Federer, Noooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!

[junior elf]

Just finished watching the australian open and I can\'t believe that federer cried when he lost. I really wanted him to win, taking into account that he\'s lost every game he has played with rafa in over a year. He also lost his number one ranking and the wimbledon title to rafa. This is a massive blow to him. I hope that he now gets a coach to bring him back up to the level that he used to be. I think all he wants is just one more Grand Slam win and that\'s all. It should secure his place as the (or one of the) greatest players ever.

Back to when he cried, that just showed how much he cared about this title, and I think it was really nice how Rafa didn\'t go jumping around as a way to show his respect for Roger.

What are your thoughts?

 

[Undave]

I didn\'t watch it but the Mrs. did and she was supporting Nadal so she\'s happy.

 

[darthfoley]

There\'s no crying in ten....

Oh, wait, guess there is.

I believe his place as one of the best ever is already easily secure. I\'m sure he\'d like at least one more Slam title to bring him in line with Sampras, though, and I have no doubt that Nadal\'s winning percentage over him is ridiculously frustrating.

Personally I\'d like to see him win the French just to complete the career Slam.

 

[junior elf]

Him winning the French Open is really unlikely, what with Rafa being the King of Clay an so on... But he stands a pretty good chance at Wimbeldon and US open. I think as long as Rafa doesn\'t make it into a final that Roger does, then he\'ll probably win, but if Rafa does make it I don\'t know if Federer would have the mental power to pull through. Anyway, I\'m guessing that Roger will again get criticized by the press, that will say he is loosing his form, but just to be fair, for anyone else who would have played against Rafa at that standard that would probably be the highlight of their season. For a last note, I hope the bets for Federer and that\'s all I can do.

 

[A Luna]

Behhhh tennis
I must say I\'d like to see federer win another big championship. To many girls at school are like: Nadal... ohhhhh

so..... nadal... :flame:

 

[Infidel Castro]

It\'s always nice to see two of the best ever going at it. Federer is class, but Nadal has the legs. He\'s in the ascendancy and has age on his side. I\'d like to see Fed squeak two more to become the greatest ever though

 

[gohkm]

Reckon Federer\'s time is just about over. At least his place in history is secure.

 

[Legacy Account]

He needs a French Open to cast aside any shadow of doubt that he\'s the all-time best....

 

[junior elf]

Either French Open or 2 other Grand Slams, but with rafa in the way that\'s going to be a gigantic task.
BTW: We haven\'t talked about Rafa much. At the moment he doesn\'t seem to be the best ever but in a few years time we might be having this same discussion about him.

 

[Legacy Account]

Difference is, Rafa has already won the championship he was most likely to struggle with (Wimbledon). He\'ll win the US at some point I\'m sure.

Federer had only won one title by 22. Rafa has 6. I can see the kid cleaning up over the next 5 years and blowing Federer\'s records out of the water.

 

[junior elf]

That exactly my point!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Logan]

Would like to see him getting two more to beat Sampras.
Would have seemed unthinkable two years ago that he couldn\'t achieve this but now, hmm, not too sure.
Thing is, Nadal has six grand slams already. At that age, Federer only had two, so you could argue that whatever Federer does, Nadal will eclipse anyway.

I like Federer, he\'s a class act and guy but agree that to be called \'The Greatest\' (however you define that) he needs to win the French.
Agassi, although holding fewer Slams, could arguably state a case for being a better player as he held all four (something Sampras never achieved)

 

[darklord]

well rusedski is thinking of coming out of retirement so thats both of their plans up in smoke!!lol

 

[junior elf]

Thing is that it is nearly impossible to compare different players from different eras, but Federer, up to now, I think is the best player ever. He holds all these records:
-longest time as world number 1 in consecutive weaks. (edited, thanks Spacemunkie)
-equalling borgs record of five consecutive wins at Wimbeldon
-most ever consecutive wins at US Open (5)
-only player to have won 5 consecutive wins at 2 different Grand Slams. (US Open and Wimbeldon)
-only one behind Sampras\' record of 14 Grand Slam titles.

If he somehow does manage to win the French then he would be the undisputed King of Tennis (until Nadal that is )

 

[Logan]

Originally posted by junior elf
Thing is that it is nearly impossible to compare different players from different eras,

Same across most sports. As technology advances it becomes nigh on impossible. I\'d like to see players go back to the wooden racquets in order to get a game based around more serve / volley and finesse rather than the big, carbon fibre enhanced, boom boom game we get today, but that\'s just idealistic sentimental tosh.

You could probably state a case for Rod Laver being better than the lot of them, winning 11 majors which included two \'calendar Grand Slams\' (all four titles at once).

 

[junior elf]

Ok, to define my definition of \"best ever\" I mean of recent times, last 15-20 years, because otherwise it actually is impossible to compare players!

btw: i like boom boom (sorry for the spelling mistake before I edited, didn\'t want it to be that way) games as you get more spin on the balls which adds more depth to the game.

 

[Logan]

Originally posted by junior elf
Ok, to define my definition of \"best ever\" I mean of recent times, last 15-20 years, because otherwise it actually is impossible to compare players!

Yeah, but it\'s nigh on impossible to compare players anyway as technology aside, it\'s down to the players you\'ve got around you.
Great as Federer\'s achievement is, who\'s been around to really challenge him? Djokovic? Roddick? Hewitt?

Sampras had to contend with Becker, Edberg, Agassi - all arguably more formidable opponents and boasting 20 slams between the three of them.

You can only live in the now and beat who\'s in front of you, that\'s why you can argue Nadal will help define Fed Ex\'s legacy rather than taint it, because victories over him perhaps mean a little more.

Pointless comparing but still fun to speculate

 

[nadine]

Oh, I\'m glad I turned it off before they did the presentation and such. I just adore Federer! He is such a fine tennis player, and a class guy.

I\'m really pulling for him to get 2 more. I hope he gets a coach now; he was winning points when he started mixing up his game and he needs to really jump on Rafa\'s second serve.

 

[Legacy Account]

Originally posted by junior elf

-longest time as world number 1

No. That would be Sampras. Federer holds the record for consecutive weeks at number one, but he\'s still nearly a year behind Sampras.

(In fact having just looked it up, Ivan Lendl and Jimmy Connors are ahead of him as well....)

Comparing players between eras is hopeless. I still reckon Federer has had a relatively easy ride with the opponents he\'s faced until Nadal appeared.