couldn't agree with you more. i really hope he can come back roaring in 2009.
Olympics: Federer vs. Blake
- Thread starter lonestar
- Start date
couldn't agree with you more. i really hope he can come back roaring in 2009.
leonidas1982
Hall of Fame
For such a fast court, few aces were produced, but groundstrokes had a heavy penetration to it.
Too bad Fed lost, but a great win for Blake.
Obviously, Fed hasn't been playing up to his normal level since Wimbledon. Too bad he couldn't recover by the Olympics, as he may not have another chance (next one is 2012, and that will clearly be on the tail-end of his career). Now his only possible salvage for the year is the USO.
I still think all the idiots saying he sucks and should retire are nuts. Nothing fundamental has changed; he's in a slump, he's had a difficult year. Other greats had the same thing happen to them and recovered. Some people are just disgustingly too happy that he's had some bad results this year. Real losers who root against greatness.
Obviously, Fed hasn't been playing up to his normal level since Wimbledon. Too bad he couldn't recover by the Olympics, as he may not have another chance (next one is 2012, and that will clearly be on the tail-end of his career). Now his only possible salvage for the year is the USO.
I still think all the idiots saying he sucks and should retire are nuts. Nothing fundamental has changed; he's in a slump, he's had a difficult year. Other greats had the same thing happen to them and recovered. Some people are just disgustingly too happy that he's had some bad results this year. Real losers who root against greatness.
Al Czervik
Hall of Fame
I almost always root for Fed, but not today. I am very proud of JB. He better win a medal. He needs to win the semi, because a bronze medal match against the Rafa/Djoker loser might be a tall task.
No, it's more like, the hypocritical BS haters of him are now saying he sucks and should retire. This doesn't prove that players don't fold against him, it's just that he out-sucked them. And before, he didn't just play great, it's just that his opponents suck.
You see, whenever Fed wins, it's because the other guy sucked. Whenever he loses, he sucks and clearly should retire.
seffina
G.O.A.T.
I hope so. I mean I'm not writing him off at all. I am just hoping he does excellent at the USO. My ideal would be a repeat of the AO semi with Fed coming out on top.
He needs to get that first serve of his back to what it was at Wimby before the Nadal match.
Serpententacle
Hall of Fame
Fed needs to stop thinking and just start doing. First thought, best thought.
Oui c'est moi.
Hall of Fame
I'm gutted for Roger.
But i can't help but laugh at those who said Blake would hand it over to him. Like as if Blake doesn't even try to beat Fed. :roll: Where are they now?
But i can't help but laugh at those who said Blake would hand it over to him. Like as if Blake doesn't even try to beat Fed. :roll: Where are they now?
Fedace
Banned
I really think it was the strings that beat him tonight. I don't know why Roger didn't change to tighter strings, it was clear that his forehand and sometimes his serve were flying LONG.
DarthMaul
Professional
I hope he will have a better year in 2009. I think it's not a bad idea to retire for a few months and take care of himself both physicallyand mentally. A good shrink, more rest and a better, much better coach will help him recover.
Greenfin Beta
Semi-Pro
at least now he can concentrate on his doubles match. i hope he won't be too tired or too depressed to play.
0dividedby0
New User
Roger still has a doubles match against one of the best doubles party, Paes and Bhupathi.
Umm, you don't skip the USO, especially if your Federer, capable of winning it, and have won for the past 4 years straight.
Maybe after the USO, he shouldn't play until next year.
luckyboy1300
Hall of Fame
i think everyone who has a 0 winning record against fed has all the chance now to snatch a win. fed is really in a terrible slump, and i hope just that. still wishful he bounces back. even if not this year. whether or not he will bounce back or not will be a measuring stick of his greatness.
Oui c'est moi.
Hall of Fame
wyutani
Hall of Fame
gonzo thought the same thing 4 years ago.
I thought on these really fast hardcourts Fed would make the final but it seems I overestimated his chances.
I said it before, he relies too much on his serve. It started last year and he has been relying on his serve more and more.
His game from the baseline is too inconsistent, surprising how inconsistent it has become in a year. I think he´s also paying the price for not hiring a full time coach. It doesn´t matter how much you have been playing, a coach is always necessary for a top athlete. Congratulations to all the americans. Serena is having a hard time though.
I said it before, he relies too much on his serve. It started last year and he has been relying on his serve more and more.
His game from the baseline is too inconsistent, surprising how inconsistent it has become in a year. I think he´s also paying the price for not hiring a full time coach. It doesn´t matter how much you have been playing, a coach is always necessary for a top athlete. Congratulations to all the americans. Serena is having a hard time though.
Pwned
Hall of Fame
fixed...........
beedlejuice22
Semi-Pro
Wow I actually guessed right. I said that Blake would win in two and what do you know? 6-4 7-6(2)
Good analysis Zaragoza, I agree. Unlike other Nadal "fans" around here, you always seem to have some usefull stuff to say about Federer.
