Roger Federer Is Already Practicing On Clay For The Davis Cup Final!

by Tom Gainey | October 16th, 2014, 11:03 am
  • 54 Comments

What would Roger Federer rather do, finish No. 1 or win the Davis Cup? If asked, the Swiss who finished in the top spot five times, might choose the Davis Cup, arguably the biggest omission from his stellar resume right now.

The 33-year Federer is set to return to Basel next week. But instead of practicing on indoor hardcourts in preparation for his home event, according to this tweet from yesterday he’s already looking ahead to the Davis Cup finals in November on the red clay in Lille, France:



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54 Comments for Roger Federer Is Already Practicing On Clay For The Davis Cup Final!

Brando GOAT poster Says:

Huh, surprised by that. Why would he care about Davis Cup? After all according to the wise ones here and elsewhere all we have read over the years is how it’s a archaic, dated,unimportant event. Funny how some change their tune when all of a sudden their fav has a chance of winning it!


Giles Says:

Allez France!! Lol


Humble Rafa Says:

No news here. I practice on clay courts every day, no matter what season. That’s where you play real tennis.

If you socks has no dirt, you didn’t play tennis.


Perfect fan Says:

wow….rly surprised by that move by roger. but this shows one thing….that fed is more serious about bringing DC to switzerland than going for the YEN1.

but having said that, the DC tie is going to be a tough one….the french team of tsonga, monfils, richard n simon on clay is a formidable force. so I would say, a commendable move by roger. lets hope that stan too raise his game on his fav surface. I ve a gut feeling that the doubles tie could be the decider.


SG1 Says:

Once in a while, I get this feeling that articles are written with the sole purpose of illiciting a comment from Humble Rafa. This feels like one of those moments.


SG1 Says:

A Davis Cup win for Switzerland would be another thing to scratch off the bucket list for Federer. Federer and Stan are two of the better clay courters going. France going with Gasquet and Tsonga? Maybe Simon would be an interesting choice as well. I look at Simon and think he’d be a good doubles player. He seems to have that classy flair.


skeezer Says:

Let’s see…first 3 posts are from Rafa lovers…..
Jealous much? LOL.

France will be very tough. They have a deeper squad. Glad Fed is taking it serious by early practice.


SG1 Says:

Love how Fed squeezed in the advertisement for his new stick.


dheeraj Says:

Dear humble rafa, real tennis is on grass not clay. Grass was the surface where kings played tennis and grass is the surface on which tennis was born. If I had to get my socks dirty I would rather roll in mud than play tennis there.
Well, Ryan Giggs never won a wc in fifa but no one says he is not a legend. And if wales ever got a chance to play in and win wc during Giggs’ s time I am sure I would support him. Team games depend on a good team. If you don’t have a good team to back your talents, then it would be a waste to keep participating or even care about. But now as suisse has got another star in wawrinka.. federer is giving the importance again to davis cup.


sienna Says:

ofcourse this means he feels good for Garros 2015.


skeezer Says:

@SG1
Yep saw that too. Have you seen anyone playing with it yet on the courts? Curious..


SX1 Says:

Fed just doesn’t care about DC if he was serious about it then he would not have skipped it during 2004-2012 ..he just wants to win it once so that he can shut the people who points it again & again


TennisVagabond.com Says:

Good choice. Should be an amazing contest.

I don’t think Fed fans have ever downplayed DC’s importance, but defended Federer by the fact is its a team event. Even the best player in the world can only win two singles matches. Someone else has to get the third.

Fed has an elite teammate now, but no more so than the Spanish Armada heyday, Novak and Tipsarevic.
Which makes the wins by those 1 star teams, like Czech Republic, so special.

This French team too is loaded with top-ten talent.


Sirius Says:

^Exactly


RZ Says:

The biggest surprise here is that Fed’s socks are dirty. They never seem to get clay on them when he plays at RG.


RZ Says:

The DC final will be tough because in addition to the depth of the French team, the French have very good doubles players. It’s really going to come down to Fed + Stan winning 3 of the 4 singles rubbers.


Daniel Says:

Tsonga and Monfils are batlin injuries and I doubt Gasquet will became a French Hero all of a suden. Jus hope Stan win one of his matches. He can get nervous in tia big matches.


