[Obey.my.dreamz]

Originally Posted by recessional

"Murray is now ready to win Wimbledon for the first time."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/ten...r-Federer.html

he might be rdy, but we are not ready..tennis is not ready..and most important , Roger Federer is not ready to see that (how u call that machine that u use to practice..the one that shoots the balls?) well,. u know what i mean... Murray sucks to the fullets


btw nadine ... i don't like how federer keeps missinge serves on ur signature ^^ (=

[recessional]

Originally Posted by Mellow Yellow

I'm hoping Roger doesn't have to make him shut up. As much as I'd love to see Roger kick his arse, I'd love it even more if some nobody did.

Yeah, I'd love for that to happen, as well. On the other hand, I do want that H2H to improve... hmm. It'd be fantastic if Fed beat Murray in the semis and Nadal in the final, but that would probably be too much to ask for.

[Minnie]

With all the anti-Murray comments here, its enough to make me support him ...

[nobama]

Originally Posted by Minnie

With all the anti-Murray comments here, its enough to make me support him ...

Just make sure if you do support him it's in the murray forum.

[EnriqueIG8]

ARTICLE ON EUROSPORT

Wimbledon - Federer: I'm better than ever
Eurosport - Wed, 17 Jun 12:18:00 2009

Winning the French Open was not just a personal milestone for Roger Federer, it was the making of him.

Armed with the belief that he can win titles even when he is not on top of his game, the Swiss master is determined to snatch back the Wimbledon crown from his nemesis Rafael Nadal when the grass-court Grand Slam begins next Monday.

"I feel like I've definitely become more a man now than in the last few years since I'm not scared of five setters anymore. I can handle the pressure," said Federer, who became only the sixth man to achieve a career Grand Slam with his triumph at Roland Garros 10 days ago.

"I had to show my fighting spirit more than ever and it's nice to have had a chance to show those qualities because before everybody was just used to my dominance. It's good to know for myself that I can also do it differently," added Federer, who for the first time had to play two five-set matches during a successful run to a major.

"Now going into the grass season, and Wimbledon, and being on top of the world it's a fantastic feeling."

In his previous 13 assaults to Grand Slam titles, it seemed as if Federer's aura was enough to beat most opponents before the warm-up had even finished.

If that was not enough, the Swiss quickly outwitted his opponents with his silky shots and killer instinct.

But none of that was on display in Paris and if anything, Federer's cloak of invincibility looked tattered and torn when he was just five points from defeat in the fourth round against Germany's Tommy Haas.

That win from two sets down against Haas not only set Federer on his way to a record-equalling 14th Grand Slam title, it also boosted his chances of regaining the number one ranking Nadal took from him last August.

"For me it's about the majors because right now Wimbledon is around the corner," said 27-year-old Federer.

"From Paris until Wimbledon, this is when you want to play your best tennis. So the ranking will always follow when you do play well.

"I know it will take a special effort to get back to number one because Rafa has set the bar high. It's going to be hard to take it away from him because he has so many great tournament victories in his 365-day rankings. But I feel I'm a step closer now by winning in Paris and winning my 14th."

That triumph led to a chorus of players declaring Federer was the greatest of all time and Martina Navratilova even suggested the Swiss could "just go on and sip Margaritas for the rest of his life".

However, Federer does not have it in him to simply put his feet up and soak up the sun.

For him it is all about timing and with a baby on the way, he feels there is no better way to prepare for the new arrival in his family by breaking the record of 14 Grand Slam titles he shares with Pete Sampras at Wimbledon.

"I do think I'm the favourite actually, with the success I've had. I came close again last year," said Federer, whose run of five consecutive Wimbledon titles ended with a heart-stopping five-set loss to Nadal in last year's final.

"Once you arrive in London, you start getting into the frame of mind and it's like 'let's go again', I know what it takes. It only takes a couple of hours to feel at home.

"With no disrespect to the other players ... I feel like I've got the game, I've got the mental approach and I've got the experience to win at Wimbledon many more times."

