Is Federer becoming the new Ferrer?

[Tennis Miller]

I don't mean in playing style. I mean in terms of being in the top 4 or 5, doing very well in the Masters, but not winning. Maybe getting to a few semis in the majors, but not really a threat to win?

I haven't seen anything consistent enough in Fed's game this year to suggest he can keep up a high level for three full sets against the top three. [I know he beat Murray at the AO, but Murray was terrible and just coming back.] And I don't see him seriously challenging Nole or Rafa at a major where the concentration lapses would be fatal tennis-wise. And that's assuming he doesn't suffer that lapse in an earlier round, e.g., getting Stakhovsky'd. (Yes I know Rafa was also Darcised at the same tourney, but he still won 2 other majors)

I also know Roger is better than Ferrer. I know he's playing better than 2013. But given the rankings gap with the top 2, and the very inconsistent play (he's already lost to Hewitt and Nishikori this year), isn't he heading toward becoming Ferrer 2.0?

Cheers

TM

 

[Kieran]

Ouch.

But you know, the guy is getting old. This season has been positive, with a slam semi, an MS final, winning Dubai. I think that's already more than you'd ever hope for from Ferrer. But I get your drift. Roger is facing Father Time in a best of five he's bound to lose...

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

I am not sure what else is expected from the guy. He won Wimbledon and got to #1 in 2012, at the twilight of his career, when every single of his rivals were in their respective peaks. Everything else is a bonus. We should actually be amazed that his still top 4 material. Also, speaking of Ferrer, he has played 843 matches in his life. Roger is at 1164. That's almost 4 more years worth of high end tennis.

I think it is an unfortunate comparison.

 

[Denis]

I am not sure what else is expected from the guy. He won Wimbledon and got to #1 in 2012, at the twilight of his career, when every single of his rivals were in their respective peaks. Everything else is a bonus. We should actually be amazed that his still top 4 material. Also, speaking of Ferrer, he has played 843 matches in his life. Roger is at 1164. That's almost 4 more years worth of high end tennis.

I think it is an unfortunate comparison.

lol, the thread title surely got my attention though! :snigger lol poor Federer, that he has to live to see the day that he is compared with Ferrer.

 

[Fiero425]

Ouch.

But you know, the guy is getting old. This season has been positive, with a slam semi, an MS final, winning Dubai. I think that's already more than you'd ever hope for from Ferrer. But I get your drift. Roger is facing Father Time in a best of five he's bound to lose...

I agree with both of you! I get it on the phone with my mom whining about Federer not winning! I told her years ago, "you can't expect that kind of excellence to be sustained forever!" It lasted longer than I thought, incapsulating a whole "great carrer" in just a handful of years, but the 2nd tier has been such a disappointment in comparison! Even in past eras with true greats ruling their eras like Borg, Lendl, Connors, Sampras, McEnroe, & Agassi, you still had players outside the top rung take a major, Masters, or WTF! I mentioned it on another thread what they said about the M1000 at the moment; "all belong to Djokovic and Nadal!" That's ridiculous; esp. when the best chance for some players should be the last couple in the fall, but Nole's owned them as well of late! I just don't know what to say watching Murray amble along until he sparks something, takes 3 biggies (W, USO, & Olym. gold), but after surgury, has fallen back to the pack! Del Po never fullfilled his promise, and Wawrinka finally did something, but is it too late to build onto that AO? Just babbling! uzzled :nono :angel:

 

[DarthFed]

No, he isn't that bad yet. I think 2013 had a lot of people fooled. Roger can still play, how well in the biggest moments is what remains to be seen. He looked like dog crap in the semis of Oz but he has wetted his pants at the sight of Rafa for 5 years now. Similar to 2012 if Roger gets to 2nd week of Wimbledon he will be plenty dangerous. At this point I don't think that holds true at the other slams, even USO.

 

[Front242]

Worth pointing out that Murray lost to Hewitt also in the Kooyong exhibition which if anyone watched it you could see both players were taking very seriously. This was not a joke about exhibition.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Heck no...

 

[Front242]

You'll never hear Federer grunting like a dog while his opponent is hitting the ball for one thing.

 

[herios]

Ouch.

But you know, the guy is getting old. This season has been positive, with a slam semi, an MS final, winning Dubai. I think that's already more than you'd ever hope for from Ferrer.

You are wrong Buddy. You have memory lapses, as Roger has focus lapses:
SF slams Ferrer had several of them in the last 2 years;
He was in a master final as recently as late last year in Paris
Had plenty of 500 events won also in the last 2 years.

 

[Front242]

^ When was the last time Ferrer won a slam? An over the hill Federer won Wimbledon just 2 years ago and got back to number 1 again against the guys who are supposedly much better players than he dominated during his years of "weak competition". Not bad.

 

[Fiero425]

Ouch.

But you know, the guy is getting old. This season has been positive, with a slam semi, an MS final, winning Dubai. I think that's already more than you'd ever hope for from Ferrer.

You are wrong Buddy. You have memory lapses, as Roger has focus lapses:
SF slams Ferrer had several of them in the last 2 years;
He was in a master final as recently as late last year in Paris
Had plenty of 500 events won also in the last 2 years.

Those results put Ferrer at a high ranking of #3! It didn't do him much good, esp. last year where Nole annihilated him at the AO; running him around like a chicken and blasting him off the court in straight sets! It was a total dismantling of a so called top player and was a thing of beauty to behold!

