Jim Courier: Rafael Nadal Won’t Have As Long Of A Career As Roger Federer

“If he wins, it’s awesome. If he loses, on to the next one. That’s a pretty great place to be. He’s not trying to prove anything to anyone anymore. ”
The GOAT.
Play on Fed.

December 20th, 2014 at 11:25 am

While i agree that Roger has a game thats easier on the eye,and also on the body,and i say that even as a Rafa fan,but it always comes across as been rather smug when people feel the need to belittle one in favour of the other,and then keep on packing Rafa off to the retirement home,Rafa is playing now and i want to enjoy watching him while hes playing….

December 20th, 2014 at 11:29 am

Skeezer yeah,and let Rafa play on too for goodness sake….

December 20th, 2014 at 11:30 am

“Play on Fed” says one fedfanatic. 2013 comes to mind when these same fanatics were calling for Fed’s retirement.

December 20th, 2014 at 11:34 am

@Giles: spot on. Fans and pundits are fickle by And large: they kiss up to the flavour of the month, engage in ridiculous hyperbole and as soon as a bit of crisis arrives they change their tune dramatically. It’s pretty pathetic.

December 20th, 2014 at 11:47 am

As for comparing Nadal and Federer on this front inherently it’s a alley only the idiotic venture to since Nadal is 28: we don’t know how he’ll at age 33. All we have is the past in which Nadal stacked up slams year after year and the present: where many favour him over Federer as a slam contender. Period.

December 20th, 2014 at 11:49 am

it’s difficult to tell with nadal. he hasn’t been playing full seasons, and ironically or not, that could end up extending his career. i think the last time he played a full season was 2011 (?) so for the last 3 years already he’s been playing considerably less. even with injuries, on a truncated schedule, he could play well into his 30s.

it does seem true what roddick (i think?) says, that fed is enjoying himself at this point; however, he’s obviously still highly motivated and competitive, or he wouldn’t’ve hired edberg, changed his racquet and so on. he’ll play until at least 2016 by his own account, and maybe longer, like connors. i don’t know if i can see him still playing if he drops out of the top 10, though.

December 20th, 2014 at 1:46 pm

I don’t think that Nadal necessarily wants or perhaps a better word needs to play as long as Roger.

I don’t think he craves the adulation to be quite honest about it.

December 20th, 2014 at 1:50 pm

I really love watching the trick shots. My two favorite players are Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer I am really looking forward to the new season. Wish I could see them in person. I would have to win the lottery. If they play at 2am or what ever time I get up and watch them. What a pleasure Tennis is. JoAnn

December 20th, 2014 at 1:54 pm

Jeez Rafas said he loves playing tennis and has no intention of calling it a day anytime soon,so why does everybody believe Federer when he says he enjoys the game but not Nadal?….

December 20th, 2014 at 1:57 pm

I don’t hate any one???/ Where did that come from????????? Him who?

December 20th, 2014 at 1:59 pm

Is Rafa chasing 17 plus?…….yep! Is Roger chasing
17 plus?………yep! Rest my case…..They will both play until the cows come home…..not sure how that Oklahoma saying came into being, but thought it was appropriate for Fed…..I believe Rafa will play as long as he’s physically able to and Fed, with his astounding athletic genes……well, there’s no telling how long his career will last! I’m just going to enjoy it however long it is. Love to watch them play and Novak too!! Great tennis when these three square off against one another…..along with Andy and Stan at times. Those two have entertained us also. Who knows what future has in store for us!
.

December 20th, 2014 at 2:43 pm

When federer floats on his legs and hit a forehand deep to the corner, the opponent must appreciate and say what a great shot.. This is perfect tennis.

It’s Nadal’s fault to chase down that ball and hit back on the court to win the point…It’s not tennis..it was not taught to anyone..How stupid Nadal is to reach that ball and win the point…AND adding toll on his body/knees..

Vamos!

December 20th, 2014 at 3:26 pm

@Thangs^^^^ LOL

VAMOS!!

December 20th, 2014 at 3:41 pm

@thangs: lmfao awesome post.

