Did Fed tank in Cincy or not?

[cuddles26]

This is a poll on whether or not you think Roger tanked his match with Murray in Cincy. Not whether you agree with or not, or what you think of, just whether or not you think he did or did not tank it. After reading the heated discussions in the Mary saying Fed tanked thread, I am very curious to see how the votes come out.

 

[TXKiteboarder]

there are already 50 threads that discussed this... just move on, now its in the past.

 

[quest01]

I believe so

Yes I do believe Federer tanked in Cincy. It isn’t his usual self to lose in straight sets so easily especially in the early rounds of the tournament. So I feel Federer wanted to lose so he could have that extra time to prepare himself for the U.S. Open.

 

[Dolfan]

That was his way of calling in sick .

 

[Jack the Hack]

Geez... it's just the 9th match that Federer has lost in over 2 years. The guy does NOT mail it in or tank. He was tired from Toronto, ran into a hungry young player on the rise, and still lost by a pretty close score (4-6, 5-7). He didn't play his best, and that is because he is human. As he said himself, claiming that he tanked the match (especially when it was so close) is "absurd".

(Maybe Mary Carillo would have tanked, but she shouldn't impose her own paradigm on a player she can't possibly understand.)

 

[cuddles26]

So far it is a pretty close poll. It looks like very split views. Carillo was not that strong a player was she? I dont know much about her career except she used to play and was a journeywomen-but what degree of journeywoman I dont know.

 

[Moose Malloy]

Sounds like Fed admitted it:

Q. Why were you considering maybe not coming here?

ROGER FEDERER: Because the schedule is quite tough, you know, and I knew that my expectations were not to win the tournament here; they were to survive a few rounds. So that's why I'm not disappointed after this loss, you know. I expected kind of a result like this. I'm actually pretty happy I won a match here.

Q. If you're not necessarily expecting to win, what's the motivation?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, you know, the challenge. You know, try to make it not happen, you know.

Q. Are you at all disappointed? You seem pretty okay with this.

ROGER FEDERER: I'm not disappointed.

http://www.asapsports.com/tennis/2006cincy/081606RF.html

 

[cuddles26]

Sounds like Fed admitted it:

Q. Why were you considering maybe not coming here?

ROGER FEDERER: Because the schedule is quite tough, you know, and I knew that my expectations were not to win the tournament here; they were to survive a few rounds. So that's why I'm not disappointed after this loss, you know. I expected kind of a result like this. I'm actually pretty happy I won a match here.

Q. If you're not necessarily expecting to win, what's the motivation?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, you know, the challenge. You know, try to make it not happen, you know.

Q. Are you at all disappointed? You seem pretty okay with this.

ROGER FEDERER: I'm not disappointed.

http://www.asapsports.com/tennis/2006cincy/081606RF.html

Thank you for the interview. Very telling one at that.

 

[Fedubai]

Sounds more like striving to interpret what you want rather than what's actually there...

 

[cuddles26]

Sounds more like striving to interpret what you want rather than what's actually there...

You should put your little gladiator avatar back. It was kewl.

 

[Moose Malloy]

Well he basically said what Carillo said(who didn't use the word tank)

Compare:

"He went there because he had to, and he played as though he went there because he had to."

"Because the schedule is quite tough, you know, and I knew that my expectations were not to win the tournament here; they were to survive a few rounds."

"Winning back-to-back Masters Series, 12 matches in 13 days, it's just basically something of the impossible. If they don't start changing, you know, giving maybe the seeds any byes, I don't see any point why players should play back-to-back Masters Series anymore."


Does he sound like someone that wanted to be there? A guy with a 90% winning percentage(& even higher on hardcourts) says that his goals were just to win a match, not win the event?

 

[Fedubai]

Federer said after his first round match that all he had with him was his confidence, since he had no time for preparation. Obviously, then, his expectations were to survive a few rounds being tired and having no preparation.

Even Federer can lose, folks.

 

[cuddles26]

The funny thing is that Roddick managed to win back to back Masters one year and he isnt what I would consider an incredable workhorse type player or one with extreme fitness. Not saying he lacks in those areas, but is not incredable or anything. I would consider Federer to be atleast equal equipped to doing that as Roddick, and Nadal clearly moreso(speaking of last year what happened to him in Cincy after winning Canada). Not saying that means anything, but it is just very interesting is all.

 

[Fedubai]

Roddick gets a lot of free points off his serve, and back then his forehand was a kill shot. Serve-forehand, point over.

 

[ATXtennisaddict]

He was tired. That doesn't mean he tanked. He was just tired I'm sure.

But if u're tired and thinking about the US open coming up, then u'd naturally want to get out asap.

 

[uNIVERSE mAN]

The funny thing is that Roddick managed to win back to back Masters one year and he isnt what I would consider an incredable workhorse type player or one with extreme fitness. Not saying he lacks in those areas, but is not incredable or anything. I would consider Federer to be atleast equal equipped to doing that as Roddick, and Nadal clearly moreso(speaking of last year what happened to him in Cincy after winning Canada). Not saying that means anything, but it is just very interesting is all.

Roddick didn't play every single conceivable match of every tournament he entered up to that point that year.

 

[tennisboy87]

No, I don't think Federer tanked. He has too much pride to just give away a match imo.

 

[The tennis guy]

He was tired. That doesn't mean he tanked. He was just tired I'm sure.

But if u're tired and thinking about the US open coming up, then u'd naturally want to get out asap.

It depends on what the definition of TANK is.

 

[Rhino]

Well he basically said what Carillo said(who didn't use the word tank)
"Because the schedule is quite tough, you know, and I knew that my expectations were not to win the tournament here; they were to survive a few rounds."

"Winning back-to-back Masters Series, 12 matches in 13 days, it's just basically something of the impossible. If they don't start changing, you know, giving maybe the seeds any byes, I don't see any point why players should play back-to-back Masters Series anymore."


Does he sound like someone that wanted to be there? A guy with a 90% winning percentage(& even higher on hardcourts) says that his goals were just to win a match, not win the event?

Wow, you haven't seen many Federer interviews have you?
He often says that his expectations are not high. For example he said this after Toronto:
"I came here hoping to get through the early rounds, I was just hoping to get my feel back for the game."
He often says he is surprised by how much he wins, so of course a loss after all this time wouldn't come as such a shock. And seriously, after all the matches and tournaments he's won - and this so far is his best start to a year ever - would you be disappointed with a loss to only the 2nd person this year? I think he's got enough to be happy about without getting too cut up about losing to Murray. Plus the fact that he now has some rest before the open can be seen as some consolation after the loss, not the reason to cause the loss.

 

[Fedubai]

Unfortunately some on here seem keen on being very 'informed'. Only Fed knows what he did. Saying it's wrong to tank is just youthful naivete in the eyes of some.