25 Comments

1. 1. Federer has invited Krygios before. Goffin as well. And he has hit quite a few times with Dimitrov. Looks like he wants to be a mentor to all the young guns out there !!

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      April 5th, 2015 at 12:05 pm

      Right but Dimugtrov is beyond mentoring it seems. As far as becoming a really top player. So is Goffin.

      

      Charlie Reply:
      April 5th, 2015 at 1:24 pm

      Yeah the most important thing for any young player is mentality. Federer had it, taking out Sampras at WB in 2001 at just 19, Rafa had it taking out Fed in Miami in 2004, and Novak had it winning the 2008 AO beating Fed. Even Murray, beating Fed in Cincy (2006?). Anyone who can score a big win in a significant tournament at a young age, without succumbing to the pressure has a bright future.

      Dimitrov seems to be another of these young players who has let a few early successes get to his head, and is now enjoying the life of the rich and famous but is doing very little to improve his tennis. I mean when Fedalovicray were his age, they were training hard, practicing with top players whenever possible, working on their fitness and always recognising that there is room for improvement. Dimitrov on the other hand seems to be satisfied with a top 10/20 career, but doesn’t have the drive required to be a great champion.

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      April 5th, 2015 at 1:56 pm

      Haha Fedalovicray. I like that one and it is also in order of best to worst. For now anyway. Thiem hasn’t scored a win over a big 4 yet but hasn’t played vs Fedal. He already showed he is pretty close to Murray though with two three set losses, and he put in a solid showing vs Djokovic in Shanghai. It’s just a question of time before he becomes a serious threat to the big 4, given his attitude.

      

      Florian Reply:
      April 5th, 2015 at 5:34 pm

      Hey Ru-an!
      I also think that Thiem has a bright future ahead.
      Federer is the only big one he hasn’t played before. He lost to Nadal last year at Roland Garros. But he beat Wawrinka in Madrid right after his win over Fed in the MC final. Stan was number 3 then and although Wawrinka is known for his ups and downs I would rate this win as big one.

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      April 5th, 2015 at 6:44 pm

      Ah so he did play Nadal before. Glad you corrected me. And as expected soundly beaten at the event Nadal has only ever lost at once before.

      

      Ajay Reply:
      April 5th, 2015 at 8:07 pm

      Dimitrov at some point definitely will come good. Right now it doesn’t seem like happening though. Goffin is too small and short to make really big I think. Thiem has got everything to make it big but he really needs a consistent backhand to take down the big guys. Lets see how it goes !!

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      April 5th, 2015 at 8:17 pm

      What do you mean by come good though? As for Thiem his bh is just fine.

      

      Ajay Reply:
      April 5th, 2015 at 9:22 pm

      Come through meaning once the Big 4 fade I think Dimitrov will be ready to take up the mantle. I know right now it doesn’t look likely but he is by far the most talented of the lot and it might just take something as simple as a change of coach to get him to his best.

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      April 5th, 2015 at 9:36 pm

      That’s a pretty optimistic view about someone who will soon be caught by the generation behind him. He could become another Verdasco too. At the moment his heart is not in it. Guys like Kyrgios, Coric, and Thiem will soon catch up with him and start beating his ass if he doesn’t become more committed. All these guys have great attitudes and have the talent to take up the mantle from the big four. Include Zverev or Rublev and you are already looking at a big four to take up the mantle from the current big four. How does one guy take up the mantle from the big four anyway? I think that is disrespectful toward the current big four. Not to mention that Dimugtrov is the last young guy who currently looks like doing it.

      

      Ajay Reply:
      April 5th, 2015 at 9:52 pm

      Yeah its true I phrased my sentence badly. But let me put it this way. By around 2018 I think all of Big 4 would have passed their peak. Raonic, Dimitrov and Nishikori will actually be the guys at the prime age, around 26-27. I think among those three if each of them were to hypothetically work their asses off, Dimitrov is the one most likely to win more Slams. As for the next generation of Krygios, Kokanaikis, Zverev, Thiem and Coric I think we are underestimating the role of their age. Being in the quarters of a Slam and winning it are two completely different things. I doubt they are going to be winning Slams before they turn 25-26 meaning there is good window of about 2-3 years for atleast one of Raonic, Dimitrov and Nishikori (or all three) to seriously dominate. Once again I know it looks unlikely now but stranger things have happened.

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      April 5th, 2015 at 10:01 pm

      Well there is no reason for me to take Dimugtrov seriously at present, so I won’t. I will only change my mind once he does something of note in my opinion. Until then Kei, Raonic, Kyrgios, Coric, and Thiem are all more promising. Talent doesn’t mean shit if your attitude is shit. I think Fedal is on their way out. They are past peak anyway. Djokovic and Murray can be at the top for some time still. Raonic and Kei are starting to knock hard on the door already. Kyrgios already has a win over Nadal at a slam. His ascent to the top won’t take long and he will probably be #1 at some point. Coric is not wasting much time either. Already he has wins over Nadal and Murray. And Thiem is primed to make another big move this year too. That doesn’t leave Dimugtrov with much time, and he is losing to mugs left and right at this stage. I can actually see him falling out of the top 20 soon.

      

      Ajay Reply:
      April 5th, 2015 at 10:08 pm

      I totally get what you are saying but I just think all he needs is a change of coach right now. Bring in someone who preaches tennis not just fitness. Someone like Annacone. And he should be fine. I am going to go with Dimitrov. What I want to point it which is 100% true is that it is taking players much longer to mature nowadays. Tomic reached the Wimbledon quarters in 2011 has done nothing much since then. Janowicz reached the Wimbledon semis in 2013 and he has been woeful since then. And I think with Krygios’s hit and miss game its easy to see him not doing much until his game becomes a lot more steady. Coric though is one who I would keep an eye on. These days clearly the more defensive players have an advantage and among those we mentioned above Coric has easily the most steady game.

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      April 5th, 2015 at 11:50 pm

      This is a more balanced comment I thought. I agree that Dimitrov should change coaching staff(did you hear that from me?). But I’m not sure Annacone is the way to go. He has already copied Fed in every way imaginable. He needs to become his own man if he wants to really make progress. And ditch Sharapova while he is at it. Then there is a chance.

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      April 5th, 2015 at 11:56 pm

      

1. 1. Hi Ru-an! Like your new post, excellent…good news about Roger inviting the youngster, Dominic Thiem, to visit his camp in Zuerich for practice sessions. Exiting times in tennis are ahead, looking forward to Monaco.
      Love the picture of “The three (sportsmanship) musketeers” you posted on your blog.
      Kindly,
      Dolores

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      April 5th, 2015 at 2:32 pm

      Hi Dolores. Always nice to hear from you. I hope you are well. Yes exciting times ahead!

1. 1. Hey guys, what’s up?? Happy Easter. Finally, today Miami will be over. And that is not a “dig” because Roger is not in it, but because…. I don’t know….. not many good matches to see. Not even with the girls. I am very surprised that Mannarino is doing so good. Did not know that of him. Kudos to Novak for winning the matches against Ferrer and Isner. He really was playing great. Kudos to Isner for beating Nishikori. He totally outplayed Nishi, but when Isner walked to the net to shake hands with Nishi, I just knew he couldn’t keep THIS level up against Novak. And he didn’t, but ofcourse, credit where credit is due, Novak played amazing.
      The reason I say that finally Miami will be over is that…… it seems to take so long?? I mean, do you guys remember that Delpo played?? Do you even remember that Stan also played?? And why does it seem so long that Rafa is out??
      Indian Wells was more excited somehow. NOT because of Roger !!!, but the matches were more exciting. My God, even the one of the girls !!!
      I think today Andy will either push Novak to the limit, or he will lose even more badly than in IW.
      I read a great comment: “If Novak is tired, Andy will lose, if Novak is not tired, Novak will win”

      And Ru-an, I agree with you on Thiem, but…. I haven’t given up on Nishi or Goffin yet. And Raonic really impressed me at IW.
      But isn’t Thiem’s playing style more like Stan the Man??

1. 1. Oh and Ru-an and guys, some of you left really sweet comments for me. Thank you for that. I am just so busy with learning, but I am trying to keep up. Although Ru-an is not making it easy with what seems like a new post every day So I am still reading all and will comment later. Next week Goat time

1. 1. Thiem is an interesting prospect, would be good to see him go far in the next few years.

      Meanwhile, Djokovic plays arguably the worst set of tennis he’s played all week in Miami, yet still wins it 7-6. Murray may have developed a bit of a mental block I suppose.

1. 1. Murray has lost a bagel set in each of his last three matches against Djokovic and Federer. These days whenever the match crosses the 150 minute mark his legs seem to get really heavy. Really sad to see someone like Murray struggle so much for fitness which was once his forte !!

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      April 5th, 2015 at 8:19 pm

      Yeah well he does weigh 84 kg which is not exactly light for a tennis player. He plays too defensively for a player of his weight and ability. He needs to be more aggressive and shorten points.

      

      Ajay Reply:
      April 5th, 2015 at 9:24 pm

      I think he is trying to be more aggressive but his biggest problem vs someone like Djokovic is just that he is not as consistent. Where Novak will back his defense to hold him steady at any point of time Murray always presses the panic button faster. And his serve lets him down big time at all the important point. Murray just needs to toughen up both mentally and physically soon if he is to beat Novak anytime soon. Andy vs Roger in clay would be a pretty interesting match though as believe it or not they have never played on clay before !!

1. 1. Right now in both the men’s and women’s game there is absolute domination at the top. Novak has won the last three Masters Tournaments as well as the last Grand Slam and the last WTF. And Serena. Well Serena has just continued to be Serena. What do you think, is this good or bad for tennis ?

1. 1. Pingback: Djokovic Wins 5th Miami Title to Do Record 3rd Indian Wells/Miami Double | Ultimate Tennis

8 Comments

1. 1. Hi Ru-an,
      No offence, what is your point?
      Obviously Federer is not just a sports Star but a celebrity too. It was well reported Federer mingled with the who’s who in the celebrity cycles and they come and see his matches in likes of Wimbledon, USO etc.

