Federer to play Rotterdam

Virtually nobody around these days but I’ll post this anyway ..... just in case !

Federer has apparently been granted a wildcard to play Rotterdam next week. Sounds like he’s had as much rest as he wanted in the wake of his AO exertions (which didn’t really seem especially taxing, at least not compared to the 2017 event).

This will no doubt prompt lively media discussion as to the implications for the World Number One spot. But my own question is rather more basic : is it wise to offer a valuable wildcard to a part-time player, with a relatively unproven track record on the main Tour .....

Lags72: Yes, what are Rotterdam doing awarding such a wildcard? Seriously though, this gives Fed a chance at the number one which he will reach if he makes the semis. 
   I'm surprised he's playing as it was not even certain that he would play Dubai. First, it suggests he took less out of himself in Melbourne than he thought and secondly that he is keen on getting back to number one.

Ha ha - and people were saying he wasn’t chasing the number 1! In all seriousness, this more or less guarantees him number 1 at the age of 36. Even if it catches up with him subsequently, it’s worth doing to get that achievement. Kudos to Fed for making such a smart choice!

He does need to make semis minimum, fairly straightforward you would think ; but you just never know what truly weird things can happen. His Dubai tourney came to a rather abrupt end as early as R2 last year ....... Evgeny Donskoy (who ??) ..... ranked 116 ....... surely not ?

Just saw the news, so stoked for Fed!!!

It represents a minimal effort investment opportunity to break yet another tennis record that could stand for 50 years.

I dunno, Fed might break it next year!

Quite a stacked field...

Dimitrov, Wawrinka, Zverev, Goffin, Tsonga, Berdych. Obviously Fed is favourite, but he could have picked an easier draw.

Pretty sure he tanked to Donskoy last year in Dubai.

Guest82 wrote:Quite a stacked field...

Dimitrov, Wawrinka, Zverev, Goffin, Tsonga, Berdych.   Obviously Fed is favourite, but he could have picked an easier draw.

Pretty sure he tanked to Donskoy last year in Dubai.  

At which point he was obviously not thinking about the #1 ranking later in the year or early this. Big difference when you are at #2 and only 155 points behind #1 rather than fringes of the top 10. I assume Fed's also going to play Dubai and the US hard court masters, before a sabbatical through the clay season.

I am surprised to see Federer playing before Indian Wells/Miami. He has points to defend, IIRC.

http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/players/roger-federer/f324/rankings-breakdown

The draw is out for Rotterdam and Fed could face Stan the Man in the quarters, so it won't be easy.

JWT, the title holder, has had to pull out of Rotterdam thru injury. Stan the Man was surprisingly beaten last week by qualifier Basic who went on to win the tournament.
   Fed starts this week against Bemelmans and then in the second round will face either Kohlschreiber or Khachanov.

A bit cheeky from Federer, to add an extra tournament to the schedule to chase number 1.

However, to be fair, he has played several tournaments less than Rafa overall in the last 12 months so even with this extra one that will still be the case.

Looked online and I can't find any mention as to whether he is playing this instead of Dubai or as well?

I seem to remember from watching in 2012 that it was quite fast, and there was even some serve and volley being played.

sirfredperry wrote:The draw is out for Rotterdam and Fed could face Stan the Man in the quarters, so it won't be easy.

Except Wawrinka lost in the first round to 21 year old wildcard Tallon Griekspoor (ranked 259 in the world) 4:6 6:3 6:2
It is Griekspoor's first ever win on the ATP tour (played two, lost two prior to this match - otherwise he plays the challenger & lower circuits).

They're saying Wawrinka's movement was restricted. Perhaps he's not fully fit yet, or taking it easy. Still, a surprise result and continues some startling successes for lower-ranked players in the last few days.

Very surprised to see Wawrinka lose in the first round, after his run in Sofia.

Stage 1 for Federer done & dusted.

Two sets of tennis. Forty six minutes. That’s quick ...... even by his standards

Fed dropped just four points in his eight service games.

A Zverev (3) beaten by Seppi 4-6 3-6

No name Bertie wrote:A Zverev (3)  beaten by Seppi   4-6 3-6

A Zverev would have been Fed's possible semi final opponent!

Zverev really does come a cropper a fair bit.

He goes from highly impressive performances one week to something very ordinary the next.

No name Bertie wrote:A Zverev (3)  beaten by Seppi   4-6 3-6

Seppi is the Lucky Loser to make it into the draw. Crazy old game.

There are two Griekspoors in Rotterdam - Tallon and Scott - brothers?

laverfan wrote:There are two Griekspoors in Rotterdam - Tallon and Scott - brothers?

Brothers - as you undoubtedly have now found out elsewhere.

