Question to Fed fans: Which is Roger's most heartbreaking loss?

Most heartbreaking loss for Fed?

  • Loss to Nadal at Wimbledon 2008

  • Loss to Nadal at AO 2009

  • Loss to Delpo at USO 2009

  • Loss to Djokovic at USO 2011

  • Loss to Djokovic at Wimbledon 2014

  • Loss to Djokovic at Wimbledon 2015

  • Loss to Stakhovsky at Wimbledon 2013

  • Loss to Seppi at AO 2015

  • Loss to Nadal at Rome 2006

  • Other (specify)

Results are only viewable after voting.
It used to be Aussie 2009, but at least Roger get his revenge this year. 2009 Us Open is only correct answer. Rome 2006 and Us Open 2011 are behind.
 
Aussie 2009 because most of us thought that Federer could never win a GS again after that. Unbelievable that he won 5 more.
 
WO 08. Nothing can hurt me more as a tennis fan, as a sports fan even including every other sport.

With that bagel in FO08 final, I wanted him to win it as a good reply to own his turf, just like Rafa owned in RG, but he lost. Being 0-2 down, magnificently came back only to lose in a tight 5th set. Above all, I wanted him to prove he can't go down before his greatest rival but instead Rafa had the last laugh. Out of everything in the 13-27 H2H, that single loss made the most damage.
 
Austranlian Open 2009. It hurts. That's why Federer's triumph at AO 2017 has a special meaning.

I remember I was extremely nervous before the final in 2009 because I felt things would go wrong for Federer. The loss and the infamous ceremony made thing insufferable and it put a big question mark in Federer's quest to Sampras slam count records at the time.

Wimbledon 2015 was also terrible because I did believe he would win. Instead he lost in 4. I think Federer could make it more competitive if weather was better. Such an windy and rainy day.
 
Federer never had any real heartbreaking losses on the tennis court.

Mostly because:

1) His career was truly classical in the sense that he ascended to the top in a logical and consequential manner, and got off the top of the tennis world in the same way.
2) He suffered losses in very important tournaments only in the hands of very worthy opponents that proved their quality not only in the matches with him

:cool:
 
AO 2009 was probably the worst....any match where you're actually reduced to crying like a 5yo can't be good. USO 2015 wasn't good either....from memory he squandered 2015 break points.
 
Tennis_Hands said:
After Wimbledon 2008 he immediately won Us Open 2008 and after AO 2009 he immediately won the RG/Wimbledon double.

That is a myth.

:cool:
Click to expand...

Look at his play in early 2009, the infamous racquet break in Miami for instance. He was struggling mentally big time.
 
Tennis_Hands said:
So, real results do not count as an evidence?

:cool:
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I said it was a combination of the 2. He wasn't broken after Wimbledon alone but after the AO there was a clear change in his demeanour up until the clay season. I think losing both affected him for a few months. Had he won Wimbledon I doubt there would have been tears at the AO irrespective of whether he won the USO.
 
NatF said:
I said it was a combination of the 2. He wasn't broken after Wimbledon alone but after the AO there was a clear change in his demeanour up until the clay season. I think losing both affected him for a few months.
Click to expand...

"Up untill the clay court season" that makes factually and logically little sense.

Clay is where he was most likely to lose to his biggest rival, so if the story about him getting all heart-broken after the AO loss has affected him in the way you describe, he should have grown more concerned and badly playing.

Also, in the two biggest tournaments before the clay season he posted two SF results, losing respectively to Djokovic and Murray as opposed to his lesser results on clay up untill Madrid.

NatF said:
Had he won Wimbledon I doubt there would have been tears at the AO irrespective of whether he won the USO.
Click to expand...

Federer gets all emotional when he plays for the biggest trophies, no matter win or lose.

That is another myth (that he got especially emotional at AO 2009).

