What does that have to do with their respective sporting ability?
Tennis 2017
- Thread starter The Man Himself
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That's irrelevant.
Federer has done far more for Tennis than Ali did for boxing.
It's unfair to hold Ali saying "I'm not fighting in a war" up as evidence that he's a better sportsman than Federer.
With that said, this post is pretty inflammatory and probably best discussed elsewhere.
I don't get what's inflammatory about it? It's abundantly clear from my posts in this thread that I'm a huge Fed fan, but objectively speaking its way easier to be the poster boy of the sport and dominate rather than going against the established authority to the point the years of your physical peak were taken from you yet still came back and be regarded as an absolute legend of the sport.
Yeap, who would?
I'd say being banned from competing in his best years is pretty relevant to the overall achievement and legacy of a sportsman.
What systemic problems has he ignored?
http://www.tennis.com/pro-game/2012/01/nadal-criticizes-federer-about-stance-on-issues/33767/
Length of season/prize money distribution.
That's not what you said in your first post and not what I was responding to. But, regardless, the overall sporting achievement and legacy remains the same, whether the sportsman's been active in other endeavors or not.
Although your point is fair enough. I however would think that to be considered the greatest sportsman of all time across all sports, which was the point I was responding to, takes a bit more than your endeavours on the field/court/ring. I certainly didn't expect everyone to share that opinion and meant it as a slight on the great Swiss
I'd forgotten Halle was a 500 these days, that's a bonus. Even so my money would still be on Murray, I expect him to have a strong clay swing and he's still the favourite for Wimbledon for me.
That's absolute bollocks. It's not Federer job to run the circuit neither to distribute prize money.
Nadal is really one that complains a lot and the latest "idea" was to raise the net to have more rallies that could apparently help ahorter players.
The ATP have the masters series required if you are younger than 30. It's up to you which tournaments you want to enter or participate in. I've lost count how many stupid ideas Nadal tried to suggest during the last years...
I don't think tennis and boxing are comparable to be honest. One plays over 100 matches in the course of a year while the other... 2-3 at best.Although your point is fair enough. I however would think that to be considered the greatest sportsman of all time across all sports, which was the point I was responding to, takes a bit more than your endeavours on the field/court/ring. I certainly didn't expect everyone to share that opinion and meant it as a slight on the great Swiss
I don't think tennis and boxing are comparable to be honest. One plays over 100 matches in the course of a year while the other... 2-3 at best.
True... but on that note, tennis don't leave you with brain damage, generally
That's absolute bollocks. It's not Federer job to run the circuit neither to distribute prize money.
Nadal is really one that complains a lot and the latest "idea" was to raise the net to have more rallies that could apparently help ahorter players.
The ATP have the masters series required if you are younger than 30. It's up to you which tournaments you want to enter or participate in. I've lost count how many stupid ideas Nadal tried to suggest during the last years...
I think he raised a fair enough point on the prize money distribution and has been sounding that note for years. As the sport's most recognisable figure, Roger certainly could have put his weight behind the demand for a fairer share, because, let's face it, without the small fries there won't be any tourneys for the big guns.
Anyhow, that's my take on him. The death of his close friend and coach clearly shook him at that young age and he knuckled down from the emotive kid he was to a ultra-focus, mild well-mannered sportsman, and it's hard to fault him for it. Just think he could've done more.
Fed looked so comfortable last night.. Stanimal just looked strangely muted.. his power wasn't really allowed to come to the fore.
Yeah, but still whole different animal when it comes to athleticism. Tennis is much more grueling/taxing on the body, hence a lot of players are done at around the age of 30, while pro boxers can go in their deep 40's, Foreman even boxed up until he was 49 or something.True... but on that note, tennis don't leave you with brain damage, generally
I think the problem is more on the futures and challenger circuits. If you are good enough to make regular appearances on 250's you wouldn't need more money to survive on tour. I completely disagree about the season length and to become shorter. Nadal is notorious for sucking in the late autumn tournaments due to playing a lot of clay ones in the spring which is indeed taxing on his body, yet I doubt if he supports removing one of the clay masters in favor to grass one. The tournaments, apart from the required ones are completely voluntarily and if you don't want to burn out you just don't play them. Easy.
What I really wanted Federer to complain more is the speed of surfaces and we should have specialists, rather than players good on all surfaces because they are the same. That and of course the short grass season.
Federer takes the ball early and takes the time away from Wawrinka to make his shots. This is something he excels at and prevents him from executing his A game. Looking forward to Miami, should be a good tournament despite lot of top guns missing it
Nah, Indian Wells is the slowest hard, together with Paris.Yeah I saw that. All injured. Crazy. Probably Nadal's to lose. That's the slowest court around if I'm not mistaken, worse than clay
Miami is still slow for a hard court but not quite as much.
Federer takes the ball early and takes the time away from Wawrinka to make his shots. This is something he excels at and prevents him from executing his A game. Looking forward to Miami, should be a good tournament despite lot of top guns missing it
Probably helps Federer with all those years of playing him, knows exactly how to neuter him and isn't intimidated by his power at all. I also think Stan finds it hard to bring out his aggressive 'stanimal' persona to the table when facing Fed.
Miami is actually the slowest hardcourt. Most think Nadal will beat Fed there because of it
It changes every year and there are other factors involved (balls, weather, elevation) but in 2015 and 2016 it was IW, purely in terms of surface speed.
