I really was able to pick up some excellent double tactical strategies watch the Fedal vs World match. ( E.g. Return of service formations )..I thought I've been saying for years that we've been spoiled by the excellence, resilience, & consistency of the Big 3! No champions of the past measure up; hence their numbers are 2 & 3 times bigger! Their records should hold for decades; even if Carlos is the "real deal!" The competition won't allow him to just win everything!
I thought I've been saying for years that we've been spoiled by the excellence, resilience, & consistency of the Big 3! No champions of the past measure up; hence their numbers are 2 & 3 times bigger! Their records should hold for decades; even if Carlos is the "real deal!" The competition won't allow him to just win everything!
I'm not here to tout Ruud. I like him only well enough. I agree that there are more than a few more exciting players than he is coming up. Maybe we're on the wrong thread for this, but there will be time.
Yeah, I think Rafa is right on. 2017 AO is my favorite Roger win of all time, and I've re-watched the final set half a dozen times or so.
That’s really quite specific, given that he’s only has one slam, and I’m sure has nothing at all to do with the fact that Rafa has 22…I can see Carlos winning 20 or 21 slams, but definitely not 22.
At 3-2, I think, Rafa has game point for 4-2, and he netcords a forehand that blooper-reeled wide, and it makes me cry even now, to wonder why the the tennis gods didn’t have it dribble over, and in. It’s definitely Roger’s greatest - and least expected - victory. He hadn’t beaten Rafa at a slam since 2007…
Coming from Brother Kieran, that is high praise indeed. Well stated.
Incredible stats there! I tend to think the 10 consecutive major finals reached and defending three slams in a season will be tough to top along with the consecutive weeks at number one.11 slams in four years is also one of standouts.
You think they were friends in 2006-09?All I know is any good bud of mines would not have to deal with the humiliation of what Rafa's put Roger thru over those early yrs! We complain about the "weak era" commentary, but back in 2006-09, few others than Rafa were making Roger work for it! Nole snuck in a couple times, but overall, the comp. was sad and pathetic! Federer had personal pigeons like A-Rod that suffered loss after loss in major finals! Those Wimbledon finals will haunt Andy for all time! Time and time again, esp. on clay, Rafa "used and abused" Roger, picking apart that beautiful game of his! Nadal served Fed plenty of breadsticks and bagels to go along w/ those beatings! No friend would do that unless very insecure & thinking to themselves, "if any weakness shown, it could cost me the match!" Total BS! They had to hate each other's guts no matter the front portraying them as a Legendary Rivals and friends! All of it is a misnomer/fraud! End Rant B4 it gets long-winded!
They respected each other but they didn't become friendly until much much later in the rivalry.
You think they were friends in 2006-09?
You can like your version of the story, but their behavior belies it. Sure, they competed hard, and yes, Rafa roughed up Roger a bit more than the reverse, but it became clear earlier than later that they had an amiable relationship off-court. (See the endlessly cited video of them trying to giggle through a promo for their foundations exhibitions.) You like to cite the old one players. Martina and Crissy had an amazing rivalry, and were friends, even though sometimes they weren't. McEnroe has spoken of how much he missed his great rival in Borg, when he quit, and they remain close. Roger and Rafa lived a great rivalry together, when they were 1 and 2 in the world for 6 full years. They were carrying men's tennis on their shoulders. And they experienced a resurgence together in 2017. They are tied at the hip, and they know it. Rafa said that, when Roger retired the other day, a part of his own history left with him. Martina and Chris have said that, being the only ones who lived what they did together makes them close. Same with Roger and Rafa. No one else will ever completely understand what it was to live through that.All I know is any good bud of mines would not have to deal with the humiliation of what Rafa's put Roger thru over those early yrs! We complain about the "weak era" commentary, but back in 2006-09, few others than Rafa were making Roger work for it! Nole snuck in a couple times, but overall, the comp. was sad and pathetic! Federer had personal pigeons like A-Rod that suffered loss after loss in major finals! Those Wimbledon finals will haunt Andy for all time! Time and time again, esp. on clay, Rafa "used and abused" Roger, picking apart that beautiful game of his! Nadal served Fed plenty of breadsticks and bagels to go along w/ those beatings! No friend would do that unless very insecure & thinking to themselves, "if any weakness shown, it could cost me the match!" Total BS! They had to hate each other's guts no matter the front portraying them as a Legendary Rivals and friends! All of it is a misnomer/fraud! End Rant B4 it gets long-winded!