:cool:
 
Top 12 (can't narrow it down to 10) most heartbreaking losses in chronological order
2000 Basel final lost in 5 to Enqvist (had the momentum after winning the 4th)
2003 Davis Cup sf lost in 5 to Hewitt (2 sets to 0 up and served for the match)
2005 AO sf lost in 5 to Safin (had match point)
2005 Masters Cup final lost in 5 to Nalbandian (2 sets to 0 up and served for the match)
2006 Rome final lost in 5 to Nadal (had 2 match points)
2008 Wimbledon final lost in 5 to Nadal (had the momentum after winning the 4th)
2009 AO final lost in 5 to Nadal (had the momentum after winning the 4th)
2009 USO final lost in 5 to DelPotro (was 2 points from winning the match)
2011 USO final lost in 5 to Djokovic (2 sets to 0 up and served for the match and held 2 match points on serve)
2013 AO sf lost in 5 to Murray (had the momentum after winning the 4th)
2014 Wimbledon final lost in 5 to Djokovic (had the momentum after winning the 4th)
2016 Wimbledon sf lost in 5 to Raonic (Capitulated in the 4th for no apparent reason)

Of course i could just as easily had included these "gems"
2002 AO r4 lost in 5 to Haas (had 2 match points)
2003 AO r4 lost in 5 to Nalbandian (had the momentum after winning the 4th)
2003 Gstaad final lost in 5 to Novak (had the momentum after winning the 4th)
2010 USO sf lost in 5 to Djokovic (had 2 match points)
2011 Wimbledon qf lost in 5 to Tsonga (led 2 sets to 0 up)
2014 FO r4 lost in 5 to Gulbis (Capitulated in the 2nd but had the momentum after winning the 4th)
 
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Wimbledon 2008.. will be a frustration in my system forever..

Australian Open 2009 a close second.. will also be a frustration forever..

Those actually still hurt thinking of them.
 
I don't be heartbroken over rich tennis players losing a tennis match, but Roger seemed to take the AO 2009 defeat hard. I'll say that one...
 
Tennis_Hands said:
"Up untill the clay court season" that makes factually and logically little sense.

Clay is where he was most likely to lose to his biggest rival, so if the story about him getting all heart-broken after the AO loss has affected him in the way you describe, he should have grown more concerned and badly playing.

Also, in the two biggest tournaments before the clay season he posted two SF results, losing respectively to Djokovic and Murray as opposed to his lesser results on clay up untill Madrid.
Click to expand...

Once Rome came around Federer was looking more positive IMO, he was happy to reach the SF (that's what he said was his goal before the event).

Again you can look at the results on wikipedia all you want, my perceptions of how I feel Federer looked in himself won't change. His results were still decent but he wasn't playing great and he looked frustrated case in point the racquet break. If you didn't see the body language etc...I saw that's fine but you won't change my opinion on this. TBH not sure why you have a hard on for this.

Federer gets all emotional when he plays for the biggest trophies, no matter win or lose.

That is another myth (that he got especially emotional at AO 2009).

:cool:
Click to expand...

You should find a more fitting emoticon for yourself...I recommend this one;

stupid-emoji.png


He was very emotional when he won his first Wimbledon and the AO in 2006, but I still think 2009 was the most emotional I've ever seen Federer - especially after a loss. If you want to play it down be by guest.
 
AO 2009 for me, and it isn't even close. Don't have to further elaborate on the reasons, I hope...

No "problems" with Wimbledon 2008 - I thought it to be a clear case of 'sweet justice' for Rafa after him so painfully losing Wimbledon 2007.
USO 2009 was pretty bad, too, but I can't help but feel that was quite a bit Fed's own fault, clearly underestimating his opponent, which I fortunately happen to like as well. ;)
 
TheMusicLover said:
AO 2009 for me, and it isn't even close. Don't have to further elaborate on the reasons, I hope...

No "problems" with Wimbledon 2008 - I thought it to be a clear case of 'sweet justice' for Rafa after him so painfully losing Wimbledon 2007.
USO 2009 was pretty bad, too, but I can't help but feel that was quite a bit Fed's own fault, clearly underestimating his opponent, which I fortunately happen to like as well. ;)
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The bolded used to bother me. But at the end of the day it was a win-win situation in hindsight:

-Federer defeated Delpo at the FO, the match that really decided his legacy. Losing at the FO and never getting the career slam would have been more painful than losing a USO final, given that he already had 5 of those. Also his lack of a FO title would have really hurt him against Djoker and Nadal, both of whom currently have career slams.

