2018 Indian Wells SF: [1] Roger Federer vs. Borna Coric

[Deleted member 77403]

And had to look peak Nadal in the eye too. I'd like Djoko to win more slams (once Fed has retired of course!!) because I think otherwise his numbers will not tell future generations how great his achievements were.

Absolutely. He took on Fedal when no one else could and that is why he is my fav. He refused to be anything less than a champion, and taking on two of the greatest to ever play the game when they were in the peaks and primes says it all.

 

[Rago]

I want him too. If he can pull out this one, he is capable of anything.

He'd get waxed by Nadal if (by some miracle since he's easy prey for any of the top dirtballers) he reached the final of any clay court tourney.

He hardly got any first serves in today for large periods of the match and struggled to do anything from the baseline. I've never seen his groundstrokes look so impotent.

Fed is toast without his serve. I'd even favor Nadal if they were to meet at the USO.

 

[zalive]

Well most here expected easy Fed's win, right? I gave Coric 15% chance and I think I was real in this.
Serve consistency was great in first set, however Borna needed bit more of it to hold either second or third set. So little lacked. Roger's loss was very close.

 

[Plamen1234]

Djokovic was a world beater already at 21, with an AO and multiple masters to his name. These guys have to earn the name - The Next Djokovic. It cannot just be thrown around because they try to emulate his game...try emulating his heart, his warrior mentality, his consistency also.

Actually it can be .Dimi was called Baby Fed so such names can be thrown around.After all the Next Gen must be pumped up somehow - it didnt work with Dimi and company but it could work with Chung,Coric and the others

 

[mike danny]

but no one of you cant deny Federer had luck today - a great amount of it. Like AO 17 against Nadal

Oh no, quite the contrary.

Fed went for his shots in the AO 2017 final. He took it himself.

Here, he just patiently waited for Borna to choke and implode.

 

[Nadal15thslam]

Djokovic was a world beater already at 21, with an AO and multiple masters to his name. These guys have to earn the name - The Next Djokovic. It cannot just be thrown around because they try to emulate his game...try emulating his heart, his warrior mentality, his consistency also.

Wow, Coric is just 21! I thought he has been around for more time.

 

[Steve0904]

I'm optimistic that 2020 might possibly maybe potentially be a year of transition.

@Meles likes this.

 

[Federev]

I have to say that's one of the more impressive Federer wins I've seen.

why? seriously. what impressed you about it?

 

[Apun94]

Djokovic was a world beater already at 21, with an AO and multiple masters to his name. These guys have to earn the name - The Next Djokovic. It cannot just be thrown around because they try to emulate his game...try emulating his heart, his warrior mentality, his consistency also.

People here just want to forget what Djokovic accomplished, as quickly as possible. Especially since he beat Fedal so much during his reign. I hated Djokovic when he was dominating Nadal but boy would i love to see him back now. The level of tennis right now is mediocre

 

[abmk]

Absolutely. He took on Fedal when no one else could and that is why he is my fav. He refused to be anything less than a champion, and taking on two of the greatest to ever play the game when they were in the peaks and primes says it all.

tbh, I expected djoko to do better in 2009/10 ..........

what he did in 2011 was overcoming the aura of Nadal and Federer was great, but the above played a part in it as well.

He couldn't have done much about Federer's aura, but he shouldn't have let Nadal get that much ahead in 09/10.

 

[Deleted member 77403]

Actually it can be .Dimi was called Baby Fed so such names can be thrown around.

And that is disrespectful to Federer really. Just copying someone's strokes doesn't make you their second coming. What is inside you counts even more.

 

[Deleted member 688153]

Just voted "Federer in 2" in the poll.

 

[tennisaddict]

These 4 on top of my head :

AO 17 final
AO 18 final
IW 2018 QF
IW 2018 SF

IW 2017 4R, you mean ?

 

[Deleted member 512391]

No, I think that's the real one.

The real one thinks that Federer is overrated and I trust wikipedia.

 

[Deleted member 77403]

tbh, I expected djoko to do better in 2009/10 ..........

what he did in 2011 was overcoming the aura of Nadal and Federer was great, but the above played a part in it as well.

