Roger Federer: I Won’t Panic, I’ll Just Go Back To Work And Come Back Stronger

Remember is to live again, say the old.
Nothing lasts forever

June 26th, 2013 at 7:06 pm

Good luck Fed! Rather have Fed in top 4 than outside It for sure. It’s a bummer seeing true legends decline. First Rafa and now him, real bummer. The truth is there’s no one out there that can step up and replace the buzz, x factor Fedal bring to the table. No one. Thankfully it’s Wimby: so Muzza can ride the home support. But outside that: it’s not looking good IMO.

June 26th, 2013 at 7:22 pm

Well said Brando.

Commissarion to Roger and all his fans skeezer,michael,thomas,.alex, gannu and so on.
Your man will be back.

June 26th, 2013 at 7:36 pm

Some people have pointed to the latterday Sampras as a comparison to the Federer of today. That is, Sampras continued battling on, in a kind of solitary splendour, until he finally got another slam at the US – and then he promptly retired.

I don’t think the comparison works. Sampras really didn’t want to carry on. He forced himself into one final heave, and got what he wanted. But he knew he no longer had it in him to get another slam – especially, he didn’t have the desire.

Federer does have the desire. His sense of motivation is extraordinary. But just because of this, he may find it difficult to properly assess where he stands in relation to his rivals.

Of course, if all he wanted to do was to play tennis on the tour, then that wouldn’t matter. But that seems inconceivable. Competition, and a sense of aiming for the very highest honours, is in his life blood.

So if Federer really intends to keep on for another 3 or 4 years, he may have to get used to losing on the big occasion.

June 26th, 2013 at 7:37 pm

A desperate plea on behalf of 2 cats..if you Skeezer, please let them know.

Skeezer may have realized the end is near for the Arrogant One and may be depressed but your cats will always be waiting for you.

June 26th, 2013 at 8:35 pm

Thanks for all the wonderful memories Federer. The true fans will always be with you even in your toughest times.

Go Roger!

June 26th, 2013 at 8:45 pm

Many Rafa fans came out and posted after Rafa’s loss.

But where the gangsters now ??

Skeezer, contador ?

June 26th, 2013 at 9:26 pm

Hope this is a lesson to the Arrotards.

People who live in glass houses should not throw stones at other people, especially Humble ones.

June 26th, 2013 at 9:43 pm

Finally an era has ended. This loss has some similarities to Sampras’ loss to George Bastl in 2002. All Champions go through this phase. Sampras turned it around and won his 5th USO in a matter of 2 months.

Federer has much better shot at winning another USO than Sampras had at that time. I am certain Roger will win another slam and maybe even two, if he plays into the late 30s, like he plans to.

June 26th, 2013 at 10:03 pm

His quarter is wide open now. And he’s about to lose a lot of rankings points. Might even drop out of the top 4. Nadal had no points to defend (well a negligible amount), so I’m expecting a rise possibly for him.

June 26th, 2013 at 10:27 pm

Roger just could not raise his level at the important moments in match. I thought he had the match in his racquet in the 1st game of the 3rd set, when he had 2 set points and easy FH, which he could not take it.

There were many instances in the match at the key moments, Roger was indecisive and did not trust his aggressive play. Overall it was not a bad match from him.

June 26th, 2013 at 10:30 pm

Well I see Humble Rafa and TennisZod here but no Roger Federer Fan?

June 26th, 2013 at 10:42 pm

A lot of people really enjoyed watching Stakhovsky play from my local tennis circle. So much so that one realizes that a lot of people are looking to watch more stylistic variety. I am a baseline ball basher and I like watching baseline ball bashers but got lots of texts from people appreciating stakhovsky game style.

June 26th, 2013 at 10:44 pm

“Well I see Humble Rafa and TennisZod here but no Roger Federer Fan?”

Not good time for Fed fans. RFF depressed I think.

June 26th, 2013 at 10:53 pm

^well you know I an a big advocate of that style, wish it came back to compliment the variety for fans. It was great back in the day to see a Agassi/Sampras….or Borg/Mac match. Too much of either style creates boredom from a fan stand point. But S&V, when executed properly, is the ultimate offensive weapon of which no defense can penetrate.

June 26th, 2013 at 10:56 pm

Skeezer,

I am sure your cats are relieved. Don’t worry, the Arrogant One will play for 4 more years…there is the first round streak to maintain.

Futures and satellite tournaments are always open to him based on his GOATness.

Humble Highness, Future World Number 1

June 26th, 2013 at 11:13 pm

Skeezer–I have started doing a little S+V myself, usually following in a strong T serve on the deuce court anticipating the backhand floater return. It is not really my game style at all, but I like to let the opponent know it is there, just to try to keep them off balance. Chrstian is a big S+V player. He, like you, has a lot of repect for the style, when done properly. Done improperly its a train wreck.

