Roger Federer Retires

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Roger Federer Retires

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At 41 he’s had a good innings. Must be raging at having his majors record overshadowed by both Nadal and Djokovic!
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Re: Roger Federer Retires

Post by prophet:marginal »

What a pro.

I don't really follow other sports at all (doubt I've ever posted in this part of the forum before), but this guy's retirement warranted the effort of posting this.

One of the best sportsmen of my entire life.
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Re: Roger Federer Retires

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He entered something like 40 consecutive grand slams and made at least the semi final of all of them. His peak was the best tennis the world has seen.
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Re: Roger Federer Retires

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dasnutnock3 wrote: Thu Sep 15, 2022 3:18 pm He entered something like 40 consecutive grand slams and made at least the semi final of all of them. His peak was the best tennis the world has seen.
Maybe, though its not quite so simple. Could he beat peak Sampras on fast early 90s Wimbledon courts? There is a good chance he couldn't. He also took way too long to switch equipment as he got consistently spanked by Nadal. When he finally switched to a bigger racquet when way past his best he beat Nadal more consistently.

Funnily enough, Andy Murray gets underrated now as he was very much a part of the Big Four in his day. If his mental game was better he would have won enough slams to ensure Federer would still hold the major record. Injuries also derailed him both times he reached a peak.
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Re: Roger Federer Retires

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Ironing Board wrote: Thu Sep 15, 2022 4:00 pm Maybe, though its not quite so simple. Could he beat peak Sampras on fast early 90s Wimbledon courts? There is a good chance he couldn't.
Beat him in his first Wimbledon, didn't he? Maybe second, and Sampras was well past his best, I suppose. Thing with Pete, it wasn't just his ability on the quick courts, it was his endless hustling of his opponent. One ball bounce before serving, no pissing about between points, and a second serve that's still the best there's been. Must have been mentally exhausting trying to play against him, when he was just relentless in his attacking, giving you absolutely no time to regroup and prepare for the next point.

But Pete never faced an all-court player of Federer's calibre in the 90s. Someone who was as comfortable rallying from the baseline as he was at the net. I think prime Federer wins the majority of hypothetical matches against Sampras - definitely not all, but most of them.
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Re: Roger Federer Retires

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Ironing Board wrote: Thu Sep 15, 2022 4:00 pmFunnily enough, Andy Murray gets underrated now as he was very much a part of the Big Four in his day. If his mental game was better he would have won enough slams to ensure Federer would still hold the major record. Injuries also derailed him both times he reached a peak.
Got to the top through sheer force of will. Out-trained his opponents. Never as naturally gifted as his main rivals, but outworked them off the court. Damaged his body in doing so, but yeah, would've won a few more if his mental fortitude matched his strength of will.
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Re: Roger Federer Retires

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dasnutnock3 wrote: Thu Sep 15, 2022 4:49 pm Got to the top through sheer force of will. Out-trained his opponents. Never as naturally gifted as his main rivals, but outworked them off the court. Damaged his body in doing so, but yeah, would've won a few more if his mental fortitude matched his strength of will.
I don't think that's true. They are all immensely talented but coaches tended to say Federer had the most natural talent and then Murray. Djokovic went to any lengths to become victorious. Nadal had a unique game that would probably not have been as successful had he used a right handed approach. Murray's big weakness was he tended to get overwhelmed by his emotions.

Murray tended to be too passive and not use all of the tools he had. His best tennis by far was when Ivan Lendl cajoled him into becoming more aggressive. He also wasted a long time with Mauresmo as his coach.
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Re: Roger Federer Retires

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dasnutnock3 wrote: Thu Sep 15, 2022 4:47 pm Beat him in his first Wimbledon, didn't he? Maybe second, and Sampras was well past his best, I suppose. Thing with Pete, it wasn't just his ability on the quick courts, it was his endless hustling of his opponent. One ball bounce before serving, no pissing about between points, and a second serve that's still the best there's been. Must have been mentally exhausting trying to play against him, when he was just relentless in his attacking, giving you absolutely no time to regroup and prepare for the next point.

But Pete never faced an all-court player of Federer's calibre in the 90s. Someone who was as comfortable rallying from the baseline as he was at the net. I think prime Federer wins the majority of hypothetical matches against Sampras - definitely not all, but most of them.
Yeah, but Sampras was able to run Federer extremely close even when he had been retired.

"Pete Sampras notched a win to wrap up a three-match exhibition series against Roger Federer. Sampras never faced a break point and handed Federer a 7-6 (8), 6-4 defeat Saturday at the Venetian Macao arena, finishing 1-2 against the top-ranked Swiss player.

"Sampras downplayed his victory, noting Federer was coming off a long season and he was helped by his big serve and the fast indoor carpet surface. His goal was to win one set during the three-match series.

"Federer beat Sampras 6-4, 6-3 in Seoul on Tuesday and edged the American 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5) in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday."

Sampras had been retired for five years!
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Re: Roger Federer Retires

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For the record, Sampras was my all time favourite. His demolition of Agassi in 99 was the most comprehensive display of superiority I’ve witnessed in sport. There was period of about 8 or 9 sets when he was 100% in the zone and was clearly seeing things with a level of clarity few have experienced, let alone in a tournament final.

Federer’s grace was beyond anything else we’ve seen in the sport. Near perfect biomechanics with a will to win only bested by Nadal & Djokovic. His wins came without the gamesmanship and shitty tactics those two were willing to deploy.
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Re: Roger Federer Retires

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dasnutnock3 wrote: Thu Sep 15, 2022 5:22 pm For the record, Sampras was my all time favourite. His demolition of Agassi in 99 was the most comprehensive display of superiority I’ve witnessed in sport. There was period of about 8 or 9 sets when he was 100% in the zone and was clearly seeing things with a level of clarity few have experienced, let alone in a tournament final.

Federer’s grace was beyond anything else we’ve seen in the sport. Near perfect biomechanics with a will to win only bested by Nadal & Djokovic. His wins came without the gamesmanship and shitty tactics those two were willing to deploy.
Yeah. If find Nadal and Djokovic dull to watch. Murray was a bit better as he had more variety but Federer was the best shot maker.

I actually thought Sampras and Henman were pretty good to watch too.
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Re: Roger Federer Retires

Post by Puff Daddy »

For me, he was the best of all time
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Re: Roger Federer Retires

Post by Bend it like Repka »

Yes Sampras was good, but he was playing in an era of not great opponents compared to Federer.

1998 to 2002 Henman made 4 Wimbledon semis. Andy Murray would absolutely crush Henman head to head, and if he played in that era Murray would be in double figures for slam championships.
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Re: Roger Federer Retires

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Bend it like Repka wrote: Fri Sep 16, 2022 7:34 am Yes Sampras was good, but he was playing in an era of not great opponents compared to Federer.

1998 to 2002 Henman made 4 Wimbledon semis. Andy Murray would absolutely crush Henman head to head, and if he played in that era Murray would be in double figures for slam championships.
Yup. Murray was born at the wrong time. He would be hoovering up easy titles now as well. Djokovic and Nadal are past their best and are able to vulture quite a few to steal Roger’s thunder.

The standard during the Big Four era was amazing.
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Re: Roger Federer Retires

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Re: Roger Federer Retires

Post by Macca1973 »

McEnroe is my all time favourite player but Federer is the best in my opinion. He was an artist on the court in an era of increasing physicality.
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Re: Roger Federer Retires

Post by White Goodman »

Federer , great player but lucky to have 5 years on Djokovic and Nadal otherwise he'd have been looking at less than 10 slams.

Overpowering tennis greats such as Philipoussis and A Rod doesn't cut it for me
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