 

[Tennis Miller]

^ When was the last time Ferrer won a slam? An over the hill Federer won Wimbledon just 2 years ago and got back to number 1 again against the guys who are supposedly much better players than he dominated during his years of "weak competition". Not bad.

No one would ever seriously compare them as to playing styles, career results, and the like.

I'm really talking about the kind of results and ranking you MIGHT be able to expect from 2014 Fed (not 2012 Fed), as comparable to what Ferrer did for quite a few years.

The question was whether he is now becoming more like Ferrer was .( Not whether 2012 Fed is better than Ferrer ever was)

Cheers
TM

 

[brokenshoelace]

Ouch.

But you know, the guy is getting old. This season has been positive, with a slam semi, an MS final, winning Dubai. I think that's already more than you'd ever hope for from Ferrer.

You are wrong Buddy. You have memory lapses, as Roger has focus lapses:
SF slams Ferrer had several of them in the last 2 years;
He was in a master final as recently as late last year in Paris
Had plenty of 500 events won also in the last 2 years.

I think the main difference is perception. When Federer reaches those stages, everyone knows he's a threat to actually beat the top guys and win the tournament (hence beating Novak in Dubai and coming close to repeating the feat in IW. Hence the clinic against Murray at the AO). When Ferrer reaches those stages and faces the top players, his agent is already booking a flight home.

 

[Front242]

^ Broken said all I was going to say right there. Besides clay you wouldn't expect Ferrer to beat Murray at slams. You wouldn't expect him to beat Djokovic or Nadal on any surface at slams. Yeah, he's beaten Nadal and I'm not going to hark on about injuries, blah blah. So maybe he can beat him from time to time. The others of the one time big four, including Federer at slams, he won't. So reaching semis is where the road ends. He got a nice draw last year at RG and made it to the final. Well done to him for that but the final was about as one sided as Serena Williams v Sharapova.

The same cannot be said of Federer who at the semis point in slams is way more dangerous than Ferrer will ever be or has ever been.

 

[JesuslookslikeBorg]

no, don't be silly.

 

[Federberg]

Ooof... a painful question. I think Fed has already shown that 2013 is an anomaly. Surely that can be the only basis by which you ask that question. If you're looking at current performance alone, then Ferrer is not even the guy he's been in the last few years. I'm guessing you're asking about peak Ferrer vs current Rogers performance? Even on that basis it seems a bit unfair. I would throw this back at you. Has there ever been a time where we could realistically see Ferrer winning a major? I don't think so. But surely.. given favourable draws Roger has to have a shot at both SW19 and Flushing this year. At SW19 on current form he has to be as favoured as anyone else, and at Flushing one of only 3 any of us would risk money on right now? His level hasn't dropped that low yet!

 

[Fiero425]

Ooof... a painful question. I think Fed has already shown that 2013 is an anomaly. Surely that can be the only basis by which you ask that question. If you're looking at current performance alone, then Ferrer is not even the guy he's been in the last few years. I'm guessing you're asking about peak Ferrer vs current Rogers performance? Even on that basis it seems a bit unfair. I would throw this back at you. Has there ever been a time where we could realistically see Ferrer winning a major? I don't think so. But surely.. given favourable draws Roger has to have a shot at both SW19 and Flushing this year. At SW19 on current form he has to be as favoured as anyone else, and at Flushing one of only 3 any of us would risk money on right now? His level hasn't dropped that low yet!

His best chance will always be Wimbledon, but I think you can write off Flushing from here on out! He'd need a lot of help! He's had his time with the tourney; his own personal backyard for 6 straight years, winning 5! I just can't see him dealing with the heat, humidity, court pounding, and irregular schedule patterns due to weather! Even Martina Navratilova had trouble at that venue in her later years; big, but hardly the best and easiest major to play!

 

[Front242]

If he has another few wins against Berdych between now and the US Open to get his confidence back against him (as he's troubled him at slams as we all know as Fed has aged, as have many big hitters like Tsonga, Soderling, etc) or better still doesn't draw him at all then he has a good shot of making the semis which is an improvement over the dismal showing last year. Pretty sure he'd love to play Robredo any time, any surface this year too, including clay.

 

[Moxie]

^ When was the last time Ferrer won a slam? An over the hill Federer won Wimbledon just 2 years ago and got back to number 1 again against the guys who are supposedly much better players than he dominated during his years of "weak competition". Not bad.

No one would ever seriously compare them as to playing styles, career results, and the like.

I'm really talking about the kind of results and ranking you MIGHT be able to expect from 2014 Fed (not 2012 Fed), as comparable to what Ferrer did for quite a few years.

The question was whether he is now becoming more like Ferrer was .( Not whether 2012 Fed is better than Ferrer ever was)

Cheers
TM

I understand what you were trying to say with the question, TM, but, no matter how many caveats you put in your OP, folks were going to see red at the comparison. However, I agree with your main point: That Roger is most likely to be around 3-5 in the rankings for this year, maybe next, and his better chances at big tournaments is in the MS. I mostly agree about Slams; though, with Murray still recovering, and Del Potro out for the year, Fed's chances look better than I would have said a month ago at snagging one more. It would take help, though. (Favorable draw, Rafa/Novak dumped out early.)