-I really like Delpo and I am happy that he got a slam. Especially since his prime was cut in half because of injuries. So at least he managed to win something big in the small window that saw him healthy :)
 
Wimbledon 2008.

How the hell can USO 2015 not be on this list? In what universe is the Seppi loss worse than this:

https://tt.tennis-warehouse.com/ind...-stats-a-horror-show-of-bp-profligacy.544058/

And what about AO 05, squandering match points vs goating Safin in 4th set? Going on to his only hard court loss in a major in a 4 year stretch, 9-7 in the fifth! Would have had 4 straight Aussie opens, and a strong claim to joint best at AO after 2017.
 
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Oh god there's so many but the worst for me are always matches where he's clearly the better player and dominating, only to be undone.


Rome 2006
AO 2009
USO 2009
USO 2011
AO 2012

Are the main ones that come to mind. I was gutted he lost Wimbledon 08 but by then he was past his best and Nadal simply played better and deserved to win.
 
Lol to the whole thread. Love how federer fans vive opinions as if they are factual when on this issue federer has answered the very question himself.

He has two heartbreaking losses he points to. Wimbledon 2008 and wimbledon 2014. He spent a while dissecting the two. I think he eventually went for wimbledon 2014 as the most heartbreaking.

Personally if were him it would be wimbledon 2015. To have a losing h2h at his major to one of his deadly rivals has to truly sting. But the man himself says wimbledon 2014 so surely that answers the question
 
jelle v said:
Wimbledon 2008.. will be a frustration in my system forever..

Australian Open 2009 a close second.. will also be a frustration forever..

Those actually still hurt thinking of them.
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Wimbledon a far more signifciant tournament than australian open. Most players best memories and most painful are from wimbledon.
 
Rome 2006
Wimbledon 2008
Aussie Open 2009
US Open 2014

Out of those I'll go with the 2009 Aussie. I thought that this loss might permanently take the wind out of Fed's sails. He was the fresher player going into the final, in great form, had chances in each of the first four sets . . . and the serve lets him down in a huge way. The trophy ceremony didn't help either.

The US Open 2009 loss was probably the most aggravating, because of how avoidable it was, but him winning two majors on the year and regaining the No. 1 ranking three months prior made it sting a lot less. I don't include any of the Djokovic losses because Novak is another one of my favourites, and even though I've rooted for Federer in their match-up for most of the last few years (given Federer's long-awaited 18th, that's probably set to switch) they are pretty easy for me to get over.

Another annoying-but-short-of-heartbreaking loss was the '14 MC final. Big opportunity to nab one of the few M1000's missing from his CV. Granted, Wawrinka played very well in the final two sets.
 
Voted Wimbledon 2008. Unfortunately we didn't have a lot of access to tennis matches at that time, just a few channels and no internet meant we only got to see final stages of Slams or the occasional Masters. Since there weren't many different players playing those stages it was much easier to pick who to root for and Roger was a clear #2 after Novak. Me and everyone else in the house wanted to see him break Borg's 5 in a row but Nadal had other plans.

As time passed, I stopped feeling sad for the guy's losses. :D
 
Henman in the quarters at Big W in 2001. Had a chance to be one of only two players since the wood era to win both a fast court slam and a slow court one. Rafter matchup in the final would have been epic, but he'd have throttled Goran with the way he returns.

Instead, that honor still belongs solely to Agassi.
 