      Morever, he is a Swiss that comes from a country blessed with the milk & honey. People associate Federer more to a fine wine or luxury watch; and this is how the media play with his character whereas Djokovic more a villain that is tough and up there to steal the show from Federer.

      Obviously he is not as nice as people perceive him to be as a real person when you reach the celebrity status.

      people around th world still adore him because he is truly exceptional with his all court skills and there is something magical about his playing style that even attracts the casual fans to watch him. Moreover, he is in his twilight in terms of tennis career hence fans appreciate more of him even so, and rooting for him to win at least one more slam.

      Djokovic has his fans base too so I don’t think he is unloved by what the media widely reported him to be. However, I read a U.S. Report Djokovic does not get a high TV rating when he is playing anyone other than Federer in the U.S. Open so he still has work to do. So long as Federer is still playing and still making deep to tournaments, Djokovic is always going to be at the sideline when it comes to the popularity contest. However, I think it helps him because he has less pressure to measure up whereas Federer because of his celebrity status the pressure has got to him. How many times we watch when Federer is playing against anyone he is ten times more confident than playing a Nadal or Djokovic and that shows in his face. It almost like he knew he can’t win unless he is prepared to slog all day at the court and sweating it all. Though he doesn’t show it but experienced players can tell he is struggling physically just as much as his opponent. Whereas Djokovic is more a ‘in your face’ type of player not afraid to show his personality and fist pumping which unfortunately didn’t go well with fans. Whereas Federer is always perceived as classy, cool and elegant. What do you think?

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      February 6th, 2016 at 11:31 pm

      I think you made another good comment, IWC. I like your objectivity as a Fedfan and don’t take any offense from your comments. It is like you say. Being famous gets to everyone, and changes everyone. I hope you didn’t take offense to my post.

      It really wasn’t about criticizing Federer. I am fully aware of what he has meant to tennis and I certainly don’t think he is a bad person.

      I was simply drawing a comparison between the two players and stating why I thought Djokovic might well surpass Federer. I hope people can look past their personal bias and take the post for what it is rather than thinking I am out to get Federer.

      The focus is here on Djokovic and why I think he has the right character for becoming the GOAT. Federer is just there for comparison.

      

      universal123 Reply:
      February 7th, 2016 at 2:50 am

      I really do understand why tennis players sometimes say something they don’t mean sometimes. To put it another way, imagine doing a normal job, or in education, and you get fired or fail an exam, and you’re in a really bad mood. Imagine then having to speak to a team of reporters monitoring every word you say so they can spin it and take it out of context. Probably caught Federer at a bad time, and I understand the point of your post. The thing about Djokovic is that whether he deserves it or not, the vast majority of the media will never accept him as GOAT, because he’s not from a “conventional” country: namely the North American countries or the Western European countries. Sadly, there is still a lot of racism in the West. In the last year the UK agreed to accept just 20,000 Syrian refugees over the next five years when far smaller and poorer countries have accepted millions. There was even a recent poll and most of the British public said the UK should accept even less. It just disgusts me the more I read about it. It’s why Agassi v Sampras and Nadal v Federer were considered big rivalries more than Federer v Djokovic which is of about equal quality, perhaps even better. Agassi and Sampras are both American, Nadal and Federer are both from Western Europe, whereas Djokovic is from Eastern Europe and so will never be regarded the same. Sometimes I wonder whether the West really has the right to claim a moral high ground over anyone.

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      February 7th, 2016 at 3:08 am

      I also understand that you are sometimes just in a bad mood and don’t feel like talking to people. I just found Federer a lot more disagreeable and grumpy of late. He’s not the player I knew. He is on the edge and seems bitter. It’s like he can’t accept that Djokovic is better now.

      Like he has the right to better and Djokovic has no business spoiling it for him. He changed or something. When I look at the 2011 AO SF between him and Djoker, for instance, I see him accepting the loss with much more grace, whereas Djokovic is the bratty and insecure one.

      Now the roles are reversed. Djokovic seems to have grown into his skin while Federer seems like the immature and awkward one.

      About the media not accepting Djokovic as the GOAT I don’t know about that. If he has the numbers on his side the experts will proclaim him as the GOAT and the rest will follow.

      

      universal123 Reply:
      February 8th, 2016 at 8:12 pm

      Yeah it’s not great publicity for someone who is arguably still GOAT for now (not gonna say anything more than that as I don’t want to start that debate again) and whether he is or not he is still one of the all time great players, so it’s not great. However, I do have some sympathy. Picture it from Federer’s position as well. For about seven straight years he was in the top two players in the world, winning major title after major title. When someone else came up and took his place at the top (first Nadal, then Djokovic) that was always going to be difficult. To be a fair comparison I think we would have to wait and see how Djokovic reacts when the next up-and-coming player starts beating him consistently. Not suggesting at all he would react the same as Federer, just saying we don’t really know. But it’s an interesting point you have raised nonetheless, and I never bought this idea of Federer (or any other player for that matter) being perfect and incapable of doing anything wrong. The fact is these people are great tennis players with really good media training and years of experience of dealing with people when they have had a bad day, and they still get it wrong sometimes.

      TL;DR: I basically agree with you, it took me a massive long paragraph just to say that lol.

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      February 8th, 2016 at 8:28 pm

      Djokovic will never become complacent, though. He doesn’t have that streak of arrogance in him. And besides, he is already portrayed as the bad guy so if he acts badly that would only be according to his nature as far as the media is concerned. He doesn’t have this fake image to uphold so in that sense he is unburdened.

      The establishment doesn’t realize it but all their worship of Federer is what made him complacent and brought him down. And portraying Djokovic as the villain is achieving the opposite. It is making Djokovic more motivated to prove them wrong and takes pressure off him.

      He will always be portrayed as the outsider so no danger of taking himself too seriously. It must be immensely frustrating for Federer that he stuck around long enough for Nadal to decline only for Djokovic to spoil it for him.

      

      universal123 Reply:
      February 8th, 2016 at 10:16 pm

      You never know, he might somehow outlast Djokovic as well, given the up and coming players at the moment he could wait until he is 40 and then start winning slams again lol. I’m actually only half joking, it’s a combination of the old guard still being good players and that the young players are just nowhere in comparison.

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      February 8th, 2016 at 10:36 pm

      Yeah, that’s a little unrealistic, to say the least. Especially after Federer just had surgery. It is more likely that Djokovic will be dominating at 40 the Federer with his thin frame, meditation(slows down aging in case you didn’t know), and elasticity.

      I don’t know how many more big losses Federer can stand mentally and physically against Djokovic. He can just keep being in denial about it telling himself he is finding a solution but as you see the problem can manifest in a physical way. In one way or the other, it is going to take its toll.

      I am amazed that Federer up until this point just kept coming back for more beatings without showing signs of backing off. So I’m not surprised about this injury.

65 Comments

1. 1. Nice balanced article. I think like Federer, Ruan is back to his best as well

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      Ru-an Reply: August 24th, 2015 at 10:12 pm Just telling the truth, no?

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      Charlie Reply: August 24th, 2015 at 11:55 pm Obviously this depends on the draw but my thoughts on the USO: Murray in Fed’s half: Djokovic win over Murray/Federer Murray in Djoker’s half: Federer win over Murray/Djokovic Obviously you can’t completely count out a random upset or Murray pulling an incredible run beating both Novak and Roger, but I think it is pretty unlikely. Yeah and I am glad Ru-an that you are back to talking about and analysing the tennis because although I enjoyed the put-downs of some of the less positive comments on your blog, but it’s like different surfaces: you are probably no.1 in tennis analysis, but you don’t have the week-to-week consistency in your put-downs to be no.1, because it tires you out.

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      Ru-an Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 12:21 am Haha! We are on the same page. I enjoy some of the put-downs myself, but that’s not what this blog is supposed to be about. It’s supposed to be about intelligent analysis and interesting discussion. It’s a two-way street and if I just put negative or biased comments down all the time it’s too much of a one-way street. Interesting that you think Federer would win if Djokoray is in the same half. You think he’s gonna pull it off at 34 after 7 years?

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      Charlie Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 11:24 am The reason I think that is because there is less pressure on him at the USO. Last year he got unlucky (as did everyone else) because of god-mode Monfils, Cilic and Nishikori. Probably unlikely to happen two years in a row. Remember what he was saying before the Wimbledon final ‘I want this one on Sunday’, and I thought that perhaps he was feeling the pressure which is why I wasn’t too optimistic. But he hasn’t really been saying that before the USO this year from what I can remember. He seems to do better when no one is considering him as a contender more recently, like RG 2011 when everyone was talking about Djokovic-Nadal, or Wimbledon 2012 when he had that close match against Benneteau and everyone thought he would be too tired/ not good enough to beat Novak and Andy in back-to-back matches. So I’m glad he goes into the USO being underrated. Commentators and bookies can underrate him as much as they like, but there’s a reasonable chance it could come back to haunt them. There’s an interesting argument as well about who Djokovic would rather face if it’s a Federer-Murray semifinal, it’s a tough one because Murray can’t attack as well but would be better if it went to five sets, but Djokovic is likely to win eventually, but if he plays Federer there is a chance of a Federer god-mode day where he is just unstoppable, but then if Djokovic were to get it to a 5th set he would likely win. It’s an interesting discussion but until the draw comes out we can only speculate. And as for the age thing and the 7 years since he last won, I think that it’s a little different with him because of his game-style. I can’t remember what the article was called, but it talked about the two stages of decline. There is the first part where you can make adjustments to your game and remain at the top of the sport, but the second part is irreversible. Federer managed to turn his stage one decline around in 2013, it remains to be seen if Nadal can do the same. I accept Federer is not the favourite, but I think he has at least a 25% chance (Djokovic 50%, Federer 25%, Murray 20%, The Field 5% IMO).

