Tennis 2018.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

2-4 Fed leads at the changeover.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Two aces down the T in a row brings up three set points for Fed!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

One set point remaining but on his serve.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Backhand down the line to make it 6-6.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Set point Fed, Nadal cheerleading. :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer takes the second set 7-6 (8-6)! :bow

On to a super tie-break for the match.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Nadal coaching Fed now. :lol:

Borg doesn't offer any advice, just a few tame handclaps now and again.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

What a miss from Kyrgios at the net.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

8-8, next point is match point.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Match point for Kyrgios.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Kyrgios puts it long, 9-9!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Championship point for the Old Man!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer wins 6-4 7-6 11-9 and wins the inaugural Laver Cup for Europe!!!

:bow:

Nadal going mental. :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Nadal running and jumping on top of Federer is an image that will take some getting used to. :lol:

Enjoyable competition.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

It's in Chicago next year. :popcorn:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Borg, Laver, Federer and Nadal posing celebrating together. :wacko:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Nadal v Kyrgios in the China Open final.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Nadal with the forehand shank to blow a break point.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Kyrgios holds on, 1-1.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Kyrgios swearing and whining again. :faint:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Nadal eventually breaks and leads 4-2 in the first set, break points in every return game. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Nadal shat on Kyrgios 6-2 6-1. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Shanghai Masters is at the semi-final stage, tomorrow.

Nadal v Cilic
Del Potro v Federer.

:popcorn:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Nadal beats Cilic 7-5 7-6 (7-3) to reach the final.

Del Potro suffered little bit wrist injury yesterday however as it stands the match is still due to be played.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Del Potro breaks and leads 4-2 in the first set.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Del Potro takes the first set 6-3.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Del Potro playing out of his mind staying in this game. Two break points saved, another one now at Ad, for the third time.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

And saves that one.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Another break point.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

That was saved and now another one.

Del Potro must fall, surely?

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer finally breaks and leads 4-2 in the second set!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed holds in just over a minute. :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Del Potro with the front facing tweener rally ball. :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed takes the second set 6-3. :scarf:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Break point for the Old Man.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed gets the break and leads 2-1 in the third set!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer drops shot on to the net and it drops in. :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Del Potro serving to stay in the match.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Match point for the Old Man.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer wins 3-6 6-3 6-3 to reaches the final! :bow:

He plays against his former teammate Nadal. :popcorn:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Sky's programme is on now. :popcorn:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Two break points for Federer, great returning.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Both saved.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Adv. Federer.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer with the backhand down the line passing shot, breaks and leads 1-0 in the first set!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

What a crosscourt forehand from Federer on the run. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

50 seconds long game. :haha:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

5 aces in a row for Federer. :haha:

[Niall_Quinn]

I tried to watch tennis as an alternative to football. But they keep on tapping the thing to each other before one of them gives it away. That's it. Nothing else happens. It's the same thing as watching Arsenal.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Nadal serving to stay in the first set at 3-5.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer serving for the first set.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Three set points for Federer.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Old Man Fed takes the first set 6-4. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer hits a winner but stupid camera work means we miss it.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Adv. Federer on Nadal's serve!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Deuce. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Ridiculous from Federer at the net, fully on the stretch.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer breaks and leads 3-2 in the second set!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Nadal is serving to stay in the Championship.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

0-30. :popcorn:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Nadal missed a smash! :faint:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Three Championship points.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer shits on Nadal 6-4 6-3 to win the Shanghai Masters! His 2nd win in this tournament.

27th Masters overall. :bow:

His 94th title, tied with Lendl!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Old Man Fed has his QF against Mannarino in the Basel 500 in a couple of minutes time.

Del Potro v Cilic in the SF final for the other side of the draw tomorrow.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Mannarino breaks to love and will serve for the first set. :wacko:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Mannarino takes the first set 6-4. :popcorn:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

What a crosscourt backhand from Fed, break point.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

That one was saved but Fed gets the break on the next opportunity.

2-0 he leads in the second set.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed takes the second set 6-1. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed wins 3-6 6-1 6-3 in the end.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed obliterated Goffin 6-1 6-2 to reach the final.

