Numero Uno

Cheers, Roger!

Another way to mark Numero Uno .......

Interesting interview from November 2016.

https://www.lanacion.com.ar/1952805-la-promesa-de-roger-federer-voy-a-volver-mucho-mas-fuerte-de-lo-que-la-gente-cree

I’ll check it out reckoner  

Also ....... have just been re-reading the (2013) Evening Standard article linked in my “Federer pays heavily ......” thread.

The writer was, in fairness, far from alone in painting a morbid picture of doom & gloom ...... but some of the language - set against today’s updated ATP Rankings - does now seem little short of comical ; none more so than these words :

“ The reactions are slipping, the limbs are stiffening, the mind is tiring. Unworthy opponents are already earning their pensions in after-dinner engagements to talk about the day they scalped a great............... But let’s be blunt. Federer is 32, he is done for, he should retire”.

@lags I haven't but I definitely will now!

McEnroe, when Fed was 32: https://www.sbs.com.au/news/mcenroe-cannot-see-another-grand-slam-win-for-federer

Pioline (remember him?) : Fed will retire in 2014 : http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2013/08/pioline-federer-wont-win-another-slam/48612/

lags72 wrote:I’ll check it out reckoner  

Also ....... have just been re-reading the (2013) Evening Standard article linked in my “Federer pays heavily ......” thread.

The writer was, in fairness, far from alone in painting a morbid picture of doom & gloom ...... but some of the language - set against today’s updated ATP Rankings - does now seem little short of comical ; none more so than these words :

“ The reactions are slipping, the limbs are stiffening, the mind is tiring. Unworthy opponents are already earning their pensions in after-dinner engagements to talk about the day they scalped a great............... But let’s be blunt. Federer is 32, he is done for, he should retire”.

Be fair though, that type of language isn’t dissimilar to the language Federer fans were using from 2008 onwards to explain why he wasn’t dismissing Nadal or Djokovic on a hard court and grass. At least in 2013, given the writer didn’t know about Fed’s underlying injury concerns, the performances were actually supportive of a decline.

To be fair most people on the boards thought that Fed was finished in 2013. I think if you had done a poll here most would have voted 1 more slam or zero. If anything more were saying zero.

Mcenroe's comments were quite reasonable - he was saying Federer would struggle to win another slam if he had to beat 2 of the 3 hardest opponents back to back.

I think a lot of the media articles writing Federer off seem to have been around US Open 2013, and I think it did seem relatively sensible at the time.

The other thing to factor in - it is not just the sudden fall-off / disappearance of Djokovic and Murray (Nadal is still playing on top form - two slams last year and three slam finals), but there is also b) the ability to beat the younger, fresher generations c) he is reaching an age where there is real physical decline (peak power, elasticity, flexibility, recovery times).

The age thing in itself is remarkable.

But perhaps even more amazing is the fact that Federer is effectively playing a part-time schedule, yet somehow maintaining a level of tournament fitness, sharpness of reaction, and overall stamina that would - on paper - more than likely prove impossible for a player taking such extended breaks - at any age. These things have always been seen as incompatible, and we are into wholly unprecedented territory here.

2017 was characterised not just by two Slam titles and three Masters (plus a couple of minor trophies to boot) - but by the fact that in four of those victories he had to get past the guy who was to end the year as World No. 1. No mean feat !

Unsurprisingly, Fed is NOT playing Dubai, although he has told organisers he hopes to play there next year. Doubt he'll play Rotterdam next year.
   Chance now for Rafa to at least close the gap at the top.

... unless Fed is in stealth mode for Roland Garros?

He is already committed to a charity exho early March. So that, combined with intention to defend (presumably) both IW and Miami, was always going to make Dubai highly doubtful.

He confirmed in post Rotterdam interviews he wants to defend the sunshine double @lags.