Federer Should Wildcard Monte Carlo

[Steve0904]

So why are you talking so much about it? You don't think arguing is going to change our opinions, but that hasn't stopped you from arguing. I plead guilty to 'harping' for 2 years about Federer's clay decisions, as you should plead guilty to 'counter-harping'.

I'll plead guilty to counter harping sure. It's not a big deal. We have differing opinions that's all.

 

[oldmanfan]

Yeah, nothing about this bothers me in the slightest. Not only is it "only" a Masters, but it's not like he's anywhere close to a guarantee against the field outside of Nadal and Djokovic like he used to be. He could've easily injured himself from overplaying as well, after Miami, and he hasn't played on clay in 2 years and could've been rusty and lost anyway.

Fed doesn't schedule his tournaments thinking "Yeah this field is weak if Nadal AND Djokovic go out." That's fan logic. He only worries about himself and it's served him well for over 20 years. Moaning about what could've been, especially about a friggin Masters when he's won almost everything else under the sun is just pure greed.

Wat is dis sensible logic, good sir!

Seriously. The MC19 results might've been perfect from a Fedfan's perspective, regardless. Nadalovic won't win it, and only Djokr is barely ahead of Fedr in pts, and Nadal needs to win Barcelona to be ahead. To top it off, they both looked beatable. Actually, they WERE beaten, and Djokr could've/should've lost to Kohly in 2R while Nadal was on the ropes for a good while against Pella in the QF, being broken 5 times(!).

Fedr just came off 5-weeks-straight of tennis. Yes, even the 2x 1/2 weeks of IW/Miami were tennis as he needed to practice before his first matches there. Then there are only 2 weeks before MC19 starts. Was Fedr supposed to just go on vacation for 2 weeks and then show up and play? NO! He'd have to spend about 1 week to 'practice' and adjust to the MC conditions. That leaves 1 week left for vacation or whatever. But he hasn't played on clay for almost 3 years, so he'd want to train his physique so it can perform better on clay. There goes that 1 week. So are we REALLY asking The Old Man, nearing 38, to essentially play not 5, but 8 weeks STRAIGHT?

Is Fedr 20 and 25, like Tsitsipas and Thiem?

Skipping MC19 was the right call given the circumstances.