*Official* Tennis Thread

[Jono]

And vcs, Fed never retiring mid-match from injury... how is that actually relevant? I've never called him a quitter, and never will. He plays right to the end.

Most top players don't retire from injury in Slams.

Novak is a serious exception to the rule.

 

[Jono]

Federer is the greatest living Englishman, tbf. Leave him alone.

Haha you English fans cheered him on as if he was a local today.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Federer is the greatest living Englishman, tbf. Leave him alone.

Can't be English. He speaks more than one language.

 

[Jono]

One thing about Fed that I love is his patience with the media (most of the time). More than happy to sit there for hours and answer questions in many languages.

Great for the game.

 

[vcs]

Where have I said Federer is lying about his injuries?

I don't think it needs to be said in the fashion it was said.

Look, call me biased, but Nadal after he lost to Murray in the 2009 ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament had a knee injury in the middle of the match, and refused to talk about it immediately after, not wanting to take away from Murray's win.

He spoke about it later on, but not in the post-match press conference. That's the difference tbh.

And regarding A-Rod, he's not spoken as a man of the utmost humility as Roger is, that's why I'm bringing it up.

I really don't see how else he could have said it. For me, the timing doesn't really make any difference. If you remember Nadal's injury at the French last year, he and Uncle Toni spoke about it just before the final when he pulled out of Queens. The difference with Federer's injury is, it seems more of a stress-related thing and doesn't require any treatment/missing tournaments. When else would he talk about it? It's the same thing with his mononucleosis and back problems in 2008-09, just because he isn't pulling out of tournaments left and right doesn't mean it doesn't affect him in matches. But you still had people suspecting that he was making it up.

 

[Jono]

Again, I do not doubt at all that the injuries are actually affecting him. He hurt his leg in the Halle final, and didn't mention it because you don't want to point out your weaknesses heading into Wimbledon matches. Fair enough.

The same was with Nadal at the French in 2009. Didn't bring up his injuries during the whole tournament because you don't want to give your opponents confidence.

But I do not recall Nadal talking about his knee injury during the press conference right after his loss to Soderling. Not in the fashion that Roger did anyway (happy to be proven wrong though). People were like "ohhh" when his injuries finally came up a few days later.

And there is a difference between coming out and saying "No these guys (Soderling and Berdych) haven't changed the way they play in 1 year, I was affected by injuries" an hour after being beaten, and bringing it up days after your match. It's a matter of respect for your opponent, who just secured their biggest win of their career.

 

[vcs]

Again, I do not doubt at all that the injuries are actually affecting him. He hurt his leg in the Halle final, and didn't mention it because you don't want to point out your weaknesses heading into Wimbledon matches. Fair enough.

The same was with Nadal at the French in 2009. Didn't bring up his injuries during the whole tournament because you don't want to give your opponents confidence.

But I do not recall Nadal talking about his knee injury during the press conference right after the match. Not in the fashion that Roger did anyway (happy to be proven wrong though). And there is a difference between coming out and saying "No they haven't changed the way they play in 1 year, I was affected by injuries" an hour after being beaten, and bringing it up days after your match. It's a matter of respect for your opponent, who just secured their biggest win of their career.

Fair enough, agree to disagree. I actually find it worse when it's brought up long after the event. It's all a matter of perception.

Federer is definitely more vulnerable to big-hitters now than he used to be, he struggles to handle the pace that these younger guys generate from the back-court. He'll take a while to come to terms with it. I was saying a year or so back that he should have appointed a coach and switched to a S&V style of play to prolong his career a bit, but I fear it's too late now. Still, it's not like he's done badly with his current approach.

 

[Jono]

Yeah, problem is Federer's had way too much success with the way he plays for him to serve and volley now. He's too stubborn.

Would be awesome if he did though. Would be great viewing. How cool would his matches with Rafa be then?!

 

[vcs]

Yeah, problem is Federer's had way too much success with the way he plays for him to serve and volley now. He's too stubborn.

Would be awesome if he did though. Would be great viewing. How cool would his matches with Rafa be then?!

It's hard to do it with the string technology these days. I see guys like Berdych serving harder than most of the big servers in the '90s and still scared to come to the net. Passing shots are better than ever, and volleying technique is terrible, on the whole. Even Federer who has excellent touch, has let that side of game decline. I miss the old days, actually. A bit of variety would be nice. You need some real athletes (in the mould of Sampras and Edberg) to have some success with that style, and then it would swing it in favour of the attacking players again. I wonder whether Tsonga came to the net much against Murray, I didn't watch that match.

Federer also needs to try and get more aggressive with his returns, but that's always been a problem with him and I don't expect it to change.

 

[grecian]

Haha you English fans cheered him on as if he was a local today.

The Wimbledon fans not exactly a representative cross-section of the English public, TBF.....

 

[social]

First year in my life that I havent watched one second of Wimbledon either live or as highlights

Dont miss it at all tbh

 

[Jono]

Okay.

 

[Jarquis]

Have a lot of love for Tsonga. Hit more winners than anyone at this year's Wimbledon so far. Including Isner who played the equivalent of 178 tournaments worth of games.
Just like him as a player but after that leave he was a bit embarrassing.
Anyhow. Murray WAG.

 

[Jono]

Tsonga's an excitement machine. And has proven that he can fight from behind when he wants to - see Comeback King Jo-Wilfried Tsonga beats Roger Federer 7-6 1-6 7-6

Just doesn't do it anywhere near enough.

For some reason I still love him and Monfils though. Gasquet too.

Despite their mental fragility, they're all so exciting to watch.

French bastards.

 

[Johnners]

Haha Fed been taking modesty lessons from Serena i see...

 

[Jono]

Indeed. Had a chat after they both won Wimbledon last year I reckon

 

[Anil]

darkness has descended on the tennis world....

 

[Xuhaib]

I am confused why is Murray cheered as a local boy isn't Wimbeldon more all English thing then an all UK thing?

 

[Burgey]

It's hard to do it with the string technology these days. I see guys like Berdych serving harder than most of the big servers in the '90s and still scared to come to the net. Passing shots are better than ever, and volleying technique is terrible, on the whole. Even Federer who has excellent touch, has let that side of game decline. I miss the old days, actually. A bit of variety would be nice. You need some real athletes (in the mould of Sampras and Edberg) to have some success with that style, and then it would swing it in favour of the attacking players again. I wonder whether Tsonga came to the net much against Murray, I didn't watch that match.

Federer also needs to try and get more aggressive with his returns, but that's always been a problem with him and I don't expect it to change.

Patty Rafter ftw..

Or the runner's up cheque, as the case may be.

 

[Jono]

darkness has descended on the tennis world....

Indeed it has, because every time you hate on Serena's press conferences I'll link you to Roger's