Federer, and how nothing has changed: Putting it in perspective

[lambielspins]

Originally Posted by johnny ballgame

This post is absurd. To summarize your excuse, Fed is not trying hard enough at all the non-slam events. Ridiculous!

Face the truth, people are catching up to Fed! It doesn't make him less great, it's just that the others have improved. Get a grip.

I dont see what is so absurd about such a notion. Sampras never used to try as hard at non-slam events as he did at slam events. Federer used to do so, and people were surprised at it. This year Federer has pulled out of a whole bunch of "smaller" tournaments for starters which he never did in the past. Seeing that as a first sign wouldnt be absurd. He may feel as he gets older he cant give 100% to all events like he used to, which is the way Sampras was in the first place even when he was in his younger dominant years.

[FedForGOAT]

Completely disregardng his results, Federer's tennis was uglier this year than it was last year. So I do think Fed has had a mini-slump. But I agree with one of the OP's statements; Fed had many close matches last year. I think the reasons why he won those close matches the years before was b/c, as some people mentioned, he tried harder previously. I think/hope he will try harder next year and bring out some beautiful tennis for 2008 golden slam.