He couldn't have done much about Federer's aura, but he shouldn't have let Nadal get that much ahead in 09/10.

Nadal peaked before Djokovic, we all know that.

 

[reaper]

I agree. Not sure if Fed was fitter, but this match was winnable for him. Unfortunately his service games will always be an Achilles heel for him. His serve simply isn't good enough to make it to the very top of the game, IMO.

It doesn't always have to be his Achilles heel..he should be able to improve it. He's tall enough with a smoothish action, he looks like he should have a big serve. It would make a massive difference to his game.

 

[Federev]

He'd get waxed by Nadal if (by some miracle since he's easy prey for any of the top dirtballers) he reached the final of any clay court tourney.

He hardly got any first serves in today for large periods of the match and struggled to do anything from the baseline. I've never seen his groundstrokes look so impotent.

Fed is toast without his serve. I'd even favor Nadal if they were to meet at the USO.

USO is faster than IW and Miami and look what Fed did to Nads there ...at 35.

 

[George Turner]

Djokovic was a world beater already at 21, with an AO and multiple masters to his name. These guys have to earn the name - The Next Djokovic. It cannot just be thrown around because they try to emulate his game...try emulating his heart, his warrior mentality, his consistency also.

I think social media these days plays a part. A next gen player produces one upset and suddenly all these labels are thrown around on social media, people watch it on youtube and the bandwagon gets rolling.

33 years ago in 1985 nobody expected Becker to win Wimbledon even after winning queens. Whereas if Shapo or Kyrgios won queens this year these boards would go into meltdown

 

[Deleted member 77403]

People here just want to forget what Djokovic accomplished, as quickly as possible. Especially since he beat Fedal so much during his reign. I hated Djokovic when he was dominating Nadal but boy would i love to see him back now. The level of tennis right now is mediocre

Tennis does need him. Not specifically to beat Federer, but to add that extra buzz, that having a big name brings.

 

[imonfire]

Coric definitely played better than Federer for large parts. Unfortunately for him even Federer's C/B game was enough.

True. But Fed's defence has always been VASTLY underrated here. He's VERY good in defence actually.
Coric got that far. Shouldve closed it out

Being fair to Fred, in the past he would have just unforced errorred himself out of the match despite actually being very good defensively. Being fair to the match, it would have been even better if Coric broke him back and ended up winning. Anyway, it was not on par with Venus-Kasatkina semifinal from last night, but it was closely contested and a very good match, perhaps the best of the tournament so far in the ATP side, even for non-Fed fans - please point out which matches were better than this.

 

[abmk]

IW 2017 4R, you mean ?

that didn't end in a challenge from what I remember.

Check here : Go to the end.

 

[Deleted member 743561]

Here's hoping this becomes one of the more-bumped threads in PMR history. Lotta reactionary blathering. From all sides.

Oh, right.

So, for the record, if others won't take it upon themselves to do it, you know who will. Cheers, saltmeisters!

 

[TheGhostOfAgassi]

Even when your quiet you can no hide from me

Hope Nadal recovers in time for the clay season. Shouldn't have tried to play Acapulco though.

I haven't been so into tennis, its been a lot of skiing and winter sports interests. Im not updated, haven't watched a full tennis match for months. Hope tennis will get more exciting when clay and grass season starts(my fav part of tennis)

 

[bezs]

Rogi's Indian summer continues, nice comeback when the chips were down.

 

[Steve0904]

It doesn't always have to be his Achilles heel..he should be able to improve it. He's tall enough with a smoothish action, he looks like he should have a big serve. It would make a massive difference to his game.

Hopefully for him he can do it. It could've (and probably would've) made the difference today. Unfortunately his FH broke down under pressure as well though. Not sure how high his ceiling is, but I'd be conservative with it.

 

[Sudacafan]

He'd get waxed by Nadal if (by some miracle since he's easy prey for any of the top dirtballers) he reached the final of any clay court tourney.

He hardly got any first serves in today for large periods of the match and struggled to do anything from the baseline. I've never seen his groundstrokes look so impotent.

Fed is toast without his serve. I'd even favor Nadal if they were to meet at the USO.

