Serious Question for Federer and Nadal fans

[triforce defender]

Would you be satisfied with Federer/Nadal's career accomplishments to date if they won nothing else from here on out or do you need more to be satisfied as a fan?

Let me elaborate: As sports fans, we engage in a hobby for failure. Our favorite teams/players will more often than not fail to win championships/big titles than win them. Very few fan bases experience consistent championship happiness (i.e. New York Yankee fans and fans of Tiger Woods pre-2010).

But Federer fans have experienced more happiness than any tennis fan base in history. Sure, Federer has had some crushing losses, but he has triumphed at more slams and WTFs than anyone else in history; coupled that with his record weeks at #1 and the amount of happiness Federer fans have felt over his career trumps every other tennis player fanbase in history.

Similarly, Nadal fans (like myself) have experienced more happiness than any tennis fan base except Federer's (and possibly Sampras's). Yes, we've endured his many injuries and thus have had the unhappiness of not seeing him play over extended times. But Nadal's career golden slam/channel slams/unprecedented RG dominance have more than made up for those absences. If Nadal never won another title, I would be still be satisfied as a fan because the amount of happiness I have felt being his fan still trumps almost every other tennis fan base in history.

Don't get me wrong: I still want Nadal to win going forward and I'm sure Federer fans still want him to win big titles. But since Federer/Nadal fans have had it better than 99-100% of all other fan bases in history, should we feel satisfied now and not long for more? Or as human beings, are we so flawed that the more we have the more we still want?

 

[tennisaddict]

Short answer. No.

Till Fed was below 14 majors, I always was hoping for the 15th and i said after Wimb 09, that this is enough.

I remember one wise man here saying that this feeling will not last till USO. So true that was.

We are all greedy by nature and never satisfied.

That said, taking a realistic view at this point, if Rafa hangs up his boots now, I will be ok if Fed does not add more.

 

[FedTheMan]

I am super content with Roger's career and especially if Nadal also retires without adding any more slams as that means Fed can keep the record for a longer time. However, whoever beats Fed's record (Including Nadal) deserves it but Fed will still remain as one of the greats and my favourite player ever.

That being said, one more slam would be make me feel like Fed has met his potential as he is too good to not be the leader at any of the slams IMO. Nadal is already the leader at the FO but Fed is tied at the other three. So if Fed wins another:

AO- 5 titles will make him the Open Era leader (Djokovic will most likely tie or beat that record)
FO- Only man to have Double Career Grand Slam in Open Era
W- Open Era leader with 8 titles
USO- Open Era leader with 6 titles

So for Roger, one more slam at any venue would make him even more of a legend and make him the leader at a Slam (exclude FO).

 

[SStrikerR]

Personally, I don't care about achievements for achievements sake. I won't look back on a players career and say that I am or am not satisfied with what they accomplished. I enjoy watching the achievements happen, or seeing videos of past achievements. I like watching most players win slams for example. I like Federer most currently so obviously the more he achieves, the more I get to see. But I don't care about achievements for the sake of having achievements.

If that makes any sense at all.

 

[Sentinel]

As a Nadal fan, I still want him to win 6 WTF's and an Olympics Doubles Gold "to approach Federer's greatness".



...

 

[kOaMaster]

Yes - for the first time as a fan, I'd be happy with Federers career, just the way it is. I would love him to play on just because it's still amazing to watch him. But I'd be okay if he would never win a title again.

As I said in another thread - I would not be totally surprise if he'd retire (now, next year, soon...)

 

[MichaelNadal]

King Rafa doesn't need to do anything for me. However, he wants to play for years to come so, no I won't be satisfied with him playing and not winning. If he retired tomorrow would I be? Yes.

 

[Sentinel]

It's amazing to watch both Fed and Rafa. Hope they stick around a while longer. Not sure if Fed can win another major, but Rafa certainly can.

I don't mind if Rafa equals 17, it'll be great to have witnessed this era of F, R and Nole.

 

[MichaelNadal]

It's amazing to watch both Fed and Rafa. Hope they stick around a while longer. Not sure if Fed can win another major, but Rafa certainly can.

I don't mind if Rafa equals 17, it'll be great to have witnessed this era of F, R and Nole.

Glad I'm not the only one. We're lucky to have seen these rivalries and epic matches unfold in real time.

 

[objectivity]

as a rafa fan, of course, i hope he will win more titles and surpass federer who is imo, undisputably the most accomplished player in terms of career achievements. however, i have also come to realise that that would probably never happen. rafa's body is too fragile, and i think djokovic is now probably his superior.

nevertheless, my personal wish is that rafa can just win one more AO. that's all i "need". and however sad i know i would be, i will also be glad to see him retire after that.

 

[Russeljones]

I don't see how anyone cannot be content. It's been extraordinary really.

 

[Deleted member 688153]

I am happy whenever Roger is happy.
What he has achieved is basically insurmountable, anything else just adds to his greatness.

