Roger Federer: 2004 US Open was my best match and 2008 Wimbledon was my most heartbreaking loss

weakera said:
I have a hard time believing he actually considers 2008 more heartbreaking than 2019.
Click to expand...
Really not that hard to believe. That 2008 loss haunted him for a long time. The effects of that loss was felt all the way til AO 2009. It was a huge heartbreak that derailed his confidence against Rafa. 2019 was not like that. He could shake off that loss and then bludgeon Djokovic in their next encounter almost like W 2019 never happened. It was a disappointing loss, sure, but it wasn't a prolonged heartbreak for Federer. Fed knew it was a choke job unlike 2008 which was a legit barnburner.
 
Nadal - GOAT said:
You are right.. Though he was much closer to winning the 2019 Wimb as compared to the 2008 one.

But yes, the 2008 W followed by AO 09 must have been heartbreaking for Fed considering that he was playing pretty well.
Click to expand...

Got outplayed at RG, too. Not a good stretch for RF.
Wasn't he 1/13 on BPs in the W'08 final? He had chances, but of course, W'19 was just one point away and I think he froze by the thought.
 
junior74 said:
Federer must surely be wrong :)

I think it matters less, because he considers his best years as the more important ones.

He even said AO17 was a bonus, because he was getting old and didn't expect to win more majors.
Click to expand...
It doesn't really matter what he say's. There is no doubt he carefully chooses his words. Always has.
 
Krish0608 said:
Really not that hard to believe. That 2008 loss haunted him for a long time. The effects of that loss was felt all the way til AO 2009. It was a huge heartbreak that derailed his confidence against Rafa. 2019 was not like that. He could shake off that loss and then bludgeon Djokovic in their next encounter almost like W 2019 never happened. It was a disappointing loss, sure, but it wasn't a prolonged heartbreak for Federer. Fed knew it was a choke job unlike 2008 which was a legit barnburner.
Click to expand...

The 2008 loss was redeemable, the 2019 loss isn't.
 
Krish0608 said:
Really not that hard to believe. That 2008 loss haunted him for a long time. The effects of that loss was felt all the way til AO 2009. It was a huge heartbreak that derailed his confidence against Rafa. 2019 was not like that. He could shake off that loss and then bludgeon Djokovic in their next encounter almost like W 2019 never happened. It was a disappointing loss, sure, but it wasn't a prolonged heartbreak for Federer. Fed knew it was a choke job unlike 2008 which was a legit barnburner.
Click to expand...
"Choke job".
Same as 2010 US Open ? Same as 2011 US Open.

It all has to do who you have on the other side of the net. That got to him. Djokovic, as usual, smiled in the face of adversity.
 
weakera said:
The 2008 loss was redeemable, the 2019 loss isn't.
Click to expand...
That's not how he sees it though. And this is about what Federer considers to be his most heartbreaking loss. I am in agreement with him that a choke job in a match he was never the favourite to begin with is going to hurt less than a match where he is in his prime and plays a fantastic match only to lose. That's harder to digest IMO. To each his own I guess.
 
joekapa said:
"Choke job".
Same as 2010 US Open ? Same as 2011 US Open.

It all has to do who you have on the other side of the net. That got to him. Djokovic, as usual, smiled in the face of adversity.
Click to expand...
Whatever helps you sleep at night man. Federer considers 2008 Wimbledon to be his most heartbreaking loss. I guess you follow one of Djoko's tricks where he said when the crowd cheered "Federer", he heard "Nole". Now when Federer says "Wimbledon 2008" you hear "Wimbledon 2019". I am happy if that's giving you peace of mind. :)
 
Krish0608 said:
That's not how he sees it though. And this is about what Federer considers to be his most heartbreaking loss. I am in agreement with him that a choke job in a match he was never the favourite to begin with is going to hurt less than a match where he is in his prime and plays a fantastic match only to lose. That's harder to digest IMO. To each his own I guess.
Click to expand...
You honestly believe what these guys say verbatim ?

We have had numerous threads here, from Fed fans about 40-15, since he announce his retirement.

His coach admitted it was a heartbreaking loss.

You think he still doesn;t think about it ? Djokovic denying him the chance to retire on his own terms.

Federer is simply protecting his legacy, by choosing what he say's wisely.

He knows though. EVERYBODY knows.

