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Federer - Life in The Old Dog

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Post by Guest Sun 08 Jul 2012, 1:46 pm

Roger Federer. 2 Wimbledon titles in separate decades like with the Australian Open. 17 time Grand Slam champion. Soon to hold another record as consecutive weeks at no.1. Just what else can be said. You have to marvel at such a champion. I measure his greatness by longevity and adaptability. To be able to get the maximum out of your prime and but also generate new tactics and plays in the latter stage of your career when father time catches up with you is the more remarkable in ones career. See this is where Nadal and Djokovic will be measured in years to come.

So many Federer supporters felt his Slam days were gone and that even when he was number 3 in the world in 2011 and almost hit a career brick wall. Where the game favoured the baseline hitters. The players with immense stamina. An animal like Federer was in the wilderness if you would. Kicked off the top of the tree by younger and hungrier cubs. Survival of the fittest in the jungle. Unlike many of his supporters who decided to fire criticisms at the competition and not actually look at ways he could adapt his game. Federer sought Annacone. He worked on his volleying to which wasn't at all bad, but certainly became sharper. His serving became precise. He may have lost a step in terms of speed, but still had the movement around the court to beat players below him. Being blasted from the court by Djokovic in consecutive US Opens. Suffocated by Nadal in many Slam finals and have his weapons blunted. There are some plays you can't overcome. An era which favoured the DHBH as labelled by many.

Wimbledon 2012 for me has seen a shift. He blocked and blocked big serves and got the depth on them to pressure either a UE or an opporunity to force the issue on a ensuing rally. Yes it may not be as spectacular on the eye as his past swash buckling cavalier style, but times change and that type of play cannot be sustained with changing conditions. The BH slice has been a revelation for him. It has helped dictate matches on his own terms. This has been the result of hardwork in the last 18 months and it has started to bear fruit. At 30 he is not finished. I think he has an 18th Slam in him. I don't think they will be in the frequency of yesteryear, but one will come when he gets the favourable draw. Right now he will homing designs on a 6th US Open given how wide the field has now been divided. See suffocating an opponent can yield success. See what will make it the more remarkable is that a 30 year old can still compete in such an era and break new records and create new ground for his opponents to chase him on.

You do in the end run out of superlatives to say about Federer, what I will say is that there won't be another quite like him for as long as the world turns.

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Post by laverfan Sun 08 Jul 2012, 4:27 pm

legendkillarV2 wrote:
You do in the end run out of superlatives to say about Federer, what I will say is that there won't be another quite like him for as long as the world turns.

At least for as long as I live, at the minimum. Wink

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Post by Guest Sun 08 Jul 2012, 4:29 pm

Well in my lifetime you can add to that. Wink

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Post by laverfan Sun 08 Jul 2012, 4:55 pm

I am willing to sit through a couple more Federer v Murray grass matches. Wink

It is like watching a Chess match, some amazing shot making. Very Happy

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Post by Guest Sun 08 Jul 2012, 5:01 pm

I like matches that are won by momentum shifts.

Murray does tend to be a 'methodical' thinker on the court.

I think Federer's movement onto the FH on the BH side was exceptional. Not the sort of movement you could associate with a 30 year old in today's game. Smile

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Post by sirfredperry Tue 10 Jul 2012, 11:08 am

One record that, I think, may not have been mentioned was the longest gap between Wimbledon triumph - nine years - Fed having first won the title in 03.
Jimmy C managed eight years (74 and 82) and Rosewall managed 20 years - albeit only between final appearances, having never won it.
Spose if Rafa had won, say, in 06 he might have emulated this. But it's not a bad record to have. Connors might have done, reaching the final in 84 only to be destroyed by Johnny Mac.

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Post by lydian Tue 10 Jul 2012, 12:44 pm

Nice review. I think we've collectively lauded Federer these past few days now...on balance I see him getting one more slam - and I reckon USO this year. I say that because he's still got to get throguh Nadal or Djokovic most of the time - and doing that in 2013 is only going to be harder still. Wimbledon 2012 was a perfect year for him...we have to say it was an easy draw (ok he could only beat who he got but...) and he didnt have to face Nadal for a change. But hey...a win is a win, and a win in some style at the end. Indeed that form of the last 2 sets might have been irresistible vs anyone.

So, 1 more slam I reckon...and it might be the one he bows out on. Alot depends on his form you know. I do wonder about his motivation now that he has #7 Wimbledons, record #1 weeks, etc...and if he does or doesnt get the OG this year I dont see what going to keep him plugging away post 2012...if he can come back next year in similar form I'll be amazed...I really will. So yes, life in the old dog...but every dog has its day too...its just amatter of when that day will come.

In that respect I've given up predicting it where he's concerned - he seems to defy the laws of physics and biology!!! He's the Higgs-boson at the centre of tennis...and just as they've now found said Higgs particle, with Federer having pushed the records out further the purists wonder what else is there left to find in the area! Federer has created a monster for the ATP Tour...just what relevance will it have after he's gone...the yardstick by whom all future players will be measured and invariably be found wanting in style, achievements and records.

Oh well there's always Granollers to watch I guess... Tumbleweed
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Post by Guest Tue 10 Jul 2012, 12:52 pm

Indeed lydian. Luck of the draw. You can't blame players for the field they are drawn with. Like you say you can only beat who is in front of you.

I see him doing like a Sampras. Just show up at the US Open and eveything falls together and he could pull out that one last Slam. I think if he wins the US Open this year, I think he will have on more year and win another. Wimbledon and US Open remain his best chances.

Here's to the British summer which he will be hoping more of Wink

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Post by lydian Tue 10 Jul 2012, 12:58 pm

Yep a great summer lined up sport wise...hopefully the weather will turn to accompany it...otherwise we're going to be a laughing stock with all those traditions about the English weather being reinforced as Usain Bolt runs through knee-deep puddles in the 100m sprint final!

Speaking of which...if Federer was Usain Bolt he's now kind of taken the 100m record down to around 9.3s...future players will just stare at his records in awe and think "we're not worthy" in a Wayne's World kind of way. As I said above Federer has pushed the boat so far out it's just toppled off the edge of Flat Earth. Or rather tennis may appear as basic as Flat Earth theory post- his retirement.
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Post by Guest Tue 10 Jul 2012, 1:03 pm

It would have to take a special player to really challenge his records. I still think Nadal is in with a shout, but he really needs to step up and hit 5th gear and make it last longer than 2010.

I think even Nadal and Djokovic will wonder how they will address with the latter stages of their career given Federer is a month shy of 31 and is still touted for another Slam.

Take 2011. Post US Open. I could bet that absolutely no-one would have seen the back end run of 2011 he went on and that he won Indian Wells and Madrid and then secure Wimbledon after being toppled by Haas in Halle and taken to 5 by Benneteau.

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Post by invisiblecoolers Tue 10 Jul 2012, 1:48 pm

I am proud to have lived in his generation, he is not only a great player but a great human being too, he has inspired the gennext champs like Rafa, Djoko in the same mould as well.

He is an icon like Pete says.

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