Fed Fans – Roger Federer Talk

[monfed]

Why is it so important to you that your (our) favorite is viewed more like Navratilova than Evert? I get why it is important, but why so important? You and I, as serious fans, both know that while Martina had an overall better career, Evert was very close - and still one of the very best (in the top 5 all-time, adding Court to the mix). Why isn't that enough?

Again, I get wanting your favorite to be the best of the best. But it isn't the end of the world if he isn't, and it shouldn't diminish our appreciation for him as fans. In the end, I don't care how famous Roger is or to what degree people remember him in 10-15 years. He's my favorite player ever and will probably always be, even if Rafa and Novak both surpass his Slam count.

Furthermore, I think Roger transcends the sport in a way that Sampras never quite did. Pete was the best player of the 90s and for a time might have been considered the greatest player of the Open Era. But I don't think he ever quite had the glamour that Roger has. And to be honest, I think the greatness of the Holy Trinity is only made greater due to them competing against each other. For better or worse, they'll always be tied together - like Borg and McEnroe, or Laver and Rosewall.

Why is it so important? Because if you truly care about tennis, you would want the most skilled player ever to pick up a racquet i.e Federer to be the one to represent it.

For a lot of us, atleast for me anyway, tennis is my favourite sport. I've been playing it since I was 7. I take great pride in playing it knowing that it is the most skilled based sport and some random nobody can't just play it and become good at it. It takes proper technique to become good at tennis which is why many shy away from it and take up badminton instead.

A lot of us are proud that we're fans of a great sport like tennis than some rubbish physical sport like rugby where any beefed up muscleheaded idiot can get good at. Tennis is literally the only thing us non-muscular folks can be proud of having over those macho morons.

So can you please atleast let us have this one thing? It's how we separate ourselves from the braindead beefed up morons who scream like fools with their other varsity "homeboys" for their favourite team and don't appreciate finesse and artisty that only tennis offers. This is why purist Fed fans don't want runners like fakervic and Nadull to take over this skill based sport that was taken to it's zenith by Federer.

 

[Moxie]

^ Well, that explains a lot.

 

[El Dude]

^ Well, that explains a lot.

To me the red flag word is "purist." Another word for purist is fundamentalist.

Seriously though, monfed, of course Roger represents the sport and will continue to represent the sport, no matter what the final Slam counts are five years from now. And you know what? So do Rafa and Novak (represent the sport).

Tennis is, thankfully, big enough for all of them and their diverse styles of play. In my opinion, the sport is only made better by having a diversity of approaches. Viva la difference!

 

[Ricardo]

I am also confused about the so called "casual fans". Who are they and how do you know about what do they think?
All I know that in Europe where I lived when Martina and Chris were playing, they were equally known and followed.

Navratilova did have the advantage of recency bias as she retired more recently.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Chrissy and Martina might be known equally in the US, but in the world, among casual fans, definitely Martina is a bigger name than Chrissy.

 

[monfed]

To me the red flag word is "purist." Another word for purist is fundamentalist.

Seriously though, monfed, of course Roger represents the sport and will continue to represent the sport, no matter what the final Slam counts are five years from now. And you know what? So do Rafa and Novak (represent the sport).

Tennis is, thankfully, big enough for all of them and their diverse styles of play. In my opinion, the sport is only made better by having a diversity of approaches. Viva la difference!

Obviously I didn't mean "representative'". I meant he's the main figurehead of tennis. When casual sports watchers think of tennis they should only think of Federer and not Nadull and fakervic.

 

[Moxie]

Obviously I didn't mean "representative'". I meant he's the main figurehead of tennis. When casual sports watchers think of tennis they should only think of Federer and not Nadull and fakervic.

That ship has sailed, friend.

 

[britbox]

Chrissy and Martina might be known equally in the US, but in the world, among casual fans, definitely Martina is a bigger name than Chrissy.

I don't know... I don't think there is much in it. Chris is just as well known in the UK and Oz from my experience. She's probably as big in mainland Europe with all her clay exploits.

 

[Shivashish Sarkar]

Obviously I didn't mean "representative'". I meant he's the main figurehead of tennis. When casual sports watchers think of tennis they should only think of Federer and not Nadull and fakervic.

Most of the people my age (21) I came across in my life here in India (where tennis is not even tertiary in the list of preferred sports) turned out to be a Nadal or Djokovic fan. So, perhaps, the newer generations prefer Nadal or Djokovic while the older generations prefer Federer (that too is not a given). I was in shock to see the amount of support Nadal got for the Fedal IPTL match in Dec 2015. So, that most of the people in their 30s support Federer in India is far from a given. I have not lived in any other country yet so can't say.

All those people I came across were the most casual type of tennis fans. Therefore, even casual tennis fans don't really recall only Federer as being a star. Talk to me, I have had a real trouble finding a Fed co-fans here.

 

[Fiero425]

Most of the people my age (21) I came across in my life here in India (where tennis is not even tertiary in the list of preferred sports) turned out to be a Nadal or Djokovic fan. So, perhaps, the newer generations prefer Nadal or Djokovic while the older generations prefer Federer (that too is not a given). I was in shock to see the amount of support Nadal got for the Fedal IPTL match in Dec 2015. So, that most of the people in their 30s support Federer in India is far from a given. I have not lived in any other country yet so can't say.

All those people I came across were the most casual type of tennis fans. Therefore, even casual tennis fans don't really recall only Federer as being a star. Talk to me, I have had a real trouble finding a Fed co-fans here.

I got misty thinking about the Flying Amritraj Brothers! They take me back to my start in tennis in '71! I can still see Vijay periodically in a movie or 2! :whistle:

 

[herios]

Chrissy and Martina might be known equally in the US, but in the world, among casual fans, definitely Martina is a bigger name than Chrissy.

