ATP World Tour Finals

[Carol]

If dull did that, he would've withdrawn due to injury.

Or mr. tacky saying he had an injury in his hand like he said in Shanghai :lulz2:

 

[monfed]

Or mr. tacky saying he had an injury in his hand like he said in Shanghai :lulz2:

I hope Hafa doesnt get cavities biting so many trophies.

 

[Carol]

I hope Hafa doesnt get cavities biting so many trophies.

He has still a beautiful smile and teeth

 

[El Dude]

I've been hearing it was Jimmy Connors since the 80's! He's been lauded as the most competitive "competitor in the history of sports for decades! I never cared for his showmanship, preferring the genteel nature and class of players like Borg, Edberg, Laver, and so many more who were just as successful if not more! :whistle:

The only similarity Federer has to Connors is longevity and age. They are completely different players in very different contexts. JC was a hold-out from a bygone era, lingering on far younger players were at the top of their game.

JC's last top ten year was 1988, when he turned 36 late in the year and finished #7. Then he did pretty well the following year, finishing #14. He had that dead cat bounce a couple years later when he reached the SF of the US Open in 1991, just before turning 39. But his last big title was in 1984, and his last Slam title was in 1983. Roger, on the other hand, is still winning big titles and Slams - at least 10 months ago, when he won the Australian Open, and he's going to finish the year #3.

I think a more appropriate comparison to Connors, as far as where Roger's at in his career, is in the 1983-85 range 80s, when Connors was in his early 30s and still a threat, but a step behind the very best players (McEnroe and Lendl, maybe Wilander).

Another thing to consider is that when Jimmy was Roger's age (late 80s), the best players in the sport were quite a bit younger than him: Lendl (8 yrs), Wilander (12 yrs), Edberg (14 yrs), Becker (15 yrs). The best players right now are 5-6 years younger than Roger, with those 12-15 years younger (players born in the 1993-96 range, like Thiem, Pouille, Edmund, Kyrgios, Coric, Khachanov, etc) just coming into their own, and an entire lost generation in-between.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, whereas JC was best known for his "fierce competitor" nature, as you say, Roger is more known for his mastery and unsurpassed skill-set. Very different fellas.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

So, the slim chance of Roger playing Novak in SF did not materialize.

Roger will play Sasha in SF and Novak will play Kandy in SF.

Roger needs to take out Sasha in quick two sets, in order to have a semblance of chance on Sunday to lift #100.

 

[Fiero425]

The only similarity Federer has to Connors is longevity and age. They are completely different players in very different contexts. JC was a hold-out from a bygone era, lingering on far younger players were at the top of their game.

JC's last top ten year was 1988, when he turned 36 late in the year and finished #7. Then he did pretty well the following year, finishing #14. He had that dead cat bounce a couple years later when he reached the SF of the US Open in 1991, just before turning 39. But his last big title was in 1984, and his last Slam title was in 1983. Roger, on the other hand, is still winning big titles and Slams - at least 10 months ago, when he won the Australian Open, and he's going to finish the year #3.

I think a more appropriate comparison to Connors, as far as where Roger's at in his career, is in the 1983-85 range 80s, when Connors was in his early 30s and still a threat, but a step behind the very best players (McEnroe and Lendl, maybe Wilander).

Another thing to consider is that when Jimmy was Roger's age (late 80s), the best players in the sport were quite a bit younger than him: Lendl (8 yrs), Wilander (12 yrs), Edberg (14 yrs), Becker (15 yrs). The best players right now are 5-6 years younger than Roger, with those 12-15 years younger (players born in the 1993-96 range, like Thiem, Pouille, Edmund, Kyrgios, Coric, Khachanov, etc) just coming into their own, and an entire lost generation in-between.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, whereas JC was best known for his "fierce competitor" nature, as you say, Roger is more known for his mastery and unsurpassed skill-set. Very different fellas.

You aren't telling me anything IDK! You forget I lived that era! I thought Connors terribly overrated most of that period with so many weaknesses, but it didn't stop the fans from cheering him on wildly until the last! The "lost gen" is what I kvetch about the most with so few of today's gen. that can keep it together no matter the lead or infirmity due to age or/and injury of Fedalovic! Like the women with Serena, they're allowing these "old goats" to live on and actually lead the tour! It's still nauseating and I can't wait for someone else to finally break the hold of "The Big 3" even though very appreciative of Nole doing his thing at this time! :whistle: :cuckoo:

 

[El Dude]

You aren't telling me anything IDK! You forget I lived that era! I thought Connors terribly overrated most of that period with so many weaknesses, but it didn't stop the fans from cheering him on wildly until the last! The "lost gen" is what I kvetch about the most with so few of today's gen. that can't keep it together no matter the lead or infirmity due to age or/and injury of Fedalovic! Like the women with Serena, they're allowing these "old goats" to live on and actually lead the tour! It's still nauseating and I can't wait for someone else to finally break the hold of "The Big 3" even though very appreciative of Nole doing his thing at this time! :whistle: :cuckoo:

Well, I agree with you. I may never like a player again like a I do Roger, but I'm ready for a sea change. And it is coming.

