McEnroe: Federer and Wawrinka got into a late night argument after the semi

SB, if you don't want to comment on something you don't have to

The fact they're playing Davis cup in a week makes it mor interesting.
Front cover on the Daily Telegraph btw

Kim Jong-Un wrote:SB, if you don't want to comment on something you don't have to

The fact they're playing Davis cup in a week makes it mor interesting.
Front cover on the Daily Telegraph btw

Really?

Yes, huge picture of Mirka

I'll believe when I see it.
Off to playing tennis now, will stop by the corner shop to have a look at today's papers.
They normally don't even put the photo of Wimbledon winner on the front page...unless it's Murray.

...but in any case, it's nothing.
I just hope Federer hasn't injured his back badly. Good job it's the off-season.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-30091634

Click the arrow until the Daily Telegraph one

Also truffin reported Stan said they were travelling together to France, but according to Daily Mail journalist, Fed travelled by private jet and Wawrinka took Eurostar.

Kim Jong-Un wrote:Also truffin reported Stan said they were travelling together to France, but according to Daily Mail journalist, Fed travelled by private jet and Wawrinka took Eurostar.

Probably because Fed's family was going to Switzerland first.....I guess.

However I must say the story becomes more credible by the day. Still not a big deal for me. Just a shame before the DC final...but not as concerning as Fed's back.

Kim Jong-Un wrote:http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-the-papers-30091634

Click the arrow until the Daily Telegraph one

You were right, I saw it in the corner shop, half the page just the photo of Mirka...
Even if it was all true I am shocked her photo (and especially of that size) made it to the front page of Telegraph.

The end is surely nigh...

http://www.606v2.com/t56497-the-plot-thickens-cry-baby

I'm generally very wary of the British media, they seem to be very excited at this

At least we've got something to "discuss" before Davis Cup

noleisthebest wrote:At least we've got something to "discuss" before Davis Cup

I'll be honest I've found this episode probably more engrossing than the dull group stage matches in the WTF

It's also really built up my appetite for the Davis Cup final.

I really hope Federer plays and we have some epic matches, the French crowd will break the record for attendance to a tennis match.

If Mirka really called Stan "crybaby/whiner" that would've been funny, as I remember Fed talking how he fell in live with Mirka: they were playing doubles in Sydney Olympics and they lost (or Mirka played badly, stg like that) so Mirka started crying and chucking tantrums, Fed fell for her tears, began to comfort her....the rest is history!  

Serbian website running a story on Mirka, too, and have this clip:



This is the first time I heard her voice...no comment

Umpire now confirms Wawrinka was complaining about Mirka:
http://www.20min.ch/ro/sports/tennis/story/20959608

I read that here, too:
http://www.b92.net/sport/tenis/vesti.php?yyyy=2014&mm=11&dd=18&nav_id=925384

If true, absolutely disgusted with Mirka. Poor Fed...

noleisthebest wrote:I read that here, too:
http://www.b92.net/sport/tenis/vesti.php?yyyy=2014&mm=11&dd=18&nav_id=925384

If true, absolutely disgusted with Mirka. Poor Fed...

And of course, poor Stan!
I am really shocked...would be interesting to hear from that Federer fan Truffin mentioned who claimed it was all a lie, and that Mirka said nothing.

Even more alarming is that it transpires she has a habit of doing it, as Stan complained to Cedric she did the same in Wimbledon...although, I don't remember Fed ever playing Stan there...

I find it very intriguing that only French, Swiss media (and Serbian) have reported Mourier's statement.

Not a word from Murdoch's empire....

20minutes is the CH equivalent of London's Metro:

http://www.20min.ch/ro/sports/tennis/story/Stan---Mirka--la-version-de-l-arbitre-de-chaise-20959608

B92 seems to have the most comprehensive version:

Cedric: "It was a moment full of tension. The match was nearing its end. I noticed Stan was upset because of someone in Roger's box.
I tried to understand what was going on so I asked him.
He told me: "She is disturbing me."
I understand it was Roger Federer's wife that was disturbing him."

The article then goes on to quote some video in which a woman's voice says "Crybaby!" (at 5:5, deuce)
When Stan went to change his racquet, Cedric told Stan: "I didn't hear anything", to which Stan replied: "She did the same in Wimbledon.  Every time I'm in that side of the court she yells/screams before my serve. It's unbearable."

