Roger's Five...

[Kieran]

On Reddit, he picked his five toughest matches:

Self_Esteem_Booster: What was your toughest match ever?
iamrogerfederer:
• Hewitt in Davis Cup 03.
• Del Potro in Olympics 2012.
• Roddick Wimbledon 09.
• Nalbandian 05 World Tour Finals, final.
• Rafa Wimbledon 2008. One of the great matches I've been apart of.

Interesting choices...

 

[Front242]

Surprised he doesn't consider the AO '05 semi against Safin. Truly incredible match. Both guys played amazing.

 

[DarthFed]

I wonder how he is determining "toughest" Maybe as in the most mentally draining? In that case the only surprising one there would be the 05 YEC vs. Nalbs. Roger has often cited the Davis Cup vs. Hewitt as one of his toughest losses and obviously 08 Wimbledon is up there. Then the two marathon matches on grass that he won are good choices too. That DP match was draining just watching it.

 

[shawnbm]

Yeah, to me the Safin match should be there, along with Rafa in 2006 at the Italian Open.

---

Then again, who am I to argue with the guy that played the matches?

 

[Front242]

Yeah, to me the Safin match should be there, along with Rafa in 2006 at the Italian Open.

---

Then again, who am I to argue with the guy that played the matches?

---

Yeah, great choice. Was actually thinking about that in work with a fellow Fed fan. We were saying what if Fed had won that match (he had 2 MPs), it's quite possible the whole dynamic of Fed v Nadal on clay would be a lot different if he had beaten him in best of 5 on clay. Since that loss he's never come anywhere near that close, as if the mental hang up of losing there is always on his mind. We'll never know.

 

[DarthFed]

Yeah, to me the Safin match should be there, along with Rafa in 2006 at the Italian Open.

---

Then again, who am I to argue with the guy that played the matches?

---

Yeah, great choice. Was actually thinking about that in work with a fellow Fed fan. We were saying what if Fed had won that match (he had 2 MPs), it's quite possible the whole dynamic of Fed v Nadal on clay would be a lot different if he had beaten him in best of 5 on clay. Since that loss he's never come anywhere near that close, as if the mental hang up of losing there is always on his mind. We'll never know.

---

I've seen that mentioned a lot of times. Truthfully I doubt it would have changed much and my reasoning is that Fed still took good confidence from that match and won a 6-1 1st set at RG 3-4 weeks later but then Rafa took command and held off a late rally in the 4th by Fed. And this was Fed at the very height of his powers. Nadal is a lot better than Roger on clay and always was.

The match that ruined it all for Fed against Nadal was 08 Wimbledon. You can blame the mess that was the 09 AO final completely on that match IMO. And it has all snowballed from there.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Agreed with Darth. No disrespect to anyone but if you really think one changed outcome (the Rome match in 2006) would have changed the entire dynamics on clay when they're so overwhelmingly obvious now (2-14 is no joke), you're being unrealistic.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

He was also saying at the AMA that one thing he would change in the game would be to bring back some of the old 5 setters...The old guy wants to play more...

 

[Front242]

He was also saying at the AMA that one thing he would change in the game would be to bring back some of the old 5 setters...The old guy wants to play more...

I'd actually love the Olympic idea of best of 3 till the final and best of 5 for the final for a few select Masters 1000s but it's a bit much to ask for many of the players I guess.

 

[Murat Baslamisli]

He was also saying at the AMA that one thing he would change in the game would be to bring back some of the old 5 setters...The old guy wants to play more...

I'd actually love the Olympic idea of best of 3 till the final and best of 5 for the final for a few select Masters 1000s but it's a bit much to ask for many of the players I guess.

I think it would be great to have the finals as 5 setters so long as you play the semis on Friday.

 

[Moxie]

He was also saying at the AMA that one thing he would change in the game would be to bring back some of the old 5 setters...The old guy wants to play more...

I'd actually love the Olympic idea of best of 3 till the final and best of 5 for the final for a few select Masters 1000s but it's a bit much to ask for many of the players I guess.

I miss having more 3/5 setters, as well, but I don't see anyone going back to that in MS1000s. (And how would you ever do it 'selected' ones?) I think it was actually after the Rome 06 final that it changed...not because the players complained, but because Roger and Rafa both pulled out of the subsequent Hamburg, and the tournament complained. But that match wouldn't be quite the classic that it is if it had been played in 3 sets, IMO. Maybe they could do it for the Olympics, though. Maybe the YEC could play a 3/5 final, as well.

 

[Front242]

He was also saying at the AMA that one thing he would change in the game would be to bring back some of the old 5 setters...The old guy wants to play more...

I'd actually love the Olympic idea of best of 3 till the final and best of 5 for the final for a few select Masters 1000s but it's a bit much to ask for many of the players I guess.

I miss having more 3/5 setters, as well, but I don't see anyone going back to that in MS1000s. (And how would you ever do it 'selected' ones?) I think it was actually after the Rome 06 final that it changed...not because the players complained, but because Roger and Rafa both pulled out of the subsequent Hamburg, and the tournament complained. But that match wouldn't be quite the classic that it is if it had been played in 3 sets, IMO. Maybe they could do it for the Olympics, though. Maybe the YEC could play a 3/5 final, as well.