Del Potro beat Cilic 6-4 6-4 in the other semi.

:popcorn:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Two break points for Fed in the opening game.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed breaks on the second of them and leads 1-0 in the first set!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Del Potro breaks straight back though. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Two forehand crosscourt passes on the run in this game for Fed. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Two break points for Fed!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Both saved. Another crosscourt pass from Fed. :haha:

Adv. Federer.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Down the line this time from Fed!

He breaks and will serve for the first set. :scarf:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Del Potro breaks back again.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Tie-break time.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Del Potro takes the first set 7-6 (7-5).

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed had to dig it out in that game. Two double faults. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Del Potro is serving to stay in the second set.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Two set points for the Old Man!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Del Potro goes long!

Fed takes the second set 6-4! :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed just missed a sitter.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Del Potro breaks and leads 1-0 in the third set.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Break point for Federer.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer down the line, breaks back!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Three break points for Old Man Feed!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer breaks on the third of them! 3-1 he leads in the third set.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Del Potro serving to stay in the match at 2-5!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

And he does. Fed to serve it out.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Three Championship points!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Two remaining.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer wins 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-3 to win Basel, its magnifcent trophy for the 8th time!

His 7th title of the season and his 95th overall, now passing Lendl. :bow:

Good match.

Del Potro still has a chance of making WTF with a good showing at the Paris Masters.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

WTF starts today.

Fed v Sock on from 2pm.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Players are on court now. :popcorn:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer breaks and leads 1-0 in the first set. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

And Fed is serving for the first set at 5-4.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer takes the first set 6-4. :scarf:

He did miss an absolute sitter earlier though.

Senilerer. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Two break points for the Old Man.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Both saved.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Sock holds on.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Adv. Federer.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer pulls a backhand up the line wide.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Break point again for Federer.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Tame one in to the net. :doh:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Sock holds on, Federer serving to stay in the set.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Break point for Federer.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

It's tie-break time.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Superb return from Fed off his backhand.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer leads 4-2 at the changeover.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Sock got the mini-break back but then double faults, Fed can serve it out.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Two match points for Federer!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer wins 6-4 7-6 (7-4)! :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Zverev and Cilic in to a deciding set.

Zverev took the first set 6-4, Cilic the second 6-3.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Zverev wins 6-4 3-6 6-4. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Dimitrov beats Thiem 6-3 5-7 7-5.

Nadal v Goffin on at 8pm.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Match point for Goffin!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Goffin puts it wide on a simple rallyball really.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Nadal holds on.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Three match points for Goffin!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

All three saved. :doh:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Nadal holds, tie-break time again.

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Nadal holds, tie-break time again.

Credit to Nadal he is probably the best player about at saving break points

Federer saved a fuck ton at Wimbledon with his serve, but Nadals serve is pretty average

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Nadal takes the second set 7-6 (7-4).

Goffin. :doh:

[Herbert_Chapman's_Zombie]

Goffin a double break up in the final set

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Goffin won 7-6 (7-5) 6-7 (4-7) 6-4.

Nadal withdraws from the tournament.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer and Zverev coming on court now.

Sock beat Cilic.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

That kid's hands are bigger than Fed's. :unsure:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Three break points come and go for Zverev.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed holds. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Adv. Federer on Zverev's serve.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Zverev holds, 1-1.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer beat Zverev 7-6 (8-6) 5-7 6-1 in the end.

Fed in to the semi-finals. :scarf:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Dimitrov shat on Goffin 6-0 6-2 to make the semi-finals as group winner.

Thiem beat Carreno-Busta 6-3 3-6 6-4.

Straight shootouts remaining in the groups.

Zverev v Sock tonight, Goffin v Thiem tomorrow.

Federer v Cilic is on at 2pm in the deadest rubber of all time.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Set point for Cilic in the first set tie-break.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cilic takes the first set 7-6 (7-5).

