This question was asked ... Could this 36 year old Federer beat and young 30's Roger or has the field just got weaker ... Since 2011 Roger's AO's results SF SF SF SF 3R SF and at age 35 and 36 he is undefeated at the Austrailian Final ...
2018 ATP Tennis Season !! Who do you got ? The Big 3 or Young Guns !!
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I saw most of the match. I could not believe how terrible he looked in the fourth set - he appeared old, slow and over-matched and almost certainly going down to defeat. And then somehow transformed back to his usual self in the fifth! Don't know if it was a case of the pressure of winning a 20th getting to him in the fourth or what. It was a strange juxtaposition. And then he completely broke down at the end of his acceptance speech.
He's got to be favored for Wimbledon again this year! Surely this can't keep up much longer.
Difficult to say. IMO Roger is a little weaker this year than last in that he's not hitting the topspin backhand as well as the first half of last year. I can't imagine Roger ever playing any better than when he crushed Rafa at Indian Wells and Miami last year.
You'd have to say that the field is weaker this year because of all the injuries to (formerly) Top 10 players. There are more young guns now (Shapo, Chung, Kyrgios, Zverev, Thiem) but they seem incapable of figuring out how to win seven rounds at a major.
Several observers including Pat Cash ant Mat Wielander think Fed can be around for 3-5 years. Personally I find the guy incredibly inspiring so I hope he is. I don't really see tennis being very interesting without him.
He was not really challanged at the Aussie open this year. Last year he had to play a few 5 setters. This year it was cruise control. We will seem if he can motivate himself having reached this incredible point in his career.
Federer didn't have to do much to win. Unlike other years.
Injuries to top players is severely affecting the quality of tennis. It's something that needs to be addressed.
Who would have thought Federer at 36 would be the last man standing.
I feel much the same way Notty. Roger plays the game differently than most of the other top guys in that he tries to create offense and dominate from the baseline or inside, instead of waiting for his opponent to make a mistake. That's only part of what makes him great of course. I'll certainly miss him when he retires and think it'll happen sooner than Cash/Mats predict. The time/work/dedication required to stay in form has got to be harder to come by at his age.
One player that may keep my interest going is Shapovalov, not only because he's a Canuck but also his aggressive approach to the game.
He has his magic number of 20 slams and might be number 1 again .... To play for 3 more years means being motivated to achieve something he hasn't ..
One more victory and we have a new Number 1 tennis player and his name is Roger Federer .... This young generation have 3 of the big 4 injured and Roger playing selective tournaments but nobody can take the bull from the horns ( I think that is the expression ) and take a shot at Number 1 ... Alexander Zverev losses in 3rd round in a tournament that I thought he might give Roger some headache ...
Well one of the first tennis tournaments Roger enters after AO and young guns have an opportunity to shine it is Roger again who takes the final against Grigor Dimitrov 6-2 6-2.
If I'm not mistaken that makes Roger the oldest player ever to achieve #1. Bravo Roger!
Meanwhile injuries on the tour continue to mount. Dimitrov apparently injured a knee either during or before the final and Goffin had to retire in the semis with an eye injury. I wonder in the case of the Big 4 if it was because so little separated them and they all desperately wanted that #1 status - therefore they trained like demons and ended up overdoing it. Ironic that Roger as the oldest comes out on top in that battle.
Fed is getting much competition, Djoko and Murray will have to adjust their serve/game to keep playing. Nadal is worn out. It will be up to one of the younger players to breakout in the build up prior to the French Open. Chilic could get it done, maybe Raonic will finally get it together. Maybe Zverev, Thiem or Shapo...Maybe it's The Lovely Nik Krugios's time.
Difficult to see anyone coming through to threaten Federer.
He must have been born under a lucky star to have the field pretty much to himself.
It will take returns by some of the other big 4 players to threaten his current dominance.
Won't be Murray though as he won't be fit to return to after the French open.
Younger ones could threaten individual tournaments (as they did in the Australian open) but they lack consistency.
He must have been born under a lucky star to have the field pretty much to himself.
It will take returns by some of the other big 4 players to threaten his current dominance.
Won't be Murray though as he won't be fit to return to after the French open.
Younger ones could threaten individual tournaments (as they did in the Australian open) but they lack consistency.
So far Roger and Nadal 2 young guns 0 .... Is it going to be 3-0 or is Roger going to make it 21 ?
It is amazing that Nadal has 11 French Open Crowns .... Over a decade of winning to accumulate a 82-2 record ...
It is amazing that Nadal has 11 French Open Crowns .... Over a decade of winning to accumulate a 82-2 record ...
The Wimbledon draw is out and Shapo could meet Murray in the second round. Shapo is not having much luck with the draw lately. Murray will be a tough hombre for him.
Murray hasn't had any best of 5 set matches since last Wimbledon so his fitness might be an issue. He did fade against Edmund towards the end of their recent match.
Lovely to see the Big 4 back just in time for Wimbledon. Not sure whether Murray or Djokovich will make it to the second week though.
Well it's looking very likely that the Wimbledon final could repeat at the US Open unless Wawrinka spoils the party. Stan's getting his power game back in a hurry.
Meanwhile I don't know what's happening with Federer. He made the final in Cincy but looked awful against Djokovic. Even in the semi against Goffin he returned serve terribly and sprayed his forehand everywhere. He looked better tonight but there seems to be something off. It's almost as if he's getting fed (no pun intended
) up with it all. Any other Fed fans on here that see a change in him?Sorry, meant repeat of the Wimby semi (Nadal - Djokovic).
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Can't say about the men, Joko may prevail.
As for the women it will be a young gun: the leading contenders are Caroline Garcia, Naomi Osaka and, if she stays focused, Garbine Muguruza. For the Spaniard it is her last chance to win a slam on consecutive years. She won the French in 2016, Wimbledon in 2017. With her bugaboo Simona Halep eliminated there should be nothing stopping her.
As for the women it will be a young gun: the leading contenders are Caroline Garcia, Naomi Osaka and, if she stays focused, Garbine Muguruza. For the Spaniard it is her last chance to win a slam on consecutive years. She won the French in 2016, Wimbledon in 2017. With her bugaboo Simona Halep eliminated there should be nothing stopping her.
