I completely understand how Spaniards support Rafa - they're from the same country. Its slightly different from team sport where you're basically supporting the ethos of a club that's comprised of players from many different nations.
Tennis 2017
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I completely understand how Spaniards support Rafa - they're from the same country. Its slightly different from team sport where you're basically supporting the ethos of a club that's comprised of players from many different nations.
Completely forgot I put £5 on Nadal to win the US Open back in March.
I did okay this year betting on GS winners, may just have to lump more on my punts next year.
I did okay this year betting on GS winners, may just have to lump more on my punts next year.
Agree, but that should be in the other thread.There's nothing wrong with a good debate.
But in debates like these the fanboys always ruin the threads, and resort to rediculous arguments. For example we had one guy on here saying Federer skipping RG was equivalent to cheating, I mean ffs.
Hadn't seen this before. You'd think a 36 year old would have the right to take a slam off every now and again.Put a fiver on Shapovalov winning Wimbledon next year.
I put a fiver on Zverev in the AO before the tournament this year, as I didn't know who to go with.
Very much doubt I'll put any money on Shapovalov at all. I've not seen enough of him/rate him high enough currently to think he's capable.
Dont see why lifetime should be a relevant factor really. If United were to exist only till 2025 I wouldn't suddenly stop supporting them. Your Spanish correlation works for English supporters of Manchester United. What about us Asian fans? We became fans because we identified with something about the club whether it be the style of play or whatever. The same is the case for individual tennis players. People spot something in a player they find a connect with, or take a liking to.
It's funny. Those who arent fans of individual players find it 'strange' but the whole world is full of Federer/Nadal/Messi/Ronaldo/Ali/Maradona fans of all ages and from all places. It's actually very common and is indeed normal whether someone considers it so or not.
You could argue both are not normal but on the spectrum of irrationality I'd say getting attached to an individual makes far less sense. Football, and other team sports to a lesser extent, are built on tribal loyalty; individual sports is almost entirely about entertainment.
For one, players have a finite timespan in the sport as opposed to a sports organisation.
Don't see the relevance. What was two?
Some people argue that no attachment is actually rational let alone attachment in sport so let's not go down that route given were all posters on a football forum.
Yeah so United are supported by many people from outside of Manchester. They don't really have the same natural reasons to support the club like local Mancunians do. For them it's similar factors that draw to the club as is the case with individual sportsman. There's really very little different other than pretending to be supporting an institution which stands for something or some pretentious bollocks like that. It's entertainment pure and simple. It's only when you be invested then the tribal bit comes in. And the reasons for that I've highlighted above.
Even as a foreign supporter, I'd be supporting United if they get relegated, and if they ceased to exist I wouldn't support another club - it's clearly more than just entertainment. In tennis, it's unlikely you will watch Challenger Tennis and when your player retires you will just find a new favourite. There's a big difference in the nature of the support.
There's also a big difference in the outlet of support: watching United at OT with fellow fans is a world away from watching Nadal at Roland Garros.
Nothing weird about having a favourite player.. in every sport for example snooker or F1 or golf.. people will have someone they root for or identify with.
What is absurd is calling people weird for doing so. What I will say is that it gets very annoying when bias gets in the way of proper discussion of GOAT etc or any discussion for that matter. Not weird but just childish and unintelligent.
What is absurd is calling people weird for doing so. What I will say is that it gets very annoying when bias gets in the way of proper discussion of GOAT etc or any discussion for that matter. Not weird but just childish and unintelligent.
There's nothing wrong with having a favourite player - but reading this thread it's clear folk treat Rafa and Fed as more than just a favourite player.
Tbh I find supporting Nadal a more stressful and nervy thing than United. It also has a lot to do with the fact that your favorite individual sportsman have shelf lives whereas a team is around forever. Football, especially post Fergie, doesn't come even close to the nerves of tennis for me. I don't remember the last time I felt nerves, fear and paranoia in a football match like I did in the Aussie Open final. If it's a player you've been following and supporting for a decade or more, it's only natural you're going to pretty intense in your defense of the player and in debates regarding them.
Nadal over the last two years was the tennis equivalent of relegation/lower half of the table form. No one stopped supporting him either. Yes you get a new favorite once your player retires but supporting a tennis player is every bit as powerful and intense as a football team.
Precisely why tennis fans are so wildly passionate about their favorites because they'll be gone one day.
It's a thread meant for debate, it's to be expected. It happens in Apple/Android threads, Ronaldo/Messi threads etc. It's just normal to have these.
I thought this thread was about current tournaments, results, matches etc? Hence a reason why the other thread on the greatest mens player was created.
I checked this thread in the morning expecting analysis of the final but just seen pages of people bickering.
