2017 Stuttgart ATP 250 Grass

[Moxie]

Federer lost to a 39 yo because he was a soft cock (for today anyway). Be interesting to imagine if anyone has to finish off his close friend's career with his own hands. Someday someone will have to finish off Fed's own career, it may be Thiem (he is really friendly with), or maybe Rafa is best suited for the job....

"Soft cock" is such a vulgar and telling phrase, which you've used twice in short succession. Couch warriors looking for real athletes to make up for their inadequacies. The rest is quite sentimental, though. I love your thought that Rafa might send him off. That would be perfect. Whoever it is, I think we all believe it will be at Basel.

 

[Ricardo]

"Soft cock" is such a vulgar and telling phrase, which you've used twice in short succession. Couch warriors looking for real athletes to make up for their inadequacies. The rest is quite sentimental, though. I love your thought that Rafa might send him off. That would be perfect. Whoever it is, I think we all believe it will be at Basel.

well ok, given the irony of the draw (Fed and his good friend's last tournament), i think its an accurate description of his mental state today. Also the thought of another irony that Rafa finishes him off......would be perfectly staged as he was always the rightful successor to Fed.

now about loving my 'thought'....that's a first at the risk of being vulgar (again) i misread that you loved my 'thump'

 

[Moxie]

Tomorrow's schedule, starts at 11am local time:

Chardy v. F. Lopez
Berdych v. Tomic
Janowicz v. Dimitrov
Paire v. Gojowczyk

 

[mrzz]

I saw the match I am pretty sure Haas won on merit. He was hitting the ball quite heavily, and when he stopped making errors the match got close. When the first set ended I wasn't buying much on the result and in the end it showed. Federer fired more than 20 aces and that tells a lot, I guess. His forehand simply wasn't sharp enough and he lost to a better player on the day. I won't repeat the old mantra "Haas would have beaten anyone" but he did play pretty well and should get all the merit he deserves.

Anyway, he is the worst possible first round any seed would like to meet at Wimbledon...

 

[britbox]

Results from the Stuttgart International Men's Singles Round 2 matches on Wednesday

4-Lucas Pouille (France) beat Jan-Lennard Struff (Germany) 4-6 7-6(5) 7-6(8)
Tommy Haas (Germany) beat 1-Roger Federer (Switzerland) 2-6 7-6(8) 6-4
Philipp Kohlschreiber (Germany) beat 5-Steve Johnson (U.S.) 7-6(3) 5-7 7-6(6)
6-Mischa Zverev (Germany) beat Yannick Hanfmann (Germany) 7-6(1) 6-2

Highlights:



Federer/Haas



Federer Interview

 

[Ricardo]

tough match, Haas won it after being down match point. Great tennis, Fed certainly didn't plan on losing first match but Haas played it tough especially on the big points....tougher than Fed for sure.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Wait, are we really suggesting Federer threw a match on purpose after a near 3-month period of rest? Come on...

 

[Ricardo]

nobody is, seriously...

 

[Moxie]

Wait, are we really suggesting Federer threw a match on purpose after a near 3-month period of rest? Come on...

No, that's really just Front.

 

[Carol]

Roger lost to Haas in Halle 2012 too

 

[DarthFed]

There's no way Fed would ever throw a match especially when match practice is so important. I just think he plays loose and weak against Haas and has for many years now. They are too good of friends and Haas is on his way out and obviously doesn't win much compared to Fed. Roger just played soft, he shouldn't lose to Jesus up a set and a break on grass.

 

[Moxie]

There's no way Fed would ever throw a match especially when match practice is so important. I just think he plays loose and weak against Haas and has for many years now. They are too good of friends and Haas is on his way out and obviously doesn't win much compared to Fed. Roger just played soft, he shouldn't lose to Jesus up a set and a break on grass.

I agree with you, though I'm not sure that Jesus is an especially good tennis player, anyway. Gorgeous FHDL, but an inclination to turn the other cheek in the clutch.

 

[El Dude]

I highly doubt Roger threw the match - and that would not be respectful at all to Haas, but condescending. But he may not have put full effort into it, like he would have if it were a Slam. Stuttgart is no more than a warmup to a warmup.


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[Jelenafan]

I really don't think Federer plays soft against his "friends" on tour; there are some aspects of Tommy's game on grass that can hurt Federer regardless.

Subconsciously, Federer also thinks of the tournament director, needed match play, etc.

Federer was rusty and not match tough, plus grass is the one surface where results in the these pre W tournaments doesn't amount to much.

 

[Ricardo]

I really don't think Federer plays soft against his "friends" on tour; there are some aspects of Tommy's game on grass that can hurt Federer regardless.

Subconsciously, Federer also thinks of the tournament director, needed match play, etc.

Federer was rusty and not match tough, plus grass is the one surface where results in the these pre W tournaments doesn't amount to much.

my word, he was just 'match soft' without using vulgar words again. though it has something to do with who he was playing against, compared to playing someone he disliked.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I did not see the match. However, I doubt that Fed would have thrown the match consciously. If at all he threw it would have been subconscious only as others have alluded.

I was expecting Fed to lose early either here or in Halle (not necessarily this specific loss). Moreover, losing once before Wimby sort of releases pressure somewhat instead of going to Wimbledon as a winner of four tourneys in a row. I hope he wins Halle though.

p.s. Front, do you remember once in Brisbane Fed was playing lousy and Tommy beat him. We were the only ones commenting on it on the board. But, for some reason that match is not showing up in the H2H between them in ATP. I think it was SF at Brisbane, in Roger's first try at Brisbane, may be 2014.

 

[Shivashish Sarkar]

Federer wasn't very good in anything other than serve. Sluggish movement. Game was not tuned up. And all this is natural when you don't play matches for 2 months. And, in this state of affairs, he would not have been disposed to throw away the match. Haas took it on merit I guess. He plays cool grass court tennis, doesn't he?

Now, Roger must pull his socks up. If the sluggish form continues at Halle, he will be possibly deprived of match practice going into Wimbledon. And that is when the first 3 or 4 rounds become dangerous. But the chances of being sluggish at Halle is going to be very low. He is probably going to put in a lot of work on grass in the next 2-3 days at least.

Looking forward to Halle.

 

[Shivashish Sarkar]

I did not see the match. However, I doubt that Fed would have thrown the match consciously. If at all he threw it would have been subconscious only as others have alluded.

I was expecting Fed to lose early either here or in Halle (not necessarily this specific loss). Moreover, losing once before Wimby sort of releases pressure somewhat instead of going to Wimbledon as a winner of four tourneys in a row. I hope he wins Halle though.

p.s. Front, do you remember once in Brisbane Fed was playing lousy and Tommy beat him. We were the only ones commenting on it on the board. But, for some reason that match is not showing up in the H2H between them in ATP. I think it was SF at Brisbane, in Roger's first try at Brisbane, may be 2014.

2014, was the Hewitt loss. Not that one.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

2014, was the Hewitt loss. Not that one.

Oh, yes. Thanks. I got my memory mixed up.

 

[Front242]

Back surgery for the Worm..its got to be over for him wouldn't you think?

I hope not but it's possible. Apparently low back chronic pain that he needed to fix. He's one tough bastard though. He played for a long time with a steel plate in his neck.