I like tennis more than I like Federer

Otacon

Otacon

Hall of Fame
Although Roger is obviously my favorite player, but I won't stop watching the beautiful game after his retirement.

It's strange to say this, but I know a lot of people who watch tennis because of X and Y player, and it's sad really.

That's the same for another popular sport, football, as many Cristiano Ronaldo fans switched their allegiance from Real Madrid to Juventus since the Portuguese parted ways with the Spanish side.
 
The Blond Blur

The Blond Blur

G.O.A.T.
I like tennis more than I like Federer

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BeatlesFan

BeatlesFan

Bionic Poster
Otacon said:
It's strange to say this, but I know a lot of people who watch tennis because of X and Y player, and it's sad really.
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I thought that just happened here. Everyone I've ever personally known who was a tennis fan found someone else to root for when their favorite retired. There were hundreds of thousands of people who started rooting for Fed once Pete and Andre retired. It's the natural cycle of fandom.
 
Standaa

Standaa

G.O.A.T.
I won’t stop watching tennis after Federer because there’d be no Federer, however I will stop watching tennis after Federer because the field is in a truly dire state

if there was a new upcoming Sampras or Stepanek on the tour I’d happily follow their career
 
BackhandDTL

BackhandDTL

Hall of Fame
alexio88 said:
and you have very good reasons for that obviously, coz the grass goat! will never be forgotten
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alexio88 said:
and you have very good reasons for that obviously, coz the grass goat! will never be forgotten
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Wimbledon GOAT for me though. Untouchable in 94/97/99....99 final...Jesus Christ unstoppable.

Grass GOAT you could argue Federer, but Wimbledon GOAT means more to me. Who consistently played their best tennis at the pinnacle of tennis at the height of their careers?
 
Otacon

Otacon

Hall of Fame
BeatlesFan said:
I thought that just happened here. Everyone I've ever personally known who was a tennis fan found someone else to root for when their favorite retired. There were hundreds of thousands of people who started rooting for Fed once Pete and Andre retired. It's the natural cycle of fandom.
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Well, I should never say never, but I don't think I'll be a "hardcore fan" of another player after Fed retires. I'll be just watching tennis because it's a wonderful sport.
 
T

Tennis_Hands

Banned
Otacon said:
Although Roger is obviously my favorite player, but I won't stop watching the beautiful game after his retirement.

It's strange to say this, but I know a lot of people who watch tennis because of X and Y player, and it's sad really.

That's the same for another popular sport, football, as many Cristiano Ronaldo fans switched their allegiance from Real Madrid to Juventus since the Portuguese parted ways with the Spanish side.
Click to expand...

As BeatlesFan said, everyone who is a true tennis fan has moved on multiple times.

You give the Federer fans bad name with your absurd comment. That shouldn't even be in discussion.

:cool:
 
TimHenmanATG

TimHenmanATG

Hall of Fame
Otacon said:
Although Roger is obviously my favorite player, but I won't stop watching the beautiful game after his retirement.

It's strange to say this, but I know a lot of people who watch tennis because of X and Y player, and it's sad really.

That's the same for another popular sport, football, as many Cristiano Ronaldo fans switched their allegiance from Real Madrid to Juventus since the Portuguese parted ways with the Spanish side.
Click to expand...

But these people aren't serious fans of sport.

"Transferring allegiance" from Real to Juve doesn't even make sense, as the clubs are in completely different countries.
 
PeoplesChamp

PeoplesChamp

Legend
Kyrgios, Shapo, Thiem, and that's just off the top of my head. There's always going to be someone to follow. That old rush will come back when a slam rolls around just like it always has even when Federer is gone. It might not be quite the same, but the sport lives on.
 
T

tonylg

Legend
Laver, Newcombe, McEnroe, Becker, Cash, Edberg, Sampras, Rafter, Henman, Federer ... Anyone?

When Federer retires, it's not just a player that disappears from the game, but an entire art.

These days Federer plays like most of the other baseline bots, but he represents the last player who could actually play "the good tennis".

And then people will talk about Medvedev and his wonderful all court skills :rolleyes:
 
P

PilotPete

Hall of Fame
People can watch for whatever reason they want. Don't get self-righteous lest you fall along the path of hypocrisy.
 
MeatTornado

MeatTornado

Talk Tennis Guru
tonylg said:
Laver, Newcombe, McEnroe, Becker, Cash, Edberg, Sampras, Rafter, Henman, Federer ... Anyone?

When Federer retires, it's not just a player that disappears from the game, but an entire art.

These days Federer plays like most of the other baseline bots, but he represents the last player who could actually play "the good tennis".

And then people will talk about Medvedev and his wonderful all court skills :rolleyes:
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TTW in 2028

Who is the most complete player of all-time and why is it Medvedev?
 
Swingmaster

Swingmaster

Hall of Fame
Clay lover said:
The real question is whether someone likes Tennys more than they like Federer
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I actually do like Tennys. I was watching neutrally during his great Australian Open match against Federer. Was just appreciating some good tennis. So I guess that means I like tennis more than Federer.
 
