Fed Fans – Roger Federer Talk

[Moxie]

He did not choose to practice in Queens. Apparently, indoor hardcourts to practice are difficult to come by in that area it seems. Federer was actually complaining about the lack of good practice courts similar to the actual courts on which the tourney is being played.

And now, according to you, he's also complaining about the court speed. That's a lot of complaining for a guy who's won the WTF at the O2 a lot of times. Seems he'd have worked it out better by now, no? Where did he practice in past years?

 

[El Dude]

So I just re-watched parts of the last two AO finals and my first thought on watching 2017 (again) was: what happened to this guy? He was like a gazelle, so quick and light on his feet, with no holes in his game. He was losing points to Rafa's brilliant defense-to-offense, but otherwise playing impeccably.

2018 was a different picture. He looked very strong at first, but then collapsed in that 4th set. But he dug deep to hold off Cilic in that first service game of the 5th set, and then Marin imploded. If CIlic had broken him I don't think Roger could have held up to another CIlic barrage. It was a last gasp of sheer will.

But it seems that Roger's current struggles really go back to the 2018 AO final. He started strong and then went up and down, with a 1st serve all over the place, and just sub-par play. He has basically looked the same since. It is almost like he used up the last bit of his reservoir of greatness to pull off that 1st game of the 5th set, which broke Cilic emotionally and led to his 20th Slam title.

Who knows...maybe he can fill the reservoir back up again with six weeks or so off. Hard to imagine, but he's done it before, and improbably so. But I hope he revisits whatever he did in December of 2016 to prepare for 2017.

 

[DarthFed]

And now, according to you, he's also complaining about the court speed. That's a lot of complaining for a guy who's won the WTF at the O2 a lot of times. Seems he'd have worked it out better by now, no? Where did he practice in past years?

Roger has done pretty crappy at the O2. This is his 9th year playing it and he's only won it twice there and only 3 finals. Shanghai was much kinder to him.

 

[Moxie]

Roger has done pretty crappy at the O2. This is his 9th year playing it and he's only won it twice there and only 3 finals. Shanghai was much kinder to him.

So it's the surface, or that he's been crap?

 

[DarthFed]

So it's the surface, or that he's been crap?

I was just correcting you when you said he had done well at the O2. I think it is an ok surface for Roger, pretty slow but a low bounce. Obviously Shanghai is way better for him.

 

[Moxie]

I was just correcting you when you said he had done well at the O2. I think it is an ok surface for Roger, pretty slow but a low bounce. Obviously Shanghai is way better for him.

TBH, I forgot that it was in Shanghai before. That's why I felt like I'd never heard of it before London, I guess. They were playing it on the other side of the world, in the days before streams and TTC.

 

[DarthFed]

TBH, I forgot that it was in Shanghai before. That's why I felt like I'd never heard of it before London, I guess. They were playing it on the other side of the world, in the days before streams and TTC.

Yeah, I hear you on that! It was in Shanghai from 2005-2008 and before that it was in Houston for 2003-2004

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Fed's next match is on 30th December in Hopman cup. Switzerland, USA, GB and Greece are in one group. The next genners Perseus, Sasha and Tiafoe are also in Hopman cup and so Fed will be able to assess how his body holds up against youngsters.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Coach Severin Luthi has predicted Federer will retire between 2019 and 2021 - meaning he will not play beyond 40 years old.

“I do not like to speak a lot about his retirement and he does not like to talk about it, because it's like it approaches faster,” Luthi told Le Temps.

“I can see him playing for at least one to three years more"

 

[El Dude]

I think it all depends upon how (or if) he bounces back in 2019. In all of his "down" years (2008, 2013, 2016) he was able to bounce back the following year. But if his struggles continue into 2019 and he doesn't bounce back, I think he'll consider calling it quits after Basel.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I think it all depends upon how (or if) he bounces back in 2019. In all of his "down" years (2008, 2013, 2016) he was able to bounce back the following year. But if his struggles continue into 2019 and he doesn't bounce back, I think he'll consider calling it quits after Basel.

2019 is not a "down year" for Fed considering he won a slam and reached #1 ranking and considering he went slamless for six years.

 

[The_Grand_Slam]

 

[El Dude]

2019 is not a "down year" for Fed considering he won a slam and reached #1 ranking and considering he went slamless for six years.

