Interesting words from Becker

miyagi

Professional
I know alot of people are going to be offended by this but since there has been soo much discussion surrounding this subject I thought I would post.......It seems that it NOT just Nadal fans talking about the rankings.....

Anyway enjoy......

Germany's own tennis icon said that after watching the pair play possibly the greatest Wimbledon final ever a fortnight ago, he thinks the guard at the top has been changed - even if the rankings continue to show Federer as number one.

"Obviously in the world rankings, there is still a number one called Federer," said the 40-year-old Becker prior to his induction into a local Canadian Hall of fame at the Toronto Masters.

"But if you talk to anybody in the world of tennis, the number one is the winner of French Open and Wimbledon.

"I think there's a change in position at the moment," he said of his opinion that Nadal must now be considered the best player in the world ahead of the Swiss.

"The winner is known now so you have to give credit."

Becker said that Nadal's fast rise is due to his own improvement, not a fall in Federer's lethal form.

"Nadal has just improved to a level that nobody expected him to play," Becker said. "We all knew that he's great on clay, but nobody expected him to play that well on grass."

And Becker thinks it bodes well this summer on hardcourts for the Spaniard.

"Even now on the hard courts, he's going to have big improvements. It's because of the serve. He has a much better serve and much better positioning on the court on a hard surface. That's the reason why he's at the position right now."

Becker said that Federer "is playing as good as always. He didn't drop a set at Wimbledon into the finals.

"You cannot really blame him for playing badly," Becker said. "You can only give credit of Nadal really raising his game to another level and winning."


http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/22072008/58/atp-tour-becker-nadal-real-number.html

Prepares to get flamed lol!
 

ruerooo

Legend
I know alot of people are going to be offended by this but since there has been soo much discussion surrounding this subject I thought I would post.......It seems that it NOT just Nadal fans talking about the rankings.....

Anyway enjoy......

Germany's own tennis icon said that after watching the pair play possibly the greatest Wimbledon final ever a fortnight ago, he thinks the guard at the top has been changed - even if the rankings continue to show Federer as number one.

"Obviously in the world rankings, there is still a number one called Federer," said the 40-year-old Becker prior to his induction into a local Canadian Hall of fame at the Toronto Masters.

"But if you talk to anybody in the world of tennis, the number one is the winner of French Open and Wimbledon.

"I think there's a change in position at the moment," he said of his opinion that Nadal must now be considered the best player in the world ahead of the Swiss.

"The winner is known now so you have to give credit."

Becker said that Nadal's fast rise is due to his own improvement, not a fall in Federer's lethal form.

"Nadal has just improved to a level that nobody expected him to play," Becker said. "We all knew that he's great on clay, but nobody expected him to play that well on grass."

And Becker thinks it bodes well this summer on hardcourts for the Spaniard.

"Even now on the hard courts, he's going to have big improvements. It's because of the serve. He has a much better serve and much better positioning on the court on a hard surface. That's the reason why he's at the position right now."

Becker said that Federer "is playing as good as always. He didn't drop a set at Wimbledon into the finals.

"You cannot really blame him for playing badly," Becker said. "You can only give credit of Nadal really raising his game to another level and winning."


http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/22072008/58/atp-tour-becker-nadal-real-number.html

Prepares to get flamed lol!

:roll:

Yes, I thought his timing of that remark was interesting. I mean, you're getting an honor - can you just sit there and be nice and smile and make your honors speech? No, it's more fun to stir the pot in the middle of a Masters Tournament ... :roll:
 
Honestly I see nothing wrong with Becker's comments. He is merely confirming what a lot of people already believe, and I am a huge fan of Roger's. Any player who wins the FO and Wimby in one year goes into the USO as the man to beat regardless of what the rankings say. Have we seen the #1 spot get taken over by Rafa? It's possible based on the tremendous results that Nadal has posted and the poor (by Federer's own standards) results from Roger. I think that the US Open will be very telling of Roger's future at the top. I for one am waiting to see how he responds and I'd absolutely love to see them in the final of another slam.
 

edmondsm

Legend
If Becker is right then Nadal will grab up a ton of points on the hardcourts and become #1. But you still have to do it. The people that are talking about the rankings being flawed because Nadal isn't #1 yet are screwy. Hardcourts are the most common surface on the tour and so a person who excells on that surface is going to have an advantage in the rankings. This is the way of the tennis world, like it or not, hardcourts are the most important surface on the tour.
 

miyagi

Professional
Hardcourts are the most common surface on the tour and so a person who excells on that surface is going to have an advantage in the rankings.

