Can we right off Dimitrov yet?

[svijk]

I remember a similar thread on Delpo when he got crushed by Fed in the Aussie open in 2009, he won the USO same year....although u gotta say Dmitrov is nowhere close to Delpo

[PhrygianDominant]

Originally Posted by monfed

How can we write off baby GOAT Grigor? It's just that he hasn't been fed GOAT milk yet.

As much as I like watching Federer play, watching Dimitrov with this blatant copying of Federer's technique kind of irks me. There's something creepy about it...I am not sure what it is, something disingenuous. The real problem is that I myself take a lot of cues from Federer on how to develop my strokes, but it's the extraneous and inconsequential flourishes that Dimitrov also copies from Federer that give me this feeling....anybody with me on this?

[monfed]

Originally Posted by PhrygianDominant

As much as I like watching Federer play, watching Dimitrov with this blatant copying of Federer's technique kind of irks me. There's something creepy about it...I am not sure what it is, something disingenuous. The real problem is that I myself take a lot of cues from Federer on how to develop my strokes, but it's the extraneous and inconsequential flourishes that Dimitrov also copies from Federer that give me this feeling....anybody with me on this?

I know what you mean.

Dimitrov is more Haas than Federer imo.

[PSNELKE]

Yeah I think so, *******s will have to wait for another hero after his retirement.

He hasn't done anything notable at the age of 21, and I really dont see him making the Top20.
Raonic, Tomic are ahead of him by a great margin.

[PSNELKE]

Originally Posted by monfed

Dimitrov is more Haas than Federer imo.

With less talent..shame on those injuries, Haas could have been a big one.

[Lonely GOATherd]

Originally Posted by henryshli

Doesn't even look as though he will be a regular top 10 player. Does anyone else here follow his progress?

I watched him at the championships last year and I was impressed enough. He was playing doubles with Tursanov and the difference in class between him and Tursanov was glaring. Dimitrov hit with more power, more accuracy and with more tact than his senior partner. And that backhand of his is a fine thing. Well rounded game. I hope he uses his gifts well.

[merwy]

Originally Posted by PhrygianDominant

As much as I like watching Federer play, watching Dimitrov with this blatant copying of Federer's technique kind of irks me. There's something creepy about it...I am not sure what it is, something disingenuous. The real problem is that I myself take a lot of cues from Federer on how to develop my strokes, but it's the extraneous and inconsequential flourishes that Dimitrov also copies from Federer that give me this feeling....anybody with me on this?

Yeah I know exactly what you are saying. It's like he purposely tried to copy Federer's technique, not to be the best possible, but to look as much like Federer as possible. Don't they even have the same racquet? Or one that looks similar (which would be even worse)? But I've got to add: Although it's obvious that Dimitrov hits like Federer, I don't get the same feeling watching him as when I'm watching Federer. I don't get the feeling of elegance, the fluidness is there, but not at the same level as Federer, and it feels like Federer hits the ball more cleanly as Dimitrov. Also they don't have the same playing style, Federer's style is more offensive, more cold-blooded, the way he mercilessly hits those winners.

So yeah, it's nice that there will be someone in the tour that reminds of Federer, but he comes off to me as a copycat.

[bjk]

Originally Posted by henryshli

What was Safin doing when he was 20? Or Murray even. Also he will be 21 in less than one month....I know it's not easy comparing different eras but shouldn't Dimitrov be doing a lot better at this stage.

Well, Safin had won the USO by the time he was 20.

[Mainad]

Originally Posted by Big_Dangerous

Murray could enter the conversation at some point, as well.

In what way?

[Mainad]

Originally Posted by henryshli

What was Safin doing when he was 20? Or Murray even. Also he will be 21 in less than one month....I know it's not easy comparing different eras but shouldn't Dimitrov be doing a lot better at this stage.

Safin had won 8 titles including the US Open by the time he was 21. At the same stage, Murray had won 5 titles and first entered the top 10 where he's been ever since.

[Apun94]

Originally Posted by merwy

I hope I'm completely wrong, but I've got an ominous feeling that Federer will retire after not too long. Wouldn't be surprised if he retired at the end of 2012 or after Wimbledon 2013. You know, when reporters asked him questions about retiring, he always used to say that he would at least be playing untill the olympics 2012. Well.. that's in a couple of months. I wonder how long he's going to keep playing after that.
But again, I hope I'm wrong. Federer is my favorite player and tennis won't ever be the same without him.

