Occassions when you felt almost guilty of supporting your favorite player

Feather

Feather

Legend
You always support one player a lot during matches. Have you ever felt almost guilty of supporting your favorite player?

Wimbledon 2009: I was rooting for Roger Federer. I badly wanted him to touch 15th major. As the fifth set went on with no end, I was on two minds. I was wondering whom should I support. It was basically because I always thought Roger will win more Wimbledons and this is probably Roddick's only chance. And Roddick really deserved one

I wouldn't say I was disappointed when Roger won but later when Roddick said in an interview that he will never win a Wimbledon, I felt borderline guilty for supporting Roger Federer

French Open 2015: I was rooting for Stan. However, I was really moved by the tears of Djokovic after the win. I kinda feel that it was his last chance to win RG. And Novak too really deserves one RG. I was happy for Stan but couldn't help feeling a touch guilty for rooting against the guy who actually toppled the "King of Clay"

It's funny sports can invoke almost opposite feelings once it all ends
 
A lot of people reminisced about / compared with the Wimbledon 2009 final after the RG 2015 final. Two of the rare occasions where people felt really bad for the loser even though the player they rooted for, won.
 
Feather said:
You always support one player a lot during matches. Have you ever felt almost guilty of supporting your favorite player?

Wimbledon 2009: I was rooting for Roger Federer. I badly wanted him to touch 15th major. As the fifth set went on with no end, I was on two minds. I was wondering whom should I support. It was basically because I always thought Roger will win more Wimbledons and this is probably Roddick's only chance. And Roddick really deserved one

I wouldn't say I was disappointed when Roger won but later when Roddick said in an interview that he will never win a Wimbledon, I felt borderline guilty for supporting Roger Federer

French Open 2015: I was rooting for Stan. However, I was really moved by the tears of Djokovic after the win. I kinda feel that it was his last chance to win RG. And Novak too really deserves one RG. I was happy for Stan but couldn't help feeling a touch guilty for rooting against the guy who actually toppled the "King of Clay"

It's funny sports can invoke almost opposite feelings once it all ends
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Did you want Soderling or Federer to win FO 2009?
 
bullfan said:
Did you want Soderling or Federer to win FO 2009?
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Of course, Roger Federer.

I really don't even understand why the question came. Roger Federer was denied at RG many times by just ONE player, just like what Andy Roddick faced at Wimbledon and Novak Djokovic at Roland Garos.
 
Feather said:
Of course, Roger Federer.

I really don't even understand why the question came. Roger Federer was denied at RG many times by just ONE player, just like what Andy Roddick faced at Wimbledon and Novak Djokovic at Roland Garos.
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Probably something to do with feeling sad in retrospect given what happened to Soderling since? I don't really get it either. If that's the reason, well Soderling had another chance in 2010 anyway.

---->:confused::confused: <----

Maybe it's more typical bullfan ridiculousness where it's something to do with Nadal being wrongly ousted leading to a "lucky" Federer RG victory. Oh how guilty the pleasure was...

No.
 
Feather said:
Of course, Roger Federer.

I really don't even understand why the question came. Roger Federer was denied at RG many times by just ONE player, just like what Andy Roddick faced at Wimbledon and Novak Djokovic at Roland Garos.
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But, soderling was the giant slayer.
 
bullfan said:
But, soderling was the giant slayer.
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After reading the entire post, even after drawing parallel between Roddick and Novak, you could only come across the one thing that related to Rafa. :shock:

So when was Roddick the giant slayer at Wimbledon like Soderling?
 
Pulled for Fed in 2007 Wimbledon but became a fan of Both Rafa and Fed after that match...and never really pulled for one or the other when they played each other after that.... just always wanted them to meet in more finals.
 
Alchemy-Z said:
Pulled for Fed in 2007 Wimbledon but became a fan of Both Rafa and Fed after that match...and never really pulled for one or the other when they played each other after that.... just always wanted them to meet in more finals.
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I have been pulling very hard for Djokovic at RG for the past few years to the extent that I hurt my groin each time.
 