Recently I had a doubles partner who did S+V while I was at the net, and she didn’t have a particularly strong serve. I couldn’t figure out what she was doing or why she was doing it. Needless to say we did not win the match!

June 26th, 2013 at 11:30 pm

Roger has expressed his earnest desire to continue fighting like a never-say-die warrior. I like his positive attitude, his passion towards the game and overall the extraordinary motivation that he is able to acquire despite achieving everything a player could ask for. But, in my opinion, he has to be realistic keeping in mind his advancing age which will act as an impediment to his seeking more glory. He still is competitive in the field. Earlier he found it difficult only against the likes of Rafa, Novak and Andy. But today, he is losing to even sundry players and that should ring the alarm bells in his camp. The problem with Roger today is that he is not delivering on the big points and that has proved to be his achilles heel. Against Stakhovsky he had the match in his hands but he still couldn’t convert the many break points he had and shanked the shots. But the good thing about Roger is that his streak has come to an end only through a defeat and not by withdrawal or pull out and that explains the phenomenon of Roger, who is the one and only fit man in this sport.

June 27th, 2013 at 12:41 am

Metan,

Hope is tomorrow’s veneer towards today’s disappointment. Hope should never die. That keeps us working. What I appreciate about Roger and Rafa is the manner in which they took their defeat with all humility and grace. They will surely be back.

June 27th, 2013 at 12:45 am

Andy must be laughing. He had the toughest draw in the beginning and today his section looks pretty comfortable when related to Novak. Tsonga, Roger, Rafa and all the tough players have been eliminated and it is his Andy’s Wimbledon to lose.

June 27th, 2013 at 12:48 am

Sorry for Fed fans……..guess we can cry in our beer together!!

Vamos, Rafa and get rested up for the next tournament……whatever that will be.

June 27th, 2013 at 1:05 am

Michael.

I love to read all your post lately. Awesome thoughts!!! No one can replace Roger. He is One and Only. Hope he come back . Not playing for ranking and glory but for joy. He has nothing to prove. You get what I mean. Commissarition once more time. But credit to his opponent. He played fantastic game!!

I love your point about Rafa schedule on other threads.

June 27th, 2013 at 1:08 am

It’s really strange. Believe it or not, though shocking yesterday (and shocking the day before), Fed’s losses just don’t hurt that much any more. A state of acceptance I think you can call it.

I was so pleased to hear that Fed plans on playing for “many more years”, but then he always said that, before this “international shocker!”..certainly he will try until 2016, so another 3 at least and then presumably he will enter the senior tour and give Borg and Mcenroe a beat down!

It’s the end of an era in one way, the Fedal matches in my opinion provided so much excitement and a certain poignancy for me, especially now.

I did wonder last night though, whether Fed really looked at his opponent’s game beforehand, properly, or whether he thought to himself, “hey, no problem”, which would have been extremely careless. Then again, I couldn’t imagine that Annacone wouldn’t have done some scouting on Fed’s opponent.

It was a hell of a win for Stavs, and he was a beautiful player to watch – old school – Llodra type in many ways, who I think is an under rated player. Serves and Volleys beautifully, a dying art.

I hope that Federer doesn’t lose that passion for tennis. I really expect him to come back and I would love for him to show every one again that he can still win a slam – may be USOPEN?

Still, we have to move on now and try to enjoy the rest of the tournament, even though it feels very empty!

grendel, I agree with what you said above. The comparisons between Fed and Sampras, there is a huge gap – Sampras lost his passion for the game, Fed’s seems to grow bigger by the minute, despite the years playing on tour.

June 27th, 2013 at 1:39 am

Not so disappointed on Roger’s lost, great tennis was played by the two players. It’s so good to see someone beat Roger not just targeting his so called weakness (SB), but really playing his game, S & V is superb, hats off to Sergiy for playing so focussed, chasing every ball and never failed to believe that he can win .. and it paid off BIG time.

June 27th, 2013 at 2:29 am

Metan – Thanks !! Ofcourse this Wimbledon has lost its lustre deprived of its two illustrious Champions who have fallen early. But still there is more to be played. Let us hope Andy wins his first Wimbledon title. I do not think he will get another good opportunity like this with only Novak on his way.

June 27th, 2013 at 2:30 am

Faderer did not stop to sign autographs after losing, Rafa did
#BadLoser

June 27th, 2013 at 6:36 am

That is because Rafa has got accustomed to it.

