Let's talk about 2017...

[El Dude]

By the way, I'm doing a blog on the Young Guns Year in Review, with outlooks for 2017. I will say that I see Kyrgios as the best bet for a surprise Slam (Milos too, but at 26 he's not a Young Gun anymore). He's got the game, he just needs to mature. Thiem is also possible at RG, but would need Novak and Rafa to be upset. Zverev? I don't think he's ready. Maybe by the US Open, but I think his break through to true Slam contention will be 2018.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I don't buy into the notion about seedings hurting Roger badly. The cream always raises to the top and very fast at that. How many times have we seen JMDP raise from outside 1000 to top 10 in a matter of six months or less?

First of all, Fed is not starting in a bad position. He will be a seeded player even at AO (probably somewhere between 17 and 20).

Second, having missed Rotterdam, Dubai, IW and Miami last year, he has ample opportunity to rack up points in the large period after AO and before the beginning of clay season. Further, even in the clay season he did not play much last year (missed RG and Madrid). So, that is another period to boost his ranking. Finally, he has tremendous advantage at Wimbledon seeding being a semifinalist last year and a finalist the year before.

 

[Fiero425]

I don't buy into the notion about seedings hurting Roger badly. The cream always raises to the top and very fast at that. How many times have we seen JMDP raise from outside 1000 to top 10 in a matter of six months or less?

First of all, Fed is not starting in a bad position. He will be a seeded player even at AO (probably somewhere between 17 and 20).

Second, having missed Rotterdam, Dubai, IW and Miami last year, he has ample opportunity to rack up points in the large period after AO and before the beginning of clay season. Further, even in the clay season he did not play much last year (missed RG and Madrid). So, that is another period to boost his ranking. Finally, he has tremendous advantage at Wimbledon seeding being a semifinalist last year and a finalist the year before.

Dream on! :nono :dodgy: :cover :snicker :laydownlaughing

 

[El Dude]

Barring injury, Roger would have to be pretty far gone not to make it back to the top 10 relatively quickly. He played only 7 tournaments last year and 28 matches - that's about 35-40% of his usual amount. Remember that he was a shadow of himself in 2013 and still managed to finish #6.

 

[Fiero425]

Barring injury, Roger would have to be pretty far gone not to make it back to the top 10 relatively quickly. He played only 7 tournaments last year and 28 matches - that's about 35-40% of his usual amount. Remember that he was a shadow of himself in 2013 and still managed to finish #6.

With his bad back and changing rackets, 2013 was more about how pathetic the tour was at the time! By him being able to remain in the top 10 said more about the other players than Roger; SORRY! :nono :cover

- - http://fiero4251.blogspot.com/2016/08/fan-page-novak-nole-djokovic.html - -

 

[Front242]

^ And the competition is even worse in 2016. 2014-2016 is officially the weakest it's been in decades.

 

[Kieran]

"In decades." :laydownlaughing

Well, at least since federer won a dozen or more slams virtually unopposed...

 

[mrzz]

^ And the competition is even worse in 2016. 2014-2016 is officially the weakest it's been in decades.

Sorry Front, the official low point of the century is facing Berdych on a Wimbledon final.

 

[Kieran]

^ And the competition is even worse in 2016. 2014-2016 is officially the weakest it's been in decades.

Sorry Front, the official low point of the century is facing Berdych on a Wimbledon final.

To be fair to berdych, I think he took out the defending champ that year, then Djokovic. That's a couple of scalps!

 

[mrzz]

And then he got back to normal...

Anyway, the defendind champion was playing like sh!t... it was on that year that Falla served for the match on round 1. Then the DC went to four sets on round 2. Djokovic, and remember this is 2010 Djokovic, needed five sets in round 1 too...

Honestly, I don´t like the weak competition discussion, but it is a game everyone can play...

 

[isabelle]

Barring injury, Roger would have to be pretty far gone not to make it back to the top 10 relatively quickly. He played only 7 tournaments last year and 28 matches - that's about 35-40% of his usual amount. Remember that he was a shadow of himself in 2013 and still managed to finish #6.

he was much younger in 2013 and had no surgery
he'll turn 36 in 2017 and he finished 2016 N°16, not the same situation, it'll be harder and harder to come back and to compete with Murray, Nole, Raonic and all young guns

 

[Fiero425]

Barring injury, Roger would have to be pretty far gone not to make it back to the top 10 relatively quickly. He played only 7 tournaments last year and 28 matches - that's about 35-40% of his usual amount. Remember that he was a shadow of himself in 2013 and still managed to finish #6.

he was much younger in 2013 and had no surgery
he'll turn 36 in 2017 and he finished 2016 N°16, not the same situation, it'll be harder and harder to come back and to compete with Murray, Nole, Raonic and all young guns

Finally the voice of reason! :nono :angel: :dodgy: :cover - - - http://fiero4251.blogspot.com/2016/08/fan-page-novak-nole-djokovic.html - - -

 

[Shivashish Sarkar]

Guys, is Federer playing at IPTL in December?

