turns into a Roddick or Nole. IIt has never been his style and his game is most efficient when he just plays his game without any psychological polution, be it wanting desperately or not wanting.
Well that's the way I see it anyway.
what do you mean by psychological pollution?
When you put things in your mind like being desperate to win, fear to lose, etc.... Artists usually gets inspired in a thoughtless state. Federer's game is best to watch when everything gets automatic. In short when he shortcuts the cerebral cortex.
I thinks he wants to win as ever when he enters a slam. It's just tougher nowadays.
I disagree, and wouldn't dismiss the "pollution" ( ) that easily.
An artist myself, I know too well how important is to have the winds of desire to pull you when your own resources begin to let you down.
You may be right that Fed plays best without them, but that's nothing to do with the "artistic" however artistic and elegant his game looks.
In fact, you are 100% right there. Fed seems to rely solely on his tennis and his game; it was a dead give-away when he called Nole's Shot a "lucky" one that comes out of desperate ball slapping.
Sadly, the Swiss is to strong in him
If he does not discover anything deeper to draw that mighty tennis out of him, then you may be right in being pessimistic.
@tenez
I thinks he wants to win as ever when he enters a slam. It's just tougher nowadays.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
I'll differ on this point tenez. I've heard and read many times Federer himself say that he takes his losses a lot easier than he did earlier. He said he loses concentration and focus at times in between a match and keeps reminding him self to focus. These are signs of a guy who is not as much hungry to win as he can be ( or was earlier ) . This is expected after the success he already has and plus with the 'distraction" of a young family. He was very focused to win the FO match against Djo and look at how well he played. He lost focus a bit in my opinion and thought its over when he was 40-15 up on serve for the finals. I never saw Fed to have such losses of focus when young. He was far more hungry. The kind of hunger Djo and Nadal have, Fed needs that.
He said he loses concentration and focus at times in between a match and keeps reminding him self to focus.
-----------------------------------
Yes on some TMS that might be pretty clear but look at his last 4 slams? I have not seen traces of him losing focus.
The USO semi is a different story, it a physical lack of focus as well as a shot from Djoko that killed him psylogically. How many has he had like that v Nadal when he was younger? It's the fact he had to start again from scratch at 5 all that got to his mind. That's when it makes a huge difference to have been in teh loser's seat cause Djoko had nothing to lose from there, Fed everything. I cannot call that a "lack of focus" as much as him losing to Roddick or Tsonga from 5/1 up in Montreal 2 years ago.
I think we live that "hunger" as if it was us but I am pretty sure, Fed is a different kind of player. It;s true he has won it all but I al also convinced there nothing more challenging for him that beat that new generation in a slam...to close his career.
Loss of focus is not going to happen in those next 3 slams. Pretty sure of that...unless he is 2 sets up in the first 3 or 4 rounds....but not after.
I however agree with you that focus is harder to maintain with age.
Where do you give him most chance to win the last/next one then ?
Fed talks about his 2012 priorities (from tennis.com):
"Roger Federer tells Blick that his two biggest goals this year are winning Wimbledon for the seventh time, and the Olympic singles gold medal for the first time.
"Wimbledon is always ultra important for me. There, my idols—Becker, Edberg and Sampras—won more than 10 times combined. There I won the juniors for the first time. We know the rest. The Sampras win, my first [great] Grand Slam victory. Wimbledon is special. A few weeks later that we have the opportunity to play at Wimbledon again for medals, which is an incredible chance for our generation. Between Wimbledon and the Olympics at Wimbledon, I have no preference. Both are equally important to me."
The 31-year-old added that the London Olympics might not be his last and that "it is not inconceivable in 2016 to play again in Rio."
Federer did not watch the Rafael Nadal vs. Novak Djokovic final from Monte Carlo, but said that he still believes that Nadal—who had lost seven straight times to the Serbian before last Sunday's win—is the man to beat on clay.
