10 Years Ago...

...wow!

Nice one. Saw the first set again....and those 5 SPs lost by Djoko. and those DFs on key points (BP and SP).

It seem it was playing faster than now. In spite of the shots being less powerful. Might just be an impression.

Yes, the tennis looks somehow "purer" & more human, even though it was exclusive baseline.

Good shots, good pace, fast exchanges. 

I forgot there was wind.

And how young Nole was and a little nervous.

And how much Edberg has remodelled Federer's game since.

It really is a shame to what extent strings have changed tennis now, there is simply too much spin.

Yes, we have more variety in shots, angles etc, but something of the tennis soul has definitely been lost in that translation.

Also, nostalgically speaking, didn't tennis have the air of hope back then?
It was in a really good place.

Now...it's almost as if it's run its full course.
It's become so professional - it's nearly dead.

Fewer and fewer memorable matches.

I don;t think it is a great match. As Federer said after the match, it was not of great level. If you watch Blake v Fed in 2006 USO it was really fast an more fun. But impressive for a 20yo to deliver that consistency and though he collapsed on key points he held his own pretty well considering his age.

Just a shame he has no style.

Tenez wrote:I don;t think it is a great match. As Federer said after the match, it was not of great level. If you watch Blake v Fed in 2006 USO it was really fast an more fun. But impressive for a 20yo to deliver that consistency and though he collapsed on key points he held his own pretty well considering his age.

Just a shame he has no style.

I actually think that had he have style he would not have been able to execute it under pressure....but he is so focused on the ball and scoring that style is irrelevant to him.

Tenez wrote:I don;t think it is a great match.

It has more nostalgic and historical value, as it was Nole's first slam final against the at the time (on hard courts) virtually unbeatable Federer.

Tenez wrote:
As Federer said after the match, it was not of great level.

Yes, that does not surprise me.
Federer never liked Nole and saw him as a threat.
You can notice how now Federer can't praise young players enough, in general.
He never had a good word for Nole back then, and it was clear how good he was.

Nole had beaten Fed in the final of Montreal few weeks before, and I still remember the match point: dropshot followed by a perfect lob Federer could nit get to.

Tenez wrote:
and IIf you watch Blake v Fed in 2006 USO it was really fast an more fun.

Yes, Blake was an exciting player, but so is Paire, Gulbis, Rublev.
The key is to be stylish and deliver.

Nole-Federer is nit a complementary match-up in styles.
But I always enjoyed watching the two.

The aggressive Wall vs the stylish attacker. Both very gritty.

Tenez wrote: But impressive for a 20yo to deliver that consistency and though he collapsed on key points he held his own pretty well considering his age.

Very impressive: the consistency of pace and depth of his shots was excellent.
He was so far ahead of Nadal at the time. (except in lungs capacity)

Tenez wrote:
Just a shame he has no style.

Everyone falls short in style compared to Federer.

Tenez wrote:

Tenez wrote:I don;t think it is a great match. As Federer said after the match, it was not of great level. If you watch Blake v Fed in 2006 USO it was really fast an more fun. But impressive for a 20yo to deliver that consistency and though he collapsed on key points he held his own pretty well considering his age.

Just a shame he has no style.

I actually think that had he have style he would not have been able to execute it under pressure....but he is so focused on the ball and scoring that style is irrelevant to him.

I disagree.

Style is very relevant to Nole.
It's just does not come to him as easily as to Federer.

Nole is tense, he is a born defender, Federer is relaxed and an attacker, the two have very different mindsets.

Nole tried to stylise his game by adding volleying etc and learnt a lot there from Boris.

Bit his core, organic game was what he played in 2007. The aggressive baseline counterpuncher.

He later went into a different direction shifting more towards defence.

Still, his racquet skill is very underrated.

The consistency and depth of his shots and the pressure he is able to put the opponent under in current conditions is second to none.

And 2015 was a testament to it.

I think we have discussed that in the past. To me he has about the ugliest shots on tour. I cannot think of a nice shot he has.

This tax cheating fake Monaco fuker lost Fed 5-6 GS, Fed could of had 10 W now and more GS.

He will be forgotten next year.

Yeah, remember this match, though it is not very memorable.  I agree with Tenez, not particularly good match.  I did not think it was great when I watched it back then, and rewatching bits of it now just confirms it.

The most memorable thing about that night was when Dr_Sincere suffered a public episode of Premature Speculation on 606. He announced the first set for Djokovic.

I was particularly merciless that night, and thereafter.

Yes, that was funny.  I liked Dr_Sincere and his (or her???) other incarnations.  He had a great sense of humor.  I am sure the whole thing on his part was an act - he would slip in enough hints to make it clear he was not for real.  I would not be surprised if he was a Fed fan having fun trolling the forum.

He was funny. Just the pseudo. Dr Sincere.

Wise_Analyst
Impartial_Lion
Mediter (and various numbers)

(please remind me of more and I'll edit in)

Where is/are he/they now? I wonder if someone here or on 606 is lurking or sniggering under a new nic whenever this comes up? Certainly it would be great to renew battle acquaintance.

I wonder what they'd make of the Swiss shanky, the Basel Bungler, now?

bogbrush wrote:The most memorable thing about that night was when Dr_Sincere suffered a public episode of Premature Speculation on 606. He announced the first set for Djokovic.

I was particularly merciless that night, and thereafter.