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Guys, is Federer playing at IPTL in December?

No, none of the big four are playing. See circus thread for more details.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

AO Warm Up Plans for Big Four are as follows:

Federer: Hopman Cup.

Nadal: Mudabala, Brisbane.

Novak: Doha

Murray: Mudabala, Doha

Also, this year Stan The Man moved up a notch and playing in Brisbane instead of the lowly Chennai Tourney that he has won a few times.

 

[Front242]

Barring injury, Roger would have to be pretty far gone not to make it back to the top 10 relatively quickly. He played only 7 tournaments last year and 28 matches - that's about 35-40% of his usual amount. Remember that he was a shadow of himself in 2013 and still managed to finish #6.

he was much younger in 2013 and had no surgery
he'll turn 36 in 2017 and he finished 2016 N°16, not the same situation, it'll be harder and harder to come back and to compete with Murray, Nole, Raonic and all young guns

Finally the voice of reason! :nono :angel: :dodgy: :cover - - - http://fiero4251.blogspot.com/2016/08/fan-page-novak-nole-djokovic.html - - -

Nah. She just detests Federer. Unfortunately for her and others, she's gonna be upset when he storms back. For a start he made the Wimbledon semis after surgery with a bad knee. Things can only and will only improve.

 

[Fiero425]

he was much younger in 2013 and had no surgery
he'll turn 36 in 2017 and he finished 2016 N°16, not the same situation, it'll be harder and harder to come back and to compete with Murray, Nole, Raonic and all young guns

Finally the voice of reason! :nono :angel: :dodgy: :cover - - - http://fiero4251.blogspot.com/2016/08/fan-page-novak-nole-djokovic.html - - -

Nah. She just detests Federer. Unfortunately for her and others, she's gonna be upset when he storms back. For a start he made the Wimbledon semis after surgery with a bad knee. Things can only and will only improve.

As I said before, that says more about the weak and pathetic play of the other tour players than about Roger! Time has passed; he ain't 26 or so! The old man is closing in on 36! Wake up and smell the latte! :nono :angel: :cover :ras:

 

[Fiero425]

Guys, is Federer playing at IPTL in December?

No, none of the big four are playing. See circus thread for more details.

Bout time! That money grab made no sense for any of these senior citizens on the court! :angel: :dodgy: :cover

- - http://fiero4251.blogspot.com/2016/08/fan-page-novak-nole-djokovic.html - -

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Guys, is Federer playing at IPTL in December?

No, none of the big four are playing. See circus thread for more details.

Bout time! That money grab made no sense for any of these senior citizens on the court! :angel: :dodgy: :cover

- - http://fiero4251.blogspot.com/2016/08/fan-page-novak-nole-djokovic.html - -

It is not that people have become suddenly noble; It is just that there was not much money on the plate this time.

 

[El Dude]

I'm not denying that it is a hard climb for Roger, but if anyone can do it he can. And again, let's go back to Carol's question about why some were putting him and Rafa in the same category. That's all I was saying, that they're roughly in the same category in terms of chances of success in 2017, if you weigh all factors: age, health, play style, recent record, etc. Carol--in her blind but also endearing fangirlism of Rafa--seems to think he's just a tweak or two away from a return to 2013 form, and she's been thinking that for the last two and a half years. She asked this question and didn't like the answer so got upset.

To be honest, though, I don't get not cheering for both. Are Roger fans so "butthurt" about Rafa that they can't wish him the best and hope to see him have one last surge to another Roland Garros title? Are Rafa fans so bitter that they can't cheer for a 35-year old great to have continued success? I mean, are we tennis fans first and foremost or are we really so petty?

I want the next gen to rise up and take hold of the tour, but that's clearly not going to happen within the next year or so. I'd much rather see a 2017 that isn't the season-long equivalent of an attrition war between Andy and Novak...it gets a lot more interesting if the King of Clay the Maestro are back. On the other hand, I can also admit that I hope Rafa's success is limited to clay, because as much as I'm a tennis fan first, a Roger fan second, I do like him having that Slam title lead . But I honestly would like to see Rafa do well on clay, even win RG one more time...but only one!