Mens Tennis Forums banner
Status
Not open for further replies.

Roger news and articles III

18K views 1K replies 93 participants last post by  Sunset of Age 
#1 ·
Isn't it a copout to ignore the clay result? Shouldn't Roger at least be able to be 4-5 instead of 1-9 on clay?
No, it isn't. Federer could've been losing in the QF's and SF's of clay tournments all this time and he would have avoided 8 losses or so. It's not just a very good clay player he has lost to, but the 2nd best ever and perhaps on his way to becoming the greatest ever.

As for a 'tarnished' legacy, I think the loss at Wimby will be more devastating on that front 15 years from now than any he lost on clay.
 
#3 ·
#7 ·
Re: Roger news and articles

Higueras not being at Wimby was a sign that perhaps that partnership was over. I was hoping he had someone but I can't see who Roger would be with. People don't seem to want Gilbert these days although I know as a coach he has great skills. I can only see Gilbert talking someone to death and thinking he's right about everything. I wonder if he got worst as he aged.
 
#8 ·
Re: Roger news and articles

Isn't it a copout to ignore the clay result? Shouldn't Roger at least be able to be 4-5 instead of 1-9 on clay?
no... how many ppl have beaten nadal more than once on clay?? who else but borg have won 4 consecutive french?? who else but nadal could accumulate 81 consecutive clay court wins? who else but nadal could accumulate a run of 115-2 (since 2005) record on clay -- where one of it came from federer??


regards,
wacky
 
#9 ·
Re: Roger news and articles

I'm not buying this myth of Nadal as "clay GOAT". Roger simply chokes every time on clay vs Rafa. Roger losing all those times has made Rafa the "Clay GOAT". If Rogr wins his share of those finals, then Nadal is simply the Gustavo Kuerten of this generation.

Fed's Clay Choking = Nadal's Clay Goatness!!!!
 
#10 ·
Re: Roger news and articles

I'm not buying this myth of Nadal as "clay GOAT". Roger simply chokes every time on clay vs Rafa. Roger losing all those times has made Rafa the "Clay GOAT". If Rogr wins his share of those finals, then Nadal is simply the Gustavo Kuerten of this generation.

Fed's Clay Choking = Nadal's Clay Goatness!!!!
Oh, COME ON, here. As much as you dislike Rafa, please give him the credits he truly deserves. He's a FANTASTIC clay court player, and yet a very good one on all other courts as well. It doesn't take anything away from Roger. Both players are truly wonderful, as both of their ranking points say.

Besides that, don't you EVER say anything bad about Guga!
 
#13 ·
Re: Roger news and articles

Klahn calls warm-up 'pretty special'
By Jake Fisher
UNION-TRIBUNE

July 17, 2008

The day before the men's championship match last week at Wimbledon, Roger Federer was looking for a practice partner as he prepared to face nemesis Rafael Nadal.


Advertisement After several calls between Federer's agent and a coach for the United States Tennis Association, Federer found his man. It was Bradley Klahn, an aggressive, athletic lefty.
Klahn, 17, a graduate of Poway High this spring, was available after participating in the Junior Wimbledon competition. It would be Klahn's job, in the hours leading up to the match, to play the part of Nadal, also a left-hander.

“It was pretty special to warm up possibly the greatest player of all time,” Klahn said.

Little did Klahn know that his practice session on July 6 would be a prelude to what is being called one of the greatest Grand Slam finals of all time. Federer, owner of 12 Grand Slam championships, had his string of five straight Wimbledon titles snapped by Nadal, who triumphed in a five-set match that lasted 4 hours, 48 minutes.

For Klahn, trading shots with Federer on an outer court at Wimbledon provided an exclamation point to his first visit to London's All England Club. The youngster found himself in awe of the venue's atmosphere and history.

“At Wimbledon, it's hard to explain,” Klahn said. “I've been growing up watching it so much. It was hard to believe that I was actually there and playing.”

In singles, Klahn won two matches before falling in straight sets to third-seeded Cesar Ramirez of Mexico. Klahn teamed with American Ryan Harrison in doubles, where the second-seeded tandem lost in the quarterfinals.

Klahn has competed in three junior Grand Slam events this year, establishing himself as one of the world's top young players. He is ranked 17th in the International Tennis Federation junior world standings. In the United States, Klahn is ranked third in the Boys-18 Division.