December 20th, 2014 at 3:50 pm

Rafa/Roger fans have always had their problems with each other…..fussing back and forth, even though their favs had a good rapport between themselves. However, I did notice at the Aussie Open this year, Roger got very testy with Rafa, which really shocked me. But, before that there was a little negative publicity surrounding the tennis counsel thing, now that I think about it. Each having different views on certain issues. I’ve come to the conclusion, they broke up, which should make both fan bases
Very happy!! Lol

December 20th, 2014 at 4:15 pm

@Thangs. Nice one! Lol

December 20th, 2014 at 4:23 pm

Agreed.Rafa at 29 has already been unable to compete full season for last 3-4 years.given the fact he is still 5 years younger than Roger it’s hard to imagine what would be his fitness level at 33. On the other hand Roger is moving effortlessly and don’t know for how long he will play.

December 20th, 2014 at 4:57 pm

Giles is right with the 11:34 post. I remember clearly Fed fans wanting him to retire. I mentioned that a few months ago and was told maybe one or two fans might have voiced an opinion about wanting him to retire……but my memory of it was more than two were begging for retirement. Did he drop down to
#7 or 8 in the rankings?? Well, he persevered
and worked his way back up……so there ya’ go…
he’s not done yet and so very healthy to boot. As I said above, there is no telling how long he’ll play!! Bring on the Aussie Open……so ready!

December 20th, 2014 at 5:42 pm

But longer than you, Courier.
After 22, he was done this dude.

December 20th, 2014 at 6:49 pm

“2013 comes to mind when these same fanatics were calling for Fed’s retirement.”
Yes, true, so? This argument is childish.
Looking back on 2013 he was not moving well, and some fans callimg for him to retire was validated in his performances. It is now known he suffered for a good part of the year with the Back, which will for sure hamper movement. Who knew that then?
The sweet thing about this whole topic is Fed has proven EVERYONE wrong, even some of his die hard fans. There is great celebration in that with the Maestro and his fans.
Play on Fed. Enjoy it as long as you can. It’s all gravy.

December 20th, 2014 at 7:27 pm

‘It’s all gravy.’:

Sure is pal………………..until he plays Rafa and it’s all tears!

p

December 20th, 2014 at 7:47 pm

He doesn’t need to play Rafa to get all these records, he needs to win Titles and Slams, which he has done better than ANYONE.
Btw, not your pal, buddy.

December 20th, 2014 at 8:21 pm

‘He doesn’t need to play Rafa to get all these records, he needs to win Titles and Slams, which he has done better than ANYONE’:

Sure, his records tells us better than anything else:

He’s ace at beating chumps in the final. Give him a meager opponent: he’ll feast upon them like a lion.

But not so much when he faces the top dogs eh….. buddy?

And it certainly ain’t gravy when he faces the biggest possible opponent for the so called GOAT in his era, Rafael Nadal is it champ?

I think we both know it’s far from gravy.

Especially far from it when the no.2 biggest opponent he faces (Novak) he’s either withdrawing, fluffing MP’S (USO 10,11′) and throwing hissy fit’s post match (see those pressers in USO 10,11).

That’s our Fed in a nutshell isn’t:

A weak opponent bully who’s strong at racking up the titles against meek opponents most former legends of the past would crush themselves (check his farcical tough opponents in the majority of his slam wins) but when he faces names history will remember, acclaim as great then:

He’s a bit of a wimp isn’t he?

Quick to look like a victim, throw a shady, snippy comment post match but during the match- especially against a certain Spaniard- he’s all head down, getting his butt handed to him on a platter.

LOL: those gravy days are long gone, buddy. The magical era of 2003-2007 when his biggest foe was a merely 21 year old, essentially clay specialist opponent far from fully developing his game are long gone buddy.

A mouse can only enjoy the comfort of the living room before the superior predator appears.

And as soon as Nadal appeared Fed was quick to run like a mouse back into his hole lol! Consider this buddy:

This decade: 2 slams out of 20 attempts.

Since Wimbledon 2008, aged 26: must avoid Nadal at all cost in order to stand a chance of winning a slam. Well known, accepted fact.

LMFAO:

The stuff of a GOAT ………….. or a weasel like champion whose tennis is abject infront of the absolute best that he could possibly face.

LOL:

Enjoy his records champ since we all know about his reality against the absolute best it’s a:

This is killing me affair!

PS:

‘Btw, not your pal, buddy.’:

The use of ‘pal’ was sarcasm ridden…. pal. Next time at the home when it’s a library break pick up the dictionary and look up the meaning of the word and you’ll experience a ‘aha’ moment.

