Federer Wants More 5 Set Matches On ATP Tour

Backspin1183

Backspin1183

Talk Tennis Guru
“I just think we need to get some maybe more best‑of‑five‑set matches back into the ATP events,” Federer said. “Definitely think we should have it at the World Tour Finals. Maybe at the Masters 1000. I don’t know if 500 or 250s can have it again.

“I played best of five sometimes at 250s and 500s, and some matches I guess are more memorable. I understand we went the other way, so more players can play more tournaments and more fans can see those best players because a five‑setter clearly at the wrong time can either injure you or make you extremely tired or just you run the risk of being burnt out.
“So that’s why you have to do it at the right times and be fair which tournament gets it and which one doesn’t. So maybe that’s going to be a negotiation, a debate. I don’t
know what it’s going to be. So I think it will be nice to have a few more best‑of‑five‑set matches on the tour.”


http://www.tennis-x.com/xblog/2014-03-18/15196.php
 
Glad someone is speaking up against changing to 3 setters. Murray has been vocal about this as well, though I don't know if about adding any..

Good man Rog.
 
He believes best of 5 gives the better player more time to win and right the ship. His game also allows him to play longer without threat of injury most of the time.
 
Hmmm. If I remember correctly, it was Fed's own doing (together with Nadal) to have the Best-of-5 finals abandonned at the Masters tournaments in the first place!
(for those who don't know: talk about quitting the format, as said instigated by Fedal themselves, started right after the Rome 2006-final, whereafter Fedal both refused to show up at Hamburg because of fatigue).

Of course I would very much welcome best-of-5 finals back to the Masters tournaments, but it's a bit strange to see this wish coming from one of the culprits who got it abandonned in the first place... ;)
 
Masters, YEC finals should be best of 5. Everything else best of 3. Obviously Slams stay 5 sets.
 
WTF should be a 5-setter. If they make some of the M1000 a 5-setter then they should also readjust the points to 1,200 (maybe)?
 
Vcore89 said:
WTF should be a 5-setter. If they make some of the M1000 a 5-setter then they should also readjust the points to 1,200 (maybe)?
Click to expand...

Masters are worth enough points as it is. The best of 5 set finals didn't give you more points in the early 00's.
 
Yeah, even if masters finals are not best of 5, the WTF finals should be. I mean, after that there is nothing except DC, and I don't think 1 extra 5 setter should be enough to make everybody angry about it.
 
There are NINE Masters. If every one of them was best of 5 sets the whole way through - that is a heck of a lot more 5 set matches to play in a year.

Don't get me wrong, I'd enjoy it, but it's never going to happen - too big a change to make. Also you've got people like Sharapova calling for even Grand Slams to be best of 3 in the mens.

Indian Wells and Miami should definately be best of 5 sets though, they are both 2 week tournaments and absolutely jack all happens in the 1st week.
 
NatF said:
Masters are worth enough points as it is. The best of 5 set finals didn't give you more points in the early 00's.
Click to expand...

I think Rodge is referring to a few select M1000s and those are the ones needing a points upgrade. The rest of the M1000s stays as a 3-setter with 1,000 points.
 
objectivity said:
so a "request" like this is ok? but not suggesting more clay court tennis? rrrright.

seriously the double standards.
Click to expand...

Don't start this, seriously. Please don't. Not only will you start a fanboy war, but there is a stark difference between the 2.
 
tennis_hack said:
There are NINE Masters. If every one of them was best of 5 sets the whole way through - that is a heck of a lot more 5 set matches to play in a year.

Don't get me wrong, I'd enjoy it, but it's never going to happen - too big a change to make. Also you've got people like Sharapova calling for even Grand Slams to be best of 3 in the mens.

Indian Wells and Miami should definately be best of 5 sets though, they are both 2 week tournaments and absolutely jack all happens in the 1st week.
Click to expand...

doesn't the length of the tournament have to do with being a combined atp/wta event?
 
WTF - Agree 100%

1000 SF/Final - Maybe, it would be interesting to see the later stages of these events evolve into a 5 set match.

1000 early rounds - No. Too many long matches taking into account weather patterns and there would be a longer recovery time and it would eventually cause burnouts and injuries.

