Has any player played with more pressure than Roger Federer

[McEnroeisanartist]

In the history of tennis, has any player played with more pressure than Roger Federer?

He was seeded #1 at a record 18 consecutive Grand Slams. He has been seeded #1 at a record 23 Grand Slams.

He created a "monster" when reaching 10 consecutive Grand Slam finals and 23 consecutive Grand Slam semifinals.

He had enormous pressure to regain the #1 ranking in the 2012 Wimbledon final, which gave him a huge resume boost for being the Greatest of All Time

At the age of 31 and 33, many considered/consider him to win the US Open, and it is "his tournament to lose."

He is one of the most admired/loved/respected athletes of all time, with fans who obsess over him.

 

[jakemcclain32]

No different for Nadal, who has his own loser fringe.

 

[ivan_the_terrible]

Lendl faced enormous pressure and was classified a choker after losing so many GS finals, but he persevered.

 

[PMChambers]

How about all those professionals who dedicated their lives to tennis and struggle to make a $$$. On the verge of having to throw away the last 15 years of their lives because the reality of making a living from the sport does not exist except for those who can stay in the top 50 consistently. Federer does not have to worry about winning, surviving, makeing enough $$ to support a family, affording his medical bills, trying to get sponsorship, etc. He only has to worry about wining, and he's really considered an outright favorite.

 

[jakemcclain32]

How about all those professionals who dedicated their lives to tennis and struggle to make a $$$. On the verge of having to throw away the last 15 years of their lives because the reality of making a living from the sport does not exist except for those who can stay in the top 50 consistently. Federer does not have to worry about winning, surviving, makeing enough $$ to support a family, affording his medical bills, trying to get sponsorship, etc. He only has to worry about wining, and he's really considered an outright favorite.

What have they thrown away? They traveled the world, seen everything, and didn't have to sit their *** in an office acting like a prisoner.

 

[smoledman]

How about all those professionals who dedicated their lives to tennis and struggle to make a $$$. On the verge of having to throw away the last 15 years of their lives because the reality of making a living from the sport does not exist except for those who can stay in the top 50 consistently. Federer does not have to worry about winning, surviving, makeing enough $$ to support a family, affording his medical bills, trying to get sponsorship, etc. He only has to worry about wining, and he's really considered an outright favorite.

Playing for history all the time is it's own challenge. Think about Julius Caesar. By the age of 31, he was a relatively minor aristocrat in Rome while Alexander the Great had already conquered the known world at the same age. He wept.

Roger is Julius Caesar.
Nadal is Brutus.

 

[jm1980]

What have they thrown away? They traveled the world, seen everything, and didn't have to sit their *** in an office acting like a prisoner.

And do you think the life of a pro athlete is easy? Sure, players in the top make quite a bit of money in endorsements plus prize money. But you don't have to go very far down for reality to hit.

Players ranked below 150 or so already earn about $100,000 a year in prize money, which is less than what a number of people stuck in offices earn. And earnings drop rapidly after that. This guy ranked #200 earned less than $14k last year, which is less than mininum wage in the US. And then you also have to consider long injury layoffs in which you can't play.

If you are very, very good (within the Top 150 or so) you'll do fine. Outside of that it gets hard. I bet anyone ranked 300 or below really struggles.

 

[jakemcclain32]

And do you think the life of a pro athlete is easy? Sure, players in the top make quite a bit of money in endorsements plus prize money. But you don't have to go very far down for reality to hit.

Players ranked below 150 or so already earn about $100,000 a year in prize money, which is less than what a number of people stuck in offices earn. And earnings drop rapidly after that. This guy ranked #200 earned less than $14k last year, which is less than mininum wage in the US. And then you also have to consider long injury layoffs in which you can't play.

If you are very, very good (within the Top 150 or so) you'll do fine. Outside of that it gets hard. I bet anyone ranked 300 or below really struggles.

And there are people who make 20 million a year who DESPISE what they do.

If someone hates being a player, feel free to find something else. If they love it, they'll find a way to stay around.

 

[jm1980]

And there are people who make 20 million a year who DESPISE what they do.

If someone hates being a player, feel free to find something else. If they love it, they'll find a way to stay around.

My point is that not all pros live a cushy life.

 

[jakemcclain32]

My point is that not all pros live a cushy life.

My point is that cushy life that people talk about doesn't always scratch the itch. They make tons of cash, but are not happy.

The reason a lot of people hate being on the tour is because tennis became a JOB over something they enjoy and make money with. Someone like Dustin Brown has been around 100-150 the majority of his career, but he loves what he does, and it doesn't hurt that he has an RV to travel everywhere and enjoy life.

 

[chrischris]

Lendl faced enormous pressure and was classified a choker after losing so many GS finals, but he persevered.

true.. Didnt like him very much at all but this is true and he was from the wrong place at the wrong time and was treated bad.

 

[Gut Check]

with fans who obsess over him.

Pure rumour. I don't think these obsessive fans really exist.

 

[Hood_Man]

Tim Henman.

 

[tipsa...don'tlikehim!]

Yes, Murray at Wimbledon in 2012 and 2013

 

[tipsa...don'tlikehim!]

Lendl faced enormous pressure and was classified a choker after losing so many GS finals, but he persevered.