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      Ru-an Reply: August 26th, 2015 at 5:37 pm Well, the odds are against him to win another slam as far as age goes. And he is already in stage three of decline. I think the last two Wimbies were his last best chances and that he wasn’t at all unlucky with the draw last year. Everyone thought he was lucky in fact until Cilic showed up. He should have lost to Monfils probably but fought through and was flat vs Cilic. I think there are many players who can make life difficult for him and get him into a long match. But of course, there is always a chance.

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      Charlie Reply: August 27th, 2015 at 5:52 pm Yeah with Federer these days it’s all about getting through the early rounds without tiring too much. If he can get to the semis without having to play any five-setters he has a chance.

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      Ru-an Reply: August 27th, 2015 at 6:27 pm Right. Last year he was tired from the Cincy/Montreal double too. This year he could possibly to do that. But he’s got a pretty tough draw.

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1. 1. Nice post Ru-an. It’s quite telling that Fed can beat Djokovic in a big final at this point in his career, especially when the stakes were so high for Djokovic. Once he wins Cincy, which I’m sure Djoker will eventually do, that’s an unprecedented record in tennis, and it does bode very well for his inclusion in the GOAT debate. Especially so if he wins all 4 GS and all 9 MS, which basically means he’s won all the big events out there. As far as this final was concerned, this is my perspective about it- Djoker knew he had a good chance to win, since Fed hadn’t beaten him in a big final since Cincy 2012. In the first set, he looked focused and determined, showing a lot of clutch play to stay ahead in the scoreboard. What he( and many spectators) probably expected was that Fed succumbs to pressure at the end of the set, or maybe in the TB. Djoker knew winning the first set would be very vital for his prospects of winning, since in the last 2 matches on similar surfaces, he failed to win even a set against Fed. Credits to Fed for showing no signs of nerves whatsoever. The TB might be one of the best he has played ever, or atleast against Djoker. The BH return on the rise at 3-1 in the TB was like a final knockout blow for Djoker. His reaction after that point, where he almost smashed his racquet again, proves it. Once the first set was done, he knew he had no chance anymore. If the surface had been slower, it would still be 50-50, since there have been a lot of times when Djoker came back from a set down to beat Fed. It was quite strange actually to see him check out mentally in the 2nd set though. Especially conceding 3 DF in a game to get broken. So long story short, Djoker was hoping to end the losing streak against Fed on fast hard courts, and tried his best in the first set, and once he lost it, he knew he couldn’t win it anymore. On the other hand, Fed was quite smart himself. He said in the interview to SKY sports after his SF win, when asked about the significance of the match for his no. 2 seeding at USO, that the focus should be on Djoker and the career golden slam. He was cautiously optimistic about his chances, while at the same time preferring to stay out of the spotlight. P.S. One more thing I realised while watch the Djoker vs Dolgo SF was that Djoker might actually use the rope-a-dope tactic most of the times when he seems injured. I know it’s hard to determine what actually transpires with him, but there is a slight possibility that he was faking injury that day. I’m not being judgmental when I say this, but for a while, this behavior reminded me about dull and his antics. That made me doubt for a while whether I should like Djoker as much as I do now. I’m still ready to give him the benefit of doubt though, and he’s still my second favorite player.

      [Reply]

      Ru-an Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 12:40 pm

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      Charlie Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 2:36 pm Haha, just trolling everyone by losing in Montreal and Cincy to sweep the USO without dropping a set or something, right?

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      Ru-an Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 5:44 pm

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      Nakul Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 7:03 pm https://twitter.com/CaroGrgicevic/status/636245588187684864 Guess who this is

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      Nakul Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 7:03 pm

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      Ru-an Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 7:27 pm Come on man this is not a blog for gay dudes. Gross.

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      Joe Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 8:47 pm Masterly put-down – as usual.

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      Ru-an Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 8:52 pm Well, it’s Nadull after all. I can’t think that Fedfans would find that very interesting, especially if the idea arises that he is getting ready to ‘bang’ Federer again.

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      Joe Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 9:04 pm eww Ru-an. Sounds like I’m lucky I didn’t read the article! And just for the record, I never actually called him KnobDull; I just asked if you would object if I did call him that…

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1. 1. Good stuff, Ru-an. Great match, from the Fed perspective. I didn’t think it was close. Body language, ball striking, dictating points, the much discussed strategy of Rog. . . it was embarrassing, actually, but in the bigger picture we know this does not mean Novak is doomed lol. Hoisting the goods in NYC will cure all. But seriously, Djokovic looked like he was barely alive, a couple of brilliant passes to keep the monster from tearing him to shreds in the first set. How about that nod of assurance he gave his box after DF x3 to lose his serve early in the 2nd. Damn. Beatdown.

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      Charlie Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 11:30 am Several players have been interviewed over the years about this (why beating Federer is so hard): 1. He is one of the greatest frontrunners of all time, meaning if you are having a bad day you can never get settled because he is pressuring you on every point. 2. He is also one of the best comeback players, so if you are having a good day and get well in front, there is no guarantee you will win easily, Shanghai 2014 and the 2nd set TB in the Wimbledon final are probably the best example. 3. He is an attacking player, meaning either his pressure makes people go for too much and commit a lot of UE’s, or they start playing too defensively allowing him to move the ball all over the court.

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      Ru-an Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 1:18 pm Thanks, Matt. Yeah, who cares about losing in Cincy when you win IW, Rome, and Wimby? I mean if Djoker won Cincy too, the dominance would be almost boring. Federer needs to stay in it to make it a little interesting at least. The Cincy final may have been a beatdown for Djokovic, but the last three years have been a beatdown for Federer.

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      Matt Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 7:56 pm Rog is six years his senior. Either way (and of course the series has been even), Roger’s current form is ridiculous. USO should be interesting. The big three are all in the mix with question marks alongside each one.

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      Ru-an Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 8:13 pm Yes, Federer’s current form is exceptional at his age. It is a surprise that he won Cincy? No.

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      Matt Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 8:25 pm Agree. What would you say is Rog’s weakest surface? Clay? He’s been to 5 FO finals, kinda ran into the clay GOAT. Tough to make any kind of GOAT claims if your weak surface is Cincy/US Open type hc, no? I stand by the Djoker potential, but it’s tough to see him struggle like that (and fatigue is not an excuse, of course) on a very legit surface. Many greats have excelled on that surface.

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      Ru-an Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 8:31 pm Nah I don’t agree. Djokovic is probably better on the USO-type surface than Federer is on clay. Already one USO title and three finals. If he wins it this year there would be no question. He’s still got time to win more titles and make more finals after this year too.

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      Matt Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 8:38 pm Well, nothing definitive there (Rog has a title and four finals at FO, again with the most prolific winner ever in the field). Perhaps we can agree on this: Djoker needs this USO to keep his conversation going.

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      Ru-an Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 8:42 pm Yes, we can agree on that. But like I just corrected myself, it’s 4 finals, not 3. They are equal in the numbers now. Just a question of time before Djokovic passes him.

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      Ru-an Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 8:39 pm Actually four finals so he is already equal with Federer. Anyway, he is long overdue a USO title. I didn’t watch the final with Murray but I heard the wind didn’t help him, and in 2013 he came off that FO loss to Nadal. That doesn’t mean he will win the USO this year, but it seems overdue.

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      Matt Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 8:56 pm I think any reasonable tennis fan could appreciate Djokovic certifying his ATP dominance with a 2015 USO title. Hopefully Murrederer can make him earn it in dramatic fashion.

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      Ru-an Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 11:00 pm Fedfanatics are not reasonable tennis fans so they won’t appreciate it. That’s one of the reasons I hope it happens. But mostly just because I am a reasonable tennis fan. It would clearly make the GOAT debate and tennis, in general, more interesting. I think he deserves another USO title, but like we saw at the FO deserve has nothing to do with it.

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      Matt Reply: August 26th, 2015 at 2:56 am Right you are. Are you continuing the prediction contest for the USO? Speaking of predictions, who are real contenders in NYC? Something tells me Stan, if healthy of course, could make a run. Seems to still be quite a gap between the contenders and pretenders. The more I think about 2014 USO, the more nauseous I become. Pour me whatever Cilic was drinking then. Unreal.

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      Ru-an Reply: August 26th, 2015 at 10:48 am I don’t know we will see. I have less time for these things now. The USO seems quite open at this point. Djokovic has not been himself in Montreal and Cincy. Federer can be a real contender, but the problem for him is his stamina over five sets. He hasn’t made a HC slam final in almost 6 years.

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      Hari Reply: August 27th, 2015 at 1:46 pm If by chance Federer makes the final, he wont be the favourite unless the opponent is not Djokovic. Firstly he cant have his own way there as the court is slower than Cincinatti for sure. Secondly, his body doesn’t seem to recover the wear and tear of a 5 setter these days. He can play 4 sets for sure but if he is stretched to a 5th set, he is bound to lose the next round even if he closes out the 5th set that particular match. Thirdly and basically, I have not seen a totally in-prime player losing to a 34 year old legendary champion. You may say he is ranked no.2 and all but I just can’t see Djokovic losing to Federer unless the courts are fast and Federer is serving like he did against Murray in Wimbledon which in my opinion is just a 5% probability. On the whole, Federer is surely playing really well and clearly still has it in him but to expect a Grand Slam from him I believe is too much.

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      Ru-an Reply: August 27th, 2015 at 3:19 pm Good, balanced comment Hari. It is difficult to see Federer win seven BO5 set matches. At Wimby, he comes close because the surface suits him better and he can win basically everything in straight sets. The USO is a different story. Many players can draw the match out against him. His stamina is very poor. One five-set match and he is pretty much finished.