NEW_BORN said:
Top 12 (can't narrow it down to 10) most heartbreaking losses in chronological order
2000 Basel final lost in 5 to Enqvist (had the momentum after winning the 4th)
2003 Davis Cup sf lost in 5 to Hewitt (2 sets to 0 up and served for the match)
2005 AO sf lost in 5 to Safin (had match point)
2005 Masters Cup final lost in 5 to Nalbandian (2 sets to 0 up and served for the match)
2006 Rome final lost in 5 to Nadal (had 2 match points)
2008 Wimbledon final lost in 5 to Nadal (had the momentum after winning the 4th)
2009 AO final lost in 5 to Nadal (had the momentum after winning the 4th)
2009 USO final lost in 5 to DelPotro (was 2 points from winning the match)
2011 USO final lost in 5 to Djokovic (2 sets to 0 up and served for the match and held 2 match points on serve)
2013 AO sf lost in 5 to Murray (had the momentum after winning the 4th)
2014 Wimbledon final lost in 5 to Djokovic (had the momentum after winning the 4th)
2016 Wimbledon sf lost in 5 to Raonic (Capitulated in the 4th for no apparent reason)

Of course i could just as easily had included these "gems"
2002 AO r4 lost in 5 to Haas (had 2 match points)
2003 AO r4 lost in 5 to Nalbandian (had the momentum after winning the 4th)
2003 Gstaad final lost in 5 to Novak (had the momentum after winning the 4th)
2010 USO sf lost in 5 to Djokovic (had 2 match points)
2011 Wimbledon qf lost in 5 to Tsonga (led 2 sets to 0 up)
2014 FO r4 lost in 5 to Gulbis (Capitulated in the 2nd but had the momentum after winning the 4th)
Click to expand...

I'll definitively put 2002 WTF vs Hewitt in top 10.That match was pure depression. Fed had 7-8 set points in first set. Also, Wimbledon 2001 vs Henman. At least he deserves fifth set. He was better player. Monte Carlo and Rome 2014&2003. No Nadal,two golden chances.
 
NatF said:
Once Rome came around Federer was looking more positive IMO, he was happy to reach the SF (that's what he said was his goal before the event).

Again you can look at the results on wikipedia all you want, my perceptions of how I feel Federer looked in himself won't change. His results were still decent but he wasn't playing great and he looked frustrated case in point the racquet break. If you didn't see the body language etc...I saw that's fine but you won't change my opinion on this. TBH not sure why you have a hard on for this.



You should find a more fitting emoticon for yourself...I recommend this one;
Click to expand...

I will pass on your inadequate effort for a joke and comment the other stuff.

Besides the insulting remark (I saw many of his matches in that period either live or on the TV) nothing of what you say confirms your comments apart from your "gut feeling".

I already lowered the bar quite a bit for your remarks to stand when I even discussed tournament below the highest level, but even there there is not much beyond what I already said your main source of opinion is.

I also explained my logic and unsurprisingly you didn't address any of it.

The truth is that Federer was disappointed from some of the losses in question, but none of them got to him in a particularly bad way, which would be the definition of "heart-breaking".

NatF said:
He was very emotional when he won his first Wimbledon and the AO in 2006, but I still think 2009 was the most emotional I've ever seen Federer - especially after a loss. If you want to play it down be by guest.
Click to expand...

You are wrong.

Here is cold-as-stone Federer after beating Sampras (and long before "winning his first Wimbledon"):

images


I can give many, many more examples, but I think that I will pass on the obvious as I am not in a mood to search just to prove you wrong (again).

Oh, and, by the way, I couldn't care less if you want to remain ignorant (that is regarding changing your opinion).

:cool:
 
Tennis_Hands said:
I will pass on your inadequate effort for a joke and comment the other stuff.

Besides the insulting remark (I saw many of his matches in that period either live or on the TV) nothing of what you say confirms your comments apart from your "gut feeling".

I already lowered the bar quite a bit for your remarks to stand when I even discussed tournament below the highest level, but even there there is not much beyond what I already said your main source of opinion is.

I also explained my logic and unsurprisingly you didn't address any of it.

The truth is that Federer was disappointed from some of the losses in question, but none of them got to him in a particularly bad way, which would be the definition of "heart-breaking".



You are wrong.

Here is cold-as-stone Federer after beating Sampras (and long before "winning his first Wimbledon"):

images


I can give many, many more examples, but I think that I will pass on the obvious as I am not in a mood to search just to prove you wrong (again).

Oh, and, by the way, I couldn't care less if you want to remain ignorant.

