Cincinnati Quarterfinal: Federer/Nadal

[Kieran]

:snigger

Have to laugh at how candid Rafa is in interviews! But to answer Front's question - all of the above was said last night!

 

[Front242]

No post match reaction yet from either guy? I'd especially like to hear Roger's reaction to the final point which he never challenged.

“At this point it doesn't matter. I'm sitting here,”

Roger Federer

Cheers, hadn't bothered to look around for quotes. Still pretty disgusted and amazed he never challenged it. And today we get total BS umpiring in the Berdych match with a challenge that shouldn't have been allowed which ruined the match so I stopped watching.

 

[Didi]

Good one Kieran.

ez always special when play Roger, no?

"Always eez a very special moment, no? Eez lucky always beat Roger, no?"

"In my opinion, eez the greatest player of all time, no?"

"Oh for sure, eez the greatest player of all time, eez nobody beat him, eez no possible but lucky for me, no?"

I will have to play my best to beat him,no? Very tough, no?

Sorry for today Royer...

 

[britbox]

:snigger

Have to laugh at how candid Rafa is in interviews! But to answer Front's question - all of the above was said last night!

He's the master of fake humility, for sure. His worst pressers are when he loses a match.... "It not right time to discuss injuries, no"

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I have a strong feeling that Nadal is practicing this fake humility with extreme discipline
hoping when it is all said and done, one day he can surpass Roger and become the GOAT and
then GLOAT. That is actually a right strategy. Moreover, this strategy also has the insurance
of not being labeled as arrogant in the event he does not become GOAT. Only thing is
it comes at the expense of being honest and open.

However, his humility is not natural is well known. This humility came into picture
only since he (Nadal) was part of the GOAT conversation. Until then, he used to
openly gloat.

I do remember one year (don't remember the specific year number, need to look up)
in which in an interview he openly told before the French open that there is NO
WAY that Roger is going to beat me at FO. He added "If he wanted to beat me, he could have
beaten me at Dubai, he could not. He could have beaten me at Rome, he could not etc
etc."

 

[Kieran]

I'm not sure Rafa thinks of abstract, media-things like GOATs, unless it's when he's eating them for breakfast. He probably finds the notion of players he routinely dispatches as being GOATs quite an urban myth of sorts...

 

[Front242]

He hardly routinely dispatched a 32 year old well over the hill Federer on Friday did he? And you play the field and not the guy who is described as the GOAT by many so I doubt Fed cares too much to be honest.

 

[ClayDeath]

there is a method to his madness:


he does it to lower the expectations and to reduce the pressure on his own shoulders.

and he is right. its a brutal sport. the best of the best are capable of ambushing you on a good day. especially in a best of 3 sets foremats.

as for injuries, he has been injured off and on since he was 17.

the knee issue now is pretty much a constant.

finally I believe that he is convinced that he is being respectful as much as possible. that was the way he was brought up.

 

[Front242]

there is a method to his madness:

finally I believe that he is convinced that he is being respectful as much as possible. that was the way he was brought up.

You're probably right. It's in his blood. Just ask Rosol. There was a fair amount of respect given there

 

[Mog]

there is a method to his madness:


he does it to lower the expectations and to reduce the pressure on his own shoulders.

and he is right. its a brutal sport. the best of the best are capable of ambushing you on a good day. especially in a best of 3 sets foremats.

as for injuries, he has been injured off and on since he was 17.

the knee issue now is pretty much a constant.

finally I believe that he is convinced that he is being respectful as much as possible. that was the way he was brought up.

"Lower expections and to reduce the pressure on his shoulder"
Not true. Just by saying you don't reduce pressure, no?. Pressure is always there. Doesn't matter what othres think.

"Injuries"
Most players play through injuries time to time, some more or less.
Once you are in the tournament you are fit to play, even if not 100%.

"Knee issue"
Yes he has knee problem we know.
Now winning what 8 titles, competing at high level is commendable. And good that it seems he does not have a knee problem now.

"Respectful"
That is his style,no? whatever you call it.

