Was Federer of 2015 Summer his highest ever level?

[NoleIsBoat]

“I think I’m a better player now than when I was at 24 because I’ve practiced for another 10 years and I’ve got 10 years more experience,” Federer said. “Maybe I don’t have the confidence level that I had at 24 when I was winning 40 matches in a row, but I feel like I hit a bigger serve, my backhand is better, my forehand is still as good as it’s ever been, I volley better than I have in the past. I think I’ve had to adapt to a new generation of players again.” (August, 2015)


Martina Navratilova: "I don't know if I have seen a better match from Roger. He served amazingly well, was so relaxed and mixed it up so well with the serve and from the baseline."

Tim Henman: "Roger was incredible. In the context of this match, playing Andy Murray in the semi-final at Wimbledon, I think that is as good as I have ever seen Roger play.

Pat Cash: "People are surprised when I say this but Federer is a better player now than when he was racking up the titles. It's another thing if his body can last over five sets. The way that he is playing he could win the final against Novak Djokovic in straight sets."

 

[ForehandCross]

I predict this thread will hit 10 pages.

Short answer: No.

Long answer: There's a point in WB 2006 1st set where Nadal smacks a ball way cross and Federer runs it down and goes for FHDTL outright winner. That should tell you how capable the guy was from back of the court.

 

[Jonesy]

This was discussed time and time again and the consensus here is that his level was higher than mount Everest.

 

[Third Serve]

Of course it was.

 

[SinneGOAT]

Winning 0 slams in 1 year versus 3 slams in one year is GOATing.

 

[Oceans]

Possibly. Could also be 2017 or 2019 Fed.

+ This was Annacone before the W15 Murray SF:

"I think it's come with maturity and a couple of reasons. At the beginning of his dominance, he was just better than everybody. He could play however he wanted and he was just better than everybody. Then when Novak, Rafa, Andy have come around and now Stan, he's had to figure out how to continue to improve. That's a great thing because it's helped him evolve into a more well-rounded player and also a more clear, committed strategist about how he should play like you say. Competition with great people and great players just makes you play better. His game is more solid. At the beginning of his career, he was so dominant because it came in an era where Andre, Pete were stopping and there was a little bit of a void. Lleyton was there, Marat was there and all due respect to those players but they weren't at the level of multi-slam winners like Andre, Pete or Novak, Rafa. There was a void at that upper percentage and that allowed Roger to play however he wanted because he was just better. He's become more thoughtful and that's allowed him to evolve into a more clear strategist."

 

[RS]

2006 Nadal was better than 2015 Federer imo.

 

[Deleted member 748597]

 

[TearTheRoofOff]

Short answer: Yes
Long answer: ROFLMAO

 

[junior74]

OP forgot "yet". Highest level yet.

Practised for another six years.

 

[The Blond Blur]

Here's Ol' Rog himself on his level in 2015

 

[Deleted member 771911]

Highest level was sunshine double 2007.

 

[NatF]

He peaked at 30-15 in the Wimbledon 2019 final. Downhill from there.

 

[FatHead250]

Most people here who think yes do so because he was hitting prettier and moving smoother, which he did - and there is nothing surprising about the fact that he improved his strokes. However, it doesn't mean he was in his prime, let alone peak, because there was a lot less physicality in his game, and tennis is a sport and not a beauty contest. I'm pretty sure mcenroe hits better now at 60 years of age than when he was at his peak, but does it mean he would beat his young self? No

 

[NoleIsBoat]

Winning 0 slams in 1 year versus 3 slams in one year is GOATing.

Dear sir,

Do you know the difference between quality of performance, and quality of outcome?

Kind regards

 

[BauerAlmeida]

The Big 3 are all at their peak right now because they have trained for more years than at any other point in history.

Highest level was sunshine double 2007.

This settles it. Cañas is the GOAT.

 

[RS]

2008 Federer with mono was better than 2015 Federer at all 4 slams.

 

[ForehandRF]

The reason behing this thread : peak Novak > peak Fed; Novak BOAT & GOAT.
/ end thread



dice roller pathfinder

 

[MichaelNadal]

 

[junior74]

I think he was better in the Summer of '69

 

[BauerAlmeida]

I think he was better in the Summer of '69

Those were the best days of his life.