If you mean by the rest of the world Czech and Slovakia, I agree, but otherwise, I do not.

 

[GSMSampras]

Most of the people my age (21) I came across in my life here in India (where tennis is not even tertiary in the list of preferred sports) turned out to be a Nadal or Djokovic fan. So, perhaps, the newer generations prefer Nadal or Djokovic while the older generations prefer Federer (that too is not a given). I was in shock to see the amount of support Nadal got for the Fedal IPTL match in Dec 2015. So, that most of the people in their 30s support Federer in India is far from a given. I have not lived in any other country yet so can't say.

All those people I came across were the most casual type of tennis fans. Therefore, even casual tennis fans don't really recall only Federer as being a star. Talk to me, I have had a real trouble finding a Fed co-fans here.

Strange.
The people that I have encountered from india on Twitter and Reddit are almost exclusively Federer fans.

 

[herios]

Strange.
The people that I have encountered from india on Twitter and Reddit are almost exclusively Federer fans.

Indians are cricket fans. LOL

 

[GSMSampras]

Indians are cricket fans. LOL

Talking about Indians on tennis Twitter and reddit.com/r/tennis

 

[Fiero425]

Strange.
The people that I have encountered from india on Twitter and Reddit are almost exclusively Federer fans.

I say it takes them back to a more genteel era with an elegant way of playing! When I think of Fed, I see him coming out to Wimbledon Centre Court paying homage to past eras in the jacket and slacks! I already invoked Vijay Amritraj who was one of the most elegant men around! I could see him taking the place of Roger Moore as James Bond 30 years ago! :whistle:

 

[Fiero425]

Indians are cricket fans. LOL

Tennis is usually way down the list of fave sports in most countries! Soccer is "The World Sport" where people are ready to go to jail celebrating the competition! The USA is the only country that's balked; even with the World Cup hosted here! It just hasn't caught on with 4 major sports created here for the most part; sans basketball IIRC! Horse racing is king in a lot of places including England of all places hosting the premiere event in Wimbledon! How can that be? It's strange thinking around the world! :whistle: :cuckoo:

 

[monfed]

Most of the people my age (21) I came across in my life here in India (where tennis is not even tertiary in the list of preferred sports) turned out to be a Nadal or Djokovic fan. So, perhaps, the newer generations prefer Nadal or Djokovic while the older generations prefer Federer (that too is not a given). I was in shock to see the amount of support Nadal got for the Fedal IPTL match in Dec 2015. So, that most of the people in their 30s support Federer in India is far from a given. I have not lived in any other country yet so can't say.

All those people I came across were the most casual type of tennis fans. Therefore, even casual tennis fans don't really recall only Federer as being a star. Talk to me, I have had a real trouble finding a Fed co-fans here.

Thanks for sharing. I'm Indian too btw, 32 yo. I would say what you're describing is basically the celebrity phenomenon. Justin Bieber has a million fans but they probably don't know what good pop music really is. And I'm not some pop music elitist but having listened to people like Michael Jackson etc I don't know how anyone can like him but he has millions of fans(read fangirls).

Federer is the Tendulkar of tennis. People who know tennis will travel miles just to see him play. Neither dull or fakervic get that type of appreciation.

 

[ftan]

Most of the people my age (21) I came across in my life here in India (where tennis is not even tertiary in the list of preferred sports) turned out to be a Nadal or Djokovic fan. So, perhaps, the newer generations prefer Nadal or Djokovic while the older generations prefer Federer (that too is not a given). I was in shock to see the amount of support Nadal got for the Fedal IPTL match in Dec 2015. So, that most of the people in their 30s support Federer in India is far from a given. I have not lived in any other country yet so can't say.

All those people I came across were the most casual type of tennis fans. Therefore, even casual tennis fans don't really recall only Federer as being a star. Talk to me, I have had a real trouble finding a Fed co-fans here.

It could be a generational thing, I grew up in India, before moving to states 15 years back and my love for tennis started when my dad used watch JMac, i was completely enamored when Paes beat Andre in 96 olympics and have been an ardent follower ever since, loved Sampras and then ofcourse Roger Federer happened. I am in my mid 30s, and most of the people in my generation are Federer fans (I am talking about my Indian friends). So yah, because you are 21 and have grew up watching tennis when Nole n Rafa came to their peak, I definitely think its generational thing

 

[Horsa]

Tennis is usually way down the list of fave sports in most countries! Soccer is "The World Sport" where people are ready to go to jail celebrating the competition! The USA is the only country that's balked; even with the World Cup hosted here! It just hasn't caught on with 4 major sports created here for the most part; sans basketball IIRC! Horse racing is king in a lot of places including England of all places hosting the premiere event in Wimbledon! How can that be? It's strange thinking around the world! :whistle: :cuckoo:

All equestrian sports are my favourites because I don't only like horse-racing but show-jumping & dressage, etc. too. The reason for that is because I love horses.

 

[Moxie]

Thanks for sharing. I'm Indian too btw, 32 yo. I would say what you're describing is basically the celebrity phenomenon. Justin Bieber has a million fans but they probably don't know what good pop music really is. And I'm not some pop music elitist but having listened to people like Michael Jackson etc I don't know how anyone can like him but he has millions of fans(read fangirls).

Federer is the Tendulkar of tennis. People who know tennis will travel miles just to see him play. Neither dull or fakervic get that type of appreciation.

You believe that because you want it to be true. You haven't seen the Serbian contingent showing up all over Europe, or the hordes of Nadal fans that travel to see him? You want Roger to be the One and Only Way. It's not so. Sorry to burst your bubble.