[Saberq]

tennis would suck if Fed and Nadal were not here.......we would have mugs in the SF and F

[Johnny Groove]

Either you have a mug era with no depth and a few players racking up the titles.

Or you have an even muggier era with even less depth and mugs winning slams left and right.

MTF

[Nole fan]

Originally Posted by Ash86

It's not over yet - though now it's more Fedalovic/Big 4 rather than just Fedal as it was in the past - but clearly this season & possibly next might be the last. I wouldn't be totally surprised if Fed hangs up his racquets this year if he gets his fairytale ending - slam and/or Olympics... Can't see him going beyond 2013. As for Nadal I also think 2013/2014 might be the end if he thinks he won't win slams anymore. So either way we're certainly getting towards the end.

What I don't understand is why people are so keen for it to end or act as if it was the worst thing that ever happened to tennis. I think once those 2 guys are gone people will realise how important they were to tennis and just what they brought to the game. When we have Raonic vs Tomic finals (or more likely some other transitional players who ala Baghdatis or Gonzo have one good run...) we'll look back at WTF 10; Wimby 08; Wimby 07; Rome 06; Miami 05 etc. as a golden era when you had 2 of the best of all time slugging it out & showing some outrageous tennis. The same is true for Djokovic/Nadal too - sure it was one sided last year but overall they've had great matches - the level of tennis in both Madrid 09 & US Open 10 & 11 was insane at times. Enjoy it while it lasts. Tennis needs big personalities - people here seem to want it to be like the WTA is now - a new no.1 all the time, top players losing early in slams all the time, no big names bringing the game to the masses.

Even the most anti-Fedal posters will be all nostalgic at Wimby 2018 when they have Fedal in the Royal Box watching the final a decade on from their classic.

I know you're a nostalgic fedal tard and all, but to insinuate that after Fedal the men's tennis game will transform into WTA with no strong contenders to be number 1 for a long time is rubbish. Nole and Muzza and probably Delpo/Tsonga are the guys who are going to snatch all the slams in the future years. And both Djoker and Murray have proved to be very consistent in their careers. I think these two will dominate the tour very strongly for the next 5 years.
I don't want the end of Fedal yet though i don't have the longing for them at all, never had it, but I'll be happy if the Top 4 remain like this for a few more years.

[GSMnadal]

Originally Posted by Nole fan

I know you're a nostalgic fedal tard and all, but to insinuate that after Fedal the men's tennis game will transform into WTA with no strong contenders to be number 1 for a long time is rubbish. Nole and Muzza and probably Delpo/Tsonga are the guys who are going to snatch all the slams in the future years. And both Djoker and Murray have proved to be very consistent in their careers. I think these two will dominate the tour very strongly for the next 5 years.
I don't want the end of Fedal yet though i don't have the longing for them at all, never had it, but I'll be happy if the Top 4 remain like this for a few more years.

Federer and Nadal had about 6-7 years on top. Murray and Djokovic have been around now for about 4-5 years, and you think they'll dominate the next 5 years?

[ossie]

fedal is done, you heard it here first.

[Ash86]

Originally Posted by Nole fan

I know you're a nostalgic fedal tard and all, but to insinuate that after Fedal the men's tennis game will transform into WTA with no strong contenders to be number 1 for a long time is rubbish. Nole and Muzza and probably Delpo/Tsonga are the guys who are going to snatch all the slams in the future years. And both Djoker and Murray have proved to be very consistent in their careers. I think these two will dominate the tour very strongly for the next 5 years.
I don't want the end of Fedal yet though i don't have the longing for them at all, never had it, but I'll be happy if the Top 4 remain like this for a few more years.