Probably the lack of killer instinct is why you were never more than a club player, and Rafa has 22 Majors. And Roger 20. (Otherwise than your generosity to dentists and accountants, I'm sure your tennis was amazing.) Tell me one time you ever saw either of them give quarter out of sympathy. Roger used to razorblade through opponents. Did it bother him that it embarrassed them? Rafa and Novak likewise. Should they pull their punches to make a match more competitive? I don't remember Rafa ever drop-shotting an old-lady in a wheelchair, or anyone who didn't deserve one, but you're acting like being competitive is a bad thing. Or somehow "unseemly." You're comparing club play to world class tennis. Being competitive and, yes, ruthless, is exactly what got Federer, Nadal and Djokovic to where they are. I don't see the complaint.It didn't matter if they were buds or not! I wouldn't abuse a stranger the way Rafa did Roger in embarrassing him unnecessarily! I used to choreograph my matches of opponents depending on their level of play! My dentist was good, but never a threat! We played in the 2nd round of a club tournament and I got to a 5-2 lead in the 1st set, let him get to 5 all, then closed it out 7-5! In the 2nd set I let him get to a 5-2 lead before storming back to win that set 7-5! No harm, no foul! The score looked good on the draw sheet and he could puff his chest out telling people how he made me work for it! Rafa is one of those competitive types that if desperate enough, he'd drop-shot an old lady in a wheelchair!
It didn't matter if they were buds or not! I wouldn't abuse a stranger the way Rafa did Roger in embarrassing him unnecessarily! I used to choreograph my matches of opponents depending on their level of play! My dentist was good, but never a threat! We played in the 2nd round of a club tournament and I got to a 5-2 lead in the 1st set, let him get to 5 all, then closed it out 7-5! In the 2nd set I let him get to a 5-2 lead before storming back to win that set 7-5! No harm, no foul! The score looked good on the draw sheet and he could puff his chest out telling people how he made me work for it! Rafa is one of those competitive types that if desperate enough, he'd drop-shot an old lady in a wheelchair!
I think tennis is about winning not putting on an entertainment showIt didn't matter if they were buds or not! I wouldn't abuse a stranger the way Rafa did Roger in embarrassing him unnecessarily! I used to choreograph my matches of opponents depending on their level of play! My dentist was good, but never a threat! We played in the 2nd round of a club tournament and I got to a 5-2 lead in the 1st set, let him get to 5 all, then closed it out 7-5! In the 2nd set I let him get to a 5-2 lead before storming back to win that set 7-5! No harm, no foul! The score looked good on the draw sheet and he could puff his chest out telling people how he made me work for it! Rafa is one of those competitive types that if desperate enough, he'd drop-shot an old lady in a wheelchair!
If Nadal didn't show Federer no mercy in some matches probably Federer comes back to win the match... Isn't that a risky strategy what happens if your opponent played one perfect game at 5-2 you needlessly have to play an extra set 
I think tennis is about winning not putting on an entertainment show
Well the difference is you have nothing to do with an all time great. You are an old fart from a middle of nowhere club trying to relate your excellent tennis to those of ATP elites. You think they actually think like you, and your weak era theory is like….you. So what isn’t a weak era? Is 2015 and after strong with Fedal heavily declining and the lost gen couldn’t carry it?I actually gave that possibility in my post! It's just something that was done in the past! An ATG will admit to dropping a set to a bud!