"It is exciting to see how Novak handles the defeat now," he said. "In 2011 Novak played perfectly in Madrid and Rome. He knows how hard it is to repeat that. For Rafa winning in Monte Carlo might have turned the tables for him long term."
Federer, who is scheduled to play in Madrid in two weeks and has not competed since Miami, added with a laugh: "[People] have talked about me less. You take time to go on vacation, then they forget you."
Interesting interview NITB. Thanks. It's bizarre how Federer sees Nadal as the man to beat on clay. Maybe because he did not see the MC final and is not aware that DJoko played at 50%. He also says that Djoko played extremely well to win Rome and Madrid 11. I disagree. He played ok but not incredibly well. He played like Madrid 2009 but played the big points better.
He likes Wimbledon. That's very clear. Hopefully he will have a good chance to win it....maybe twice...to make it 8!
Tenez,
do you think Federer has some sort of complex from Nadal?
That's the only way to explain Nadal moment in the interview. Sounded almost like Murray
good, old fearless Nole:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plbomcLe1rI
(probably my favourite Nole interview )
I can't check the link now but I certainly don;t think Fed has a complex when it comes to Nadal. I however think that Nadal represented his main challenge for al his career and has a kind of respect....plus he has a Nike contract like him. I don;t think Fed is pretty impressed by Nadal and Djoko's game. I think players like Nalby, Rios, Gasquet is what he actually like and respect...tennis wise. BUt I am sure he is impressed by the level Nadal and Djoko can play but he knows too well this is atheltic tennis more than eye/hand coordination or creative tennis.
Ahh.. want to wrote so many things... but work is like a mountain to climb this week...I'm always in front of a computer all day, but still no time to comment anything at all. Apologies guys.
Maybe in the evening..
"Ahh.. want to wrote so many things..."
save it on the hard-drive for later
Interesting interview from Federer. Thanks nitb.
Fed's game is highly resistible towards effects of aging. Regarding how many chances he will have to gain another slam. This is a very tough question to answer actually. I see lots of ups and down in Fed's performances. Sometimes he plays sumblime tennis and beat every one convincingly and on other days his game is just not there. The things is with ageing ability to get through a poor performance and get a W decreases. why?? Maybe it has got to do with physical and mental fatigue. I do see Fed suffers such fatigue at times. Getting up everyday and facing up to new players who are trying to hunt you down is highly taxing on the mind. And its effects are doubled in an aging body. Plus the playing conditions on almost all tournaments don't favor his style of tennis. Thereby all increasing against him.
But Fed enjoys playing tennis. It really shows in his excitement when he is both on or off court. He still has the hunger to win, he wants to win.
He still has the hunger to win, he wants to win.
-------------------
So we agree on that. He loves the game more than anyone....And i think he just said that a few weeks ago.
Fed's interview for Blick:
http://www.blick.ch/sport/tennis/so-lief-der-zoff-mit-nadal-id1859219.html
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Federer's last chance?
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posted on 26/4/12
Mmmmm....
I was so looking forward to a Federer article, I nearly wrote one myself, glad you beat me to it, Tenez
My thoughts on Fed are not as pessimistic as yours, but that's normal since I am primarily a Nole fan and can see other player cool-headedly.
Contrary to popular belief, I think Fed is as good and as fit as ever.
He may not have the juice of a 25-year old any more, his lower back is probably showing need for TLC more than ever, but everything else is intact.
Still, time has never been on anyone's side, and although it has been very kind and gentle to Fed, it's ticking its course nonetheless.
How do I see Fed's future: easily around for at least 2-3 years if his family are willing to trot the globe with him.
Slam-wise: his big rivals do have an advantage at the moment, but despite that Fed's got a lot more chance of winning a slam than Murray.
RG is still a viable option even with Nadal in the picture, but I give fed more chance if he meets nadal in the semi-final.
For Fed to win a slam he will need to choose one and play every match like he did in last year's SF against Nole. He will need to want it very, very badly.
He is very similar to Nole in that respect; Nadal relies predominantly on the circumference of his left bicep, so you just need to be very focused and not relent for a single game.