In the Junior Australian Open, Klahn lost in the third round of singles, but not before downing the tournament's 14th seed. He did not fare as well in the Junior French Open. On the red clay of Roland Garros, Klahn lost in straight sets in the opening round of singles and doubles.

Despite his early exit at the French Open, Klahn relished the experience. He and his mother, Nancy Klahn, spent the extra days in Paris, touring the city and visiting sites such as the Louvre and the Eiffel Tower.

“Just being at those tournaments, the Grand Slams, there's such an electric atmosphere,” Klahn said. “There's so much energy – the crowd, the sights, the history – especially at the French and Wimbledon. It's pretty cool to know that you've played there.”

Later this summer, Klahn will complete his Grand Slam tour at the Junior U.S. Open in New York.

“To play in all the Grand Slams before he goes to college was exciting for him and the rest of the family,” Nancy Klahn said.

Next season, Klahn will take a break from the international scene to play tennis at Stanford. His ranking and mental toughness made Klahn a blue-chip recruit at Poway, where he won the San Diego Section singles championship as a junior and helped the Titans win two section team titles.

Klahn said he hopes to refine his game at Stanford, gain strength and help the Cardinal win an NCAA championship.

“If his success in the past is any indication of the future, I think he has a great chance of being a professional tennis player,” said Lee Merry, Klahn's personal coach.

Merry, who has coached Klahn since he started to play competitively at age 11, spent two years on the pro tour in the 1970s.

Klahn said when the time is right, he will give the pro tour a shot. Someday, perhaps Klahn will have a chance to compete against Federer instead of warming him up.
 
#14 ·
Re: Roger news and articles

Link: http://msn.foxsports.com/tennis/story/8352384/7-pivotal-matches-in-tennis-history#

7 pivotal matches in tennis history
Special to FOXSports.com

Updated: July 16, 2008, 9:03 PM EST

Earlier this month, Rafael Nadal defeated Roger Federer in a Wimbledon final for the ages. It had everything — high quality of play, great drama in which Federer rallied from two sets down to finally lead and a battle to finish the match before impending darkness.
It had history riding on it. Federer was bidding to break the record he shared with Bjorn Borg of five straight Wimbledon titles, and Nadal was aiming to become the first man since Borg in 1980 to win the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year.

Tennis fanatics hit the lottery at Wimbledon.


Before the final began, many wrote of this match being a possible changing of the guard, in which the torch is passed from the present king (Federer, who has ruled tennis for the last several years) to his successor (Nadal, who became the first man in the history of the ATP rankings to finish as world No. 2 for three consecutive years).

Frankly, I'm not convinced this match can conclusively be called a changing of the guard, since a point or two in Federer's favor would have won him the match and Nadal has yet to surpass the U.S. Open quarterfinals.

Only time will tell.

Tennis is not a sport like boxing in which a contender can defeat a champion and in the course of one fight elevate himself from challenger to champion. For all we know, Federer could win the next 10 majors and not play Nadal in any of the those tournaments.

Since many are talking about pivotal matches that signaled a shift in tennis supremancy, let's review the history books to determine what matches might truly signal the passing of the torch. Let's define a match as one player who ruled tennis for at least one or more years losing to another player who would be the No. 1 for at least two consecutive years. It avoids the problem in recent years of certain players becoming No. 1 for about one second and then dropping from their lofty perch.

In reviewing tennis history prior to the advent of the computer rankings, it can be tricky to state a true No. 1 in certain years, since different lists often defined different top-ranked players. Perhaps the match may not immediately signify the changing of the guard, but it may be a preview of things to come in the future, in which the player defeating the champion may become world champion later.


Here are a few of the matches that signaled the changing of the guard in tennis:

1. Bill Tilden defeats Bill Johnston 6-1, 1-6, 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 in the 1920 United States Nationals final

Tilden had finished as the losing finalist to Bill Johnston the years before, with Johnston apparently picking on Tilden's weaker backhand. Tilden worked to correct this weakness during the winter of 1919-1920 in Providence, R.I. This was the turning point in their rivalry and Tilden defeated Johnston in the final in five sets. Tilden went on to dominate the tennis scene as no man ever had, arguably, perhaps even up to the present day.