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1. 1. The second serve attack is one he can use more on the quicker courts like Shanghai, Paris and Cincy. I don’t think Federer will use this tactic at the US Open unless he’s some way ahead in the scoreline – most likely in the first 2 rounds when he’s already 2 sets up or something like that. I have to say, it’s worked well over the past week – the matches he played against Anderson and Djokovic were particularly good to watch. Novak will look to win the US Open to cap off another great season, but I could see Murray really pushing for this one. Best scenario for Murray is to draw Federer in his half, hope he (Fed) crashes out before the semis and have a lot left in the tank for a potential final against Djokovic.

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      Charlie Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 2:37 pm I disagree Krish, the best time to use it is on break point.

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      Krish Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 6:14 pm I agree with that Charlie, I said I don’t believe that he will actually use it on those kinds of points.

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      Charlie Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 9:20 pm I don’t understand why he wouldn’t use it at the USO on key points, the surface is slower but it’s still a good surprise to catch someone out, particularly if it is 15-40 or 0-40 and you still have another chance to break if it fails. If you mean that it’s confidence based, he had the confidence to use it against Djokovic and Murray so I think he should be fine. Perhaps you are right though, given his record on the biggest stages recently he may not have the confidence to do it in say the US Open final, but I hope he does. At the very least it gives the opponent something else to think about.

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      Ru-an Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 10:08 pm Right, Charlie. He could use it at the USO. But I don’t think Djokovic would be surprised next time. He will be mentally prepared for it and pass Federer. The downside of having used it to win Cincy is that Djokovic now knows about his secret weapon. It won’t be a surprise anymore. And it will be less effective on slower courts.

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      Charlie Reply: August 26th, 2015 at 2:43 pm Even though if it fails, it’s still something for Djokovic to have to think about (‘what if he takes my second serve on the rise and rushes the net?’) so he may overhit and give away a double fault. Anything Federer can get Djokovic to think about on the crucial points in a match is a useful advantage. As I said particularly if you have two or three consecutive break points, it makes sense to try it on at least one of those perhaps.

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      Ru-an Reply: August 26th, 2015 at 5:45 pm Right, it could theoretically work. I just think Djokovic has a good record vs Federer in NY in recent times and that over BO5 Federer would have to pull that play off several times which is difficult. In Cincy Federer can kind of rush Djokovic and bully him, but with the slightly slower courts in NY it is that much more difficult. Djokovic’s consistency and depth from the baseline are very difficult for Federer to overcome unless the courts are super fast. His returns are more effective too.

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      Charlie Reply: August 27th, 2015 at 5:55 pm I think the key with Djokovic is that you have to really smash him off the court. Most of his losses this year have been in straight sets IIRC, where the opponent has just been having a very good day, aiming for the lines and everything is going in. That would be Federer’s best play against Djokovic. Just go all out for the straight set or four set win, because Novak will likely win in 5 otherwise.

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      Ru-an Reply: August 27th, 2015 at 6:31 pm It’s hard to see that happen. Fed smashing Djo off the court in straights? Ain’t happening. More likely to be the other way around.

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      Charlie Reply: August 27th, 2015 at 9:27 pm Yes it is unlikely, but at the moment it is one of the few ways it is possible to beat Djokovic. He is the best baseline player at the moment by some distance, and possibly one of the greatest baseliners in history up there with people like Lendl, Connors and Agassi so I think relentless attacking would be the way to go.

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      Ru-an Reply: August 28th, 2015 at 1:15 am He is probably a better baseliner than those guys. All out attack would be the way to go but Djokovic’s returns and defense makes that a risky tactic.

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      Joe Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 2:42 pm Yes Krish, but who cares about the best-case scenario for Murray?

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1. 1. Hey Ru-an, you Blasphemer! How are your classes going?

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      Ru-an Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 6:04 pm Hi, Joe. I’m not going to class. I study at home. It’s going ok thanks.

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1. 1. “I could have done some things better, but I lost to a better player, no question about it. I have to deal with it.” http://www.atpworldtour.com/en/news/cincinnati-2015-sunday-djokovic-reaction Always gracious in defeat.

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      Charlie Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 9:24 pm Yeah you really have to give the Djoker credit for that, when he loses there is no crap injury excuses. He may occasionally pull out some objectionable stuff during matches (like so-called ‘strategic’ MTOs), but after the match he never tries to take credit away from the other player. Obviously as the last player out of the Big Three to arrive on the scene he had to deal with a lot of tough losses before he became world no.1, but he never gave up or sounded bitter about it.

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      Ru-an Reply: August 25th, 2015 at 9:52 pm Yeah, I suppose that is the good side of being a late bloomer and having had to deal with the Fedal era. He took many tough losses and didn’t have it all his own way. That made him more humble and more hungry while Fedal had it all their own way. Federer especially became arrogant and complacent, and he paid the price in the form of Nadal who made a big dent in his GOAT claim.

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      Charlie Reply: August 26th, 2015 at 2:46 pm Yeah that is the only thing I can see (personality-wise), why someone wouldn’t particularly like Federer. I sort of say well he’s won enough so he’s allowed to brag a bit, because he is fairly upfront about it. The thing I don’t like is Nadal’s fake humbleness. But I can see how some people would be OK with Nadal’s fake humbleness and dislike Federer’s ‘air of superiority’, or dislike both. Fair point Ru-an.

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      Ru-an Reply: August 26th, 2015 at 5:53 pm Since I’ve become less biased I have also noticed Federer’s arrogance and Nadal’s humbleness more. I think they are equally guilty. I prefer Djokovic now because he is very gracious in defeat, but he doesn’t mind celebrating and getting in the face of someone like Nadal which you have to do to beat him. He is not fake arrogant like Federer who crumbles under Nadal’s onslaught. He is truly arrogant and isn’t scared of anyone. It’s a good balance.

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      Charlie Reply: August 27th, 2015 at 6:06 pm I agree, thanks Ru-an for making good well-thought out points as usual. Definitely beats reading Talk Tennis, one of the first threads I saw was one suggesting that Federer rushing towards the service line on a second serve is cheating/unsportsmanlike. WTF? You also hear bitter fans from all sides complaining about ‘rigged draws’, ‘unfair scheduling’ etc. I was just thinking to myself whilst reading it, IT HAPPENS TO EVERYONE, GET OVER IT. You don’t hear reasonable fans bitching about this kind of crap every time their player loses. Sometimes the other player is just better, like Djokovic at Wimbledon and Federer in Cincy. Nothing to complain about, the other player was better, period. Again thanks for making this blog what it is, you have somehow managed to set aside any personal biases and to come up with objective posts time and time again. I can only imagine how frustrating it must be to deal with some of the ridiculous comments you occasionally get, and well done on being able to accept criticism as well, as on many sites if you speak out against a particular player you are just insulted, rather than someone giving an intelligent response. I hope this blog can continue to be a place for all reasonable tennis fans to debate and discuss tennis, without having to deal with extreme and unreasonable viewpoints. Charlie

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      Ru-an Reply: August 27th, 2015 at 6:46 pm Thank you very much for your comment, Charlie. As a relatively unbiased(I admit to a certain amount of bias because I do have favorites) analyst of the game, I don’t get that much praise. People like to compliment you when you praise the player you like, but that is empty praise. What you just gave me is true praise which is something that I really appreciate. I do have to deal with bias and annoying people so it always helps when someone like you comes along and shows true appreciation because you are a true tennis fan yourself. The average tennis fan is a pretty ignorant, annoying, and selfish. They just want the player they are a fan of to do well and when they don’t they come up will all kinds of dumb and ridiculous excuses. I know there are only a few of us, so it’s always nice when someone like you who knows and appreciates the game comments here.

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      Charlie Reply: August 27th, 2015 at 8:33 pm With people like that the issue is they are closed minded. People choose to discard facts and well researched evidence in favour of their own, usually flawed analysis of a situation to decide their opinion. A common example is people who praise a tennis commentator if they say something complimentary about their favourite player, e.g. Federer fans when JMac initially said Federer was GOAT. Then when he changed to say Nadal he is ‘biased’ and ‘doesn’t understand tennis’ and when he reversed his decision again this Wimbledon he is back in the good books of the average Federer fan. Of course no one can claim to be perfectly unbiased as you quite rightly said in your previous comment, but the types of bias seen on most forums is pretty ridiculous towards one player or another. There are certain people who are biased but open-minded, and it is worth debating with them. But some people are so completely closed-minded that you may as well not even bother. The best thing to say to these people as you have been doing recently is to tell them to take their extreme views, closed-mindedness and bias elsewhere. There’s no shortage of fan blogs where you can praise your favourite player as much as you want with no fear of being challenged, and if people choose to live their lives without facing people with different viewpoints that is their decision. And as for the last bit of your comment about excuses, the thing you notice about tennis players and fans is that the better they get the less excuses they make. Less biased fans understand that losing is a part of being a fan, just as a good player understands it. Do you ever hear Federer or Djokovic or Nadal openly say (for example): “I played badly and lost but I was tired/injured)? That is what biased fans are like. Just takes all credit away from the other player, his team and his fans for supporting him. Very bad sportsmanship, so it is good that your blog does not allow it.

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      Ru-an Reply: August 28th, 2015 at 1:12 am Well said.

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1. 1. Nadal and Djoker in the same quarter; Nadal to play Coric first round. It should be interesting!

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      Bharata Reply: August 27th, 2015 at 7:14 pm Yes, I was wrong because I earlier predicted the draws are ‘partially’ rigged to ensure a dramatic Federer-Nadal quarter to get the US viewer interested. Actually Djokovic has a simpler half I think, he avoided Murray and Wawrinka. His biggest seed is Nishikori who probably will twist his ankle or something before the tournament starts Also he avoided Berdych, who is in Fed’s quarter. We all remember 2012. Interestingly Murray has Kygrios in his opener. That should be a lesson in manners..

