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A lot of talk has gone on as Djokovic and Nadal close in on Federer's records, that Roger was a weak era GOAT, his records are not as impressive, etc.
And I just laugh at that.
Many times Federer has had his back to the wall, one match where if he had lost, Djoko or Rafa or both would have had a much better case for GOAT than Roger.
I fully believe that Roger still plays not just for the love of the game and the faint chance of another slam, but to bar Djoko and Rafa from overcoming his records himself. Not waiting for them to get old or the next gen to mature. To stop them himself. He does not want to end up like Sampras, declared the GOAT upon retirement but being usurped 3 times in 15 years. For Fed it might be even worse. He'd be usurped BEFORE EVEN RETIRING.
So, knowing all of this, Roger has had many performances especially this decade where he stood tall and denied at least temporarily, the erasing of his legacy.
1. 2019 WTF RR3 vs Djokovic. WTF title record on the line, YE #1 on the line, weeks at #1 in peril. Federer turned back the clock 15 years to save his billion dollar empire.
2. 2019 Wimbledon SF vs. Nadal. A Nadal victory here puts him within shouting distance. A win over Djoker and maybe we already are talking about Rafa as the GOAT. But Roger pulled out an incredible performance to keep his place in history secure. At least for now.
3. 2017 AO F vs. Nadal. The obvious one. Don't think I need to explain much more on this one.
4. 2012 Wimbledon SF vs. Djokovic. A forgotten one imo, but very important. Fed had not won a slam since AO 2010. His level was slipping and falling. If he lost this match, he may have not won a slam for 7 full seasons! Another slam for Djoker and another less for Fed. So long to the legacy if he had lost this one.
5. 2011 RG SF vs. Djokovic. Sure it was early. But if Nole wins here, and he owned Rafa that year, you could easily see Nole having won the mythical CYGS such were the heights of his level in 2011. Where would Roger be in history then? Sure Fed lost to Nadal in the finals, again, but Fed can afford if Rafa wins another RG because his records are better elsewhere.
6. 2010 WTF F vs. Nadal, another forgotten one since Fed won it going away at the end, but if Rafa finally won a WTF title? And Roger has one less? Not to mention the psychological blows.
So there we have 6 matches off the top of my head where if Fed had lost, his legacy would look very very different to what it does now. But Roger won. All 6 of them.
We will see if the trend continues in 2020.
Any other legacy saving matches I missed? Maybe Miami 2005 just to salvage some kind of mental edge with Nadal from the previous year?
And I just laugh at that.
Many times Federer has had his back to the wall, one match where if he had lost, Djoko or Rafa or both would have had a much better case for GOAT than Roger.
I fully believe that Roger still plays not just for the love of the game and the faint chance of another slam, but to bar Djoko and Rafa from overcoming his records himself. Not waiting for them to get old or the next gen to mature. To stop them himself. He does not want to end up like Sampras, declared the GOAT upon retirement but being usurped 3 times in 15 years. For Fed it might be even worse. He'd be usurped BEFORE EVEN RETIRING.
So, knowing all of this, Roger has had many performances especially this decade where he stood tall and denied at least temporarily, the erasing of his legacy.
1. 2019 WTF RR3 vs Djokovic. WTF title record on the line, YE #1 on the line, weeks at #1 in peril. Federer turned back the clock 15 years to save his billion dollar empire.
2. 2019 Wimbledon SF vs. Nadal. A Nadal victory here puts him within shouting distance. A win over Djoker and maybe we already are talking about Rafa as the GOAT. But Roger pulled out an incredible performance to keep his place in history secure. At least for now.
3. 2017 AO F vs. Nadal. The obvious one. Don't think I need to explain much more on this one.
4. 2012 Wimbledon SF vs. Djokovic. A forgotten one imo, but very important. Fed had not won a slam since AO 2010. His level was slipping and falling. If he lost this match, he may have not won a slam for 7 full seasons! Another slam for Djoker and another less for Fed. So long to the legacy if he had lost this one.
5. 2011 RG SF vs. Djokovic. Sure it was early. But if Nole wins here, and he owned Rafa that year, you could easily see Nole having won the mythical CYGS such were the heights of his level in 2011. Where would Roger be in history then? Sure Fed lost to Nadal in the finals, again, but Fed can afford if Rafa wins another RG because his records are better elsewhere.
6. 2010 WTF F vs. Nadal, another forgotten one since Fed won it going away at the end, but if Rafa finally won a WTF title? And Roger has one less? Not to mention the psychological blows.
So there we have 6 matches off the top of my head where if Fed had lost, his legacy would look very very different to what it does now. But Roger won. All 6 of them.
We will see if the trend continues in 2020.
Any other legacy saving matches I missed? Maybe Miami 2005 just to salvage some kind of mental edge with Nadal from the previous year?