I was listening to "The Tennis Podcast" the other day. The epitome of Fed fanboys. Matt Roberts though said the following, in terms of Federer versus the other two. "If I had to chose who would play for my life, it would be Djokovic. If I had to pay to watch a tennis player, it would be Federer".
If he had won Wimby 2019........NOBODY would be saying this.
 
Makes sense tbh. 2004 US Open must have felt brilliant with the FH firestorm. It'll be years til we see another double bagel in a slam final
 
So according to Federer, and his fans in here, he never suffered any heartbreaking losses, at the hands of Djokovic.

he has played Djokovic MORE TIMES than any other player in his career. And yet no heartbreaking losses.

Seems legit.
 
junior74 said:
Got outplayed at RG, too. Not a good stretch for RF.
Wasn't he 1/13 on BPs in the W'08 final? He had chances, but of course, W'19 was just one point away and I think he froze by the thought.
Click to expand...
Yes.. He missed lot of chances in Wimb 08.. W19 he did exceptionally well to get to a winning position. Honestly, I didn't think it was a possibility before the start of the match.. But then yes like you said, he probably froze mentally when the moment came to win it. The 4 points he lost from 40-15 were all badly played points.
 
Nadal - GOAT said:
Yes.. He missed lot of chances in Wimb 08.. W19 he did exceptionally well to get to a winning position. Honestly, I didn't think it was a possibility before the start of the match.. But then yes like you said, he probably froze mentally when the moment came to win it. The 4 points he lost from 40-15 were all badly played points.
Click to expand...

100% agreed.

@joekapa - Federer was asked about THE most heartbreaking loss, and answered W'08. Of course he has had heartbreaking losses to Djokovic! Federer would have had a sensational end to his career if not for Djokovic (2014 ->)

Federer-Djokovic was an incredible rivalry, I've always loved their matches. So nice clash of styles. A little sad that so many of the big matches were played when Djokovic was peak and Federer was in decline, but still very good matches. I'm sure you're happy about the outcome :D
 
Last edited:
NatF said:
Don't think anyone has said that. Your bitterness towards Federer is truly pathetic.
Click to expand...
No bitterness. Believe me. Just calling it the way I see it.

I have not seen ONE thread in here, from a Fed fan,with the subject "I'm still thinking about 2008 Wimby".

I have seen 3 for Wimby 2019.
 
Dude why is this a life-or-death situation for you?

Federer crying after a loss is no big news. Everyone knows he is pretty emotional in general anyway. I'm sure it hurt a lot to lose that 2019 Wimby but he feels like the most hurtful one was 2008 Wimby. You could make the argument for 2009 AO as well but apparently that one also doesn't feel like his worst loss to him.

Also he mentions being hard on himself after matches and being pretty down and then being his cheerful self in a few days at most. Although he does choose his words pretty carefully,he is pretty genuine about himself at times.

Why not chill a bit like Richie Tenenbaum :D
 
Nadal - GOAT said:
Yes.. He missed lot of chances in Wimb 08.. W19 he did exceptionally well to get to a winning position. Honestly, I didn't think it was a possibility before the start of the match.. But then yes like you said, he probably froze mentally when the moment came to win it. The 4 points he lost from 40-15 were all badly played points.
Click to expand...
The 2019 final was simply an anomaly. Federer had never lost 2 tiebreaks in the same GS match before that one. It wasn't just Novak being super clutch like some believe.

The tiebreaks were the worst part, not the 40-15 phase.
 
dapchai said:
Agreed. In '08 he was the 5-time defending champ and the absolute #1. In '19 he was #3 (seeded #2) and had to play the #1 and reigning champ in the final. And beating Nadalovic back to back at a slam especially in SF-F? Yes he was very close to achieve that at 37-38, but I don't think he'd have much to regret. Guy should be proud of that instead of feeling devastated.
Click to expand...
Regardless, 2019 was more painful.
 
Goes back to what I said yesterday - if given the choice between winning all 6/6 tiebreaks from the 07, 08 and 09 Wimbledon finals or winning 1/3 from the 2019 final, Fed would 1000% take the former. Add in winning the actual match in 08 vs winning in 2019 and that goes up to 10000000%
 
Sudacafan said:
I know, and I have trouble to believe in what he said.
Click to expand...
It's not that hard really. Guy was still in his prime, was still deemed as invincible on his best turfs and was the first one to crack against Nadal in their Sunshine Double encounters.