Did I or did I not say that Djokovic & Murray had had a part to play in this era? Certainly the last 2-3 years it's been the Big 4, not just Fedal. But really - when Fedal retire i.e. 2 seasons from now at the earliest for Rafa you think Tsonga (who is already 26!) will still be playing a part in the slams?! Same for Novak - he & Murray will be dominating in 2014, 2015, 2016?! Novak will be 25 this year, same for Andy. They are not going to be dominating till they're 30 - look at their style of game. Only the most delusional fan would think that. Novak can have 3 more "dominant" seasons and even that is a stretch.

As GSMnadal said - Fedal had a period of at least 6-7 years; they've both won a slam a year for at least 7 years - is the Novak & Andy era going to come close to that? I doubt it. Novak & Andy can't be separated from Fedal anyway - Novak came to prominence 2 years after Rafa & is of the same generation. It is when these 2 decline too & we're left with the Tomic, Raonic, Berankis contingent that I think people will really realise what they had.

[Nole fan]

Originally Posted by Ash86

Did I or did I not say that Djokovic & Murray had had a part to play in this era? Certainly the last 2-3 years it's been the Big 4, not just Fedal. But really - when Fedal retire i.e. 2 seasons from now at the earliest for Rafa you think Tsonga (who is already 26!) will still be playing a part in the slams?! Same for Novak - he & Murray will be dominating in 2014, 2015, 2016?! Novak will be 25 this year, same for Andy. They are not going to be dominating till they're 30 - look at their style of game. Only the most delusional fan would think that. Novak can have 3 more "dominant" seasons and even that is a stretch.

As GSMnadal said - Fedal had a period of at least 6-7 years; they've both won a slam a year for at least 7 years - is the Novak & Andy era going to come close to that? I doubt it. Novak & Andy can't be separated from Fedal anyway - Novak came to prominence 2 years after Rafa & is of the same generation. It is when these 2 decline too & we're left with the Tomic, Raonic, Berankis contingent that I think people will really realise what they had.

What are you talking about?
Nole and Muzza are the same era than Federer and Nadal? sure they're just one year younger than Rafa but Rafa's dominance has been short-lived because of Federer, same as everyone else. Federer is what, 5 years older than Nole? Hardly the same era!
Nole and Andy can dominate until they're 30 for sure. Look at the top 10 now. Nole is the youngest of all them!!! Fish, Tsonga, Sod, Berdych, Ferrer are having their best years after they hit 25. So I'm very confident when I say Nole and Andy are going to dominate in the next 3-4 years. They're just entering their primes and they will last until they're at least 29-30. Don't give me shit about their playing styles, for all we know Nadal can still play at his best for the next three years. Neither Nole nor Andy have had any important injury in their careers. Back pains, sore shoulders, yeah sure but everyone has them! Even federer but he doesn't like to talk about it.

[atennisfan]

Last year Nadal was so lucky in his GS draws. When his ranking falls to #3 this year, he may have to meet Tsonga and Djokovic before final, and those two can definitely beat him in Wimby and USO

[Ash86]

Originally Posted by Nole fan

Nole and Andy can dominate until they're 30 for sure. Look at the top 10 now. Nole is the youngest of all them!!! Fish, Tsonga, Sod, Berdych, Ferrer are having their best years after they hit 25. So I'm very confident when I say Nole and Andy are going to dominate in the next 3-4 years. They're just entering their primes and they will last until they're at least 29-30.

Great - good luck with that. Get back to me in 2017 when Nole is still dominating.

To me it doesn't even sound like Nole wants to play till he's 30 - he's clearly got other interests like acting etc. and I wouldn't be surprised if he plays till 28, does what he can and then moves on. He's been at the top since 2007 (i.e. in the top 3!) - he won't stay there for more than a decade which is what you're suggesting.

As for Murray & Andy being in the same era as Fedal - there's overlap for sure - when did Nole get to his first slam final? 2007. Murray? 2008. Nadal? 2005. Nole only 2 years after Nadal; Nadal won his first slam outside the French (where he was clearly a freak) the same year Novak won his first slam. We can't pretend their careers only started last year. Novak will be known as being part of the same era as Nadal, rather than the younger guns like Tomic etc. Nadal only had 2 years when Novak wasn't a factor - 2005 & 2006 - I think similarly Novak may stay on tour 2 more years after Nadal retires but not much more. Soderling etc. did not have success early on like Andy & Novak have done so we can't compare them. This also assumes no as yet unknown player will rise and challenge them to stop them dominating - that does happen.

