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Here's an interesting article about Fed's loss to Berdych:
http://www.cbssports.com/tennis/story/1 … class-too/
The author thinks that when Fed mentioned his sore back and leg injury that he was being a sore loser. I see it as Fed being honest as usual - when he wins big he says he played amazing, when he lost he told about his injuries. Do you think he was a sore loser?
He is not a sore loser. Most players talk about reasons they lost - they were not on their game, they have an injury, etc. Why should Fed be called out as a sore loser for the same sort of thing?
I'll let everyone in on a little known fact about Rog: He has a MASSIVE ego. He rarely ever gives credit to his opponent when he loses a match. He always says, "I didn't hit my shots, I didn't play my best," etc. One of my favorites was after the QF match against Davydenko at the Aussie Open this year. Davydenko was absolutely laying a beat down on Fed. He was up 6-2 and 3-0 in the second before he just imploded. Fed's comments on that match that I'll never forget: "I thought he had an advantage with the sun being on the court. I was prepared to go down 2 sets and wait for the shadows." He basically never acknowledged the fact that he was getting pummeled and there was a serious chance he would lose in straights. Here are some other notable examples of Mr. Federer's ego:
Back when guys like Murray, Djokovic and Del Po were still unknowns but people were talking about them as being the next generation of top players, Fed dismissed them. He handled Del Po and Novak pretty well when they were first coming up, and I guess he thought they weren't anything special. It's no secret that his relationship with Novak is to put it lightly, "strained."
When Jelena Jankovic got to #1 in the women's game, Fed made a comment that you should not be able to achieve the #1 ranking without winning a 'Slam. The big media sites did not report this because Fed is the face of tennis.
When Nadal and Djokovic played that epic four hour match in Madrid last year, Fed was asked his thoughts on the match and how the total time on court would take a toll on Rafa. His reply was that Novak and Rafa take so long to serve, so the match time was skewed.
Fed needs the spotlight on him all day, every day. Rafa taking the spotlight away from him angers him so much deep down, I honestly can't even imagine (one of the reasons he never beats Rafa to me is because he knows he HAS to beat this guy or else people will say he isn't the best in the game, and he just can't focus). The biggest thing of all about Rog: Do not think for one second he doesn't believe that he is the greatest player of all-time.
Good points. It wasn't a good time to make the announcements about his injuries. He should have just said that Berdych played well and left it at that. I'm not sure he is a sore loser, but it came across that way.
Aiur, as usual, knows what he's talking about. Fed is well and truly convinced that his greatness outshines the sun. No doubt about it. As a result, he is perhaps the most smug person on the entire planet. It's what I always disliked about him.
He will never give anyone else the credit they deserve because, in his eyes, by doing so he diminishes his own glory.
Having said that, he got an MRI, so his back injury is serious. If it's a lower back radiating into the right leg, as I suspect, then it's probably a herniated disc, which is very serious, indeed. There's a fair chance his movement and balance will never return to what they have been. Without those, he's far from the best. I find it hard to believe he could stand that as an ongoing reality, given his arrogance.
Last edited by DonDenman (Jul. 3, 2010 6:52am)
No Roger is not a sore loser! He probably should have acknowledged Berdych good play but he was just being honest about his injuries etc.
Does everybody recall what he said after Round 1 against Falla?
He said that he has lost many matches he thought he should have won this year but today he won a match that he should have lost.
It's true Roger does have a certain amount of arrogance/confidence but that comes with being at the top of your chosen field.
He made similar remarks in Melbourne too after he was sick because he knew he wasn't at his best that year, he bounced back from that to win 2 more slams.
I expect him to still win another 1 or 2 GS before his star wanes.
Bring on the US Open 
)
I've said before that IF Roger recovers from his injuries he will win at least 3 more slams and 5 more wouldn't surprise me. I stand by that. He is a great player. So is Rafa. Fed is smug. Rafa is humble. Big difference.
However, this injury is serious, or they would not have done an MRI. I suspect a herniated disc in his lower back. We'll see whether he recovers.