Yeah good idea about the YEC final 'cos that's the last tournament of the year for any of the top players so being tired isn't a problem when they have a lengthy break and agree about the Hamburg complaints ending best of 5 at the masters. At least we have some nice memories and youtube.

 

[tented]

Yeah, to me the Safin match should be there, along with Rafa in 2006 at the Italian Open.

---

Then again, who am I to argue with the guy that played the matches?

---

LOL! Who are we, indeed.

I love how when asked which was his "toughest match" (not matches), he proceeds to name five. There have been so many, even he can't narrow it down to one, but it is intriguing which ones came to mind.

It's also interesting that of the five he did mention, he lost three. This speaks to a theme which has been discussed over the years about how several of his greatest matches have been ones he lost: '03 Davis Cup, '05 AO, '05 Masters Cup, '06 Rome, '08 Wimbledon. That's not a coincidence, either -- it speaks to the level of play which was required of his opponents in order to beat him.

Finally, I'm not certain how many players, when asked the same question, would have mentioned any matches they lost.

 

[Ricardo]

Agreed with Darth. No disrespect to anyone but if you really think one changed outcome (the Rome match in 2006) would have changed the entire dynamics on clay when they're so overwhelmingly obvious now (2-14 is no joke), you're being unrealistic.

I second that, that match probably got into his head a lot. He was just frustrated that he played the match of his life on clay holding two match points, yet Nadal still struggled out a win. Once you are at the peak and still can't get over, you can only diminish from there, against Nadal on clay.

 

[Moxie]

Yeah, to me the Safin match should be there, along with Rafa in 2006 at the Italian Open.

---

Then again, who am I to argue with the guy that played the matches?

---

LOL! Who are we, indeed.

I love how when asked which was his "toughest match" (not matches), he proceeds to name five. There have been so many, even he can't narrow it down to one, but it is intriguing which ones came to mind.

It's also interesting that of the five he did mention, he lost three. This speaks to a theme which has been discussed over the years about how several of his greatest matches have been ones he lost: '03 Davis Cup, '05 AO, '05 Masters Cup, '06 Rome, '08 Wimbledon. That's not a coincidence, either -- it speaks to the level of play which was required of his opponents in order to beat him.

Finally, I'm not certain how many players, when asked the same question, would have mentioned any matches they lost.

---

All good points, tented, and I'm glad you brought them up. He was under no obligation to mention matches that he lost. But of the 1000+ matches, or whatever he's up to, now, it has often taken a dog-fight to beat him, but it hasn't as often taken a dog-fight for him to win. So, of a lot of the classic matches that Fed has participated in, he hasn't always won them, but for that reason, IMO.

 

[Ricardo]

Surprised he doesn't consider the AO '05 semi against Safin. Truly incredible match. Both guys played amazing.

He was only given 5 choices so definitely had to miss a lot of tough ones, am sure it'd be in his top 10 for sure. Interesting he selected matches with 3 old guys and 2 young guns, he does belong to the previous era doesn't he...... time flies

I think he'd have 05 AO semi with Safin, 09 USO final with Delpo, 11 USO semi with Djoker, 12 Wimbledon final with Murray, 09 AO final with Nadal as some of his choices, if the list extends to top 10.

 

[Moxie]

Surprised he doesn't consider the AO '05 semi against Safin. Truly incredible match. Both guys played amazing.

He was only given 5 choices so definitely had to miss a lot of tough ones, am sure it'd be in his top 10 for sure. Interesting he selected matches with 3 old guys and 2 young guns, he does belong to the previous era doesn't he...... time flies

I think he'd have 05 AO semi with Safin, 09 USO final with Delpo, 11 USO semi with Djoker, 12 Wimbledon final with Murray, 09 AO final with Nadal as some of his choices, if the list extends to top 10.

It must be time for a recap of best Federer matches to date, and ideally with a poll. Anyone?

 

[tented]

Surprised he doesn't consider the AO '05 semi against Safin. Truly incredible match. Both guys played amazing.

He was only given 5 choices so definitely had to miss a lot of tough ones, am sure it'd be in his top 10 for sure.

No, he wasn't restricted to just five. He made the decision to list five. It happened exactly as Kieran quoted it:

Self_Esteem_Booster: What was your toughest match ever?
iamrogerfederer:
• Hewitt in Davis Cup 03.
• Del Potro in Olympics 2012.
• Roddick Wimbledon 09.
• Nalbandian 05 World Tour Finals, final.
• Rafa Wimbledon 2008. One of the great matches I've been apart of.

 

[BalaryKar]

A few pointers from my side:
(1) None of the lost US semi finals with Nole up there.
(2) For a 5 time USO champ, not one there (and this is a bit more embrassing for Nadal at FO as a 7 time champ, soon maybe 8 too ). Shows their dominance, of course.
(3) Nothing sacriligeous about the five, so what if it comes from Roger? Ten other times he makes the list, expect Safin match to eliminate Nalby 05 YEC. Seriously, where was the quality in the later. Give me AO 09 anytime.
(4) The Nadal demolition of Rog begin at FO08. 4 games over 3 sets.

 

[Kieran]

Yeah, the criteria isn't too clearly defined. I would have thought the give toughest would all be losses, for example. I mean, if they weren't tough, why didn't he win them? But maybe he just means brawls, or landmark matches. In which case, Rome and the Safin match would be good choices...