Roger Federer: “We Need A Clown For This Circus” [Video]

by Tom Gainey | May 6th, 2015, 5:28 pm
  • 30 Comments

Following an array of close calls in his match against Nick Kyrgios, Roger Federer had some funny words for chair umpire Mohamed Lahyani and the linesmen today at the Madrid Masters.

“We need a clown for this circus,” Federer said down 5-1 in the second set tiebreaker to the 20-year-old.


Federer then explained why he said it. “There were a lot of bad calls. Only thing missing was a clown because it was just like such a mess out there.”

The remark didn’t help the Swiss as Kyrgios took the second set then saved three matchpoints in the third set to beat his idol 67(2), 76(5), 76(12).

After dropping a break in the first, Federer led the Australian confomfortably 20 in the second before he let his guard down, and the youngster clawed back into the match.

“My problem was I couldn’t return his first serve,” said Federer. “[It] was just a horrible performance on the return.

“As the match went on it got so bad that I just couldn’t get into decent positions on the return, so it made it very difficult to get any sort of rhythm after that.

“But credit to him for serving well and keep doing what he was doing. But I’m very disappointed by that. That’s what cost me the match, in my opinion.”

Kyrgios beat Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon last year, and Federer was aware of his big match game.

“He likes the big stage,” added Federer. “He’s got nothing to lose, no fear, and he’s got a great game. He can rely on his serve so much. It keeps him in the match regardless of he how he plays from the baseline.”

The loss could mean Federer, who just won at Istanbul, will play Rome next week. Though he made no decision today.

“No clue. We’ll see,” he said when asked if he’d play Rome.


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30 Comments for Roger Federer: “We Need A Clown For This Circus” [Video]

chris ford1 Says:

Send in the clowns….”sniff”….There ought to be….clowns…………


Wog Boy Says:

I am not Roger fan, surprise surprise, but the question now is was it really worth playing Istanbul? What did he gain by playing seond grade players, (few three setters) in Istanbul, apart of fat cheque, I think that was really bad scheduling, and that comes ftom the man that is/was best in planning his schedule. I know his fans will say he added another title to his already huge resume, but seriously, does Istanbul title means anything in Roger Federer resume? Not at all. He had to adjust to Madrid courts (very different to Istanbul one) in no time, instead of coming week earlier and practice in Madrid.


Patson Says:

My take on this is that when you run into somebody like Kyrgios who is serving that well, it doesn’t particularly matter whether you were rested or not. That’s the nature of playing against somebody who serves big and is mercurial.

Tough luck Rog.


Patson Says:

And yea, props to Kyrgios for holding his nerves till the end. But I won’t be surprised one bit if he loses to Isner in straights. These big wins can be overwhelming.


M Says:

@Wog – You ask what Istanbul meant to Roger — a lot, to win the inaugural tournament in a country he’d never played in, actually.

On the official ATP site, there’s a video where he talks about it.

I think he would’ve been more disappointed if he’d gone all through that tournament and hadn’t come home with that pretty trophy, after having been the #1 seed … but history and ceremony and legacy matter a whole lot to the Maestro, more than I think a lot of people realize.

And also, like Patson says — he didn’t exactly lose to a tomato can, even if the guy is 20. I’m a FEDAL fan, and I have a close eye on Nick even before he knocked both of my favorites out of big tournaments. He’s a big stage player, and he needed all the nerve he used … it still took him three sets, and all those sets, IINM, were 7/6. So … every once in a while, it’s about the fact that everybody’s mortal, not about “Would a little extra rest have made the difference in the long run?”.

JMHO, of course (except for that video of Roger).


Wog Boy Says:

@M,

I agree to disagree, Istanbul might as well wind up in a near future, like Serbia Open did, just look at the state of courts, nothing is finished, it is not tennis country and more importantly people are much more into the football or basketball. Who is going to rember Istanbul then, same as Serbia Open. Nole played because it was important for him, it is his country, but other players were hard to bring to Belgrade. That will be the same with Istanbul, specially when owner of tournament realize that he is not making any money.
I am not taking anything away from Roger or Nick the Greek, but I just think he would be better off arriving in Madrid week earlier, I was hoping for Fedal and I thought this time around Roger stands better chance of beating Rafa, but wasn’t to be.


M Says:

Wog – it’s not about whether you agree or disagree with me.

I’m just telling you what Roger said himself.

:shrug:


Wog Boy Says:

@M
You didn’t expect him to say that tournament he is just about to play is not important tournament, did you? :)It is PR thing, he is paid to advertise tournament, but anyway, yiu have your and I have my opinion, each to their own.

BTW, what does :shrug: means?


Humble Rafa Says:

Just retire already.


Rave1955 Says:

So sorry ,Wog Boy, can’t understand when you became so mean. I had always enjoyed reading your. Posts before. What is it about roger that turns you i so disparaging. Your fave Nole is at the top, unbeaten and unbeatable. Anyway, it does not really matter. Who goes up, must come down. Maybe not this year, maybe next?


