Federer — distorted perceptions on this forum

[fed_the_savior]

Federer has set such a ridiculously high standard, and drawn so many perfectionists as fans, that somehow losing to the No. 3 ranked player in the world in a grand slam semifinal means he is a totally washed up no good hack of an over-the-hill journeyman who could never get past round 1 again, even though the other 124 players in the Grand slam draw could only hope for such a good result.

Pete Sampras, the second greatest title holder in tennis, lost in the fourth round of the US Open in 1997 to the 15th seed, and routinely lost to lower ranked players than Federer does, yet still went on to set his record, but somehow just barely losing to a really good player means Federer is trash and will never win anything again.

Did Federer's years of dominance create this unreasonable monster of expectating to never lose? Does he have to live up to his own self-created spectre of perfection? Did those years create a deep resentment and bitterness of seeing his name on the trophy again and again? Does him returning to a lower level of play mean he can never possibly win again, even though Sampras, amidst jeers and doubt, pulled it off in the last year of his career?

Somehow if Federer wins only one slam a year it's disgusting and pitiful, even though most players live their whole lives only dreaming they could win just one? Must he live in the shadow of perfection for the rest of his career?

 

[Mustard]

In Federer's own words, he has created a monster.

 

[veroniquem]

It's not disgusting and pitiful but it's definitely a setback and it can only get worse in the future. Sorry but in current tennis, there's only so much one can do at 30 years old. I know Rosewall won many slams older than that but tennis didn't require the same athleticism or "power" than it does now.

 

[Netspirit]

In Federer's own words, he has not been the same player.

 

[fed_the_savior]

It's not disgusting and pitiful but it's definitely a setback and it can only get worse in the future. Sorry but in current tennis, there's only so much one can do at 30 years old. I know Rosewall won many slams older than that but tennis didn't require the same athleticism or "power" than it does now.

The question is just how dominant will future Nadal be. Will he be another Federer?

 

[haderech]

It's not disgusting and pitiful but it's definitely a setback and it can only get worse in the future. Sorry but in current tennis, there's only so much one can do at 30 years old. I know Rosewall won many slams older than that but tennis didn't require the same athleticism or "power" than it does now.

u don't have to go as far back as rosewall - how about andre or lendl? fed can still bring it - BUT HE NEEDS TO FOCUS. Yes, he has set the standard by so consistently and beautifully picking the right plays. I was actually a rafa fan before becoming a fed fan, because I have come to appreciate his awesomeness (though rafa's evolution is impressive). Watching him make routine mistakes today of inaccuracy and incorrect shot selection made me wince.

 

[Fugazi]

Federer has set such a ridiculously high standard, and drawn so many perfectionists as fans, that somehow losing to the No. 3 ranked player in the world in a grand slam semifinal means he is a totally washed up no good hack of an over-the-hill journeyman who could never get past round 1 again, even though the other 124 players in the Grand slam draw could only hope for such a good result.

Pete Sampras, the second greatest title holder in tennis, lost in the fourth round of the US Open in 1997 to the 15th seed, and routinely lost to lower ranked players than Federer does, yet still went on to set his record, but somehow just barely losing to a really good player means Federer is trash and will never win anything again.

Did Federer's years of dominance create this unreasonable monster of expectating to never lose? Does he have to live up to his own self-created spectre of perfection? Did those years create a deep resentment and bitterness of seeing his name on the trophy again and again? Does him returning to a lower level of play mean he can never possibly win again, even though Sampras, amidst jeers and doubt, pulled it off in the last year of his career?

Somehow if Federer wins only one slam a year it's disgusting and pitiful, even though most players live their whole lives only dreaming they could win just one? Must he live in the shadow of perfection for the rest of his career?

Best post I've read in a while!

 

[Soulie]

In Federer's own words, *cries*

 

[willshot]

yet another excuse...

 

[ledwix]

u don't have to go as far back as rosewall - how about andre or lendl? fed can still bring it - BUT HE NEEDS TO FOCUS. Yes, he has set the standard by so consistently and beautifully picking the right plays. I was actually a rafa fan before becoming a fed fan, because I have come to appreciate his awesomeness (though rafa's evolution is impressive). Watching him make routine mistakes today of inaccuracy and incorrect shot selection made me wince.

Correct. Federer totally lost focus in two of the sets today, and of course they were the sets where he was ahead in sets. He seems to take making the finals of a grand slam for granted, which is really sad. You can't just be passive when you're ahead and expect to win a best of five set match against the third (now SECOND) best player in the world. Federer competed well for three sets today, but Djokovic played his heart out for all five. (Oh and his shot selection on break points and match points, basically any big points in the fifth, was very poor)

 

[Sentinel]

Federer is not someone who is living by his earnings on the tour any longer. His image of begin the greatest ever to pick a rack (in the eyes of the general public) is being eroded away by Sir Nadal. And losing to him at the USO would have been like a final nail in the coffin.
I think he calculated that for his image it was better to lose to Joker than to Nadal.
If Nadal continues to go on a rampage, its likely the Federer could retire soon.

That's really tragic, because he's still the second best and is a real treat to watch when he's on. Who cares if he consistently loses to one guy ?

 

[IvanisevicServe]

yet another excuse...

How is this an excuse?

