Nothing demonstrates Federer's longevity better than...

[Rosstour]

...current pictures of Fernando Gonzales.

Just remember, "Stonehand" contested the Australian Open final against Fed in 2007...and is less than one calendar year older than Roger.

And when Fed won the event again in 2017, Gonzales looked like this:

 

[Shaolin]

Dang he looks 60.

Bet he can still hit that forehand 115 though.

 

[Deleted member 293577]

I detect a little gray. I wonder if Roger colors his hair? Definitely possible.

 

[Rosstour]

I detect a little gray. I wonder if Roger colors his hair? Definitely possible.

It is certainly possible, I'm just around Fed's age and I have more grey than he does, although much less than Gonzo.

Gonzo really does look 50+, or has Fed just warped our perceptions? Is that what 38 used to look like before Fed turned into a vampire?

Gonzo's gained a ton of weight, that's not helping.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

I'm Federer's age. He's actually lucky I decided not to pursue the game professionally or he would have struggled to win any slams.

 

[Jackuar]

Being out of competition (and the diet course/lack of it that comes along) will obviously do this to anyone. But the more surprising part is, how is Fed maintaining it with a Pasta diet?

 

[Fedforever]

Is that what 38 used to look like before Fed turned into a vampire?

He looks older than 38. He looks like he hasn't kept himself in shape.

 

[Poisoned Slice]

Must be the special powers that gave Gonzo the forehand penetration. From the hands of Odin himself. It gave him the most lethal shot in the history of tennis. Only managed to be contained because he was facing Roger. Odin soon decided that Gonzo was not the chosen one and this is what we see today.

 

[metsman]

Good thread, shows once again that overweight, balding, greying old men were Fraud's main competition from 04-07.

 

[smoledman]

Good thread, shows once again that overweight, balding, greying old men were Fraud's main competition from 04-07.

Ummm this is what Gonzo looked like in 2007:

 

[axlrose]

I detect a little gray. I wonder if Roger colors his hair? Definitely possible.

He has always colored his hair. This is the original.

 

[smoledman]

Marat still looks great. So there is no real excuse!

 

[Dolgopolov85]

Gonzo really does look 50+, or has Fed just warped our perceptions? Is that what 38 used to look like before Fed turned into a vampire?

I have seen Krajicek live in CTL few years back. He would have been in high 40s I guess. He was extremely fit and cranked it up to 190/200 ks even now after all these years. No, Gonzo just decided to have whatever Reshs is having.

 

[Dolgopolov85]

I just checked. Krajicek would have been 44 as of that CTL match. Mid 40s but still older than Gonzo and fitter of course.

 

[Vish13]

I'm Federer's age. He's actually lucky I decided not to pursue the game professionally or he would have struggled to win any slams.

Something, I don't know what, tells me that you would not have had any chance against Nadal. What about Novak? Would you be letting him win any?

 

[Deleted member 742196]

He looks older than 38. He looks like he hasn't kept himself in shape.

Tennis is a killer activity when it comes to skin and hair. 9/10 players that I know look much older than their years. All that sunlight in my opinion. Someone like Federer has always been more careful about his grooming but when you compare him today to just a few years back the difference is still a little jarring. Not Gonzo jarring, relative to himself jarring.

 

[moonballs]

Now Gonzo looks like a regular gym bro who benches 225lb and be content.

 

[Red Rick]

Sometimes I think Roddick didn't age too well.

Now I am chuckling.

 

[Eren]

Tennis is a killer activity when it comes to skin and hair. 9/10 players that I know look much older than their years. All that sunlight in my opinion. Someone like Federer has always been more careful about his grooming but when you compare him today to just a few years back the difference is still a little jarring. Not Gonzo jarring, relative to himself jarring.

No amount of tennis is going to affect the sensitivity of your hair follicles to hormones like DHT. If you don't have the genetic predisposition of androgens to affect hair follicles, no amount of sunlight is going to do squat of damage to your hair (i.e. you'll keep a full head of hair that looks good). Jimmy Connors, Rosewall (when younger than 50) are good examples of good hair genetics. Only extremely excessive exposure to sunlight can do something negative for your hair and even then it is reversible (unlike with skin where damage is almost permanent)

Skin can indeed be damaged by sun.