 

[Postpre]

I do remember one year (don't remember the specific year number, need to look up)
in which in an interview he openly told before the French open that there is NO
WAY that Roger is going to beat me at FO. He added "If he wanted to beat me, he could have
beaten me at Dubai, he could not. He could have beaten me at Rome, he could not etc
etc."

GameSetAndMath, I'm calling you out on this one. Prove Nadal said anything of the sort.

 

[19USC66]

The GOAT is a figment of someone's imagination. There is no such thing. The media & journalists suggest this stuff and we like the dummies we are listen to what they have to say. thn argue amongst ourselves. Again. No such thing as the GOAT.

 

[Kieran]

Lot of love here for Rafa. Particularly love the "they all play with injuries" old chestnut. :s

I'd actually like friend GameSetAndMath to produce that quote also. It smacks of something fabricated on a Fedfan website...

 

[GameSetAndMath]

Lot of love here for Rafa. Particularly love the "they all play with injuries" old chestnut. :s

I'd actually like friend GameSetAndMath to produce that quote also. It smacks of something fabricated on a Fedfan website...

This was from an interview in 2006. It was after the Rome Final was concluded
and before the French open had started. It was not taken from any fan websites.
I remember having listened to it with my own ears, very vividly. In fact, I have not
read it any place. I remember Rafa's voice telling it in an interview. I believe I probably
heart it on radio while driving.

While I am not vouching for the exact words, this is approximately what he said.

" There is no way Roger is going to beat me at the French open (in 2006).
If he wanted to beat me he could have beat me in Dubai, he did not.
He could have beat me at MC, he did not. He could have beat me at Rome, he did not ".

To get the exact wordings, I have to dig out the interview transcript by turning the
internet upside down. I will do so in my spare time.

This is actually very surprising compared to the interviews he gives these days.
Even when he plays against some one ranked outside 100 in the first round of
French open, these days he typically says

" He is a very good player, no. If at all I want to have some chance of winning,
I have to play at my highest level, no."

So, what I am trying to say primarily is that his humility is not natural, but
acquired. You can see a clear transition from his early interviews to later interviews.

 

[GameSetAndMath]

I do remember one year (don't remember the specific year number, need to look up)
in which in an interview he openly told before the French open that there is NO
WAY that Roger is going to beat me at FO. He added "If he wanted to beat me, he could have
beaten me at Dubai, he could not. He could have beaten me at Rome, he could not etc
etc."

GameSetAndMath, I'm calling you out on this one. Prove Nadal said anything of the sort.

See my post #934. More later.

 

[Emma]

He hardly routinely dispatched a 32 year old well over the hill Federer on Friday did he? And you play the field and not the guy who is described as the GOAT by many so I doubt Fed cares too much to be honest.

Most of Nadal's matches in Cincy had been quite competitive starting from the one against Dimitrov. So I really didn't see him dispatching anyone in easy fashion, so I agree with you. Isner taking out both Nole and Del Potro and Murray going out early really opened up the door for Nadal in a big way. Federer is really not a true threat these days and against Nadal, it's even a weaker deal. And Berdych is more lethal against Murray and Federer. Personally I feel he worships Nole and Nadal a bit much. Anyway, had Isner been on this side it could have had a different impact but it is what it is for now.

 

[ClayDeath]

good post lady emma. keep them coming.

nadal had to work very hard for his wins in montreal and in cinci.

he is not really at his best but at least he is gathering his momentum and his confidence again.

 

[Kieran]

Hey GSAM, thanks for that.

In fairness, that was a long time ago. I wonder if he said it in response to Rogers famous remark that Rafa was a 'one-dimensional' player and he figured out how to beat him? Maybe Rafa thought that remark a little presumptuous and insulting and loosened his tongue?

 

[the AntiPusher]

:snigger

Have to laugh at how candid Rafa is in interviews! But to answer Front's question - all of the above was said last night!

He's the master of fake humility, for sure. His worst pressers are when he loses a match.... "It not right time to discuss injuries, no"

Rafa may be the master series titles all time leader but I don't think Rafa has mastered the English language to be coy to be the master of fake humility, NO. :snigger:snigger

 

[Kieran]

Yeah, I reckon the narcissist could give Ralph a few lessons in "humility..."