Wow is he slower...

[wy2sl0]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldxmlg5XKUg

That is some lightning movement from both guys.

[Clarky21]

Originally Posted by wy2sl0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldxmlg5XKUg

That is some lightning movement from both guys.

He's 31 now,but I think he still moves pretty well for his age.

[Prisoner of Birth]

Possibly my favorite match. The only time God-mode Federer was defeated.

[cc0509]

Originally Posted by Clarky21

He's 31 now,but I think he still moves pretty well for his age.

But nowhere near as well as he did in 2003-2007.

[Clarky21]

Originally Posted by cc0509

But nowhere near as well as he did in 2003-2007.

True. Nadal doesn't move anywhere near as well as he used to either,so I know how you feel.

[NadalDramaQueen]

It would still be the Roger and Rafa show if they played how they used to. Everyone fades. It is too bad.

[Sid_Vicious]

Originally Posted by Prisoner of Birth

Possibly my favorite match. The only time God-mode Federer was defeated.

I disagree. That was not god-mode Federer. I don't understand why people always say that about this match. If that was god-mode Federer, can someone explain the 60 unforced errors, the pathetic body language (especially in the 5th set, Federer behaved Murray-esque at times), the horrendous serving he was doing in the 5th set (Federer was hitting the ball into the center of the net at times), and double faulting to hand Safin the break in the 5th set? Federer got lucky that Safin produced some laughably bad tennis to get broken.

Also, Federer gave Safin credit for playing well, but in the same breath he implied that he was not at his best because he was suffering from a nasty foot blister. Federer's reaction after missing that tweener pretty much showed how fearful he was to going to a 5th set. He probably knew that Safin would have the edge in that case.

[NadalDramaQueen]

Originally Posted by Sid_Vicious

I disagree. That was not god-mode Federer. I don't understand why people always say that about this match. If that was god-mode Federer, can someone explain the 60 unforced errors, the pathetic body language (especially in the 5th set, Federer behaved Murray-esque at times), the horrendous serving he was doing in the 5th set (Federer was hitting the ball into the center of the net at times), and double faulting to hand Safin the break in the 5th set? Federer got lucky that Safin produced some laughably bad tennis to get broken.

Also, Federer gave Safin credit for playing well, but in the same breath he implied that he was not at his best because he was suffering from a nasty foot blister.

I agree, but you have to watch the full match to pick up on that, not just the highlights. So much information is lost over the years.

[Sid_Vicious]

Originally Posted by NadalDramaQueen

I agree, but you have to watch the full match to pick up on that, not just the highlights. So much information is lost over the years.

Yes, I agree dude.

I have seen so many amazing highlight reels from the 2005 USO that I thought Federer was playing impeccable tennis. It was not until recently that I watched the entire SF between Federer and Hewitt again. Federer was shanking so hard it was hilarious at times; he was not nearly as impressive as the highlights showed him to be.

[stringertom]

Wow! What a surprise he's not as speedy at 31 vs. 23. I'm so shocked. Still he's faster than almost everyone else on tour! Now that's a statement on his uniqueness.

[Prisoner of Birth]

Originally Posted by Sid_Vicious

I disagree. That was not god-mode Federer. I don't understand why people always say that about this match. If that was god-mode Federer, can someone explain the 60 unforced errors, the pathetic body language (especially in the 5th set, Federer behaved Murray-esque at times), the horrendous serving he was doing in the 5th set (Federer was hitting the ball into the center of the net at times), and double faulting to hand Safin the break in the 5th set? Federer got lucky that Safin produced some laughably bad tennis to get broken.

Also, Federer gave Safin credit for playing well, but in the same breath he implied that he was not at his best because he was suffering from a nasty foot blister. Federer's reaction after missing that tweener pretty much showed how fearful he was to going to a 5th set. He probably knew that Safin would have the edge in that case.

You don't hit the lines without making unforced errors along the way. Federer was worried because it was probably the only time he was playing at his best and still being contested, not because he was playing badly. I've seen the whole match quite a few times, I'm not basing my opinion off the highlights. And God-mode doesn't mean you don't make any mistakes, it's just that he was good in all departments of the game for all or most of the match.

About his blister, well, that's an excuse. He still played very well. He was beaten by the better player on the day.

[NadalDramaQueen]

Originally Posted by Prisoner of Birth

You don't hit the lines without making unforced errors along the way. Federer was worried because it was probably the only time he was playing at his best and still being contested, not because he was playing badly. I've seen the whole match quite a few times, I'm not basing my opinion off the highlights. And God-mode doesn't mean you don't make any mistakes, it's just that he was good in all departments of the game for all or most of the match.

