Roger Federer

[Stud83]

That's why I never watch finals of men's tennis tournaments anymore - no excitement at all out there. At least guys like Safin, Roddick, Hewitt have some personality and express themselves on the court, this guy is just a machine.

[johno]

That's why I never watch finals of men's tennis tournaments anymore - no excitement at all out there. At least guys like Safin, Roddick, Hewitt have some personality and express themselves on the court, this guy is just a machine.

Meh, I think its actually refreshing. I see Hewitt and Roddick as spoilt brats. I really liked Safin when he was on the up but he's fallen off and doesn't look like he's coming back.

I understand its nice for someone with a lot of personality to win, but Federer expresses himself with his shots more than enough for me.

[Stud83]

Meh, I think its actually refreshing. I see Hewitt and Roddick as spoilt brats. I really liked Safin when he was on the up but he's fallen off and doesn't look like he's coming back.

I understand its nice for someone with a lot of personality to win, but Federer expresses himself with his shots more than enough for me.

But competitiveness is missing. I remember great Agassi-Sampras games, Agassi-Blake games, Safin-Federer games 3 years ago, etc. which went at least 4 sets with a couple of tie-breaks, and were really fun to watch. Now it's news if the guy loses 1 set somehow.

[johno]

That's partly due to the other players not stepping up their game, but Federer really is that good. I'd take Federer over any player in their prime. It might even be competitive, but Federer is too solid allround (outside of clay) for me to say another player in the game has ever been better than him.

Rivalries are good, but Rog can only beat what's in front of him.

[Dark Savante]

That's why I never watch finals of men's tennis tournaments anymore - no excitement at all out there. At least guys like Safin, Roddick, Hewitt have some personality and express themselves on the court, this guy is just a machine.

The best of the best Tennis players are always machine like though?

Bjorg, Lendl, Sampras and now Federer all have ice running through their veins.

It's their opponents that whoop and dance and go mental, not them. Which is often why people will cheer for the underdog over the 'zombie'

I watch Federer because he is the most perfect technician of the sport I've ever seen. The player they can't even pick a weakness out for. Amazing.

[johno]

One of the other things I find remarkable about Federer is that his style is constantly changing. In the course of one match you'll see him play defense on the baseline, go for winners trying to end points early and play serve and volley and at the end you'll not know what he's most comfortable doing.

[Dark Savante]

One of the other things I find remarkable about Federer is that his style is constantly changing. In the course of one match you'll see him play defense on the baseline, go for winners trying to end points early and play serve and volley and at the end you'll not know what he's most comfortable doing.

True. He even said he wants to win Wimbledon via serving and volleying and will pen it in for the future. lol!

[Stud83]

The best of the best Tennis players are always machine like though?

Bjorg, Lendl, Sampras and now Federer all have ice running through their veins.

It's their opponents that whoop and dance and go mental, not them. Which is often why people will cheer for the underdog over the 'zombie'

I watch Federer because he is the most perfect technician of the sport I've ever seen. The player they can't even pick a weakness out for. Amazing.

Never seen Bjorg or Lendl, but have seen a lot of Sampras and outside of Wimbledon he was never THAT dominant. He still won his share of tournaments and majors, but there were plenty of excellent games involving him and other top players.
And Federer seems to beat any top 5 player 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 if not worse day in and day out. It's just boring.

[StrikerCW]

Vamos!

[Dark Savante]

Never seen Bjorg or Lendl, but have seen a lot of Sampras and outside of Wimbledon he was never THAT dominant. He still won his share of tournaments and majors, but there were plenty of excellent games involving him and other top players.
And Federer seems to beat any top 5 player 6-3, 6-2, 6-4 if not worse day in and day out. It's just boring.

I guess if you're looking for a match-up it could indeed be boring, but that's because Federer is so good. I don't know, I would gladly pay money to watch him put on an exhibition-level master class against even a top #2 ranked opponent.