 

[Deleted member 742196]

No amount of tennis is going to affect the sensitivity of your hair follicles to hormones like DHT. If you don't have the genetic predisposition of androgens to affect hair follicles, no amount of sunlight is going to do squat of damage to your hair (i.e. you'll keep a full head of hair that looks good). Jimmy Connors, Rosewall (when younger than 50) are good examples of good hair genetics. Only extremely excessive exposure to sunlight can do something negative for your hair and even then it is reversible (unlike with skin where damage is almost permanent)

Skin can indeed be damaged by sun.

Thanks. I was thinking more of UV exposure on melanin loss when I mentioned hair, resulting in early greying. Not hair loss itself. Some people look great with grey hair but it does require more maintenance because it can look brittle and/or yellowish.

Skin though is critical, I think Federer seems to have been quite regimented with his skin care and it shows when contrasted against his peers.

 

[Sport]

It is certainly possible, I'm just around Fed's age and I have more grey than he does, although much less than Gonzo.

Fed has no grey. Neither in the head hair nor in the beard.

 

[Subway Tennis]

If we are talking about longevity, surely Becker warrants a mention.

He retired close to 20 years ago and still no grey hair

 

[Fedforever]

Sometimes I think Roddick didn't age too well.

Now I am chuckling.

All the recent photos I've seen of Roddick he looks great.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/thearfoundation/posts/?ref=page_internal

 

[bigalfie]

Epic Nadal Gonzalez Match. Big hitting, beatdowns. MULIT SLAM WINNING PEAK NADAL VS PEAK GONZALEZ

 

[Deleted member 307496]

He looks older than 38. He looks like he hasn't kept himself in shape.

If I look like him in 10 years I'll be very surprised and a little disappointed.

 

[augustobt]

Marat still looks great. So there is no real excuse!

Chilean wine and cheeses are just sooo good...

 

[hoodjem]

Marat still looks great. So there is no real excuse!

Marat who?

 

[ChaelAZ]

Nothing demonstrates Federer's longevity better than...

His receeding hairline and drooping, aging face.

W3rd.

 

[BringBackWood]

I pointed this out at Wimbledon this year. I was pretty shocked. I think its just genetics with premature greying though.

 

[mike danny]

If we are talking about longevity, surely Becker warrants a mention.

He retired close to 20 years ago and still no grey hair

LOL what's wrong with his elbow?

 

[Deleted member 763024]

Cmon it’s normal for most retired players to put on some weight.

They’re not in the grind anymore and a lifetime of living a very regimented life surely gives way to a bit of enjoyment.

I hope Roger stays fit in retirement like Edberg and daddy Federer’s genes don’t kick in lol.

 

[BHServe]

Good thread, shows once again that overweight, balding, greying old men were Fraud's main competition from 04-07.

Don’t let the pictures fool you. Gonzo is at peak of his powers, since the sport just evolves constantly, and Gonzo within it. Simple as that.

 

[metsman]

Don’t let the pictures fool you. Gonzo is at peak of his powers, since the sport just evolves constantly, and Gonzo within it. Simple as that.

Gonzo's digestive system and metabolism clearly not able to keep up with the high nutrient diets they have to currently eat now to keep up with the demands of the modern game. If this is what he's like at his peak, it was probably enough to just show up on court to beat him in 07.

 

[Soothsayer]

I'm Federer's age. He's actually lucky I decided not to pursue the game professionally or he would have struggled to win any slams.

don't think Fed frequents Denny's too often.

 

[BHServe]

Gonzo's digestive system and metabolism clearly not able to keep up with the high nutrient diets they have to currently eat now to keep up with the demands of the modern game. If this is what he's like at his peak, it was probably enough to just show up on court to beat him in 07.

Wait til Lou sees those pictures. Rumors will start flying if those guys Fraud won 2004-07 were even real tennis players.

 

[TimHenmanATG]

Gonzalez still looks alright.

The only difference in how they look is that Gonzo is a bit overweight.

Beards tend to grey/whiten a little bit earlier than head hair, so you can't compare a bearded man with a clean-shaven one, in that regard.

Their balding appears to be pretty similar.

 

[BeatlesFan]

I'm Federer's age. He's actually lucky I decided not to pursue the game professionally or he would have struggled to win any slams.