500/250 - No for the same reasons as above.
 
objectivity said:
so a "request" like this is ok? but not suggesting more clay court tennis? rrrright.

seriously the double standards.
Click to expand...

not suggesting more clay court tennis? How much more do you want? Really, I am interested to know.

After AO, you have the SA swing which is still three good weeks of tennis, including a 500 series event. Nadal played in Rio, and not Dubai where the HC guys were. So options are there to play clay. You play two slow HC events in NA, and then you have main Europe clay court season, including three masters and a slam.

Then...after one month of grass, players can play even more clay for all of July, with tournaments in Gastaad, Bastaad, Hamburg, among others, all the way up to the two HC Masters leading into US Open.

So exactly how much more clay do you want? Clay tournaments happen for the bulk of the year, and run along side the outdoor HCs both post AO and post W. So, how much more do you want?
 
Masters finals and WTF final should be BO5. Except in case of back to back masters, the first one's final should be B03.
 
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I am "for" for making the masters 1000's final and WTF"s final as a 5-setter. By doing it, I want to see more days and weeks between masters. It seems to me that they are too short in a preriod between these tournaments and I believe that is the root cause of the problem.
 
2005: After the epic Nadal-Coria Rome final, Nadal pulls out of Hamburg

2006: After the epic Nadal-Federer Rome final, both players pull out of Hamburg

There is your reason for 5-set masters finals being abandoned as of 2007-2008.
 
Vcore89 said:
I think Rodge is referring to a few select M1000s and those are the ones needing a points upgrade. The rest of the M1000s stays as a 3-setter with 1,000 points.
Click to expand...

Is Federer actually sure what he wants? The following quote was taken from his post semi-final press conference,

QUOTE
Q. Having won so much this week, does it make you rethink Miami at all? You're going to have six matches here.
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, we'll see how the match goes tomorrow. I mean, thankfully ‑‑ I'd like to see more best of five set finals potentially, but it is not, so that's definitely a plus.
But it looks more likely for me to go than not to go, you know, at this point, yeah.

This is from someone who is supposedly so fluent in English. Sounds like fluent goggledegook to me.
 
WTF is more of en expo really so it wouldn't suit it to be best of 5.

But finals at masters should definitely be best of 5. Like it used to be!
 
smash hit said:
Is Federer actually sure what he wants? The following quote was taken from his post semi-final press conference,

QUOTE
Q. Having won so much this week, does it make you rethink Miami at all? You're going to have six matches here.
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, we'll see how the match goes tomorrow. I mean, thankfully ‑‑ I'd like to see more best of five set finals potentially, but it is not, so that's definitely a plus.
But it looks more likely for me to go than not to go, you know, at this point, yeah.

This is from someone who is supposedly so fluent in English. Sounds like fluent goggledegook to me.
Click to expand...


Fed wants 5 set matches for other players, not for himself. It's typical that he wants to benefit.

Fed wants a player (other than Fed) to be incapable of winning a lot of Masters. He doesn't want other players to pass him in the record books.
 
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objectivity said:
so a "request" like this is ok? but not suggesting more clay court tennis? rrrright.

seriously the double standards.
Click to expand...

Actually having more 5 setters increases Nadal's chances of winning because his great endurance. Adding more clay and less hc obviously helps Nadal. The difference between Federer and Nadal is Federer request for the best for players, fans and tennis. But Nadal request changes if they benefit him(self-serving).
 
TMF said:
Actually having more 5 setters increases Nadal's chances of winning because his great endurance. Adding more clay and less hc obviously helps Nadal. The difference between Federer and Nadal is Federer request for the best for players, fans and tennis. But Nadal request changes if they benefit him(self-serving).
Click to expand...

Federer always requests the best for him!
His fans are nodding and think that 'Fed is tennis'! :D
 
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I'd like to see best of 5 finals re-instated for ALL the big tournaments including the WTF and Masters 1000. In addition to the Slams, only the Olympic final and DC ties are currently played in best of 5 format.

Only the finals mind you. It is just not practical to have them for all rounds of tournaments except for the Slams. They are 2 week affairs and their schedules allow for the time involved unlike with the other big tournaments.
 
TMF said:
Actually having more 5 setters increases Nadal's chances of winning because his great endurance. Adding more clay and less hc obviously helps Nadal. The difference between Federer and Nadal is Federer request for the best for players, fans and tennis. But Nadal request changes if they benefit him(self-serving).
Click to expand...

