ABN AMRO, Rotterdam, Netherlands, APT 500

[GameSetAndMath]

#1 Baby!

 

[atttomole]

His serve was not that good today, but the rest of his tennis was imperial. Roger becomes the oldest number 1 ever.

 

[Busted]

Well done Roger. Didn't think it was important but good on you my son. Now go and win the tournament so you have 97 titles. Let's get to 100+ this year and chase down Connors

Hopefully he'll be more relaxed in the next match now that he's locked it down. Saw some highlights and seemed tight in that first set...

 

[GameSetAndMath]

In case you have not been reading Fed Porn, with today's victory, Fed broke three separate but related records.

1. Oldest player to reach #1 (previous holder Agassi)
2. Longest gap between losing and reclaiming #1 (previous holder Agassi)
3. Longest period between reaching #1 for the first time and the last time (previous holder Rafa).

Moreover, the margin in each of the above categories is quite large and so it appears that all three records are probably safe.

 

[DarthFed]

Glad it's out of the way. It's clear he'd have chased the #1 rank down an erupting volcano if it came to that.

 

[Federberg]

Hopefully he'll be more relaxed in the next match now that he's locked it down. Saw some highlights and seemed tight in that first set...

To be honest I'm not sure if he was tight. I thought Haas came out and played very well. In retrospect he wasn't feeling well, so maybe he came in with a what the hey attitude that worked well for him. Even though Roger lost the first set it was obvious that he could raise his level significantly. I'll be interested to see how he plays tomorrow. In many ways getting handed that no1 trophy might be a bad thing for him. How much does he really care about winning this one?

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Now, here is my wish. After the coming Monday, Fed should NOT EVEN LOOK AT WHAT IS HIS RANKING until USO is over.
All scheduling decisions should be made with no regard to ranking, including whether or not to play on clay.

After the USO is over will be the time to take a look at whether he stands a chance to become YE #1 and if so whether to fight
for it and how hard to fight for it.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

To be honest I'm not sure if he was tight. I thought Haas came out and played very well. In retrospect he wasn't feeling well, so maybe he came in with a what the hey attitude that worked well for him. Even though Roger lost the first set it was obvious that he could raise his level significantly. I'll be interested to see how he plays tomorrow. In many ways getting handed that no1 trophy might be a bad thing for him. How much does he really care about winning this one?

I think he would care to win this one. The reason is that he wants to maximize his points with minimum tournament play. So, it does not make sense to give up now.

Further, with Sasha out, his SF should be relatively easy to win. Then, once he reaches the final it makes sense to give your all to win it as it is one more title (on the way to 100).

 

[Federberg]

Now, here is my wish. After the coming Monday, Fed should NOT EVEN LOOK AT WHAT IS HIS RANKING until USO is over.
All scheduling decisions should be made with no regard to ranking, including whether or not to play on clay.

After the USO is over will be the time to take a look at whether he stand a chance to become YE #1 and if so whether to fight
for it and how hard to fight for it.

seconded

 

[Federberg]

I think he would care to win this one. The reason is that he wants to maximize his points with minimum tournament play. So, it does not make sense to give up now.

Further, with Sasha out, his SF should be relatively easy to win. Then, once he reaches the final it makes sense to give your all to win it as it is one more title (on the way to 100).

hope so!

 

[GameSetAndMath]

The first time Roger reached #1 was on 2nd February 2004. I just now looked at the ranking list of 2nd Feb 2004 from the archives available on ATP web site. Here are the top 10 from that date.

1. Federer
2. Juan Carlos Ferrero
3. Andy Roddick
4. Guillermo Coria
5. Andre Agassi
6. Rainer Schuettler
7. Carlos Moya
8. David Nalbandian
9. Mark Philippoussis
10. Paradorn Srichaphan

Among the top 32 players (the players that get seeded in grand slams) from that date, all have retired except for Tommy Robredo (who while officially not retired, has not played for a while, probably since RG 17). To put it other words, just being an active player today itself is a significant achievement after being a seeded player in Feb. 2004. So, it is truly a crowning achievement for Federer to recapture #1.

 

[El Dude]

Now, here is my wish. After the coming Monday, Fed should NOT EVEN LOOK AT WHAT IS HIS RANKING until USO is over.
All scheduling decisions should be made with no regard to ranking, including whether or not to play on clay.

After the USO is over will be the time to take a look at whether he stand a chance to become YE #1 and if so whether to fight
for it and how hard to fight for it.