2. Rene LaCoste defeats Bill Tilden 4-6, 6-4, 8-6, 8-6 in the 1926 Davis Cup

The first major defeat by Tilden in years and the first of many successes by the French Musketeers against a player many consider to be the finest ever. Tilden was injured during the match, which obviously hindered his play (and may have affected him just days later at the U.S. Nationals when he lost to Henri Cochet in five sets). In some ways, this was not just a passing of the torch from Tilden to LaCoste but from the entire U.S. Davis Cup team to the French Davis Cup team.

3. Rod Laver defeats Ken Rosewall 7-5, 4-6, 5-7, 8-6, 8-6 in the 1964 Wembley final

In a rivalry that may have spanned as many as 200 matches, this was perhaps their best match, and that's saying a lot. Both players were at or close to their peak. To quote from Joe McCauley's great book "The History of Professional Tennis": "The final was a connoisseur's masterpiece lasting 2 hours, 44 minutes. In a match of many winners and few unforced errors, Laver fought back brilliantly from the perilous position of 3-5 in the fifth set to win. ... It was one of the greatest matches it has been my privilege to watch, but I must say that I thought Laver was a goner when his opponent served for the match at 5-4. Suddenly Rocket raised his game and, from playing steady but safe tennis, he went all out on the attack to break back. Continuing to go boldly for winners, he broke again for victory when Rosewall's service failed him."

Laver was arguably No. 1 that year and was the best player in the world for years afterwards.

4. Bjorn Borg defeats Jimmy Connors 3-6, 6-2, 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 in the 1977 Wimbledon Final


Jimmy Connors had won the majority of their matches before they played this final and was favored to defeat Borg again. Borg led 4-0 in the final set before Connors played a streak of great tennis to actually lead slightly at 4-4, 15-0. Borg has confessed that even he thought he was going to lose at this point.

However, Connors unfortunately chose this moment to hit one of his rare double faults. This give Borg the feeling he could still win, and the Swede won the last two games and the match 6-4. It would be a very rare occasion after this that Connors would even give Borg a close match. Connors had won six of seven meetings, with Borg leading up to the 1977 final, but Borg would reverse that trend in winning 13 of their final 15 meetings, including nine in a row to wrap up this rivalry. Borg was ranked by some to be the top player of 1977 even though some gave their support to Connors and others to Guillermo Vilas, who beat Connors to win the 1977 U.S. Open at Forest Hills. The 1978 Wimbledon final could have been chosen here also.

5. Martina Navratilova defeats Chris Evert 6-1, 3-6, 6-2 in the 1982 Wimbledon final

It seemed like every major had Evert and Navratilova in the final in those days. They were just so far ahead of every other player. Evert was the defending Wimbledon champion and the top-ranked player in the world virtually every year except for 1979, when Navratilova was world champion. The left-handed serve-and-volleyer beat the right-handed baseliner to spark a streak of dominance that has not been matched in the Open era. In a stirring span of championship tennis from 1982-86, Navratilova won 70 of 84 tournaments that she entered. Tennis commentators considered it fantastic if Navratilova's opponents lasted more than one hour. The Evert-Navratilova rivalry is undoubtedly the gold standard in women's tennis history.

6. Steffi Graf defeats Martina Navratilova 5-7, 6-2, 6-1 in the 1988 Wimbledon final


Admittedly, Graf was already No. 1 in the rankings when this match was played, but many still considered Navratilova No. 1 since Martina won Wimbledon and the U.S. Open the previous year over Graf in the finals. Martina got off to a great start in the match, winning the first set and leading 2-0 in the second before Graf went into overdrive and won 12 of the next 13 games. I have never seen Graf hit her backhand return so well. She was so good with her backhand return that match that her husband, Andre Agassi, would be proud. Graf went on the win the Grand Slam that year and was undisputed No. 1 for a number of years until Monica Seles came to the forefront.

7. Ivan Lendl defeats John McEnroe 7-6, 6-3, 6-4 in the 1985 U.S. Open final

John McEnroe was the defending champion, the No. 1 player in both 1983 and 1984, and had defeated Lendl the previous year in straight sets with the loss of only eight games. McEnroe started out well, controlling play for the first few games before Lendl took control and won the set in a tiebreak. This was the first of three straight U.S. Open victories for Lendl and the fourth of his eight consecutive final appearances in the tournament. Lendl finished No. 1 and would do the same in 1986 and 1987 before Mats Wilander took over the No. 1 ranking from him in 1988.