So many negative people around here. And are sure Nadal’s body can resist another grinding season as last year?

 

[sbengte]

Wow, Coric is just 21! I thought he has been around for more time.

Wait, he was only 17 when he beat Peakdal in 2014 ? How on earth did Peakdal lose 2 matches to this mug ?

 

[Apun94]

Being fair to Fred, in the past he would have just unforced errorred himself out of the match despite actually being very good defensively. Being fair to the match, it would have been even better if Coric broke him back and ended up winning. Anyway, it was not on par with Venus-Kasatkina semifinal from last night, but it was closely contested and a very good match, perhaps the best of the tournament so far in the ATP side, even for non-Fed fans - please point out which matches were better than this.

Sure, from the men's side, this was the best match of the tournament. That's not saying much though, as this has been a lackluster tourmanent so far, with so many top players out. Having said that, as great as this match was, the end was a bit anti climatic

 

[Rhino]

Great match. Fed playing relatively poorly, down a set and a break, plus down a break twice in the 3rd. Gritty comeback from RF.

 

[Rago]

USO is faster than IW and Miami and look what Fed did to Nads there ...at 35.

Nadal has the stamina advantage in best of 5 and if Federer doesn't serve well, he'd probably lose in 3 or 4. His serve against Rafa in any of their matches is crucial since he has always been the weaker of the two off the baseline.

 

[abmk]

Nadal peaked before Djokovic, we all know that.

He did. (Edit) But Nadal didn't really have that much aura on HC in 07. Djoko was already better than him on HC in 07 , was clearly better than him on HC in 2008 as well.
was doing well on clay in 08 as well (winning Rome, that classic vs Nadal at Hamburg). grass also - showed some good play in Wim 07 and Queens 08.

 

[George Turner]

I haven't been so into tennis, its been a lot of skiing and winter sports interests. Im not updated, haven't watched a full tennis match for months. Hope tennis will get more exciting when clay and grass season starts(my fav part of tennis)

This tournaments been quite terrible (except for Fedr Ofc) all the other high ranked players losing their first or second match. I'm not sure there's many quality clay courters around but we'll see. Coric and Chung have the game to do something on clay.

Hope the skiings been fun, we've had snow in Britain! Couldn't buy food cos everyone was panic buying

 

[Apun94]

Tennis does need him. Not specifically to beat Federer, but to add that extra buzz, that having a big name brings.

Oh yes, obviously

 

[Deleted member 77403]

He did. But djoko was already better than him on HC in 07 , was clearly better than him on HC in 2008 as well.
was doing well on clay in 08 as well. grass also - showed some good play in Wim 07 and Queens 08.

Yes, but Djokovic still wasn't peak. His 07-08 level is not what he brought when he turned up in 2011. That was a different man, that was an ATG who prowled those courts.

 

[arvind13]

who would win? 2018 federer vs 2007 djokovic?

 

[Feather]

Couldnt agree more. Djokovic is EASILY top 5 all time. Comparing Djokovic to Chung is downright disrespectful to Djoko. '07 Djoko wouldve crushed Chung

We had a discussion the other day about Roger Federer playing in clay. You said Roger was a distant but still second favourite at RG after Rafa. Did you see the match today? Did you see how Roger struggled when his serve was off? Roger is actually a very good wind player too.

Tell me honestly, do you think Roger would have survived today if this was a clay masters?

 

[okdude1992]

it's one thing when the Verdascos of the world do it, it's another when a so called young player who should give us hope for the future does it (again).

I know some people will be impressed by Coric' performance. He had a good week.
But, golden opportunity that he choked today, Fed was playing terrible. And realistically Coric hasn't shown virtually any improvements for the past 3 years.
I'm starting to fear the Next Gen won't be any better than the Lost Gen.

It seemed the absence/decline of Djokovic and Murray (even Wawrinka, Ferrer, Berdych, Tsonga, Nishikori etc) would open the door for new faces to cement themselves as top players. IMO it was a feel good story after AO and RG last year, but now we get old Fed and Nadal cleaning up a tour even worse than the past few years.