This guys annoys the fuck out of me.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Quite the serving contest in the second set. 3-4 Fed leads, Cilic to serve.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Now Cilic is serving to stay in the second set.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Two set points for Federer! :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Cilic goes long, Fed takes the second set 6-4! :bow:

1-1.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Break point for Federer.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed goes for the big return winner and gets it!

Fed leads 2-0 in the third set. Making Phil Taylor proud.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Break point for Federer again.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed goes for the big inside out return winner but wide it goes.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Adv. Federer now though.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer breaks and will serve for the match at 5-1!

Cilic. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Three match points. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer beats Cilic 6-7 (5-7) 6-4 6-1! :scarf:

Cilic. :haha:

Off you fuck.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Sock beats Zverev 6-4 1-6 6-4!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Goffin dumped Thiem out 6-4 6-1. :lol:

Federer v Goffin
Sock v Dimitrov are the semi-finals.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed leads 2-0 in the first set against Goffin.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Stunning backhand up the line from Fed, three break points.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

And another on the third of them, leads 4-1.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed takes the first set 6-2. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Goffin breaks and leads 2-0 in the second set!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Goffin takes the second set 6-3. :popcorn:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Goffin breaks in the third set. :blink:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

What a miss from Goffin!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Adv. Federer! Come on you Old Berk.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Goffin saves it at the net.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Goffin holds on, leads 1-3.

Fed. :rose:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

All going to pot for Federer, definitely going out.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed serving to stay in the match, though I don't really see the point.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Goffin to serve it out, played out of his skin in the last two sets and a deserved winner tbf.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Goffin wins 2-6 6-3 6-4. Well done to him, he was brilliant.

Fed, great year but ended a bit shit.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Dimitrov beats Goffin 7-5 4-6 6-3 to win the WTF!

Goffin's miss at the net to give it away. :haha:

[GP]

Jana Novotna has died.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I should have commented on that. RIP.

Federer and Bencic are about to win the Hopman Cup for Switzerland, beating Zverev and Kerber of Germany. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

And they win it. :bow:

[HCZ]

Kyle Edmund and Cameron Norrie

Is British Tennis doing an English Cricket by bolstering it’s ranks with Saffas

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed beats Bemelmans 6-1 6-2 at Rotterdam 500.

If he reaches the semi-final here he is World Number 1 again. :bow:

[HCZ]

Fed beats Bemelmans 6-1 6-2 at Rotterdam 500.

If he reaches the semi-final here he is World Number 1 again. :bow:

Although Federer has shown remarkable longevity that does demonstrate what a shit show Tennis is at the moment.
All the top players are over 30, because there just hasn’t been an emerging generation for years

Tiafoe, Zverev, Chung, Shapavalov they look the most likely but none have got to the business end of grand slams. Sampras, Becker, Nadal had already won grand slams by their age

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I disagree to a certain degree, I think it has been such a physically demanding era I don't expect any of the 'emerging' players to be doing much until they get towards their late 20's, that seems to be these days when everything comes together for a player, all coalesces and still have theyphysical attributes to compete.

Sampras, Becker and Nadal were special players but you don't always get them. Federer is the GOAT.

Plus have Nadal and Federer been playing at a level recently that belies the players they were? I don't think they are.

[HCZ]

I disagree to a certain degree, I think it has been such a physically demanding era I don't expect any of the 'emerging' players to be doing much until they get towards their late 20's, that seems to be these days when everything comes together for a player, all coalesces and still have theyphysical attributes to compete.

Sampras, Becker and Nadal were special players but you don't always get them. Federer is the GOAT.

Plus have Nadal and Federer been playing at a level recently that belies the players they were? I don't think they are.

Well Nadal will probably never win Wimbledon again because his knees are fucked

And the plexicushion surface in Melbourne doesn’t agree with him

Federer is ever green and has added the backhand to his box of tricks probably tiring maunevering himself onto his forehand all the time, but like last year almost certain he will miss the clay court season

And frankly they are both benefiting from Djokovic and Murray being Crocked. Federer hasn’t been able to lay a glove on Djokovic for years.