2019 was a bad loss but it came at the tail end of his career.
 
Sudacafan said:
I know, and I have trouble to believe in what he said.
Click to expand...
Put it another way:
imagine everyone talking about this match you played in as the greatest match of all time, and it’s one of the most famous tennis matches ever, and it was in the final of your favourite tournament, and you were facing your biggest rival who had just humiliated you on clay, but he’d never won this, and you were the 5 time defending champion, and everyone loves that history behind it and the contrast of styles etc etc…

… and you lost. And everyone remembers that. It was the greatest tennis match of all time and you lost it.

I’d say that would be pretty ****ing heartbreaking

In fact I wouldn’t be surprised if he wishes he’d lost in 4 so that fewer people would be talking about it
 
In context, for him, of course it would be. The first title there, against a former champion (one of not many slam finals he played where he was not the more experienced player, even if you can't go so far as to call him an underdog) in a final he had never played before, in a head to head match up he still technically trailed, even if the momentum had already clearly begun to swung his way.

Most of his other astounding legendary performances were not finals, let alone major finals, so of course it means less, even if the level of actual tennis might be a little higher.
 
Sudacafan said:
I know, and I have trouble to believe in what he said.
Click to expand...

Why? From a fan's perspective it was a particularly painful way to lose, certainly. If I was asked whether I'd reverse W08 and W19 I might pick the latter just to spare myself.

From Fed's point of view I can easily see that he might prefer me to pick WO08, FO 06, FO 08, US09 or even the Rome Final in 06.

If there really is a match that he doesn't want to talk about it's probably FO 08, judging by the way he was visibly grimacing about it in the Strokes of Genius documentary.
 
mike danny said:
It's not that hard really. Guy was still in his prime, was still deemed as invincible on his best turfs and was the first one to crack against Nadal in their Sunshine Double encounters.

2019 was a bad loss but it came at the tail end of his career.
Click to expand...
Nadal was coming closer in each Wimbledon final since 2006, 2008 was not a surprise. Fed was mentally affected since RG 08 beat down.
2008 loss could have been more relevant career wise, but Fed could go on playing and it was not legacy defining. 2019 had no redemption, therefore total heartbreak. A game score 40-15 was even named after it.

I would like an honest answer from Fed if asked if he could go back in time and choose which one between 2008 or 2019 he would like the result changed. I don’t doubt 2019 would be his answer.
 
Sudacafan said:
Nadal was coming close in each Wimbledon final since 2006, 2008 was not a surprise. Fed was mentally affected since RG 08 beat down.
2008 loss could have been more relevant career wise, but Fed could go on playing and it was not legacy defining. 2019 had no redemption, therefore total heartbreak. A game score 40-15 was even named after it.

I would like an honest answer from Fed if asked if he could go back in time and choose which one between 2008 or 2019 he would like the result changed. I don’t doubt 2019 would be his answer.
Click to expand...
Well, you'll have to take this up with the old man.

And by 2019 he was already mentally scarred by all the 2014-2016 losses.
 
Sudacafan said:
Nadal was coming close in each Wimbledon final since 2006, 2008 was not a surprise. Fed was mentally affected since RG 08 beat down.
2008 loss could have been more relevant career wise, but Fed could go on playing and it was not legacy defining. 2019 had no redemption, therefore total heartbreak. A game score 40-15 was even named after it.

I would like an honest answer from Fed if asked if he could go back in time and choose which one between 2008 or 2019 he would like the result changed. I don’t doubt 2019 would be his answer.
Click to expand...

definitely 2008 would be the answer.
7 frickin Wimbledons in a row and beating his greatest rival at his peak yet again (after Wim 07)

The only reason why 2019 is in the conversation is because he was closer to the win.

If fed could have result changed, he'd definitely chose Wim 2008.
 
It's not exactly difficult to believe - you can see it in his reaction after the match too, he looked devastated to lose it after fighting back hard

When you're a 5 time defending champion and #1 on the verge of being dethroned it has to be tough to take in. It's a match that fundamentally changed the trajectory of the tennis world at the time, and presumably there was spillover into AO 2009

Wimbledon 2019 is surely both memorable and painful at the same time, we keep talking about it. But the net gain there is 1 Slam at the tail end of a career.
However, the "butterfly effect" is way more powerful and significant when you are nearer your best years - and in that 2008-2011 stretch there were certainly opportunities and places where things could have gone better
 
Fedforever said:
Why? From a fan's perspective it was a particularly painful way to lose, certainly. If I was asked whether I'd reverse W08 and W19 I might pick the latter just to spare myself.

