Nadal Would Have Been Crucified...

[brokenshoelace]

Let me be clear about one thing:

-- If someone says: Nadal talks about injuries too much, you won't hear an argument from me.
-- If someone says (or implies): Nadal's injuries are imaginary, that's when I'll disagree.

As far as Federer goes, let's be clear about another thing: This is NOT the first time he talks about his back injury. He talked about it at length at the AO, and he talked about it last year, in particular, bringing up the fact that he's not defending as well as he wants to.

Remember when he talked about mono? The injury in the Nalbandian match? The injury in the Safin match? The injury in the Wimbledon Berdych match? The back injury in late 2008-2009? It's not like his doctor disclosed those injuries. He brought them up. My point? It's OK for a player to say he's injured if he's injured.

 

[Kieran]

I'm gonna return to this thread in about seven pages, when the denials that Rafa ever skipped slams through injury are at their loudest... :snigger

 

[brokenshoelace]

There are more Rafa fans than just here...you should read the garbage they spew on tennis.com.

Buddy, there's fans of all shades who spew garbage. You should go on RogerFederer.com, and so on. Fans are the same everywhere, no matter who they support...

Not really. Take the h2h for example and read the garbage from Nadal fans there.

The only "garbage" has been Fed's results against Nadal. Rafa was comfortably ahead on the H2H since pretty much day one.

 

[Riotbeard]

I tapout :snigger

[video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqLKuO-aBTg[/video]

 

[brokenshoelace]

I tapout :snigger

[video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqLKuO-aBTg[/video]

But it's still the first round. This thread is good for another 7 pages

 

[Riotbeard]

I tapout :snigger

[video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqLKuO-aBTg[/video]

But it's still the first round. This thread is good for another 7 pages

I have a low threshold of pain though :cry

 

[brokenshoelace]

Re: Federer being old. That's undeniable. But it's hilarious how Front is trying to sway this.

Roger has been past his prime for a few years now. However, I'm pretty sure I remember him playing one of the best clay court matches of his career to beat Novak at RG in 2011, two days before losing to Nadal in the final. You can't just shrug off that loss as "Oh well, Fed is old" when he was playing so well all tournament long. The same applies to their 2012 AO match, which took place on the heels of Federer's breathtaking performance against DP, and a few months before his incredible 2012 run...during which he beat Nadal at IW. I guess these matches only count when Federer wins.

 

[brokenshoelace]

I tapout :snigger

[video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqLKuO-aBTg[/video]

But it's still the first round. This thread is good for another 7 pages

I have a low threshold of pain though :cry

Stop making injury excuses

 

[DarthFed]

There are more Rafa fans than just here...you should read the garbage they spew on tennis.com.

Buddy, there's fans of all shades who spew garbage. You should go on RogerFederer.com, and so on. Fans are the same everywhere, no matter who they support...

Not really. Take the h2h for example and read the garbage from Nadal fans there.

The only "garbage" has been Fed's results against Nadal. Rafa was comfortably ahead on the H2H since pretty much day one.

It was 8-6 before Roger's dreadful 2008 for the record.

 

[DarthFed]

Re: Federer being old. That's undeniable. But it's hilarious how Front is trying to sway this.

Roger has been past his prime for a few years now. However, I'm pretty sure I remember him playing one of the best clay court matches of his career to beat Novak at RG in 2011, two days before losing to Nadal in the final. You can't just shrug off that loss as "Oh well, Fed is old" when he was playing so well all tournament long. The same applies to their 2012 AO match, which took place on the heels of Federer's breathtaking performance against DP, and a few months before his incredible 2012 run...during which he beat Nadal at IW. I guess these matches only count when Federer wins.

Doesn't matter what he did in certain matches. That is the Mikeone narrative where we can take one match to show he is as good as ever. Fact of the matter is "on average" the guy is a shell of himself and has been for quite some time. You don't go from 23 straight semis to barely making half if there isn't a huge drop off in ability (on average) involved...

 

[Kieran]

This is the new Mythology Narrative: Rafa only beats Roger because Roger is old.

Used to be, oh Rafa only beats Roger on clay. Then it was strictly a match-up issue. Now it's because Roger is old. What's next? We don't count clay, and we shouldn't count anything after 2009. We won't count the seventeen year old beating him, because that would be unfair: I mean, if we disqualify results for old Federer, it's only fair to ignore Rafa's infancy results as well... :snigger

 

[DarthFed]

Right on par with the myth that Roger has never declined and is the same player he always was. I guess the guy is so lucky, maybe he will start showing signs of slowing down when he no longer reaches the 3rd round of a tournament he has won 7 times...oops :nono

 

[Kieran]

Old age is the new injury, right?

 

[britbox]

Part of the problem is that on tennis boards, people don't differentiate what a player says and what their fanbase post.

 

[DarthFed]

Old age is the new injury, right?

Age and results are 2 facts. One always goes up and after a certain amount of time the other ... Most fans accept it, that's why some even seemed pleased to see him be competitive with a dude who has done next to nothing the last year (Nole). I don't think that lowly of his ability yet.

 

[britbox]

^ Outside of Nadal (and Wawrinka if you just focus on majors) who has achieved more than Djokovic this last year Darth?

 

[Denis]

Old age is the new injury, right?

Age and results are 2 facts. One always goes up and after a certain amount of time the other ... Most fans accept it, that's why some even seemed pleased to see him be competitive with a dude who has done next to nothing the last year (Nole). I don't think that lowly of his ability yet.

So according to you, the only person to have achieved anything last year is Nadal. Winning one slam doesn't count apparently... :s

 

[DarthFed]

^ Outside of Nadal (and Wawrinka if you just focus on majors) who has achieved more than Djokovic this last year Darth?

Murray, it's kind of tough to say someone had a "great" 12+ months if they aren't holding a slam, unless they are not any kind of a force to begin with. Nole has been nothing special the last year.

 

[DarthFed]

Old age is the new injury, right?

Age and results are 2 facts. One always goes up and after a certain amount of time the other ... Most fans accept it, that's why some even seemed pleased to see him be competitive with a dude who has done next to nothing the last year (Nole). I don't think that lowly of his ability yet.

So according to you, the only person to have achieved anything last year is Nadal. Winning one slam doesn't count apparently... :s

Was referring to the last 12 months. IMO, aside from last Fall, Nole has not been impressive to say the least.

 

[britbox]

Depends who you are comparing Djokovic to Darth. If you are looking at the field as a whole then he's the second best player in the world as it stands.

I guess the bigger question is What are your realistic expectations of Roger Federer?

At this stage of his career, I think he's having a good year. I think he's got the potential to add maybe one more major, but overall I'm happy to see him playing good tennis. I'm guessing your bar is set way higher.