[SirManchester]

One of the other things I find remarkable about Federer is that his style is constantly changing. In the course of one match you'll see him play defense on the baseline, go for winners trying to end points early and play serve and volley and at the end you'll not know what he's most comfortable doing.

Absolutely. He adapts. And I wouldn't exactly make the machine comparison, I think that's a bit odd. His "tennis" brain for the lack of a better word is just that good. Every situation he's put in, he adapts brilliantly. I'm watching the final again right now and I'm enjoying the heck out of it, it's simply wonderful to watch a master play.

[Stud83]

To me it's like watching Barcelona-Gimnastic. You know it'll end very bad for the guests, kinda hoping for an interesting game, but once the score gets to 3-0, there is really no point to continue watching.
The problem is that compared to Federer everyone else is Gimnastic if not worse.

[johno]

Absolutely. He adapts. And I wouldn't exactly make the machine comparison, I think that's a bit odd. His "tennis" brain for the lack of a better word is just that good. Every situation he's put in, he adapts brilliantly. I'm watching the final again right now and I'm enjoying the heck out of it, it's simply wonderful to watch a master play.

See, its not brain. Most players, good ones at least, understand what to do. No one has ever executed like him though. I struggle to name a better player at the net that him, and I know there's no one who's better on the baseline. Nadal is better defensively than him, but he's probably the only one who's head and shoulders above Federer in any category.

[Teso Dos Bichos]

Murray will be better.

[johno]

Just like Fletcher.

[holytoledo]

Was watching The Sports Reporters on ESPN today before work and one of the guys on the show had a great quote (for once), "watching Federer play tennis is the same as watching Jordan play basketball." Even though the individual/team sport connection is hard to compare to, it fits in my opinion. Federer is the perfect tennis player. I hope he stays fit, because he could smash Sampras' achievements. I'm really not a tennis fan at all, I rarely watch entire matches, but he is the only player who, like DS said, I would actually pay money to watch.

[johno]

I just knew, KNEW someone would make the MJ comparison. Not really apt imo.

As Good as Federer is he doesn't transcend the game - he just does the things everyone wishes they could do consistently. Players like Jordan, Pele, Best and pre-injury Ronaldo bent the game to their wills. Federer tamed the beast - Jordan became the game.

[SirManchester]

I just knew, KNEW someone would make the MJ comparison. Not really apt imo.

As Good as Federer is he doesn't transcend the game - he just does the things everyone wishes they could do consistently. Players like Jordan, Pele, Best and pre-injury Ronaldo bent the game to their wills. Federer tamed the beast - Jordan became the game.

Federer is already transcending the game. He's playing defense and offense in a way nobody else is doing at the time, and for those who've paid attention to him since he broke into the sport, he's gotten better and better every year. Give him a few more years and it'll be more evident that he is just that kind of special player who can take the sport to another level.

[johno]

No, he's not a phenomenal player.

Jordan created shots. Did things no one thought possible. Federer has only perfected what others have done. He doesn't hit 170MPH serves or anything out of the ordinary. His "thing" is not having a discernable weakness. There's no aspect of the game where he's 10 light years ahead of everyone. You just get the impression that he's impregnable, but not ugh...

Hard to explain.

Jordan was better, there. I said it.

*runs away screaming*

/Jordan fan boy.

[mhtwins113]

No, he's not a phenomenal player.

Jordan created shots. Did things no one thought possible. Federer has only perfected what others have done. He doesn't hit 170MPH serves or anything out of the ordinary. His "thing" is not having a discernable weakness. There's no aspect of the game where he's 10 light years ahead of everyone. You just get the impression that he's impregnable, but not ugh...

Hard to explain.

Jordan was better, there. I said it.

*runs away screaming*

/Jordan fan boy.
Jordan was on a whole different planet, Federer is like the Tim Duncan of tennis, except more dominant because there is no one on his level.

Sound about right?