If Fed loses again, he will be nice like Rafa ;)

June 27th, 2013 at 7:57 am

^^^ Nah. Just admit that Fed’s manners are suspect, to say the least.

June 27th, 2013 at 8:22 am

WTF, Fed will drop out of the top 4 after Wimbledon then he’s got his 450 Olympic points coming off on 5th August.

June 27th, 2013 at 10:23 am

How about Rafa’s ranking if Roger fall?? Is Rafa going up or going down?

June 27th, 2013 at 10:55 am

The run by Federer at the slams was incredible. It has to come to an end.

http://tennisdowntheline.blogspot.in/2013/06/federer-floored-on-weird-wimbledon.html

June 27th, 2013 at 11:03 am

Giles, I think smart and intelligent people would say a 27year old losing for a 2nd consecutive year after winning a slam on clay, before the 2nd round is a much worse than a 31year old who is well past his prime.

The keywords are SMART and INTELLIGENT.

June 27th, 2013 at 11:18 am

^^^ That’s right. Your man is too smart and intelligent but still lacks manners!

June 27th, 2013 at 11:22 am

PS. I think it’s called being a sooooore loser!

June 27th, 2013 at 11:23 am

Fed will drop to 5 and Rafa will go up to 4.

June 27th, 2013 at 11:24 am

I think truly smart and intelligent folk would grasp the fact that the two players are not in the same physical state. One may be 27 personally, but his legs are “older” than the other man’s. As Indiana Jones said, it’s not the years, it’s the mileage.

June 27th, 2013 at 11:32 am

Even if you by mileage, Rafa has only 750 matches. Rafa with 700 matches lost to Rosol, at 750 to Darcis.

Federer at 1050 matches, won a wimbledon last year. At around 750 matches, he had more achievements than Nadal.

As I said, it seems very clear that Federer has the best chance of playing beyond 35 than Nadal has of playing beyond 30.

Ofcourse both will end their careers as top 3 players of all time, but at this time Federer seems safe as the No.1 for atleast another 10years. Maybe even more.

June 27th, 2013 at 11:41 am

Interesting to watch Federer these days. I remember Pete in his final year or so. He had lost the ability to break serve. In his prime, he could will himself to a break when he needed it.

Fed’s going through the same thing. I think it started in 2009 with the Wimbledon final. Since then, I believe his return game has, from year to year, consistently declined. Not surprising, as you get a little older, your reflexes slow that tiny bit. Just enough to cost him some big points he used to win.

June 27th, 2013 at 12:51 pm

federers single handed backhand isn’t good enough against the power of today he chips and stabs at the ball too much now he needs double handed asap.

June 27th, 2013 at 3:22 pm

Lol, Sergiy Stakhovsky has a single handed backhand too.

June 27th, 2013 at 9:54 pm

Roger has seen a steady deteroriation in his overall game. With age, his serving speed has come down drastically. He is not able to execute down the line backhands with perfection and finesse as he did in his prime. The angles and corner hits are deserting him. All said and done, precision is a lacunae in his game today. I believe Roger when he says that he will work very hard and come back. I wish all the best to him. May be like Haas is doing today, Roger will find his lost game and that sublime touch that he is known for. Fans are hoping that Federer’s magic will enthrall us all once again. I am not overtly optimistic about it, but I keep hoping about it to feel happy.

June 28th, 2013 at 12:31 am

Well, Fed No. 5? Big deal. He replaces Rafa! So it’s okay for Rafa to be No. 5 (no comment from Giles there), but the moment Fed ‘drops’ to number 5, Giles heaps on the praise. Giles, if I were not mistaken, I would think that you are supporting the wrong person.

And as for manners, what a misguided person you are! Yours are atrocious here.

Federer is a gentleman in defeat and must be desperately upset at this loss, for so many reasons. Trying to recapture his win from 10 years ago, I would think that would have meant a lot to him. And when you think Giles that, on paper, (are you even bothered talking tennis, properly?), he lost the match by one point! But he actually lost it between his ears.

I think he has lost some confidence personally and I hope that he is able to get this back.

June 28th, 2013 at 9:15 am

I see the same Rafafanatics still living out there miserable existence here, pls continue, by the looks of it they have no life, nothing wasted. Just a bunch clueless looney’s enjoying what they call a “social evening.”

“They say even death can’t cure an idiot.”

June 28th, 2013 at 4:15 pm

Fed sportmanship:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7xVp9d_H50

June 28th, 2013 at 4:40 pm

Madmax, I have always respected your attitude and loyalty as Fed Fan never more than the past few years when he hasn’t been the dominant player of 2005-7.Your post at 9:15 embodies everything I always admired. You are a good fan. Your guy will give you a few more good ones.

June 28th, 2013 at 7:59 pm