Damn, he really looks confident, his eyes never lie.
I think his overt confidence this tournament is deliberate and it's a good thing. He's spoken the obvious truth: Djokovic is the prohibitive favorite. But as he said, if he plays well, he's a threat to anyone. Good strategy instead of pretending to be humble. I also like that he told a reporter he was sick of answering questions about Nick. It shows that as Fed inches closer to retirement, he's being more outspoken instead of so P.C. That's a good thing!Damn, he really looks confident, his eyes never lie.
Whatever game plan he has that doesn’t involve the new BH and wicked ROS won’t be enough to win the AO. I saw one DTL backhand in the Istomin match and that was it. However, his movement looks stellar and I loved the drop shots. Serve is solid too.
The weak slice ROS is what bothers me the most. That’s not cutting it in the later rounds if he meets Rafa and/or Djoker.
Regardless of his plan the rest of the tournament, slicing was the right call vs Istomin. Fed clearly knew him and his weaknesses very well. He won a ton of points by drawing him in with short slices.—1st serve % wasn’t good but still he faced no break points and that’s a departure from second half of last year which is good.
—1st serve had plenty of power
—FH wasn’t taken as early but had plenty of easy power and “heft” behind it. He FH CC not even taken as early has the usual Fed FH was giving Istomin fits.
—Too many slice BHs, no real Neo ones. He looked to run around whenever possible.
Not sure what to think there.
—Too many slice BH returns.
—He’s got a game plan and I don’t think it involves the aggressive returning and Neo backhand becuse in 2017, we saw those from match #1 in Hopman.
You are reading too much into it if you ask me. For a first match that was really good - he had two very poor matches in Melbourne 2017 before dialing it up considerably.
Why has he lost those tools? Do you think it's a case of - it just costs too much physically - the strength / twitch /anticipation / reflexes to keep that going?Whatever game plan he has that doesn’t involve the new BH and wicked ROS won’t be enough to win the AO. I saw one DTL backhand in the Istomin match and that was it. However, his movement looks stellar and I loved the drop shots. Serve is solid too.
The weak slice ROS is what bothers me the most. That’s not cutting it in the later rounds if he meets Rafa and/or Djoker.
Serious question - not just being sarcastic - why do you come to a "Federer News" thread?I think fed is overrated . I seen better tennis players
Why has he lost those tools? Do you think it's a case of - it just costs too much physically - the strength / twitch /anticipation / reflexes to keep that going?
Maybe he had a TUE going into 2017 from the recovery off-season which allowed him to play at a new level for a while.
But then the effects of the TUE wore off and he had to go back to his usual tools till the hand injury really took him out of it in mid-2018
That would explain a lot to me.
23 and me told me that I am long distant relative of FedererSerious question - not just being sarcastic - why do you come to a "Federer News" thread?
It's not a notion. It's a question. I have no idea.Sounds more like a pre-conceived notion looking for theories to fit than an explanation to me.
It's not a notion. It's a question. I have no idea.
I just don't know why those tools came and went so freaking fast.
And there would be no shame in in a TUE. That's why it is a TUE. It's legal and accountable and transparent with the governing bodies.
Fed's my man. If you know anything about my posts.
I just want that NEO back. Or I wanna know why it isn't coming back.
I don't know. It's just crazy to me how unreal he was in early 2017. It was just amazing stuff for a few months. And then - poof - it's gone.Occam's razor would suggest there are far simpler explanations for which I think you're reaching with the idea of TUEs and such.
Lack of expectation coming off of his break and the physical benefit of R&R translated into playing really really well in 2017. Even by 2018 AO, that was gone - partly because now the stream of successes behind him put the pressure of expectations - No.20, oldest No.1. He achieved them but one can clearly see he was willing himself to do it and not just playing freely without consequence - IW '18, right after Rotterdam where he secured No.1 was where it all began to take a toll.
I don't know. It's just crazy to me how unreal he was in early 2017. It was just amazing stuff for a few months. And then - poof - it's gone.
But maybe it's what you're saying.
And that would make the mental aspect of his game even more the decisive factor than I thought.
If that's the case I would rather he quit after Wimbledon every year if it means he comes back to the AO like he did in '17.
But alas - age is also a factor.
I assume we'll never know.
But I would not rule the beneficial lagging affects of TUE to get over the injury. It's not a scandalous immoral thing.
I wouldn't be surprised if it's a greater factor in these careers than we know.
Do you have a theory on why the Neo is not in abundance anymore?The neo BH was in evidence in every match he played at the 2017 Hopman Cup and in all the early round matches at the 2017 AO. It's not been seen since Stuttgart. I seriously doubt he's suddenly going to be able to unveil it in the semis when it's been dormant for half a year. I hope he keeps using the drop shot though!! He even had a ROS drop shot winner last night.
Easy there Easygoing. This is Fedland and we don't take these things rationally.Wow, this neoBH has reached mythical status. It’s just a top spin BH, for crying out loud, not a super power like in Street Fighter...
The exact same could be said after a couple of rounds at last year's open, and also in the 2017 open. He saved his guns until he needed them most.Whatever game plan he has that doesn’t involve the new BH and wicked ROS won’t be enough to win the AO. I saw one DTL backhand in the Istomin match and that was it.
Why has he lost those tools? Do you think it's a case of - it just costs too much physically - the strength / twitch /anticipation / reflexes to keep that going?
