“Made Us Lost Twenty Years”: Gilles Simon Questions the Image of Roger Federer

Villain

Villain

Professional
Didn’t see a thread on this comment by Simon yet. Interesting take. I don’t agree with it, but interesting nonetheless.

https://www.essentiallysports.com/m...e-image-of-roger-federer-atp-tennis-news/amp/

Quote in reference:

“For decades, it has been believed that only Federer should be trained. And he, with his style of play, his way of going forward, the confidence he exudes, came to validate these choices. He made us lose twenty years! In France, everyone wants Federer: parents, coaches… We don’t realize that Nadal has won so many Grand Slams (20) by doing something quite different. That’s why it would help if Federer’s records fell because we’d finally have to see the others,” said Simon.
 
SinneGOAT

SinneGOAT

Hall of Fame
My bet is Djokovic is on the chopping block next for something, probably existing like Federer and Nadal do.
 
Yugram

Yugram

Legend
Simon is 100% correct. The media and various influencers have been spreading propaganda about the so called effortless elegant tennis and how it’s the only way to ensure longevity for 15 years.

Now we can see that, apparently, all they did was lying, lying, lying and spreading agenda.
 
Yugram

Yugram

Legend
Federer and his supposed greatness was always a giant fraud, built on one of the most opportunistic periods in Open Era history.

Only now we’re beginning to comprehend how big of a lie it all was.
 
BackhandDTL

BackhandDTL

Hall of Fame
He’s claiming that there are multiple ways to ensure longevity, and there is right way to play the sport.

He’s not saying it in a diplomatic way but he’s right.
 
S

Shaj

Semi-Pro
Federer has been detrimental to an extend..People are made to believe his style is the only style and way forward and that is completely wrong. Fed got away because of weak competition in that era.People just do not want to face that. They think god has made Fed as the chosen one..that is so wrong.. Many can play effortless tennis and win if your main opponent is Andy Roddick and he started struggling at he blink of rise of another ATGs..Federer was an illusion and a delusion..
 
Gary Duane

Gary Duane

G.O.A.T.
Villain said:
Didn’t see a thread on this comment by Simon yet. Interesting take. I don’t agree with it, but interesting nonetheless.

https://www.essentiallysports.com/m...e-image-of-roger-federer-atp-tennis-news/amp/

Quote in reference:

“For decades, it has been believed that only Federer should be trained. And he, with his style of play, his way of going forward, the confidence he exudes, came to validate these choices. He made us lose twenty years! In France, everyone wants Federer: parents, coaches… We don’t realize that Nadal has won so many Grand Slams (20) by doing something quite different. That’s why it would help if Federer’s records fell because we’d finally have to see the others,” said Simon.
Click to expand...
Kshitij Tayal presented us with a really ****ij translation! We are seeing Google translate level nonsense.
 
Lleytonstation

Lleytonstation

Talk Tennis Guru
Gary Duane said:
I think it's the opposite. Because Fed started to decline, the presumption is that grunting, time-wasting, over the top gamesmanship and only back court rallies are the new norm. He remained popular, but everyone started training like Joker and Nadal.
Click to expand...
Yeah, you cant play like Fed without his talent, but you can try and play like Djoker and Rafa with effort and conditioning.
 
Villain

Villain

Professional
Arak said:
He surely has a big mouth for such a failed useless player. He sounds like a very bitter man who is disappointed with his tennis career. That’s very relevant.
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The guy was #6 in the world. I would hardly call that a “failed useless player.” Is he Federer? No, and no one is saying he is, including him. Whether you agree with him or not; which I can see you don’t and neither do I for that matter; he is simply arguing that only Federer can succeed playing like Federer in this era and that it is a “fool’s errand” trying to replicate his play style at the highest levels. Further, this has been to the detriment of French tennis.
 
T

Tennis_Hands

Banned
Lleytonstation said:
You mean only now are we realizing how bad the last 5 years has been and how bad the next 5 years will be. Biggest 10 year whole in tennis.
Click to expand...