+ 1

 

[Maximagq]

I truly believe he has because he has the reached the most GS finals and semis in history if I am not mistaken and the fact that he could perform so well under pressure is even more remarkable. The average human being cannot even imagine the stakes of a 1st round GS match, let alone 23 consecutive GS semis and 25 finals.

 

[tipsa...don'tlikehim!]

And do you think the life of a pro athlete is easy? Sure, players in the top make quite a bit of money in endorsements plus prize money. But you don't have to go very far down for reality to hit.

Players ranked below 150 or so already earn about $100,000 a year in prize money, which is less than what a number of people stuck in offices earn. And earnings drop rapidly after that. This guy ranked #200 earned less than $14k last year, which is less than mininum wage in the US. And then you also have to consider long injury layoffs in which you can't play.

If you are very, very good (within the Top 150 or so) you'll do fine. Outside of that it gets hard. I bet anyone ranked 300 or below really struggles.

to be fair, a player ranked 200 and struggling to cover all expenses can always be a tennis coach, pretty much anywhere he wants (in his country at least)
i mean when you are ranked 200 in the world you are famous in your home town and getting a job as a tennis coach would be as easy as getting milk at the supermarket

if they chose to play as a pro, it's their own decision

 

[tipsa...don'tlikehim!]

My point is that not all pros live a cushy life.

of course not but they chose this life

 

[Dedans Penthouse]

In the history of tennis, has any player played with more pressure than Roger Federer?

He was seeded #1 at a record 18 consecutive Grand Slams. He has been seeded #1 at a record 23 Grand Slams.

He created a "monster" when reaching 10 consecutive Grand Slam finals and 23 consecutive Grand Slam semifinals.

He had enormous pressure to regain the #1 ranking in the 2012 Wimbledon final, which gave him a huge resume boost for being the Greatest of All Time

At the age of 31 and 33, many considered/consider him to win the US Open, and it is "his tournament to lose."


He is one of the most admired/loved/respected athletes of all time, [size=+1]with fans who obsess over him.[/size]

Hmmmmm, I wonder who?....

 

[Flint]

mmm I think Andy Murray has had more pressure.

The biggest tournament in the Tennis world, hasn't had a home player in the final for 75 years let alone win it.

Suddenly a British player is top 4 and looks like a genuine Grand slam winner. Makes the first Wimbledon final in 75 years. Makes the final again with a grand slam already under his belt.

I have heard Federer say that there is more pressure on Murray than himself, Nadal or Djokovic.

 

[dominikk1985]

In the history of tennis, has any player played with more pressure than Roger Federer?

He was seeded #1 at a record 18 consecutive Grand Slams. He has been seeded #1 at a record 23 Grand Slams.

He created a "monster" when reaching 10 consecutive Grand Slam finals and 23 consecutive Grand Slam semifinals.

He had enormous pressure to regain the #1 ranking in the 2012 Wimbledon final, which gave him a huge resume boost for being the Greatest of All Time

At the age of 31 and 33, many considered/consider him to win the US Open, and it is "his tournament to lose."

He is one of the most admired/loved/respected athletes of all time, with fans who obsess over him.

he had big time pressure and handled it well but to be fair he also had some advantages:

-he comes from a country that doesn't give a **** about tennis

-he does not have a home slam

if you come from a tennis crazy country which expects you to win at the home slam it is more pressure than being from a country that does not care much about tennis and does not have a home slam.

so many very good players failed at their home slam because they could not deal with the pressure.

 

[tipsa...don'tlikehim!]

mmm I think Andy Murray has had more pressure.

The biggest tournament in the Tennis world, hasn't had a home player in the final for 75 years let alone win it.

Suddenly a British player is top 4 and looks like a genuine Grand slam winner. Makes the first Wimbledon final in 75 years. Makes the final again with a grand slam already under his belt.

I have heard Federer say that there is more pressure on Murray than himself, Nadal or Djokovic.

Exactly. I never lived in UK, but had friends from there, media are crazy about public people in general. I was truly impressed the way Murray handled that in 2012 when he won the olympics and the year after when he won Wimbledon, he basically won 6 sets and lost 0 in these 2 finals.

 

[West Coast Ace]

if they chose to play as a pro, it's their own decision

I'm with you. Haven't heard of anyone's family being kidnapped, forcing them to keep grinding.

...in an office acting like a prisoner.

Could you tell us where you work so we can avoid going there?

Roger is Julius Caesar.
Nadal is Brutus.

Old school!

Hasn't Fed been playing with 'house money' for a long time? And when he was coming up on Sampras' 14 it was almost an 'when, not if' proposition. He lost W in '08 to Nadal, then came back and won the USO pretty easily.

 

[Chico]

In the history of tennis, has any player played with more pressure than Roger Federer?

He was seeded #1 at a record 18 consecutive Grand Slams. He has been seeded #1 at a record 23 Grand Slams.

He created a "monster" when reaching 10 consecutive Grand Slam finals and 23 consecutive Grand Slam semifinals.

He had enormous pressure to regain the #1 ranking in the 2012 Wimbledon final, which gave him a huge resume boost for being the Greatest of All Time

At the age of 31 and 33, many considered/consider him to win the US Open, and it is "his tournament to lose."

He is one of the most admired/loved/respected athletes of all time, with fans who obsess over him.

Djokovic has played with waaaaaay more pressure than Federer. Actually I think Fed has played with less than average pressure.