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      Joe Reply: August 27th, 2015 at 7:57 pm I would have lost money betting as you said, that Roger and Nadal would be in the same quarter…

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      Krish Reply: August 27th, 2015 at 7:27 pm Wow, Nadal might even lose 1st Round if he’s not careful. The insurance will certainly be a spanking in the Quarterfinals. I’m not overly excited by Murray’s section – aside from Kyrgios, he may have to go through Wawrinka/Federer/Djokovic to win the thing, but I really doubt all the seedings will hold.

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      Joe Reply: August 27th, 2015 at 7:58 pm Good point Krish, it’s hard not to see the draw opening up.

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1. 1. Hi Ruan, well obviously I want My boy Roger to win like I always do, but I’m interested and a lot of other things too, Djokovic having a chance to pull closer to evening his head to head with Nadal, hoping Donald Young does well. (He grew up in my city and was a big influence for us and I hate seeing him under perform), and this is kind of the last stand for the year for the less talked about top players (Gasquet, Dimitrov, Thiem, Kyrigos). But anyway, I’m curious, who would you say is Djokovics biggest rival. I thought about that today watching Pre US Open tennis highlights on YouTube

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      Darrell Robbins Reply: August 29th, 2015 at 8:06 pm And I mean right now and over the big picture of his entire career

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      Ru-an Reply: August 29th, 2015 at 9:51 pm Right now probably Stan, Murray, and Fed. Over his career Fedal.

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16 Comments

1. 1. I love the new color and I can’t wait to see Roger back on the courts. I haven’t been watching any tennis since the US Open. I also have been reading your other blog “The Tennis Analyst” which is quite enjoyable.

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      Ru-an Reply:
      September 29th, 2013 at 8:58 pm

      Thanks Chris! You should drop me a comment over there.

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1. 1. “With Tsonga back Roger may have to add Stockholm or Paris to his schedule if he wants to be sure to qualify for London.” According to his website, Paris is already in his schedule.

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      Ru-an Reply:
      September 30th, 2013 at 11:12 am

      He just added it then. Good to see and expected.

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      Ru-an Reply:
      September 30th, 2013 at 11:27 am

      Not sure if he added it or if it was there before. Different people telling me different things now.

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      Jiten Reply:
      October 1st, 2013 at 2:14 am

      He did not (have to) add that. It has been there before in his web-site right from the beginning of the season.

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      Ru-an Reply:
      October 1st, 2013 at 7:37 am

      Yeah I figured that out. I got confused because he left out Basel at the start but then added it later. Good to see he is playing Basel and Paris. Looking forward to the indoor season for Fed!

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1. 1. I like the outfit. Something different than the usual one color shirt.
      But somehow…. the shirt reminds me of Delpo or Hewitt……

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1. 1. I might get criticized for saying this but I feel that glamour and fashion have been an unnecessary distraction in the second half of his career.

      He could still have had an excellent endorsement portfolio without being as fashion savvy as he is. It’s of course fine to be actively involved with one’s endorsements and dressing but Fed is so interested in fashion that the attention and limelight took his focus away from Fed the player. Ruan genuinely understands Fed’s game and career but there are many fans out there who just cheer him for the glamour aspect.

      One aspect of Nadal that I appreciate although I just don’t trust him and his persona is that his entire focus has always been on one thing: winning the biggest tournaments. In the prime of his career, he never let any other concern such as fashion, image, the vagaries of media attention, sometimes even ATP rankings get in the way of his # 1 priority: Winning the biggest tournaments. It’s a different matter that he doesn’t also let fairplay, rules, sporting ethics or sportsmanship get in the way of his goals. For example, with all the talk about the possibility of his doping he comes back from whatever 7 month break it was, keeps a low profile and thereby keeps the media attention away from him and wins RG and USO. Whether or not he is doping, it would have been all too easy to get dragged into that talk and draw unnecessary attention toward himself. If Nadal knows one thing it is that at the end if you win the biggest tournaments your image takes care of itself. In modern sport, there is only one rule: the winner is the hero in every sense of the word. Look at how they gave him the stefan edberg sportsmanship award in 2008. I mean it’s a joke but you have to give credit to Nadal that for understanding that what matters is winning and he never gets carried away into anything else. He deliberately downplays his chances relentlessly. He rarely underestimates his opponents and is always on guard.

      Fed deserves every bit of his stature as the embodiment and epitome of what a great tennis can be. But if he really and deeply wanted to consistently attain the heights he was capable of even in the second half of his career, he would have been better off without the cardigans, jackets, red shoes, Ann Wintnour and whatever else. IMO, all that added to his hubris and hurt his legacy in the end. Again, I repeat that it is his absolute prerogative and who am I to judge him anyway? But IF we are talking about the ‘Art of War’, on court fireworks on the biggest stages speak a lot louder than offcourt ones. He himself once said in 2006 in an interview explaining his success by something like ‘if you want to chase the money and celebrity you can forget about it’.

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      Dolores Reply:
      October 1st, 2013 at 8:47 pm

      Lob, your comment is well voiced, I liked what you say, much of it I agree with you. You are correct, Roger loves fashion, no doubt. You bring in the difference between Roger and Nadal’s success. There is another thought that I would like to add to your comment. To compare the two one needs to also keep in mind that Roger is a husband and father of two children. Nadal is free of any of these responsibilities, he is fancyfree, Roger not so anymore. Even though he has said that he keeps tennis and family separete. But how can he? Not possible. Whenever he has been travelling without his family, he has said he misses his family. This, in my mind separetes the two, Roger and Nadal. Will be anxious what Ru-an’s comment might be to your thoughts, Lob.
      Ru-an knows who I am, a Grandma.
      Whether my thoughts play a role in all this, I don’t know.
      Kindly,
      Dolores

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      Ru-an Reply:
      October 2nd, 2013 at 10:38 am

      Of course your thoughts play a role Dolores! I just replied to lob.

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      Ru-an Reply:
      October 2nd, 2013 at 10:37 am

      Well first of all I don’t think Roger was necessarily chasing celebrity but you make some good points. The fashion stuff is just part of who he is. He is a stylish guy and looking good is important to him. You may as well say the same thing about Nadal who has made a music video with Shakira and had something to do with Rihanna as well if I remember correctly. Then that underwear collection and I’m sure many other things. Also it is clear that he has been chasing after the appearance fees, putting money in front of his physical well-being and scheduling badly.
      Roger on the other hand turned down vast appearance fees on countless occasions because he values his health more than money. It’s easy now that he is past prime and not winning everything anymore to find fault with his approach, just as it is easy to praise Nadal because he is on a high. In the end I don’t find much merit in what you are saying. Roger is Roger and Nadal is Nadal. No need to make any judgments.

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      Katyani Reply:
      October 2nd, 2013 at 8:57 pm

      Hey Ru-an, I just have to comment on this. First of all I agree with all three of you. Roger is first tennis, but he also likes to look good and stylish.
      But I don’t agree (with anybody for that matter) when they say Rafa was or is chasing money. I don’t know him personally of course, but from what I have seen and know about him, he really does not care about money. For him it is one thing only: winning. Way after that comes love for the sport. And somewhere at the end comes money.
      Lets be honest, he does (from far) look better and more handsome than Roger.
      (Trust me, NOT to me, but to most fans or female fans). If Rafa would care about money, he would have taken advantage of his body, his looks, his tan a long time ago. He would have those sponsor contracts that Roger has.
      Rafa really does not care about his appearance. Otherwise he would have found a way to stop picking his b..tt.
      Roger conducts himself like a gentleman off the court but also on the court. Rafa does not. He does not care that much about looking good or looking like a gentleman and stylish to land sponsor contracts. He is all in for the win.
      Roger is different. He loves the game, but he also loves to dress nice and stylish and gentlemanlike.
      For Rafa it is one thing and one thing only: winning. Atleast that is my opinion.
      As much as I don’t like Rafa (and I don’t), I have to admit, he could have done more to become a “gentleman” like Roger and to make far more money.

      Speaking of Roger… man, is it still not time for him to play???
      The wait seems like forever. I miss seeing him smile and play tennis !!!

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1. 1. Hi Ru-an, just a quick note to respond to your blog on Roger’s Shanghai outfit. I do like it, how it will look on Roger we shall find out soon. All of us, Fedfans in particular, are excited about his first appearance in a long while, so it seems. From what I have read, he is in Shanghai already. Your blog is great, particularly like the picture of Roger and his girls that goes with it. Thank You! Also, have visited your other site and like it, too. Keep up the good work, Ru-an.
      Best,
      Dolores

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      Ru-an Reply:
      October 3rd, 2013 at 7:34 am

      Thanks Dolores I appreciate it.

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1. 1. can’t help sharing the goat comment by Jondos in response to the article named “Tennis ‘likely’ to change anti-doping rules after Viktor Troicki case” on CNN : “This is GREAT news! Why don’t we weaken the doping rules because the players don’t like them? They are so burdensome and intrusive and inconvenient. Forget that the rules are put in place to protect the FANS from players who might cheat with steroids and the like! Here is a STUPENDOUS idea! Let us forget about anti-doping altogether. Who needs a clean sport, legitimacy, credibility? Let the other sports fight over that. Tennis can be the sport that actually PROMOTES steroid use and HGH and PEDs. Nadal and Williams and Troicki and Cilic, and Odesink, wouldn’t have to deal with those ugly RUMORS any more. Tennis could even go one step further. Oh, they could have displays at the tournaments. Educational ones, of course! There could be one tent for adults and one tent to teach children. One tent where you can buy the designer PEDs that Nadal uses or Federer or Djokovic or Serena! Imagine buying the sneakers AND THE DOPE that your favorite star uses! They could allow the people to take the steroids and show them how their new serve or forehand will look. The children could be given literature about incremental usage and adapting to how their game and size could dramatically change. They could be wrapped in bright colors like candy and gum. We don’t want to tell anyone about the possible side effects though. THAT would be counter productive! Oh, I long for the day where the tennis court might be adorned with signs and endorsements from our favorite, currently banned, drugs. Nikethamide, Testostorone, Adrafinil, Ephedrine, oh and imagine the money that could be made from all of this, yes the money, I said the money, that is right, MONEY!”
      http://edition.cnn.com/2013/10/02/sport/tennis/tennis-doping-troicki-itf/index.html?hpt=isp_c2

      [Reply]

7 Comments

1. 1. aarrghhh cute thanks for the pix!

