2016 Wimbledon SF: Federer vs. Raonic

[Kieran]

And yet, these people all have "talent", even if it's only relative talent, as Darth says. But to be the 7th best person in the world in your field is no small thing...

 

[Fiero425]

You stuttered through it all, buddy, and very impressively too. Almost like listening to 80's rap music.

Firstly, Milos has got some talent. He's no Rafa, or Roger, but the man is into the Wimbo final. That takes some talent, at least. And secondly, on the break point in the fifth, it was rat-a-tat tennis with swift reflexes, hard angles, determined gets, and Milos won it. Kinda point he'd usually have been nowhere near. Kinda point that takes talent to win, in fact.

I bet you thought Federer scrapped on Wednesday, and yet today he didn't scrap. And yet he got away with it on Wednesday because Cilic went seeking tramlines when a calm reflective moment would have told him to avoid them. But, Federer scrapped, and pushed him into having to make shots he didn't want to.

Today, Roger fought a battle in the fifth I felt he knew he'd lose. Physically, he didn't have much left, and yet he only got broken once. In the first four sets, of course he scrapped, or there wouldn't have been four sets, there'd have been three.

Buddy, your difficulty is that you never give credit to the bloke who beats him, whether it's Rafa in 2008, or Milos almost a decade later. You think Roger should be winning every point, and winning them easy. But how weak would the opposition be then, eh?

Ah so making a GS final automatically means you're extremely talented (on a relative basis). I'm sure you've showered such praise upon guys like Berdych, Philippoussis, Baghdatis, Pioline, Malivai Washington, etc.

Roger did scrap on Wednesday and he should've been taken out. Cilic choked away the 4th set and put up a meager effort in the 5th. Today was pretty much the opposite though certainly Cilic's collapse was much worse.

He didn't scrap much today, played rather poorly the first 2 sets yet managed to win 1 and then played decent sets 3 and 4 until a choke for the ages at the end of set 4. The fifth was like a practice session, easy as cake even against a guy who hadn't done much of anything in his career so far.

Malivai Washington played in the worst Wimbledon final ever

McEnroe had 2 finals that were pathetic; '83 vs Chris Lewis of NZ & Connors over the hill performance in '84! :cover

 

[Kieran]

Hey Fiero,

Good to see you, brother. I'm just thinking of Federer's two doubles in the 5-6 game in the 4th, and you'll remember Borg throwing in two doubles at 3-3 in the fifth against McEnroe in the US Open final, 1980. That's how old we are, buddy, and our hearts are still broke. Mac broke in that game, and went on to win the set 6-4. BJK said afterwards she saw fear in Borg's eyes for the first time ever, and predicted he was cooked.

The following year he struggled to his obligatory FO victory against Lendl (6-1 in the fifth), but McEnroe owned him at that stage, and he didn't hang around for much longer...

 

[Fiero425]

Hey Fiero,

Good to see you, brother. I'm just thinking of Federer's two doubles in the 5-6 game in the 4th, and you'll remember Borg throwing in two doubles at 3-3 in the fifth against McEnroe in the US Open final, 1980. That's how old we are, buddy, and our hearts are still broke. Mac broke in that game, and went on to win the set 6-4. BJK said afterwards she saw fear in Borg's eyes for the first time ever, and predicted he was cooked.

The following year he struggled to his obligatory FO victory against Lendl (6-1 in the fifth), but McEnroe owned him at that stage, and he didn't hang around for much longer...

That was the beginning of the end at '80 USO! Technically McEnroe should never have even gone further than the early rounds of Wimbledon in '81! He was "over the top" insulting officials, but they allowed him to get away with it! Another player would have been escorted from the grounds! That gutlessness may have changed the course of history IMO! :nono

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Kudos to Raonic for showing great guts in the fourth. We saw the maturing of Milos in that set because all the way up until the last game, I'd written him off. It was basic Man v Boy stuff, with Milos unable to wrestle much off the Federer serve, and being most especially culpable of wimpishness on a few crucial second serves. Federer was devious, cunning, sharp, cruel, all the winning attributes of great match players, whereas until that twelfth game, Milos was deferring in the clutch, very obvious in his strategies and almost formulaic and classical in his slow way of losing.

But he became something different today, and at last we had a bloke from his generation show some nuts and play aggressively and assertively when the match was slipping away, and turn it around.

I think Roger lost heart somewhat, heading into the fifth. It wasn't going to be easy and he'd played almost 3 hours 30 on Wednesday. But he scrapped still, which he always does. He went down with dignity. But Milos grew in stature throughout the match, and sometimes his tennis was actually subtle, good hands, and even brilliant on the big points...

Roger didn't scrap at all today. He handed the match on a silver platter. Maybe he used up all the fight in the QF. Either way it was awful stuff out there. The 4th set was ironically the only really good tennis from him but he stunk on the big points and then gagged hard.