Reuters

[nobama]

Where did those quotes come from? Did Roger give an interview to Reuters or did they just piece things together from post RG comments?

[SUKTUEN]

Roger will use his tennis to tell Murray who is the best.

[magnoliaewan]

Originally Posted by feuselino

Hahahahah. Someone please post that on GM, I'll get the popcorn...

Haha, so true. Especially, when we can see he was just responding to the question that was worded like that but the people in GM would totally interpret it differently.

[miura]

Did you guys check out his new Rolex ad? He looks good in that suit

[Rita]

June 12, 2009
One To Watch

The Players Lounge at the Aegon Championships is the most spacious part of the over-crowded nineteenth century clubhouse at the Queen’s Club. Spread over a couple of indoor courts, it enables one to move freely; eat sumptuously; read the papers and go on line.

So I took the opportunity to sit down to chat with Peter Lundgren who had more than a passing interest in the French Open final as well goings on here where his new charge, the 18-year-old Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov won a round in the main draw as a wild card.

Lundgren, of course, was Roger Federer’s coach when he ascended to the top of the tennis world — a journey you can follow in the revised version of Chris Bowers’ excellent biography of Federer called a Spirit of a Champion. And, as a Swede, he had followed the sudden explosion in Robin Soderling’s fortunes in Paris with interest and no small measure of surprise.

“Yes, I must admit I was surprised at Soderling reaching the final,” said Lundgren. “He’d never passed the third round of a Slam before and to beat Nadal was just something I never expected. But he hit the ball hard and there is no question that, despite the weaknesses in his game, he has the weapons. Whether he can kick on from there is open to debate. If people in Sweden think he is going to reach the final at Wimbledon I think they will be disappointed.”

Lundgren, however, has no doubt about what a terrific effect Soderling’s success will have on Swedish tennis.

“As soon as he beat Nadal, tickets for the ATP tournament in Bastad in July started selling like crazy,” Lundgren said. “People see it on TV and the kids get excited and everyone wants to go to the tennis again. But Soderling alone is not going to save Swedish tennis. At the moment the coaching simply isn’t good enough. There are too many 18-year-olds who didn’t make it as players teaching at clubs and they don’t have enough experience. And the incentives are not big enough. Life is too easy. It’s no co-incidence that so many players are coming out of Eastern Europe. They want to achieve, they want to make something of themselves. They put in the work and find good coaches.”

Federer put in the work and Lundgren, by his side through his late teens when he was struggling to produce the results that people expected of him, never lost faith in Roger’s potential.

“I texted him after he won in Paris and said, ‘I always told you could do it,’ and he texted back saying that he remembered how I was always telling him he could achieve anything.”

Lundgren laughed delightedly. Few people know Federer as intimately and he can track the important moments of his career better than most.

“The real turning point came at that first Tennis Masters Cup in Houston in 2003 when he beat the three players he always had the most trouble with — Andre Agassi, Juan Carlos Ferrero and David Nalbandian,” Lundgren recalled. “He actually beat Agassi twice — in the round robin and then again in straight sets in the final. That was the breakthrough. After that there was no stopping him.”

And even from a distance, Lundgren is still able to predict important moments. He was watching Federer’s first doubles match in Beijing when he set off on a path that would bring him and Stan Warwinka Switzerland’s first gold medal.

“I was interested to see how he would approach it and what sort of form he was in,” Lundgren remembered. “The match was on TV at home and he won his first service game to love. ‘That’s it,’ I said to my wife. ‘They’ll win now.’ She didn’t understand how I could be so sure but I just knew. And I knew it would give him a huge lift for the US Open which he won a few weeks later. Winning with Stan made it all the more special for him because he’s such an emotional guy as people have come to realize. He felt he’d done something great for his partner and his country and that carried over into the US Open.”

Lundgren was not surprised to hear that Soderling had admitted after losing to Federer in the Roland Garros final that he felt the Swiss had not allowed him to play.

