Novak's thoughts about the Rafa defeat

First topic message reminder :

"You can't underestimate any opponent. I don't think Rafa did, he's well aware of the quality of all the players on the tour.

"But it's a Grand Slam. It's Wimbledon. Everybody wants to come up with their best game, especially when you're playing one of the top players.

"You have nothing to lose. You're out there on the court and you're going for your shots.

"It can serve as an example for everybody that anything is possible in this sport. Even though myself, Rafa, Roger, Murray, we've been dominant in Grand Slams, and it's expected of us to reach the last four.

"But tennis is improving. Everybody plays equally well."

Djokovic had a minor scare against another Czech on Friday in a third round match which was played, just like Nadal's, under the Centre Court roof.


http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-06-29/top-stories/32473586_1_america-s-ryan-harrison-novak-djokovic-rafael-nadal

What I found interest was the last line of the quote tennis is improving a view that I myself share. Also i am glad that Novak acknowledges the efforts and the talents of the mid ranking guys. In the era of top level dominance I think it is often lost upon the majority of fans how good the also rans are. This period is replete with tough talent and ability that is what I find most amusing about those who put forward the thesis that outside of the top 4 there isn't much quality there. For my money we have seen in recent weeks both with the struggles of the big 3 in the last two slams we have seen how the lower ranked guys are of top quality and that the competition is incredibly strong. I think many people were spoiled by Roger's easy success against his outgunned contemporaries. However i think what we are seeing today is a great deal of talent and ability top to bottom in the tour. However the top guys are just that much better and more consistent then we usually see and therefore this perception exists that since they are getting the results the second tier guys aren't doing enough. I think that is patently false.

lydian wrote:Geez socal....see what you've done? You've unleashed The Seifer now...

Yeah I am much better off if I ignore those I don't enjoy interacting with. I am going to go back to that strategy I made a mistake even addressing the issue, but I found a certain individuals portrayal of themselves as the defender of great player's accomplishments a bit more then I could bear in light of his proven track record.

socal1976 wrote:

lydian wrote:Geez socal....see what you've done? You've unleashed The Seifer now...

Yeah I am much better off if I ignore those I don't enjoy interacting with. I am going to go back to that strategy I made a mistake even addressing the issue, but I found a certain individuals portrayal of themselves as the defender of great player's accomplishments a bit more then I could bear in light of his proven track record.

Let's be fair.. I think now Bogbrush seems to be a much better (and nicer) poster.

Earlier on, on the originial 606, I think many Nadal fans were slightly scared of him, and found his opinions degrading and distasteful... but from what I have seen in Bogbrush's posts now on 606v2 (I have only been posting here for a few months though I suppose) is that he seems a much more balanced poster.

socal1976 wrote:

reckoner wrote:socal seriously dude that's ALL you do. it's not a question of responding with a taste of someone's hypocrisy (whatever that even means). you spend your entire time seeking confrontation with an "extremist" army of fanatic Federer fans.

To be perfectly frank there aren't that many Federer fans on this board, certainly not enough for an army! It comes off as a little weird, I'm just saying. I read your posts when I first joined here and thought you were coming up with phrases reminiscent of the Dubya administration when they declaring war on terror...

I know I purposely recycled some of the terms when I wanted to be satirical and for comedic effect. I actually don't have much of a problem with fed fan's at this point I would say my biggest issue is with about 2 active posters, which I should be smart enough to just ignore. Now that I said my piece in calling out that ridiculous hypocrisy I am happy just ignoring them. If you don't like what I write reckoner please feel free to not read them and comment if they irritate you. I mean there are no shortage of people who read my stuff, like it and enjoy commenting on it or enjoy telling me I am wrong.

Hey to be clear I like provocative writing. I am on the side of free speech socal - so even if you write Federer is a tewwible tewwible person a million times in bold italic letters, it's fine by me. I may not agree but I would 100% defend your freedom to do that.

I have a problem with people who want to censor differing points of view and those who dish it out but can't take it and I don't count you in either of those camps.

The slightly weird thing for me was this fanatical group of Fed fans - well now that I know you're just referring to 2 posters I suppose that clears things up. Well not entirely but I don't think I need to know more details!

Reckoner it used to be about 4 but I haven't seen Tenez or Raider and don't want to comment on their situation. I try not to single them out but I probably should so as others know who I am talking about. I think there is no secret of my fondness for BB. Of those that I think were radical and disrespectful Fed fans about half of them are gone and 2 remain.

BB and I used to lock horns on the 606v1, infact I can remember many a 'debate' about mono, Nadal not winning titles since becoming #1 and BBs disappearance acts when Fed lost in a slam to Nadal...losses either way hurt alot more back then but we've all mellowed somewhat and it's not quite the WildWest in here as it was in the Ye Olde 606 saloon bar.

We all like to be tongue in cheek at times...there's a place for banter, wit, serious debate, etc...but downright nastiness isn't palatable. To be fair I haven't seen much of that on here with the exception of the odd uncaged, unmuzzled beast here and there.

This should be a forum and there's no guarantee that we can cut all the crap guff on here, but if we can build a mutual respect amongst posters here without a battlefield breaking it out it might be a sensible place.

I feel a YouTube video coming on LK in the spirit of 'Troickovic'...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGuNsiSZ9RI

The key to being a respected poster is to demonstrate the ability to see even your favourite with some balance and to bring something to the place that adds to general knowledge.

Nobody likes fanatics who can only write about one player in one way, they're just so damn boring.

legendkillarV2 wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGuNsiSZ9RI

aaaaaaaaaaaarrghhhhh my ears

legendkillarV2 wrote:This should be a forum and there's no guarantee that we can cut all the crap guff on here, but if we can build a mutual respect amongst posters here without a battlefield breaking it out it might be a sensible place.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9BNoNFKCBI

legendkillarV2 wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aGuNsiSZ9RI

A LITTLE WARNING PLEASE - I HAVE BEEN HAPPILY REPRESSING MEMORIES OF THAT SONG FOR A QUARTER OF A CENTURY!

Agree with the sentiment about mutual respect though.

Would also like to add that, although fanatics can be boring, fanatical bashers are more so. Neither tend to respect other opinions

That youtube link (nice sentiment, crap song) is a good place to lock this thread. Jeez, I go out of for a game of tennis (in the rain) and everyone (OK, not everyone) starts mis-behaving. Yeah, I know, "but he started it".