It will make a nice change than to continuously watching re-runs of RF facing mighty opponents such as Oliver Rochus in the heady, challenging days of the 200-2007 era, lol!

December 20th, 2014 at 8:59 pm

“Sure, his records tells us better than anything else:”
Glad u agree. As for the rest of the usual bloated para graphical talk, once I saw the usual long winded typing and the usual LMAO thrown in,.i skipped it.
Bottom line, glad u agree.

December 20th, 2014 at 9:43 pm

It’s not just the age, but the mileage. The wear and tear on Rafa’s body at 28 is probably double what it was on Federer at the same age. And winning SLAMs after 28 is still quite rare. Only 15 of the last 121 SLAMs have been won by someone over the age of 28. Federer only managed 2 himself.

I still think Rafa has a shot at another French open or two provided he saves his body for the occasion. Possibly another hardcourt SLAM, but reality is he’s only won 1 SLAM off clay in the last 4 years and the competition on hardcourts is far more difficult then it was in 2013. So I would put the odds @ 20%. Grass is a write-off obviously.

Wouldn’t surprise me to see Nadal retire before Federer. The problem with Nadal is his game relies on speed and endurance far more than any player I can think of in the last 20 years. So when the fitness aspect inevitably leaves him, there won’t be a whole lot left to his game to trouble the top players and the fall could be precipitous. Whereas as Federer has many more “tools” in his arsenal to make up for declining speed,endurance and fitness. Rafa might fall out of the top 5 if he doesn’t defend his AO final and FO title. And if he falls out of the top 10 by age 30, I don’t see him sticking around very

December 20th, 2014 at 10:35 pm

Brando GOAT Poster = BIG Drama.

December 20th, 2014 at 11:51 pm

amadeus,

You said it!

Brando and Giles, WHO were the federer fans who said he should retire? You need to name them here before you burst with pleasure.

Courier has no idea whether rafa will continue to play.

Rafa hasn’t played a full season for quite a while, but when he does play, he plays to win and invariably does win. Great he is training hard, it will be good to see him play the Australian again and we will all, as fans, continue to discuss the same old topics over and over.

I just wish that he didnt have so much time off. Reason why is that when he comes back, there are so many question marks about what he has been doing and what this stem cell therapy is all about. I do not think that this should be allowed. I feel it does give him then an unfair advantage. If all players were having this done on every part or some part of their body in order for it to repair and to heal, well, that has to give them an advantage.

I’ll wait for the remarks now from Brando and Giles, but first, please answer my question. I dont think I have read that Skeezer said he should retire? Only person way back was Gannu, but she gets over excited and she admits that. That’s one person. Singular. Who else?

December 21st, 2014 at 7:49 am

Hahahaha…Brando, you are spot on. Federer only looks great when he plays wimps, but when he plays Djokovic and Rafa all of the sudden he doesn’t look so good, lol…

December 21st, 2014 at 8:31 am

So much for the season of goodwill,whenever the subject of Fedal arises we end up having a foodfight between posters,look both are amazing in spite of their shortcomings,and both will be remembered long after they are gone,so cant we just enjoy both as long as they are here,without p*ssing on them and their achievments?i still thing that the tennis-x forum needs to close for a break too along with the tennis season,peoples only pleasure seems to be making each others lives a misery,when surely theres enough of that in the real world….

December 21st, 2014 at 8:45 am

I have been a fan of both Federer and Nadal but over the last years, but over the last years I’ve come to appreciate Roger’s abilities much more.
Nadal’s warrior game was thrilling for awhile but I’ve grown tired of watching him. Everyone thinks Roger is arrogant but I view Nadal as the arrogant one, which is evident by his antics and his gamemanship on court.

December 21st, 2014 at 9:43 am

Off topic but if anyones interested Stan and Roger are playing an exho for Africa?….

December 21st, 2014 at 9:47 am

Arogance is IMO a matter of ones own perception,but i dont think it has anything to do with the issue here?….

December 21st, 2014 at 10:26 am

I am going for something very special at the Australian open. Most people don’t even know what it is because they are in hero worship mode.

December 21st, 2014 at 12:18 pm

If we believed all those so-called experts Rafa should have retired at 25 already. But he’s still there. We don’t know how long he will have the desire the play. But I’m really sick of all those people who claim to know the future.
And Rafa has never been the arrogant one. You must have mixed them up.