I don't know the answers. For me, Roger is by far the greater and better player than either Nadal or Djokovic, particularly Nadal. But his mental issues against both prevent him from playing freely. The neo BH disappearance may also be age-related. We've never seen anyone at age 37 play at this level, so it's all uncharted territory. Why do you think the neo-BH has been AWOL?
The AO kit looks great.
Fed's in amazing shape.
watashot!
looks a lot better on him than the picturesThe AO kit looks great.
Fed's in amazing shape.
watashot!
Whatever game plan he has that doesn’t involve the new BH and wicked ROS won’t be enough to win the AO. I saw one DTL backhand in the Istomin match and that was it. However, his movement looks stellar and I loved the drop shots. Serve is solid too.
The weak slice ROS is what bothers me the most. That’s not cutting it in the later rounds if he meets Rafa and/or Djoker.
looks a lot better on him than the pictures
Maybe he used it against Istomin because it *works* against him? Plus (and this might seem insulting to his early opponents) he needs the rhythm and practice to play baseline rallies.
I don't expect him to come out in the first round of a slam all guns blazing if the past is any indication. Roger raises the level of his game as the level of his opponents rises. Times when he was feeling it and ended up winning the title, he shifted gears while progressing through the rounds.
Watch him at his most efficient, murderous best by Round 3 or 4.
I made the same point about his slices against Istomin, but the return of serve is a different story.Maybe he used it against Istomin because it *works* against him? Plus (and this might seem insulting to his early opponents) he needs the rhythm and practice to play baseline rallies.
I don't expect him to come out in the first round of a slam all guns blazing if the past is any indication. Roger raises the level of his game as the level of his opponents rises. Times when he was feeling it and ended up winning the title, he shifted gears while progressing through the rounds.
Watch him at his most efficient, murderous best by Round 3 or 4.
I made the same point about his slices against Istomin, but the return of serve is a different story.
He completely stopped coming over the top on his bh returns for the entirety of 2018. Didn't matter if he was playing a scrub or a top 10 guy. I doubt he's going to completely re-adjust if he gets to the semis or final.
Get off the "Federer News" thread. There's an entire board to be an arse on, the "news" threads are for fans of the player.Wow, this neoBH has reached mythical status. It’s just a top spin BH, for crying out loud, not a super power like in Street Fighter...
Regardless of his plan the rest of the tournament, slicing was the right call vs Istomin. Fed clearly knew him and his weaknesses very well. He won a ton of points by drawing him in with short slices.
Goodbye Guys. I just canceled all of my useless tennis subscriptions. This fool game is getting too expensive and more work than it's worth. Good luck in life y'all.
Well looks like I won't be watching the Australian Open. The "tennis" channel is covering two whole hours a day with no Encore showings, so missed Federer and it's not covered or streamed anywhere else except MFking ESPN+ which sucks and I'm not paying even more MFKing money to watch streamed events that I already know the outcome of.
FVCK the greedy Mofos. I can live just fine without tennis.
We broke herGoodbye Guys. I just canceled all of my useless tennis subscriptions. This fool game is getting too expensive and more work than it's worth. Good luck in life y'all.
You realize how much money ESPN must pay to get the rights to the slams? They're the primary provider in the US, of course their content is going to be exclusive as they can make it.Well looks like I won't be watching the Australian Open. The "tennis" channel is covering two whole hours a day with no Encore showings, so missed Federer and it's not covered or streamed anywhere else except MFking ESPN+ which sucks and I'm not paying even more MFKing money to watch streamed events that I already know the outcome of.
FVCK the greedy Mofos. I can live just fine without tennis.
espn3 (Spanish, but whatever) has Nishikori onGoodbye Guys. I just canceled all of my useless tennis subscriptions. This fool game is getting too expensive and more work than it's worth. Good luck in life y'all.
Quadruple account of a Novak fan. Please no one don't fall victim to the same mendacity of Justasport: "Fed adopted me yesterday and I am officially living with his team!!!!!" It's pretty transparent with this account, as it was with the other.Federer and neo backhand said in the same sentence somebody cringes.
I was able to watch the full Fed match free on ESPN3. It was a replay, but I was OK with that, since I could watch it when it was more convenient. I'm pretty good at avoiding results, so delayed matches work fine for me! (I'll subscribe to TennisTV again, after the AO is over. I love to watch matches without all the yip-yappin'...)Goodbye Guys. I just canceled all of my useless tennis subscriptions. This fool game is getting too expensive and more work than it's worth. Good luck in life y'all.
IPTV is the real deal nowadaysGoodbye Guys. I just canceled all of my useless tennis subscriptions. This fool game is getting too expensive and more work than it's worth. Good luck in life y'all.
Federer and neo backhand said in the same sentence somebody cringes.
The real barometer in Roger's game is whether he plays inside the court or not.The obsession with the "neo backhand" is borderline cringe. And this is coming from a Fed Fan.
Same here. Some people watch tennis and others also play it. Nobody I know that plays tennis calls it that. You think the coaches and team around Federer or anyone on the tour uses the term? Not a chance.The obsession with the "neo backhand" is borderline cringe. And this is coming from a Fed Fan.
Goodbye Guys. I just canceled all of my useless tennis subscriptions. This fool game is getting too expensive and more work than it's worth. Good luck in life y'all.
The obsession with the "neo backhand" is borderline cringe. And this is coming from a Fed Fan.