"Can I have a career do over?"

[Kieran]

Roger would have still reigned supreme over Marat no problem, but Marat may have stolen more than one on hard courts.

Brother, if Marat had Agassi's mentality, he would have "stolen" more than one more hard court slam: he played Johansson in a final, remember...

 

[DarthFed]

I'm talking about during 04-07 primarily. Safin did well to steal one of the hard court slams from Roger (the only 1 of the 8 HC slams he lost). Even if he had been tougher mentally and more consistent he would have struggled to take any more away.

Safin's biggest missed opportunities came from 2000-2003. There was no dominant force and he too was just one of the guys who could win the occasional big title. He should have done much better overall, particularly in that time period.

 

[the AntiPusher]

I'm talking about during 04-07 primarily. Safin did well to steal one of the hard court slams from Roger (the only 1 of the 8 HC slams he lost). Even if he had been tougher mentally and more consistent he would have struggled to take any more away.

Safin's biggest missed opportunities came from 2000-2003. There was no dominant force and he too was just one of the guys who could win the occasional big title. He should have done much better overall, particularly in that time period.

You are talking about when Roger became Fed...(I have it 03-06 that's really the the pre Rafa era)

 

[brokenshoelace]

In the spirit of the conversation:

http://youtu.be/EoYaSlbPHig

 

[DarthFed]

I'm talking about during 04-07 primarily. Safin did well to steal one of the hard court slams from Roger (the only 1 of the 8 HC slams he lost). Even if he had been tougher mentally and more consistent he would have struggled to take any more away.

Safin's biggest missed opportunities came from 2000-2003. There was no dominant force and he too was just one of the guys who could win the occasional big title. He should have done much better overall, particularly in that time period.

You are talking about when Roger became Fed...(I have it 03-06 that's really the the pre Rafa era)

Technically 2000 - first part of 2005 is pre Rafa era. Fed's era was 04-07. Even in 2003 Roger hadn't become the dominant force.

 

[the AntiPusher]

In the spirit of the conversation:

http://youtu.be/EoYaSlbPHig

Thanks Brotha

 

[the AntiPusher]

I'm talking about during 04-07 primarily. Safin did well to steal one of the hard court slams from Roger (the only 1 of the 8 HC slams he lost). Even if he had been tougher mentally and more consistent he would have struggled to take any more away.

Safin's biggest missed opportunities came from 2000-2003. There was no dominant force and he too was just one of the guys who could win the occasional big title. He should have done much better overall, particularly in that time period.

Since you went there Darth.. Can you analyzed your memories of that match because somehow its the one match(to my recall) you never bring up.. Roger was up 5-2 in the 4 set tBr and the big man(Safin) pulled it out

 

[DarthFed]

Can't analyze it because I never saw it AP, but I've seen the highlights and I was well aware of what Safin could do on his day. The stats were also great if I remember correctly. Clearly Roger had a lot of chances to win

 

[the AntiPusher]

Can't analyze it because I never saw it AP, but I've seen the highlights and I was well aware of what Safin could do on his day. The stats were also great if I remember correctly. Clearly Roger had a lot of chances to win

Okay.. that's fair.. If you really want to see those two at probably their hieghten powers.. watch the recording of that match.. It is simply a masterpiece

 

[El Dude]

Safin has such an interesting career. On one hand he's talked about in terms of "what could have been, but the thing is he actually had a fairly long career - his first to last Slam appearance spanning a dozen years. Also, despite having immense talent, a couple Slam titles and five Masters, he was also prone to go out early in Slams - look at how many first week exits he had. And then from 2006-09 he was basically a #20-60 player, yet played in almost every tournament. In other words, while he was consistent in his appearances, he seemed to have lost his elite talent yet still remained dangerous. In a way he was kind of a Youzhny or Benneteau in his latter years - never seeming to win anything, yet not the player you want to meet in the first week at a Slam.

 

[the AntiPusher]

Look what I found.. I dont think Nole misses the Big Man..:snigger

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0vAKePWLJg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHMJri0Mk3E&list=PLB3D6FD17E97576EE

 

[the AntiPusher]

Classic Safin.. Last link but this is priceless.. check out when Marat cusses at the Umpire and climbs up to his chair..Man.. this was my top dawg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPI8OBCtyOI

 

[shawnbm]

In the spirit of the conversation:

http://youtu.be/EoYaSlbPHig

Thanks Broken--my LORD what tennis--as good as I remembered. Simply superlative tennis strokes in every way from both players.

 

[Federberg]

I watch Roger's movement in that vid.. and I laugh at anyone who says the old man is still at his best. You can't be at your best if you can't move as well. You just can't.. (but yet muppet commentators in the UK insist he's better than ever!)

 

[El Dude]

I watch Roger's movement in that vid.. and I laugh at anyone who says the old man is still at his best. You can't be at your best if you can't move as well. You just can't.. (but yet muppet commentators in the UK insist he's better than ever!)

While I agree with you, do you think that there is any way in which Roger's game is better now than it was during his 2004-07 peak? Also, do you think he was still as good in 2008-09 but that the competition became fiercer, or do you think he dropped down a notch from his 2006 absolute peak?

 

[Federberg]

^ that's a good question dude. The reason why we tend to draw a line at 2007 is that his performance clearly dropped. Call it mono as some will.. for me.. I think that it wasn't so much the mono itself, but the fact that he wasn't able to do his early year Middle Eastern practice. I think that has always been a critical part of his success. Thus with his inability to work on his game, he lost matches against individuals he hadn't lost to in years, and had a lapse in confidence. Now going to a discussion we had in another thread... the difference between peak achievements and peak ability.. I think there's an argument to say that but for the aforementioned disruption to his game he may well still have been at peak ability. But that would be speculative. To me it's clear that he wasn't the same player after 2007.

As a fedfan, there are still shots today.. on the forehand that when he hits them, I still reflexively think that's the point over. For the last few years it really hasn't been the case. Back in 2007 if you had asked who has the best forehand in the game, I wouldn't have hesitated in saying Roger. But it's been Rafa for some time in my view.. no contest. I miss the day when Roger's forehand was simply a point ender..

 

[shawnbm]

I watch Roger's movement in that vid.. and I laugh at anyone who says the old man is still at his best. You can't be at your best if you can't move as well. You just can't.. (but yet muppet commentators in the UK insist he's better than ever!)

While I agree with you, do you think that there is any way in which Roger's game is better now than it was during his 2004-07 peak? Also, do you think he was still as good in 2008-09 but that the competition became fiercer, or do you think he dropped down a notch from his 2006 absolute peak?

I believe his drive BH of the last few months is getting back to being as reliable as it used to be. He has worked on that shot the last year and it shows. His slice BH was obviously good then and still is today. His FH was better than ... period. His service has changed and it is still very good, likely comparable. You hit the nail on the head about movement being the glue that holds all of his abilities on a court together--he had cat like quickness back then and I think he has lost a step, but he is still very good at anticipating (which is an intelligence or "court sense" thing--not physical).