The only consolation is I really don't think he could've gotten himself to the level needed to handle Murray in the final. He'd have had a chance of course but he simply was not playing well enough which is understandable given what's happened this year. Murray will make short work of Milos in the final.

Hey brother, you're no appreciater of talent.

Federer did great shoving this one as far as he did. Possibly a bit rusty and tight to start with, he slowly took control and basically a great effort by Milos at 6-5 in the fourth unmanned him. Helped by two double faults, but saw it coming, that Raonic would tear the set out of Rogers grip?

Like I say, I think Federer lost heart a bit in the fifth but he still scrapped. He wasn't blown away. He had a nasty fall in the 1-2 game, regrouped, then Milos won the point of the match to break. Served like an angel from there on in, but still Federer scrapped, as much as and wherever he could. Big win for Milos, and not a bad day for Federer, considering...

I can't believe your claim that you saw the double faults coming. Actually, Fed was serving really well in the 4th set. His first serve percentage in the first set was 55%, in the second set it was 54%, in the third set it was 61%. After such poor serving, his first serve percentage was 81% in the 4th set. Further, Roger had no trouble holding his games in the 4th set compared to before that. Also, the score was 40 -0, not the other way around. Nobody in the right mind could have seen that coming.

 

[Kieran]

Hey Fiero,

Good to see you, brother. I'm just thinking of Federer's two doubles in the 5-6 game in the 4th, and you'll remember Borg throwing in two doubles at 3-3 in the fifth against McEnroe in the US Open final, 1980. That's how old we are, buddy, and our hearts are still broke. Mac broke in that game, and went on to win the set 6-4. BJK said afterwards she saw fear in Borg's eyes for the first time ever, and predicted he was cooked.

The following year he struggled to his obligatory FO victory against Lendl (6-1 in the fifth), but McEnroe owned him at that stage, and he didn't hang around for much longer...

That was the beginning of the end at '80 USO! Technically McEnroe should never have even gone further than the early rounds of Wimbledon in '81! He was "over the top" insulting officials, but they allowed him to get away with it! Another player would have been escorted from the grounds! That gutlessness may have changed the course of history IMO! :nono

Well, another what-if from the '81 USO is that Lendl had already clocked two wins in a row against McEnroe before the event - and he was to go on and beat McEnroe the next 5 times they met. He really got under his skin then. They were due to meet in the semis that year, but Lendl lost in the fourth round to Vitas Gerulaitis, a match he'd have expected to win. I know, it's a stretch. But had Lendl won that match, well you know the rest...Vitas still put on a great match in the semis, but went down in five. He'd have been a six inch putt for Bjorn in the final.

You're correct about McEnroe's behaviour. It's shameful that it took until Oz in 1989 (I think) before he was defaulted for bad behaviour at a slam...

 

[Kieran]

Roger didn't scrap at all today. He handed the match on a silver platter. Maybe he used up all the fight in the QF. Either way it was awful stuff out there. The 4th set was ironically the only really good tennis from him but he stunk on the big points and then gagged hard.

The only consolation is I really don't think he could've gotten himself to the level needed to handle Murray in the final. He'd have had a chance of course but he simply was not playing well enough which is understandable given what's happened this year. Murray will make short work of Milos in the final.

Hey brother, you're no appreciater of talent.

Federer did great shoving this one as far as he did. Possibly a bit rusty and tight to start with, he slowly took control and basically a great effort by Milos at 6-5 in the fourth unmanned him. Helped by two double faults, but saw it coming, that Raonic would tear the set out of Rogers grip?

Like I say, I think Federer lost heart a bit in the fifth but he still scrapped. He wasn't blown away. He had a nasty fall in the 1-2 game, regrouped, then Milos won the point of the match to break. Served like an angel from there on in, but still Federer scrapped, as much as and wherever he could. Big win for Milos, and not a bad day for Federer, considering...

I can't believe your claim that you saw the double faults coming. Actually, Fed was serving really well in the 4th set. His first serve percentage in the first set was 55%, in the second set it was 54%, in the third set it was 61%. After such poor serving, his first serve percentage was 81% in the 4th set. Further, Roger had no trouble holding his games in the 4th set compared to before that. Also, the score was 40 -0, not the other way around. Nobody in the right mind could have seen that coming.

No, sorry, that's a typo. Hence the question mark at the end. It should have read "but who saw it coming, that Raonic would tear the set out of Rogers grip?"

My apologies folks, but I ain't that good, that I can see two doubles on the way!

 

[the AntiPusher]

Roger didn't scrap at all today. He handed the match on a silver platter. Maybe he used up all the fight in the QF. Either way it was awful stuff out there. The 4th set was ironically the only really good tennis from him but he stunk on the big points and then gagged hard.