I'm sure there are a number of matches I could have included here, as well as a number of matches I may have missed. It's a rare occasion in tennis history where you can point to the changing of the guard in tennis, and it's even rarer when you can say you felt it was so at the time.

These are seven matches I believe changed the power structure in tennis. Sound off with your thoughts below.
 
#15 ·
Re: Roger news and articles

Roger's rationality, betting against Venus and Nadal's hard-court case Story Highlights
Federer answered plenty of questions about his willingness to scrape and claw
Few even noticed how radically Venus Williams repaired her game at Wimbledon
Encountering a softer, more accessible side of the new Anna Kournikova


An unconditional Roger fan, I also felt crushed. Still I was able to come up with the following positives: 1) What Rafa did to win the match was extra-terrestrial and such a performance must be rewarded; 2) Roger is more rational than I am in interpreting the meaning of his wins and his losses; 3) Roger is not Justine, he will not disappear because the competition fundamentally suits his body and his mind.
-- Barbara Katzenberg Lexington, MA

• Yes, Nadal's effort was super-human -- and even so, he barely won the match. Roger is not Justine -- he will be back. I take issue with your other point. I fear his "rational" nature is not always conducive to success. "Rational" could mean: this is NOT happening again! I'm kicking his butt next time. "Rational" could also mean: jeez, the kid beats me on grass. Maybe my reign really is winding down.

If we're looking for signs of encouragement, how about this? Federer was down two sets to love and faced match points in the fourth set. He responds with reserves of courage I'm not sure we've ever seen before. Ironic that it came in defeat, but he answered plenty of questions about his willingness to scrape and claw and sacrifice art and creativity for street-fighting. He called this the worst defeat of his career and, given what was at stake and how drama-saturated the match was, that's understandable. But -- particularly after the debacle in Paris --there's plenty of reason for optimism.


Link: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/jon_wertheim/07/16/mail.0716/?eref=sircrc
 
#16 ·
Re: Roger news and articles

^^ Good reads, thanks for posting! Finally something level-headed and positive.

Frankly, I'm not convinced this match can conclusively be called a changing of the guard, since a point or two in Federer's favor would have won him the match and Nadal has yet to surpass the U.S. Open quarterfinals.
Spot on. :yeah:
 
#18 ·
Re: Roger news and articles

Karin, you have to know that Rafa will improve his level. I think for sure he's making the US Open final this year.
 
#19 ·
Re: Roger news and articles

Karin, you have to know that Rafa will improve his level. I think for sure he's making the US Open final this year.
Not convinced by that really - I think hardcourts are like kryptonite for his knees and feet, increasingly so as he gets older. He may make the odd run at a hardcourt slam but I struggle to see him getting to the finals every single time like Roger was mostly able to do.

We'll see what he can do, of course, but for me it's still for him to prove he can lay the game out effectively and handle the physical stresses it places on him.
 
#20 ·
Re: Roger news and articles

^^ What Scoobs says.

Just one thing - I really hope Roger will be able to make his mark during this part of the season, thus: continue to reach the finals of most of the tournaments (in reaction to Scoob's "was able...'' ;))
 
#21 ·
Re: Roger news and articles

Karin, the interesting thing is that there's a lot of nice prizes on the table. Roger could still end up having a "near-epic" year.

Toronto MS
Cincy MS
Olympics
US Open
Stockholm
Basel
Madrid
Paris
TMC

That's a lot of hardware.
 
#22 ·
Re: Roger news and articles

So this is Roger's new house that is making all the news in Switzerland....there was even a piece on the local evening news in Basel.Apparently Roger has been renting this flat for a couple years now and decided to buy it. It has 5 1/2 rooms with a small pool and a view of Lake Zurich. Quite honestly from this pic it doesn't look like anything special except for the awesome view of the lake.

 
#23 ·
Re: Roger news and articles

^^ Location, location, location! Besides you don't know what it looks like inside. Probably wood floors, granite countertops, surround-sound, etc...
 
#24 ·
Re: Roger news and articles

Why the hell is Nadal even entering the GOAT discussion at this point? :rolleyes: I think that word gets thrown around way to much anyway. Reminds me of that idoit on the Sports Illustrated website who said two years ago that maybe we were watching the GOAT but his name wasn't Roger Federer. :retard:

Lets talk about these guys as GOAT potential when their careers are over (or nearly over). One thing I will say though is no way in hell will Nadal or Djerk or any other current player ever put together 4 years like Roger did from 04-07. In fact we may never see that in tennis again.
 