I reckon Fed to be in Nadal's half at USO and to play Nole in the final.
posted on 26/4/12
For the old times' sake
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auszJY1TN7k
posted on 26/4/12
Yes Fed is playing as well as then but
1 - I don;t expect this to last for another 2 years
2 - He can play great but I doubt he can recover as well from a match thah when he was 25
3 - The others are improving (essentially being more physical)
On faster conds he'd save so much energy, it would be a completely different perspective for him.
posted on 26/4/12
He's not wanting it enough, Tenez, that's the main problem for him.
No other way to explain his loss to Tsonga, two sets up and still lost.
Focus comes from desire and hunger.
posted on 26/4/12
He's not wanting it enough, Tenez, that's the main problem for him.
---------------------
I don't think so. He is not the kind of player whose game will get better if he turns into a Roddick or Nole. IIt has never been his style and his game is most efficient when he just plays his game without any psychological polution, be it wanting desperately or not wanting.
Well that's the way I see it anyway.
posted on 26/4/12
what do you mean by psychological pollution?
posted on 26/4/12
When you put things in your mind like being desperate to win, fear to lose, etc.... Artists usually gets inspired in a thoughtless state. Federer's game is best to watch when everything gets automatic. In short when he shortcuts the cerebral cortex.
I thinks he wants to win as ever when he enters a slam. It's just tougher nowadays.
posted on 26/4/12
I disagree, and wouldn't dismiss the "pollution" ( ) that easily.
An artist myself, I know too well how important is to have the winds of desire to pull you when your own resources begin to let you down.
You may be right that Fed plays best without them, but that's nothing to do with the "artistic" however artistic and elegant his game looks.
In fact, you are 100% right there. Fed seems to rely solely on his tennis and his game; it was a dead give-away when he called Nole's Shot a "lucky" one that comes out of desperate ball slapping.
Sadly, the Swiss is to strong in him
If he does not discover anything deeper to draw that mighty tennis out of him, then you may be right in being pessimistic.
posted on 26/4/12
@tenez
I thinks he wants to win as ever when he enters a slam. It's just tougher nowadays.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
I'll differ on this point tenez. I've heard and read many times Federer himself say that he takes his losses a lot easier than he did earlier. He said he loses concentration and focus at times in between a match and keeps reminding him self to focus. These are signs of a guy who is not as much hungry to win as he can be ( or was earlier ) . This is expected after the success he already has and plus with the 'distraction" of a young family. He was very focused to win the FO match against Djo and look at how well he played. He lost focus a bit in my opinion and thought its over when he was 40-15 up on serve for the finals. I never saw Fed to have such losses of focus when young. He was far more hungry. The kind of hunger Djo and Nadal have, Fed needs that.
posted on 26/4/12
He said he loses concentration and focus at times in between a match and keeps reminding him self to focus.
-----------------------------------
Yes on some TMS that might be pretty clear but look at his last 4 slams? I have not seen traces of him losing focus.
The USO semi is a different story, it a physical lack of focus as well as a shot from Djoko that killed him psylogically. How many has he had like that v Nadal when he was younger? It's the fact he had to start again from scratch at 5 all that got to his mind. That's when it makes a huge difference to have been in teh loser's seat cause Djoko had nothing to lose from there, Fed everything. I cannot call that a "lack of focus" as much as him losing to Roddick or Tsonga from 5/1 up in Montreal 2 years ago.
I think we live that "hunger" as if it was us but I am pretty sure, Fed is a different kind of player. It;s true he has won it all but I al also convinced there nothing more challenging for him that beat that new generation in a slam...to close his career.
Loss of focus is not going to happen in those next 3 slams. Pretty sure of that...unless he is 2 sets up in the first 3 or 4 rounds....but not after.
I however agree with you that focus is harder to maintain with age.
posted on 26/4/12
Where do you give him most chance to win the last/next one then ?
posted on 26/4/12
Fed talks about his 2012 priorities (from tennis.com):
"Roger Federer tells Blick that his two biggest goals this year are winning Wimbledon for the seventh time, and the Olympic singles gold medal for the first time.
