What has surprised you more about Federer - his Grand Slam futility or achievements after 30?

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McEnroeisanartist

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What has surprised you more about Federer?

That he would win just 1 of the last 25 Grand Slams, since he won the 2010 Australian Open. (At the time that was his third in the last 4 Grand Slams?

or

That after the age of 30, August 2011, he would win Wimbledon, reach 3 other Grand Slam finals, 8 other Grand Slam semifinals, get back to #1, finish two years ranked #2, win Davis Cup, silver at Olympics, win 21 more tournaments (including 7 Masters Series), 3 finals at ATP Tour Finals?
 
After 2011, I didn't expect him to win more than 1 Slam, so that part doesn't surprise me. I did rule him out after 2013, though, so to see him have the kind of 2014 that he did (where one different set of Tennis could have seen him be the best player in the world), not to mention his 2015, was very impressive and surprising.
 
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Both have not surprised me..

Fed was under lot of pressure with severe competition from young generation in 2008/09 and the signs were there that 2009 would be the last year of domination.

A guy of this calibre winning 1 major and a host of other titles since AO 2010 is also not surprising. I have always believed in 18.
 
The biggest thing that surprises me about Federer is that with a clearly worse FH, he has been able to be the 2nd best player in the world in 2014/15.

That's crazy to me. Some of the touch is gone with the new racquet and definitely the FH is just not the same.

That said his serving has improved, been more economical etc.,

But that is the most impressive thing to me.
 
Thought the virus in 2010 would only be a minor setback. Did not see him win only 1 of the following 25 slams. Nadal was losing to all kinds of nobodies in 2010, he would have won W2010 had it not been for injury. The difference is his injures are simply not as vocalized and whined about like Nadal's.
 
After Federer had won the AO2010, i believed he would at least win another slam, even though it turned out to be a 2 and a half year drought.
But after he had won Wim2012, i wasn't sure he'd be able to win another slam, so in that regard i'm not surprised.
As for his achievements after the disasterous 2013 season, i am very (pleasantly) surprised. I didn't think he would challenge for the biggest titles anymore.
 
I really thought after Wimbledon 2012 that he would win 2-3 more slams. I certainly believed he would beat Novak in the 2013 Wimbledon final and certainly thought he would beat Cilic in the 2014 USO and go on to beat Kei easily.

When Andre was an "old man, he got chumps in slam finals like Rainer Schuetler. Fed always has had to play the huge guns in slam finals like Novak or Muzz.
 
BeatlesFan said:
I really thought after Wimbledon 2012 that he would win 2-3 more slams. I certainly believed he would beat Novak in the 2013 Wimbledon final and certainly thought he would beat Cilic in the 2014 USO and go on to beat Kei easily.

When Andre was an "old man, he got chumps in slam finals like Rainer Schuetler. Fed always has had to play the huge guns in slam finals like Novak or Muzz.
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"Muzz" is as much of a huge gun as Roddick and Hewitt were.
 
Qubax said:
The biggest thing that surprises me about Federer is that with a clearly worse FH, he has been able to be the 2nd best player in the world in 2014/15.

That's crazy to me. Some of the touch is gone with the new racquet and definitely the FH is just not the same.

That said his serving has improved, been more economical etc.,

But that is the most impressive thing to me.
Click to expand...

You can clearly see it with netted slice shots and fluffed drop-shots. He clearly benefits with the drive backhand and serve, but everything else is worse.
 
Tennisanity said:
Thought the virus in 2010 would only be a minor setback. Did not see him win only 1 of the following 25 slams. Nadal was losing to all kinds of nobodies in 2010, he would have won W2010 had it not been for injury. The difference is his injures are simply not as vocalized and whined about like Nadal's.
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The only 2 bad losses Nadal had in 2010 were to Ljube @Indian Wells and Baggy@Cincy. Otherwise, 3 slams + 3 MS-1000 and regained #1 ranking.
 
I think you raise an interesting question and in some regards the two are related and of equal surprise.

His longevity and ability to remain within the top 3 players in the world for such a period is definitely a remarkable achievement. The fact since the 2010 AO he has only won the 1 Slam yet regularly been a feature in the latter stages of Slams is also quite surprising, it would be interesting to see how people would rate his career if it began at the french Open in 2010....it's obviously been successful but many would argue that he's a choker and hasn't delivered on his potential throughout that period....lucky he
 
At the end of 2011, after Djokovic had his huge year with 3 out of 4 Slams - and with Nadal also still competing in prime shape - I basically felt Roger had maybe 1, max 2 Slams left in him, and that he would need some luck (favorable draw, Nole or Rafa bounced early) etc to get them. And that is basically exactly what has happened.

I will say that since 2011, whenever Roger made it to a SF or final of a Slam, something inspires me to believe that Roger will win the title. So in that sense I have been disappointed many times because he has come so close so many times over the last 25 Slams or so. Like right now, I really hope and believe Roger will win Wimbledon this year, but setting aside my yearning as a Fed fan, I suppose realistically it is still quite a tough road ahead with Raonic and Murray (presumably) still standing in his way...
 