An excuse is:

"Rafa's knees hurrrt."
"Rafa's stomach hurrrts."
"Rafa's only so-and-so years old and not in his prime yet."
"Rafa has blisters on his toes."
"Rafa always gets the tougher draw."

Nobody is saying Federer didn't lose the match, "fair and square." They're just pointing out that him losing isn't the end of the world/official "he's washed up" moment that people are saying it is.

As for what's wrong with him now...it does seem to be largely mental. I wonder if he almost has too much "variety" now and isn't sure what to do with it. He plays stupid drop shots and lobs at inopportune times and misses as many as he makes...he goes right at players as opposed to hitting to the open court that will almost surely give him a winner...when he moves in on shorter balls he over-hits the forehand almost every time...he still hugs the baseline and if the opponent gets the serve back at his feet, half the time it results in an immediate Federer half-volley error...he chooses some weird moments to try to run around his backhand and ends up lifting the ball off the court...he just doesn't have game plans anymore, I don't think.

 

[jack_kramer]

Cowarderer is overestimated imo. He has no cojones and he ducked Nadal again today because he didn't want his h2h to get any worse. He's a complete fraud and Nadal will pillage and **** all of his records - mark my words! :evil:

 

[fed_the_savior]

Cowarderer is overestimated imo. He has no cojones and he ducked Nadal again today because he didn't want his h2h to get any worse. He's a complete fraud and Nadal will pillage and **** all of his records - mark my words! :evil:

but tell us how you really feel

 

[ubermeyer]

News flash to *******s:

NOBODY CARES ABOUT H2H EXCEPT YOU.

 

[Baikalic]

One positive I can draw from all of this is that going into next year, I can see tennis fans pulling for him in a completely different way; they have seen this year, more than any other, that the Federer they got used to in the previous decade is receding into the past. They will start pulling for him the same way they pull for venerated champions past their peak, and every one of his matches will attain a more heightened, urgent, nostalgic, and memorable atmosphere that will create a special era all its own.

 

[jack_kramer]

but tell us how you really feel

The Crying Pansy is a fraud and the entire world knows he let slip those two match points because he didn't want to diminish his endorsement value and/or give his rival more glory. That's the awful truth if we're really being honest with ourselves.

 

[jack_kramer]

News flash to *******s:

NOBODY CARES ABOUT H2H EXCEPT YOU.

********* SURE AS HELL CARES ABOUT IT!

 

[rafan]

If Federer does take time out then I bet he will be back. Like the entertainment world/films/ theatre fame is a hard act to give away and he will miss it unless he can find some other diversion that will bring him the same adulation

 

[haderech]

I just wanted to address the stupid opinion I find keeps popping up: the quasi-conspiracy theory that Fed lost on purpose so as not to further "taint" his record/image by losing to Rafa in the final. It is a lot better for your "image" (and record and everything else) to lose in a final rather than a semi-final of a GS. His H2H with Rafa is meaningless to his image and record. Remember that most of them came on clay courts anyway (not to diminish Rafa's clay court ownage, but there are specific reasons why he beats everyone on that surface) and he even has a losing H2H with Murray (which obviously no one talks about) and I believe an even or near even record with the Djoker. Just think before posting such nonsense.

 

[Bryan Swartz]

Exactly. The idea that he could hold MPs and be out there for almost four hours and tank it is just ... well, it's tin-foil-hat conspiracy theory stuff.

 

[danb]

...
1. Did Federer's years of dominance create this unreasonable monster of expectating to never lose?
2. Does he have to live up to his own self-created spectre of perfection?

1. Yes - and other guys like Rafa now live under this kind of pressure - they measure up to "the man (Roger)"
2. He can't. He's a step slower; he's 30. Enjoy his game while he is still playing. He won 16 GS so I don't give a penny if he wins another one or not - he is the GOAT anyway.

VAMOS RAFA!

 

[danb]

Federer is not someone who is living by his earnings on the tour any longer. His image of begin the greatest ever to pick a rack (in the eyes of the general public) is being eroded away by Sir Nadal. And losing to him at the USO would have been like a final nail in the coffin.
I think he calculated that for his image it was better to lose to Joker than to Nadal.
If Nadal continues to go on a rampage, its likely the Federer could retire soon.

That's really tragic, because he's still the second best and is a real treat to watch when he's on. Who cares if he consistently loses to one guy ?

Fed is greatest - 16GS is the measure of the GOAT.
BUT - you might be correct - Fed had enough of Rafa; he could't afford to lose to him anymore.

VAMOS RAFA!

 

[West Coast Ace]

\
Somehow if Federer wins only one slam a year it's disgusting and pitiful, ...

I know what you mean - but I think you're reaching. It's just incredibly disappointing/surprising. If Fed had played well and Joker had just been too good, no way we have this reaction. Add the fact that Fed has mostly owned Djoker, especially in the late rounds, at the USO. Plus Joker's stamina issues (even though it was a cool day, they were out there a long time). And the anticipation of a Fed v. Rafa USO final, finally. Oh, and don't forget that it was 7-5 in the 5th - Fed had his C game (or worse) - and still came tantalizingly close to pulling it out.

 

[Viper]

News flash to *******s:

NOBODY CARES ABOUT H2H EXCEPT YOU.

This. (ten characters)