“I can play against Nadal but Federer doesn’t let me play,” Soderling had admitted.

“I can see that,” said Lundgren. “Roger has all the shots; he got Soderling out of his hitting zone because he plays fast but changes pace and uses the court so differently to all the other players. I know from just practicing with him through all those years that it is impossible to find your rhythm. He has you all over the place.”

It comes as no surprise to hear Lundgren wax lyrical about the young man he is now coaching. And he is to be taken seriously when he says he thinks Dimitrov has even more potential now than Federer did at the same age.

“He’s just a better player — especially mentally — than Roger was at this stage,” he said. “He has better volleys and his game has everything. There is something special about him. He is not cocky but very self assured and open — similarities with Roger in that respect.”

Dimitrov was brought up as a player by his father Dimitar, whom Lundgren praises for having done a great job, at the Tennis Club in Haskovo, Bulgaria where he was born. As soon as his talent became apparent, he was sent to the Sanchez-Casal camp in Barcelona to work with Pato Alvarez, the veteran coach who helped Andy Murray in his formative years. By then he had already won the Under 16 Orange Bowl and after going on to become Wimbledon and US Open Junior Champion last year, he switched to the Patrick Mouratoglou Academy in Paris soon after Lundgren joined as a senior coach.

“I took on Grigor in March and I have been very impressed with him,” said Lundgren. “He is very motivated and I can see he really wants it. And it is fun because I feel I am a better coach now than I was back in the Federer days. You are always learning and I have more experience.”

Dimitrov is getting the results to back up Lundgren’s optimism. In Rotterdam earlier this year he beat Tomas Berdych and then took a set off Nadal before losing 7-5, 3-6, 6-2. Here at Queen’s, where he made a point of thanking tournament director Chris Kermode profusely for his wild card, he accentuated his prowess on grass by defeating the Spaniard Ivan Navarro in the first round and then pushed former top tenner Gilles Simon hard before going down 7-6(7), 7-6(5).

So watch out for young Grigor. Three Maleeva sisters are all Bulgaria has had to offer the tennis world so far. Dimitrov is about to change all that and what if Lundgren is right — what if he is as good as Federer? How exciting that would be.


http://evansreport.tennisweek.com/?p=22

[SUKTUEN]

I love the video so so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[soraya]

Too lazy to check if this was posted. From Roger's facebook wall.


I snuck on to center court this afternoon to get a first hand look at the court with the new roof...I made sure I got a picture to share with all of you. Wimbledon is awesome! There is no place like it in the world!

[JediFed]

Man I hope he wins it again. He'd be thrilled!

Poor old Pete would have to go to centre court!

[SUKTUEN]

I love this pic too!!

[Rommella]

Exclusive: Roger Federer: my tears of delight at joining legends
Neil Harman, Tennis Correspondent
From The Times (http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/spo...cle6069789.ece)
June 20, 2009

When the morning skies grow red
And o’er us their radiance shed,
Thou, O Lord, appearest in their light.
When the Alps glow bright with splendour,
Pray to God, to Him surrender,
For you feel and understand,
That He dwelleth in this land.


To the Swiss, Roger Federer is a living god. The evocative music and lyrics of his country’s national anthem — the Swiss Psalm — rang around Federer’s head when, only 13 days ago, he stood on a podium in Paris, a single tear running down each cheek, at one moment alone in his own world and yet knowing that he was in the whole world’s embrace.

That sense of abiding warmth has not left him in the intervening days, even when he has been alone at home with his thoughts, family and friends for occasional succour before he prepared to set out again, the conquest not nearly done, another Alp to scale, eager for the next challenge at the place where this sport — his sport — takes on an entirely new definition.