"Down" is relative to "up." 2018 is down relative to 2017. So yes, in the way that I meant it, 2018 was a down year - his performance went down from the year prior, just as was the case in 2016, 2013, and 2008. In each of those "down years," he went back up to a higher level in the next year.

This fits the context of what I'm saying. If 2019 is more of the same of 2018, I don't think retirement will be far behind. But if he goes back "up," then he might continue on longer. My point being, in each of he down-turns, or valleys, of his career, he was able to resurge and go back up. If he isn't able to do so in 2019, we'll be in uncharted territory and I would think the likelihood of retirement would greatly increase.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

"Down" is relative to "up." 2018 is down relative to 2017. So yes, in the way that I meant it, 2018 was a down year - his performance went down from the year prior, just as was the case in 2016, 2013, and 2008. In each of those "down years," he went back up to a higher level in the next year.

This fits the context of what I'm saying. If 2019 is more of the same of 2018, I don't think retirement will be far behind. But if he goes back "up," then he might continue on longer. My point being, in each of he down-turns, or valleys, of his career, he was able to resurge and go back up. If he isn't able to do so in 2019, we'll be in uncharted territory and I would think the likelihood of retirement would greatly increase.

Your characterizations of down years are arbitrary. If 2018 is down year, then why is 2010 not a down year. He won only one slam in 2016. Moreover, if you agree to call 2010 down year, then he went further down in 2011. So, your theory of he was always able to come back from a "down year" is also goes down the drain.

 

[El Dude]

Your characterizations of down years are arbitrary. If 2018 is down year, then why is 2010 not a down year. He won only one slam in 2016. Moreover, if you agree to call 2010 down year, then he went further down in 2011. So, your theory of he was always able to come back from a "down year" is also goes down the drain.

I disagree. 2010 isn't hugely different from 2009 in terms of level and overall performance. There are fluctuations from year to year, but we see a more significant drop in level and results in 2008, 2013, 2016, and 2018; after each of the first three years, he rebounded somewhat.

 

[mrzz]

@GameSetAndMath , take out AO (which is in January) and the rest of 2018 is a down year (in terms of overall level). Just two MS finals, only two 500's and a single 250. Not even semis on the other two majors. In terms of achievements, yes, no doubt is "up".

 

[GameSetAndMath]

@GameSetAndMath , take out AO (which is in January) and the rest of 2018 is a down year (in terms of overall level). Just two MS finals, only two 500's and a single 250. Not even semis on the other two majors. In terms of achievements, yes, no doubt is "up".

It was the same story in 2010. When he won AO that year, the talk was that Roger is now very loose given that he has crossed Pete's record and won an RG and so from now on he will keep winning everything. However, he won nothing in 2010 after that. So, 2010 was downhill considering AO happened in January. Now, see what happened in 2011. He went further down in 2011, but still came back to winning way.

So, 2018 is comparable to 2010. Who is to say that if he goes down even further in 2019, he cannot comeback?

 

[britbox]

2019 is not a "down year" for Fed considering he won a slam and reached #1 ranking and considering he went slamless for six years.

Agree. Any year a major gets won must be regarded as a success... for any player, but especially at Federer's age. Strangely that AO win seems more like 5 years ago rather than 10 months!

 

[mrzz]

It was the same story in 2010. When he won AO that year, the talk was that Roger is now very loose given that he has crossed Pete's record and won an RG and so from now on he will keep winning everything. However, he won nothing in 2010 after that. So, 2010 was downhill considering AO happened in January. Now, see what happened in 2011. He went further down in 2011, but still came back to winning way.

So, 2018 is comparable to 2010. Who is to say that if he goes down even further in 2019, he cannot comeback?

Very good point in relating 2010 and 2018, but (rest of) 2010 was still better than (rest of) 2018. Semis at USOPEN (losing match points), winning a masters title and specially winning YEC undefeated.

But even if we assume they are comparable, it is a 8 years difference in age. That surely will have its toll.

 

[DarthFed]

I disagree. 2010 isn't hugely different from 2009 in terms of level and overall performance. There are fluctuations from year to year, but we see a more significant drop in level and results in 2008, 2013, 2016, and 2018; after each of the first three years, he rebounded somewhat.

I get your point but I disagree that 2010 wasn't a huge drop off from 2009. Roger was dreadful after AO until the indoor season. He did win Cincy but most of the losses were early aside from a final at Madrid and Toronto. And the main thing is majors where his play was significantly worse