 

[SinneGOAT]

Dear sir,

Do you know the difference between quality of performance, and quality of outcome?

Kind regards

I can play like a god for a few points or games and still lose a match. Outcome is still very important.

 

[Jaitock1991]

He probably reached his highest post-prime level during that period imo. But in terms of absolute level I wouldn't say that this was anywhere near his peak. We have to understand that pretty much everything Fed has done to his game since about 2011ish has been done to compensate for his ever increasing physical decline(in other words he did it because his body forced him to rather than out of free will). Some parts of his game were obviously better in 2015 than in 2005, no doubt about that(all though not by much if you look closer and don't just go by recency bias). But at his peak they never needed to be better than they were, as the tennis Fed played back there was totally different because he was in his absolute prime physically/mentally.

 

[NoleIsBoat]

He probably reached his highest post-prime level during that period imo. But in terms of absolute level I wouldn't say that this was anywhere near his peak. We have to understand that pretty much everything Fed has done to his game since about 2011ish has been done to compensate for his ever increasing physical decline. Some parts of his game were obviously better in 2015 than in 2005, no doubt about that(all though not by much if you look closer and don't just go by recency bias). But at his peak they never needed to be better than they were, as the tennis Fed played back there was totally different because he was in his absolute prime physically/mentally.

But peak Fed went 2-6 in slams to Nadal, then lost 2 straight USO semifinals to Djokovic.

Maybe he wins some of those matches if he worked on his game more while he was at the top

 

[Jaitock1991]

But peak Fed went 2-6 in slams to Nadal, then lost 2 straight USO semifinals to Djokovic.

Maybe he wins some of those matches if he worked on his game more while he was at the top

Trust me. A physically significantly weaker version of Fed would NOT do better vs Rafa in those matches No matter how improved some other parts of his game would be (including his backhand).

 

[Druss]

Oh absolutely! Peakiest Fed ever, perhaps alongside 2019.

 

[NoleIsBoat]

Trust me. A physically significantly weaker version of Fed would NOT do better vs Rafa in those matches No matter how improved some other parts of his game would be (including his backhand).

I mean if 2005-2009 Fed, after all those beatings on clay from Nadal had evolved his game early while still in his 20s. He could even win 7 Wimbledon titles in a row.

 

[ForehandRF]

1.Who cares about the Fedal slam H2H in 2004-2009, as long as Fed won 14 slams in that period ? That stat is for fanboys and detractors.
2.From Wimbledon 2006 till TMC 2007 Fed went 5-2 vs Nadal and won 5 out of 6 slams in that time span.
Bottom line, tennis is played against the entire field.

 

[Backspin1183]

Yes. Nadal's 2015 level was even higher than Fed's.

 

[mike danny]

2006 Nadal was better than 2015 Federer imo.

Youngdal was certainly better than old Fed without a doubt. I'd think differently if old Fed could at least defend his turf on grass.

 

[mike danny]

He probably reached his highest post-prime level during that period imo. But in terms of absolute level I wouldn't say that this was anywhere near his peak. We have to understand that pretty much everything Fed has done to his game since about 2011ish has been done to compensate for his ever increasing physical decline. Some parts of his game were obviously better in 2015 than in 2005, no doubt about that(all though not by much if you look closer and don't just go by recency bias). But at his peak they never needed to be better than they were, as the tennis Fed played back there was totally different because he was in his absolute prime physically/mentally.

2012 was his absolute zenith post prime, not 2015.

 

[Third Serve]

Corentin Moutet is better.

 

[Jaitock1991]

2012 was his absolute zenith post prime, not 2015.

