Is Roger Federer Truly Done? We Can't Know...Yet

[lob]

And Nadal for most of his career has been irrelevant on grass and was unable to make more than 3 matches at Wimbledon. Bottom line is Roger as a geriatric kicked the crap out of Nadal last year including a couple matches on slow hardcourts. What that really proves more or less is how badly Roger performed against him due to a mental block for so many years, one which was earned by Nadal through dominating Fed on clay. That's why I talk about how pathetic matches like Wimbledon 08 and AO 09 were from Fed's perspective. He pissed his pants at the sight of Nadal and lost in atrocious fashion on surfaces he shouldn't have.

Darth, true. But the least Roger could do in 2008 and 2009 was be diligent in his preparation against RN. He knew that he might piss his pants. So he should have worn diapers so that it won't show. His overconfidence didn't let him anticipate his obvious vulnerabilities going into those two big big matches. Did he even have good game plan A and game plan B? That is a rookie mistake. We justifiably shake our heads at the likes of Safin, Nalby, Kyrgios, Tsonga, Monfils, Berdych, Verdasco, Gulbis, Dimitrov, Gasquet for choking, laziness or being nut cases. We don't elevate them by wondering what they might have been. And the conditions hadn't deteriorated this much in 2008, 2009 and 2010. Roger was young.

Compare that to Djokovic. The guy used to choke, make excuses, throw tantrums. He had numerous brutal losses. Where is he now.

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[DarthFed]

Tell you what. Nadal lost to Roger last year due to some “mental block”. Yes that sounds good.

Your reasoning basically can be summed up as Federer’s wins count and Rafa’s don’t. It has nothing to do with actual results but minimizing the results you don’t like. Federer did lose all those matches to Nadal so stating “he shouldn’t have” doesn’t magically negate them.

That wasn't my meaning at all. The fact he lost those matches to Nadal is a big strike against him especially since a win in either would mean there is no realistic slam chase right now.

However, you seem to be insinuating that there was no mental component to Roger losing all those matches to Nadal despite being a far superior player to him on EVERY surface aside from clay. And I strongly disagree. Fans from both side often chalked it up to the matchup advantage while ignoring that the matchup advantage of high topspin to Roger's backhand was much less off clay. Roger "on paper" should have done a lot better vs Nadal off clay, period. And 2017 is decent proof of that. If 36 year old gramps took him to the woodshed you think the mid 20's version who won over 90% of his matches every year shouldn't have been able to handle him?

 

[Riotbeard]

I hope Roger is done, and pretty soon Novak and Rafa at that rate, haha. I want some new blood.

That being said, I would have never pegged Fed to win two Aussie after the age of 35, thus I feel like one or two slams is well within the realm of possibility. Fed's looked old/down and out a couple of significant stints post-2010, and he has won four slams in that period. To me, it feels really premature to say he's done when he still holds one slam...

 

[Denis]

Not agreeing with you Riotbeard. While I'm quite happy Fed is no longer a real threat to Novak at slams, I would hate to see him retire. Tennis is going to take a tremendous hit with the Big 3 gone, and Fed's retirement is part of that unfortunately. Youtube won't replace the anticipation of their big matches against each other. Come to think of it, the fact that Roger is no longer a real threat is in itself kind of sad, although you can never truly count the old goat out I guess.

 

[Carol]

https://www.bbc.com/sport/tennis/45415170

 

[Fiero425]

Not agreeing with you Riotbeard. While I'm quite happy Fed is no longer a real threat to Novak at slams, I would hate to see him retire. Tennis is going to take a tremendous hit with the Big 3 gone, and Fed's retirement is part of that unfortunately. Youtube won't replace the anticipation of their big matches against each other. Come to think of it, the fact that Roger is no longer a real threat is in itself kind of sad, although you can never truly count the old goat out I guess.