:cool:
Click to expand...

I honestly don't know what your problem is. Funny that it offends you so much me saying that I believe the combination of losing Wimbledon and the AO had a greater impact on Federer.

I believe I did address your points, but regardless I will pass on your posts from now.
 
NatF said:
I honestly don't know what your problem is. Funny that it offends you so much me saying that I believe the combination of losing Wimbledon and the AO had a greater impact on Federer.

I believe I did address your points, but regardless I will pass on your posts from now.
Click to expand...

That is fitting.

:cool:
 
Tennis_Hands said:
if the story about him getting all heart-broken after the AO loss has affected him in the way you describe, he should have grown more concerned and badly playing.

Also, in the two biggest tournaments before the clay season he posted two SF results, losing respectively to Djokovic and Murray as opposed to his lesser results on clay up untill Madrid.
:cool:
Click to expand...

This actually doesn't make sense. We know that Federer is such a good player than, as long as he is physically healthy (not the case in 2008, hence early losses here and there), even in a mentally burdened state he is still going to beat lesser players by skill, which is exactly what happened in the early part of 2009. But once he came up against top adversaries, what happened? Breadsticked by Murray; lost to Djokovic from a set up; lost to Djokovic from a set and a break up. Not good. Madrid was where he managed to put it behind him and beat Nadal again, even if he was helped by Nadal's long semi (his fault).

Tennis_Hands said:
The truth is that Federer was disappointed from some of the losses in question, but none of them got to him in a particularly bad way, which would be the definition of "heart-breaking".
Click to expand...

Losing from a set and a break up to anyone, even Novack, and getting 1-6'd by Mugray is bad for Federer standards, no?
 
AnOctorokForDinner said:
This actually doesn't make sense. We know that Federer is such a good player than, as long as he is physically healthy (not the case in 2008, hence early losses here and there), even in a mentally burdened state he is still going to beat lesser players by skill, which is exactly what happened in the early part of 2009. But once he came up against top adversaries, what happened? Breadsticked by Murray; lost to Djokovic from a set up; lost to Djokovic from a set and a break up. Not good. Madrid was where he managed to put it behind him and beat Nadal again, even if he was helped by Nadal's long semi (his fault).
Click to expand...

I hate when people put down opponents just to make their point.

Murray was in a very good form at the time (didn't he win also the very next HC tournament as well?) and it was a 3 setter match.

Also, Djokovic is not a problem for Roger, so Roger is not "allowed" to lose from a set and a break up?



AnOctorokForDinner said:
Losing from a set and a break up to anyone, even Novack, and getting 1-6'd by Mugray is bad for Federer standards, no?
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In the AO final one of the players lost a set 6-1.

Is finnish, no?

:(
 
tennis_pro said:
2009 AO without a doubt. Only 2008 Wimbledon comes close.
Click to expand...
But why? I thought you had to be close for a loss to be heartbreaking? Fed was closer to losing in 4 in both of those matches than to actually winning them. Why aren't they more heartbreaking than the losses to Djokovic where he actually held MPs?

Or are you going to acknowledge that closeness is only one factor in the heartbreak meter? ;)
 
SinjinCooper said:
Henman in the quarters at Big W in 2001. Had a chance to be one of only two players since the wood era to win both a fast court slam and a slow court one. Rafter matchup in the final would have been epic, but he'd have throttled Goran with the way he returns.

Instead, that honor still belongs solely to Agassi.
Click to expand...

LOL you must be joking? Sampras won 7 Wimbledon, 5 USO and 2 medium-slow AO titles... Fed has won on fast HC (USO), medium-fast grass (03-05 Wimbledon) medium HC (AO04,06,07) and slow (RG 09)
 
Besides the obvious 2008 W and 2009 AO.