That's what you and other Fed fans think. I know he comes across as one too. But us Rafa fans know how after playing 5 set Master finals he had to withdraw from the next Master 1000. Happened after 2005 Rome final, happened again after 2006 Rome final.
The fact that he's won record 26 Master 1000s playing Bo3 proves that it's actually better for him this way as there's less chances of getting injured or too exhausted.

On topic, I think WTF should be Bo5 but not Master 1000s. There's just way too many back to back tournaments.

I also find it interesting that Federer wants tournaments to go Bo5 now, after he's way past his prime. He's talked about speeding up courts so there's more chances of upsets and all. I wonder why he never said these things during his prime. Probably too busy winning, I guess.
 
octobrina10 said:
Federer always requests the best for him!
His fans are nodding and think that 'Fed is tennis'! :D
Click to expand...

The Fatal Flaw of Nadal’s Two-Year Ranking System

Presumably, Nadal’s method would count the last 104 weeks (two years) of results instead of the last 52, as is currently the case.The most obvious casualties of such a system are young players (or any players, really) on the way up.
The clear beneficiaries, of course, are the opposite type of competitor: established players who are declining or injured. If a player is consistently good, it really doesn’t matter how the ranking system is calculated–just about any way you slice it, Djokovic, Nadal, Federer, and Murray would be the top four.

http://heavytopspin.com/2012/03/29/the-fatal-flaw-of-nadals-two-year-ranking-system/

Rafael Nadal calls French Open scheduling ‘a joke’

http://tennis.si.com/2013/05/31/rafael-nadal-french-open-scheduling/

Nadal Renews Criticism of Hardcourt Schedule

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/14/sports/tennis/nadal-renews-criticism-of-hardcourt-schedule.html

Nadal wants different surfaces for ATP finale

“The third thing is because I feel like I am unlucky,” Nadal said of the surface of choice. “During these nine years the Masters Cup was on indoor, a surface that was not the best for me. So probably for me I was a little bit unlucky in this because in the past we had the Masters Cup on other surfaces. I understand, but I think this is unfair.”

http://tennis.si.com/2013/11/04/rafael-nadal-novak-djokovic-atp-world-tour-finals/

"If he's complaining that I never say 'hi' to him, what can I do?" he said. "He must have been in his complaining mood today., Soderling on Nadal.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2007/jul/04/tennis.wimbledon12

Nadal Loses on Madrid’s Blue Clay After Complaining About It
If the organizers of the Madrid Open did not go back to a normal clay surface next year, “it will be one less tournament in my calendar,” he said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/11/s...ids-blue-clay-after-complaining-about-it.html

Nadal is upset by faster courts in Melbourne
“Completely different conditions than what I remember of this tournament. Faster conditions than I ever played here in Australia.
"I really don't understand very well why they change because the last couple of years, Australian Open had amazing matching, long ones, good ones for the crowd. I don't know why the people who decide to make the conditions that fast.”
"I am not sure for the show is the best thing. But they decide and I'm just a player to try to be competitive from the beginning."

http://news.tennistonic.com/tennis-news?nid=3460
http://www1.skysports.com/tennis/au...s-are-faster-than-ever-at-the-australian-open

Rafael Nadal has started to make too many complaints

After this episode, tennis fans have realized that Nadal has started to complain too much. Nadal’s critics often say that the Spaniard whines all the time. The 26-year-old has problem with too many hard court tournaments, he has issues with the ranking system, he has concerns about too long season. He was by far the biggest criticizer of the blue clay courts at Madrid last year, even threatening to boycott the event in future.

http://www.**************.org/Rafae...o-make-too-many-complaints-articolo10310.html
 
Last edited:
Omega_7000 said:
Rafael Nadal calls French Open scheduling ‘a joke’

http://tennis.si.com/2013/05/31/rafael-nadal-french-open-scheduling/

Nadal Renews Criticism of Hardcourt Schedule

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/14/sports/tennis/nadal-renews-criticism-of-hardcourt-schedule.html