Yeah, Wimbledon 2009 was tough, but I couldn't root against Federer after his loss the prior year. Even though he probably could have been OK since he had won RG 2009 just weeks before, losing another dramatic Wimbledon final the very next year would've been an awful lot to ask him to handle.

It was also largely the fact that Roddick made it so close. Had he gone down more easily in 4, I don't think it would've been so tempting to wish you'd rooted for him. It would've been more like, "that's your fault for thinking you had a chance to beat Federer after all those times. What were you expecting?"

But the way that match played out, he should have won.
 
Nope, never felt guilty rooting for Fed.

Not one time.

Maybe slightly when he played other favorite players of mine. Radek, Stan during that WTF semifinal last year. Again, Stan during Wimble last year. Even maybe Delpo a couple times ...

rossi46 said:
I have been pulling very hard for Djokovic at RG for the past few years to the extent that I hurt my groin each time.
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:confused: but laughing anyway !!! :shock:
 
Wimbledon2015ForKyrgios said:
Yeah, Wimbledon 2009 was tough, but I couldn't root against Federer after his loss the prior year. Even though he probably could have been OK since he had won RG 2009 just weeks before, losing another dramatic Wimbledon final the very next year would've been an awful lot to ask him to handle.

It was also largely the fact that Roddick made it so close. Had he gone down more easily in 4, I don't think it would've been so tempting to wish you'd rooted for him. It would've been more like, "that's your fault for thinking you had a chance to beat Federer after all those times. What were you expecting?"

But the way that match played out, he should have won.
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True, that's why I specifically said in my OP, "As the fifth set went on with no end, I was on two minds. ".
 
2009 Wimby was hard. Interestingly, the night before the match I was at a local baseball game, and was discussing the impending final with my parents. The couple sitting in front of us had been at the 2008 Final.. and the man in particular was insistent that Roddick would not roll over as he had in past matches against Federer. I was pretty convinced going into it that Fed would need AT MOST 4 sets to put roddick away.

As the fifth set went on, I was also torn. I wanted Fed to win for #15, but Roddick had put so much into the match by that point that I also wanted him to take it.

Same with RG 2015 as well.. couldn't pick who i wanted to win it more. Originally said Stan would win in 5, but can't honestly say that I felt ok with either man losing.

RG 2009... No guilt whatsoever. Fed earned it. Maybe AO 2012.. I was rooting for Novak, but felt so bad about it after how grueling of a match it was. And truthfully the QF of this years RG between Djokodal; part of me wanted Nadal to silence everyone again.
 
I never liked Roddick as a player at all but in 2009 I was kind of supporting him in the final set gainst Roger because I felt a bit sorry for him. It´s been a long time ago since then but from my memory I couldn´t believe that he made a couple of stupid mistakes that might have cost him the title.
 
Djokovic v Murray at Wimbledon. I was the only guy at the pub that day that wasn't happy about the result. Guilty as charged!
 
Anaconda said:
Djokovic v Murray at Wimbledon. I was the only guy at the pub that day that wasn't happy about the result. Guilty as charged!
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I guess you didn't get my point. We all have our own favorites and we all get upset when our favorite loses.

My question was rooting for your favorite, and after the match you feel almost guilty that you rooted for your favorite. Assuming Djokovic is your fav, you root for him in a match against a player, Djokovic wins, and for some reasons you feel that you should not have rooted for Djokovic
 
There were a few times when Becker beat Lendl and I felt a bit guilty for supporting Becker the whole time. Those feelings soon disappeared because Lendl was a jackass.
 
Yeah, don't understand what this is about. Why the hell should I feel guilty that my favourite player beat player X?

Imo this is "some misplaced sense of self-righteousness", as the Joker calls it :)
 
vanioMan said:
Yeah, don't understand what this is about. Why the hell should I feel guilty that my favourite player beat player X?