December 21st, 2014 at 12:31 pm

Lovely, yet another argument between Fed and Rafa fans. Lots of new arguments and points that haven’t been covered earlier. And lots of people changing their opinnions due to great arguments by the other side… or not!

I really need to not read this blog before Australiaan open.

December 21st, 2014 at 1:42 pm

Alexandra i think arrogance is a matter of opinion,but aside from that i completely agree with what your saying,im sick to death of the smug journalists and ex players whom take great delight in predicting the end of Rafas career everytime hes had an injury,he wont be at the same level when hes 33,he wont be playing when hes 33 etc,who cares?the only thing thats relavent is hes playing now,and hes enjoying it,whether or not hes playing when hes 33 remains to be seen,so lets just enjoying whats happening now….

December 21st, 2014 at 2:09 pm

Ronn Says:
Hahahaha…Brando, you are spot on. Federer only looks great when he plays wimps, but when he plays Djokovic and Rafa all of the sudden he doesn’t look so good, lol…

December 21st, 2014 at 8:31 am

Ronn, a very uneducated post. Federer looks great because he IS great. You heard it here first. Brush up on your tennis knowledge, ask Santa for a tablet, Ronn.

Hippy, this is the place for the spats and you know that. Where would we all be without a spat every now and again?

We should all get ready for Australia. Can’t believe it has come around so quickly. Just think. It was Stan’s year in 2014, January. Will it be repeated?

December 21st, 2014 at 2:18 pm

Madmax fair enough,but i still stand by my post above yours….

December 21st, 2014 at 2:22 pm

Madmax,
Notice “spot on”? Who else routinely says that? ;)

December 21st, 2014 at 4:42 pm

Would love to see Stan back up his win at the AO with another one…but it just doesn’t seem likely…does it?

December 21st, 2014 at 4:58 pm

I am positively a Rafael Nadal fan! I think Rafa is an incredible young man and athlete. I pray that Rafa’s career will last until it’s time for him to walk away from tennis! He will know when the time comes before anyone else knows. Having said, I think Jim Courier should mind his own business.

December 21st, 2014 at 6:11 pm

Jim Courier is commentator, a very good one. He is entitled to say what he thinks if he is asked and even if he is not asked. He is paid for doing that and it is his opinion. I don’t see him saying anything new that majority of tennis fans, even Rafa fans don’t say, Rafa tennis style is taxing on body so, very likely his playing time will be shorter than Roger’s, what is here to disagree with or disrespectfull towards Rafa. Absolutely nothing, looking forward for AO and Jim Courier commentating it for Channel 7.

December 21st, 2014 at 7:39 pm

People keep talking about Rafa not having a long career, they have been saying that for years, even when he was very young.
However, it is a fact that Rafa has won a grand slam for ten consecutive years, something nobody else has done. It is a mind-boggling record. Frankly, I don’t see that record being broken ever.
To win a grand slam title every single year for 10 years already speaks of a very long career at a very high level.
What do people want? A grand slam title for 15 consecutive years? Rafa may just do that! LOL

December 21st, 2014 at 9:24 pm

Wog boy,
Well said, and Courier is not just a commentator, but a ATP player and Slam winner, so were suppose to validate fans opinions that carries more weight? Not happening. LMAO.
—
Lolita
Yes Rafa has won that one Tournament that many times in a row, an amazing feat. Tennis is more than that however, and this is what separates the discussion of all time greats.

December 21st, 2014 at 9:47 pm

Yolita, I hope not, I hope Nole interupts him (his run) in one of coming years…at least at FO:)

December 21st, 2014 at 9:58 pm

skeezer, I have been listening Jim Courier for years and I found him very knowledgable, objective, calm and not eaisily carried away by what is happening on the court. He had so many times second commentator in studio or guest, who was openly favoring one player and Jim was always complementing the other one, to even the things out.
I remember when he had Pat Rafter in studio during Nole/Roger match few years ago ((7:6, 7:5, 6:4), Rafter was almost crying and begging Roger to change his game plan and not to be stuborn or Nole will beat him, what Nole did, Jim had to calm him down by complementing Nole’s game.