The only consolation is I really don't think he could've gotten himself to the level needed to handle Murray in the final. He'd have had a chance of course but he simply was not playing well enough which is understandable given what's happened this year. Murray will make short work of Milos in the final.

Hey brother, you're no appreciater of talent.

Federer did great shoving this one as far as he did. Possibly a bit rusty and tight to start with, he slowly took control and basically a great effort by Milos at 6-5 in the fourth unmanned him. Helped by two double faults, but saw it coming, that Raonic would tear the set out of Rogers grip?

Like I say, I think Federer lost heart a bit in the fifth but he still scrapped. He wasn't blown away. He had a nasty fall in the 1-2 game, regrouped, then Milos won the point of the match to break. Served like an angel from there on in, but still Federer scrapped, as much as and wherever he could. Big win for Milos, and not a bad day for Federer, considering...

I can't believe your claim that you saw the double faults coming. Actually, Fed was serving really well in the 4th set. His first serve percentage in the first set was 55%, in the second set it was 54%, in the third set it was 61%. After such poor serving, his first serve percentage was 81% in the 4th set. Further, Roger had no trouble holding his games in the 4th set compared to before that. Also, the score was 40 -0, not the other way around. Nobody in the right mind could have seen that coming.

Maybe he .want to say he was hoping to see the double faults coming

 

[Fiero425]

Roger didn't scrap at all today. He handed the match on a silver platter. Maybe he used up all the fight in the QF. Either way it was awful stuff out there. The 4th set was ironically the only really good tennis from him but he stunk on the big points and then gagged hard.

The only consolation is I really don't think he could've gotten himself to the level needed to handle Murray in the final. He'd have had a chance of course but he simply was not playing well enough which is understandable given what's happened this year. Murray will make short work of Milos in the final.

Hey brother, you're no appreciater of talent.

Federer did great shoving this one as far as he did. Possibly a bit rusty and tight to start with, he slowly took control and basically a great effort by Milos at 6-5 in the fourth unmanned him. Helped by two double faults, but saw it coming, that Raonic would tear the set out of Rogers grip?

Like I say, I think Federer lost heart a bit in the fifth but he still scrapped. He wasn't blown away. He had a nasty fall in the 1-2 game, regrouped, then Milos won the point of the match to break. Served like an angel from there on in, but still Federer scrapped, as much as and wherever he could. Big win for Milos, and not a bad day for Federer, considering...

I can't believe your claim that you saw the double faults coming. Actually, Fed was serving really well in the 4th set. His first serve percentage in the first set was 55%, in the second set it was 54%, in the third set it was 61%. After such poor serving, his first serve percentage was 81% in the 4th set. Further, Roger had no trouble holding his games in the 4th set compared to before that. Also, the score was 40 -0, not the other way around. Nobody in the right mind could have seen that coming.

Sorry, but I have to agree about that prediction! It can be done! My memory drifts back 40 years where Manuel Orantes was playing an Aussie, John Alexander! No one was giving him any chance to win over The Spaniard on clay! John struggled to hold serve until he hung in there long enough to make an impression on his op. and charged by for a 3 set win; coming back from the dead at the Volvo Int'l in North Conway! No one gave him a chance but me! He competed hard and somehow overcame the more superior clay-courter! :ras: :angel: :dodgy:

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Hey brother, you're no appreciater of talent.

Federer did great shoving this one as far as he did. Possibly a bit rusty and tight to start with, he slowly took control and basically a great effort by Milos at 6-5 in the fourth unmanned him. Helped by two double faults, but saw it coming, that Raonic would tear the set out of Rogers grip?

Like I say, I think Federer lost heart a bit in the fifth but he still scrapped. He wasn't blown away. He had a nasty fall in the 1-2 game, regrouped, then Milos won the point of the match to break. Served like an angel from there on in, but still Federer scrapped, as much as and wherever he could. Big win for Milos, and not a bad day for Federer, considering...

I can't believe your claim that you saw the double faults coming. Actually, Fed was serving really well in the 4th set. His first serve percentage in the first set was 55%, in the second set it was 54%, in the third set it was 61%. After such poor serving, his first serve percentage was 81% in the 4th set. Further, Roger had no trouble holding his games in the 4th set compared to before that. Also, the score was 40 -0, not the other way around. Nobody in the right mind could have seen that coming.

No, sorry, that's a typo. Hence the question mark at the end. It should have read "but who saw it coming, that Raonic would tear the set out of Rogers grip?"

My apologies folks, but I ain't that good, that I can see two doubles on the way!