The game is Athletic the racket heads and the way the game is being coached is all geared to Baseline play (and no bad thing, the era of serve volleying was atrocious) therefore logically the younger a player is the greater his staying power should be.

Plus when you look at the previous lot of new comers who were meant to make it in Tennis, like Raonic, Dimitrov and Nishikori....none of these look like breaking in.

Cilic has got to two grand slam finals in the past year off the back of injuries dogging the top rankings, he really isn’t anything special.

And Stan Wawrinka, not sure what happened there. The guy always had the game but not the consistency, but i wouldn’t expect him to add to his majors haul.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

No the younger they are the less aware they are of physically what it takes and the work you need to do to compete. Pat Cash described the younger guys having no idea what they're experiencing when, in particular playing Federer and Nadal.

It's largely irrelevant whether they're benefiting from Djokovic or Murray being injured as a) that alludes to how physical the era has been and b) it's not their concern.

I think Federer will play the Clay in his last year but yes I guess you are right however given Nadal will be on clay and Federer will still be on grass, it still makes it very much a closed shop on those particular surfaces.

You can't lament other players not coming in and then when someone else does (he is a Slam winner of course) say he only did it because others are injured, should he lose to prove a point?

[HCZ]

No the younger they are the less aware they are of physically what it takes and the work you need to do to compete. Pat Cash described the younger guys having no idea what they're experiencing when, in particular playing Federer and Nadal.

It's largely irrelevant whether they're benefiting from Djokovic or Murray being injured as a) that alludes to how physical the era has been and b) it's not their concern.

I think Federer will play the Clay in his last year but yes I guess you are right however given Nadal will be on clay and Federer will still be on grass, it still makes it very much a closed shop on those particular surfaces.

You can't lament other players not coming in and then when someone else does (he is a Slam winner of course) say he only did it because others are injured, should he lose to prove a point?

I’m saying Federer and Nadal are part of an old guard and it’s lamentable that they aren’t being challenged by a new broom.

Did Djokovic or Nadal not appreciate the effort it takes to win, one won their first grand slam at 20 and the other at 18.

Could it not just be that when it comes to it the trifecta of Federer-Djokovic-Nadal has largely gone on for so long because the talent is not being produced.

For me the only young player I’ve seen who looks potentially like they have the power in his ground strokes is Borna Coric.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

3-3 in the first set between Fed and Kohlschreiber.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Set points for Kohli have come and gone.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

And Fed also, 7-7.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Set point for Fed but on his serve.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

8-8. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Set point Fed again!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed takes the first set 7-6 (10-8)! :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Kohli double faults to give Fed break point.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Great at the net from him. Deuce.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Another break point for Fed.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

And another double gives it away, Fed to serve for the match.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed wins 7-6 (10-8) 7-5! :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Sky's tribute show is on.

And there's a match also.

Fed leads 2-3, Haase to serve.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Haase breaks and will serve for the first set! :doh:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

And he takes it 6-4. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed breaks in the first game of the second set. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Two more break points for Fed.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Old Man Fed breaks again and will serve for the second set. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Three set points, Fed only needed one with a ridiculous flick.

He takes the second set 6-1. :bow:

1-1.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Two more break points.

Haase is getting a bit of a shellacking here.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Stunning flicked passing half volley from Fed. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Utterly ridiculous from Federer, he breaks again!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Haase chunders. :sick:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Haase is serving to stay in the match.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Match point!!!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer beats Haase 4-6 6-1 6-1 to reach the semi-finals....

However more importantly he is again World Number 1!!!!!!!!!!

:bow:

The oldest in ATP history. What a GOAT. :trophy:

[HCZ]

Federer beats Haase 4-6 6-1 6-1 to reach the semi-finals....

However more importantly he is again World Number 1!!!!!!!!!!

:bow:

The oldest in ATP history. What a GOAT. :trophy:

It’s absolutely unbelievable. Imagine telling anyone after he lost to Raonic in the semi finals of 2016 Wimbledon and went off injured that he’d go on to win three of the next four majors he appeared in.