"Wimbledon is always ultra important for me. There, my idols—Becker, Edberg and Sampras—won more than 10 times combined. There I won the juniors for the first time. We know the rest. The Sampras win, my first [great] Grand Slam victory. Wimbledon is special. A few weeks later that we have the opportunity to play at Wimbledon again for medals, which is an incredible chance for our generation. Between Wimbledon and the Olympics at Wimbledon, I have no preference. Both are equally important to me."
The 31-year-old added that the London Olympics might not be his last and that "it is not inconceivable in 2016 to play again in Rio."
Federer did not watch the Rafael Nadal vs. Novak Djokovic final from Monte Carlo, but said that he still believes that Nadal—who had lost seven straight times to the Serbian before last Sunday's win—is the man to beat on clay.
"It is exciting to see how Novak handles the defeat now," he said. "In 2011 Novak played perfectly in Madrid and Rome. He knows how hard it is to repeat that. For Rafa winning in Monte Carlo might have turned the tables for him long term."
Federer, who is scheduled to play in Madrid in two weeks and has not competed since Miami, added with a laugh: "[People] have talked about me less. You take time to go on vacation, then they forget you."
posted on 26/4/12
Interesting interview NITB. Thanks. It's bizarre how Federer sees Nadal as the man to beat on clay. Maybe because he did not see the MC final and is not aware that DJoko played at 50%. He also says that Djoko played extremely well to win Rome and Madrid 11. I disagree. He played ok but not incredibly well. He played like Madrid 2009 but played the big points better.
He likes Wimbledon. That's very clear. Hopefully he will have a good chance to win it....maybe twice...to make it 8!
posted on 27/4/12
Tenez,
do you think Federer has some sort of complex from Nadal?
That's the only way to explain Nadal moment in the interview. Sounded almost like Murray
good, old fearless Nole:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plbomcLe1rI
(probably my favourite Nole interview )
posted on 27/4/12
I can't check the link now but I certainly don;t think Fed has a complex when it comes to Nadal. I however think that Nadal represented his main challenge for al his career and has a kind of respect....plus he has a Nike contract like him. I don;t think Fed is pretty impressed by Nadal and Djoko's game. I think players like Nalby, Rios, Gasquet is what he actually like and respect...tennis wise. BUt I am sure he is impressed by the level Nadal and Djoko can play but he knows too well this is atheltic tennis more than eye/hand coordination or creative tennis.
posted on 27/4/12
Ahh.. want to wrote so many things... but work is like a mountain to climb this week...I'm always in front of a computer all day, but still no time to comment anything at all. Apologies guys.
Maybe in the evening..
posted on 27/4/12
"Ahh.. want to wrote so many things..."
save it on the hard-drive for later
posted on 27/4/12
Interesting interview from Federer. Thanks nitb.
Fed's game is highly resistible towards effects of aging. Regarding how many chances he will have to gain another slam. This is a very tough question to answer actually. I see lots of ups and down in Fed's performances. Sometimes he plays sumblime tennis and beat every one convincingly and on other days his game is just not there. The things is with ageing ability to get through a poor performance and get a W decreases. why?? Maybe it has got to do with physical and mental fatigue. I do see Fed suffers such fatigue at times. Getting up everyday and facing up to new players who are trying to hunt you down is highly taxing on the mind. And its effects are doubled in an aging body. Plus the playing conditions on almost all tournaments don't favor his style of tennis. Thereby all increasing against him.
But Fed enjoys playing tennis. It really shows in his excitement when he is both on or off court. He still has the hunger to win, he wants to win.
posted on 27/4/12
He still has the hunger to win, he wants to win.
-------------------
So we agree on that. He loves the game more than anyone....And i think he just said that a few weeks ago.
posted on 27/4/12
Fed's interview for Blick:
http://www.blick.ch/sport/tennis/so-lief-der-zoff-mit-nadal-id1859219.html
Page 1 of 1