#27 ·
#29 · (Edited)
Re: Roger news and articles

http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=50965

ROGERS CUP

July 20, 2008

Roger Federer

TORONTO, ONTARIO

THE MODERATOR: We can start with questions in English.

Q. Have you had much sense in the last couple of weeks of the impact the Wimbledon's final had around the world?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, to some degree. I haven't read the press at all the last two weeks, so -- because I tried to get away from it all, tried to forget really the loss. But at the same time I heard rumors through friends and whatever, you know, that people really picked up on this unbelievable match. And it is great to hear.

So now I'm back again on the tennis tour, I hear even more which is great news. And so, yeah, I guess it is a good time in tennis and exciting end of the year. Also starting here in Toronto and then going over to the Olympic games as well and U.S. Open, I think it is a great time.

Q. Roger, congratulations on that Wimbledon final. Certainly was epic for all of us to watch, and the media and fans alike have enjoyed it so much and it has done so much to raise tennis' popularity. Do you take an extra bit of incentive or an extra bit of joy in playing Nadal? It seems like you bring out the best in each other.

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, of course, I enjoy playing against him to some degree. You know, I mean, it is always good to have a rival. I don't like when matches turn out like they do at the French Open when you have high hopes and after a few games, you realize it is probably not going to happen for you.

But playing him in a fair-play match, in surroundings that are unbelievable like at Wimbledon or other tournaments, it is definitely a thrill for me.

Now, after maybe missing that a little bit at times because Agassi left the game, Sampras left the game and for me playing against them was always the sort of biggest moment in my career. And now, I think, Rafael has proven himself as a great guy and a great champion as well.

So when I play against him, it is not like I was playing Agassi, Sampras but it definitely becomes more and more special the more times we play against each other.

Q. Roger, did you watch the match after it was over? Did you get a chance to see the tape? And if you did, what were your thoughts?

ROGER FEDERER: Like I said, I didn't read or see anything. So I didn't see a point, no.

Q. Just switching gears a bit, looking forward to the Olympics, you have always said that's always been an important tournament for you.

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah.

Q. How -- where would you rank a gold medal compared to your other Grand Slams?

ROGER FEDERER: To me it ranks as high now. My situation is obviously different. If maybe I am a player who doesn't have any Grand Slams, you know, maybe a Grand Slam would still do more for my own career.

But because I have 12 already, for me an Olympic gold ranks as high, you know? So I was very proud, you know, to represent the Swiss in the 2000 Olympics and really just missed that -- very close on the medal.

And like last time, was quite disappointing losing the second round. But, nevertheless, going there was one of the biggest experiences in life I've ever had, going to my first Olympics in 2000. So as long as I can walk and play, I will always come and play the Olympics.

And who knows maybe I will carry the flag like I did in Athens into the stadium. That would be a great honor as well. So, yeah, my birthday is on the opening day as well so that's going to be nice, too. It ranks very, very high in my scale, absolutely.

Q. Roger, how did summer with the two Masters Series here and in Cincinnati and the Olympics having an extra one for you and Djokovic and Nadal, how do you think that plays into the rankings and leading up to the U.S. Open?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I don't know how much -- I mean, maybe the rankings maybe to some degree are a factor. But it is not really my number one concern. Like I did in stages, just trying to hope to get into a rhythm on hardcourt because we'll be on hardcourt for -- what is it -- nine months now until Monaco next year. So let's not forget that.

It is important to start off well. It would be great for the confidence, gearing up for the Olympics and then New York. So that's really what I look at, at the moment, you know? But I am -- for sure it is an interesting time for the rankings at the moment, especially for Rafael, we know winning back-to-back Wimbledon and Paris. It is always going to be a subject until the end of the year. So should be -- should be exciting. I hope we can (indiscernible) play well until the end of the year.

Q. A few questions in one. I think you take some vacation after Wimbledon. And if, yes, when did you come back on the court for training? And, second, last year you take vacation after Wimbledon and you come back at Rogers Cup. But this year the Rogers Cup is earlier than usual. So is this something that bothers you?

ROGER FEDERER: Bothers me that it is earlier?

Q. Yes.

ROGER FEDERER: I wish we had two months in between, you know, but what to do? It is just life on the tennis tour. It starts in January until November. So we have no choice. But I mean, it is true.