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1. 1. Cool, gosh the wait painfulllll!!!!!!!!!

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1. 1. I like Roger´s hair short.Nice to see him in the party Infection is not contagious? What a terrifying portrait.Funny to see Roger´s face, he´s polite, but thinking”it´s awful”.

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1. 1. Wow! So sweet! Thank u so much for the pics. Roger looks so handsome in this new hair-do….

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1. 1. tanx, man. that’s cute… See? there is loads of stuff to post about, even if he isn’t playing haha…

      [Reply]

      Ru-an Reply: February 25th, 2010 at 4:57 pm Lol yeah we’ll see

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      Ru-an Reply: February 26th, 2010 at 1:12 am Btw Tristan i see you havnt signed up for the newsletter which you requested. Can you see it in the right side bar?

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9 Comments

1. 1. Great post Ru-an. Judging by the highlights, the court seems to play fast. Do you reckon too?

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      April 30th, 2015 at 10:16 am

      Thank you Gargantouas. Yes, the clay doesn’t look very slow or anything.

1. 1. Good morning, Ru-an! Now that is what I call a PROPER pic, Ru-an! Yeah, you’re right, I can’t deal with another Serbian fist pump in my face, especially in the morning, Ru-an! hehehe! Thank you! Couldn’t watch the match but so glad Roger won. About Madrid over Rome, what I meant was that Roger is confirmed to play Madrid but he is not sure about Rome. My observation is that Rome plays more similar to RG and therefore better prep for RG. And Dolores, I totally agree, it is a SIN to cut his locks! He hasn’t won significant titles since losing his locks!! His locks are his trademark and his lucky charm!! Can’t even recognise him sometimes with his combed up hair, ugh!

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      April 30th, 2015 at 10:23 am

      Good morning, Veronica. I’m glad you like the pic but it won’t stay that way so enjoy it while it lasts! I think Roger should play both Madrid and Rome but that’s just me.

      

      Veronica Reply:
      April 30th, 2015 at 12:31 pm

      Yeah I think he should play both; especially if he doesn’t go deep. He said he wasn’t sure about Rome. Im thinking if he had to choose between Madrid and Rome, the latter would be a better choice as it’s more similar to RG. Many people have commented about the fast Istanbul courts, that it is not quite playing like clay. If that is true, Roger would not be getting much clay practice, (as he specifically said he is not comfortable and need to play more on clay) because Istanbul and Madrid may not be the best prep for RG.

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      April 30th, 2015 at 12:38 pm

      Well, three weeks in a row is quite a lot but then it depends on how deep he goes in Madrid. This is the reason he plays Madrid, because he’d like to play both Madrid and Rome but if he goes all the way in Madrid then he may feel the need to skip Rome. Anyway, if Roger doesn’t play Rome he will still have like two weeks to prepare in Paris so he should be fine.

1. 1. A much less straightforward match today for Federer. He returned poorly and shanked on a lot of key points. Somehow he lost the second set despite winning eight more points than Gimeno-Traver, but he regrouped for the third and finished strong, showing considerable mental toughness. He needs these kinds of matches to get rhythm on the clay. Hopefully, he’ll be able to clean it up for the next couple matches.

      Wouldn’t count out Dimitrov. He got his first win over Djokovic on clay (after being a set and 5-2 down!), so he can play very well on the surface. If he’s in the final, it won’t be easy for Federer (although of course Federer has to win one more match to make the final as well).

1. 1. I didn’t see the match today, any comments on it? Was Traver playing nothing to lose tennis, or was Federer a bit sloppy? The danger of course is getting too tired after a 2 hour match.

1. 1. The blog looks great !! Btw Federer got the most difficult draw I have ever seen for a Masters 1000. Krygios, Isner, Berdych, Nadal, Nishikori/Raonic/Monfils/Murray. The only saving grace is that Djokovic is not gonna be in a final if it comes to that.

14 Comments

1. 1. The back should be better in Dubai since it’s very hot there. It seems to act up more in colder weather (it was cool at the AO I think).

      [Reply]

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      February 17th, 2013 at 9:25 pm

      Yes it was. Good point.

      [Reply]

1. 1. Hey Guys. I am a bit more skeptical than you. It may be that Roger is really coming of that 3.0 status. One of the main characteristics of Roger 3.0 was that he was winning those close matches, following up with easy wins afterwards and getting his hands on those titles.

      I read that he is going to South Africa for a few days to support his organization. To me, it shows that he is not 100% commited and that his mind is occupied with something else. He’s no longer interested in going back to Number 1 and to him it doesn’t matter if he is ranked 2,3 or 4 in the world.

      I hope I am wrong but I started seeing this towards the end of last year when he lost to Murray in Shanghai, then lost to Del Potro both in Basel and in London.

      Now he lost to Benneteau. Who knows what might happen in Dubai.

      In any case, he is just cruising right now and there is no urgency and passion in his play. In AO 2013 it was different and after the loss to Murray I predicted that this would happen. He really wanted to win that title and now thar he didn’t there is a low point which I expected.

      It may last until Madrid.

      [Reply]

      

      Kyle Reply:
      February 18th, 2013 at 4:20 pm

      The motivation is still there I’m sure. He lost to Haas last year in Halle in similar fashion and we all know what happened after that. If he did indeed have trouble with his back, then it will get better for Dubai and he’ll give it his all to win there, and at IW. Those are the only tournaments he’ll play until Madrid which is over a month away after IW so he’ll have plenty of time to practice.

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      Fedfan Reply:
      February 18th, 2013 at 5:19 pm

      Hey Vily,
      as a Federer fan, first thing is do not doubt the master! until the day he leaves the game, I’ve learnt my lesson too many times, be a bit more optimistic, Roger knows what he is doing, he’s got the best judgement of any athlete so don’t be too worried!

      Well I certainly do NOT believe Roger 3.0 has abandoned him and us. Roger 3.0 was playing the first four rounds of the AO against some tough opponents, pretty impressive for the start of the season. It’s all about WHEN AND WHERE Roger 3.0 shows up. 3.0 has to make an appearance at latter stages of tournaments and slams in particular consecutively. Will it be tough? Yep but is it possible? Of course. Roger is pretty good in playing his best in the bigger moments so I’m sure Roger 3.0 is still there waiting to come out when the time is right (I personally believe this Roger will be making a full appearance it at the US Open but we shall see). Dw dude, he can’t always be that Roger and 2.0 is even pretty good, he just can’t win everything so need to take that perspective.

      South Africa is a good thing for a number of reasons:
      1) Helps his image as an ambassador which is really important as just being a tennis player, he hasn’t had time to go out for his foundation so I think this will be great. Roger is South African remember so maybe he has family over there and has a tonne of fans to meet, what’s not to love.
      2) Wants to take his mind off the loss and his BACK issues. This will help him regroup, refocus for Dubai and give him the extra motivation needed if so.
      Roger is very committed but he is also committed to the philanthropic side as well, gotta balance the two out in a way. Roger will be back in time to get ready for Dubai, we don’t know what the whole story is with his back so he may need to rest up…

      Vily we cannot expect Roger to win everything he enters anymore. Roger was mentally drained at the end of last season and was very very close against Djokovic in London, that match was on his racquet for sure. The Australian Open was a positive tournament for him despite the loss to Murray. Yes you could see how badly he wanted to win in Australia but that just proves that he is more motivated than ever at the tournaments that mean the most to him now! At 31 to play back to back five setters and show the fight left, we are being too greedy of Roger.

      “It may last until Madrid”
      Not at all. Roger’s grit in Australia proved how hungry he still is. Just because he lost early in Rotterdam we cannot base his whole season on this one loss, it’s just not right by any means. If he plays his best (injury barring) and gives it everything he has in Dubai and Indian Wells there’s no reason to feel disappointed. I think Roger will be ok for Dubai and if gets the rest he needs for his back and the weather and a good draw is going his way well then could be just what he needs!

      Hope this helped to give you a new perspective
      Fedfan.

      [Reply]

      

      Vily Reply:
      February 18th, 2013 at 7:05 pm

      Hey Guys,

      Thank you for the replies and your comments. When I said that it may last until Madrid, I was referring to the low point.

      I believe that after IW and a month of rest and proper practice, Roger will come back stronger and be ready for Roland Garros and Wimbledon.

      What I am trying to say is that last year, which was special, and even before that, post US Open 2011, Roger was on fire. He was closing matches and was winning matches that perhaps he should have lost.

      I don’t want to jump the gun and I will be proven wrong if Roger manages to win Dubai, but last year I was confident and rooting for him.

      This year is slightly different.

      I think that Roger felt the same. He wanted the culmination of his efforts to be that Australian Open Title. But a combination of factors – tough draw, slight lack of confidence, combined with the brutal wear and tear of the consecutive 5 setters in AO left him with empty handed. Yes, he played amazingly and should be proud of his achievements, but looking forward, he only managed to defend his SF appearance.

      He already felt like that if he won the AO he can crash afterwards until Madrid. Now that he didn’t win, he just doesn’t feel like going the extra mile just to defend his titles in Rotterdam, Dubai and IW.

      I thought that if he somehow pushed himself to lift that Rotterdam title, the hunger might come back and he might defend the DUBAI title also but now I feel that is less likely.

      To me, that shows that Roger is just not at that 3.0 level.

      He’ll still play amazingly in the slams, but in those lesser events he might not give the extra effort.

      I really hope I’ll be wrong but I just have this feeling. It will change when April and May come around.

      Until then we have to hope that he manages to make those finals and SF appearances in Dubai and SF so that he doesn’t lose it all very quickly.