[Ash86]

Originally Posted by atennisfan

Last year Nadal was so lucky in his GS draws. When his ranking falls to #3 this year, he may have to meet Tsonga and Djokovic before final, and those two can definitely beat him in Wimby and USO

Yup - lucky. Who'd he play in the quarters at the French? Oh yeah, the only guy who's ever beaten him there. What about Wimbledon? Just Del Po & Murray - not tough matches for him at all really - it's not like either of those guys have beaten him in slams before. And what about US Open? Oh Murray again - just a guy who'd won a HC masters again & had beaten him at the same slam at the same stage before & Nalbandian - well that's never been tough for Nadal has it.

The revisionism at MTF is beyond belief. Nadal could get Murray or Federer in the semis - he got Murray every single time. Are we really saying Federer in a slam is the tougher option for Nadal?!

[coonster14]

I'm going to wait until the end of 2012, one thing I have learned watching tennis for the last 6-7 years is to never ever write off the two legends Roger and Rafa.

Waiting to see if Rafa can get his mental block against Nole out of his mind in 2012, and win another match against Nole, hoping we have a Nole vs. Rafa French Open final, I think if Nole beats Rafa there, then Rafa will really be scarred.

[GSMnadal]

Originally Posted by coonster14

I'm going to wait until the end of 2012, one thing I have learned watching tennis for the last 6-7 years is to never ever write off the two legends Roger and Rafa.

Waiting to see if Rafa can get his mental block against Nole out of his mind in 2012, and win another match against Nole, hoping we have a Nole vs. Rafa French Open final, I think if Nole beats Rafa there, then Rafa will really be scarred.

Yes, the French is the last thing that Rafa still has left, along with the olympics. If he loses both, it could be bye bye

[Nole fan]

Nadal is not finished and won't be for a long time. People act here like he's out of the Top 10 and hardly a challenge to win more slams.
He won a slam and made the finals to the other 3 losing only to Nole. Hardly a scenario to cry about. Fans are so overdramatic. Rafa is far from over, he's still the same contender, it will only be more difficult for him now that Nole and Andy are entering their peaks.

[FEDERERBEAUTY]

Originally Posted by Ash86

What I don't understand is why people are so keen for it to end or act as if it was the worst thing that ever happened to tennis. I think once those 2 guys are gone people will realise how important they were to tennis and just what they brought to the game. When we have Raonic vs Tomic finals (or more likely some other transitional players who ala Baghdatis or Gonzo have one good run...) we'll look back at WTF 10; Wimby 08; Wimby 07; Rome 06; Miami 05 etc. as a golden era when you had 2 of the best of all time slugging it out & showing some outrageous tennis. The same is true for Djokovic/Nadal too - sure it was one sided last year but overall they've had great matches - the level of tennis in both Madrid 09 & US Open 10 & 11 was insane at times. Enjoy it while it lasts. Tennis needs big personalities - people here seem to want it to be like the WTA is now - a new no.1 all the time, top players losing early in slams all the time, no big names bringing the game to the masses.

Thank you! I too have never understood why some supposed tennis fans are so keen for the game to move on to a time when few will know or care about the 'top' players and the men's tour becomes as lack-lustre as the women's.
Unless someone amazing comes along after Djokovic's streak ends, the thought of charisma free zone Murray and other nonentities clogging up the sport depresses me enormously.

[Topspindoctor]

Originally Posted by MuzzahLovah

I'm readying my grave dancing boots as we speak.

It's not like Nadal's or Fed's decline will make Mugray a multi slam winner. He'll still choke in finals to Dimitrov or Tomic