Federev

Federev

Legend
Otacon said:
Well, I should never say never, but I don't think I'll be a "hardcore fan" of another player after Fed retires. I'll be just watching tennis because it's a wonderful sport.
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I think this is me.

Something about Fed.

wasn’t really a fan till his “could he get back to the top?” test in 2012.

but once I became a fan, I’ve not been able to like anyone else nearly as much, though Rafa is my 2nd fave.

When Fed retires Rafa will be my fave to root for, but there’s only one GOAT for me.
 
Jack the Hack

Jack the Hack

Hall of Fame
NADALalot said:
9Ma5jsZ.jpg
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I have that same Agassi outfit in my closet right now. With the weight I've been losing while working out during this pandemic, it even fits again... so watch out next summer!

Anyway, my interest in the sport probably came from McEnroe, Wilander, Edberg, and Lendl on the pro side, who were the first people I can remember watching on television. But my participation in the game was initially stoked by a couple of brothers I met on a family vacation to Europe, one of which was on the Junior Davis Cup team and an amazing player. He was about 5 years older than me, and a really cool guy who took the time to hit a few shots with me on a red clay court. I wanted to be just like him, so I took up tennis as soon as I got home. That led to me eventually becoming the top player on my high school and college teams, with many tournaments and league matches all over the US since then.

I will miss Federer and Nadal when they retire, but I'll always love tennis. I'm looking forward to the next generation of players finally making their mark. Jannik Sinner and Bianca Andreescu are my favorites of the new guard.
 
kishnabe

kishnabe

Talk Tennis Guru
Same.

If Federer retired, I would cutback on watching tennis.

I still enjoy playing the sport and following it.
 
RaulRamirez

RaulRamirez

Legend
I don't know that there are any rules to this, and most here are probably ...okay are...younger than me. As a fan of many sports - though I spend the most time discussing tennis - and with a life, work and other interests (less actionable during these last 9 months and counting) my intense interest hasn't always been there consistently..

That said, I've liked many players prior to The Big 3 and hope to do so again after they all retire, though that will be sad. And while at times certain figures transcend the sport, none are truly bigger than the sport.
 
A

Arak

Legend
For someone who has watched tennis since the late 70s, I have been a fan of many players along the years, but I have to say the players that marked me the most and for whom I have truly rooted are Graf and Federer. I like many of the new guys and will happily watch them play when the big3 are gone, but Graf and Federer will always be my all time favorites. It’s like I didn’t stop watching F1 when Michael Schumacher retired, I still do every race weekend, but Schumacher will always be my favorite.
 
AnOctorokForDinner

AnOctorokForDinner

Talk Tennis Guru
Arak said:
For someone who has watched tennis since the late 70s, I have been a fan of many players along the years, but I have to say the players that marked me the most and for whom I have truly rooted are Graf and Federer. I like many of the new guys and will happily watch them play when the big3 are gone, but Graf and Federer will always be my all time favorites. It’s like I didn’t stop watching F1 when Michael Schumacher retired, I still do every race weekend, but Schumacher will always be my favorite.
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Are you German-speaking? :) Didn't realize you were old, they say tennis viewership is too old but nice to have a sizeable proportion of old fans where other sports are largely dominated by noobs lol.

F1 has gotten so dull, Lew vulturing titles in bulk in his spaceship car with no opposition in sight, at least Schumy had the decency to only dominate for three seasons (or rather FIA would intervene with regulation changes to prevent Ferrari from continuing to dominate but Mercs been getting entirely preferential treatment for years, disgusting).
 
MeatTornado

MeatTornado

Talk Tennis Guru
I don't begrudge anyone for cutting back or losing interest in the sport once their favorite guy retires. It's so different from team sports where you have a built in reason to root for people based on the organization. In an individual sport like tennis there's no one who I'm obligated to root for. It can take a while to find a favorite player, and if you're looking at the current batch of players coming up and no one is jumping out at you then what are you supposed to do? Just hang around watching every tournament as a neutral fan because you need to prove that you're a fan of the game? Who are you trying to impress? If tennis isn't your favorite sport that's fine.

And you should all get ready for this to happen in big waves, there's going to be a huge drop off by the end of this decade. We credit them for growing the game, but the game can also retract just as easily without them. The Big 3 era is unparalleled in the popularity of the players due to how long their careers have gone on. For someone like me, Federer has been on top of the sport since I was in middle school. I know I'll keep watching tennis, but fans are always going to be more attached to the players they saw as kids, so it'll never be the same for a lot of us once they're gone. It's hard to imagine me being quite as invested without these guys around. They're all so good and basically adding to the record books every time they play, which makes the sport must-watch TV nearly year-round.
 
junior74

junior74

Talk Tennis Guru
Started watching in the mid 80s and liked McEnroe and Edberg right away. Then I liked Agassi, Sampras, then Safin and it took a long time for me to like Federer, who is my absolute Big3 favourite. Then Stan got my attention in 2013/14. My preferences are purely down to taste and my love for the attacking style of tennis. Tennis survives.

