I would take fed over chang,kafel,agassi ,bruguera of that year
The same Fed who was beaten by Gasquet in Monte Carlo. The same Fed who could get any of Bruguera, Muster, Kafelnikov and Agassi as early as QF.
The same Fed who's 2005 draw was Sela, Almagro, Gonzalez, almost 30 yr old Moya and Hanescu. But now he's just beating Chang, Kafelnikov, Agassi, Bruguera, and Muster. Wow!!!
I didn't see that 2006 match. Courier was clearly past his best. pete did very well to come back in that match. But I think federer would've had the advantage against courier of 96. Bruguera was coming back from injury and had a losing record on clay before he came into RG that year, come on ! Fed would've had a fair shot at winning this, if he played the way he did in the finals.
Of course Courier was past his best though he was ranked #7 in the world. Not at his pinnacle but tell me who on clay the last 3-4 years is better than Courier 1996??? Ferrer, Davydenko, Nalbandian??? Who?? Nadal and....???
Federer couldn't handle Nalbandian in SF, yet you having him skating thorough Bruguera and Courier. Oh yeah then Kafelnikov after that. I said it's possible he could not make it out of the 2nd rd, is that not a fair statement?? If not for Sampras, the 1996 QF could have easily been Bruguera/Courier, then what would you be saying about Sergi.
I would take fed over kafel as I said before. Kuerten at his best is better than fed at his best on clay, but he was inconsistent. Fed could've had him on an off-day. Ex : Kuerten-safin 2nd round, next year. Muster and Bruguera though still good, were not at their 'best'. It'd would've been tough for federer I agree, but he was in pretty good form in 2007.
Yeah I'd take Fed over Nalbandian on clay, how'd that work out for him in 2006???
I'd take Fed over a Bo Jackson hipped Guga, how'd that work out for Roger.
Federer could get Kuerten on an off day, do you want the list of 90's claycourters who can get Fed on an off day?? Don't tell me anything, cuz I will post the list of miscreants he's beaten on clay the last 4 years, and we both know you don't want that.
Look at the struggles he had with Davydenko, and the chances Davydenko blew in in 2007. 1997, put Muster, Bruguera, Kuerten or Kafelnikov in that position, and now how comfortable do you feel. You'd take Fed over Kafel and??? I'd take Roger over Davystinko, how'd that work out.
Roger may be lucky it was Davystinko and not one of the aforementioned 4.
Ok,fine. he wasn't in good form in this FO.
Kuerten who was taken out by a young safin in the 2nd round ??????
Moya, Corretja and Rios.
"And even Kuerten", meaning after thought.
He was "no threat" for french in 2004 because guga played a brilliant match and took him out. You think he couldn't have won the title that year if not for guga ? Who'd have stopped him ? coria ? gaudio ? Both of whom had lost their previous encounters to him on clay ? Henman ? come on.
Plus federer's career is still going on. How about 2009 ? Let's see how it goes. He would've had a pretty good chance of winning the RG in 99, not just making it to the finals if he were in good form.
And last but not the least, while it may be 'fun' spectulating here putting one in place of the other, in reality doesn't work out that way.
Form could change depending on the opponents. What you really gotto look at it is their level of play and skills on clay and federer is clearly superior on clay than sampras .
Guga played abrilliant match in 2004, and I guess Safin played like trash in 1998 then, Safin went on to defeat Agassi as well, and Bo Jackson hipped Guga did what??? Kuerten was in such great physical condition he would end up having his 2nd hip surgery 3 months ater.
Would Coria, Henam and Gaudio stopped Fed in 2004?? Who cares??? he couldn't even get passed Bo Jackson hipped Guga. That's not a good look no matter how you spin it. Also Fed lost to Costa in Monte Carlo prior to French.
Clearly the rest of your post is a waste, cuz you don't even know the point I was trying to address, and you just talk out of your ass as usual.
You need a wake-up call as to what happened to federer in 2004 FO. Seriously.
He got spanked by Guga and his granny hip. What am I missing???
You would favour pete over federer at the AO on rebound ace/plexicushion ? Come on. While I can understand you favouring pete on grass ( close for me, pete slightly ahead as of now, I would like to see how federer performs in wimbledon in the future for this ) and on decoturf ( I would take federer by a slight margin), I don't see how you can favour pete at the AO.
Did I say I would favour Pete or Roger at Aus Open. You look at records when it suits you and circumstance when it suits you. What if.....
-Gullickson didn't get brain cancer in 1995
-Pete went to Melbourne in 1999
-Pete didn't TEAR his hip flexor in 1st set of 2000 SF
... the what??? At their respective points in their career it's 3-2 Roger and Pete didn't play,while Roger is in the final. And look at what Pete dealt with.
You take Federer over Pete on DecoTurf, but if you ask me PEAK Roger needs to deal with BROKE BACK Agassi more cormfortably before worrying about Pete.