This is the beginning of The Decline

[Kirijax]

Even if he does well, it will to me not be an indicator of what 2016 will bring. It is fast, indoors, and a place where he can hold serve in 70 seconds. It is where he has delivered some his biggest beat downs...Murray Nadal..bagels and breadsticks any one?

No argument there. I was thinking what if he loses out in the RR of the tournament? Then maybe Fed fans might be a bit worried about 2016.

If THAT happens..well then..that will be an eye opener for even the true believers.

In the past, former dominant players who failed to get out of RR play generally were recognized as close to retirement.

I doubt it will, maybe a SF loss to MURRAY maybe?

 

[Luxilon Borg]

No argument there. I was thinking what if he loses out in the RR of the tournament? Then maybe Fed fans might be a bit worried about 2016.

If THAT happens..well then..that will be an eye opener for even the true believers.

In the past, former dominant players who failed to get out of RR play generally were recognized as close to retirement.

I doubt it will, maybe a SF loss to MURRAY maybe?

He usually spanks Murray on fast indoor courts.

 

[Kirijax]

If THAT happens..well then..that will be an eye opener for even the true believers.

In the past, former dominant players who failed to get out of RR play generally were recognized as close to retirement.

I doubt it will, maybe a SF loss to MURRAY maybe?

He usually spanks Murray on fast indoor courts.

Don't mind me. I'm just a hopeless Muzza Masochistic-Optimist.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Even if he does well, it will to me not be an indicator of what 2016 will bring. It is fast, indoors, and a place where he can hold serve in 70 seconds. It is where he has delivered some his biggest beat downs...Murray Nadal..bagels and breadsticks any one?

No argument there. I was thinking what if he loses out in the RR of the tournament? Then maybe Fed fans might be a bit worried about 2016.

If THAT happens..well then..that will be an eye opener for even the true believers.

In the past, former dominant players who failed to get out of RR play generally were recognized as close to retirement.

Fed had once did not make it beyond RR (I think in 2008 in Shanghai may be). Sure he is
close to retirement since then. :snicker

 

[Kirijax]

No argument there. I was thinking what if he loses out in the RR of the tournament? Then maybe Fed fans might be a bit worried about 2016.

If THAT happens..well then..that will be an eye opener for even the true believers.

In the past, former dominant players who failed to get out of RR play generally were recognized as close to retirement.

Fed had once did not make it beyond RR (I think in 2008 in Shanghai may be). Sure he is
close to retirement since then. :snicker

Did he really? My memory of that has been swiped.

 

[herios]

If THAT happens..well then..that will be an eye opener for even the true believers.

In the past, former dominant players who failed to get out of RR play generally were recognized as close to retirement.

Fed had once did not make it beyond RR (I think in 2008 in Shanghai may be). Sure he is
close to retirement since then. :snicker

Did he really? My memory of that has been swiped.

Mine too, partially. All I knew was that Nole won it for the first time.
I just looked it up and GSM is right, Nole defeated Simon in the first SF and Davydenko defeated Murray in the other one.
Roger was in the same group with Simon, Murray and Andy Roddick, Simon and Murray were who progressed into the SF.

 

[DarthFed]

The USO final loss hurt. Nadal is one his way back. Djokovic is extremely dominant. I think he is heading for a slump at the very least.

It will be very interesting to see how Federer does in the WTF, where he has always done well.

Even if he does well, it will to me not be an indicator of what 2016 will bring. It is fast, indoors, and a place where he can hold serve in 70 seconds. It is where he has delivered some his biggest beat downs...Murray Nadal..bagels and breadsticks any one?

It is medium paced at best. It does have a dead bounce which is why it's still a pretty decent tournament for him but it's not like when they used to have it in Shanghai. Roger did poorly there in 2013 and OK there last year seeing as how he barely got past Stan and couldn't play the final. I'm not expecting much this year, maybe he makes the final but big deal, it doesn't take much to make the final at YEC.

 

[nehmeth]

At least the Packers are doing well!

 

[Why So Serious?]

The USO final loss hurt. Nadal is one his way back. Djokovic is extremely dominant. I think he is heading for a slump at the very least.

It will be very interesting to see how Federer does in the WTF, where he has always done well.

Even if he does well, it will to me not be an indicator of what 2016 will bring. It is fast, indoors, and a place where he can hold serve in 70 seconds. It is where he has delivered some his biggest beat downs...Murray Nadal..bagels and breadsticks any one?