It is a rough time for us. You know, we have to -- especially if you make the finals of the Slams, you know, that eats up even more of your time. So for me and Rafael, I think it has been particularly hard. Novak has had time off while we were playing at Wimbledon, for instance.

But I think for Raf and myself, it has been solid the last couple weeks. It makes it even more hard. And it was a big trip also to China and back. It is going to be quite hard.
But I think mentally we're all ready for it. Important most to get away. I took one-week vacation and started practicing again Sunday/Monday and arrived here yesterday morning. So I have been practicing for the last -- what is it -- four, five days now.

So don't ask a whole lot of information how my game is at the moment. It is definitely to play on hardcourt than on clay or grass. We don't have the bad bounce. We have the normal bounce again, and that's good to see. I am very excited to be playing on hardcourts again.

Q. With the emergence of Rafael on grass the last couple of years, do you feel that men's tennis finally has a rivalry that can compare to Agassis, Samprases, the Borgs, Conners and McEnroes?

ROGER FEDERER: I guess, matches like we had with Wimbledon will only enhance that, even though we've had some great finals in the past but sometimes didn't get the recognition like the wrong final or the finals in Miami when we also had a five-setter and then we played each already four times in Grand Slams before this, at the Wimbledon Finals. We've played many, many times on big occasions and twice in the Shanghai Masters and the semis.

Yes, some of it takes a big match like this to really break through for both of us, unfortunately. But I think we did that, and I think it should be -- every match we play on from now on will be very interesting between us.

Q. You mentioned that Novak has had some time off being eliminated early from Wimbledon. I know you are ranked Number 1 in the ATP, but should be considered the favorite for this tournament, the fact he's had extra rest?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, yes and no. I mean, it's yes, he's had the time off. Yes, he is maybe not as confident as he was, you know, because he lost the second round at Wimbledon. Whereas, maybe we come in with a little less rest but at the same time, we still had one week off and one week practice so it is enough to get us in great shape. And we obviously have the confidence going for us.

So this is a tough tournament to win. You know, I mean, I couldn't tell you if my draw is easier or tougher than Rafael's or Novak's or whoever's. I just think it is a tough tournament to win. It depends on your form some days because you have all the good-enough players here to beat you and upset you in if I given day.

So I think -- I wouldn't put it as an advantage or disadvantage. I think it is just a different type of preparation we've had.

Q. Roger, people love to group you and Rafael and Novak together for good reason. When you look at your styles as far as tennis-wise, what are some of the similarities you think the three of you have and what are the clearer differences from a tennis perspective?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I think we were all quite complete as, you know -- from a standpoint we can hit all the shots in the book. And at the moment, I guess, we're the best movers in the game as well, which gives us the edge from offense and defense, you know? That's a similarity I see.

Obviously each one of us has something particularly good in the game, you know? I think it is more obviously my game and then Rafael's game, you know, what really stands out.

Whereas, Novak is more, you know, just very complete player. Doesn't miss very much and has just really become a good player over the last year or so. He obviously still has to prove himself a little bit more, I think.

But still we have great assets in our game.

Q. You had an opportunity yesterday to hit with Peter Polansky on center who, of course, is a local boy around here. I know you've hit with him in the past, albeit sporadically. Have you seen any developments in his game or did you notice any changes to the way he was playing?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I think we hit for the first time here four years ago, so it has been a while. He was quite young back then and sort of coming up. I saw back then already that he was quite talented. He hit a good ball, good technique, you know?

I just think it is important at the beginning -- and then it is important to see the development he does physically, you know? And when I saw him again, you know, although his hair is longer, he looks a little bit bigger and tougher and I think that's exactly how you want to evolve, you know?
And now he's old enough to really move onto the next level, and it is important now to make his move. And I think being around the top players and the top tournaments will only motivate him even more so. And what he told me is also he played quite a bit on clay as well, which I think is a good thing for him.

So we'll see what happens in the future for him. I wish him all the best.

Q. (Indiscernible). A lot of people are saying it could go either way. How concerned are you and the other players about what the outcome could be?

ROGER FEDERER: We are concerned about the game. We are concerned that things will be good for the players for the tournament at the end, whatever outcome that will be. We are very involved at the moment, you know, not in that particular case but in politics in general and on the tour.