Nadal wants different surfaces for ATP finale

“The third thing is because I feel like I am unlucky,” Nadal said of the surface of choice. “During these nine years the Masters Cup was on indoor, a surface that was not the best for me. So probably for me I was a little bit unlucky in this because in the past we had the Masters Cup on other surfaces. I understand, but I think this is unfair.”

http://tennis.si.com/2013/11/04/rafael-nadal-novak-djokovic-atp-world-tour-finals/

"If he's complaining that I never say 'hi' to him, what can I do?" he said. "He must have been in his complaining mood today., Soderling on Nadal.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2007/jul/04/tennis.wimbledon12

Nadal Loses on Madrid’s Blue Clay After Complaining About It
If the organizers of the Madrid Open did not go back to a normal clay surface next year, “it will be one less tournament in my calendar,” he said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/05/11/s...ids-blue-clay-after-complaining-about-it.html

Nadal is upset by faster courts in Melbourne
“Completely different conditions than what I remember of this tournament. Faster conditions than I ever played here in Australia.
"I really don't understand very well why they change because the last couple of years, Australian Open had amazing matching, long ones, good ones for the crowd. I don't know why the people who decide to make the conditions that fast.”
"I am not sure for the show is the best thing. But they decide and I'm just a player to try to be competitive from the beginning."

http://news.tennistonic.com/tennis-news?nid=3460
http://www1.skysports.com/tennis/au...s-are-faster-than-ever-at-the-australian-open

Rafael Nadal has started to make too many complaints

After this episode, tennis fans have realized that Nadal has started to complain too much. Nadal’s critics often say that the Spaniard whines all the time. The 26-year-old has problem with too many hard court tournaments, he has issues with the ranking system, he has concerns about too long season. He was by far the biggest criticizer of the blue clay courts at Madrid last year, even threatening to boycott the event in future.

http://www.**************.org/Rafae...o-make-too-many-complaints-articolo10310.html
Click to expand...

Omega, What to do you have to say about RF's demands for more Bo5 and faster courts?
 
Backspin1183 said:
Omega, What to do you have to say about RF's demands for more Bo5 and faster courts?
Click to expand...

Federer has said he wants BOTH fast and slow courts and not ONLY slow courts on tour...which is how the tour is right now.



"It's an easy fix. Just make quicker courts, then it's hard to defend," Federer said. "Attacking style is more important. It's only on this type of slow courts that you can defend the way we are all doing right now."

"What you don't want is that you hit 15 great shots and at the end, it ends up in an error," he said. "So I think sometimes quicker courts do help the cause. I think it would help from time to time to move to something a bit faster. That would help to learn, as well, for many different players, different playing styles, to realize that coming to the net is a good thing, it's not a bad thing."

"I think some variety would be nice, some really slow stuff and then some really fast stuff, instead of trying to make everything sort of the same," he said. "You sort of protect the top guys really by doing that because you have the best possible chance to have them in the semis at this point, I think. But should that be the goal? I'm not sure."

http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/id/8625576/roger-federer-wants-faster-courts-encourage-attack



As far as BO5 goes, I don't see anything wrong with implementing it for the finals of MS1000's...That's the format he was playing in most of his career.
 
Hitman said:
not suggesting more clay court tennis? How much more do you want? Really, I am interested to know.

After AO, you have the SA swing which is still three good weeks of tennis, including a 500 series event. Nadal played in Rio, and not Dubai where the HC guys were. So options are there to play clay. You play two slow HC events in NA, and then you have main Europe clay court season, including three masters and a slam.

Then...after one month of grass, players can play even more clay for all of July, with tournaments in Gastaad, Bastaad, Hamburg, among others, all the way up to the two HC Masters leading into US Open.

So exactly how much more clay do you want? Clay tournaments happen for the bulk of the year, and run along side the outdoor HCs both post AO and post W. So, how much more do you want?
Click to expand...

that isn't my point. my point is that both players are just expressing their views. why do you guys have to attach all sorts of negativity behind nadal's views? he likes clay court tennis, he likes to have more of that. just like federer enjoys best of 5 battles, he would like to have more of that. why attach all sorts of negativity? seriously, why the hatred?
 
Backspin1183 said:
Omega, What to do you have to say about RF's demands for more Bo5 and faster courts?
Click to expand...