Right. But it will be interesting to see how he does, given that he seems to be burned out and that indoors is probably his best part of the season. Also, whether Nadal can keep rising given indoors is his worst part of the season. I don't think Federer stands a chance against Djokovic anyway. He'd need to win Basel to pick up and indoor title and Stan, Nadal, and Kei is there. Would be bad for him if he can't win even one indoor event. At least Basel would lift him somewhat if he manages to win that.

 

[DarthFed]

At least the Packers are doing well!

Indeed, but history says they will screw it up somehow. McNugget is still the head coach after all.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I never bought into this decline thread at all. However, if Roger makes it to the final and loses to this Rafa in his backyard, I will subscribe to decline theory.

 

[Luxilon Borg]

I never bought into this decline thread at all. However, if Roger makes it to the final and loses to this Rafa in his backyard, I will subscribe to decline theory.

That is funny...so if he loses to Slappy Jack in the semis all is good....?:huh:

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I never bought into this decline thread at all. However, if Roger makes it to the final and loses to this Rafa in his backyard, I will subscribe to decline theory.

That is funny...so if he loses to Slappy Jack in the semis all is good....?:huh:

Sorry, I did not consider that theoretical possibility. :nono

Besides there is a difference between playing carelessly and losing to a third rate guy and losing to Rafa.
Roger won't have the excuse of not taking it seriously when he plays against Rafa, no matter what is the level of Rafa.

 

[Kieran]

Great minds think alike! If Rafa can't beat Roger, it would be more worrying a loss than the triple-whammy to Triple-F, especially when we now see evidence of a slight incline in Rafa's fortunes...

 

[isabelle]

I never bought into this decline thread at all. However, if Roger makes it to the final and loses to this Rafa in his backyard, I will subscribe to decline theory.

He already lost to Ramos Vinolas, it's not enought for you ?

 

[Front242]

Great minds think alike! If Rafa can't beat Roger, it would be more worrying a loss than the triple-whammy to Triple-F, especially when we now see evidence of a slight incline in Rafa's fortunes...

Not a hope. This is indoor season. He's beaten Roger a whole one time during a year Roger was plagued with poor movement due to back issues and played like crud at the WTF as a result. I'm not saying who will win, but it's not worrying to lose to Roger Federer in indoor season so don't talk bs

 

[Kieran]

Great minds think alike! If Rafa can't beat Roger, it would be more worrying a loss than the triple-whammy to Triple-F, especially when we now see evidence of a slight incline in Rafa's fortunes...

Not a hope. This is indoor season. He's beaten Roger a whole one time during a year Roger was plagued with poor movement due to back issues and played like crud at the WTF as a result. I'm not saying who will win, but it's not worrying to lose to Roger Federer in indoor season so don't talk bs

Of course it is. To lose to an octogenarian, albeit one who's an historic anomaly in his conditioning, is not a sign of the Incline. Factor in that Federer has now played two three set matches. Oh, and also, who the heck is Federer when it comes to matches with Nadal. Exactly.

This would be a poor result for Nadal, a sign that the incline only goes up against the makeweights...

 

[Front242]

Great minds think alike! If Rafa can't beat Roger, it would be more worrying a loss than the triple-whammy to Triple-F, especially when we now see evidence of a slight incline in Rafa's fortunes...

Not a hope. This is indoor season. He's beaten Roger a whole one time during a year Roger was plagued with poor movement due to back issues and played like crud at the WTF as a result. I'm not saying who will win, but it's not worrying to lose to Roger Federer in indoor season so don't talk bs

Of course it is. To lose to an octogenarian, albeit one who's an historic anomaly in his conditioning, is not a sign of the Incline. Factor in that Federer has now played two three set matches. Oh, and also, who the heck is Federer when it comes to matches with Nadal. Exactly.

This would be a poor result for Nadal, a sign that the incline only goes up against the makeweights...

You might need to look up their indoor h2h and recall that Nadal has been in zero slam finals this year whereas the octogenerian has been in two and has also beaten the world number 1 twice this year, something Nadal hasn't been able to do in quite some time. It's gonna be way worse for Federer if he loses. He has to beat Sock first of course.

 

[Kieran]

Yeah, he's quite a durable and super-fit octogenarian, but he's old nonetheless. It would not be a good sign if Nadal loses to a fella like him...

 

[Front242]

A fella who's currently playing better all year and is ranked higher. Yeah, good logic alright.