December 21st, 2014 at 10:10 pm

wog boy, i too have always found courier to be relatively “neutral” in how he addresses the players in his commentary.

yolita, i agree: that’s definitely an amazing record of rafa’s that’ll stand the test of time. what’s remarkable about it is how it’s mainly because rafa has “owned” one slam that whole time. if anyone were able to beat him on clay, then he may not hold that record. but roland garros has been “his” for a decade. who can beat him there? soderling did once. that’s it. some have come awfully close: nole in 2013 and isner took him to 5 once as well. but that’s it right? only 2 five set matches ever at roland garros. craziness!

December 21st, 2014 at 10:55 pm

@Mr. Larvey…….In my post on 12/20/14 @ 4:15 I brought up the fact about Rafa and Roger fans fussing back and forth……and boom baby, they’re at it again!! LOL. I was “spot on” with that
post!!! Lol

December 22nd, 2014 at 12:58 am

Geez! Now suddenly some people on here are rating Jim Courier and his opinion. Wonder who gave him a backhander to say what he did. He should concentrate on his DC captaincy which will probably terminate very soon if he doesn’t produce results. Apart from all that he is quite a likeable chap.

December 22nd, 2014 at 3:33 am

Wogboy fair enough,and to be honest i have nothing against courier either,but i stand by my post above Madmaxs in that i find it tiresome to here commontators packing my favorite of to retirement all the time,so he plays a game thats more demanding on the body,and not so easy on the eye,and maybe he wont be playing or at the same level when hes 33 etc?so what cant we just enjoy whats happening now?why cant he just be given credit for what he has achieved rather than pulled to bits all the time for his shortcomings,if this were Novak you would be here defending him also,so why shouldnt Rafa fans do the same?trying to reason is futile,i think i might stay away till the AO,Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to yourself and your familiy ;-))….

December 22nd, 2014 at 5:20 am

Skeezer Rafa is also an all time great,oh i give up,whats the point?….

December 22nd, 2014 at 5:24 am

The truth of the matter is that most of these commies parrot each other. It’s like when Rafa was on his long lay-off in 2012 each and everyone of these parrots said he would never be the same player again, it would take him over a year to get his game back, blah, blah, blah. Now these same people have lots of egg on their faces. Unfortunately they will never learn from experience!! Feel so sad for them!!

December 22nd, 2014 at 5:52 am

HC, I think you missed the point, nobody was packing Rafa of to early retirement, but that is not important now, it is jolly season, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too:)

December 22nd, 2014 at 6:20 am

That’s for sure. Other style of play and injuries from the early stages won’t Rafa to play for a really long time

December 22nd, 2014 at 6:49 am

Wogboy tis the season to be jolly,but theres not much evidence of that here unfortunatly, anyway personally i dont celebrate christmas,its yule in the pagan world which is similar,but celebrated between the 21st and the 23rd December,all to do with the winter solstice,theres also something called Wassailing which is actually the twelve days of christmas where the apples start to yeild their crops….

December 22nd, 2014 at 7:24 am

@Chick…..At Christmas time my sister-in-law makes a drink called hot Wassal, made with Apple cider. She simmers it with cinnamon sticks. It is delicious sitting around the fireplace during the yuletide season!

December 22nd, 2014 at 11:51 am

@Chick 5:20

I agree with your post. Nobody knows how long Rafa will play and I too wish people would give it a rest. Sure he has a style of play that is grueling on his body. I think he can probably play longer than people may think. He can can work his schedule to be more favorable to his age and his body health…….which I think he will do. So pipe down naysayers……let’s see what unfolds. I hope Rafa, Roger, Andy and Novak entertain us for a long time!!

December 22nd, 2014 at 12:06 pm

To all fan bases on TX forum……MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A PROSPEROUS 2015!! May all of your slams come true!! Happy Holidays from Oklahoma!! Okie

December 22nd, 2014 at 12:09 pm

You guys! I have to agree with skeezer and Wogboy about Jim Courier as a former player being one of the most objective analysts in tennis.

This is what he said during the 2013 WTF before Nadal closed the slam gap to three…

“It’s a fun dinner conversation,” said Jim Courier, a former No.1, of the Federer-Nadal debate. “I’m not sure you can convincingly say that one guy is the greatest right now.”

Spot on as always Jimbo as there is still legacy building in progress for both of these living legends!

December 22nd, 2014 at 12:23 pm

LMFAO:

A couple of posts from myself and look at the butt hurt, I mean fan mail it generates!

Aw guys, so much love for myself:

I feel so unworthy of it, but like Rafa when he’s finished whupping RF for the nth time and extends more effort trying not to laugh his butt off post match than in the match, I humbly accept your love my dear fedtards.