Not true. Rome and AO come to my mind. But yeah, pretty much.
Oui c'est moi.
Hall of Fame
See that's what i thought you might have meant.
I really don't think he 'handed' the match to Blake. Or maybe i was just watching a different match to you..
Blake played better than Federer today, the string tension has nothing to do with it. Otherwise Federer would not have defeated him so many times before.
As if Federer is going to hand over an Olympic QF match. He so badly wanted Gold.
Poor baby.
Oui c'est moi.
Hall of Fame
Please. Don't start this. That's the last thing we need.
0dividedby0
New User
Not in Rome.
veroniquem
Bionic Poster
I'm gonna stick to my theory that Fed's worst surface this year has been hard court by far. I don't know how this transformation occured but he got his best results on clay and grass and seems unable to raise his level on hard courts. It doesn't bode well for the USO...
Fedace
Banned
But Credit to James today. I did watch the match and James was hitting his Backhand better than i had ever seen before. James was actually beating roger on crosscourt exchanges with his backhand which i had NEVER seen before. and another point,,,James did Not go for a clean winner on every return and actually kept some balls in play on roger's serves. these 2 things combined spelled Blake Victory.
wangs78
Legend
We all know that for Roger it's a mental/confidence issue. The proof is that he just lost to guy who's even older than he is. It's sad really, to see an athlete who has been one of the sport's greatest champions, to succumb to mental demons and not physical decrepitude. The good news that should he overcome his demons, Roger can very likely be dominant again. The bad news is if he can't, I don't he can win even one other Grand Slam. There's a huge swing factor here.
willgonase10
Banned
LOL LOL LOL Federer pwned.
Lack of confidence > no first serves
> hitting wide/long from both wings
> returning balls into the net
> the eventual hang dog, I'm not going to win this
match look
see...Federer to-day
see also Safin on any given day
and Blake was in the zone...and Federer was in another time zone altogether
> hitting wide/long from both wings
> returning balls into the net
> the eventual hang dog, I'm not going to win this
match look
see...Federer to-day
see also Safin on any given day
and Blake was in the zone...and Federer was in another time zone altogether
Greenfin Beta
Semi-Pro
you know, you're right. never thought of it that way before. :?
logansc
Professional
Well I think it's more of an issue of how much better some players are on hardcourts not necessarily that fed hasn't played as well. Granted post Wimbledon he's been in somewhat of a tailspin but he could come out and surprise everyone in a couple of weeks.
veroniquem
Bionic Poster
Yeah you know his season on clay and grass has actually been very good, lots of finals and 2 tournaments won. The hard courts have been the problem since January actually with lots of premature exits on hard, it's not since Wimbledon, so maybe it's not just mental, maybe it's a slight loss of speed or a problem with his footwork.
Well, people should watch the match. Blake was playing at a very high level. It's not the best match Federer has ever played, but we cannot say he played really badly. Blake's shot making in that match just shows the level of talent Federer has been dominating for the past 5 years. Because he wins all the time, some people here, who know little about tennis, think it's because the era is weak or players don't try. For some of us, Federer's ability is self evident every time he takes to the court, but some of the slower members on this board seem confused about his success, so look for other explanations. Occasional loses to players he has dominated in the past, puts his success into perspective. Now, if he beats Blake the next time they meet, there can be no excuses that Blake has no balls or did not try. This happened with Gonzalez. I mean, Blake has beaten Nadal multiple times, he has now beaten Federer and will probably beat Djokovic if they meet a few times. Blake and the other players on tour are very talented, competitive and do play at an incredibly high level. This match helps show that. They are not weak, pathetic competitors, as some like to pretend.
logansc
Professional
Great post! Another point to make about players like Blake...Blake is unique because if shots are landing in, those big forehands and serve returns, he is capable of beating just about anyone, if they aren't landing in on that day then he will most definitely lose. It just depends on what kind of day it is.
Well put! I hope TheNatural, TheThruth and other ignorant Federer haters will read your post.
As you said, Blake played very well, and Roger pretty bad (something like 15 winners to 56 UE's). That's enough on the man's side to pull an upset. Goes to show at what an icredible
level Federer was playing over all these years and I hope he can bounce back again.
I think the way Blake managed to place his shots today was excellent - but I really thought Roger was not there somehow. It was as if some guy was impersonating him.
L
laurie
Guest
I'm at work so didn't see the match. Just saw the result on ITF website.
Well that's a great result for James. Would be nice if he can claim a medal here, no matter the colour. I see James as a big underachiever in the game, lets' hope he can get a madal now.
Well that's a great result for James. Would be nice if he can claim a medal here, no matter the colour. I see James as a big underachiever in the game, lets' hope he can get a madal now.
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