Yeah I remember in 07 Fed saying he would love to play till OLY '12. Now that he's here and has a good chance of winning, he really should continue as long as he can challenge the other 3.
Also, Fed has said that he wants to continue as long as he stays physically fit, so I really dont think Fed is retiring any time soon. However, if he wins OLY '12, he may feel satisfied with his career to hang up the GOAT boots

[Apun94]

Originally Posted by tistrapukcipeht

WRITE OFF??

Nah, maybe in one year, for sure you can write off Gulbis, who lost to Greul on the first round of a challenger and lost to Tomic in Barcelona, a guy who won his first clay court match of his career last week.

Poor Gulbis, the guy is going backwards faster than he's going forward.

Dont think anybody needs to pity Gulbis. That man is just a plain old slacker, he doesnt deserve to be ranked higher...

[papertank]

With tennis becoming so much more physical these days, it's a lot harder for the young guys to make leeway into the tour. They simply don't have the levels of strength and fitness that the top players do. Their bodies haven't reached their full potential yet and they just haven't had the sheer training time that the top guys have had. I'm sure in a few years we'll see a few of these young guys at the top of the rankings, they just need time to get stronger and faster with how physically brutal the game is nowadays.

[nadal_slam_king]

Maybe Dimitrov is baby Federer. Federer did lose at Wimbledon 1st Round, 3 times. And 1st round of Roland Garros, 3 times.

[Crisstti]

Originally Posted by henryshli

What was Safin doing when he was 20? Or Murray even. Also he will be 21 in less than one month....I know it's not easy comparing different eras but shouldn't Dimitrov be doing a lot better at this stage.

Originally Posted by Mainad

Safin had won 8 titles including the US Open by the time he was 21. At the same stage, Murray had won 5 titles and first entered the top 10 where he's been ever since.

I agree. These players should be doing better by now... (except maybe Tomic who I think is younger?).

[SoBad]

Dimitrov is the one of a kind talent player who can lose a bunch of low level first rounds and then go on a streak of winning a bunch of slam finals, so you never really know with him.

[PCXL-Fan]

Originally Posted by papertank

With tennis becoming so much more physical these days, it's a lot harder for the young guys to make leeway into the tour. They simply don't have the levels of strength and fitness that the top players do. Their bodies haven't reached their full potential yet and they just haven't had the sheer training time that the top guys have had. I'm sure in a few years we'll see a few of these young guys at the top of the rankings, they just need time to get stronger and faster with how physically brutal the game is nowadays.

Have things really change so much in the past 4-5 years?

Not saying you are wrong, but Djokovic and Murray were able to crack the top 8 at 19-20.

Mayhaps a number of other factors are at play.

[TheCanadian]

I think we must wait 3 years to have an idea.

[ssonosk]

Originally Posted by merwy

Yeah I know exactly what you are saying. It's like he purposely tried to copy Federer's technique, not to be the best possible, but to look as much like Federer as possible. Don't they even have the same racquet? Or one that looks similar (which would be even worse)? But I've got to add: Although it's obvious that Dimitrov hits like Federer, I don't get the same feeling watching him as when I'm watching Federer. I don't get the feeling of elegance, the fluidness is there, but not at the same level as Federer, and it feels like Federer hits the ball more cleanly as Dimitrov. Also they don't have the same playing style, Federer's style is more offensive, more cold-blooded, the way he mercilessly hits those winners.

So yeah, it's nice that there will be someone in the tour that reminds of Federer, but he comes off to me as a copycat.

dude look who you're comparing.
I feel Dimitrov could be greatness, but you're comparing a 20 year old to a 30 year old tennis demigod; don't expect his game to be near the same level

[ssonosk]

Originally Posted by PCXL-Fan

Have things really change so much in the past 4-5 years?

Not saying you are wrong, but Djokovic and Murray were able to crack the top 8 at 19-20.

Mayhaps a number of other factors are at play.

i think it's more of a mental game. Yea to be a top play you have to be in the best shape, but one thing the top players have over the lower players is being able to hit a shot a bit better every time. They can just hit the ball: a few inches wider, deeper, and sooner more consistently than the lower players. If they play someone that doesn't take advantage of those few inches or extra seconds they capitalize on it. They also don't stay in mental slumps, and are always figuring things out during matches. Very rarely do you see top players out of answers


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJNRnLP-fuU
look at most of his shots. If he hit a little sooner, hit a little wider, and a little deeper he would have gotten a lot more points; however, he still managed to keep up in the overall set with those lackluster shots.