Seriously:

I love you too.

As a parting shot for a while I have changed my username to a new moniker that I am sure will see you yelping with a orgasmic delight at such a wondrous name.

I would go for something sensational, but it’s the season of goodwill so I humbly go for something rather honest, sincere and modest.

Your biggest friend and shy recipient of your lavish affection

Brando

p p p

December 22nd, 2014 at 2:40 pm

Okie thanks for the feedback,although i feel it will all fall on deaf ears,so i will just sit back enjoy the tennis,and see what unfolds.
About Wassail well im glad to here you partaking in such sn old custom, and nice to here that some of the old traditions are still kept alive ;-))….

December 22nd, 2014 at 5:36 pm

People still don’t get it, NADAL won each and every of his slam with the highest level of competetion. FEDERER is nothing more than a mike tyson of boxing a bully of a whimpy players nothing more than that. If you still think federer is better player than nadal than you will never change.

December 22nd, 2014 at 5:47 pm

@tom

Fed is #2 in the world and he is ancient. What does that say about the level of competetion you speak of. Federer won more matches than anyone this year. Think about it. Federer made 11 finals this year. There are a handful of guys in the top 10 who haven’t even made 11 finals in their whole career. We are in the midst of a weak era.

December 22nd, 2014 at 7:40 pm

^^^
Well Courier is not just a commentator, but an ATP player and Slam winner, so we’re suppose to validate fans opinions that carries more weight? Not happening. LMAO.

mew!

December 22nd, 2014 at 8:04 pm

I think we’ll get a better idea of how much longer Nadal will play after 2015. Does he storm back to the top or near the top like in 2013? Or does he continue to struggle with form and injuries? He comes back strong, then I think we’ll see him continue to play half seasons for a number of years, maybe even longer than Federer. But if he struggles even after taking so much time off, then he could call it quits sooner rather than later. But I doubt we ever seen Nadal play a full schedule again.

December 22nd, 2014 at 8:33 pm

“As a parting shot..”
LMAO. LOL & Bottom Line.
U keep saying this but can’t stay away….along with sticking with one moniker…about that the boy/girl who crys wolf….
—
@ tom,
You may feel Rafa is a better player than Fed, but is he better than the field of players in the ATP? Tennis doesn’t work that way, and your fav would be the first one to say it. Winning Titles and Slams is the task, not being better than one player.
@elina,
You’re a cool kat,
Mew back at ya ;)

December 22nd, 2014 at 8:58 pm

Don’t get the fuss with the Fed fans whon wanted him to retire in 2013, they don’t represent the majority of all fans.

It’s funny because when Nadal came back in 2013 and was playing poorly on south america clay, some of Nadal fans where saying that he should only play on clay and grass the rest of his career and not play HC anymore, reducing to a minimal. Then Nadal won IW, breaking the HC title draught and everything changes.

We don’t know what is going to happen and even if Nadal went on to play until 36, Courier and some other here may think he won’t have a long careet with similar results Federer is having. Fed just broke another record as oldest player to finish #2 so nobody have a careetr like him in this regard (and the 11 finals) as another feet. Only time will tell but we sure can speculate, that is the most fun of it together with watching it unfold.

December 22nd, 2014 at 10:15 pm

I just can’t get this week era nonsense, if we are talking about last ten years we are talking about Roger, Rafa, Nole, Andy R, Andy M, Marat, Delpo, Hewitt, Stan, Marin, Ferrer, Berdych..and so on. It is in no fan group interest to call it “week era”, neither Roger nor Rafa fan group, I really don’t get it, ok, I know I am a bit slow..but still?
As Nole fan, just watching his ride in last 10 years and not giving up on becoming #1 and best player in the world in the prime time of two best players ever was a joy, sometimes very painful, but nevertheless joy. Who would have thought just five years ago that Nole will, singlehandedly, break Roger/Rafa duopoly in their prime and become best player in the world, I didn’t. If you call it “week era” you are denting achievements of all of not just one of them, they all come as a package, the package that we are lucky to live in their time and enjoy their games, the package that will be talked about long time after the retire, the package that comes ones in a life time.

MERRY CHRISTMAS :)

December 22nd, 2014 at 10:20 pm

Wog boy,
Great post and agreed. Where it started? Well documented. It was another weak attack from the start from the rafanatic club, which was a big fail by being in Love with an it rather than in love with the game.
Merry Christmas back at ya.