It may be normal to have fanboys but it's not good for the balance or quality of the debate as you get the fanboys spamming threads and making dishonest arguments just to prop their man up.
That happened as the match was on. There was barely anything to analyse.
Can't believe he's actually won 3, it was only in 2009 that experts were predicting the USO might be the only slam he doesn't win. Of course, I never saw the logic in writing off a 23 year old's chances of never winning a particular slam, but then the same people also thought his career was over in 09 (and then 12,14,15).
Won't it always be that way? Unless there's a cut & dry measure for GOATdom, it will always be somewhat subjective, and when it comes to debates especially when fandom gets involved, I've noticed there's no such thing as an objective person, you'll always have preferences and biases
Won't it always be that way? Unless there's a cut & dry measure for GOATdom, it will always be somewhat subjective, and when it comes to debates especially when fandom gets involved, I've noticed there's no such thing as an objective person, you'll always have preferences and biases
Perhaps, but we have to at least put objectivity at the forefront and try and work from that as a starting point. Shouting over each other and not looking at the full picture won't get us anywhere fast.
For me the GOAT debate hasn't been settled yet. Right now, I would argue it is in Federer's hands.. but I could see Nadal edging him if he wins next few h2hs in a big tournament or he beats a resurgent Djokovic/Murray on big stages. Need to do the best we can to look at the objective facts.. things like how difficult it was to win a particular slam, H2H records on surfaces, injuries etc they all have to be taken into account when deciding something this important.
Objectively speaking.. this was a shocker of a tournament in all honesty and whilst it is great for Nadal to add to his slam list, it was a piss poor tournament and doesn't really do anything to massively enhance his legacy - as I don' think Fed was coming into this tournament in particularly great physical shape.
Next year will hopefully see the big names all firing at the same time. Will be a better gauge of where everyone is at.
We've gone from a time when USO was the title preventing him from the career Slam and now it's his second most successful Slam
Wow - you are probably an exception then.
I'm the same to be honest. I'm more nervous watching Nadal play in a big match than I am watching United.
I honestly, find some of the nerves nearly unbearable at times. It's what I love about tennis, the intense moments, but it's not a nice feeling in the moment.
This. It used to happen long ago for me with United when we were in title races but never to the extent it does in tennis. The Australian Open Fed and Djoko finals and the USO Finals vs Djoko had my heartbeat through the roof!
The only player i've genuinely been a fan of was Boris Becker. I lived in a town in Germany that was close to where he was born and grew up, so naturally as an aspiring young Tennis player myself, when I heard of a young, upstart 17 year old from Leimen who was making waves at Wimbledon, I was an instant fan. The booming serve, diving to reach shots, running world class players like Lendl ragged, winning 3 Wimbeldons by the age of 21 etc. I was absolutely devastated when Becker lost 2 Wimbledon finals to Edberg and 1 to Michael Stich (and later one to Sampras as well)l, as I thought he had all the tools to be one of the greatest grass court players ever.
That final set took a lot out of me. Felt so drained after.
Most nervous I've been with football is the final day of the 2012 season. The last 10mins of that City - QPR match where I finally thought we would win the league.
I took a while to recover from the final set. Even more so because the same thing happened in 2012 vs Djoko at the same damn court. I genuinely still can't get over Nadal's backhand DTL that he missed at 4-2 40-15. It's a shot he can hit blindfolded and never miss and yet he did that day and the rest is history.
With football teams, you know they're around for years and will win at some point. Tennis players around for 10-15 years at most and then they're done. It feels more personal and more intense with tennis for me.
Interesting graphic.....shows Djokovic faring quite well against the other two.
http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/big-titles-nadal-us-open-2017
http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/big-titles-nadal-us-open-2017
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Roger and Rafa doubles?
http://www.news.com.au/sport/tennis...p/news-story/70e9a9adb40c1bdd66f5cce810d0a92a
http://www.news.com.au/sport/tennis...p/news-story/70e9a9adb40c1bdd66f5cce810d0a92a
Roger and Rafa doubles?
http://www.news.com.au/sport/tennis...p/news-story/70e9a9adb40c1bdd66f5cce810d0a92a
Yeah Laver cup starting tomorrow. So potentially can see Rafa and Roger playing together. @wr8_utd and @Raoul.
The rest of the world team is kind of sad to see especially no Del Potro now. In the 90s and early 00s that team would have been awesome.
What's the deal with Djokovic these days ? Seems to have completely disappeared off the Tennis scene. Is he injured or what ?
His wife just had a baby. But I heard he's been training. But he's got plenty of time. Roger didn't start training until November/December last year.
He pulled out for the entire season right after Wimbledon. He'll be back next season only now.
Lots of big hitters on the other side though. Isner, Nick (who does well against the big guys) and Raonic.
Is he even fit?
Too much "epicness" in one photo.
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