      Maybe, just maybe if he does get there he might have something extra.

      The next couple of weeks will tell us a lot about the state of Roger’s game. I feel that he is sitting way to comfortable for my liking and that he’ll slip to Number 3 very soon unless he changes something.

      Nadal is on the come back and Roger has to watch out.

      But nonetheless, when the Slams come around, I expect Roger to be at his best.

      I feel however, that his best will probably come around in the summer and maybe at the US Open. We’ll see.

      [Reply]

1. 1. ruan and fellow fed-fans,
      i’m from california, and indian wells at night can be quite chilly. like ruan, i too suffer from lower back pain (but unlike him, i’m a mere 4.5 recreational player), and do manage to still play quite a lot by resting, stretching etc–i imagine roger is getting the best care possible and that he will play well the next time around. the challenge now in my view is for him to keep up great form over the course of two long weeks of a major. that’s where i see the difference. my dream is that he beat nadal again at a major to quell all the rumors of him not being able to win his nemesis. and if it’s on clay that would be even sweeter. given that nadal is slipping in the rankings rapidly, my sense is that this year’s french open may see a completely different set of players in the final.

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1. 1. i meant “win against his nemesis” above. and to clarify, nadal’s lower rankings means that he may run into federer, murray and/or djokovic well before the semi-finals, which will only make things interesting. if it’s the two young turks, we can predict a tedious slugfest that will last five hours and leave the winner too depleted for the next match!!

      [Reply]

1. 1. Pingback: Rotterdam Recap: Federer Crashes to Benneteau – peRFect Tennis

1. 1. Federer is plenty motivated. His game is lacking at the moment, and if his game is lacking, motivation alone won’t do the job.

      Who can say what really happened in Rotterdam? Fast indoor courts make it easy for a very aggressive player to blow away the opponent. In a best-of-three format, five bad minutes can decide a match. And Benneteau is a player with a great all-court game, lots of variety and a great serve. If he had better mental strength, he’d be top twenty at least.

      For these reasons, and because Federer only played six matches going into Rotterdam (as opposed to nine last year), I don’t think we can draw any definitive conclusions. There are just too many unknowns involved. It could just be a freak loss, which did happen to him a couple times even in 2004-05.

      Perhaps if Federer had drawn Benneteau instead of Davydenko last year in Rotterdam, he wouldn’t have made it back from a set and a break down, and he wouldn’t have had the confidence to go on that winning run that allowed him to reclaim #1 last year.

      Conversely, if Federer had snuck past Benneteau this year, maybe his back would have gotten better by the semis and he’d have left Rotterdam with the trophy–assuming his back is the issue, and not something else. Who knows?

      He’s got the right attitude, just taking some time off to deal with his other commitments before he goes to prepare for Dubai. He trains in Dubai so he doesn’t really have to acclimate himself too much.

      I’ve said before I’m hoping for Federer to make a great clay-court run and then take that momentum onto the grass. All the talk is about how he can only win on the fast courts in his “old age”, so I want him to win on slow courts to prove that he is still the master of all surfaces.

      He may defend one of his spring hard-court titles, or he may not. He may even lose Madrid and win Rome. Any combination is possible.

      As for Nadal, if you want me to believe the Beast is dead, show me the body. He just crushed Nalbandian for his first title since coming back, so he looks pretty spry to me. Being counted out is just what he and Uncle Toni want, so he can slip into Roland Garros as the underdog (as if a 7-time champ could EVER go into a tournament as the underdog). Far as I’m concerned he will be back to full strength by RG.

      So I remain quite optimistic. It would be hard to replicate his winning run of last spring, but he need not do so to have a successful year. As long as he can get to the semis of most tournaments, he should be in good shape for when his game comes together. And I have no doubt that it will by late spring.

      [Reply]

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      February 19th, 2013 at 1:52 am

      Steve I choose to believe that this was purely a back issue. The person who first left a comment about this issue on my blog said Annacone said Roger was struggling with his back all week. I could not confirm that but if it is true then the answer is obvious. But there is other proof like the fact that he didn’t train until last Sunday, the fact that he was wearing two shirts at the AO, the fact that Rotterdam had cold weather, and even just the fact that he has had back problems before. Having seen Roger at the AO I can’t accept that he lost to Benneteau without a physical problem. He is still too motivated and he badly wanted to win Rotterdam. I am surprised when I read comments on my blog that says otherwise. Disappointed in fact. You and me know how motivated and professional Roger 3.0 is. I refuse to believe any of the excuses that he was not motivated or that Roger 3.0 left us etc. Utter nonsense.

      [Reply]

      

      Bharata Reply:
      February 20th, 2013 at 5:48 pm

      I also tried to find some report of what Amacone said about an injury but failed. At any rate I watched the match . Federer (as pointed out before here) was grunting on his 2nd serves, which he rarely does. Since the 2nd serves have a lot of twisting to get that extra bit of top/side spin, it suggests he was in pain. He also grabbed his back a few times, even after winning a point.

      I am worried this could be a serious back problem, but hopefully he can manage it. I am looking forward to him defending in Dubai or at least pushing Djokovic.

      As for Nadal the above poster is 100% right. Uncle Toni and the rest will be claiming he’s the underdog now for the rest of the year. It will be tough to stomach listening to that act of pressure-deflection. I just hope Ferrer can hang on to 4. THen Nadal might land in another quarter than Fed’s and have to deal with one of the other top 3.

      Great blog and excellent analysis as usual.

      [Reply]

1. 1. Ru-an, hope you are doing well and have a bit of time to watch Federer over the weekend.

      It was mildly frightening that Federer lost a set in the first round, but he came good in the end. Jaziri never really looked like he had enough to beat Federer (he’d been off the tour with injury for the last six months) so ultimately it might have been a good thing for Federer to be forced to play that extra set. It looked like a pretty routine match against Granollers.

      Tomic and Tsonga are out, so Davydenko and Berdych are the only obstacles to an eighth Dubai final and a shot at his sixth title. Davydenko could be dangerous in best-of-three, if he’s playing well, and Berdych is always tough for Federer. Not easy for Federer even to get to the title fight. Hope he can go all the way, though!

      [Reply]

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      February 28th, 2013 at 1:31 am

      Yes Steve I will have some time to watch this weekend. So hopefully Roger makes the final this time. That way I can at least see two matches. Shame the final has to be on Saturday.

      [Reply]

9 Comments

1. 1. Congratulations for changing your tune.

      [Reply]

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      February 27th, 2010 at 10:37 pm

      

      [Reply]

      

      steve Reply:
      March 1st, 2010 at 8:02 pm

      I second that

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1. 1. I think his philantropic work is great but the truth about Ethiopia and his infection is the truth, I bought
      the calendar for the 2° year to contribute.
      Nice to hear he will be in IW.,I´ve read that Roddick was going to replace him at he Hit for Haiti event.Hope
      he makes a completely and fast recovery.

      [Reply]

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      February 28th, 2010 at 11:45 am

      Cool

      [Reply]

1. 1. Ever humble Roger, though he fell sick I think its a worthwhile trip for him

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1. 1. Hows it going Ruan? Not been on much recently, real life is taking over just now but I will have a few months off in June/July to enjoy Wimby and the French.

      I stumbled across a post on menstennisforum recently which has someone Im sure is you, calling someone called habiko a racist.

      Just wondering what the story is there?

      [Reply]

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      February 28th, 2010 at 5:41 pm

      Hey Paul, long time no see. Been wondering where you were.

      Why would you think its me and yeah its possible. There are many racists in MTF.

      [Reply]

1. 1. I appreciate the change of heart.

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16 Comments

1. 1. very nice post, by far the best and p.s The rebirth and rumble in the jungle are the best

      [Reply]

1. 1. vote guys

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1. 1. I love the “Changing of the Guard” because it was so funny how Pete looked pissed that Roger was playing so amazing and beating him! lol And because Rog was just absolutely zoned in. Such incredible play. Merry Christmas to you, Ru-an! Thanks for blogging, and we look forward to reading for another year! =)

      [Reply]

1. 1. Nice listing, but the Agassi match does not merit status. You should have considered his first Wimbledon final, the Hamburg 2007 final, and, even in a losing effort, the 2005 Australian Open semifinals.

      [Reply]

      Ru-an Reply: December 26th, 2009 at 10:21 am The only thing worth considering what you said is the AO 2005 match, where Roger played a silly trick shot on MP. The rest is just wrong.

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1. 1. The Fairytale Changing of the guard was definitely the most important and historic but the way Fairytale unfolded was gettin on the nerves and the fact that Roger showed outstanding nerves throughout was remarkable too.

      [Reply]

1. 1. Excellent post. I am having trouble deciding who to vote for, I’m not sure what his ‘best’ match is but the match that gave me the most happiness, nervousness and all emotions you can think of was the Del Potro FO SF. You could feel Soderling was a walk in the park should Fed reach the final but this big lanky Argentine was taking Roger to pieces. It was a fine win for sure. Although I doubt that is the best match Roger played in this decade, just the best match I watched him play in (I only started watching Tennis proper about 2006)

      [Reply]

      Ru-an Reply: December 26th, 2009 at 7:05 pm Thanks Paul. That match isnt getting many votes so far but like i said its one of my favorites as well. As far as teh most emotional go for me it was the Haas match. That third set was incredibly tense.

      [Reply]

1. 1. Pingback: Next Up for Federer: The Grand Slam | Ruans Federer Blog

1. 1. You missed the 2007 Australian Open Semi – Finals vs Roddick (6-4, 6-0, 6-2). If ever there was a Zone or a Demolition, this was it.

      [Reply]

      Ru-an Reply: January 14th, 2010 at 1:46 pm You are right, i did miss out on that one. Maybe because i didnt see it.