You’d have been considered certifiable

That’s form equivalent to ten years ago. I wrongly said he should have quit in 2013. But even more unbelievably he’s come back with an extra weapon to his game with the backhand

I’d love him to win once more at Flushing Meadows to beat Sampras and Connors record there

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed takes the first set 6-3 against Seppi. :bow:

Also Dimitrov beat Goffin 6-3 0-1r. Goffin took a tennis ball right to the eye,volleying a ball in to his own eye in fact. :sick:

Apparently no damage to his vision but I guess he is going to have a very nasty bruise there.

[Goonermerree]

I don't like Federer.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Is it his food endorsements?

Also, Seppi serving to stay in the second set.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

And he does so.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Tie-break time!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

1-5 at the changeover for Fed. :rose:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Three match points!

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer wins 6-3 7-6 (7-3)! :bow:

Dimitrov tomorrow for him.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer hammered Dimitrov 6-2 6-2 to win Rotterdam 500 and win his 97th career title!

:bow:

[Goonermerree]

Federer hammered Dimitrov 6-2 6-2 to win Rotterdam 500 and win his 97th career title!

:bow:

Hope he makes a 100.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Seems a matter of time now.

Don't know if he'll beat Connors' 109 titles though.

[Master Splinter]

Dimitrov :lol:.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

He should be good for a few wins when Fed/Nadal are little bit dead later on in the season.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Indian Wells this week.

Nadal withdrew from this and Miami.

[HCZ]

Zverev again failing to live up to the hype surrounding him I see

[HCZ]

Indian Wells this week.

Nadal withdrew from this and Miami.

I think whether Federer wins this and Miami is dependent on how well Djokovic has recovered

Fully fit Djokovic he doesn’t stand a chance of winning both

[Master Splinter]

Djokovic barely seems to be at 50%.

Nadal still in and out.

Murray and Wawrinka dead.

Federer won't be pulling out of the French Open this year. Another +1 for him. The Lukaku of tennis.

If Federer does for some reason withdraw, then I guess well done to Carreno Busta on his first Slam.

[HCZ]

Djokovic barely seems to be at 50%.

Nadal still in and out.

Murray and Wawrinka dead.

Federer won't be pulling out of the French Open this year. Another +1 for him. The Lukaku of tennis.

If Federer does for some reason withdraw, then I guess well done to Carreno Busta on his first Slam.

Federer is a fool

He missed out on the clay season last year and still struggled with injury at Flushing meadows

He is 36, simply put he can’t cope with playing the whole tour. Especially when younger players are breaking down when doing it.

The simple fact is when Tennis was dominated by serve volleyers, with the exception of maybe Tennis elbow it wasn’t taking it’s strain.

Now the game is far more athletic and dominated by baseliners you are having hip, foot, knee and ankle issues

To go with the upper body issues with the power players put into ground strokes

Also the idea that anyone but Nadal will win at Roland Garros is comical

[Master Splinter]

How does playing only when he feels fully fit and therefore winning nearly all the big tournaments he competed in make him foolish?

Or did you mean shrewd?

Apart from anything else to take from his achievements, maybe players coming through now will look at how he's elongated his career and stayed mostly healthy amongst such fierce competition while all his rivals are wilting.

[HCZ]

How does playing only when he feels fully fit and therefore winning nearly all the big tournaments he competed in make him foolish?

Or did you mean shrewd?

Apart from anything else to take from his achievements, maybe players coming through now will look at how he's elongated his career and stayed mostly healthy amongst such fierce competition while all his rivals are wilting.

I think playing at a tournament you’ve no hope of winning on a surface that has never been to your liking seems pointless and more likely to bite him in the arse when it comes to trying to defend Wimbledon which won’t be an easy task for him.

Hasn’t retained the title there in over a decade

Especially when he’s never won Monte Carlo, he’s never won Rome and he only won the French open because Nadal suffered the shock defeat to Robin Soderling in 2009

Plus his form isn’t that marvellous as it is. Almost came unstuck in Melbourne against Cilic despite dominating, had difficult time beating Haase and Kohlschreiber in Rotterdam.