Tennis needs the shake up! I've been begging for it for years & will have no regrets after Fedalovic finally hang up their rackets! :whistle:

 

[herios]

Not agreeing with you Riotbeard. While I'm quite happy Fed is no longer a real threat to Novak at slams, I would hate to see him retire. Tennis is going to take a tremendous hit with the Big 3 gone, and Fed's retirement is part of that unfortunately. Youtube won't replace the anticipation of their big matches against each other. Come to think of it, the fact that Roger is no longer a real threat is in itself kind of sad, although you can never truly count the old goat out I guess.

 

[DarthFed]

Write him off at your own peril. I'm not seeing signs of it yet. It'd be one thing if he was going out and getting badly outplayed start to end in these matches but aside from the Djokovic loss they've all been ones he was in control of at some point until he badly lost the plot.

He didn't become too old when he was match points up vs Del Po and Anderson, and the heat wasn't suddenly too much when he was a point away from a two set lead vs a journeyman. He didn't become too old when he blew the first set to Coric at Halle. Right now it is his mind that is losing it for him. I think the focus and hunger can come and go. If he doesn't get it back he is certainly done because right now he is finding ways to lose against all odds, but I think he will snap out of it sooner rather than later. The problem is he isn't getting any younger and now Djokovic seems to be back and the younger gen will become more of a factor. So even if he stops gagging on every ham sandwich he sees it will not be getting any easier to win big events. But I'm not counting him out, especially at Wimbledon.

 

[Carol]

I’m not sure if Roger is done but this guy is for sure

 

[lob]

Tennis needs the shake up! I've been begging for it for years & will have no regrets after Fedalovic finally hang up their rackets! :whistle:

No one gave these three an automatic reign on ATP tour. There hasn't been a single great player who has gone pro for a dozen straight years now. The world has more tennis dads and moms than ever. Not even a less great player with a heart like say Hewitt or Roddick or Ivanisevic. Quite unprecedented. It's not just talent but lack of fight too. Let alone Nalbandian, I miss Davydenko, Gonzalez, Youzhny, younger Tsonga/Berdych/Verdasco. Each of those guys was fun to watch.

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[Jelenafan]

That wasn't my meaning at all. The fact he lost those matches to Nadal is a big strike against him especially since a win in either would mean there is no realistic slam chase right now.

However, you seem to be insinuating that there was no mental component to Roger losing all those matches to Nadal despite being a far superior player to him on EVERY surface aside from clay. And I strongly disagree. Fans from both side often chalked it up to the matchup advantage while ignoring that the matchup advantage of high topspin to Roger's backhand was much less off clay. Roger "on paper" should have done a lot better vs Nadal off clay, period. And 2017 is decent proof of that. If 36 year old gramps took him to the woodshed you think the mid 20's version who won over 90% of his matches every year shouldn't have been able to handle him?

There is ALWAYS a mental component in matches, thus why they dont always go as some Fedfans seem to think they should “ on paper”.

FYI: Wherever you guys are forking out for Aaron Rodgers, it ain’t enough.

 

[DarthFed]

There is ALWAYS a mental component in matches, thus why they dont always go as some Fedfans seem to think they should “ on paper”.

FYI: Wherever you guys are forking out for Aaron Rodgers, it ain’t enough.

They give him too much, that offensive line and coach is so crappy that he won't last the year. But what can you do when he is capable of taking a bottom 3-5 team to the playoffs.

 

[Osakanhime]

I am looking at a perspective of, is Roger playing to truly be competitive, or is he playing just for fun now? I would love to ask him that personally. I feel it's drifted more to the latter.

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[lob]

No he is not playing for fun. He is serious alright. The problem is that just being serious is not enough for him anymore. The tour is brutally competitive even if the next gen is poor. His mind and body cannot sustain it for 7 straight 3/5 matches. So he is done for slams. He'll win a few more smaller tourneys.

I am looking at a perspective of, is Roger playing to truly be competitive, or is he playing just for fun now? I would love to ask him that personally. I feel it's drifted more to the latter.

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[monfed]

Yes Fred is truly done. And I obviously mean slams.