One more thing about Roger: his style of play - which is the ability to do anything, in any part of the court - has allowed him to adapt in a way that McEnroe couldn't (and, my guess, neither would have Borg). The fact that Jimmy was able to hold on as long as he did is testament to his grit, but I think also he was largely a player of an earlier era. Perhaps you could say more about his style vis-a-vis the newer players of the late 80s?

As for LostGen, there have been weak periods before. The Kuerten-Moya generation was also weak, although not nearly as much so. But if you go way back to the the players born from 1939 to 1943, you have a very weak generation; even weaker if you cut out 1943 and Arthur Ashe. And before them you have another weak generation in those born between Pancho Gonzales (1928) and Ken Rosewall/Lew Hoad (1934), with only Tony Trabert (1930) being an all-time great.

The point being, there are natural cycles - and weak generations tend to be weaker if they are before or after a strong generation. The Ashe and Trabert generations were partially weak because they bookended probably the greatest generation in tennis history (1934-38: Rosewall, Hoad, Emerson, Laver, Cooper, Santana, Stolle, etc); the 1989-93 generation follows what is probably the second most dominant generation of all time (1984-88: Rafa, Novak, Andy, Wawrinka, etc).

Next Gen (1994-) is not only quite a bit stronger than Lost Gen, but they'll get more of the Big Four's decline.

I do also worry about cultural trends with young people. I work with teenagers and I've seen a rather significant shift over the last ten years in terms of motivation and mental fortitude - a weakening. I think it has a lot to do with smartphones and media technology in general, but probably also parenting style.

 

[monfed]

He has still a beautiful smile and teeth

If Hafa proposes you, will you marry him? I can arrange for Xisca to be removed from the picture.

 

[Front242]

He's injured and needs a surgery. If he plays he could make things worse and then miss a whole year or retire. There's nothing stupid about his decision, in fact it's smart. Rafa is by far the most intelligent player on tour and one of the most intelligent humans in the world. When you factor in his amazing physical beauty, he's actually the perfect man.

Wrong. The surgery is not needed and they just decided to do it now as his off season has already begun. It's a very immaterial surgery like choosing to remove a mole. It's not affecting his play at all.

 

[Front242]

Roger's more than lucky to even make the SF, much less be the winner of the division! As I keep saying, these gutless wonders just bow! It's a wonder Kei was able to hold it together Sunday to finish him off! Neither played that damn well with missed opportunities on both sides of the net! I hope he makes the final just so Nole can teach him another lesson & inflate his numbers when it comes to his rivals!

Why is he lucky to have won the group? Both he and Nishikori were crap in their first match and Roger was much better than his next 2 opponents so he won. That's how this works.

 

[El Dude]

He's injured and needs a surgery. If he plays he could make things worse and then miss a whole year or retire. There's nothing stupid about his decision, in fact it's smart. Rafa is by far the most intelligent player on tour and one of the most intelligent humans in the world. When you factor in his amazing physical beauty, he's actually the perfect man.

I missed this jewel - nice one. It baffles me that some cannot grok your sense of humor.

 

[Front242]

And later what happened to Soderling? still he has "mono"?

No need to keep putting quotes around mono. It's a real condition and it ended his career way too soon. That should be enough to lose the stupid quotes.

 

[Horsa]

I missed this jewel - nice one. It baffles me that some cannot grok your sense of humor.

Oh! I get the sense of humour in this 1 & some others. I read things in all different ways & sometimes have 5-7 different appropriate answers for the same thing & have to choose just 1. Sometimes I take jokey comments seriously to see what people say & I do act daft at times.

 

[Carol]

If Hafa proposes you, will you marry him? I can arrange for Xisca to be removed from the picture.

If Hoger would get divorced and he proposes you, will you marry him? you are a really joke guy!

 

[Carol]

No need to keep putting quotes around mono. It's a real condition and it ended his career way too soon. That should be enough to lose the stupid quotes.

Look who is talking about stupid quotes.......I’ve just asked about it because when someone has mono first at all he can’t do any effort, just to rest it doesn’t matter how light could be but I’ve never heard to have mono for so long so it has to be something else, another sickness but not just mono

 

[GameSetAndMath]

After three days of evening play, Roger will get a sudden jolt of afternoon play. Hope, he can withstand the change of time. But, it should not affect too much, considering it is indoors.

On the positive side, Roger will have about six extra hours than Novak to recover, assuming he wins the semifinals.

 

[monfed]

If Hoger would get divorced and he proposes you, will you marry him? you are a really joke guy!

 

[britbox]

With Zverev winning, tonight will be a dead rubber.

I think tomorrow might be the last time we are ever going to see Roger in this event. I will try and catch that

Hey @tennisville. Long time, no see. If Federer is playing in 2019 as seems pretty certain, don't you think he'll finish in the Top 8 and be back next year?

 

[Fiero425]

Hey @tennisville. Long time, no see. If Federer is playing in 2019 as seems pretty certain, don't you think he'll finish in the Top 8 and be back next year?

Not if he continues this routine of play; deadpan, then better the next! Someone's going to catch him in an early Rd. & he'll be gone! :whistle:

 

[El Dude]

After three days of evening play, Roger will get a sudden jolt of afternoon play. Hope, he can withstand the change of time. But, it should not affect too much, considering it is indoors.

On the positive side, Roger will have about six extra hours than Novak to recover, assuming he wins the semifinals.

That’s one hour per year difference in age.


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