(French version also mentions Cedric's say he believed it was all blown out of proportions by British media.)

The article finishes with mentioning Stan's and Fed's match at Wimbledon which Fed won 3:1, saying Stan had won the first set and lost the 2nd in the tie-break.

Strangely, I don't remember that match at all...

Wow, Fed's just joined the party condemning Cedric for speaking out about the incident!  
Stan appears he doesn't mind.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/rogerfederer/11238769/Roger-Federer-criticises-umpire-Cedric-Mourier-for-confirming-his-wife-Mirka-did-heckle-Stanislas-Wawrinka.html

Well- it seems I was wrong-  Fans on Federers website that were there are still saying they heard Mirka say nothing and that Stan was focused on an unruly lady near them...    They are saying lots in the crowd were yelling at Stan so maybe Mirka was one of them and they didn't pick up on it..    They still don't think it was her that said it, maybe it was the other lady and Stan thought it was Mirka.

Strange thing to me is the fans that were there really don't like Stan much so I would think they would be all up in arms defending Mirka against him if he was yelling at her...even if she was at fault.. they would be defending her.

I still don't think it was her that he was waving his racquet at and taking steps towards... I think that must be the other lady fan.. because that RF brigade as they call themselves would have gone ballistic if he did so towards Mirka.  The umpire seems to indicate the british press has exaggerated things, so after looking at everything- I think Stan did have some issue with mirka, but there was another unruly fan who he also had an issue with and the two are getting put together into all being mirka by the british press.


that being said- lots of pictures of the Swiss team today and Stan and Fed sharing some laughs, Stan holding bunny ears over Feds head while Federer is laughing hysterically.. either good actors or they've moved on.

suggest we do the same as it really does seems like a stupid story.

Truffin,
why don't those Fed's fans like Stan?

Some guy named David Law?  says he was there when Stan and Fed talked and McEnroe exaggerated it- -said it lasted only a few minutes..........


to more important things- Fed says he's not practicing or training because of the back, hopes to get at least one practice in but feels he can play well even without the practice.  says he hasn't "given up hope" to play.

noleisthebest wrote:Wow, Fed's just joined the party condemning Cedric for speaking out about the incident!  
Stan appears he doesn't mind.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/tennis/rogerfederer/11238769/Roger-Federer-criticises-umpire-Cedric-Mourier-for-confirming-his-wife-Mirka-did-heckle-Stanislas-Wawrinka.html

Very very interesting, thanks for the link.

Of course Federer and Wawrinka aren't stupid and will downplay this in public... but wow I don't think either of them wanted what happened revealed in public.

truffin1 wrote:Some guy named David Law?  says he was there when Stan and Fed talked and McEnroe exaggerated it- -said it lasted only a few minutes..........


to more important things- Fed says he's not practicing or training because of the back, hopes to get at least one practice in but feels he can play well even without the practice.  says he hasn't "given up hope" to play.

Yes, that is so disappointing.
Even if he doesn't play DC, he has still had a fantastic year,and I only hope the back heals properly. In the big scheme of things, the timing is not that bad.

The main thing is that conditions speed up a bit starting from AO.
There is so much pressure and lobbying against it behind the scenes, though.

noleisthebest wrote:I read that here, too:
http://www.b92.net/sport/tenis/vesti.php?yyyy=2014&mm=11&dd=18&nav_id=925384

If true, absolutely disgusted with Mirka. Poor Fed...

Absolutely disgraceful by Mirka, but Stan should have risen above it and not let it get to him. Fed also confirms that was what they were talking about after the match (when eyewitnesses saw them arguing and saw tour officials move them to the private room), but Fed insists it was just a friendly chat and everything is now ok lol.

I know this has all been blown out of proportions, but I didn't mind it in the least.
Enough of the fake PR palaver..they are all human and it's ridiculous to expect them to keep their cool all the time.
I admire how they manage to do it and not crack up more often...
Gulbis must be lovin' it!

noleisthebest wrote:
Gulbis must be lovin' it!