Brando GOAT poster Says:

Swiss will win this easily and in a comfortable manner. Even if France fields a fully fit team- a challenge itself- they have no real steady head in big matches at all. Federer will definitely win his 2 matches and Wawrinka just needs to win one. Put simply: it’s on a plate for the Swiss and only wobbly minds can see them let it slip now!


Gregoire Gentil Says:

I would not be surprised that Fed/Stan skip the double as the French are too good for Saturday. Even at 1-1 on Friday night, that would make some sense.


RZ Says:

@Gregoire – I agree. I think if Fed and Stan go 2-0 on day one, they would both sit out on day 2, especially if they are tired from playing the WTF.


Wog boy Says:

I wouldn’t bet all my money on Swiss, I would put Simon and Tsonga first day as long as they are healthy. On clay Federer serve and coming to net doesn’t really work as they do on HC and yet he needed two TBs to beat Simon on fast and low bouncing Shanghai court. France is in with big chance to win.


Humble Rafa Says:

Frech Chokemeisters will look at this video and faint.

But if they keep their head, even the B-man, Beneteau can beat the Swiss.


Purcell Says:

SX1: Fed did not skip Davis Cup from 2004 to 2012. Check the facts like I did when I got sick of people claiming this.


Humble Rafa Says:

If the Swiss win the DC, which Swiss player had the year of his life?

Think about that for one minute.


Wog boy Says:

Beneteau can’t last three sets, nevertheless five, that is his problem.


elina Says:

Tsonga hasn’t played since end of September and Monfils not in over a month.

DC final will be a damp squib.

Swiss will win deservedly so for hard work to get to the final.


Wog boy Says:

“Swiss will win deservedly so for hard work to get to the final.”

Hard work? Who did they play on their way to final?


Polo Says:

Humble Rafa, even if Federer had won two majors against Wawrinka’s one, Stan would still be the Swiss who had the year of his life.


Polo Says:

HR…a minute is really too long to figure that out.


skeezer Says:

Giants in the WS! Yes!


Okiegal Says:

@Skeezer…….Cardinal fan here…..you and I can’t agree on anything!! Good look to the Giants….I’m National League all the way!!


Okiegal Says:

@Skeezer……Who is your favorite pro football and college teams??


skeezer Says:

Okiegal,
Commerisations. Why did the manager put in a pitcher who hasn’t pitched in 20 days in that situation? Happy we won, but felt bad for the pitcher of the Cards…


Okiegal Says:

@Skeezer……Who knows why they do what they do! My brother is a retired high school baseball coach. After he quit coaching he was a scout for the Cardinals. He is a very close friend of the “White Rat” Whitey Herzog. They go on a fishing trip at the end of October.They go to lake Texoma…..not too far from Ada. They have done this for years. My brother has been a Cards fan for all his life, so naturally I am too!

Do you watch football? You didn’t answer the question about your favorite teams. I’m trying to see if we can agree on something in the sports arena!! Lol


boojay Says:

Objectively speaking, it’s not a big omission at all. Until recently, the Davis Cup has been nothing but glorified exhibition matches, and even with points being awarded now, it’s still worth less than a 250 event. Finishing No. 1 again would far surpass any and every Davis Cup win ever. Winning DC is icing on the cake, but not at all needed in order to further his legacy.


Giles Says:

Rumour out there that in a few hours fed will be announcing his withdrawal from Paris. Let’s see.


Hippy Chick Says:

I think it will not be easy,but the Swiss will win the tie depending on whom faces whom,Joe beat Fed last at the FO in straight sets,so that wont be a gimee but if Fed plays at his best then he should win,disagree with Elina in that Tsonga and Monflis having not played for a month will make the fresh,and also dangerous if both are at their best,anyone can have an off day,and anyone can have a day where they play lights out tennis,and apart from the AO and Monte Carlo,Stans blown hot and cold all year….


elina Says:

If you think Stan has blown hot and cold all year, you should have a look at Tsonga and Monfils!

If both are at their best then they would provide competition but that is my whole point.

They both have serious injuries. May not even play. Most players returning from injuries need match play to return to form, let alone to be at their best. Rusty is no way to have chances against the Swiss, especially the Fed.