But, for a few moments, though the setting is a glorious afternoon at the All England Club, Federer’s mind instinctively goes back to Roland Garros and the presentation ceremony for his fourteenth grand-slam singles title, equalling Pete Sampras’s record, which many believed would stand for all time, until this phenomenal man from Basle came along. “It is the heaviest trophy,” he says. “And a few times during the tournament I had been thinking, ‘I wonder how it will feel.’ It’s quite a thought because you don’t want to get carried away, but you want to start dreaming a bit because dreaming, well, it’s inspirational. It can help by getting even more from you than you think it is possible to give.

“There were three defining moments that day. The first was when I walked out, the second when I started the third set [against Robin Soderling], having won the first two, and then when I collected the balls to serve for the match. I was thinking, ‘What an unbelievable feeling it would be to win this tournament.’ I was so close. I hoped I wasn’t going to mess it up.

“The elation was amazing. Then I walked up to the podium and Andre [Agassi] was standing there smiling, the last man to win all four [grand-slam tournaments]. That was a very strong moment for me. Then I was lifting the cup, letting it all out, I was the happiest person in the world, I was totally free, happy and proud all at the same time and I was sharing it with all the people in the stadium because they were so happy for me as well.”

Then the Swiss Psalm began. Federer looked down, into the base of the cup, he tried to look up but the resonance of the music made him look down again. One tear slid down each of his cheeks. I told him that I get choked up at anthems. “It’s hard, isn’t it?” he says. “I love music in general, but I especially like the classics, opera and musicals.

“Actually I like lots of different stuff when the mood takes me. But the anthem, few tennis players ever get to hear theirs. They play them in Monte Carlo and in Paris and, of course, in the Davis Cup before the Saturday doubles and at the Olympics.

“When Stan [Stanislas Wawrinka] and I won the gold medal in doubles for Switzerland in Beijing, it was played. But we aren’t footballers who hear it perhaps 50 times a year. For us it has a very special meaning.

“You know when you hear it that a great thing is either about to happen or has just happened. It was very emotional sharing it not only with the Swiss people, but so many around the world who knew how much winning this tournament meant to me.”

There was a seminal moment at the All England Club this week when Federer walked down the hill from the Aorangi Park practice courts as if there was a foot of air between his feet and the pavement. Going in the opposite direction, uphill, eyes firmly set, jaw jutting and feet killing him was Rafael Nadal. Three weeks ago, the conjecture was whether Nadal could complete the first calendar grand slam in 40 years; the next thing you knew, he had become a physical wreck and people were beginning to debate Federer’s prospects of collecting 20 grand-slam titles before he turns 30.

“This is a quick-living sport,” Federer said. “We went into Paris with Rafa as the overwhelming favourite; nobody could beat him, he was No 1 in the world, possibly for life and the next thing, he doesn’t defend Paris and he cannot defend Wimbledon, the No 1 ranking is in the air. It’s funny how it can change.” Though with Nadal’s melancholy withdrawal last night, amusement was in short supply.

We had talked at the club at the same stage last year, when Federer arrived at Wimbledon bruised from the French Open final, when he won only four games against Nadal and was out of France before you could say NetJets (the firm from whom he hires his private planes). He still wonders why there was “such a big fuss” over that defeat.

“It made no difference to me whether it was in five sets or three, but I arrived here and everyone was saying, ‘Oh my God, you got crushed, are you ever going to recover?’ ” he says. “They seemed to think it was the end for me and I was thinking, ‘What?’ But OK, it doesn’t matter now, that was fine.”

Federer is sitting in a wicker chair on the players’ balcony in grey trousers and a white T-shirt with RF emblazoned on the front in light purple lettering. “I guess that after the win in Paris this time I was able to be normal for a while, sitting at home with Mirka [his wife of two months, who is pregnant with their first child, due very soon],” he says. “I’m not able to do normal very often. Now I am back here. It’s not showing off in any way, but it’s nice to be back at Wimbledon and you meet up with so many people telling you how happy they are for you, how much they were cheering for you.

“It has been an incredible time. Now I can meet up with the players again and find out how it was for them and how it is for me. It was so good because before Madrid [last month] I hadn’t won a tournament for a long time [since the previous October] and it is nice to be back in this routine.

