Where's Roger?

Federer only chose to play one of the American Masters tournaments and was unlucky enough to get drawn with Nadal's in the quarters. So he was gone before we barely got to see him play. If I'd realized at the time that this unlucky draw would temporarily lose him the number two spot I might have protested a little more. He chose not to play MC and the tournament to me anyway felt like there was something lacking.

It's still two weeks until Madrid... He better not get drawn with Rafa again. I for one miss him. Not just on the court but his no nonsense analysis in interviews. The tour will be a more boring place once he's gone.

He's on is 'olidays.

Helping the girls to build sandcastles I imagine.

Best get used to him being away from the court.......

Ps Rafa was only taking revenge at IW for what Fed did to him at last year's IW

Don't worry HE, he's taking in lots of alpine air whilst practising...



He winding down his tournament count greatly now...you'll have to get used to long periods between him playing at times...until eventually the really long period comes up.

There's a lovely picture of Roger holding the Wimbledon trophy and looking suitably smug to illustrate the story in The Times about the prize money increase. The link won't work because it's PPV but I'm sure everyone can imagine it...

dont blame federer, he has paid his dues over the years. What has he got left to achieve in fairness, he needs to reduce his schedule to continue to compete, not to mention for family time.

I agree he normally does interview well but having been a fan for years, I lost a lot of respect for him the day he did his press conference after losing to Djokovic in US open 2011, calling the return a lucky slap shot and said how much it hurt to lose against a guy who had given up and who gets lucky in such moments, then taking a dig at they way he must have learned to play the game, hitting slap shots when losing. So unsporting and left a bitter taste for me. I was always a bigger Djokovic fan and from that moment on there was only one player i wanted to win their battles.

I still greatly appreciate his game, so gifted and he really does have all the shots. Will certainly miss him when he is gone, one thing i will be glad to see the back of is his stupid cardigans / blazers that he wears at wimbledon. I think he wore the number 7 on it one year too, incredibly arrogant.

Strangely, i used to not like Nadal much and remember shouting on Federer in that 08 Wimbledon final classic. If it were a repeat now, i would be more in favour of nadal as i think he handles himself better.

Sorry going a bit off topic here but hey, there ye go

Personally I did think at the time it was a shot of someone who just thought this is probably over I might as well go for it. He has done it on several set and match points against Roger, this one went in. He even admitted in the final against Murray he did it as well, saying he thought I might as well try my luck again. That being said I have seen Roger do the exact same thing a few times against Rafa, just smacking forehands as hard as he can when its match point

Of course a bit of luck involved but doesnt mean you actually say it. To say it in a press conference is sour grapes and then saying how that is probably how Novak was brought up to play the game. Really disliked that comment, very disrespectful.

Also, Novak is one of the greatest returners of all time and he does that time and again so for that reason I would consider it less lucky. Ask rafa, he knows all about the novak return !!

Murray on the other hand is a very good returner but doesnt necessarily hit as many straight winners from the return so would be more surprising if he did it.

slashermcguirk wrote:dont blame federer, he has paid his dues over the years. What has he got left to achieve in fairness, he needs to reduce his schedule to continue to compete, not to mention for family time.

I agree he normally does interview well but having been a fan for years, I lost a lot of respect for him the day he did his press conference after losing to Djokovic in US open 2011, calling the return a lucky slap shot and said how much it hurt to lose against a guy who had given up and who gets lucky in such moments, then taking a dig at they way he must have learned to play the game, hitting slap shots when losing. So unsporting and left a bitter taste for me. I was always a bigger Djokovic fan and from that moment on there was only one player i wanted to win their battles.

I still greatly appreciate his game, so gifted and he really does have all the shots. Will certainly miss him when he is gone, one thing i will be glad to see the back of is his stupid cardigans / blazers that he wears at wimbledon. I think he wore the number 7 on it one year too, incredibly arrogant.

Strangely, i used to not like Nadal much and remember shouting on Federer in that 08 Wimbledon final classic. If it were a repeat now, i would be more in favour of nadal as i think he handles himself better.

Sorry going a bit off topic here but hey, there ye go

Its funny people start to hate players for one genuine interview, what about interview where he has given full praise to opponents? and what about self appraisal by Djoko and his family the King is dead and long live the new King?, what about Djoko comment before Wimbledon 2008 that he along with Rafa start as the favorite for Wimbledon 2008 ? only to be later knocked out in the 2nd round by one of Fedès bunny Safin who cannot play in grass court.

There is no saint in the tour and there is neither a villan in the tour, all are human beings , and all 3 are great players. Roger and Rafa has done great service off the tennis court for humanity which you and me could only dream off, they are much better human beings and not just great players. I am proud to have born in a generation of two great players and human beings.

not saying the others are saints but I do think they handle themselves better in defeat than Federer. I am not saying he is not a nice and good person. He has done a lot for charity, is a phenomenal player and seems to be a decent bloke most of the time. I just find him a bit arrogant and this is coming from a guy that was a big fan.

Take a look at how novak embraced nadal at US Open 2010 after losing final and how he embraced Murray last year. You wouldnt see Federer react that well in defeat, i can assure you.

With relation to Novak, his shirt ripping after beating Wawrnika was inappropriate. Could see why he did it after beating nadal due to the crazy long nature of the match and the occasion. However hope he doesnt do it in future

I think it's pretty obvious where Roger is...

Spoiler:

slashermcguirk wrote:not saying the others are saints but I do think they handle themselves better in defeat than Federer. I am not saying he is not a nice and good person. He has done a lot for charity, is a phenomenal player and seems to be a decent bloke most of the time. I just find him a bit arrogant and this is coming from a guy that was a big fan.