He wants to elevate masters above WTA level. I don't see how it makes a big difference to any player and I definitely don't see how it would help Fed at this stage. Best of 5 just makes upsets less likely, but we haven't seen any in masters finals anyway. Fed would like the sport to revert back to how it used to be.

I don't think that many serious fans of the sport are happy with how slow and homogenized the entire tour plays now.

This is just another case of Nadal fans trying to defend and diminish the significance of Rafa's constant whining and self-serving attitude.
 
Last edited:
Omega_7000 said:
Federer has said he wants BOTH fast and slow courts and not ONLY slow courts on tour...which is how the tour is right now.



"It's an easy fix. Just make quicker courts, then it's hard to defend," Federer said. "Attacking style is more important. It's only on this type of slow courts that you can defend the way we are all doing right now."

"What you don't want is that you hit 15 great shots and at the end, it ends up in an error," he said. "So I think sometimes quicker courts do help the cause. I think it would help from time to time to move to something a bit faster. That would help to learn, as well, for many different players, different playing styles, to realize that coming to the net is a good thing, it's not a bad thing."

"I think some variety would be nice, some really slow stuff and then some really fast stuff, instead of trying to make everything sort of the same," he said. "You sort of protect the top guys really by doing that because you have the best possible chance to have them in the semis at this point, I think. But should that be the goal? I'm not sure."

http://espn.go.com/tennis/story/_/id/8625576/roger-federer-wants-faster-courts-encourage-attack



As far as BO5 goes, I don't see anything wrong with implementing it for the finals of MS1000's...That's the format he was playing in most of his career.
Click to expand...

And what's your view on his "heat is a mental thing" comment after a Canadian player fainted on court in Melbourne? RF also wants top players to stop being too nice to each other. What do you say to that?

And what would say if it was Nadal who wanted Bo5 format in WTF and Master 1000s, and even 500s and 250s?
 
Backspin1183 said:
And what's your view on his "heat is a mental thing" comment after a Canadian player fainted on court in Melbourne? RF also wants top players to stop being too nice to each other. What do you say to that?

And what would say if it was Nadal who wanted Bo5 format in WTF and Master 1000s, and even 500s and 250s?
Click to expand...

Apparently Federer doesn't respect false humility. Nor does anyone else. All we need to prevent tennis from dying is a bunch of stuffy politicians with no personality.

The heat comment was dumb though. He should've said to stop grinding and try to end points quicker.
 
WhiskeyEE said:
...Fed would like the sport to revert back to how it used to be....
Click to expand...

Yeah, Fed has tried to return tennis to its roots. Reportedly, he hasn't had followers.

roger_federer_of_switzerland_arrives_for_his_first_4591499564.jpg


oog4dlm
 
Federer wants what's best for the tour ==> He's selfish.

Nadal wants what's best for him ==> You're a hater.
 
Backspin1183 said:
And what's your view on his "heat is a mental thing" comment after a Canadian player fainted on court in Melbourne? RF also wants top players to stop being too nice to each other. What do you say to that?
Click to expand...

Grasping at straws? :lol:

How do any of those comments benefit Federer? My response was to an accusation from poster below,

octobrina10 said:
Federer always requests the best for him!
His fans are nodding and think that 'Fed is tennis'! :D
Click to expand...

So ====> You're off topic.

Backspin1183 said:
And what would say if it was Nadal who wanted Bo5 format in WTF and Master 1000s, and even 500s and 250s?
Click to expand...

I would agree with him.
 
objectivity said:
that isn't my point. my point is that both players are just expressing their views. why do you guys have to attach all sorts of negativity behind nadal's views? he likes clay court tennis, he likes to have more of that. just like federer enjoys best of 5 battles, he would like to have more of that. why attach all sorts of negativity? seriously, why the hatred?
Click to expand...

First of all I am addressing you directly so I appreciate it if you do the same instead of using the phrase you guys. And as I said there is plenty of clay for him to play on everyone knows what the calendar looks like. What I see is you turning this into another nadal v federer thing. Regarding me you obviously know nothing about my posting history if you think I hate nadal.
 
Agree with Federer's view on 5 setters in Masters.

But one question, why didn't Fed raise any of these issues (which Backspin1183 has mentioned), when he was dominating on the tour?!
He wants "changes" now, especially faster courts because it suits him. Or am i wrong?
 
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