Last edited by DonDenman (Jul. 3, 2010 7:32am)
Hopefully Fed's injury isn't that serious. Personally, I just thought his mind was not in the right place since Roland Garros. If he really is injured, then it is an encouraging sign to me, so long as the injury is nothing serious. I think Fed can still win majors, so long as he doesn't run into Nadal.
If he really had a serious injury then it was an amazing feat to get to the QF round of Wimbledon with an injury. Let's hope he can recover before the US Open.
Was he a sore loser? That's a tough question because he did not give the usual nice loser talk to the press ("My opponent deserved the win...", "I was outplayed...", etc), but Federer has always been very blunt and perhaps insensitive. To get to his level you have to want to win everything and you have to believe in yourself beyond any level we can imagine. So I think he had to assume that he would win without the injuries. If I was Berdych I would have been pissed, but I think it just came out the wrong way at the wrong time.
In some other Fed news, he dropped to #3 in the rankings for the first time since 2003. This is just a sign of things to come IMO. He still has that title at Cincy to defend and of course that US Open final. He could definitely be #5 if he has a poor US Open and Murray + Soderling have good performances.
Back when guys like Murray, Djokovic and Del Po were still unknowns but people were talking about them as being the next generation of top players, Fed dismissed them. He handled Del Po and Novak pretty well when they were first coming up, and I guess he thought they weren't anything special. It's no secret that his relationship with Novak is to put it lightly, "strained."
I know this is an old thread, but I thought I'd chime in with another "Classy" Federer fact. I remember reading an interview from '07, I don't remember if it was before or after Nadal had won his third French Open, but the topic was Federer and Nadal's rivalry. Rog basically downplayed it as a rivalry and insulted Rafael's accomplishments because most of his titles - and wins against Rog - were on clay.
I thihk a lot of people are turned off by the screamers and moaners in tennis, which includes Nadal. This obviously makes Rog look more professional to some tennis fans. I hate the screaming, too, but I make an exception with Nadal, since he has brought many exciting moments in the four years I've been watching this sport.
Last edited by Wolmas (May. 25, 2011 3:13pm)
I am not turned off in the slightest by people yelling to pump themselves up. No problem with that here. Nor do I have a problem with the sort of physical intimidation employed by Rafa Nadal. If you can psych out your opponent and you don't, you aren't really trying to win.
I must admit, however, that I always had a problem with Lleyton Hewitt because his way of doing it was, IMO, just too "in your face." Sorry, mate. I'm a Rafter guy.
But while we're bashing Roger it might be good to remember that Roger ranks right up there with my man Pat in being voted the best sport by the other players. That means a lot. So, yes, Roger's classy. And, yes, Roger's a bit smug. Get over it. He earned it.
Last edited by DonDenman (Jun. 8, 2011 11:55pm)
I've been reading this forum and it has COMPLETELY changed my views of Roger
Last edited by CrossCourt (Jun. 19, 2011 4:33pm)
I don't think he gets that we ALL think he is amongst the greatest of all time. Giving praise never killed the cat. Nadal is respected for his humility yet is a great player. As Aiur said, it's just the ego. "The sun was too bright" "I was prepared to drop 2 sets..." (Yeah, right he was)
He loves winning... reminds me of Bjorn Borg
Roger is mellowing guy's, give the champ a break, he has now recognised Rafa as a true champion and has a great relationship with him off court also so he can't be all that smug, Rafa has earnt Fed's respect!
He is fast approaching 30, when he was in his prime maybe he never really thought anyone would ever get near his GS record and that was why he had/has that arrogance about him.
He is all class and lately he has been more gracious when getting beaten, he now has no issue with saying the other guy played well and deserved to win, sometimes he even says that he thought that he played well also.
If Fed is playing well and injury free and he get's beaten I believe he has no problem giving his victor compliments.
I think he is playing a few mind games with Djokovic though, did anyone read the comment "I think Djokovic has always been great, but nothing extraordinary yet".
Im only guessing but Roger could be trying to psych Nole out before the tourny has even started, does that mean he is worried about him or maybe too confident???