Lol. Somewhere Gulbis is sitting on his armchair with a huge grin on his face.

noleisthebest wrote:Truffin,
why don't those Fed's fans like Stan?

the fans that were there and I speak of are a group of extreme fans-- follow him from place to place.. mostly woman and I would say some of them the type of fan we typically associate with Nadal.  A few of them do know their tennis quite well though. They meet with Fed before every tournament, present him with a good luck gift,etc.. he's on know their name and makes a point to speak to them when he sees them at practice and matches.   a couple of them are friendly with Luthi and Godsick as well. 


I hesitate to spread gossip and won't go into it much at all as I'm not sure the details.. It sounds like stuff that happened in Stan's life before I joined the Federer forum and every once in awhile when he does something to aggravate those fans (like criticize Fed for not playing DC a couple years ago) they will allude to it.    What I've gathered is there were issues with Stans treatment of woman or his wife at some point...    An infidelity scandal and some allusions of abuse.   100% do not know if true or not, just what they've alluded too.

On the tennis side- they tend to resent Stan for what they see as Fed having to go the extra mile to "carry" Stan on occasion.. Feel as if Fed has enough pressure than having to come in and save DC in the past, having to play extra singles when Stan lets his nerves get to him, and also that Stan has not carried his weight in some of their doubles match. 

That's why I am surprised they havn't jumped all over Stan for saying anything towards Mirka-- usually they would immediately start in with comments about his past dealings with woman.  They are all saying it was directed towards another woman fan.  

my guess is it's all partly true and has all gotten lumped together and blown way out of proportion.

I saw a bunch around him after the practice session, he was signing balls and things, looked happy and very relaxed.
He actually looked like he was enjoying himself, not like doing it out of duty.
Then when the match started and just before he walked on court, I must say I was taken aback by this almost cult style welcome he received: everyone stood up, young and old,  many wearing either the RF hat or a Nike Fed t-shirts, not to mention the sea of people wrapped up in Swiss flags...

I have seen him quite a few times, but never such a reception.

Stan almost looked like an imposter.

Fed got annoyed with him subtly several times. You could easily see there is a hierarchy between them, and that is the beauty of a tennis court: you cannot hide anything on it.

truffin1 wrote:Well- it seems I was wrong-  Fans on Federers website that were there are still saying they heard Mirka say nothing and that Stan was focused on an unruly lady near them...    They are saying lots in the crowd were yelling at Stan so maybe Mirka was one of them and they didn't pick up on it..    They still don't think it was her that said it, maybe it was the other lady and Stan thought it was Mirka.

Strange thing to me is the fans that were there really don't like Stan much so I would think they would be all up in arms defending Mirka against him if he was yelling at her...even if she was at fault.. they would be defending her.

I still don't think it was her that he was waving his racquet at and taking steps towards... I think that must be the other lady fan.. because that RF brigade as they call themselves would have gone ballistic if he did so towards Mirka.  The umpire seems to indicate the british press has exaggerated things, so after looking at everything- I think Stan did have some issue with mirka, but there was another unruly fan who he also had an issue with and the two are getting put together into all being mirka by the british press.


that being said- lots of pictures of the Swiss team today and Stan and Fed sharing some laughs, Stan holding bunny ears over Feds head while Federer is laughing hysterically.. either good actors or they've moved on.

suggest we do the same as it really does seems like a stupid story.

It surprised me too. The fact Mirka was shouting before serve is really surprising in a way as this is so much unlike Fed but I understand that in the heat of the moment things like that can happen. I quite like Mirka, always did. But what I liked was actually her cool, lay back, in-control lady who seemed like a safe heaven for Federer. This story won't change my mind though .

Kim Jong-Un wrote:SB, if you don't want to comment on something you don't have to

Huh?  But I wanted to comment - I wanted to express my view that this is blown out of proportion.

Look, I am not above enjoying soap-opera style gossip, so I am all for having an article on this topic; I just wanted to say that in my opinion a lot of the commentary has been written with sensationalism in mind.  Which is perfectly fine, as that sells well.

Tenez wrote:
It surprised me too. The fact  Mirka was shouting before serve is really surprising in a way as this is so much unlike Fed but I understand that in the heat of the moment things like that can happen. I  quite like Mirka, always did. But what I liked was actually her cool, lay back, in-control lady who seemed like a safe heaven for Federer. This story won't change my mind though .