More surprising is his success in only 1 of the past 25 slams. As the GOAT, I would've expected him to take more of his opportunities since that time.
 
I am more surprised by his extraordinary career post 30 years of age than I am of his slam count during that period.
 
I've been thoroughly impressed with how successful he has been since turning 30. Frankly I expected him to decline much more rapidly than he has.
 
Tennisanity said:
Thought the virus in 2010 would only be a minor setback. Did not see him win only 1 of the following 25 slams. Nadal was losing to all kinds of nobodies in 2010, he would have won W2010 had it not been for injury. The difference is his injures are simply not as vocalized and whined about like Nadal's.
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Federer would have won Wimbledon 2010 Final against who? o_O
 
xFedal said:
Federer would have won Wimbledon 2010 Final against who? o_O
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What you think Nadal at his absolute best barely ekeing out a win against mono low confidence Fed in 2008 means Nadal was a lock in 2010 to win over Fed? Sorry, no locks in 2010. Maybe after 2012, but not in 2010. Fed could very well have beaten Nadal sin W2010.
 
Tennisanity said:
What you think Nadal at his absolute best barely ekeing out a win against mono low confidence Fed in 2008 means Nadal was a lock in 2010 to win over Fed? Sorry, no locks in 2010. Maybe after 2012, but not in 2010. Fed could very well have beaten Nadal sin W2010.
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Nah your talking about Feds h2h 'daddy' here.... Fed was done beating Rafa at slams in 2007.... There is no reason to suggest he would beat 'daddy' Nadal at 2010 Wimbledon... If he was losing to Berdych.... how an earth do you think he would manage to get passed his h2h 'daddy'.....:cool:
 
xFedal said:
Nah your talking about Feds h2h 'daddy' here.... Fed was done beating Rafa at slams in 2007.... There is no reason to suggest he would beat 'daddy' Nadal at 2010 Wimbledon... If he was losing to Berdych.... how an earth do you think he would manage to get passed his h2h 'daddy'.....:cool:
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I just gave you the reason why. The absolute best version of Nadal no grass could just barely beat low confidence Fed. He lost to Berdych because he was injured.
 
Tennisanity said:
I just gave you the reason why. The absolute best version of Nadal no grass could just barely beat low confidence Fed. He lost to Berdych because he was injured.
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First time I read about Fed being injured against Berdych was he injured when he lost to Tsonga a year later as well? Nadal would beat any Federer after 08..... 08.09.10,11,12,13,14,15,16.... Nadal can beat any of these versions of Fed.... Heck a tired Nadal choked away 2007 Wimby final..
 
xFedal said:
First time I read about Fed being injured against Berdych was he injured when he lost to Tsonga a year later as well? Nadal would beat any Federer after 08..... 08.09.10,11,12,13,14,15,16.... Nadal can beat any of these versions of Fed.... Heck a tired Nadal choked away 2007 Wimby final..
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Federer was injured in 2010 on the first round...he had a back brace.

He was also injured in 2012 when he won it.....with a back brace.

2011...Tsonga just outplayed Federer....the last three sets.Tsogna goated returns 1 service game of Roger in each set.


2008(4-3 in the 5th set to break) and 2014(4-3 in the 5th set to break)...1 point away from winning it :(
 
kishnabe said:
Federer was injured in 2010 on the first round...he had a back brace.

He was also injured in 2012 when he won it.....with a back brace.

2011...Tsonga just outplayed Federer....the last three sets.Tsogna goated returns 1 service game of Roger in each set.


2008(4-3 in the 5th set to break) and 2014(4-3 in the 5th set to break)...1 point away from winning it :(
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I think Nadal had Feds Number after 2007 Wimbledon final.... That was special loss for Nadal in 2007.... As he had the worst schedule ever and he was so damn tired and he din't even need to play anything special and he still nearly won 2007 Wimbledon Final... WOW!! I knew then and there this guy will dominate Federer on every surface.... By Comparison Novak leads Nadal in h2h and Finals h2h....
 
xFedal said:
First time I read about Fed being injured against Berdych was he injured when he lost to Tsonga a year later as well? Nadal would beat any Federer after 08..... 08.09.10,11,12,13,14,15,16.... Nadal can beat any of these versions of Fed.... Heck a tired Nadal choked away 2007 Wimby final..
Click to expand...

No I don't think he was injured against Tsonga. First time you heard about the injury because you don't keep track of everything. Berdy even whined that Fed complained about the injury afterwards. Bottom line, he was injured. Fed is not one to complain about injuries if he is not. That's Nadal's domain. No Nadal would not beat Fed 08 so easily had it not been for the lost training blocks because of mono earlier in the year. You simply don't get how lucky Nadal was to pull is off in 08.
 
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