Roger Federer: It’s Very Clear, Rafa Is The Favorite To Win The French Open, Then Novak!

Hope joker reads Fed’s presser.

May 25th, 2014 at 6:01 pm

Once again, the man comes across as an arrogant prick with his comments. Hope he loses early in the rounds.

May 25th, 2014 at 6:02 pm

@harry:

please, since I presume that you too have read this interview in French (I just couldn’t see when he said that), help me: I am certain that Roger commented mostly the sensationalism of the journalists, nothing else.

May 25th, 2014 at 6:08 pm

Here is the full quote:

“Q. Qu’en est-il de NOVAK ? Selon vous depuis 6 semaines que diriez vous de Novak, est-il le favori ? Et c’est normal ?”

R. Pas pour moi en tout cas, pour vous peut-être. Il y a 3 semaines de cela, il avait dû mal lorsqu’il était blessé, il ne pouvait plus jouer du tout. Mon dieu, c’est terrible, et là maintenant il joue très très bien. Ce n’est pas semaine après semaine. Je ne sais pas qui dit cela, mais Rafa favori, puis Novak, puis les autres… Peu importe d’ailleurs qui est le favori ou pas, on verra qui va gagner dans quelques semaines. Cela n’a aucune importance.”

First, the person that transcribe this interview still has to go to school; it should be “Est-ce normal?”, “du”. The punctuation could also be a problem.

May 25th, 2014 at 6:13 pm

I don’t know what Roger said but I know what Novak’s doctor professor Adolfo Panfili said:
http://www.gazzetta.it/Tennis/21-05-2014/tennis-medico-djokovic-dal-polso-dieta-ecco-suoi-segreti-80722513034.shtml

May 25th, 2014 at 6:46 pm

Roger isn’t digging at Novak here. Rather, he’s parodying the media-generated narrative of Novak-as-sudden-favorite at the French.

May 25th, 2014 at 6:55 pm

@BKR

Great link! Thank you!

May 25th, 2014 at 7:09 pm

Preach it Fed!

May 25th, 2014 at 7:14 pm

Great comment. Agree 100%.
Matt, not necessarily an error. could be meant as “And that’s normal?” Makes sense either way.

May 25th, 2014 at 7:26 pm

It’s about time the Arrogant One started towing the Rafa Nation official line.

#respect#

May 25th, 2014 at 8:12 pm

@mat4, my pleasure.

May 25th, 2014 at 8:45 pm

can’t believe roger’s wife was already in the stands watching him play again. she deserves a medal. twins? what twins?

May 25th, 2014 at 9:10 pm

Finally at home relaxing and watching Federer. My god, he is still such an elegant but powerful force. I absolutely love watching him. Don’t expect him to win or even want him to win but very thankful he continues to bring grace to a tennis court. :D

May 25th, 2014 at 10:06 pm

I have my men’s and women’s picks up at http://tennisabides.com

May 25th, 2014 at 11:10 pm

Thanks papa Fed for your nice words and your backing, but most of all your helping hands on the court. I am waiting for you to do that.Hehehehe.

May 25th, 2014 at 11:42 pm

@BKR: Aw, the video is great, thanks ;) Jane, Wog Boy, you guys are missing something…

@mat4: Sorry, I had gone out for a few drinks with a bunch of friends & i couldn’t reply more quickly (it is a long weekend here in the US). But yes… those journalists ;) it appears that Roger is just reacting to the media. But I agree with with le Fed — Rafa is the favorite, given his history @ RG & @ clay. Plus we don’t know how well Nole’s wrist is going to hold up against the big hitters in his draw (I don’t know if any of them may trigger his wrist problems again). But there are lot of caveats: I have noticed that Fed is more open in his French interviews than he is in English interviews, which is understandable (perhaps he is even more open in Swiss German, but I don’t know). Also, my French (and German) are not sophisticated — i can understand Fed & Genie Bouchard fully (it is not their mother tongue too!), but the Stanimal is, for example, a bit difficult…

May 26th, 2014 at 12:53 am

Roger is very candid and outspoken to mention that he is not the favourite. These days, Roger is playing the sport just with sheer joy and passion and not with high ambitions. He just wants to enjoy whatever the game offers and he is playing more for the crowd and his devout fans. He pretty well knows that he is past his best and his good days are behind him. But still, he never wants to give it up and it is creditable for him to still amongst the top four which is a tribute for his greatness. That said, Roger’s chances (if there are any) will only be at Wimbledon, draw permitting.

May 26th, 2014 at 1:35 am

federer actually likes nadal more than djokovic. i can guarantee when they’re all retired, it will be federer and nadal sharing boxes at wimbledon etc., not fed and djoker.

that’s because nadal has always been submissive to federer and it fuels federer’s ego.
federer hated nadal early on because nadal kept beating him and being so gentlemanly about it too.
it drove federer crazy. funny times.
but fed seemed to basically accept things over time and now as long as nadal has less slams than him he probably has no ill feelings towards rafa.

djoker locked horns with federer early on and djoker is far more of an ego-maniac than nadal. the the mix is more abrasive between fed and djoker as a result.
it’s two ego-maniacs squaring off.

so it’s quite interesting that fed fans support djoker and hate nadal.
but we know why, of course.
if djoker had 16 slams right now, they’d be die-hard nadal fans and praying for nadal to win RG.