Not sure it evolves, though.
 
A

Arak

Legend
AnOctorokForDinner said:
Are you German-speaking? :) Didn't realize you were old, they say tennis viewership is too old but nice to have a sizeable proportion of old fans where other sports are largely dominated by noobs lol.

F1 has gotten so dull, Lew vulturing titles in bulk in his spaceship car with no opposition in sight, at least Schumy had the decency to only dominate for three seasons (or rather FIA would intervene with regulation changes to prevent Ferrari from continuing to dominate but Mercs been getting entirely preferential treatment for years, disgusting).
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Well, I’m not german-speaking but I do speak german if you see what I mean :) (my german is very rusty though). Who are you calling old by the way? I’m the same age as Schumy and Steffi!
Agree about Schumy comments. FIA have changed the regulations every year just to try and stop him. I was so happy for George Russell last Sunday. He showed that the car is the true winner, even though Mercedes managed to screw both drivers at the end.
 
socallefty

socallefty

G.O.A.T.
I was a McEnroe fan originally when I was a kid and once he fell off in the mid-Eighties, I didn‘t watch much tennis in the second half of that decade. Then, I became a Sampras fan and watched regularly throughout the Nineties till he retired. Again, I lost interest in watching tennis for a few years after that which coincided with Federer’s peak years. I would watch only occasional Slam finals and my interest revived again only when Nadal and Djokovic started becoming a serious threat to Federer. The last decade has been a treat watching the Big 3 (along with Murray and Wawrinka for a few years) still playing at a high level and I have a feeling that my interest might wane a bit once Nadal and Djokovic retire.

Apart from Thiem, I don’t really look forward to watching any of the NextGen players although new guys like Sinner and Ruud do pique my interest. I would rather switch off the TV than watch Medvedev and Zverev play unless they are playing Nadal, Djokovic or Thiem. I don’t mind watching Tsitsipas and Shapovalov play partly because of their nice-looking 1HBHs, but their personalities haven’t made me a fan.

Interestingly, my tennis viewing doesn’t necessarily coincide with the frequency with which I play tennis at all. The only times I didn’t play tennis regularly since the mid-Eighties was during the Nineties and between 2006-2010 when I was more focused on dating and relationships. If I don’t watch tennis on TV, I watch other sports. The ATP shouldn’t get complacent and think they can easily retain fans like me once Nadal and Djokovic retire.
 
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T

Tennis_Hands

Banned
Otacon said:
Hey man !

Don't be rude, you should behave a bit, you're not Federer's fan club president.
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I made a comment as a fan of tennis, not as a "president" of the Federer fans club. For one, amongst the Federer fans that I have encountered there is rarely anyone, who watches tennis just because of Federer.

:cool:
 
T

tonylg

Legend
junior74 said:
Started watching in the mid 80s and liked McEnroe and Edberg right away. Then I liked Agassi, Sampras, then Safin and it took a long time for me to like Federer, who is my absolute Big3 favourite. Then Stan got my attention in 2013/14. My preferences are purely down to taste and my love for the attacking style of tennis. Tennis survives.

Not sure it evolves, though.
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I started being a committed tennis fan in the 70s and the players were different, but our paths are similar. I'm completely disinterested in the slam and other records race. In fact I think the fascination in breaking records has been to the gross detriment of the sport.

That's possibly because I don't like Federer more than I liked Sampras or Becker or many other players who have given us great matches. It's also because I don't have the "team sport fandom" mentality. Not that there's anything wrong with that, except administrators should put the sport first, which they have not.

Arak said:
Agree about Schumy comments. FIA have changed the regulations every year just to try and stop him. I was so happy for George Russell last Sunday. He showed that the car is the true winner, even though Mercedes managed to screw both drivers at the end.
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Sounds strangely like the ATP and ITF, who changed everything to stop Sampras, then further polarised the game to protect their beloved Big 3 (who we see get vulnerable any time a court is even slightly fast).

I can't wait for the Big 3 to retire. There's no guarantee that will prompt the ATP will create an environment where we might see some variety, but we sure as hell won't see any while they are still around.
 
mhkeuns

mhkeuns

Hall of Fame
I think everyone (*tennis players) at one point fell in love with McEnroe, Connors, Borg, or Chris Evert. After those legends, Mecir is still my favorite player of all-time, He was so unpredictable that when he was on top of his game, he’d make other pros look like novices. Edberg was another favorite. He was so graceful. I didn’t know that the logo of Australian Open (*guy serving) was Edberg. He was just beautiful to watch. Then, some kid named Pete Sampras came along and dominated the game. He had a couple of American rivals named Agassi, Chang and Courier, which they all were very entertaining. Then, came Federer who I’ve instantly fell in love with his game. There is Nadal who we cannot mention Feder without mentioning him whenever we talk about the GOAT. Hopefully, Hyeon Chung can heal his foot and make a come back.
Tennis will survive with or without Federer, though I wish he would stick around longer.
 
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