December 22nd, 2014 at 10:28 pm

“weak” and not “week”, sorry guys, I just can’t help it, I was in a hurry to put all my thoughts on the paper and english is not my first language, good exuse to have it, isn’t it:)

Thanks skeezer, this is the time of the year we should enjoy, I’ll go for chilled “Semillion Sauvignon Blanc”, it is hot and humid here, cheers:)

December 22nd, 2014 at 10:45 pm

I don’t think it’s a weak era…….

December 23rd, 2014 at 2:05 am

I dont know how long Roger or Rafa will play?but i think Brando has lost the plot big time….

December 23rd, 2014 at 7:24 am

I dont think its a weak era either,all any player can hope to do is beat whomever is stood infront of them….

December 23rd, 2014 at 7:26 am

Im quite tired of been refered to as a Rafafanatic,i dont belittle other players to big up my favorite,the only thing i have done is defend Rafa when people belittle his achievements,it just seems lately when you do that your on a hiding to nothing,sad the way this forums heading when your not even allowed to celebrate your favs achievements,or defend them when others pull them to pieces….

December 23rd, 2014 at 7:44 am

I’d like to see them both “at least ” get to Rio and then we shall see.
Great players come along ever so seldom, it will be a shame when they are both gone. :(

December 23rd, 2014 at 8:12 am

Rafa has stated he wants to play Rio in 2016 especially with it been clay,and Roger has no intention of retiring for the next gazillion years,whether Rafa will still be playing then will be more of an issue than Roger i expect?….

December 23rd, 2014 at 8:24 am

Skeezer!
Yeah! Gotcha! Spot on indeed!

Hippy, I think you need to take a chill pill. No one will ever agree about the GOAT issue, rafa this and roger that.

Why bother getting a bee in your bonnet when it is wasted energy.

Enjoy your commentaries morethan anything, so forget the preaching and stop saying ‘oh what is the point’. Everything has a point, it’s just tennis after all. :)

Australia starts soon and then we can all start beating each other around the head again with the same old. :)

Brando, I find your posts really egotistical lately. What has happened to you? You used to provide serious tennis remarks, now you seem to be a frustrated journo.

Get back to the old brando. You were so much better and less inflamatory. Anyone would think you had it in for our fed! :)

December 23rd, 2014 at 3:17 pm

Madmax ill take it on board,ive just sent in a post on the other thread,saying i will have to lighten up a bit,i suggest you go read it,personally i dont celebrate it but i will say HAPPY CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR to you anyway….

December 23rd, 2014 at 3:24 pm

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0413168/

Hippy,

Merry Christmas and this is for you.

I will back you up. You are not a rafanatic, but may be you should try to be and then satisfy the crazies here who want you to be.

New Year’s resolution! Be a rafanatic!

December 24th, 2014 at 8:21 am

Totally off topic. Got a Christmas present – Ronnie O’Sullivan’s latest autobiography Running. What a great book. If you are at all into snooker or running check it out.

Anyways, Merry Christmas to all of You!

December 24th, 2014 at 12:17 pm

Madmax oh my swoon,swoon,and swoon some more lol,you have just made my christmas Madmax,i only wish i could get the lovely Hugh under my tree in the morning many thanks,as much as i love Mr Hippy Chick i think Hugh is the only man id leave him for eek,just as well he doesnt read this stuff,MANY THANKS AND AGAIN HAPPY CHRISTMAS ;-D….

December 24th, 2014 at 1:06 pm

LOL New Years Resolution be a Rafanatic ;-))….

December 24th, 2014 at 1:08 pm

@Chick….like him even better now…..he was Curley
in a production of OKLAHOMA! I wasn’t aware of that….wow!! You better watch out though…. you’ll make Hippy Rooster jealous! Lol

December 26th, 2014 at 5:16 pm

@Mr. Larvey…..I don’t know Ronnie O’Sullivan, but I’m going to Google him and learn something today! Hope you had a wonderful holiday season too! Your News Years resolution should be to do more posting!
Mine is going to be the same as Hippy Chick’s….I’m gonna be a full fledged Rafa fanatic!! LOL. I’m ready for me some tennis…..bring on the Aussie Open 2015!!!!!

December 26th, 2014 at 5:38 pm