Let's be precise, the "new" generation should have been here somewhere around 2014 (when Dimitrov started making waves), so it is 6 years (starting 7 next year) barring the fact that there is also a humongous difference between the birth years of the players from the Nadal/Djokovic geneartion and the next supposed ATGs. Currently standing at 14 years and beginning 15 next year. That is absolutely ridiculously long. For comparison the difference between Agassi/Sampras and Fed's generation is only 10 and the VB/Djoke fans still call to this day Agassi "cripple"/"old" (well they have toned it down a bit, we know why).

:cool:
 
T

Tennis_Hands

Banned
Villain said:
The guy was #6 in the world. I would hardly call that a “failed useless player.” Is he Federer? No, and no one is saying he is, including him. Whether you agree with him or not; which I can see you don’t and neither do I for that matter; he is simply arguing that only Federer can succeed playing like Federer in this era and that it is a “fool’s errand” trying to replicate his play style at the highest levels. Further, this has been to the detriment of French tennis.
Click to expand...

Nope, that is not his argument.

You ought to read his words again.

:cool:
 
A

Arak

Legend
Villain said:
The guy was #6 in the world. I would hardly call that a “failed useless player.” Is he Federer? No, and no one is saying he is, including him. Whether you agree with him or not; which I can see you don’t and neither do I for that matter; he is simply arguing that only Federer can succeed playing like Federer in this era and that it is a “fool’s errand” trying to replicate his play style at the highest levels. Further, this has been to the detriment of French tennis.
Click to expand...
Right, except that what he’s saying is not true. In France most aspiring tennis players idolize Nadal and play like Djokovic. And I’m not sure who appointed Simon as the problem solver of French tennis.
 
fundrazer

fundrazer

G.O.A.T.
Didn't see a thread because you didn't look hard enough.

I'll make the same comment here though...If they try training people to play like Nadal or Novak, I don't think that's necessarily going to make any difference. All three of these guys have things that you can't teach or really learn.

And what the heck does Gilles know about this anyway? Is he actively working with the upcoming French players? Also, any players being trained to replicate Fed from young age are probably not even professionals yet. Wouldn't really know if they failed or not for a few more years. Then again though, what country HAS produced great players in the past few years? Clearly guys like Monfils and Simon weren't trained to play like Fed. So who the heck is he talking about? Unless he's referring to the old idea of "French style" of playing pretty bust losing, because Fed's gamestyle happens to look appealing too.
 
T

Tennis_Hands

Banned
fundrazer said:
Didn't see a thread because you didn't look hard enough.

I'll make the same comment here though...If they try training people to play like Nadal or Novak, I don't think that's necessarily going to make any difference. All three of these guys have things that you can't teach or really learn.

And what the heck does Gilles know about this anyway? Is he actively working with the upcoming French players? Also, any players being trained to replicate Fed from young age are probably not even professionals yet. Wouldn't really know if they failed or not for a few more years. Then again though, what country HAS produced great players in the past few years? Clearly guys like Monfils and Simon weren't trained to play like Fed. So who the heck is he talking about? Unless he's referring to the old idea of "French style" of playing pretty bust losing, because Fed's gamestyle happens to look appealing too.
Click to expand...

That is what I was hinting at asking what Simon's argument is.

Answer: he doesn't have one, since his words don't reflect the reality.

:cool:
 
RaulRamirez

RaulRamirez

Legend
For the Fed Detractors:
It is one thing to evaluate that - on the whole - Fed may have had a slightly easier path to his unprecedented 4-5 years of dominance (which his biggest supporters would debate). But it's quite another to dismiss Fed's sheer greatness. If you can't see it - whether you root for him or not - you simply don't know tennis. (Same for Rafa and Novak Detractors).

As for Simon, based off this snippet and translation, I'm not really sure what point he's making. It may even be a compliment in that it's hard to emulate what Fed does. I think it may be tougher to emulate Rafa, actually, and while Novak seems to have more stylistic copycats, none of them do it nearly as well.
 