IMO as Roger is so far past his prime, his losses do not count, and can be easily chalked up to age etc.
Federer's negative (loss) results since post-AO 2010 do not count IMO as his true level was not present.

But every time he has won since then, it has just been twice as good, twice as significant, as he has overcome the odds post-prime.

I want to see him play for a while yet, though.

 

[Bender]

As a Fedal fan, I'd be happy with Federer's career, even if he were to never win anything from now. He's pretty much done everything he could as a tennis player and more, other than the h2h against Rafa, which has very little to do with titles at this point. Watching him play is enough for me (winning is even better).

As for Rafa, I think he's got more "blemishes" (if you can even call it that) to his career he can try and address. For instance, I'd love to see him win more slams other than at RG (AO, Wimbledon, and USO, in that order), although a 10th title there would be amazing. Winning the WTF, Paris, and Miami would be great. More weeks at #1 would be great too setting that his stats there are very misleading or unrepresentative for a player of his calibre or gravitas.

If Rafa could win AO, Wimbledon, and USO at some point, and Federer could win RG and Rome, that'd be the best possible way I can see their careers ending for me.

 

[Gary Duane]

It's amazing to watch both Fed and Rafa. Hope they stick around a while longer. Not sure if Fed can win another major, but Rafa certainly can.

I don't mind if Rafa equals 17, it'll be great to have witnessed this era of F, R and Nole.

Such a generous statement is rare for this forum. I totally agree.

I think Fed possibly can win one more major. I'm not sure when that might happen, or in what slam. I think Rafa can win at least another, and maybe more. He is 5 years younger.

Right now Novak is the youngest of the three and is in superb condition.

I keep saying that we need to be patient and wait until all three have retired.

 

[RF-18]

Short answer. No.

Till Fed was below 14 majors, I always was hoping for the 15th and i said after Wimb 09, that this is enough.

I remember one wise man here saying that this feeling will not last till USO. So true that was.

We are all greedy by nature and never satisfied.

That said, taking a realistic view at this point, if Rafa hangs up his boots now, I will be ok if Fed does not add more.

Why not the racket?

 

[McEnroeisanartist]

Nadal to win the Year End Finals, because if he does, I know it will mean a lot to him, which will then show how incredible Federer has been at the 5th biggest tournament in tennis.

Federer to win the Australian Open. 3 Grand Slams with at least 5 titles. No other man in the open era has even won 3 titles at 3 different Grand Slams. Just think about that for a moment.

 

[zam88]

Until Nadal retires with less slams than Federer I'll always be thinking Roger needs one more slam somewhere/sometime... even if I felt like the 2 best chances he's had to win one in a long time came this year at Wim/USO and he got neither... it doesn't give me a ton of confidence he can win one moving forward.

Whereas with Ralph until someone beats him at the French Open for just the 2nd time, he's the overwhelming favorite

 

[triforce defender]

Nadal to win the Year End Finals, because if he does, I know it will mean a lot to him, which will then show how incredible Federer has been at the 5th biggest tournament in tennis.

Federer to win the Australian Open. 3 Grand Slams with at least 5 titles. No other man in the open era has even won 3 titles at 3 different Grand Slams. Just think about that for a moment.

Wouldn't it be better for Federer's legacy to win an 8th Wimbledon or a 6th US Open? A 5th Australian Open still will probably not be enough to hold off Djokovic from becoming the most successful down under. Whereas another Wimbledon or USO title will definitely make Federer the most successful Open era player at those slams for possibly ever.

 

[MasturB]

Insane Fed was knocking on the door of winning 3 slams this year.

 

[Faker]

I wouldn't really be satisfied but of course I'd still be a rafa fan even if he won nothing else to the end of his career. I really want to see him as #1 again. Just seeing him as the first seed gives me a good feeling as fan. Winning Australian open again, WTF, and at least 2 more RG is the icing on top. Another slam coupled with those is the cherry on top I guess.

 

[stringertom]

Everything after Wimby'12 is gravy for my appreciation of Rogi's career. Winning DC just gave more flavor. Being really close this summer @SW19 was phenomenal but not gut-wrenching like a loss in the '12 final would have been bcoz he had already come back once. I did want the USO this year though after those two SF heartbreakers and the great comeback vs Monfils.

Yes, we are blessed to have had so many classics from Fedalovic over the last decade. Keep on keepin' on!

 

[triforce defender]

Everything after Wimby'12 is gravy for my appreciation of Rogi's career. Winning DC just gave more flavor. Being really close this summer @SW19 was phenomenal but not gut-wrenching like a loss in the '12 final would have been bcoz he had already come back once. I did want the USO this year though after those two SF heartbreakers and the great comeback vs Monfils.

Yes, we are blessed to have had so many classics from Fedalovic over the last decade. Keep on keepin' on!

Great answer!