Guess it depends on where you draw the line between prime and post prime. But yeah. I'll go with that

 

[Hitman]

“I think I’m a better player now than when I was at 24 because I’ve practiced for another 10 years and I’ve got 10 years more experience,” Federer said. “Maybe I don’t have the confidence level that I had at 24 when I was winning 40 matches in a row, but I feel like I hit a bigger serve, my backhand is better, my forehand is still as good as it’s ever been, I volley better than I have in the past. I think I’ve had to adapt to a new generation of players again.” (August, 2015)


Martina Navratilova: "I don't know if I have seen a better match from Roger. He served amazingly well, was so relaxed and mixed it up so well with the serve and from the baseline."

Tim Henman: "Roger was incredible. In the context of this match, playing Andy Murray in the semi-final at Wimbledon, I think that is as good as I have ever seen Roger play.

Pat Cash: "People are surprised when I say this but Federer is a better player now than when he was racking up the titles. It's another thing if his body can last over five sets. The way that he is playing he could win the final against Novak Djokovic in straight sets."

Lol here we go again.

 

[PilotPete]

Highest level Djokovic has ever displayed on a tennis court was RG2011 semi, when he was going for the record of most consecutive wins from start of a season. He isn't capable of playing any better than that match.

 

[TearTheRoofOff]

Here's Ol' Rog himself on his level in 2015

 

[Winner]

Roger's peak was in Wimby 2014, 2015 and 2019 final, is USO 2015 final, and AO semifinals 2016, 2020.

 

[King No1e]

Post-30? Sure, it's either his level in summer 15 or spring 17.

But overall?

 

[Legend of Borg]

Bad faith arguments at their finest.

 

[Third Serve]

Great film

 

[SonnyT]

We know only one thing: no one, except Djokovic, could beat Federer from '14 to '19. The guy is 6-1 against Nadal since '15!

 

[TearTheRoofOff]

Great film

Defo watching it again soon, it's been a few years now. It's one of my favourite films, and I don't even particularly care for westerns.

 

[daggerman]

It was not only his highest level ever, it was the highest level for any player in tennis or golf history.

 

[Deleted member 688153]

you misspelled 2005

 

[SonnyT]

Federer won 20 slams, and yet had very few signature wins. I count only 3: '07 Wimby over Nadal, when Nadal had yet to win a non-RG slam; '12 Wimby over Djokovic; and '17 AO over Nadal. Maybe '09 Wimby over Roddick!

That's it, folks!

 

[pj80]

yes, he didn't drop any sets from W to USO finals. And rarely dropped service games

 

[TheFifthSet]

He played sparkling tennis in low-stakes matches. In matches where a premium was placed on physicality and shot tolerance, he didn’t have the same oomph as in his conventionally conceived of ‘prime years.’

The main thing was the decline in movement to the forehand side. When he was stretched wide he netted lots of balls or coughed up short replies. In a game of such fine margins, an extra few feet closer to the service line makes all the difference.

The service rhythm is what I marvel at, and that’s where Federer really kept pace that summer. Even when in deeper waters, he could cobble up enough easy, low-stress service games together to make a set respectable, even when overmatched. It was eye-catching tennis but his game just didn’t have the reinforcements quite like before.

 

[zagor]

Re-watched it recently. Val Kilmer should have won an Oscar for his portrayal of Doc. Don't think he was even nominated.

 

[Rafa4LifeEver]

“I think I’m a better player now than when I was at 24 because I’ve practiced for another 10 years and I’ve got 10 years more experience,” Federer said. “Maybe I don’t have the confidence level that I had at 24 when I was winning 40 matches in a row, but I feel like I hit a bigger serve, my backhand is better, my forehand is still as good as it’s ever been, I volley better than I have in the past. I think I’ve had to adapt to a new generation of players again.” (August, 2015)


Martina Navratilova: "I don't know if I have seen a better match from Roger. He served amazingly well, was so relaxed and mixed it up so well with the serve and from the baseline."

Tim Henman: "Roger was incredible. In the context of this match, playing Andy Murray in the semi-final at Wimbledon, I think that is as good as I have ever seen Roger play.

Pat Cash: "People are surprised when I say this but Federer is a better player now than when he was racking up the titles. It's another thing if his body can last over five sets. The way that he is playing he could win the final against Novak Djokovic in straight sets."

No.

 

[Username_]

His peak is when he beat tomic