And I have spoken a lot to (indiscernible) in the past, and we get along very well. And we have similar views and ideas about what's good for the game. I mean, he lets me have the lead a little bit more because, obviously, I'm more experienced, been around longer for -- you know, double as long as he's been around. But it is still great at his young age shows interest in the game. And that's why we also went on the player council; Novak as well. He is interested as well.

So I think it's interesting time for the game of tennis. And I think it is heading into the right direction because it's maybe been a long time back since the top players reunited and really wanted to have a positive effect on the game.

Q. The outcome of the case could throw all that off track, couldn't it?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, we'll see what happens. Yeah I mean, look, we have to see what happens. It is all speculation. So I'm not going to comment on speculation.

Q. For a long time, it seemed like Nadal was chasing you. Now world rankings aside, are you now chasing him?

ROGER FEDERER: All depends on how you look at it, you know? I guess I am chasing another Grand Slam title after he snatched the last two. So I'm chasing my next Grand Slam title. So that's sort of what's happening.

But in the rankings, he's still chasing me. It depends on how you look at it really.

Q. I would like to welcome you to the City of Toronto, one of the best cities in the world.

ROGER FEDERER: Thank you.

Q. Now, what are your expectations for this tournament? What do we expect to see from Roger Federer having just come out from a gracious defeat from Nadal?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I hope I can -- I really hope I can win the tournament here. I've been able to do it for the last two times when I was here in Toronto. I played always good here. It is a surface I really -- it is good for my game. I don't mind the humidity anymore. The heat and everything is not a problem, even though it is not going to be -- looks like it is not going to be terribly hot this next week. I am feeling well. I am really eager and motivated to show what I can do again on the hardcourt.

It is a different type of season. It's been hard, Paris and Wimbledon. You know, the whole stress level. So I have been able to come down a little bit and regroup and it is important for me to start off well, you know? And it will give me a great momentum going into Cincinnati, Beijing and U.S. Open the rest of the season. So I hope I can really do well here and play well. Always trying to get the title.

Q. You just said that Nadal is chasing you in the ATP ranking. Do you feel increased pressure after the loss in Wimbledon? Do you think this is going to affect you in this tournament or not?

ROGER FEDERER: No, I mean, I don't think things like this will affect me, the way I play. You know, I've been trying to prove as a player for the last 15, 20 years, since I played tennis, especially since I became number one in the world. I think I've worked as hard as I could, you know, trying to always stay ahead of the pack.

And I have had challenges from you name it: Hewitt, Roddick, Agassi, Ferrero, Safin, Nadal, Djokovic. It hasn't really changed a whole lot. Obviously Rafael has made his move now. He's come closer.

Like I said, the rankings will be a subject for the next week, months to come. And he deserves to be in the position to be put in the great playing he's done this year. So we'll see what happens.

I'm happy where my level of play is again after a rough start to the season which wasn't easy. I didn't play very much. And then I struggled a little bit. But I'm back playing well. Unfortunately, I didn't get the reward I was hoping for with a big title after working maybe harder than I had to in the past, just getting back into shape.

So I hope I get the reward now end of summer. So we'll see what happens.

Q. You talked about your birthday in Beijing. Most of the top male players of the past 25, 30 years have peaked at 25. You're going to be 27. Do you feel that time is ticking, or do you feel as though there's still another level you can achieve?

ROGER FEDERER: I don't know about another level. I think I can still improve as a player. Tennis is -- as a tennis player, you're never complete, you know? There's always something you can work on and improve. That's not something really a whole not new.

The thing is when you are 15, I prove a lot more than when you are 25. There is not much more you can really change or -- there is little improvements but the thing is at 25, 26, 27, little improvements make a big difference after all because of all the experience you have because my fitness is not something I really need to work on a whole lot more because I don't lose matches anymore because of that. Whereas, when I was 20 I did. So that changes as well. And that really allows me to focus on tennis -- solely on tennis, which is a good thing.

And then what was -- no, I think really at 27, you know, it is not like I'm 32yet, you know? I mean, I still have -- I don't believe in those saying that at 25 you are going down. I'm sorry, you know, even though -- I only made my move in 2003 on a Grand Slam level. It's only been five years really, or six years. So I still have a lot of great years ahead of me.

And if I would have maybe won my first Grand Slam at 19 or 18, maybe it would have changed but I only won my first Grand Slam when I was 22. That's why I think I have many, many more years left.

