2017 Just Got Really Interesting (Australian Open Takeways)

[the AntiPusher]

I agree with Kelli. And as happy as I am with this result, I have a hard time imagining Roger getting back to #1. This Slam was epic, and it gives me hope that he might even win another Slam or two, or at least be a serious contender. But it is hard for me to imagine him fighting this hard at 17 tournaments and 80 more matches this year. I also think the Masters are going to be split up widely. Maybe the YE#1 won't be decided until the WTF.

I didn't know her name was Kelli:eyepop

 

[the AntiPusher]

Yeah Tignor's pretty awful. And it's not a new terrible, it's been this way for quite awhile. :cover

I read some of that board's posters comments, I think Steve Tignor knows he is the Kiss of Death..man.. when I saw he picked Rafa.. I stepped outside and screamed to the Heavens, WHY!

 

[DarthFed]

I agree with Kelli. And as happy as I am with this result, I have a hard time imagining Roger getting back to #1. This Slam was epic, and it gives me hope that he might even win another Slam or two, or at least be a serious contender. But it is hard for me to imagine him fighting this hard at 17 tournaments and 80 more matches this year. I also think the Masters are going to be split up widely. Maybe the YE#1 won't be decided until the WTF.

#1 shouldn't even be on his radar unless he gets very close to it. From now until Wimbledon the main goals for Roger should be to remain healthy and fresh and if he can grab a top 4 rank by then (pretty doable) that'd be excellent. If he wins Wimbledon, which is always a possibility, then he might get close to #1 but he should not even think of playing too many events aside from majors at this point.

 

[El Dude]

I imagine Roger has a wish-list, of decreasing focus -- or at least this is what is a likely order in terms of desirability and to polish up his career resume.

1. Wimbledon - he wants to break his and Pete's shared record, and of course Wimby is the first among equals of Slams.

2. US Open/French Open - the French would probably be second because he only has one title, but he realizes it is a real long-shot and the USO is more possible. Either way, Slams are what he wants most of all and either would do just fine, if slightly less wanted than another Wimby.

3. Number One - in some form or fashion, even if it is just for a week. He must think, how cool would it be to rise to #1 at this stage of my career? Agassi is the oldest to do it at 33. YE1 would be nice, but I think just getting back to #1 would be more important.

4. Olympic Gold - Probably very unlikely at this point, as he'd be 38, almost 39, in 2020. But he probably still hopes he can somehow win it.

5. 100 titles - maybe he doesn't care about this, but the numbers fetishist in me thinks "100" is a nice round number.

6. Missing titles - Monte Carlo, Rome. I don't really think these are on his wishlist anymore as he probably won't play in them, or maybe only one, but I mention them because they're probably somewhere in the back of his mind.

There's probably a big drop-off between 2 and 3, and of course an overall goal of staying healthy, playing well, and winning more titles.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I imagine Roger has a wish-list, of decreasing focus -- or at least this is what is a likely order in terms of desirability and to polish up his career resume.

1. Wimbledon - he wants to break his and Pete's shared record, and of course Wimby is the first among equals of Slams.

2. US Open/French Open - the French would probably be second because he only has one title, but he realizes it is a real long-shot and the USO is more possible. Either way, Slams are what he wants most of all and either would do just fine, if slightly less wanted than another Wimby.

3. Number One - in some form or fashion, even if it is just for a week. He must think, how cool would it be to rise to #1 at this stage of my career? Agassi is the oldest to do it at 33. YE1 would be nice, but I think just getting back to #1 would be more important.

4. Olympic Gold - Probably very unlikely at this point, as he'd be 38, almost 39, in 2020. But he probably still hopes he can somehow win it.

5. 100 titles - maybe he doesn't care about this, but the numbers fetishist in me thinks "100" is a nice round number.

6. Missing titles - Monte Carlo, Rome. I don't really think these are on his wishlist anymore as he probably won't play in them, or maybe only one, but I mention them because they're probably somewhere in the back of his mind.

There's probably a big drop-off between 2 and 3, and of course an overall goal of staying healthy, playing well, and winning more titles.

my response to Roger winning the gold for singles at the 20 games. No..

 

[Front242]

Imo he should set a goal to win more WTFs to get a strangehold on that. Very doable as it's only best of 3 and the surface is great for his game.

 

[El Dude]

AP, which is why I said "very unlikely." But I'm sure it's in the back of his mind. But as a Federer fan, my hope is that he can have a bit of a renaissance for a year or two, but I'd be very, very surprised if he was a serious contender for Olympic Gold in 2020.

Front, maybe he can win one more - but let's see where he's at in nine months. The competition will be fierce.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I agree with Kelli. And as happy as I am with this result, I have a hard time imagining Roger getting back to #1. This Slam was epic, and it gives me hope that he might even win another Slam or two, or at least be a serious contender. But it is hard for me to imagine him fighting this hard at 17 tournaments and 80 more matches this year. I also think the Masters are going to be split up widely. Maybe the YE#1 won't be decided until the WTF.

I didn't know her name was Kelli:eyepop

Isn't there penalty for outing? uzzled

 

[sid]

Will Roger get back to #1 ? Stormed back to #10 today and has hardly any points to defend till Wimbledon. After that he again has zero to defend.

Long way to go before that Front.

 

[mrzz]

3. Number One - in some form or fashion, even if it is just for a week. He must think, how cool would it be to rise to #1 at this stage of my career? Agassi is the oldest to do it at 33. YE1 would be nice, but I think just getting back to #1 would be more important.

Given that he just won AO and uses to do very well at the YEC, I can say that if he ever gets to #1 again, it will probably happen at YE. He could get there before, sure, but it is even harder. His best shot is precisely the week after YEC.

 

[Kieran]

I wonder if anybody else thinks that Murray may have hit the ceiling, and his Oz defeat - coming on the heels of Novak's - is a sign that he won't be able to handle front-runners pressure? It affected him, suddenly becoming a strong favourite, I think..

 

[herios]

I wonder if anybody else thinks that Murray may have hit the ceiling, and his Oz defeat - coming on the heels of Novak's - is a sign that he won't be able to handle front-runners pressure? It affected him, suddenly becoming a strong favourite, I think..

I am thinking about the same thing. This was the worst showing for Murray at the AO since 2009. The fact he has not been able to handle Misha Zverev in 3 out of 5, should be a concern.

 

[El Dude]

Yes, I'm on the same page about Andy. I don't want to give too much weight to that one loss, although I think the fact that it came after Novak lost and before it became clear that Fedal were legitimate contenders, it points to a bit of mental weakness on his part. But despite how great his 2016 was, a season that would have fit within the prime of the big three, we have to remember that he's on a lower level than those three and won't be able to maintain an edge over a field that now includes an at least somewhat revived Nadal and Federer, and likely, at some point, a resurgent Novak.

But given the points situation, he could hold onto #1 until the second half of the year.

 

[El Dude]

It kind of reminds me of that early scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark, when they see the gold idol ahead of them and Indiana Jones' companion wants to rush forward and grab it, but Jones holds him back because of the dart traps. Andy didn't have a Jones (Lendl?) to hold him back, and so a dart (Mischa Zverev) took him out.

 

[Front242]

Maybe a giant boulder will flatten him next time round