Federberg
The GOAT
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Australian Open Final 2018: Federer v Cilic
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I saw this interview yesterday. Good on Roger for giving Mirka her props. Most of the other wives don't want to be on the tour with kids - especially not 4 kids. Then again most of the other wives aren't traveling by private jet with nannies, but still...it's a lot of work and organization to move 6 people from city to city every week or two. I'm sure now that he's reduced his tournament schedule that helps considerably. If he plays events in Europe at least they can keep the kids in Switzerland and Roger go to the event with Mirka and the kids for 1 or 2 weeks.
I think it is necessary to be more specific than that. Nalbandian did work on his game - but he was mainly focused on maintaining his strengths as opposed to addressing weaknesses. To say that he never worked hard is inaccurate. I think he worked with considerable dedication on his baseline game, and it showed. But he did not address his weaknesses like other top players do.
No, you're wrong about that, because I'm not envisioning an unrealistic scenario. I'm not saying something like "If Nalbandian was 6-10 and served like Karlovic or Isner, then things would have been different." The things that held him back were entirely correctable. There is no excuse for a Top 10 player to be hitting double faults like he is a rec player. There is no excuse for a Top 10 player to serve at 50% or below. Those were things he could have very realistically fixed but did not.
Okay, then please go through each of those players and tell me what skill they could have fixed that would have been as straightforward and realistic as fixing the double fault/low first-serve percentage problem. Fed's problem was a one-handed backhand on clay against Nadal. And Nadal's problem was very often not being able to hit through the court or make shots like his top rivals. Are either of those problems as straightforward to fix as getting a top 10 player to not hit 10 double faults in a 3-set match?
Yes, I consider him the MTOAT.
I don't think Federer really "figured out" Nalbandian. He beat him, yes, but it wasn't without struggles and in their later matches Nalbandian lost them as much as Federer won them.
Nalbandian was not putting his best foot forward against Fed because of the serving problems. Nalbandian was better from the back of the court but the serving disparity was too much to overcome. That was Nalbandian's fault for not cleaning that up.
If you are talking ability, DAVID hasn’t got a lot going for him as Fed has the better serve, better forehand, better volleys and moves better too. It’s hard to consider him as more talented, yes he was gifted with better backhand but was overall lesser as a package....which is what matters.
Don’t know if people feel the same way, but Fed may be closer to retirement than it appears...he can on any given day wake up not wanting to compete and the buck stops there. Makes a lot of fans here happy and sad at the same time.
Federberg
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I'm not seeing that. Fans seem to be getting even more emotional about his wins, even just some winning rallies within matches. When I met him one of the things that he mentioned keeping him (and his wife) going was the extraordinary level of fan support he gets. Why would he give that up when he's winning? I think the key thing is more likely to be if his wife gets tired of the travel, or he suffers injury. Right now it's just gravy. From his subsequent interviews it's clear that the he was a bit jaded after the emotional roller coaster he had experienced
It's hard to put a finger on it, but I just sensed he was mentally weary. How many times can you keep going back to the well? I think the tournament took a bit an emotional toll. The guy has nothing to prove, he's basically done everything in the game... he's got a family...
Here's the prediction... Federer and Nadal will retire within the same 18 month window.
Federberg
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He wants to win the US Open again. And he knows he will have a chance at Wimbledon until he is 40. I don't see it happening any time soon, especially if Nadal wins #17 at Roland Garros.
Mirka is fully aware of Fed’s place in the history books. She and the kids would never be the reason he retires. He said in interviews that if he keeps losing and gets relegated to courts out in the suburbs, he would retire. I think he will play until he is injured or can’t compete for big titles.
He's said that before himself - that friends have said they knew it was time to retire when they stopped wanting to travel...that a friend had gone to the airport and realized he couldn't leave his family again and decided to retire. Roger's lucky because he can afford to take his family with him. I really don't see him playing after 2019. I think smart Federer fans are prepared for the day he retires. Most of us know it's going to happen sooner rather than later. We just want him to win a few more Slams before he retires is all. Greedy gobblers that we are...
I didn't get the sense that Roger was mentally weary. I think, as he explained to Aussie channel 7, he was so emotional because he didn't have to spend those emotions in the 6 matches leading up to the final...that everything was straight sets, very few up-and-down moments in the matches and he didn't need to fight that hard to win them. He said because of that he had all those emotions left inside and they all just came out in the ceremony.
As far s retiring - I predicted that 2019 will be Roger's last season. He's already said he doesn't think he'll still be playing when the next Olympics rolls around in 2020. I don't see Nadal playing much beyond that either, so I'll say 2020 will be Nadal's last year. I definitely don't see him still playing at 36-37 the way Roger is.
If she's that aware of his place in the history book, then she's not going to want to see it diminished by a bunch of losses that tarnish his career stats either. Nobody wants to see an aging athlete hanging on when they're not winning anymore and sliding down the rankings. I hope Roger has enough sense to hang it up before his ranking slides out of the top 10. If he just wants to play - then go play on the Seniors tour where he can torment Andy Roddick again...
Federberg
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Lol! I'm not sure I understand why people constantly anticipate his decline. I'm going to enjoy the ride, but quite frankly the way the guy plays his tennis he could probably still be play top 5/ top 10 live at the age of 40
El Dude
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Yeah, I said something similar recently. There is a tone to his voice...Hope we're wrong, though!
And yes, I've made the same prediction - although I said within the same year.
Moxie
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This speaks to @mrzz's thread about players doing well beyond 30. That the Big 2-3 inspire each other. However, it does assume that Nadal's only inspiration is Fed. Or that he's only dragging his broken body along to compete with him. If Rafa is healthy, and Roger only makes another couple of years out of it, I would say Nadal still has a lot to play for. It depends a lot as to when Fed hangs 'em up, and how Nadal is playing.
Moxie
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I have to disagree that Mirka and the kids will "never" be the reason that Roger quits. (See Busted's reply below.) His girls are nearly 9. They may start wanting to go to regular schools and have their own friends. Sure, they might be happy to keep traveling with nannies and teachers and their family, but, also they may not. I think it could break down for Roger if the family needs to stay in Switzerland and he does it alone.
Following on your point about the travel and the kids, see my above. Roger and Mirka can afford to take them all, but how long before the older girls object to the peripatetic lifestyle, and just want to be normal kids? I'm assuming. But if that happens, I wonder how long Roger will keep enjoying it. I think he counts on Mirka close-by.
DarthFed
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I think part of it is that he looked old and worn down vs. Cilic but not sure how much stock to put in that because he was in terminator mode the couple matches before it and even the first four rounds he looked deadly anytime there was pressure.
He always gets emotional at Australia in front of Laver and when he's getting such great fan support. I still think he plays another couple years as long as he's healthy. The only thing that may make him retire after this year is if he goes nuts and wins Wimbledon and USO.
I also agree that Mirka will never ask him to quit. She understands what is going on, (weak as hell tour and Rafa is still going strong). I think she knows if Roger retires early he may regret it even if he keeps the slam record and she of course knows he will really really regret it if Nadal equals him or worse. It may be tough but Fed will push on.