From Fed's point of view I can easily see that he might prefer me to pick WO08, FO 06, FO 08, US09 or even the Rome Final in 06.

If there really is a match that he doesn't want to talk about it's probably FO 08, judging by the way he was visibly grimacing about it in the Strokes of Genius documentary.
Click to expand...
Because had he beaten Djokovic, he would have beaten his BIGGEST rival on grass, in his most important tournament. Similar to what he did to Rafa at AO 2017. He could of retired and SOLIDIFIED his GOAT status, even if the others went on to surpass him in records and slams.

Even I was in awe when he beat Rafa in AO 2017. It was a MAJOR victory for him......if not his most important slam win. He finally figured out Rafa on one of the biggest stages.

If he had done the same to Djokovic, it would of been career ending, but certainly career solidifying moment.

That's why it mattered so much.

People would NOT be talking about how "pretty" his game is, in order to give him points in the GOAT debate. They would be talking about beating both his rivals on the biggest of stages......even IF they surpassed him in records.

You can't see this ?
 
Again, we are not talking about the biggest or more relevant loss, it’s about the most heartbreaking loss.
And being closer to victory, yes, it’s crucial to define which was it.
 
Why are people so determined to think for Roger when he's clearly stated his view?
Because it doesn't fit into their agenda, of course.
Roger was probably pretty stunned he was holding those CPs. Must have thought he was dreaming. He was so far off his prime by then.
But 2008, he was still the daddy on tour.
 
Tennfan123 said:
Why are people so determined to think for Roger when he's clearly stated his view?
Because it doesn't fit into their agenda, of course.
Roger was probably pretty stunned he was holding those CPs. Must have thought he was dreaming. He was so far off his prime by then.
But 2008, he was still the daddy on tour.
Click to expand...
He would not admit it, because Wimby 2019 was a more HUMILIATING loss. Can you at least admit that ?
 
Sudacafan said:
Nadal was coming closer in each Wimbledon final since 2006, 2008 was not a surprise. Fed was mentally affected since RG 08 beat down.
2008 loss could have been more relevant career wise, but Fed could go on playing and it was not legacy defining. 2019 had no redemption, therefore total heartbreak. A game score 40-15 was even named after it.

I would like an honest answer from Fed if asked if he could go back in time and choose which one between 2008 or 2019 he would like the result changed. I don’t doubt 2019 would be his answer.
Click to expand...
No. You simply do not want an honest answer. He gave you an honest answer here. You want him to say 2019. And you're disappointed his answer doesn't align with your agenda.
 
joekapa said:
He would not admit it, because Wimby 2019 was a more HUMILIATING loss. Can you at least admit that ?
Click to expand...
No. RG 2008 was humiliating. W 2019 was FAR from humiliating. It was a mediocre quality, choke job. It was a bad loss of course. That's about it. Sadly for you, not that big a deal as you make it to be. It's not even as bad the USO 09 final loss IMO.
 
Krish0608 said:
No. You simply do not want an honest answer. He gave you an honest answer here. You want him to say 2019. And you're disappointed his answer doesn't align with your agenda.
Click to expand...
Next time I need to know what I really think about any subject, I will ask you first, so I don’t make mistake.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

S
What was Djokovic's most heartbreaking loss?
Replies
49
Views
4K
DSH
DSH
TheMaestro1990
  • Poll Poll
Question to Nole fans: Which is Djokovic's most heartbreaking loss?
2 3
Replies
100
Views
9K
chjtennis
chjtennis
Megafanoftennis100
  • Poll Poll
Which match was a bigger choke, 2023 Davis Cup semi-final match between Djokovic and Sinner or the 2019 Wimbledon final?
Replies
33
Views
3K
Drob
Drob
babbette
According to Fed his most heartbreaking loss..
2
Replies
81
Views
7K
Telepatic
Telepatic
A
Roddick 2004 was second best 'Grass Court Player' of Last decade.(2004-2013)
Replies
21
Views
2K
rockandroll
R
Back
Top