2019 Australian Open, Melbourne - ATP GRAND SLAM

[Vince Evert]

interesting article here on Nine's Wide World of Sports page:

'I’ve heard that story for the last 10 years': Roger Federer realistic over tennis' up-and-comers

20-time grand slam champion Roger Federer has waived away conjecture over his loss to Stefanos Tsitsipas symbolising a “changing of guard” in the hierarchy of world tennis.

Federer was upset by 20-year-old who came back from a set down to stun the Swiss Maestro in front of a capacity crowd at Rod Laver Arena on Sunday night.

Having drawn comparisons between the two, tennis great John McEnroe assured that the sport was witnessing a “changing of the guard” but the 37-year-old Federer was not convinced.

“He’s in front of the mic a lot, so he’s always going to say stuff,” Federer said of McEnroe.

https://wwos.nine.com.au/tennis/aus...mparison/05fe1a3a-d989-4044-a370-8a92d58bd917

 

[Nadalfan2013]

interesting article here on Nine's Wide World of Sports page:

'I’ve heard that story for the last 10 years': Roger Federer realistic over tennis' up-and-comers

20-time grand slam champion Roger Federer has waived away conjecture over his loss to Stefanos Tsitsipas symbolising a “changing of guard” in the hierarchy of world tennis.

Federer was upset by 20-year-old who came back from a set down to stun the Swiss Maestro in front of a capacity crowd at Rod Laver Arena on Sunday night.

Having drawn comparisons between the two, tennis great John McEnroe assured that the sport was witnessing a “changing of the guard” but the 37-year-old Federer was not convinced.

“He’s in front of the mic a lot, so he’s always going to say stuff,” Federer said of McEnroe.

https://wwos.nine.com.au/tennis/aus...mparison/05fe1a3a-d989-4044-a370-8a92d58bd917

This is so disrespectful towards McEnroe. I guess when McEnroe saids nice things about Federer then McEnroe becomes okay. Federer should have said something classy like "we will see, time will tell".

 

[Vince Evert]

Stefanos presser. As far as I'm concerned he's given tennis a shot in the arm. Here's hoping he , and also Alexander Zverev, both players going to be a threat to Nadal, Djokovic (both of who bore me to tears) and provides alternative, consistent attacking tennis this year.

 

[Fiero425]

This is so disrespectful towards McEnroe. Federer should have said something classy like "we will see, time will tell".

Fed's ego is about as big as any player in the history of the game! Unless you're lauding his record and accomplishments, he's going to come back at you with some kind of shade! He's no better than any player I've watched since the 70's! He's more accustomed to people kissing his arse so if he gets the smallest bit of criticism or undermining his competitiveness, "it's on" and he'll cut their balls off! :whistle: :cuckoo:

 

[Nadalfan2013]

Fed's ego is about as big as any player in the history of the game! Unless you're lauding his record and accomplishments, he going to come back at you with some kind of shade! He's no better than any player I've watched since the 70's! He's more accustomed to people kissing his arse so if he gets the smallest bit of criticism or undermining his competitiveness, "it's on" and he'll cut their balls off! :whistle: :cuckoo:

But not Nadal... He would have handled the question much better giving compliments to both McEnroe and Tsitsipas while also not putting himself down. Federer is just a diva.

 

[Vince Evert]

This is so disrespectful towards McEnroe. I guess when McEnroe saids nice things about Federer then McEnroe becomes okay. Federer should have said something classy like "we will see, time will tell".

To be honest i believe the journos got their facts wrong. McEnroe never proclaimed "Changing of the Guard". He made that remark more in jest as a reply to young Stefanos comment that he hopes to keep to more of an attacking game in future games and that he's seen videos of McEnroe's tennis (Mac of course played attacking tennis). Macca's coment clearly taken out of context.

 

[Front242]

This is so disrespectful towards McEnroe. I guess when McEnroe saids nice things about Federer then McEnroe becomes okay. Federer should have said something classy like "we will see, time will tell".

There's nothing disrespectful about anything he said. He's right, commentators want to make headlines but the reality is it was a really close match with 3 TBs, 2 of which were extremely close and 4 points separated who won the match if you reverse the scorelines in 2 TBs, not to mention Federer's failure to win any of the 12 or so break points he had and him being the better player most of set 2. So it's hardly a changing of the guard even if that was taken up wrong. It was merely a case of the important points going to Tsitsipas and credit to him.

 

[Nadalfan2013]

There's nothing disrespectful about anything he said. He's right, commentators want to make headlines but the reality is it was a really close match with 3 TBs, 2 of which were extremely close and 4 points separated who won the match if you reverse the scorelines in 2 TBs, not to mention Federer's failure to win any of the 12 or so break points he had and him being the better player most of set 2. So it's hardly a changing of the guard even if that was taken up wrong. It was merely a case of the important points going to Tsitsipas and credit to him.

Either way changing of the guard would have been if Tsisipas took out Nadal or Djokovic...

