Fed Fans – Roger Federer Talk

[Murat Baslamisli]

He will play Cincinnati and New York

Oh Ok...I did not hear that he dropped Canada. I thought I heard him say he was going to play a full schedule after Wimby.

 

[mrzz]

are you completely sure, @shawnbm ? Because as Murat I read that he was going to play full schedule.

 

[Federberg]

are you completely sure, @shawnbm ? Because as Murat I read that he was going to play full schedule.

On the beeb just now he said that he'll reassess with his team in the next week or so. He'll definitely play Cinci and the US Open. Canada will be discussed. Hope he doesn't do it.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I think he will play both Canada and Cincy. He will probably take it easy until he reaches SF in Canada (meaning that if some hot player in the zone is clicking, he might not give his all in trying to win the match). Once he reaches SF he will start to take Canada also seriously.

Folks should realize his primary reason for skipping the clay season. It is not that he was worried so much about accumulated fatigue.
In clay, he cannot play first strike tennis. He would have to play a grinding game, at least partially if not completely. He did not want that
kind of change in style from his ultra aggressive style, especially before Wimbledon.

Further, he is currently lagging behind Rafa by 550 points in the race. The competition for YE#1, for all practical purposes, is limited to Roger and Rafa. The current #3 is so far behind these two (by more than 3000 points) that it is unlikely that someone else will become YE#1.

While I don't see Roger playing itsy-bitsy tourney just to get to #1, I think he probabaly would not want to miss a Masters anymore having missed three ATP 1000 tourneys already.

Sampras has finished YE#1 six times. Fed is second in the list with 5 times. If Fed can end up as YE#1 this year, that would tie him
with Sampras for that record also. So, it is kind of important now.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

On second thoughts, even though YE #1 is a priority, Fed is likely to skip Montreal in order to improve his chances at USO. If the gamble
works, the fact that he skipped wouldn't matter. If the gamble does not work, he can always throw in an extra tournament like Tokyo 500 etc, after USO , if needed to boost up the points.

Actually, here is direct answer from Fed himself about the schedule.


Q. You said you're not looking too far ahead. In terms of this season with how things have gone, do you perhaps now reassess your goals in a different way, whatever goals you had before, and maybe change them?
ROGER FEDERER: "I don't think so. I was always going to play more the second part of the season. I wasn't going to skip entire swings. I wasn't going to skip Asia, the American tour, whatever it was, the European indoors. I was always going to play as much as I possibly could. So I think I'm going to stay true to that.

Now we have to sit down tomorrow and decide what we're going to do with Canada or not. But most likely I'll definitely play Cincinnati and the US Open, Laver Cup, Shanghai, then go back to the indoors. That's the plan for now."

So, it looks like they are leaning towards dropping Canada. Even though the word tomorrow is used in the answer, do not expect any immediate decision. This is because Fed is already entered in Montreal. So, he does not have to make any decision in a hurry. He can always withdraw from Montreal without any penalty. If he is withdrawing, he will definitely withdraw before the qualifying tourney for Montreal starts, so that the person next in line can get direct entry and so that the draw does not become imbalanced. That gives them more than two weeks time to mull over the issue and make a decision.

 

[britbox]

Federer talks a day after Number #8... including the differences in the generations of tennis, surface speeds etc.



Titles are the main factor, but sounds like if he gets close to #1, then he'll weigh up the numbers and consider making a run for it.

 

[britbox]

Edberg talks Fed.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Fed has officially qualified for the WTF. At this point, only Rafa and Roger have officially qualified. If the cut were made today, the rest of the field would consist of Thiem, Stan, Cilic, Sasha, Novak and Andy.

 

[britbox]

Fed has officially qualified for the WTF. At this point, only Rafa and Roger have officially qualified. If the cut were made today, the rest of the field would consist of Thiem, Stan, Cilic, Sasha, Novak and Andy.

I think he gave a strong hint in the interview video that while #1 is not the motivating factor, he would make a move for it if it was close enough. It gave the impression that he is mindful of it... IF he doesn't play Canada and has a decent run at the USO then I'm wondering if he might schedule in any non-masters tournaments after the USO... There are two 500s before Shanghai (China Open and Japan Open) and another - Vienna before Basel.

 

[britbox]

In a subsequent interview, he's talking more about being #1. Thinks it might boil down to a race between himself and Rafa.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I think he gave a strong hint in the interview video that while #1 is not the motivating factor, he would make a move for it if it was close enough. It gave the impression that he is mindful of it... IF he doesn't play Canada and has a decent run at the USO then I'm wondering if he might schedule in any non-masters tournaments after the USO... There are two 500s before Shanghai (China Open and Japan Open) and another - Vienna before Basel.

1. China and Japan 500s are parallel events that happen at the same week. When Roger has played in this week in the past
he has preferred to play in Tokyo. Rafa and Novak play in China usually.
2. Basel and Vienna are parallel events that happen at the same week. This one is a no brainer. Roger will play in Basel being
his hometown. Also, he is contractually obligated to play this week in Basel.

 

[Federberg]

https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/sp...-of-truly-legendary-athletes/article35702991/

 

[britbox]

 

[britbox]

Roger meets the royals (Prince William, Princess Catherine and Stefan Edberg).

 

[Ricardo]

wow big big pat on the back by Edberg who is usually mild-mannered, shows they must have parted amicably. And good to see two of the best sportsmanship players together.

 

[Federberg]

nice piece...

http://us.blastingnews.com/opinion/...ggest-star-tennis-has-ever-had-001862739.html

 

[GameSetAndMath]

An hour long podcast on Federer's story published by Telegraph.

 

[Federberg]

An hour long podcast on Federer's story published by Telegraph.

haha! You beat me to it GSM. It was a fantastic podcast

 

[Busted]

Now that Djokovic and his 25 year-old body with the 30 year-old elbow are out for the rest of the season - who's more chuffed? Federer or Nadal? I'm going to say Nadal. He's undoubtedly working extra hard on his hard court game trying to figure out a way to beat Roger if they play in any of the 3 up-coming events. After the thumpings he took in IW and Miami - you know he's super-motivated to prove he's still in charge of their rivalry. I also think he's motivated to try to close the gap between him and Roger and expand the gap between himself and Nole - because I think he knows he's playing - and winning - on borrowed time. His body is not going to last until 35\36. He's got to win as many Slams as he can NOW not just because he's so injury prone but because the more Roger wins the more the GOAT debate dries up.

 

[Busted]

An hour long podcast on Federer's story published by Telegraph.

Thanks for the link. I listened to it yesterday. Lots of stuff I already knew, but it's always interesting to hear first-hand accounts from people who were there.