I agree with this from a strategic standpoint, but it is easier said than done. Roger has a really good chance of being YE1 at age 37, and while I know he and the tennis world would rather have #21 and 22, a YE1 at 37 years old is perhaps even more special than another Slam. I know, I know.

But it isn’t either/or, obviously, and his best chance at YE1 is by doing well in Slams. That said, he’s got to know that any clay points really help his chances of YE1.

I personally think it will come down to the Sunshine Double. He wins both them I think he skips clay. If he doesn’t at least win one and do well at the other, he might be tempted to add clay points. And of course it matters what Rafa does, not to mention YE1 dark horse candidates like Cilic and Dimitrov.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[GameSetAndMath]

1. Yes, as you already said if he does well in Slams, the YE #1 will take care of itself.

2. Clay is a double edged sword. Surely, it will help to add points and will boost his chances of YE #1.
On the other hand, playing on clay might reduce his chances of winning Wimbledon thus reducing
his chances of YE #1. That is why it is best to decide about clay without thinking about YE #1.

 

[El Dude]

Yes, true. I do wonder if in the back of his mind he thinks he has a chance of upsetting Rafa at RG, which would make it very tempting...

 

[Federberg]

Doubt it. He probably has designs on trying for 10 Wimbledon’s. Don’t think he attempts the dirt unless Rafa is injured. He doesn’t want Rafa getting that winning feeling again. In his mind his matches against Rafa on clay were the root of his match up problem in the first place. I think he’s wrong but that seems to be what he’s hinted at

 

[Busted]

The first time Roger reached #1 was on 2nd February 2004. I just now looked at the ranking list of 2nd Feb 2004 from the archives available on ATP web site. Here are the top 10 from that date.

1. Federer
2. Juan Carlos Ferrero
3. Andy Roddick
4. Guillermo Coria
5. Andre Agassi
6. Rainer Schuettler
7. Carlos Moya
8. David Nalbandian
9. Mark Philippoussis
10. Paradorn Srichaphan

Among the top 32 players (the players that get seeded in grand slams) from that date, all have retired except for Tommy Robredo (who while officially not retired, has not played for a while, probably since RG 17). To put it other words, just being an active player today itself is a significant achievement after being a seeded player in Feb. 2004. So, it is truly a crowning achievement for Federer to recapture #1.

Tommy Robredo is entered in next week's 250 tourney in Rio. I saw that earlier today. I thought he'd retired.

Only 7 guys who were in the Top 100 when Roger first became #1 are still in the top 100 - Lopez, Ferrer, Berdych, Nadal, Gasquet, Karlovic and Youhzny.

 

[Busted]

1. Yes, as you already said if he does well in Slams, the YE #1 will take care of itself.

2. Clay is a double edged sword. Surely, it will help to add points and will boost his chances of YE #1.
On the other hand, playing on clay might reduce his chances of winning Wimbledon thus reducing
his chances of YE #1. That is why it is best to decide about clay without thinking about YE #1.

If nothing else...I think he should play Roland Garros. Can't win a Grand Slam if you skip an event... I know...I'm greedy...

 

[Busted]

Yes, true. I do wonder if in the back of his mind he thinks he has a chance of upsetting Rafa at RG, which would make it very tempting...

I don't think he does...but...why not at least try to win the French again? If nothing else he can probably make the QF or SF and pick up 360 or 720 points to hedge against a Wimbledon upset.

 

[El Dude]

Doubt it. He probably has designs on trying for 10 Wimbledon’s. Don’t think he attempts the dirt unless Rafa is injured. He doesn’t want Rafa getting that winning feeling again. In his mind his matches against Rafa on clay were the root of his match up problem in the first place. I think he’s wrong but that seems to be what he’s hinted at

Fair enough, and I basically agree. But I also think he must at least consider the possibility that his revamped game would fare better against Rafa on clay now than 4+ years ago. I’m guessing he’s rather ambivalent about playing Rafa on clay.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Federberg]

Oh I have no doubt he would be more effective against Rafa on clay now. I just think the risk of getting taken out before the final is extremely high, the man hasn’t played on the dirt for some time. Furthermore how many more Wimbledon’s will he win? The closer he gets to the end of his career the higher the premium he’ll attach SW19. The fact he’s likely to be nearly unchallenged there again means he’s far less likely to be interested in RG distractions this year