Nice call on the psych job theory. I agree.
And Roger has become noticeably more gracious in recent months.
I like that. A little graciousness. A little mental trickery. It's appealing for a guy who's slightly past his prime.
Nadal's humility is a little over the top. I almost question whether it is genuine. I truly believe that he is really at the mercy of his coaches/family and controlled pretty much on a day to day basis. As there are some things that Federer says that can be taken as arrogant, I also think there are things Nadal does that are equally frustrating. Random injury timeouts (notice he seems to come back and win after those) are just a bit fishy to me. I just don't like the fact that Nadal usually has a fall back to why he loses. Generally, it is injury. That just does not sit well with me. It is easy, however, to see that Roger is honest. He says things the way the are. What else can you ask for from the man? If I had as many titles as him, I would always walk around with unbreakable swagger. The arrogance is well deserved in my opinion and makes it more fun to follow him rather than Nadal.
With the intro of Djokovic deep into the mix of things, I think both Nadal and Federer are now realizing that it really will come down to who plays their A game on a given day. It isn't about who has the best tennis game, it is about how 1 or 2 points per set are handled. This is probably the reason that Federer has lightened up a bit. When playing at those kinds of margins, there really is only one thing to say after a loss: He hit his shots on the big points and I got a bit unlucky where my game didn't show up the best. It becomes simple.
Rafael Nadal has NEVER made an excuse after a loss. He ALWAYS talks about how well his opponent played. He has never blamed a loss on injury.
Of course, the fact remains that he has IN FACT been injured to some degree before or during most of the matches he has lost for several years. The reason for that is that he's practically impossible to beat when 100%.
There is no one more genuine.
You're entitled to dislike anyone you want. Just be honest about the reasons you don't like the best player in the world. You're a Federer guy who resents the fact that Nadal absolutely OWNS Federer.
Last edited by DonDenman (Jun. 20, 2011 5:49pm)
Hmmm... I never ever ever EVER said he blamed the losses on injury. I would never say that. I said that he usually has a fallback which is usually very true. He can go home at the end of the day and tell himself that if he had just been 100% he would have won.
It isn't a lie. It is true. His injury timeouts do tend to shake momentum just enough for him. The results speak that that is also truth.
I don't like players for their attitude off court. I like their tennis. I happen to enjoy Federer's tennis more than Nadal's. No resentment there.
And since last I recall you are the person who predicted a calendar slam from Nadal pre-season, I will choose to just let this go since we are going to be on very opposite ends of the spectrum as far as these players are concerned.
OK. So let me get this wrong. Most of Nadal's losses in recent years have come when he was physically less than 100%. That is a simple fact. It has been pointed out EVERY TIME it has happened by commentators, and Rafa has NEVER brought up injury after a match.
But the fact he was actually injured means he has "a fallback" -- in that he actually does have a legitimate excuse which he NEVER makes -- and you don't like that.
I guess if Rafa wants to please you, he'll have to win all the matches he plays hurt and only lose when he's fine. Right? In what world does that make sense?
I will only say that I think Nadal gets to escape getting grilled for his sub-par performance losses because the facts are the fans know that something has to be wrong with the guy for things not to go his way (and generally there always tends to be an injury announced days afterward that confirms the fans belief). Federer gets grilled each and every time he loses a match. Completely grilled. I think this is slightly unfair. It bugs me to see that people truly believe Nadal is immortal to losing for a normal reason. The fact is Rafael Nadal's tennis game will never please me like it does others. It is boring to watch him play. Others disagree and I am fine with that. Can we please just not argue? I regretted the first post the second I hit the button.
All I want is to see good tennis.
I disagree that the media grills Roger and gives Rafa a free ride. It does not look that way to me at all. The media treats both of them with the respect they deserve, most of the time anyway. Actually, it looks to me as if they treat Roger like he's the pope or something.
So I would say how it seems to someone probably depends on his perspective to a great extent. And, hey, we've all posted things we regret. It's why I like the Edit button.
No doubt all of us are just hoping for some great tennis during the fortnight.
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