Delpo is the only bright spot. We must cheer on this man's 2nd major

 

[flyinghippos101]

Papa Rog finding ways to beat kids half his age lol

Dreadful match by Fed. Coric was in the driver's seat for most of it but blew it

 

[Apun94]

who would win? 2018 federer vs 2007 djokovic?

'07 Djokovic. Come on. That dude beat Fed and Nadal back to back in Montreal.
Also beat Nadal in Miami by playing seriously good tennis.
Sad people like to forget how good Djokovic was

 

[Tennis_Hands]

Has Fabricerer given post match interview yet?

I missed it, if he has.

 

[George Turner]

who would win? 2018 federer vs 2007 djokovic?

I say Fedr. Djokovic wasn't able to win the 2007 USO final and that wasn't vintage Fedr that day. 2018 Fedr could produce a similar standard performance.

I'm interested in who wins between 2005-6 fed and 2011/2015 djokovic. Statistically and by watching them that year it's Very hard to separate them.

 

[metsman]

I say Fedr. Djokovic wasn't able to win the 2007 USO final and that wasn't vintage Fedr that day. 2018 Fedr could produce a similar standard performance.

 

[abmk]

Couldnt agree more. Djokovic is EASILY top 5 all time. Comparing Djokovic to Chung is downright disrespectful to Djoko. '07 Djoko wouldve crushed Chung

if by all time, you mean open era, yes, djoko is definitely top 5.
But not all time.

 

[jimjam]

Tough match for Fed. I think he will enjoy himself a lot more against Delpo tomorrow if he wants to use that backhand so much. Would be kind of funny if he just goes FH to FH all day tomorrow!

 

[Mike Sams]

Yes casual fans enjoy it, non-casual fans are turned off by the lack of quality. 7 breaks of serve in a 13 game span, 80 UFE total or whatever it was. Guess this is the way things are going though. SLOW COURTS!

Overall lack of quality with some moments of greatness mixed in. Some really awesome shots from both sides. But the conditions weren't very good on a surface that plays slow. Even we have bad days at work at times.

 

[Rago]

So many negative people around here. And are sure Nadal’s body can resist another grinding season as last year?

What grinding season? He's already playing around 3 fewer tournaments compared to last year. He will breeze through clay without breaking sweat again.

Nadal will go into USO even fresher than in 2017.

 

[George Turner]

We had a discussion the other day about Roger Federer playing in clay. You said Roger was a distant but still second favourite at RG after Rafa. Did you see the match today? Did you see how Roger struggled when his serve was off? Roger is actually a very good wind player too.

Tell me honestly, do you think Roger would have survived today if this was a clay masters?

In a vacumn it would have been a similar type of match. However Fedr would be more tired after grinding his way to a clay court semi, which gives Coric more chance.

This hardcourt isn't much faster than Monte Carlo.

 

[zalive]

Lol, who are the clowns who vote (or change their vote) after the match has ended?

 

[TheGhostOfAgassi]

This tournaments been quite terrible (except for Fedr Ofc) all the other high ranked players losing their first or second match. I'm not sure there's many quality clay courters around but we'll see. Coric and Chung have the game to do something on clay.

Hope the skiings been fun, we've had snow in Britain! Couldn't buy food cos everyone was panic buying

Brits and snow
We have an incredible winter season, and Olympics were fantastic from my perspective.
Lets see if the tennis interest comes back when tennis comes to Europe

 

[Apun94]

We had a discussion the other day about Roger Federer playing in clay. You said Roger was a distant but still second favourite at RG after Rafa. Did you see the match today? Did you see how Roger struggled when his serve was off? Roger is actually a very good wind player too.

Tell me honestly, do you think Roger would have survived today if this was a clay masters?

Fair point. But a couple of things.
I said Fed should focus on RG, not a clay masters. RG is a 5 set battle. He wouldve eon today's match in a 5 setter even if Coric hadnt choked.
Secondly, the conditions in Paris are slightly cooler than in IW. So, physically it would be easier to play there.
Thirdly, Fed still isnt playing at the level he played in AO or Rotterdam. If he plays like that at RG, he's making the final no matter what.
Btw, I still believe Fed is the second favourite at RG. He really has to give himself that opportunity one last time. You never know