One particular thing about 2009 AO, I remembered it being suggested at the time that Fed may be forever stranded on 13, behind Sampras. He had no French. Nadal was truly dominant now. This thread was bumped after the 2017 AO final there. From Feb 2009, just after the 2009 AO Final. ''Will Federer ever win another slam?' Interesting reading. http://www.redcafe.net/threads/will-federer-win-another-slam.234445/

2013 Stak. This was a real killer for me, as it felt like the end of Federer. He had reached the last 36 Grand Slam QFs, I didn't care the streak was gone, more what it represented. He didn't have early exits since he became Federer, Stak was ranked outside the top 100. This was Wimbledon. Thankfully it wasn't the end, but it did feel like it.

2015 US Open was worse than Wimbledon and should be in the poll instead imo. This felt like the last chance, would have been an incredible win. He played so good but just felt like he missed chances and could have won, that is why it stung.

2009 US Open never felt that bad for me, probably as he won the 2 slams previous. All was good compared to where he was the previous February.
 
Wimby 2008 to Nadal: if Federer had won that, he would have a perfect record against Nadal on grass. This was Federer's mono year and Nadal's peak year in my opinion as Nadal was more dominant at RG that year than before or since. Federer has a lot of break points in the 5th set and I think Federer would have won had he not had mono at the beginning of the year.

USO 2009 to Del Po: is the next bad loss. Federer had a set and a break point to serve for the 2nd set and a high forehand where he made contact about 3 feet behind the service line. Federer was in hot dog mode and had been hitting lots of drop shots and angles. Federer hit a drop shot and lost the point. If Federer had driven that forehand with pace and spin, 99% percent chance he wins that point and the match.
 
jm1980 said:
But why? I thought you had to be close for a loss to be heartbreaking? Fed was closer to losing in 4 in both of those matches than to actually winning them. Why aren't they more heartbreaking than the losses to Djokovic where he actually held MPs?

Or are you going to acknowledge that closeness is only one factor in the heartbreak meter? ;)
Click to expand...
Federer was 1 point from serving for the match in 2008. In 2009 I feel if he broke and served out the 3rd set he had the match in his bag.
 
Tennis_Hands said:
I hate when people put down opponents just to make their point.

Murray was in a very good form at the time (didn't he win also the very next HC tournament as well?) and it was a 3 setter match.

Also, Djokovic is not a problem for Roger, so Roger is not "allowed" to lose from a set and a break up?
Click to expand...

Are we not in agreement that GOATerer does not commit such failures as getting tennis bakery products (from anyone) and losing from a set and a break up (to anyone) when he is in prime physical and mental state? Federer was in prime physical state in 2009 (with the apparent exception of Paris Masters, complaining about his back in the loss to Benneteau), so such unpleasant hiccups must have had to do with mental frailty.





In the AO final one of the players lost a set 6-1.

Is finnish, no?

:(
Click to expand...

Indeed, getting breadsticked by 35 y.o. Federer in a Slam final - could have even been a bagel had RN not saved a couple of BPs - has to be very gravy for Nadal, but he can still forward to the French Open, where Oldfed almost certainly won't be a true contender.
 
lud said:
I'll definitively put 2002 WTF vs Hewitt in top 10.That match was pure depression. Fed had 7-8 set points in first set. Also, Wimbledon 2001 vs Henman. At least he deserves fifth set. He was better player. Monte Carlo and Rome 2014&2003. No Nadal,two golden chances.
Click to expand...

Yep totally agree. In fact, here's a list of 10 heartbreaking losses outside of the slams.
2000 Marseille Final loses to Rosset in a final set tiebreak
2001 Rotterdam Final loses to Escude in a final set tiebreak
2004 Olympics R2 loses to Berdych after dominating the 1st set
2007 Montreal Final loses to Djokovic in a final set tiebreak
2008 Hamburg Final loses to Nadal after completely capitulating in the 1st set
2010 Paris indoors sf loses to Monfils in final set tiebreak after having had 5 match points
2012 Basel Final loses to DelPotro in final set tiebreak
2013 Dubai sf loses to Berdych after having had 3 match points
2014 Indian Wells Final loses to Djokovic in a final set tiebreak
2016 Stuttgart sf loses to Thiem after having had 3 match points
 
In more recent years, Wimbledon 2016 against Raonic definitely hurt pretty bad.
I thought he had it in the bag, and then he blew that 40-0 lead....
 
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