Simon, Gasquet and Benneteau would have a better chance.


Hippy Chick Says:

That is why i said if THE FED is at his best the swiss should win the tie….


Dc Says:

Humble Rafa Says:
Frech Chokemeisters will look at this video and faint.

But if they keep their head, even the B-man, Beneteau can beat the Swiss.

October 16th, 2014 at 7:08 pm
————–
Just like if world number 100+ keep their head, they can beat the day lights out of Nadal at grand slams.


Polo Says:

The Davis Cup is not an event I follow. I just don’t find it interesting. I don’t think tennis is meant to be a team sport.


SX1 Says:

@Purcell

He always played playoff to keep the swiss in world group but never played in WG during that period so that shows his interest


Ben Pronin Says:

High school and college tennis are team sports. It’s not a natural team sport but it can certainly can be.


skeezer Says:

DC is a blast if you see it in person. Because of the format, you get to see some intense Tennis over a few days, rather than a few weeks. Saw over a 2 day period once, Sampras, Agassi, and Mac ( doubs ) for USA and was fun. Guess it depends who it is and the Country. Lots of cheering goes on…..
Agree its hard to call tennis a team sport, it’s not.


Steve 27 Says:

Tilden, Laver, Rosewall, Borg, McEnroe, Sampras, Becker, Edberg, Wilander, Agassi, Nadal, Djokovic among others won the Davis Cup.
If Berdych and Stepanek they succeeded, I’m sure this Swiss team can too.
If they do not, they can only blame themselves.


SG1 Says:

skeezer Says:
@SG1
Yep saw that too. Have you seen anyone playing with it yet on the courts? Curious

——

I’ve not seen anyone play with it yet but I’ve seen it and held it at my local pro shop. It’s a nice looking stick. Damned heavy though! Not sure this racket would suit me. I’ll demo it at some point…just for kicks.

I’m looking at getting a K-Six One 95S. Have to try it out though? What’s your racket of choice?


skeezer Says:

@SG1
Played with a Prince Graphite OS for years. Now playing with Prince Tour 100. What are you playing with atm?


SG1 Says:

You’re playing with great equipment. I don’t play a Prince but I’ve tried them and they’re fantastic. I play with a Pro Staff Hyper Carbon 5.0 Stretch. Racket is old school but I still love it. Bought it back in 2000 or 2001.

I string it with Babolat RPM team.


SG1 Says:

Skeezer,

How does the new Prince 100 compare to the classic one?


skeezer Says:

SG1,
That Pro Staff Hyper is a good stick!
Mine new PT plays lighter obviously, with a bit more pop. The control and feel are close to the POG, but you know, the POG was / still is one of the best ever. It wasn’t easy switching. I string a hybrid Lexilon Big bang on the mains with a synthetic on the crosses.
How is the Babolot RPM?


SG1 Says:

Yup. The Prince OS 100 is one of those truly classic modern rackets. Like the Pro Staff 85. I’m tempted to try another stick because I’d like to get a little more pop and spin on my shots …not getting any younger ya’ know :)

As for the Babolat RPM team, it’s a good string. It doesn’t necessarily have the feel of a Synthetic or Natural gut (harder feel). It has slightly better feel than the Babolar RPM Blast which I’ve also used. I’ve only recently ventured into the world of polyester strings. I like them. Lots of spin potential. I like relatively high tension (63 lb) so when I strung poly string at 58 lb, I initially cringed. This being said, I now couldn’t imagine playing a poly a string at 63 lb. I’d probably end up with a really sore arm.


SG1 Says:

The hybrid set-up you have is something I’d like to try at one point. A lot of folks (and pros) swear by Luxilon ALU Power strings. Federer himself plays a hybrid set-up with the poly being Luxilon.


skeezer Says:

Ih so the RPM is a poly? Yeah pretty much the same stringing philosophy here on thr poly’s. For me, I had to string it approx -10% less the norm( 53lbs now, was 60lbs ) with the Lex ALU. its a stiff string. Its a lot of fun. Way more spin ;). If I srtung it the normal tension, way to stiff. Best of luck on your racket search.


Purcell Says:

SX1@11:05………clearly then, to you this is not an indication that he ‘shows interest.’ Never mind.

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