Imo this is "some misplaced sense of self-righteousness", as the Joker calls it :)
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Please, I never said guilty. I typed "almost guilty" and there is a huge difference between both.

It is not about self righteousness or anything like that but feeling little sorry for a player who lost to your favorite

PS: I am also a Joker fan. Why so serious? ;)
 
Feather said:
Please, I never said guilty. I typed "almost guilty" and there is a huge difference between both.

It is not about self righteousness or anything like that but feeling little sorry for a player who lost to your favorite

PS: I am also a Joker fan. Why so serious? ;)
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Well, I used to feel sorry for the loser of Roddick - Nadal matches, as they are my two favourite player. I never knew who to cheer for.

I do admit I felt a bit sorry for Federer after the W 2008 and AO 2009 finals. Did that put a smile on your face? :)
 
vanioMan said:
Well, I used to feel sorry for the loser of Roddick - Nadal matches, as they are my two favourite player. I never knew who to cheer for.

I do admit I felt a bit sorry for Federer after the W 2008 and AO 2009 finals. Did that put a smile on your face? :)
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Well, talking to you itself brought a smile to my face ;)
 
Anaconda said:
Djokovic v Murray at Wimbledon. I was the only guy at the pub that day that wasn't happy about the result. Guilty as charged!
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Lol...I'll bet you kept that one quiet! :wink:

But I can't think of a single instance where I've ever felt guilty for supporting my favourite player!
 
Feather said:
Please, I never said guilty. I typed "almost guilty" and there is a huge difference between both.

It is not about self righteousness or anything like that but feeling little sorry for a player who lost to your favorite

PS: I am also a Joker fan. Why so serious? ;)
Click to expand...

Please explain how you 'almost feel' something?
 
Never felt guilty, but Roddick at the 2009 Wimbledon was definitely the most sympathetic I ever felt for a runner-up. I'm pretty sure the thing that makes Roddick in 2009 so unique is that you knew that was his chance, and he played so good and came so close, only to lose in epic, heartbreaking fashion. I really don't think there's any other match to compare that one.

The 2015 RG falls short because everyone expects Djokovic to come back as a strong favorite there again next year, the match itself wasn't epic, and the guy who denied him can hardly be viewed as a perennial nemesis who has won his fair share already. The sympathetic crowd reaction is pretty much the only similarity.
 
I think i felt a bit bad during the 2012 WO match against Bennetau - i was glad he was winning easily in the final set, but sad for Benny too.

Also, perhaps during the FO match between Goffin and Fed. It's a bit "unfair" to root for a guy who has so many slams against someone who has none.
 
WTF 2014. I was happy Fed was through but Stan was the better player. I would've been okay if he won that match.
 
Djokovic? Lol never. He chokes and makes his life harder all the time in majors. Maybe last year a little when beating ted but ted has 7 titles so it went away fast.
 
I don't ever feel guilty. Whoever Djokovic plays, I want him to grind his opponent down and make him feel the pain. :twisted:
 
If you don’t have a favorite player, you can just root for whoever you think is playing better in a match. And change your mind multiple times.
 
I don't know about actual guilt, but as a Federer fan I still walked away from a lot of wins feeling kind of bad for the loser. Fed spent the majority of his career having already achieved more than anyone could dream of, and you know the win almost always would've meant more to the lower ranked guy he ended up defeating.
 
Never have, closest I felt to feeling guilty would be Thiem 2020 AO final. But if he is not good enough, he is not good enough.
 
MeatTornado said:
I don't know about actual guilt, but as a Federer fan I still walked away from a lot of wins feeling kind of bad for the loser. Fed spent the majority of his career having already achieved more than anyone could dream of, and you know the win almost always would've meant more to the lower ranked guy he ended up defeating.
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"Well, you can't have it all ---"

"Well you can. You selfish bast4rd."
 
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