Federer, the weight of history, and the law of 13s

[Steve0904]

Was waiting for this one to be bumped.

 

[Boom-Boom]

This US Open is for Roger

 

[falstaff78]

the Law of 13s is about to come true!

http://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/index.php?threads/uso-2015-final-what-do-the-stats-say.543682/

 

[underground]

The prophecy awaits...

 

[urundai]

You guys are giving me too much hope. I can't stand another disappointment. Let's hope Fed brings it on and few SABRs to go his way.

 

[sbengte]

If Federer wins today, I'll still have one regret. That I didn't trust the law of 13s enough to make plans to be in NYC to watch history being made.

 

[RF20Lennon]

If this comes true I will physically bow down before my computer screen to this thread. #GOATThreadiftrue

 

[TheFifthSet]

^Ditto

 

[RF20Lennon]

^Ditto

Please give me the chance to bow down before this thread Federer

 

[sez]

Even the rule of 13's could not account for 4/23. I enjoyed the ride thank you.

 

[falstaff78]

More specifically 1/11 vs second serve. Great thread. Could have been one for the ages.

 

[Down_the_line]

Well, so much for that.

 

[veroniquem]

Some silly bit of trivia I just realized the other day:

* 2006 AO: Nadal not there, nor is Safin, Federer as a huge favourite puts himself under a lot of pressure and struggles against a lot of players that he normally routines. Comes very close to the brink a couple of times (5 sets against Haas, 6 or 7 set points for Davydenko to go 2 sets to 1 up, Baghdatis up a set and a break in the final), but toughs it up and finally wins the whole thing.

Fast-forward 13 slams...

* 2009 FO: Soderling beats Nadal. Immediately, Federer becomes the huge favourite, but has to deal with the pressure of completing the career slam. The following day, Haas is two sets up and BP in the third. Then, that crazy semi against Del Potro, who was much stronger than him on that day (but less fit). Once again, he struggles again and again, but wins the whole thing.

Fast-forward 13 more slams...

* 2012 Wimbledon: Federer looking very good, until Rosol beats Nadal. Federer's chances of a final win immediately go up, and just as immediately, he finds himself two sets down against Benneteau. Is then expected to routine Malisse, but a back injury has him struggling through again, and I expect more of the same against Youzhny. Will he manage to scrape another win despite the weight of history (GS#17, Wim#7, and most weekds at #1?) We'll see by the end of the week whether the series continues or not.

And if it does...

Fast-forward 13 more slams...

* 2015 US Open: Federer is going for slam #20. After Djokovic's so-so hard-court season and Nadal's shocking first-round loss to veteran Yen-Hsun Lu, Federer becomes the firm favourite for one last hurrah in New York... and immediately finds himself digging deep to scrape a 5th set tiebreak victory against Brian Baker. Will he complete the "career slam of the law of 13s"?

(And, no, there's not a lot of serious stuff in this post. Still, the 13-slam difference between AO 2006 and RG 2009, then RG 2009 and Wim 2012 is funny, seing as the scenario pretty much plays the same up till now... )

It is absolutely fascinating what wishful thinking can do to someone's brain: giving new dimension to the expression "grasping at straws"...

 

[falstaff78]

It is absolutely fascinating what wishful thinking can do to someone's brain: giving new dimension to the expression "grasping at straws"...

You were saying the same thing in early 2012 when people were tracking Fed's progress towards the number 1 ranking. How'd that work out for you?

 

[veroniquem]

You were saying the same thing in early 2012 when people were tracking Fed's progress towards the number 1 ranking. How'd that work out for you?

I doubt I ever said anything so convoluted. (On a side note, Fed didn't end 2012 as #1)

 

[falstaff78]

I doubt I ever said anything so convoluted. (On a side note, Fed didn't end 2012 as #1)

So what? He was number 1 for 17 weeks in July and August. In early 2012 you were calling that wishful thinking.

Too lazy to search and quote.