 

[Fiero425]

Watching the replay now and it's shocking to see Roger with so many break point opportunities to close out that 2nd set! He probably would have won being up 2 sets to love! He truly did blow it & Perseus came thru admirably when it would have been quite easy to roll over! Very impressive indeed! :whistle:

 

[lob]

Fed's ego is about as big as any player in the history of the game! Unless you're lauding his record and accomplishments, he going to come back at you with some kind of shade! He's no better than any player I've watched since the 70's! He's more accustomed to people kissing his arse so if he gets the smallest bit of criticism or undermining his competitiveness, "it's on" and he'll cut their balls off! :whistle: :cuckoo:

Roger does have a big tennis ego. Might be because he has won 20 slams. But this is a very unfair post. The reporter's question was loaded and a bit silly. How can Roger tell if it Is a changing of guard? If he says yes, he will be accused of crowning himself to be the current king. Clearly he is not. His answer was pretty accurate. McEnroe has been the silliest legend and commentator by far. His hype has been laughable at times. He should know better.

The quote above deliberately leaves out 'I love John...' with which Roger began. He accurately cited Mac's tendency to dramatize everything. Finally, he very clearly said that Tsistipas will be at the top for a long time. He also unreservedly stated that Tsitsipas played better than him. He was no less gracious than Djokovic.

 

[Front242]

Either way changing of the guard would have been if Tsisipas took out Nadal or Djokovic...

Watching the replay now and it's shocking to see Roger with so many break point opportunities to close out that 2nd set! He probably would have won being up 2 sets to love! He truly did blow it & Perseus came thru admirably when it would have been quite easy to roll over! Very impressive indeed! :whistle:

That's the thing. It took a pretty woeful performance from Federer for the most part, especially on the important points, for Tsitsipas to barely win in 4 super close sets so it's in no way a changing of the guard. It was a very close match that could've gone either way and everyone needs to calm down. I'm just glad he lost to a player who I really like and not some toss pot.

 

[atttomole]

This is so disrespectful towards McEnroe. I guess when McEnroe saids nice things about Federer then McEnroe becomes okay. Federer should have said something classy like "we will see, time will tell".

Actually J MecEnroe doesn't like Federer and vice-versa. P McEnroe likes Federer. The nice things that J McEnroe says about Roger are kind of contrived. He has to say those things because it is his job to so.

 

[atttomole]

But not Nadal... He would have handled the question much better giving compliments to both McEnroe and Tsitsipas while also not putting himself down. Federer is just a diva.

Federer is more honest.

 

[britbox]

He isn't gonna play the clay season..he isn't that foolish..he knows his best chance now is to be fresh for SW19 ..there are too many players including the likes of Thiem and Sasha Z who will run Roger's dick into the dirt on clay..I doubt if Rafa plays Madrid or Rome..leave it to the previous mentioned youngters..

Hey @the AntiPusher , good to see you back. I think if we see Roger playing a clay swing then we're probably seeing his last year on the tour. I don't really see him doing it other than for one last time.

 

[tented]

I doubt if Rafa plays Madrid or Rome..leave it to the previous mentioned youngters..

If the Madrid tournament were not in Spain, then I would agree. The only reason he plays it is because it’s in Spain, and feels obligated, so I think he will continue to do so, but I don’t think he has ever liked playing there for a variety of reasons.

 

[herios]

Hey @the AntiPusher , good to see you back. I think if we see Roger playing a clay swing then we're probably seeing his last year on the tour. I don't really see him doing it other than for one last time.

I agree with you. He would want to play one more time at RG as a good bye.

 

[DarthFed]

I hope he never plays RG again. Even at an awful level he is a threat at Wimbledon but coming in rested and healthy certainly would help his chances.

 

[atttomole]

So much speculation about Roger's retirement. I think Roger will linger longer than many people think. At least 3 years, I think. A loss against a young, talented Greek in a very close match and people think he is on borrowed time. Roger is so good that it is easy to forget that he is 37, and subconsciously many of us think he can still do what he used to do 10 years ago. His losses now still evoke shock as they did when he was 26. That is how phenomenal the guy is.

 

[Moxie]

Stefanos presser. As far as I'm concerned he's given tennis a shot in the arm. Here's hoping he , and also Alexander Zverev, both players going to be a threat to Nadal, Djokovic (both of who bore me to tears) and provides alternative, consistent attacking tennis this year.

Thanks for putting that up. He's a very charming and thoughtful young man. He makes very interesting points about his preparation, what watching Federer has done for him and working with Andy Murray at his academy gave him. He's ambitious, focused and smart. Oh, and talented.

For my Federer fan friends/frenemies on this forum, I'm very sorry for you on this one. Tough loss. I actually went to sleep thinking that Roger was taking the 2nd, and the match. Now all this talk of "changing of the guard" and retirement lap. Keep your chins up.

 

[tented]

I hope he never plays RG again. Even at an awful level he is a threat at Wimbledon but coming in rested and healthy certainly would help his chances.

Tennis Channel is reporting Roger is going to play RG.