Take a look at how novak embraced nadal at US Open 2010 after losing final and how he embraced Murray last year. You wouldnt see Federer react that well in defeat, i can assure you.

With relation to Novak, his shirt ripping after beating Wawrnika was inappropriate. Could see why he did it after beating nadal due to the crazy long nature of the match and the occasion. However hope he doesnt do it in future

I'm interested in their conduct on Court - that's what matters to me, and on that basis I think Djoko is usually real gent, Federer is a very fair opponent, and Nadal is a beast. Talk afterwards is interesting, but all Nadal's considerable humility and ability to accept a defeat with good grace in front of the cameras (for which I applaud him) does not redeem what I find to be his unattractive on-court conduct.

I've seen them all throw their toys out of the pram during a match and I have also seen them all be admirably respectful, they are human beings. I wouldn't want to see a robot on the court.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-TMTHA8PAk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y38old93tw0

CAS is absolutely spot on : they can all be nice as pie and they can, on occasion, all say and do naughty things.
None of them has a monopoly on "niceness" or perfect behaviour, that's for sure.

Mention has been made of Nadal's 'humility' and Federer's 'arrogance' but these things are so often in the eye of the beholder. Some see Federer's ostensibly smug comments as honest ; whilst others find Nadal's frequent past denials that he's favourite for RG or MC to be tiresome false modesty (not least when all rational observers - including himself ! - know that it's nonsense)

All in all I'm very much with barrystar as regards on-court conduct, because ultimately that will ALWAYS count for much more than the froth of any pre or post match talk.

And since this was intended as a non-controversial thread purely about Federer's current absence, I'd best not stray any further off topic

slashermcguirk wrote:

Take a look at how novak embraced nadal at US Open 2010 after losing final and how he embraced Murray last year. You wouldnt see Federer react that well in defeat, i can assure you.

Take a look at how Fed embraced Del Potro after USO 2009, you cannot single out by just 1 or two matches, take a look at how Nadal reacted after losing to Berdych?

I certainly don't agree to your point that Fed is arrogant and other conduct themselves better than him, indeed I see the viceversa, the new generation learned a lot from Fed and Fed is one of the prime reason why the current crop conduct themselves, he didn't win sportsmanship award 8 times in a row if his fellow players wouldn't have liked his conduct.

I and for that reason many think Fed detractors are not mature enough or just complain for the reason they don't like him, I don't agree these words that you are a fan and yet you see him as arrogant, you certainly not his fan.

I wonder what Federer would have said about Djokovic's ankle, the Dimitrov SHB standing upto Rafa, Wawrinka destroying Murray and I wonder what he's planning to wear on the first Monday this year at Wimbledon... It better be something good!

Sounds like you've got a lot of time on your hands HE ....

I kind of like Federer's tendency to say what he really thinks after matches. Sometimes it is very insightful (like the Murray thing after Dubai '08, for which he was excoriated at the time but which later came to be regarded as wisdom).

I mean, the alternative most of the time is completely meaningless platitudes. What's the point?

Yes, that Dubai verdict by Federer on Murray was heavily criticised in some quarters, and - coming as it did in the immediate wake of a Federer loss - was dismissed by many as sour grapes. But unfairly so as you say bb, and the very same comments were indeed later viewed in a somewhat different perspective.

It has generally been a sort of accepted convention to avoid seemingly negative remarks about a fellow pro but you can't help wonder if an occasional exception can prove to be both warranted and helpful. At that point, Murray was of course yet to win a Slam (or even make a Final...?) and he was, in effect, being offered constructive advice by someone with already a dozen or so under his belt.

If Federer had spoken in similar vein about a relatively unknown youngster trying to climb the rankings, then either nothing would have been said OR he would have been praised for showing interest. Is it really so very different when it involves a player already in the upper echelons of the game but still well below the standing of someone with such vast experience and accomplishments......??

CAS wrote:I've seen them all throw their toys out of the pram during a match and I have also seen them all be admirably respectful, they are human beings. I wouldn't want to see a robot on the court.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8-TMTHA8PAk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y38old93tw0

Roger Taylor, anyone, he is my favourite in fairness.

Ah yes .... Roger Taylor ..... IIRC he was keen to have a point replayed even though it had already been given to him towards the end of his QF (?) Wimbledon encounter with a very young Swedish chap by the name of Bjorn Borg.

lags72 wrote:Ah yes .... Roger Taylor ..... IIRC he was keen to have a point replayed even though it had already been given to him towards the end of his QF (?) Wimbledon encounter with a very young Swedish chap by the name of Bjorn Borg.

That was before he joined Queen and Duran Duran.

JuliusHMarx wrote:

lags72 wrote:Ah yes .... Roger Taylor ..... IIRC he was keen to have a point replayed even though it had already been given to him towards the end of his QF (?) Wimbledon encounter with a very young Swedish chap by the name of Bjorn Borg.

That was before he joined Queen and Duran Duran.

He played a mean drum even before he became the Queen - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQQfSChtzUU

Exit strategy left stage in the works now?

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/Media/Images/Photo-Galleries/2013/Rome/Moet-Rome-Federer-Gerini.aspx

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/Media/Images/Photo-Galleries/2013/Rome/Moet-Rome-Federer-Katy-Saunders.aspx

http://www.atpworldtour.com/Tennis/Media/Images/Photo-Galleries/2013/Rome/Moet-Rome-Federer-Drink.aspx

Looks very partially involved in the sport these days, I must say

Still #2 shortly though.

needs to either win Rome or reach the final of RG to overtake Murray. I think he will be close enough to take the number 2 seeding at Wimbledon though, even if Andy is fit to play.