“It’s extraordinary for me because you figure everybody would like someone else to win, but maybe it’s the way I react to winning, the way I am respectful to the others and how fair I am because the players have voted for me five times to win the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award. What I can say is, ‘Thank you very much, thank you for being happy for me.’ It does you good as a player to hear that once in a while.”

That is 59 once-in-a-whiles for Federer, 27. Each one has its magic, but the grand-slam tournaments, the barometers by which greatness is judged, are his raison d’être. Since the 2004 French Open, when he lost in the third round to Gustavo Kuerten, of Brazil, he has reached the semi-finals of 20 grand-slam events in succession. He has won four of the past six Masters Cups and has lost once in six years at Wimbledon.

He was supposed to arrive at SW19 as a basket case, unable to contend any more. The images the naysayers worshipped were of a weeping Federer in Australia in February after his five-set defeat by Nadal in the final, the racket-splintering Federer in Miami, Florida. Here was a man in meltdown.

“When I started out on my career, I had wanted to be a good role model,” he says. “But I didn’t want it to be forced. I couldn’t fake my way through ten or 15 years. My parents had always taught me, ‘Don’t throw your racket, don’t swear on the court, don’t scream, enjoy the game, play it fair, but tough.’ I said, ‘OK, right, let’s see how it goes.’ It took me many years, but I got it going.

“I received so many compliments on how I played and behaved and it gave me a good feeling because I knew how I was on the court, how I needed to be to be a success and also to be respected in the locker room. I was walking a tightrope for many years, because people who saw me winning thought I was the best in the world and when I was losing, they said I wasn’t trying, which was a big problem.

“Then it got to a stage when I was pretending I was fighting but I wasn’t really fighting, so I was pretending even harder, showing more so people wouldn’t write bad things about me. It was not a fun thing to go through.

“I suffered in Melbourne; nobody enjoys crying on the stage. In Miami I started well in the event, I had beaten Andy [Roddick] and I felt I would have the better of Novak [Djokovic] in the semi-finals, and it was going fine for a while when all of a sudden I was in a slump. I couldn’t hit the ball in the court any more. I had chances early in the second set, but my serve wasn’t clicking, my forehand and backhand went. It was a nightmare. Do you know what? I was just so sick and tired of playing so bad that when I missed that easy forehand I said, ‘It’s OK, just let it out.’ I was actually surprised how hard I crushed my racket.

“So, I cried in Melbourne and smashed the racket in Miami. They said, ‘Oh, he’s just got married and now he’s expecting a baby, so he’s going crazy because he must be really nervous about something.’ Or it’s, ‘Oh, he sees the end coming.’ I suppose I had shown so little in all the big matches I had won, so people started to believe they could read me, but they can’t. It’s good and it’s bad, but I know I can influence it in a big way, but I can’t always control the winning and the losing, especially the losing.”

There are not many who expect him to endure that sensation these next two weeks. He is about to become a father, which excites him immensely. No one — bar the couple and their closest family — knows when Mirka is due, but we understand that it is within the month. And so what if . . .

“We actually haven’t talked about it,” Federer says. “We have not announced the date, but let us just say . . . well, it’s Mirka’s decision. I know she would say, ‘You go and play and join me later.’ I want to be there, of course. We will juggle it as well as we can. At the moment she is doing just fine, I am there to support her. She’s doing great, we are very happy.

“People ask me what is next and it’s a fair question. Today, my love of the game is so strong that I’m not worried about motivation, I actually think having a child will motivate me more. I would like to play for many more years and that is Mirka’s wish as well. What has happened in this pregnancy has opened my mind, that is nice.

“I have come back again to Wimbledon to start from scratch. What happened last year is gone, it doesn’t matter. It was logical to lose one day and Rafa deserved it, absolutely. I am honoured, proud and excited to be back. I have come back to win. I need a good result to satisfy my needs.”