ATP World Tour Finals

[Fiero425]

After sucking in Basel, Fed reached SF and gave Nole a tough fight. I did not see much of him in action during those tourneys (I was busy at work and watched only the low lights). Anyway, I was hoping he has found his form back after seeing Nole across the net.

Now this is really bad news for Fed. due to couple of reasons.

1. He did not even win a set. As a result if it comes down to three people tied at two wins or three people tied at one win, Fed
would be at a disadvantage in moving ahead.

2. On paper, this is supposed to be easiest RR match at WTF for Fed. This is because on the opening days of WTF, they
feed red meat to top dogs. However, even though Kei is ranked below both Thiem and Kandy, Kei had very good results
on tour since the end of USO. I think QF or better in all tourneys he played in after USO. In that sense Kei is kind of in
form player though than say Thiem..

Assuming Fed can beat both Thiem and Kandy quickly, my wish of Fed meeting Novak in SF could happen.

You can dream! I personally don't think he deserves to make the SF! Kei played just as poorly, missing serves again and again and Fed couldn't take advantage of that! Both players were spraying the ball all over the place with Kei the most likely to crumble to Roger! Not sure he'll fare any better against Thiem or Anderson who's playing fairly good himself! :whistle:

 

[Moxie]

Funny, I thought it was starting tomorrow. Seems like inauspicious start from Roger.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Factoid: Thiem leads H2H vs. Roger @2-1.

Roger next plays Thiem.

 

[britbox]

Highlights - Nishikori/Fed Thiem/Anderson



Interviews:

 

[britbox]

Things change! People still brag about Federer owning Djokovic many years ago before he got old! That little description is supposed to mitigate all the losses in Majors over the last several years like the record books care! :whistle:

I wouldn't class this as some sort of sea change. Federer beat Kei a few weeks ago.

 

[monfed]

The fluctuation in Fed's play these days is like a rollercoaster. From taking Djokovic to the limit to losing to Nishikori indoors is normal for Fed these days.

The end is near, I hope the fed haters are happy.

 

[isabelle]

Anderson played great for his opening match, he's a dangerous guy anywhere

 

[DarthFed]

I was hoping the Djokovic match would help Roger find his serve again on a consistent basis. I didn't see the match but 57% first serve with 4 aces and 4 doubles doesn't sound good. And the rest of Roger's game is in the dumpsters, it actually was still that way vs. Novak too, that's why I wasn't too excited.

Fed needs Nishi to beat Anderson and then 2 wins gets him the #2 seed in the group. I expect KA to beat Nishikori and if that happens Roger's only legit chance is to win the last two matches in straights. I doubt it will happen.

 

[britbox]

Something is wrong there mate, and I'm not really in the excuse-making business.

 

[DarthFed]

Something is wrong there mate, and I'm not really in the excuse-making business.

Physically? I didn't watch so that's why I'm asking. He's looked really frickin old for the most part this Fall. He served wonderfully vs Djoker and all of a sudden his movement was decent. If he didn't return serve like a 5 year old kid or just completely go away in the TB's he'd have won that match. I just wonder if he had a nice adrenaline flow that match and this is unfortunately his normal level for now.

 

[Fiero425]

Physically? I didn't watch so that's why I'm asking. He's looked really frickin old for the most part this Fall. He served wonderfully vs Djoker and all of a sudden his movement was decent. If he didn't return serve like a 5 year old kid or just completely go away in the TB's he'd have won that match. I just wonder if he had a nice adrenaline flow that match and this is unfortunately his normal level for now.

After watching "The Ten" last night, I asked, "where's the 'SABR?'" :whistle: B-)

 

[atttomole]

This is the Cilic we have come know.

 

[britbox]

This is the Cilic we have come know.

In what respect? Dropping tiebreaks?

 

[Fiero425]

This is the Cilic we have come know.

Yep; all the talent in the world and it does him little to no good at times! It's so frustrating to see him owned by the GOATs! He got a win over Nadal at the AO helping Federer to #20! Without Queens win over a demoralized Nole, the record against him is even worse due to him normally being the most vulnerable of the "Big 3!" :whistle: :cuckoo:

 

[atttomole]

In what respect? Dropping tiebreaks?

He was a break up for most of the set, then got broken towards the end of the set before playing a bad tiebreak.

 

[atttomole]

Yep; all the talent in the world and it does him little to no good at times! It's so frustrating to see him owned by the GOATs! He got a win over Nadal at the AO helping Federer to #20! Without Queens win over a demoralized Nole, the record against him is even worse due to him normally being the most vulnerable of the "Big 3!" :whistle: :cuckoo:

So you think that Nadal would have beaten Federer in the final?

 

[Fiero425]

So you think that Nadal would have beaten Federer in the final?

Nothing's guaranteed; esp. this past season! Roger's nowhere near his form of 2017! Nadal would've had a better chance I'm sure after so many losses to a player he's owned from the beginning of their rivalry! :whistle:

 

[DarthFed]

Nothing's guaranteed; esp. this past season! Roger's nowhere near his form of 2017! Nadal would've had a better chance I'm sure after so many losses to a player he's owned from the beginning of their rivalry! :whistle:

Roger looked pretty damn strong at AO this year until the final where he did have mental lapses. I guess those always could've happened against Rafa too but given their history I think Roger would've stayed more focused throughout or at least tried to. A meeting in that final likely wouldn't have been to Rafa's advantage. Unfortunately Roger is playing so terribly now that anyone is going to feel confident against him.

 

[atttomole]

Nothing's guaranteed; esp. this past season! Roger's nowhere near his form of 2017! Nadal would've had a better chance I'm sure after so many losses to a player he's owned from the beginning of their rivalry! :whistle:

Federer was playing well during the first part of the season. His game began to fall apart after Rotterdam or Indian Wells. Very true that nothing is guaranteed in tennis. You had Roger taking out Stanimal, only to lose the final to Djokovic at the UO in 2015.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I was hoping the Djokovic match would help Roger find his serve again on a consistent basis. I didn't see the match but 57% first serve with 4 aces and 4 doubles doesn't sound good. And the rest of Roger's game is in the dumpsters, it actually was still that way vs. Novak too, that's why I wasn't too excited.

Fed needs Nishi to beat Anderson and then 2 wins gets him the #2 seed in the group. I expect KA to beat Nishikori and if that happens Roger's only legit chance is to win the last two matches in straights. I doubt it will happen.

I watched the first set, but not the second. Fed's serving was OK while not extraordinary. But, his return game was so poor that around the middle of first set, 80% of Kei's serves were unreturned (they were obviously not aces, Fed was either dumping them in the net, or hitting them long or simply shanking them). It is hard for me to tell whether something is physically wrong with Fed. My guess is nothing wrong with him physically, but he has mental trouble raising his level up as needed. Kei definitely was not playing great either in the first set. Fed sucked and lost the first set and then I quit.