About his blister, well, that's an excuse. He still played very well. He was beaten by the better player on the day.

You're entitled to your opinion of course, but I certainly didn't think i was seeing Fed's god mode when I watched the match live. It was a good match though, no doubt. Just for the record, I don't really care about making excuses either. You win and you lose, for many reasons. The result is all that matters.

[Prisoner of Birth]

Originally Posted by NadalDramaQueen

You're entitled to your opinion of course, but I certainly didn't think i was seeing Fed's god mode when I watched the match live. It was a good match though, no doubt. Just for the record, I don't really care about making excuses either. You win and you lose, for many reasons. The result is all that matters.

Not saying it was one of his best-played matches. Just that he didn't do anything particularly wrong. I'm sure he was happy with the match he played.

[abmk]

Originally Posted by Sid_Vicious

Yes, I agree dude.

I have seen so many amazing highlight reels from the 2005 USO that I thought Federer was playing impeccable tennis. It was not until recently that I watched the entire SF between Federer and Hewitt again. Federer was shanking so hard it was hilarious at times; he was not nearly as impressive as the highlights showed him to be.

federer was playing by some distance better at the AO in 2005 than he was in the SF/F of the USO in 2005 ....

the SF vs safin was easily the best ever that he's played and still lost .... the way federer/safin were painting the lines, you are bound to have some unforced errors .... that was one match which showcases almost the whole of federer's arsenal ..and I've watched the whole match atleast 3-4 times ...

the only match which comes remotely close in which he played well and still lost is the rome 2006 final vs nadal ....

[Prisoner of Birth]

Originally Posted by abmk

federer was playing by some distance better at the AO in 2005 than he was in the SF/F of the USO in 2005 ....

the SF vs safin was easily the best ever that he's played and still lost .... the way federer/safin were painting the lines, you are bound to have some unforced errors .... that was one match which showcases almost the whole of federer's arsenal ..and I've watched the whole match atleast 3-4 times ...

the only match which comes remotely close in which he played well and still lost is the rome 2006 final vs nadal ....

Oh yeah, that's 1 one 2 favorite Claycourt matches. Pity we don't have 5 setters in Masters finals anymore.

[Dark Victory]

Rewatched this match again lately.

An absolute skills contest.

Federer wasn't shanking or making UE because he was playing conservatively and messing up (like he's used to doing NOW), no, it was because he was swinging for the fences and was extremely aggressive through out.

Safin outplayed him on a handful of crucial points.

[joeri888]

If you compare Fed to the field, I think he actually is helped by the slowed courts. He couldn't keep this up nowadays. No way. But against Nadal and Djokovic, it would still help him relatively. He would be a lot more prone to upsets though against Tsonga, Berdych, etc.

[abmk]

Originally Posted by joeri888

If you compare Fed to the field, I think he actually is helped by the slowed courts. He couldn't keep this up nowadays. No way. But against Nadal and Djokovic, it would still help him relatively. He would be a lot more prone to upsets though against Tsonga, Berdych, etc.

maybe in best of 3, but not in best of 5 , it'd be tough for the big hitters to keep it up in a best of 5 .... federer dominated berdych easily upto 2008 ...... barely losing sets on any sort of court ...

[zagor]

Originally Posted by Clarky21

True. Nadal doesn't move anywhere near as well as he used to either,so I know how you feel.

No, you certainly don't, just as it's true that Fed fans don't know how Nadal fans feel in terms of their favourite player's (prolonged) absence from the game because of injuries it's also true that at this point in time Nadal fans still don't know how Fed fans feel regard their favourite player's decline in physical part of the game (despite the Fed hating experts on this forum who claim that Fed's playing as good as ever).

When Nadal has a slamless year and/or gets near 30 while the fans of other players claim he's as good as ever but can't handle the new strong competition, only then will you find out.

[zagor]

Originally Posted by abmk

maybe in best of 3, but not in best of 5 , it'd be tough for the big hitters to keep it up in a best of 5 .... federer dominated berdych easily upto 2008 ...... barely losing sets on any sort of court ...

Fed was actually 8-1 against Berdych until 2010 but of course we have people now claiming Berdych was always a nightmare match-up for Fed and similar nonsense.

Obviously, Fed couln't possibly be past his prime in 2010, no, his prime has to last 8+ years while fragile as flower Rafa overall had about a year and a change of prime/peak tennis, what a warrior.