 

[sbengte]

@merlinpinpin , you were right all along, except that the last one changed to the law of 18 ;-)

 

[Krish872007]

@merlinpinpin , you were right all along, except that the last one changed to the law of 18 ;-)

Screw the law of 18's, what about the 35's? Never too old:

Federer's age upon completion of project 18: 35
3 5 set matches played in the tournament
First man to beat 4 Top 10 players to win a Slam in 35 years
Beats Nadal in the Final in their 35th meeting

 

[stringertom]

Screw the law of 18's, what about the 35's? Never too old:

Federer's age upon completion of project 18: 35
3 5 set matches played in the tournament
First man to beat 4 Top 10 players to win a Slam in 35 years
Beats Nadal in the Final in their 35th meeting

35 games played to square the final at 2 sets all.

 

[NEW_BORN]

Played Jurgen Melzer in the 1st round who was also 35

 

[stringertom]

3 runner up finishes for Nadal, 5 titles for fedr.

 

[Krish872007]

I believe the first set of the Final was just under 35 minutes long.

Bull may have led the H2H, but trailed 3-5 in finals off of clay prior to the Final.

 

[stringertom]

17th seed gets his 18th slam: 17+18=35.

 

[Krish872007]

RAFA hit 35 winners in the Final.

Fedr won 3/5 points at the net in the 3rd set

I aged about 35 years when watching the 5th set.

 

[stringertom]

RAFA hit 35 winners in the Final.

Fedr won 3/5 points at the net in the 3rd set

I aged about 35 years when watching the 5th set.

I jumped up and down 35 times after Hawkeye ruled MP in and cried like a 3-5 year old!

 

[stringertom]

I will now go watch the 26-shot rally 9 times and pinch myself 35 times!

 

[NEW_BORN]

My mum told me to calm the flak down 35 times in the 5th set

 

[NuBas]

35

It kinda looks like the RF logo ..huh eh?

 

[NEW_BORN]

One more, this AO was Federer's 350th tournament of his career.
This victory was clearly written in the stars.

 

[Kalin]

35

 

[stringertom]

3+5=8 3+5=8 3+5=8...on 08/08/08 SexiRogi was the flag bearer at the Beijing Olympics...a big white plus.

 

[Sartorius]

On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being Awesome), this thread is a 35.

 

[Big_Dangerous]

My mum told me to calm the flak down 35 times in the 5th set

 

[BeatlesFan]

I jumped up and down 35 times after Hawkeye ruled MP in and cried like a 3-5 year old!

I think many Fed fans did. It was absolutely cathartic. For me, this win was even more emotional than the 2009 FO.

 

[-NN-]

I jumped up and down 35 times after Hawkeye ruled MP in and cried like a 3-5 year old!

Honestly, what was your reaction after MP?

 

[stringertom]

Honestly, what was your reaction after MP?

I'm probably underestimating the leaps into the air...the tears were for real too!

 

[-NN-]

I'm probably underestimating the leaps into the air...the tears were for real too!

I laughed like I had some laughing disease. It was like reoccurring hiccups but with laughter.

 

[stringertom]

I laughed like I had some laughing disease. It was like reoccurring hiccups but with laughter.

The laughter came later when I thought of all the butthurt that was going on, including some experienced by less than loyal Fednatics.

 

[Alchemy-Z]

I am just glad Rafa and Fed are getting chances to grab a few of these weak era slams before Murray and Novak snag all of them.

would like to see the young bucks show up eventually- we needed a very old rivalry to spark an interesting final.

 

[Krish872007]

Bumpity Bump.
Thanks to @DreddyTennis45 for helping us see the light and a new chapter being written in The Book of Fedr, the weight of history, "Be19ve" and the Law of 11s.

On day 11 Federer moved into an 11th Wimbledon final with an 11th straight win by beating the No.11 seed. On Sunday bids for win No. 1,111

 

[stringertom]

Bumpity Bump.
Thanks to @DreddyTennis45 for helping us see the light and a new chapter being written in The Book of Fedr, the weight of history, "Be19ve" and the Law of 11s.

fedr is a special strain of Binary Man...not 1's and 0's but 1's and 8's.