End of FastScripts
 
#30 ·
Re: Roger news and articles

http://news.smh.com.au/sport/tennis-legends-to-face-off-in-malaysia-20080721-3iqq.html

Tennis legends to face off in Malaysia

July 21, 2008 - 8:25PM

Tennis fans will flock to Malaysia in November, where Roger Federer will face off against Rafael Nadal and Bjorn Borg will clash with John McEnroe in exhibition matches, organisers said.

The four have confirmed their participation in the "Countdown of Champions", set for November 18 at the Bukit Jalil stadium south of Kuala Lumpur, executive secretary of the Lawn Tennis Association of Malaysia Jaafar Abu told AFP.

"Last year, we had Pete Sampras and Richard Gasquet along with Nadal and Federer," he said.

"It has become something of a tradition for us to have a celebrity exhibition match every November."

World No.1 Federer will get another chance to avenge his losses in this year's French Open and Wimbledon finals to world No.2 Nadal.

Borg and McEnroe will give fans a chance to walk down memory lane, remembering the highs and lows of their bitter rivalry, typified by the 1980 Wimbledon final won by Borg in five gruelling sets.

The 49-year-old McEnroe, who won seven grand slam singles titles during his storied career, now works as a television commentator.

Borg, 52, captured 11 grand slam singles titles - six at Roland Garros and five consecutive titles at Wimbledon.
 
#31 ·
Re: Roger news and articles

Thanks for posting Roger's official presser :) Always good to hear what he has to say.

About the exho against Nadal: What's the need for this again? :shrug: These two players promote tennis throughout the whole year, critizice the tight schedule and then don't say no to the money they are offered to play in such a match :rolleyes:

I know, it's just an exho and you can't compare it with a real tournament, but nevertheless there is a flight into a different country, a new timezone and lots of media stuff to do.
 
#32 ·
Re: Roger news and articles

Thanks for posting Roger's official presser :) Always good to hear what he has to say.

About the exho against Nadal: What's the need for this again? :shrug: These two players promote tennis throughout the whole year, critizice the tight schedule and then don't say no to the money they are offered to play in such a match :rolleyes:

I know, it's just an exho and you can't compare it with a real tournament, but nevertheless there is a flight into a different country, a new timezone and lots of media stuff to do.
I have no words. It's ridiculous. :eek:
 
#33 ·
Re: Roger news and articles

Mellow yellow, that was my original reaction "What was he thinking?!!!"

But giving it a second thought, I think that chickening out of it would have sent an even worst message, I'm sure he's taking the result of the Wimby final (and his other results this year, especially against Rafa VERY seriously), but I'm glad he's not having a freakout.
 
#34 ·
Re: Roger news and articles

Mellow yellow, that was my original reaction "What was he thinking?!!!"

But giving it a second thought, I think that chickening out of it would have sent an even worst message, I'm sure he's taking the result of the Wimby final (and his other results this year, especially against Rafa VERY seriously), but I'm glad he's not having a freakout.
He certainly could have said no, they get someone else and no one is the wiser....and even if it leaks out....no one cares about exhos anyway....except maybe the fedal fans will care about this one. :rolleyes:

I didn't care so much last year, but given what Roger's all gone through this year it would be nice to have a proper off season where he could take a nice break and still have time for intensive training/practice. I'm sure he still will be able to. It's just these exhos seems so meaningless to me. Let the old timers who are retired (and maybe need the $$) do it.
 
#38 ·
Re: Roger news and articles

Oh my goodness. Another exhibition, AGAIN???!!
It's kind of getting old, and SO IS HE.
 
#41 ·
Re: Roger news and articles

World No.1 Federer will get another chance to avenge his losses in this year's French Open and Wimbledon finals to world No.2 Nadal.
Yes, because clearly this is so on the same level as those tournaments :lol:

Roger's had chances all year to avoid playing Nadal in matches where the outcome actually means something, so the idea that he feels obligated to play some inconsequential hit n' giggle to save face doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Whatever his reasons for choosing to do it, I'm pretty sure they don't revolve around Nadal.
 
#42 ·
Re: Roger news and articles

Yes, because clearly this is so on the same level as those tournaments :lol:

Roger's had chances all year to avoid playing Nadal in matches where the outcome actually means something, so the idea that he feels obligated to play some inconsequential hit n' giggle to save face doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Whatever his reasons for choosing to do it, I'm pretty sure they don't revolve around Nadal.
$$$
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
You have insufficient privileges to reply here.
Top