Well because of how the rankings work and the amount of points Federer has to defend he will need to play his ass off to hold onto his #1 spot or Nadal play like a donkey? You pick which will happen.......
 
Well because of how the rankings work and the amount of points Federer has to defend he will need to play his ass off to hold onto his #1 spot or Nadal play like a donkey? You pick which will happen.......

Good point. But how do you "play like a donkey"?
 

Grimjack

Banned
"Best in the world" is purely subjective. You can make a good case that when a player wins the FO and Wimby he deserves it.

"#1 in the world" is purely objective. It's a mathematical formula. There's no debate or counterargument to be made.

If you want to say Nadal is the best player in the world right now, you have a damn fine case. If you want to say he's #1, you're a simpleton.
 

miyagi

Professional
Unless someone doesn't like Federer AND Nadal i don't see how there'd be any flaming. Becker said commendatory things about both.


And he said all this straight after the Wimbly final. Nothing new.

You DO know where you are right?? lol

People have got flamed for less....but I used reverse physcology with that statement and look what happened? No flaming......Yeah baby :D
 

hasema

Rookie
I really dont' see federer losing in the earlier rounds. I think in every tournament he plays in he will get to the SF or finals. He still owns everyone else on tour outside of Nadal.
 

wangs78

Legend
:roll:

Yes, I thought his timing of that remark was interesting. I mean, you're getting an honor - can you just sit there and be nice and smile and make your honors speech? No, it's more fun to stir the pot in the middle of a Masters Tournament ... :roll:

I don't think he's stirring the pot. He's about to be inducted into the HOF and that's when the press will naturally want to ask him questions like that. And I agree with him.

I must say, of all the pundits, Becker has been the fairest of all. He did not abandon Roger (like Borg did) after the FO and continued to believe and state publicly that Roger would win Wimby. But after Roger lost Wimby, you have to give Nadal credit and say that Nadal is clearly the best in the world right now. Kudos to Becker. I like the guy more and more.
 

ruerooo

Legend
You DO know where you are right?? lol

People have got flamed for less....but I used reverse physcology with that statement and look what happened? No flaming......Yeah baby :D

miyagi, you appear to be what, I believe, is commonly referred to as an "instigator".

Now stop poking the kids in the back of the room and go sit up front where the aide can keep an eye on you, or I'm telling.

*bearing "tattletale" rep proudly since 3rd grade*:)
 

miyagi

Professional
miyagi, you appear to be what, I believe, is commonly referred to as an "instigator".

Now stop poking the kids in the back of the room and go sit up front where the aide can keep an eye on you, or I'm telling.

*bearing "tattletale" rep proudly since 3rd grade*:)

*Looks shocked* Who me? *proudly adornes "butter wouldn't melt T-shirt"* ;)
 

janipyt05

Professional
I put Beckers comment down to pure excitement, he wants to see a change at the top of the game, its good for competition and really we can see what Federer is really made of going unchallenged for 4 years is amazing, i mean he was head and shoulders above the rest so a bit of competition is exciting for everyone finally people can really pay attention to not just one person but to a few people.

There is nothing wrong with what Becker has said, people always want to find something nasty in someones allowed opinion.
 

onkystomper

Hall of Fame
"Best in the world" is purely subjective. You can make a good case that when a player wins the FO and Wimby he deserves it.

"#1 in the world" is purely objective. It's a mathematical formula. There's no debate or counterargument to be made.

If you want to say Nadal is the best player in the world right now, you have a damn fine case. If you want to say he's #1, you're a simpleton.

Simple, definitive and correct. Best post i have read for ages.
 

Nadal_Freak

Banned
All of a sudden Becker starts getting hated. First Borg for saying Nadal will beat Fed and now Becker for saying Nadal is the real number 1. They are so quick to turn on people the first time they say something that isn't pleasing to them.
 
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