The graph for 2015 is pretty much the same, except Paris and London were much slower.
High time they introduced more fast courts again. Tennis was about to die the death of slow rallies and public interest, as far as I can tell, really took a hit in the last few years until the resurgence of Federer and the super fast AO.
Is PAR the French open? Isn't clay supposed to be slow?It changes every year and there are other factors involved (balls, weather, elevation) but in 2015 and 2016 it was IW, purely in terms of surface speed.
The graph for 2015 is pretty much the same, except Paris and London were much slower.
The Paris Masters in autumn, indoor hardcourt.
Thanks.
I think a lot of people enjoy the longer rallies. I agree that it got a bit excessive in the last few years but I find the 90s tennis, that the "purists" give as an ideal, even worse. Should be a balance imo.
Of course there should be a Balance, but it's become ridiculous in the last 15 years. I understand that you can't have as many tournaments on grass since it's the devil to maintain a grass court and most Players rarely Play on lawn before turning pro, but making a bunch of hardcourts almost as slow as clay has really hurt the variety in the game and discouraged all out attacking Tennis while turning almost all bigger matches into the same ubiquitous baseline slugfests.
Nice draw for Miami - Federer vs Delpo in R3, Wawrinka vs Zverev and Nadal vs Dimitrov in R4.
It should be pretty simple IMO. Australia on a medium court followed by fast hard courts that gradually slow down till the clay season. Slow clay courts followed by the ultra fast queens and Wimbledon (grass is the shortest season anyway). Then medium hard courts till the US open, followed by an indoor season.
There used to be clay / grass specialists due to each court playing differently. That's what Tennis needs - enough variety, not just baseline slugfests.
MY post was inflammatory. ie provoking a Federer vs Ali debate in a tennis thread. Which is why I acknowledged it and walked back from it.
this is a pretty great video of federer's road through indian wells for anyone interested:
it's worth repeating, his greatness is mind-boggling. he cemented his goat status years ago, and even though he's played some very inspired tennis in recent years (2014+15 in particular), what we're seeing now simply has never been seen before. not even close.
enjoy him while you can, because this is an absolute legend that exists on a plane no other tennis player and most/if not all athletes have ever been.
i don't even think i'm being overly hyperbolic in that statement!
it's worth repeating, his greatness is mind-boggling. he cemented his goat status years ago, and even though he's played some very inspired tennis in recent years (2014+15 in particular), what we're seeing now simply has never been seen before. not even close.
enjoy him while you can, because this is an absolute legend that exists on a plane no other tennis player and most/if not all athletes have ever been.
i don't even think i'm being overly hyperbolic in that statement!
Why won't his next match start sooner? Getting withdrawal symptoms already
Fed's draw is relatively easy (hence it could be a big nasty surprise waiting to happen). Del Portro, Bautista Agut, Querey, Thiem. Stan up against potentially Alex Zverev and Kyrgios, and Nadal will run into Dimitrov/Raonic
If Roger keeps up his level, he'd have a good run into the semi and likely to meet Stan again (hope not, rather he plays the young guns)
If Roger keeps up his level, he'd have a good run into the semi and likely to meet Stan again (hope not, rather he plays the young guns)
I don't Roger will win Miami. I reckon Del Po will do him - there's no motivation IMO. I
Whats relatively easy?
That's not a easy draw. Del Potro has the potential on his day to beat Federer if he's not playing well at all.
Querry is a tricky player especially when he is serving well. Beat Kyrgios and Nadal in a tournament a few weeks ago. Thiem has been better than Zverev, Kyrgios and Dimitrov in the past year.
Del Potro isn't the same player he once was, I knew he gave Novak a hard time last two times they met but the latter is hardly lighting it up right now. Zverev and Kyrgios are young guns full of motivation especially in these Masters events so they could be surprises, particularly Nick.
Dimitrov is better than Thiem this year.
There are potential banana skins for all the top seeds bar Nishikori who seems to have a clear run to the semi, but I'd still rate Nadal's and Stan's draw as the tougher one.
Not sure I really rate Thiem. He's been more consistent than Zverev and Kyrgios (largely because he plays all the time which boosts his ranking), but talent wise, I'm unsure on him. Dimitrov this year, has been better than anything Thiem has ever showed .
Del Po is the really tough one, but overall, I do think his draw has been nice to him.
Nah I think he has a tough draw to be honest. The bottom half is much easier.
Delpo is the toughest 3rd round opponent, 4th round should be easy, but then Thiem is a dangerous opponent at Miami. The court is slow so he can maximize his groundies, but also his serve would be efficient as well.
Wawrinka I expect to bomb out early, although he proved me wrong at IW, while Raonic is still not 100%.
IW wasn't that taxing on Federer as he got through with a bye and straight sets, so he has every chance to go deep here. Delpo is the biggest worry of course.
Worth remembering Federer hasn't made the final in Miami since he won it in 2006, even with a straightforward run at Indian Wells it'll still be tough for him to do well here I think.
Thiem could turn into a real monster if he becomes more consistent. His offensive potential is unlimited and on his day he's a terrifying opponent.
Tiafoe, what a talent
Federer takes the first 7:2 in the tie break, but quite the showcase by Tiafoe.
Federer takes the first 7:2 in the tie break, but quite the showcase by Tiafoe.
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Some wonderful shots from both
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