@titoelcolombiano Come on now, admit that you only could beat Fed on clay.

 

[BeatlesFan]

If we are talking about longevity, surely Becker warrants a mention.

He retired close to 20 years ago and still no grey hair

Boris has been bleaching his hair since the late 80's. His natural hair color is reddish blonde, never blonde. This is bleached hair and this is 25 years ago.

 

[Deleted member 742196]

Sorry folk.

When it comes to this kind of stuff no-one is going to age better than the original, Björn.

The guy ages so gracefully there's no need to even dye his hair. Perhaps some grey shampoo to get rid of the brassy tones.

How many men do you know in their 60's that can keep their hair his length?

Perhaps one secret to keeping your looks might be to call it a career early, huh?

 

[titoelcolombiano]

@titoelcolombiano Come on now, admit that you only could beat Fed on clay.

lol - watch out Rafa, I'm coming for you!

 

[titoelcolombiano]

Something, I don't know what, tells me that you would not have had any chance against Nadal. What about Novak? Would you be letting him win any?

I would have let Rafa win at least one of our RG battles and been generous enough to gift Djokovic an AO after years of me handing him defeats in the final.

New Slam Count:
Tito 57
Pete 14
Fed 1
Rafa 1
Djoker 1

 

[Deleted member 742196]

I would have let Rafa win at least one of our RG battles and been generous enough to gift Djokovic an AO after years of me handing him defeats in the final.

New Slam Count:
Tito 57
Pete 14
Fed 1
Rafa 1
Djoker 1

 

[BeatlesFan]

Sorry folk.

When it comes to this kind of stuff no-one is going to age better than the original, Björn.

The guy ages so gracefully there's no need to even dye his hair. Perhaps some grey shampoo to get rid of the brassy tones.

How many men do you know in their 60's that can keep their hair his length?

Perhaps one secret to keeping your looks might be to call it a career early, huh?

Can't agree more. His son Leo is a promising Swedish tennis protege, at least according to some people who have seen him.

 

[titoelcolombiano]

I won all of my slams after Pete retired and in the time of one-slam wonders Fedalovic - weak era champion

 

[Deleted member 742196]

I won all of my slams after Pete retired and in the time of one-slam wonders Fedalovic - weak era champion

Lew 2.0 will find that one Djokovic slam to prove it was the highest ELO, GOAT, BOAT and Bluetooth, devaluing your 57 mug slams and Pete’s 14.

No numbers are safe from Lew 2.0 aka lewtrix.

welcome to the lewtrix...

(episode 24564532148)

 

[MasterZeb]

Sorry folk.

When it comes to this kind of stuff no-one is going to age better than the original, Björn.

The guy ages so gracefully there's no need to even dye his hair. Perhaps some grey shampoo to get rid of the brassy tones.

How many men do you know in their 60's that can keep their hair his length?

Perhaps one secret to keeping your looks might be to call it a career early, huh?

I’d say Edberg has aged better than Borg

 

[Deleted member 293577]

He has always colored his hair. This is the original.

Mrs. Federer says not a "true" blonde.

Fed has no grey. Neither in the head hair nor in the beard.

He looks good, no doubt about it. I'm just saying it's possible. Having gray hair in one's 30s is not uncommon at all. Statistically speaking, there has to be a few guys on tour with gray hair. There is no shame in that, that's not what I'm saying.

 

[BeatlesFan]

I’d say Edberg has aged better than Borg

Edberg was so much handsomer than Bjorn to begin with. Borg was nice looking but his eyes are too close together. Edberg was gorgeous then and remains so today at 52. So Stefan had a head start, so to speak.

 

[TimHenmanATG]

The OP's photos of Nando were cherry-picked to paint him in an unflattering looking light.

Other than the fact that he's carrying a few extra pounds, he still looks good:

He's clearly still got the face of a ''youngish'' looking man, rather than a grizzled geriatric which the OP attempted to portray him as.

 

[Rosstour]

The OP's photos of Nando were cherry-picked to paint him in an unflattering looking light.

Other than the fact that he's carrying a few extra pounds, he still looks good:

He's clearly still got the face of a ''youngish'' looking man, rather than a grizzled geriatric which the OP attempted to portray him as.

He is on the senior tour, there is no cherry-picking that lol.