Thus why I think he’d be best to sit out the clay court season, Nadal will reclaim his number 1 spot there even if Federer makes it to the semi finals of Indian Wells

[HCZ]

Plus I’ve googled it and Federer still hasn’t made his mind up

He has said he is tempted. But i think he’d be much better served to not let his heart rule his head

Seeing Federer beat Nadal at Roland Garros would be akin to me to Arsenal winning a league title.

When he beat him in that five setter in the AO last year that was probably one of the greatest achievements of his career....and I was as happy about that as I was when we won the fa cup after a nine year trophy drought

However the likelihood of either us winning a title or Federer besting ten times champion Nadal on his own patch in the twilight of his career is quite even matched in being incredibly remote

[McNamara That Ghost...]

I think whether Federer wins this and Miami is dependent on how well Djokovic has recovered

Fully fit Djokovic he doesn’t stand a chance of winning both

Djokovic is out. Dumped out by some pubber ranked in the 100's.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Plus I’ve googled it and Federer still hasn’t made his mind up

He has said he is tempted. But i think he’d be much better served to not let his heart rule his head

Seeing Federer beat Nadal at Roland Garros would be akin to me to Arsenal winning a league title.

When he beat him in that five setter in the AO last year that was probably one of the greatest achievements of his career....and I was as happy about that as I was when we won the fa cup after a nine year trophy drought

However the likelihood of either us winning a title or Federer besting ten times champion Nadal on his own patch in the twilight of his career is quite even matched in being incredibly remote

I think if he is World Number One he has a responsibility to play in it.

[HCZ]

I think if he is World Number One he has a responsibility to play in it.

Fuck all that

His only responsibility is to himself. Why risk injury and exhaustion when he’s on a hiding to nothing

Back in the day his best clay court tournament was Hamburg and that’s not a 1000 title anymore

I think he will come to his senses, take a break after Miami and come back at Halle

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Let's not have that shit here.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fuck all that

His only responsibility is to himself. Why risk injury and exhaustion when he’s on a hiding to nothing

Back in the day his best clay court tournament was Hamburg and that’s not a 1000 title anymore

I think he will come to his senses, take a break after Miami and come back at Halle

He can space out the tournaments fine, there's a longer gap between French Open and Wimbledon than before. To be honest, I've thought if he ever does play Roland Garros again, it would be his last year.

[HCZ]

Let's not have that shit here.

Spoilsport

[HCZ]

He can space out the tournaments fine, there's a longer gap between French Open and Wimbledon than before. To be honest, I've thought if he ever does play Roland Garros again, it would be his last year.

It’s not just the French open though it’s the tournaments that come before it, and to have any chance of making the business end of Roland Garros he would need to be competitive in the lion’s share of them. At most he might win Madrid on the blue clay.
It’s just not worth it. The French open is a one man procession. I don’t mean that to downplay Nadals achievements because they are IMMENSE but none of the top seeds barring him and Stan consider Clay their best surface or even a surface they like playing on.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

They only had blue clay once, Nadal hated it so that isn't happening again. :lol:

Monte Carlo is in April, Madrid and Rome are back to back but he doesn't need to play both or either of those. Rome makes the most sense generally as it is the closest in conditions to Chatrier.

I really don't think it's such a hardship that is going to mess with him too much, depends how much he wants to retain #1 for as long as possible, given he'd obviously pick up points even if he goes out in the first round.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed is on court against the best Serbian player in the world, Krajinović.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed breaks already. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Back on serve. :lol:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Federer gets the break again.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

And takes the first set 6-2. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed leads 3-0 in the second set. :rose:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Old Man Fed is serving for the match.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed wins 6-2 6-1. :bow:

Chardy next for him.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

And beats Chardy 7-5 6-4. :bow:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed beat Chung 7-5 6-1, Coric next for him.

Raonic and Del Potro in the other semi-final. :popcorn:

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Programme for Fed v Coric is on now.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed challenging on the first point. :lol:

And gets it right.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Fed saves break point.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Coric does break though and will serve for the first set.

[McNamara That Ghost...]

Coric takes the first set 7-5. :popcorn: