Is there life after your favourite departs?

[RNadal]

Due to the Rafa's recent form, this question has intriguing me quite a bit. I mean, I love tennis and have been watching it heavily since 2006. But the main reason for that is that I had this favourite player, which is Rafa obviously. I don't know, tennis without him seems to lose a bit of its magic to me. Of course I can and will enjoy a match like Djok vs Stan and similar stuff, but things are bleak somehow.

So my question goes to those whose favourite players are already finnish or gone: how do you deal with that? Does a successor comes naturally? Is there hope?

 

[Russeljones]

If you love the game, I am sure you will continue to enjoy it. Your current experience may be affected by your feelings related to Rafa's form (you used the word bleak). I am sure this will blow over and you will rediscover your passion for the game.

 

[SpinToWin]

No, there is no hope, only suicide and death (obviously). Why do you even ask?

jokes aside, the sport is bigger than any player. Tennis goes on (not to mention life lol)

 

[Al Czervik]

There is usually someone that comes by that you like. I loved Mc as a young kid. Agassi became my favorite ever, I really thought I wouldn't watch the sport much after he retired. I wouldn't have, but Roger did his thing. And even though I am not really a Rafa fan, he also elevated interest in the sport. We might be in a golden age, though, where two of the top five (and three of the top ten) ever are playing and never see anything like it again.

 

[HipRotation]

I believe in life after love.

 

[dlk]

Been watching/following tennis since Borg/Mac. Tons of other players will follow

 

[RNadal]

Been watching/following tennis since Borg/Mac. Tons of other players will follow

Yeah, but is the experience the same when you had your favourite? That's the thing.

It's great to watch it no matter who is playing, but having that someone to root for makes things more interesting and passionate.

 

[jm1980]

It will be a very sad day for me when Novak retires, but I'll continue to watch and enjoy the game.

 

[Bukmeikara]

I am still not sure what I am going to do after Montanes retires

 

[ICanBeSerious]

I am still not sure what I am going to do after Montanes retires

Don't worry. You can still go for Berlocq. He appears too the same 2 months a year, Apr-May.

 

[RNadal]

Don't worry. You can still go for Berlocq. He appears too the same 2 months a year, Apr-May.

Bamos, Charlie!! The guy is great

 

[Murrayjuannow]

Life is not Nadal.

 

[dlk]

Yeah, but is the experience the same when you had your favourite? That's the thing.

It's great to watch it no matter who is playing, but having that someone to root for makes things more interesting and passionate.

Never really worshipped any one player; I mean I have some I root for, but I don't lose sleep if they lose. You'll develop other players you follow, and when your old, you will look back fondly on Nadal & argue on forums like these, about how Nadal would demolish players of 2030.

 

[BeatlesFan]

So my question goes to those whose favourite players are already finnish or gone: how do you deal with that? Does a successor comes naturally? Is there hope?

Sometimes there's a successor in your affections, sometimes not. When Lendl retired, I started pulling for Agassi. When Agassi was getting old by 2001, I started thinking Fed would be a good replacement. Now that Fed is on my last legs, there's no new guy with whom to transfer allegiance. The new crop are all over-hyped types like Grigor or Raonic or a-holes like Nick.

Many newer fans only watch the matches of their guy and ignore everybody else. The only time they watch a match from a rival is to check out their form if they're slated to meet their favorite in the next round. So that's not loving tennis, it's just obsessing over one player and tennis be damned unless their pet is out there. Those types of "fans" will have one hell of a hard time moving on when Nadal or Djoker retires.

 

[Jaitock1991]

Never really worshipped any one player; I mean I have some I root for, but I don't lose sleep if they lose. You'll develop other players you follow, and when your old, you will look back fondly on Nadal & argue on forums like these, about how Nadal would demolish players of 2030.

Nostalgia.

 

[MichaelNadal]

I feel you OP. I still love tennis but really hope to be as invested in another player as I was with Nadal. With my boy Roddick gone, Safin gone, Hewitt done, Rafa and Venus almost done, my personal emotions about the outcome of matches are the lowest they've been since I started watching in 03. When everyone retires, I can always count on The Undertaker to come back though

 

[Dolgopolov85]

If you love the game, I am sure you will continue to enjoy it. Your current experience may be affected by your feelings related to Rafa's form (you used the word bleak). I am sure this will blow over and you will rediscover your passion for the game.

Yup. I experienced something similar to what the OP describes when Sampras was on the wane. I began to lose interest in the game. And then, Federer happened. Also, bunch of exciting players in the women's draw like Henin and Clijsters. Now it's no longer about any particular player but the game itself.

 

[Pagoo]

I love tennis and will continue to watch. I follow most if not all tournaments whether Federer is playing or not.

I'm not sure I will have another favorite player like Roger when he retires, but I will always be a tennis fan.

 

[Jay_The_Nomad]

I'm a young guy so I've only been following tennis since the Sampras era. I used to be a big Sampras fan. And the he retired and what followed was a really really bad period in men's tennis when it was just really average players..that was the lleyton Hewitt era. That 3 or 4 years before Federer started winning like mad.

I ended up watching WTA which was awesome seriously better than ATp for a few years. Than Federer rose to dizzy heights followed by Rafa.

Tennis always requires a main man. And history has shown that one will always rise.

 

[Rock Strongo]

I believe in life after love.

That is just an awful song.

 

[ibbi]

Yeah, I'm a tennis fan first. I was a fan before my favourite started playing, and I'll be one after he's done. Tennis doesn't end when he gets knocked out of tournaments, and currently counting myself as a Nadal fan, if that was the case then I wouldn't spend much time these days watching the sport.

 

[HipRotation]

That is just an awful song.

Your opinion is wrong.

 

[MichaelNadal]

That is just an awful song.

It really is tbh.

 

[pc1]

Yeah, but is the experience the same when you had your favourite? That's the thing.

It's great to watch it no matter who is playing, but having that someone to root for makes things more interesting and passionate.

You'll find another player to root for. I've been an observer of tennis for a long time and different players intrigue you in different ways. I like Henri Leconte for his fantastic shotmaking but almost as much for his personality. My wife felt the same way. I liked Laver for his ability to make the impossible seem easy. I liked Connors for his pure ball striking ability. I could go on and on. I love watching Nadal but you have to realize all players have a limited shelf life. Eventually time will win out and they will retire.

 

[swizzy]

i have been hooked on tennis since borg.. and players have come and gone and my interest rose and fell.. but my love of the game always remained.. in between greatness i would focus on the the four majors no matter who was involved.. i never experienced what i have this past decade with my two favorite players..pretty much of all time, going at it head to head.. if nadal is truly finished.. can't alter his play or regain his speed..then i hope he focuses on clay events which will preserve his body and give him a few more chances at winning a major. after fed and raf are gone i really think it might never be repeated.. it can't. some of the most epic matches imaginable happened with one or both of these guys..

 

[Algo]

Well, plenty of favourites have retired already.
My main guy hasn't yet so I guess I still don't know for sure.

 

[Paul Murphy]

Fed's departure will be enormous - not just for his elegance - but also because his style of play adds to every match he plays.
Murray v Djok is often a snorefest - not so Fed against either of them.
He makes the match-ups interesting.

 

[97GOAT]

Lol my heart went on after the Hingis ship sailed. There's always other interesting players to watch and they'll catch your eye. Normally you won't pay attention to them because you're too busy watching tour favorite. If Nadal were to retire today, id watch Gasquet more even though he's a major headcase to put it lightly.