May 26th, 2014 at 1:41 am

Apprently she roy has been hanging out with Fed, Nadal and Djoker. Didn’t know she knew them so intimately.
Do they shave during the evening or in the morning?

May 26th, 2014 at 1:53 am

@harry:

Sorry, thought you were French.

On the other side, I was born 30 km from Lausanne, so I understand “Stanimal” very well.

@skeezer:

Of course, they shave in the morning. And they definitely don’t care for each other… a lot.

May 26th, 2014 at 3:03 am

Of all the nonsense you have spouted Roy this ego fuelled rant tops the lot. (Please note the word ‘ego’). You have managed to insult three great players and their fans by claiming insight into their personas and their relationships.
Enjoy the FO.

May 26th, 2014 at 4:33 am

Thanks to Bad Knee Rules for the Gazzetta link. Looks like this italian professor found the cause for the wrist problem and rectified it. So you can be reasonably certain that his wrist will stay healthy.

May 26th, 2014 at 5:27 am

Golden Child @May 25th 6.02pm,such choice language….

May 26th, 2014 at 5:57 am

Alison. Makes you wonder about Tennis X moderators . They can’t get it right ! That post should never have been published.
C’mon moderators, get your act together. It is very obvious you don’t have a clue as to which posters to moderate or which posts should be deleted.

May 26th, 2014 at 6:15 am

Giles exactly….

May 26th, 2014 at 6:27 am

omg! nishi on the verge of getting ousted in the opener. :(

May 26th, 2014 at 7:58 am

To roy: It might be that some Federer’s fanbase do like Djokovic because of his play style that is more similar to Federer’s style than Nadal’s style is to Federer’s? Djokovic can grind and play good defensive style like Nadal but he also hit alot of winners and play aggressive. In the ego question we do not know them in person.

May 26th, 2014 at 12:37 pm

Hmm, I wonder if there is an actual market for Federer/Nadal/Djokovic fanfiction…

May 26th, 2014 at 12:47 pm

Some Federer fans have Andy as their second favorite,and dont care for Rafa or Novak as players,some fans only like Federer and thats it,some like only Nadal and thats it etc etc,some dont have favorites and just love to watch anyone and everyone for the pure love of the game,i mean for goodness sake whats the big deal anyway??

May 26th, 2014 at 1:05 pm

^And theres M whos a fan of both Federer and Nadal,and likes their very different contrasting styles of tennis,all a matter of preferance,but i still dont see why people seem to make an issue out of whos a fan of whom^….

May 26th, 2014 at 1:18 pm

To Hippy Chick, you are replying to roy? He is poster who brings up who likes which more.

May 26th, 2014 at 1:20 pm

^It was a generalisation^.

May 26th, 2014 at 1:23 pm

@Hippy:

My case is clear though: among Roger, Rafa, and Novak, my fav has always been Maria.

May 26th, 2014 at 1:28 pm

Mat4 lol and what man doesnt except for our Colin maybe,no offence but id be surprised if she won this??

May 26th, 2014 at 1:36 pm

Mat4 my favorites are Rafa and Andy,i admire and respect the achievements of Roger and Novak,and i admire Fabio Fognini for very different,and very shallow reasons lol….

May 26th, 2014 at 1:39 pm

Some of us seem distracted or insanely hurt by Roger’s analysis. It’s simple..if there’s anyone an outright favourite in RG it’s to be Rafa…Novak can change the dynamic this year if he manages to beat Rafa as Rafa did by beating Roger in W- 2008. While, I still believe it’s almost impossible to imagine Rafa loosing in the Final of RG..Rafa will be vulnerable in early rounds..He may fall early or will catch the glory.. However, If Novak manages to beat Rafa in the final that’ll make Novak the second best clay courter of his generation..but, I warn u not to expect that in final Rafa will crumble in fact with some tweaking and tinkering Rafa can solve the problems by killing or neutralising Novak’s backhand or forcing Novak into hurried play and implanting doubt to push him off the rhythm..But, Novak can’t miss the chance this time or it’ll get thornier for him..He may have to retire without a French open. A player who’s beaten Rafa so many times in authoritative fashion doesn’t deserve such a fate. While, for Roger it depends on with many “Ifs”.

May 26th, 2014 at 2:10 pm

Stans stuggling and on the cusp of going two sets to one down hmm….

May 26th, 2014 at 2:44 pm

@Hippy:

Shallow reasons are often the best reasons… At least, they are honest, earnest, and “true”, to quote your fav.

May 26th, 2014 at 3:13 pm

Mat4 lol truejust to say though Hugh Jackman is drop dead gorgeous as well as been an amazing actor,so im not always that shallow i suppose ha ha….

May 26th, 2014 at 3:18 pm

[…] he was happy that friend and rival Rafael Nadal took home another French Open title. The Swiss also reminded reporters that he always thought Rafa was the favorite to win despite his less than Rafa-like results this […]

June 10th, 2014 at 8:37 am

What roy said was spot on. Nadal always respected Federer and knew his place. Djokovic was more confrontational and did not respect Fed’s stature. He openly challenged Fed before matches. Fed demanded submission to his supremacy, Rafa gave it willingly (but not on court), Nole did not. So Fed has always liked Rafa more, just not on court.

I don’t think he’s ever liked Djoker.

June 10th, 2014 at 9:24 am