Yes, I thought similarly, but not any more.
Especially as she seems to have done it before.
Amazing how someome can sell the facade for so long...no chance should a wife of any player, esp RF stoop so low, heat of the moment is one thing, deliberate, continuing wind-up something very different. Especially in such a big match. And a week before Davis Cup.

No big deal, just leaves bad taste in the mouth for all involved. We have been brainwashed with PR so much.
Today's players are as bad if not worse than the bad boys from the 80s and 90s.

But it seems to me she is right about the fact Stan seems like a cry baby... 

Also, I'm now much closer to these hard-core Fed fans described above - not that I am a hard core fan as I'm not even a fan, I just find he is the best player to watch and the most talented one - in their feelings about Stan. Really, I'm happy he lost to Fed and I wish he'd had lost in MC too. 

The fact that he played like a journeyman to lose to Nole in a crushing fashion and then decided to play his best against Fed in an evening SF the day before the final and one week before DC simply appalls me. I'm pretty sure Fed was physically hurt before the match as it seems to me the only times Stan manages to push Fed to 3 sets in a 3 set match is when Fed has a bad back (e.g. IW 2013). Plus seems Fed does not play as tough when against his friends on tour and they abuse of it, Stan the first. I can still recall how badly he was playing at DC around the time he beat Fed at MC, which would have never happened had Fed not been tired from several matches in a row and bad match scheduling within the tournament and had Fed not lifted Stan up during DC, etc. 

Anyways, Stan is still mentally weak and it's only thanks to Fed (and Magnus maybe at the end of last year and start of this) that he finds some mental strength but uses it against Fed and not Nole unfortunately, bar the AO at the start of the year when he made Fed a favor and beat both Nole and Nadal. 

Had Stan been smarter and a better player, he would have played his best vs. Nole to make him lose one group match to allow Fed the chance to get to YE #1 and then play an exhibition like match vs. Fed whether in SF or F so that they don't tire each other before the DC, but he did not. If he ends up losing a match in DC and they lose because of him, no Fed fan should be fan of Stan and Fed should not consider him a friend, just another of his competitors on tour...

sphairistike wrote:
The fact that he played like a journeyman to lose to Nole in a crushing fashion and then decided to play his best against Fed in an evening SF the day before the final and one week before DC simply appalls me.

'Decides to play his best'.. oh come on the implications of that are laughably unfair.
Firstly Stan is simply an inconsistent player, his level goes up and down and it's not because he 'decides' to play well.
Secondly a fit Djokovic is a much harder opponent than a laboured Federer- especially for Stan who plays really attacking tennis.

I see your point, Sphair.

Tipsarevic is the same way with Djokovic. He never plays with such drive against anybody else, as if his life depends on it kind of way...

But that's another interesting facet of tennis: how much deep seated emotions can affect the way someone plays.

It crossed my mind that Fed's current state of back could have been aggravated by the sheer stress of the post-match argument with Stan (and probably later with Mirka).
The only time I had very severe back problem, it was triggered by a particular, highly stressful situation I was in.

It's a great shame it happened.

But I would not blame or not like Stan for wanting to win.

Yes I don;t think Stan is to blame there. Telling him he was a cry baby on such important moment was poor frankly if not a blatant piece of gamesmanship.

noleisthebest wrote:
It crossed my mind that Fed's current state of back could have been aggravated by the sheer stress of the post-match argument with Stan (and probably later with Mirka).

Possible, but he did say that it occurred during the latter stages of the match so the recurrence of it can't be put down to the argument.
Also we know he had a 'chat' () with stan after the match, but we don't know if he did with Mirka. The fact the 'chat' with Stan got so heated that according to British press the tour officials had to move them to a private room mean maybe Federer stood his ground and backed his wife ?

He went into the match with a stiff back, but was still fit to play.
He injured it towards the end of the match.
Even in his immediate post-match on court interview, he knew it, although it's not as easy to assess the state of injury when the body is still warm.
Post-match stress could have easily affected the state of the back further.

You can see in that latest practice video, his back is in a terrible state.
The fact he said he was not anle to compete with Nole in the final is an understatement of the year.

noleisthebest wrote:
Post-match stress could have easily affected the state of the back further.

Yes, agreed.

Kim Jong-Un wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:
Post-match stress could have easily affected the state of the back further.