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1. 1. The best match of Roger’s career is in the 2007 australian open in the semis when he destroyed Roddick by 6-4 6-0 6-2…The 04 us open final against Hewitt pales in comparison about the Roddick match..from the 2nd set until the end, Federer wasn’t missing anything..he won more winners than Roddick’s points!!! Roddick had Connors in his box and had match points againt Roger at Shanghai 2006…people thought that he would upset Roger at Melbourne..for me this is the match i prefer the most…the 2007 AO is the only slam, Roger won without dropping a set….

      [Reply]

1. 1. there’s also the AO2009 complete demolition against del Potro 6-3 6-0 6-0

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1. 1. 2 Best matches where his brilliance was at his peak — when he beat Pete 2001 in the Championships and the other when he lost to Safin in AO 2005 SF … great guy .. loads of char a true legend …

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1. 1. What do you think about the Tipsarevic match? No disrespect to him but Roger was almost like fighting against himself at that time.

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1. 1. I can’t believe this list didn’t include Roger/Safin from 2005 AO — that is not only my favorite Roger match but also probably my favorite match of all-time. Rome 2006 and Sampras 2001 would be my next picks. Wimbledon 2008, although a bit overrated, still deserves a spot simply for being the “event” that it was. The demolitions of Roddick/Hewitt/etc are too many to count and would probably fill an entire list of his best performances!

      [Reply]

150 Comments

1. 1. I haven’t see much of Raonic apart from the fact that he has a monster serve and when he gets a first serve in play, he’s pretty much winning the point. For the most part, Roger is as well. However, will we see another if those performances like at the AO 2013 or another one like the in Madrid 2012 or Halle 2013?! Roger will need to bring his A game again to beat him. I am not worried too much about holding serve but the tie-breakers. They are truly a test of one’s mentality. If Roger is ready to win this title, his focus needs to be SHARP. Today and yesterday against Robredo, a Roger was shaky serving the matches out, obviously because of the pressure and expectations and also because he knows that he’ll be close. I would much rather see another clinic however. I just don’t want my heart to go up again like that, LOL!!! ;-))

      [Reply]

      

      veronica Reply:
      July 3rd, 2014 at 5:25 am

      Yes, Vily, I don’t think my heart can take anymore tiebreaks! What a nerve-wracking match. I actually couldn’t bear to watch towards the end of 2nd set! Ha! But Roger did so well weathering the storm and taking his chances. And getting back to winning tb mode should bode well going into Raonic match. I would like to think that Roger has too much game for Raonic and it will be on his racket. If he can play his game and move Raonic around, keep the ball low and take care of his own service, he should win it. Don’t wanna get too much into tb’s as then it becomes a lottery. And I’ve had enough of lottery for now! Ha! I also think Roger has come too far and worked too hard to let this go. But then so is Raonic. He would be spilling blood for this. Hope Roger is sharply aware that Raonic isn’t the same player he played a year ago. But I’m bracing myself for another round of nail biting lotteries! Ugh!! As for the other semi, I think it is really a 50/50. Djoker is uncomfortable playing Grigor. Not surprising coz Grigor is similar to Roger. In fact Djoker does have a bit of problem with shbh – Roger, Stan, Grigor. If Roger wins, I would rather he meet Grigor than Djoker in the final; mainly because Djoker maybe more of a challenge to Roger being a better returner and defender; whereas Roger is still Big Daddy as far as Grigor is concerned! But if Djoker wins Wimby I wouldn’t mind too much as he totally earned it. Just look at the number of quality players he had to play in every one of his matches! I’m not ready for a Grigor maiden slam title; much as I would be excited about it too. Too soon. So hopefully Djoker/Roger would do their job and shut up all the “changing of the guard” murmurings! Sorry Eric!

      [Reply]

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      July 3rd, 2014 at 5:45 am

      Agree and disagree Veronica. Sorry about your player losing btw. I wasn’t very nervous for Roger’s match vs Stan. It was only quarters. Roger was quite in control of the TB and when serving for the match things got slightly tense, but I would have been very surprised if he dropped serve there. You are right about tie breaks vs Raonic could be a toss up, but he has done well in breakers of late and I’m not too worried. He can also be sure to play at least one or two breakers vs Emperor Rao. As for Djokovic I was very happy to see him win. All the big four losing other than Roger would have been too much. It would have been a bad omen for Roger too. I still want to see a Djokerer final too. I don’t want Dimitrov to come through yet, and if he does there could be a feeling that a changing of the guard can occur. I think Djokovic is the favorite anyway, all be it a slight one. He is more experienced, and he did well to come from 2-1 down vs Cilic.

      [Reply]

      

      Veronica Reply:
      July 3rd, 2014 at 6:40 am

      You are certainly a much calmer spectator, Ru-an, than I ever shall be! What got me nervous was how strong Stan was in the first set. Roger himself admitted that he was able to take his chances after Stan’s level went down because Stan wasn’t feeling well physically. So it was a close shave for Roger. I suppose that Murray send off sort of set a somber tone on centre court and when Stan came out blazing, it did look like he was gonna do what Grigor just did! It didn’t help to know too that Roger often struggles in his next match after Nadal loses. And I think you should be worried about tb’s with Emperor Rao! (haha! Good one!!) Raonic has the bigger and more consistent serve. He leads in the most ace dept in the tournament. I would like to see Roger do his darnest to break, take his chances at all second serves and not even think about “resorting” to tb’s going into the match. Must have a good mind set and not let these serve bots get away with tb’s all the time. Yeah, sorry Kyrgios lost but he didn’t go meekly and can only keep his head high. If Roger doesn’t get his 18, at least the sweet memory of Kyrgios whipping Nadal is there for consolation! Ha! Allez!

      [Reply]

      

      elizabeth Reply:
      July 3rd, 2014 at 10:55 am

      Haha,yes Kyrgios beating Nadal will forever be good! I thought Stan played really good at the start but I was sure that Roger would find his game and win…thankfully he did. As for Raonic I hope Fed wins, he knows how to handle big serves as Roddick knows but we know that our man will have to be on his toes. I find that as a tennis fan
      Raonic just doesn’t do it for me, Raonic
      says he won’t be playing a 17 GS winner,
      Father of twins he’ll just be playing the man who stands between him and what he wants most! Of course he missed the
      really important bit about Fed his CURLS so C’MON ROGER x

      [Reply]

      

      Veronica Reply:
      July 3rd, 2014 at 12:11 pm

      Haha, good one, Elizabeth! He forgot the curls! The power is in the hair, didn’t Raonic know already?!! The curls will get it done tomorrow! Raonic doesn’t do it at all for me too, Elizabeth. That includes his countrywoman, Bouchard. So up herself. I hope Halep shuts her up tonight and Roger does the same to her countryman tomorrow. Btw, aren’t those curls just gorgeous falling over his head band??!!!!!

      [Reply]

1. 1. Helloooooooooooo!!!! Yo what’s up friends. I cannot believe what has happened the last couple of days. I think Joe might be right about me and RF being connected on this one. Crazy days at Wimby and crazy for me too. My whole plans got turned upside down at the last minute. Guess where I am and where I watched the last 2 sets of Fed vs Stan? Switzerland!!! Wow crazy. I cannot wait to go back and read all your comments on these days. But I have to say this 2 things several of you said I was crazy for believing 2 weeks ago. Grigor has a legitimate shot at winning and this is the beginning of a new generation coming in. I’m loving it!! I only saw 2 sets but did not seem like fantastic tennis from either of our Swiss boys. Am I wrong?? I really hope roger can keep the mental strength together. He will need it to go all the way. ALLEZ!! Long live the GOAT!!!

      [Reply]

      

      Veronica Reply:
      July 3rd, 2014 at 12:23 pm

      Hey! From China to Switzerland?!! Ok! Where would you likely be next? Timbuktu?!! Haha! Careful what you wish for, Eric! We are very happy with our present tennis generation. Don’t need a new generation coming in just yet! Could you just tell your man to lay off Djoker tomorrow?!

      [Reply]

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      July 3rd, 2014 at 4:17 pm

      I’m with you Veronica. The new generation has done enough. I’d like to see order restored tomorrow.

      [Reply]

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      July 3rd, 2014 at 4:16 pm

      Sup Eric! Good to know that you can watch some of the tennis now. Yes Grigor has a legitimate shot at winning but as I said in my latest post I’d prefer Djokovic comes through. Grigor too much of an unknown factor.

      [Reply]

      

      Eric Reply:
      July 3rd, 2014 at 4:34 pm

      I see what you’re saying about the unknown factor. I missed you guys!! Am thrilled I will be able to watch, thrilled!!

      [Reply]

      

      Ru-an Reply:
      July 3rd, 2014 at 4:43 pm

      We are happy that you can watch too Eric and look forward to your participation in the comments!

      [Reply]

1. 1. Sorry Veronica, no can do. I like Djoko very much but I want Roger to win number 18 and he’s got a much better chance of beating Dimitrov than Dloko. So of course may the best man win, but I’d rather see Grigor take just one more step at Wimby.

      [Reply]

1. 1. Yes my trip got delayed. Maybe by weeks maybe more. I have zero control over it. So I was able to join my wife for her grandmothers 95th birthday in Bern. Gonna stay here for a while until I find out what’s up with the work trip.

      [Reply]

      

      elizabeth Reply:
      July 3rd, 2014 at 5:15 pm

      Eric, many people were thinking about you when Dimitrov won. He definately played a blinder, as they say ‘the boy done good’. Who knows who you might
      run into Switzerland!!!

      [Reply]

      

      Eric Reply:
      July 3rd, 2014 at 5:20 pm

      Well… Apparently the Swiss open is in a small village not to far from here and starts soon. I heard it’s a tiny stadium on a outdoor ice skating rink and the cheap seats are very reasonable. So, you never know. Fed won’t be there but Stan the man will be )))))

      [Reply]

1. 1. Ru-an,

      When are you going to preview the semis:

      Novak “The Djoker” vs. “Showtime” Dimitrov

      And

      Roger “FedExpress” vs. Emperor Rao

      LOL

      [Reply]