Roosterdam Quarter-finals
Grigor Dimitrov v Andrey Rublev
David Goffin v Tomas Berdych
Daniil Medvedev v Andreas Seppi
"Kohlschreiber or Federer" v "Haase or Griekspoor"

So the draw looks eminently doable for Mr Federer along with the number one ranking and age record, but we shouldn't count ones chickens before they've hatched.

What are the chances of one of those weird tennis happenings ...... loses tonight to a guy he has never lost to in twelve previous .....

Some strong players in that QF line-up.

And here comes the TB lottery.

Kohli has to get lucky one day ...... surely ..... ?

Fed comes thru 7-6 (8), 7-5. K was 5-2 and 6-4 up in the tiebreak. Fed faced no break points. I thought this might be a tough match and although a lot will be on the line tomorrow, I reckon it will be easier than it was tonight.

sirfredperry wrote:Fed comes thru 7-6 (8), 7-5. K was 5-2 and 6-4 up in the tiebreak. Fed faced no break points. I thought this might be a tough match and although a lot will be on the line tomorrow, I reckon it will be easier than it was tonight.

Fed faced set-points with a mini-break of serve against him.  A very tough match for Federer.  But more often than not Federer is able to out-tough his opponent in tough-tight matches.

Haase takes the first set 6-4 against wildcard Griekspoor, so very likely Haase will be Federer's next opponent.

Haase is a break up in the second set and leads by one set to love.  It seems very likely Roger Federer will have to beat Robin Haase in the next round (QF) to become the oldest player to reach the ATP world number 1.

If I’ve got my stats right, Kohli had only managed a combined total of three sets in his previous 0-12 match tally v Federer, BUT he has often pushed him pretty hard - as he did tonight. He probably felt that, with a bit of luck, he could have finally edged a victory. But then many, many opponents will have experienced that very same feeling over the years - only to see Fed prove just that little bit too strong in the key moments.

Federer’s next round will almost certainly be easier - in fact, on paper, one might even think it’s routine. Then again, that’s how everyone saw things at the start of the Stakhovsky clash a few years ago, in Federer’s back garden at Wimbledon ..........

Haase (assuming he comes through) will be playing on home ground ; and even Fed might be feeling some nerves, given what’s on the line.

Haase wins 6-4 6-0. So it is Robin Haase v Roger Federer - to be played tomorrow evening.

Hopefully Fed can do it. I think I will be nervous - on paper the match should be fairly straightforward but that would just make the disappointment from a potential loss bigger.

I think I would be more nervous about tonight if Fed had blitzed Kohl last night. But he's not that played all that great and has come thru a tight match so SHOULD be all right against Haase.

Struggling to recall whether / when the result of a R3 match at a 500 event has ever had such significant implications, in terms of tennis history ..........

Good luck to the Old Man for his match tonight.

Goffin gets a walk-over Berdych.

My post of yesterday refers ! Haase takes the first set ! (even with very little in the way of ‘home’ support)

Wouldya believe it

Mr Federer is seemingly back in the room.

He has won ten out of the last eleven games ........

Federer wins the match with two consecutive breadsticks. Congratulations to the Old Man for getting back to #1.

........... make that twelve out of the final fourteen games played.

Ladies and Gentlemen. May I present Roger Federer.

Oldest World Number One in the sport’s history.

Have a drink Rog, maybe two*  ........

* EDIT : oops, sorry .....just one. The word is ONE

Congratulations to Mr Federer for breaking Agassi's record for oldest guy to top the world rankings.

Just the 14 years between Fed's first day at number one and his latest ascent to the top, come this Monday.
   Could have been his only chance to get back to numero uno, if only for two or three weeks, so probably the right thing for him to have a go at it and create a little more history.
   Wonder if he was more nervous in this tournament than for some of his big GS matches?

sirfredperry wrote:

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   Wonder if he was more nervous in this tournament than for some of his big GS matches?

I would think that’s very likely.

Thing is ..... what he achieved in Rotterdam today, at a ‘mere’ 500 tourney, was actually more impressive than winning, say, a 21st Slam. By that, I mean that another Slam would have made little - if any - impact on his eventual legacy.

Federer had already a) spent more time at Number One than any other player, b) won more Slam titles than any other (male) player, and c) earned more prize money than any other player.

This return to the summit - at the remarkable age of 36.5 years - was perhaps the final remaining element of a holy grail.

Woooooohoooooo come on you old fart!!!

Even if he fails to win another tennis match this year, he will always be able to say he was ranked best in the world at the age of 36.

The whole thing is barely credible.

Actually It is barely credible to think he will not win another tennis match this year.

He'll be back to number 1 again I reckon.

quietplease wrote:Actually It is  barely credible to think he will not win another tennis match this year.

Good to see ya, QP!

lags72 wrote:This return to the summit - at the remarkable age of 36.5 years - was perhaps the final remaining element of a holy grail.

Pancho and Rosewall await the Old Man in the Pantheon of Tennis Longevity History.