Yes, agreed.

mmhhh not convinced. I know it can but I doubt it did.

Why not?

Kim Jong-Un wrote:

sphairistike wrote:
The fact that he played like a journeyman to lose to Nole in a crushing fashion and then decided to play his best against Fed in an evening SF the day before the final and one week before DC simply appalls me.

'Decides to play his best'.. oh come on the implications of that are laughably unfair.
Firstly Stan is simply an inconsistent player, his level goes up and down and it's not because he 'decides' to play well.
Secondly a fit Djokovic is a much harder opponent than a laboured Federer- especially for Stan who plays really attacking tennis.

99% of your arguments when it comes to Nadal (or vs. Fed) are idiotic and laughable so coming from you this is even more laughable. Obviously the 'decides' is figurative and a tad sarcastic.

However, losing to Djokovic is not what I was blaming Stan for, but the way he lost, playing at a level of tennis that maybe even you could play

Tenez wrote:Yes I don;t think Stan is to blame there. Telling him he was a cry baby on such important moment was poor frankly if not a blatant piece of gamesmanship.

This is where you are wrong Tenez. First, we are not sure there is gamesmanship, all we know is Stan could hear her cheer loudly when he was next to the box, not when he is on the other side (obviously, but he seemed to be claiming she would only do it when he is around, even though most likely he just cannot hear her when he is on the opposite side, but even Cedric could not hear her!). Second, she called him cry baby when he was being a cry baby and Stan the Child (not the Man) was complaining and whining like a baby to the chair umpire, hardly 'such an important moment' to call him cry baby...

Tenez wrote:

Kim Jong-Un wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:
Post-match stress could have easily affected the state of the back further.

Yes, agreed.

mmhhh not convinced. I know it can but I doubt it did.

Because back problems due to stress take longer to show symptoms. Here we all know that Fed was already hurting before the match and after a 2h match it is obvious what did hurt: the match itself. He even leans on the chair towards the end of the match....before all this talk and incident took off.

Tenez wrote:

Tenez wrote:

Kim Jong-Un wrote:

noleisthebest wrote:
Post-match stress could have easily affected the state of the back further.

Yes, agreed.

mmhhh not convinced. I know it can but I doubt it did.

Because back problems due to stress take longer to show symptoms. Here we all know that Fed was already hurting before the match and after a 2h match it is obvious what did hurt: the match itself. He even leans on the chair towards the end of the match....before all this talk and incident took off.

From my personal and only experience I felt sharp, burning pain in the lower back. I was sat in my chair having a very important business phone call.
Because I had never had any backache before I thought nothing of it.
An hour later I couldn't walk.

sphairistike wrote:

Tenez wrote:Yes I don;t think Stan is to blame there. Telling him he was a cry baby on such important moment was poor frankly if not a blatant piece of gamesmanship.

This is where you are wrong Tenez. First, we are not sure there is gamesmanship, all we know is Stan could hear her cheer loudly when he was next to the box, not when he is on the other side (obviously, but he seemed to be claiming she would only do it when he is around, even though most likely he just cannot hear her when he is on the opposite side, but even Cedric could not hear her!). Second, she called him cry baby when he was being a cry baby and Stan the Child (not the Man) was complaining and whining like a baby to the chair umpire, hardly 'such an important moment' to call him cry baby...

But regardless, Mirka should not respond back to Stan if he asks them to be quiet. He is entitled to complain about it like Fed was entitled to complained when Djoko's parents were also loud. Now Stan being a friend of Stan (according to both), one woudl expect Mirka to have a bot more respect here. That she was cheering loudly, I understand but try to unsettle the opponent by responding here is a bit over the top.

....unless Norman was shouting as loud in Fed's ears. Which could be the case but we don't know that. And even that could be different as Norman does not entertain as close friendship with Fed as Stan does.

Cannot recall exactly the (in)famous "Be quiet!" incident, but Fed talked directly to them and I don't recall him being a cry baby to the chair umpire...

However, what seems to be likely here is Stan being mentally weak, once the match got close and down to the wire, any little thing was perturbing and upsetting him and he overreacted. Maybe his reaction enticed Mirka to be harsh towards him, friends or not friends (even more so as they are supposed to be friends)...