That is why DF said we should take you to LV. :snicker

 

[Kieran]

No, I didn't predict it, I explained above, it's a typo, I left out a word, I ain't that good, my friend! :laydownlaughing

 

[Kieran]

I can't believe your claim that you saw the double faults coming. Actually, Fed was serving really well in the 4th set. His first serve percentage in the first set was 55%, in the second set it was 54%, in the third set it was 61%. After such poor serving, his first serve percentage was 81% in the 4th set. Further, Roger had no trouble holding his games in the 4th set compared to before that. Also, the score was 40 -0, not the other way around. Nobody in the right mind could have seen that coming.

No, sorry, that's a typo. Hence the question mark at the end. It should have read "but who saw it coming, that Raonic would tear the set out of Rogers grip?"

My apologies folks, but I ain't that good, that I can see two doubles on the way!

That is why DF said we should take you to LV. :snicker

I wondered about that! But he's always making threats he can't follow through on... :snicker

 

[the AntiPusher]

Hey Fiero,

Good to see you, brother. I'm just thinking of Federer's two doubles in the 5-6 game in the 4th, and you'll remember Borg throwing in two doubles at 3-3 in the fifth against McEnroe in the US Open final, 1980. That's how old we are, buddy, and our hearts are still broke. Mac broke in that game, and went on to win the set 6-4. BJK said afterwards she saw fear in Borg's eyes for the first time ever, and predicted he was cooked.

The following year he struggled to his obligatory FO victory against Lendl (6-1 in the fifth), but McEnroe owned him at that stage, and he didn't hang around for much longer...

Mac lefty serve was so nasty is what caused the fear in Borg's eyes

 

[Kieran]

Hey Fiero,

Good to see you, brother. I'm just thinking of Federer's two doubles in the 5-6 game in the 4th, and you'll remember Borg throwing in two doubles at 3-3 in the fifth against McEnroe in the US Open final, 1980. That's how old we are, buddy, and our hearts are still broke. Mac broke in that game, and went on to win the set 6-4. BJK said afterwards she saw fear in Borg's eyes for the first time ever, and predicted he was cooked.

The following year he struggled to his obligatory FO victory against Lendl (6-1 in the fifth), but McEnroe owned him at that stage, and he didn't hang around for much longer...

Mac lefty serve was so nasty is what caused the fear in Borg's eyes

The famous corkscrew serve, never been repeated by any player since, because most likely it's too difficult. Only a natural genius like McEnroe could come up with that weirdo delivery, and get away with it!

 

[DarthFed]

No, sorry, that's a typo. Hence the question mark at the end. It should have read "but who saw it coming, that Raonic would tear the set out of Rogers grip?"

My apologies folks, but I ain't that good, that I can see two doubles on the way!

That is why DF said we should take you to LV. :snicker

I wondered about that! But he's always making threats he can't follow through on... :snicker

But did you really want me to take you out on a date to Las Vegas :laydownlaughing

 

[Kieran]

That is why DF said we should take you to LV. :snicker

I wondered about that! But he's always making threats he can't follow through on... :snicker

But did you really want me to take you out on a date to Las Vegas :laydownlaughing

Well, I didn't think it would be a date, I just thought you'd give me loads of money to waste... :snicker

 

[Front242]

Got home late from the gym and saw the scores at work. Knew once it went to a 5th set Roger had lost it. Never expected him to win the tournament anyway but was at least hoping he'd be in the final. Hard to believe he went from 40-0 up at 5-6 to lose the damn set. I mean, lose a tiebreak set by all means but not a routine game from 40-0 up. And two double faults in a set you'd been serving at 81% up to then. That's just depressing for both him and fans. Still, as I said already, semis given his physical ailments this year and clearly hampered movement, is still a pretty damn fine achievement and he wasn't fit enough to beat Murray 'cos he's moving nowhere near as well since the knee surgery and recurring back pain.

The fall sounded pretty nasty and hopefully he didn't re-injure himself. You tend not to feel it as much at the time due to the adrenaline rush of the match but he may well wake up sore. No fan of Raonic's game but I really hope he beats Murray. He was one point from 4-1 in their Queens match and should've won it but took the foot off the gas. Murray will be way fresher as Raonic has played some long matches so I doubt he has enough in the tank. Hats off to Raonic for the sincere and nice words about Roger afterwards too.

''You're playing who Roger is today, not who he's been the past few years.''

 

[ftan]

I am just sad

 

[DarthFed]

I wondered about that! But he's always making threats he can't follow through on... :snicker

But did you really want me to take you out on a date to Las Vegas :laydownlaughing

Well, I didn't think it would be a date, I just thought you'd give me loads of money to waste... :snicker

So you want dinner and you ain't going to offer me anything :eyepop

Alright, I think it's time to stop :cover

 

[Front242]

I am just sad

Likewise. He really threw it away at 5-6 in the 4th. All the commentators said the same thing. Just hoping he's moving a lot better and fit enough to contend at the USO where he also has a ton of points to defend. Would be nice to at least see him tear everyone a new one at Cinci for the umpteenth time.