Travis Bickle Says:

@Rave1955,

Honestly, you are another fragile and sensitive Federina that has made me chuckle.
I saw you wrote Wogboy was mean and, being a fan of good hostility, read his post. There was absolutely nothing mean in it, unless you consider mean stating the fact that playing Istanbul 250 was a money grab. And looks like you do…


Wog Boy Says:

@Rav1955,

I had to read again my post to check if I said anything mean and I can’t see unless my opinion about Roger playing Istanbul is mean. Or me wanted Roger to go deeper in Madrid and see another Fedal match is mean, or me believing that he had good chances of beating Rafa in Madrid this year.
Is there any part of my posts that you can, even remotely, see any joy of mine for Roger losing to Nick, have you see any of my posts cheering Roger loss in MC? Nick isn’t even my fifth favorite player, I just can’t stand the image he is trying to build, he can be #1 but I won’t cheer for him.
The only thing I stated was that I think Roger made mistake by playing Istanbul and my disagreement about importance of Istanbul, what is mean in that, I am sure some Roger’s fans agree that Istanbul was mistake and that he should came in Madrid last week and practice since Madrid is playing fast, like HC. Where do you see “disparaging” thing in my posts, how many times I said that Roger is the GOAT because he simple has numbers that other don’t have.
Last but not least, why are you draging Nole into conversation, he has nothing to do with my posts about Roger, he was the best player in 2011/12 and I was writing same as I am doing now.
What I don’t understand is that some of you, Roger fans, are not allowing any different opinion or even questioning some of Roger’s decisions, so please, tell me what was mean and disparaging in my posts.


Wog Boy Says:

@TB,

It took me ages to write my post, didn’t realize you said it before me.
About money, I don’t thing that is anything wrong with taking whatever organizer is ready to pay but just the timing is wrong, Abu Dhabi or Doha are fine but not week before masters that really suits your game and style, and your main opponent is struggling with his confidence and game. I watched few matches yesterday and court is playing faster with lower bounce than IW and Miami:)


Wog Boy Says:

^^ “think” not “thing”


Jack Lewis Says:

I definitely think Roger (and most ATP players) should let the fanboys schedule his season for him, he could learn a lot from them.


skeezer Says:

^lol


Wog Boy Says:

“I definitely think Roger (and most ATP players) should let the fanboys schedule his season for him, he could learn a lot from them.”

Fair enough, just one correction, I am not his fanboy I just answered accusations that I am mean and disparaging, as for his fanboys, they can believe that he can walk on the water or open the Red Sea, I really don’t care. I will just remind them that Istanbul wasn’t on his schedule list when it came out not long ago, within few days he added Istanbul, I wander what changed his mind?$$$?
I will also remind his fanboys, how often they ridiculed Rafa for playing some tournaments in South America, the part of the world with long tennis tradition but then suddenly Turkey became very important (for their idol legacy) when their idol decided to play there.
I’ll leave you to live in denial, and wish you many more Istanbuls.


skeezer Says:

“the fanboys” not “you”. I read it as fanboys in general, which you are, not fanboys of Mr. Roger Federer. You keep bringing up how Fed fans think Fed walks on water, is holier than thou, etc. Mostly I see that coming from NOT Fed fans. I for one have never said Fed is a Saint, A God, etc. His Tennis record speaks for itself, nothing more, nothing less.
As far has Fed choosing to play Istanbul, it may have hurt his chances to win in Madrid or not. He had an extremely tough first rd draw. It was a very close match, not liked he packed it it cause he played “Istanbul”. At this point in his career, I don’t think he cares, nor his fans, moving on.
Fed can play wherever and whenever he wants at this point in his career. He’s earned it and done his bit. Conjecture all you want, its his call, not the fanboys.


Wog Boy Says:

^^ another correction, I am not fanboy I just cheer for one player (team) but I am not obsessed with them nor I have an idol (never had one), though you can call me big fan (of Nastase, Safin, Nole, Joe Frazier, Liverpool FC, Partizan Belgrade) or don’t call me at all.

” A fanboy is a person considered to belong to one or more fandoms to a point of obsession.”


skeezer Says:

“:a boy or man who is an extremely or overly enthusiastic fan of someone or something”
From Webster.
There ya go. In other words, you can be an extreme fan of a player or the game. I am a fan of both to no extreme other than the game. Fed has never been “my idol'”. You say your a fan of just one player. Fair enough.


Wog Boy Says:

“I just cheer for one player (team)..” meaning that is all I do, cheer, I am not obsessed with them, I can cheer the others too, Kokkinakis, Zverev, Dimitrov, Simon… as long as they don’t play my man.
In my previous list of sport people I liked I omitted the best ever (subjective opinion) F1 driver, Ayrton Senna, not just the driver but person too.


skeezer Says:

“I am not fanboy I just cheer for one player (team).”
Yep. Noted.


Bill Says:

FYI Roger is obviously not talking about the bad calls but rather Kyrgios ridiculous histrionics and attitude. How can you not see that?


danica Says:

Federer is chasing meaningless records, that’s why he played Istanbul:

http://ftw.usatoday.com/2015/05/roger-federer-the-19-countries-won-a-tournament-turkey-record


Nirmal Kumar Says:

I think there is an idiot in this forum who thinks what is right for Roger’s schedule. The best guy is Roger himself.


Wog Boy Says:

What’s up shit stirrer, still fishing around, calling people names, nice try, now go back to another moniker.


Wog Boy Says:

@Danica,

It can’t be true, he was in Turkey for the love of the tennis and to promote tennis.


Nirmal Kumar Says:

The idiots here think and conclude why Roger was in Turkey. Not sure why these idiots are bothered where he travels and what he does. He is the guy to decide.


Matador Says:

The atp is a BIG circus right now, indeed. I agree this time with FEderer with what he said.


MMT Says:

I have to say, did anyone notice the jibe at Leif Shiras? That was magic.

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