Federev

Federev

Legend
Gary Duane said:
I think it's the opposite. Because Fed started to decline, the presumption is that grunting, time-wasting, over the top gamesmanship and only back court rallies are the new norm. He remained popular, but everyone started training like Joker and Nadal.
Click to expand...
This.

If you look at the actual production of style in tennis following Federer it seems this is the better perspective than Simon’s.
 
USO

USO

Banned
Villain said:
Didn’t see a thread on this comment by Simon yet. Interesting take. I don’t agree with it, but interesting nonetheless.

https://www.essentiallysports.com/m...e-image-of-roger-federer-atp-tennis-news/amp/

Quote in reference:

“For decades, it has been believed that only Federer should be trained. And he, with his style of play, his way of going forward, the confidence he exudes, came to validate these choices. He made us lose twenty years! In France, everyone wants Federer: parents, coaches… We don’t realize that Nadal has won so many Grand Slams (20) by doing something quite different. That’s why it would help if Federer’s records fell because we’d finally have to see the others,” said Simon.
Click to expand...

Please order your T-shirts...

7_300x300_Front_Color-AshGrey.jpg


89_300x300_Front_Color-White.jpg
 
UnderratedSlam

UnderratedSlam

G.O.A.T.
OP's first post is useless as it takes Simon's comment out of context.

It's basically a thread to help FedArmy vent off some anger.

Simon is the new target. Next month it could be anyone, whoever dares say st that isn't 100% worshippy of Federer.

Besides, we've had this thread already, a few days ago.
 
T

Tennis_Hands

Banned
UnderratedSlam said:
That's the whole point of Simon's argument...

That they were chasing something that's unobtainable.
Click to expand...

No, that is not his point. Like I said, he doesn't have a point, because the reality is VASTLY DIFFERENT.

Tsonga, Monfils, Paire are not a byproduct of Federer-like style went awry. They were in fact trained in styles very different form what Federer does. The reality contradicts what Simon is saying.

:cool:
 
UnderratedSlam

UnderratedSlam

G.O.A.T.
Tennis_Hands said:
No, that is not his point. Like I said, he doesn't have a point, because the reality is VASTLY DIFFERENT.

Tsonga, Monfils, Paire are not a byproduct of Federer-like style went awry. They were in fact trained in styles very different form what Federer does. The reality contradicts what Simon is saying.

:cool:
Click to expand...
You're taking the "20 years" too literally.

There is no doubt that French kids might have been influenced by what he's saying since already 2004.

16 years. Plenty.

In fact, the French generation AFTER Gasquet/Tsonga/Monfils is much weaker. That would serve to "prove" Simon's point or at least fits.
 
A

Arak

Legend
Tennis_Hands said:
No, that is not his point. Like I said, he doesn't have a point, because the reality is VASTLY DIFFERENT.

Tsonga, Monfils, Paire are not a byproduct of Federer-like style went awry. They were in fact trained in styles very different form what Federer does. The reality contradicts what Simon is saying.

:cool:
Click to expand...
Moreover, coaches in France actually discourage new players from playing like Federer. They teach SW forehands and two handed backhands, and mostly baseline game, like everywhere else in the world tbh.
 
beltsman

beltsman

G.O.A.T.
Villain said:
Didn’t see a thread on this comment by Simon yet. Interesting take. I don’t agree with it, but interesting nonetheless.

https://www.essentiallysports.com/m...e-image-of-roger-federer-atp-tennis-news/amp/

Quote in reference:

“For decades, it has been believed that only Federer should be trained. And he, with his style of play, his way of going forward, the confidence he exudes, came to validate these choices. He made us lose twenty years! In France, everyone wants Federer: parents, coaches… We don’t realize that Nadal has won so many Grand Slams (20) by doing something quite different. That’s why it would help if Federer’s records fell because we’d finally have to see the others,” said Simon.
Click to expand...

Ah yes, blaming Federer for the failures of French tennis. Delusional.
 
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