GameSampras
Banned
All the tennis greats , IMO, have stages.
1. The rise. Here is when the player makes his mark one day (as Fed did in 03 Wimbledon). He began to put it all together and reaches his prime.
2. Domination. This is when a player is in the 'middle' of their primes and making a name for themselves and obliterating everything and challenge put in front of them.
3. Step off the gas. This is when the player is still in his prime but priorities have changed and the day in day out grind has taken second place to the record books, slams etc...
4. Decline. This is when the player has lost physical abilities and/or is burnt out and is unable to produce his best.
When a great player is in stages 1 and 2, they go 'all out' on every tournament, they give it 100% everyday. They are trying to make a name for themselves.
In stage 3, a player is STILL in his prime but has already accomplished a lot and is now pacing himself, concentrating on the recordbooks. Federer is here!
Stage 4 is where the player is done, a 'shell' of himself. This would be Pete Sampras around 01-02 where he went around 1.5 years without winning a single title and was pushing 30 or 31. Or Andre from 05 on.. Federer HASN'T GOTTEN HERE YET..
So had Nadal or Murray or DJoker not have have emerged, Roger would've STILL started to lose more and more but, at slams, he'd be the same old Federer. He would've won 08 AO, Wimbledon and US Open and 09 AO. He would've also won a few masters in 08 and probably IW 09. . Again you saw this with others.
He is in stage 3 AND facing better rivals so you see what you see. Those losses to Nadal in slam finals could've EASILY happened between 04-06. Fed has upped his play in slams, same as in past, but Rafael has taken his level to a level no other player in the past was able to attain. Novak Djokovic's play at AO 08 was also a higher level of tennis than anything Fed's old rivals were able to produce. Federer had his chances to beat Novak, had he serve dout the first set and he has been close to Nadal..
the biggest difference.. Nadal has primed and tweaked his game to the point where Fed just could not stop the inevitable really and with Djoker and Murray into the mix, they present a more formidable challenge than those at the top 04-06
1. The rise. Here is when the player makes his mark one day (as Fed did in 03 Wimbledon). He began to put it all together and reaches his prime.
2. Domination. This is when a player is in the 'middle' of their primes and making a name for themselves and obliterating everything and challenge put in front of them.
3. Step off the gas. This is when the player is still in his prime but priorities have changed and the day in day out grind has taken second place to the record books, slams etc...
4. Decline. This is when the player has lost physical abilities and/or is burnt out and is unable to produce his best.
When a great player is in stages 1 and 2, they go 'all out' on every tournament, they give it 100% everyday. They are trying to make a name for themselves.
In stage 3, a player is STILL in his prime but has already accomplished a lot and is now pacing himself, concentrating on the recordbooks. Federer is here!
Stage 4 is where the player is done, a 'shell' of himself. This would be Pete Sampras around 01-02 where he went around 1.5 years without winning a single title and was pushing 30 or 31. Or Andre from 05 on.. Federer HASN'T GOTTEN HERE YET..
So had Nadal or Murray or DJoker not have have emerged, Roger would've STILL started to lose more and more but, at slams, he'd be the same old Federer. He would've won 08 AO, Wimbledon and US Open and 09 AO. He would've also won a few masters in 08 and probably IW 09. . Again you saw this with others.
He is in stage 3 AND facing better rivals so you see what you see. Those losses to Nadal in slam finals could've EASILY happened between 04-06. Fed has upped his play in slams, same as in past, but Rafael has taken his level to a level no other player in the past was able to attain. Novak Djokovic's play at AO 08 was also a higher level of tennis than anything Fed's old rivals were able to produce. Federer had his chances to beat Novak, had he serve dout the first set and he has been close to Nadal..
the biggest difference.. Nadal has primed and tweaked his game to the point where Fed just could not stop the inevitable really and with Djoker and Murray into the mix, they present a more formidable challenge than those at the top 04-06
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