Wasn't that a Barrystar find? Woudl be good if he were to post here.

And then 2 years later....how much better Djoko is, yet he loses as "convincingly". Very close match but just shows how quickly the game evolves.

Yes, that must have been the semi...one of many of that 12/12 "statistic anomaly".

Was that the year Fed lost to Delpo?

Very surprised as he was playing so well vs Nole.

Did Delpo have an extra day before SS?

No but had an easier match v Cilic or Nadal
...Can't remember. The score between fed and djoko and length of the match is as good a as a tough 4setter. Fed tires after the 3rd set in that final. He should really have closed it in 3. He was playing great at the beginning.

2009 was relatively poor quality. Novak changed his racquet at the start of the year and, by his standards, was poor all year. Fed himself was a bit out of sorts most of the year - struggling to get past Roddick at Wimbledon and then imploding to lose to DP in the US final.

Tenez wrote:No but had an easier match v Cilic or Nadal
...Can't remember. The score between fed and djoko and length of the match is as good a as a tough 4setter. Fed tires after the 3rd set in that final. He should really have closed it in 3. He was playing great at the beginning.

Bottom line, Nadal couldn't make it to the final even without meeting Nole/Fed before the final.

And yes, that would've been an exhausting semi vs Nole with all that fast hitting non-stop.

Slippy wrote:2009 was relatively poor quality. Novak changed his racquet at the start of the year and, by his standards, was poor all year. Fed himself was a bit out of sorts most of the year - struggling to get past Roddick at Wimbledon and then imploding to lose to DP in the US final.

Nole's annus horibilis was 2010 when he had Tod Martin mess up his serve...he was losing some stupid matches, eg to Berdych in Wimbledon.

In hindsight, his main problem was his fitness, as soon as he sorted that aspect he began to thrash Nadal and everyone else.

But bottom line with this clip is that 10 years on, Fed is stil, the main favourite for USO!

Slippy wrote:2009 was relatively poor quality. Novak changed his racquet at the start of the year and, by his standards, was poor all year. Fed himself was a bit out of sorts most of the year - struggling to get past Roddick at Wimbledon and then imploding to lose to DP in the US final.

I disagree. First by watching this clip you can see how good they are. Secondly Fed had in my view one of his best year. Lost a match v Nadal at the AO where he won more points and was a point away from winning the USO...so very close to win 4 slams actually.

... wrote:But bottom line with this clip is that 10 years on, Fed is stil, the main favourite for USO!

I really don;t think so. We are not even sure he will play.

Tenez wrote:

... wrote:But bottom line with this clip is that 10 years on, Fed is stil, the main favourite for USO!

I really don;t think so. We are not even sure he will play.

All he needs to do now is do better than Nadal till the end of teh year. Not guaranteed in this form.

Tenez wrote:

... wrote:But bottom line with this clip is that 10 years on, Fed is stil, the main favourite for USO!

I really don;t think so. We are not even sure he will play.

I think he will play.

And he will need a lot of luck as his body/fitness is hanging on a thread.

Again, it will be a miracle.

... wrote:

Tenez wrote:

... wrote:But bottom line with this clip is that 10 years on, Fed is stil, the main favourite for USO!

I really don;t think so. We are not even sure he will play.

I think he will play.

And he will need a lot of luck as his body/fitness is hanging on a thread.

Again, it will be a miracle.

I'd be happy if he gets to 1/4F....if Nadal loses earlier.

If he's healthy he will only lose to an inspired Nadal, or if by some miracle Murray is fully fit and he gets run down (though more likely to lose if he got the bad end if the semi-final draw).

Tenez wrote:

... wrote:

Tenez wrote:

... wrote:But bottom line with this clip is that 10 years on, Fed is stil, the main favourite for USO!

I really don;t think so. We are not even sure he will play.

I think he will play.

And he will need a lot of luck as his body/fitness is hanging on a thread.

Again, it will be a miracle.

I'd be happy if he gets to 1/4F....if Nadal loses earlier.  

He should get to QF, though he looked laboured in Montreal. Never took off for some reason.
As if he turned the engines off after Wimbledon (even subconsciously).

Though back in Wimbledon he looked very upbeat about the rest of the season.
He must have picked up a new injury.
We'll see.

bogbrush wrote:If he's healthy he will only lose to an inspired Nadal, or if by some miracle Murray is fully fit and he gets run down (though more likely to lose if he got the bad end if the semi-final draw).

If he is healthy, he wins. It's as simple as that. The only player who might beat him if healthy is Djokovic...as he is the only one who stopped Fed in the last few years.

... wrote:

Tenez wrote:

... wrote:

Tenez wrote:

... wrote:But bottom line with this clip is that 10 years on, Fed is stil, the main favourite for USO!

I really don;t think so. We are not even sure he will play.

I think he will play.

And he will need a lot of luck as his body/fitness is hanging on a thread.

Again, it will be a miracle.

I'd be happy if he gets to 1/4F....if Nadal loses earlier.  

He should get to QF, though he looked laboured in Montreal. Never took off for some reason.
As if he turned the engines off after Wimbledon (even subconsciously).

Though back in Wimbledon he looked very upbeat about the rest of the season.
He must have picked up a new injury.
We'll see.

I don't think it is injury as such....just stiffness....stiffness of his lower back. When he mentions "treatment" i think this is what he is referring to.

now that indeed has the same effect as injury more or less.