[mikeqq]

Hi all,

Hope if it's ok if I start a separate thread on this. I just wanted to compare Federer's performance against Tomic in 2012 and 2013.

I thought he played a lot more relaxed and passively this year compared to 2012. The match last year was humiliating for Tomic, with Federer hitting winners left, right, and centre. Federer played with great intensity and urgency in 2012 against Tomic. Today it felt like he was just sitting on cruise control.

In today's match he seems happy enough just to get the ball back most of the time, and produced some loose errors. I was worried especially in set 2, as he was constantly playing BPs extremely passively and not converting.

I think Fed was purposely playing at half capacity today in order to conserve energy, a tactic he may use more and more as he gets older. I saw this in the match against Davydenko as well.

Hopefully he can pull out the intensity I've been missing in the later matches, especially if he meets Murray in the semifinal, or Djokovic in the final.

Cheers for reading.

[End da Game]

federer is a year closer to retirement and tomic is a year closer to his 'peak' compare to in 2012, so its not surprising that the match this time was closer

[Sharpshooter]

Courier and Hewitt said there has been no decline in Federer's game and the reason he hasn't been winning as many majors as he did from 04-07 and this is Hewitt's words btw "Rafa and Novak came along".

Courier also said that the only difference he can spot in Fed's game is with his FH. Against Rafa and Novak he believes that Fed is prone to making errors off the FH side against them mainly because Fed knows they are incredible at defending so he is under the illusion he has to go for more or else it's coming back.

I noticed tonight Fed was sliding a lot more than I usually see him slide on HC, but Tomic played much more aggresively tonight compared to last year and this was forcing Federer to have to play a bit more defensive. Tomic was at times dictating a lot of the play.

[Looner]

Originally Posted by Sharpshooter

Courier and Hewitt said there has been no decline in Federer's game and the reason he hasn't been winning as many majors as he did from 04-07 and this is Hewitt's words btw "Rafa and Novak came along".

Courier also said that the only difference he can spot in Fed's game is with his FH. Against Rafa and Novak he believes that Fed is prone to making errors off the FH side against them mainly because Fed knows they are incredible at defending so he is under the illusion he has to go for more or else it's coming back.

I noticed tonight Fed was sliding a lot more than I usually see him slide on HC, but Tomic played much more aggresively tonight compared to last year and this was forcing Federer to have to play a bit more defensive. Tomic was at times dictating a lot of the play.

.

[Sharpshooter]

Originally Posted by Looner

.

Sorry Fedtard, I didn't realise you know more than Courier and Hewitt.

[Jverweij]

No decline with Federer? He's a step and a half slower than he used to be. This affects so much of his game. He can no longer be as aggressive as he was, and he drops the ball short way more often than he used to.

OT: Tomic has improved alot, this much is clear. His footwork is alot better, and so are his serve and especially his forehand. If he keeps this up he might seriously threaten Fed next year.

[Gusztav]

OP, we must have been watching completely different matches, I have it exactly the other way around.

[Looner]

Originally Posted by Sharpshooter

Sorry Fedtard, I didn't realise you know more than Courier and Hewitt.

With that reply, you claim to be unbiased. Let me guess - you're a Djokotard .

EDIT: This is what Fed thinks about your logic.

[Singularity]

Originally Posted by Sharpshooter

Courier and Hewitt said there has been no decline in Federer's game and the reason he hasn't been winning as many majors as he did from 04-07 and this is Hewitt's words btw "Rafa and Novak came along".

Courier also said that the only difference he can spot in Fed's game is with his FH. Against Rafa and Novak he believes that Fed is prone to making errors off the FH side against them mainly because Fed knows they are incredible at defending so he is under the illusion he has to go for more or else it's coming back.

I noticed tonight Fed was sliding a lot more than I usually see him slide on HC, but Tomic played much more aggresively tonight compared to last year and this was forcing Federer to have to play a bit more defensive. Tomic was at times dictating a lot of the play.

When Federer retires, he can sell his anti-ageing formula, and make millions.

[paseo]

Originally Posted by Sharpshooter

Sorry Fedtard, I didn't realise you know more than Courier and Hewitt.

Before attacking other poster about this, you should realize that tennis "experts", commentators, retired players, even some active players have an agenda to promote tennis. They need to say stuff that give a positive light on current tennis (Djokovic, Nadal, Murray and younger generation). Fed is a declining legend on his way out. If they say stuff like "This Federer, even in his 30s and a step slower, still owning these youngsters with ease", it would not have a positive impact on casual and potential fans.

Murray in a recent interview (I forgot where I watched the video) was saying along the lines where he likes to find weaknesses in Fed's game when Fed was still at his best. And then, as though he doesn't want to came out sounding like he was dissing the current Federer, said something like "well, he's a still great player now". It can be implied that Murray think that Fed is not as good as he once was.

If you think I'm reaching with the Murray story, then there's a very easy way to know how Fed has declined. Use your eyes. Watch videos of Fed at his prime. Or just remember it, if you followed tennis long enough.

[GSMnadal]

We all know how Fed/Tomic 2014 is going to end: