Bye bye Federer

For being originally a Federer based forum there are not many of us to congratulate his career and thank him for those many years. 

True that it never was the type of forum where posters drooled for their players...except of course the Rafa fans who generally have little understanding of tennis and appreciate the man more than the game. 

So back to Fed. His real fans (of his game) have already farewell him as we knew he could not return to any form he had in his many successful years. 

I personally admit that Federer gave me immense satisfaction for so many years even when losing matches just by the incredible tennis he played under the most crazy pressure. 

I am honest when I say I do not remember him collapsing under pressure. He has certainly failed physically at the end of long matches where his exhausted body finally got the better of his mind...but never the other way around. 

I still believe that he belongs to the generation of Hewitt, Nalbandian, Ferrer, Ferrer, Berdych and so on, a generation he has dominated like no other dominated his peers. This is the reason he realised too late (in 2015) that he had to change his racquet. 

I have no doubt that had he been born 5 years later, trained with the more recent technology, Djokovic and Nadal would have been relegated in Ferrer's league. the 7/1 H2h v Nadal since Federer changed his racquet says it all. And the one loss as we know happened in stormy circumstances that certainly blunt Federer's weapons. Yet it was a pretty close 3 setter on Nadal's best surface....so imagine. 

Anyway, for me and I guess many others Federer is simply the GOAT. I know it doesn;t matter what I think but it is so. 

Have a good rest Federer...and thanks again.

Tenez wrote:True that it never was the type of forum where posters drooled for their players...except of course the Rafa fans

Your lack of self awareness is hilarious

Tenez wrote:For being originally a Federer based forum there are not many of us to congratulate his career and thank him for those many years. 

True that it never was the type of forum where posters drooled for their players...except of course the Rafa fans who generally have little understanding of tennis and appreciate the man more than the game. 

So back to Fed. His real fans (of his game) have already farewell him as we knew he could not return to any form he had in his many successful years. 

I personally admit that Federer gave me immense satisfaction for so many years even when losing matches just by the incredible tennis he played under the most crazy pressure. 

I am honest when I say I do not remember him collapsing under pressure. He has certainly failed physically at the end of long matches where his exhausted body finally got the better of his mind...but never the other way around. 

I still believe that he belongs to the generation of Hewitt, Nalbandian, Ferrer, Ferrer, Berdych and so on, a generation he has dominated like no other dominated his peers. This is the reason he realised too late (in 2015) that he had to change his racquet. 

I have no doubt that had he been born 5 years later, trained with the more recent technology, Djokovic and Nadal would have been relegated in Ferrer's league. the 7/1 H2h v Nadal since Federer changed his racquet says it all. And the one loss as we know happened in stormy circumstances that certainly blunt Federer's weapons. Yet it was a pretty close 3 setter on Nadal's best surface....so imagine. 

Anyway, for me and I guess many others Federer is simply the GOAT. I know it doesn;t matter what I think but it is so. 

Have a good rest Federer...and thanks again.

No offence but this is a bit of a shitty tribute. His career has been so great... it does not need your whiny excuses or partisan digs. 

Federer will go down as one of the greatest sportsmen in history; and his legacy will transcend tennis. He's been involved in some epic matches which will be re-lived by his fans for decades to come, and the artistry of his playing style will never matched.

I don't agree with the racket nonsense.  I think he just lost a step and especially fine tuning that made him the greatest waned over time.  He'd dominate anyone 2004-7 standard - with the exception of Nadal on clay - but even 2004-7 Fed would beat today's Nadal at FO.  

It's just how it happened.  Slowing surfaces and conditions did not help him and was designed purely to make rallies last ages - which has ruined the sport.

But at his best - he's the best there's ever been (the consec number 1 is a record that will never be beaten - and there will never be that level of dominance across all surfaces again) - and it's sad that he's been forced to quit the game.  I was hoping we'd get at least 1 more year our of him but it wasn't to be.

Simply the most virtuous, most imaginative player I’ve ever seen. His ability to create the unexpected was unprecedented.

The transition he encountered as the game changed from the forecourt to the back (I showed my youngest son highlights of the match vs Sampras and he agreed it was simply a different game).

Unlike Daniel I do think the decision to hold on to the smaller racquet hurt him, costing him quite a few Slams. The 2017 renaissance was a wonder to witness and whilst the AO was the standout result, the sunshine double including the proper smashing of Rafa at Miami might have been the peak of the year.

The guy brought me back to tennis after a spell during which I lost interest. Now he’s gone the sport feels empty again.

Just the greatest.

The nonsense is to admit that Federer lost a step from 2006 yet when he adopted to the new racquet 1n 2015 , at the very end of his career, having lost many more steps he completely overturned Nadal's record 7/1, Nadal who was 5 years younger. 

I know Daniel you are in denial, you have been for a long time. Sometimes you remind me Amri actually.

That's because the loss of a step affects Nadal's game more than Federer's.  if you understood tennis and the difference between their styles, you'd know that.  But you don't.
Nadal is an amazing retriever and a brute force baseliner.  He relies on being able to get to balls.  A loss of step for Federer doesn't affect his game as much as Nadal's.  It's still crucual at their level v the field, but it's different for each of them.  This is obvious stuff.  That's the main reason Federer closed the gap at the tail end of their careers.  It's not the fucking racquet. 


When Nadal is 50 and Federer is 50+, Federer will be MASSIVE favourite on all surfaces - because Nadal's retrieval will be useless but Federer's shot making will still be decent.  Obviously, they will both be retired, but I am using that example to illustrate the point.

The surface speed matters precisely because of this difference in style of play.



What you and Bogbrush have done is see a correlation and made it a causation. The time he went to his larger racquet is not the defining difference.  Also, you keep saying his backhand was weak..  go and look at some matches in 2006.  It was amazing.  It only failed against one player - Nadal.  because he's a left hander, plays massive top spin, and all conditions were slowed.

Daniel2 wrote:That's because the loss of a step affects Nadal's game more than Federer's.  if you understood tennis and the difference between their styles, you'd know that.  But you don't.
Nadal is an amazing retriever and a brute force baseliner.  He relies on being able to get to balls.  A loss of step for Federer doesn't affect his game as much as Nadal's.  It's still crucual at their level v the field, but it's different for each of them.  This is obvious stuff.  That's the main reason Federer closed the gap at the tail end of their careers.  It's not the fucking racquet. 

This is fair analysis and explains the Federal H2H pattern over time. Although I am also of the opinion that Federer made a strategic mistake in not changing his racket earlier. The new racket made his forehand slightly worse but improved his backhand. That trade off is still net positive though given some used to target his BH. 

Daniel2 wrote:Also, you keep saying his backhand was weak..  go and look at some matches in 2006.  It was amazing.

Tenez wrote:I know Daniel you are in denial, you have been for a long time. Sometimes you remind me Amri actually.

I'm sure he'll take that as the compliment it was intended as.

bogbrush wrote:Simply the most virtuous, most imaginative player I’ve ever seen. His ability to create the unexpected was unprecedented.

The transition he encountered as the game changed from the forecourt to the back (I showed my youngest son highlights of the match vs Sampras and he agreed it was simply a different game).

Unlike Daniel I do think the decision to hold on to the smaller racquet hurt him, costing him quite a few Slams. The 2017 renaissance was a wonder to witness and whilst the AO was the standout result, the sunshine double including the proper smashing of Rafa at Miami might have been the peak of the year.

The guy brought me back to tennis after a spell during which I lost interest. Now he’s gone the sport feels empty again.

Just the greatest.

Great post- nice tribute. 

Think Djokovic will be remembered as the tennis GOAT with his slam tally (will end at ~25) but Federer will be remembered as a greater sportsman, if that makes sense.

Federer is the best tennis player I have ever seen.
As has already been said here, his achievements trascend tennis. 

He will be missed.

Federer himself said that the new raquet gave him more power overall. In serving as well as FH and BH. 

Federer was certainly physically more fragile from 2015 onwards, more prompt to tiredness and less recovery power, yet the racquet made a huge difference allowing him to really hurt Nadal on every shot and we all know how Nadal fears pace. With this new racquet Federer was able to turn any court into a faster court. 

If you do not admit this you are in denial. 

And yes he had a good BH prior but everybody kept saying it was his weak side, then, in particular v Nadal. From 2015 that was not true anymore. It suddenly, thanks to the new racquet, became a weapon, hence the complete change of trend in their H2H with Nadal and in fact even v Djoko he was able to keep with him a bit longer. 

Fed's FH dropped after 2006 when he decided to give more security to his shots by lifting more due to the intent to keep rallying with Rafa and cut the UEs. Federer's mistake was not to adapt to bigger frame when he decided to spin the ball more in 2007.   

The GOAT is Federer. As simple as that. I bet he would have had 20 more slams at least had he adopted the new racquet earlier. Unfortunately he was born in a different era. That's really his downfall. But at the same time the smaller racquet may have forced him to be more technical than powerful....for the benefit of us all.

Wow Looks like Roger's hair has turned grey! It does look older suddenly. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5NVreP_Y4E4

It's been a while and I hope everyone is keeping well and safe. 

Well that day is here that I think most were hoping would never come, the great man hanging up his racquet for good. 

I have to say when he missed Wimbledon, I knew deep down that would be the end. Even talks of making the US Open seemed a last lunge rather than something that was realistic. I was expecting a Basel farewell, but it's not to be. 

Arguably the most harmonious and complete talent I have seen in tennis. The grace and precision in his movement as well as shotmaking was a joy to behold. There won't be another that plays the way he does (or now did). 

Growing up with the era of Becker, McEnroe, Lendl, Edberg, he took the game up another level. Whilst the sport isn't blessed with much in the way of personality, having a style and an identity can go further. Which is why Fedal will be the most polarising rivalry in the sport. 

He won't retire statistically being the GOAT, but then Ali wasn't statistically greatest, nor was Maradona, but their legacies are held as much. He will still be the GOAT in so many people's eyes. 

The fact he will leave the sport without ever retiring from a match is an astonishing testament to his desire and conditioning. Not many, if any at all across other sports can say they've walked out on their own 2 feet from every match. 

My favourite memories of course will be 2017. I don't think anyone saw that coming and I think it actually rejuvenated the sport after a period of dominance by Djokovic which felt very monotonous. The bigger racquet absolutely elevated Roger's game. Without it, I doubt he would've reached 20 Slams. 

It's a strange day. Federer was the last link to an era which now goes with him into retirement. He transcended into each era he played in.

Bye bye Roger my LOVEEEEEE, thanks for all the joy, pleasures, screams, tears & nervous breakdowns.

Seen him 3 times live in tournaments, will never forget.

xxx 

Only the second time I cried for a sportsman I love!!! Last time was on 1 May 1994.

Love you all here!!!