Comments on: ROGER FEDERER SMASHES HIS RACQUET, NOT DJOKOVIC

By: Jaromir Jagr

Jaromir Jagr — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:43:52 +0000

This guy is just not right mentally.
Horrible choice of a tournament and poor Mirka lost a honeymoon opportunity.

By: Jaromir Jagr

Jaromir Jagr — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 16:51:58 +0000

Ha ha, nice analysis and let’s hope you are right.
I don’t want to dwell on it but it took him 9 years and getting her pregnant to propose? Celebrities, go figure.
Yeah, I don’t think he will be that relaxed; actually quite the opposite.

By: freakyfrites

freakyfrites — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 06:38:08 +0000

Hi Jaromir!

I find this fascinating – Roger doesn’t plan to play Monte Carlo and schedules his wedding appropriately. At the last minute, he decides to take the wildcard. Then he gets married. Then he and Mirka go to Monte Carlo, when they probably just want to relax. . .Just not quite understanding it all!

Knowing Mirka and her love of tennis, I wonder if she asked Roger to win Monte Carlo as a wedding present to her! Let’s hope she did. . .that might be the kind of coaching that works!

By: Jaromir Jagr

Jaromir Jagr — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 16:46:28 +0000

This week will be interesting; at least from a tennis perspective. How will the newly married Roger respond on clay in Monte Carlo? With his marriage behind him he can concentrate on his game.
After all here is a guy dating a girl for 9 years, he is rich beyond belief and after she finds out that a baby is on the way he marries her. So Roger did the right thing and Mirka will be happy.

So what’s next? Seppi is a good clay court player and Roger will be tested. I say it will go 3 sets but decision to Mr Racket Smasher

By: miami round up. « for the ♥ of tennis;

miami round up. « for the ♥ of tennis; — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 06:13:56 +0000

[...] Federer smashes a racquet: 1. 2. [...]

By: freakyfrites

freakyfrites — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:51:38 +0000

Hey there! You are obviously very knowledgeable about tennis and I love a spirited debate!

I too, remember that amazing Madrid/Paris double victory by Nalbandian. Crazy stuff! He’s like that gifted kid in school who fails most of his classes because he is bored. . .

I think you raise a really good question: WHY am I a Roger fan? I do think that it comes from habit – just like there are lifelong Cubs and Red Sox fans, regardless of how the team is doing during the particular season. Watching him dominate opponents and win slams in the past – those are some really happy memories for me, and they’ve made me a fan. And when he’s “on” he’s still my favorite player to watch. Last week’s Roddick match showed off his game beautifully and watching him dominate someone like Juan Martin del Potro at the Aussie was a thrill. He’s got a pure, perfect game – when it’s ON! It’s just not ON as often as it used to be.

I do like Roger as a person (as much as you can like someone you’ve never met), and I’m willing to admit that he isn’t perfect. I agree that Nadal seems to have a certain level of humbleness and empathy that Roger is lacking. Roger makes no apologies for being rich and famous and for feeling like he is the best. And he was the unqualified best for three years, so it could be hard to change his tune. The guy has ego, self-esteem, a chip on his shoulder – however you want to describe it.

But I disagree that Roger is not well-liked by the players – he wins the sportsmanship award over and over again – an honor that’s voted on by the players, themselves. Guys like Nadal, Blake, Ljubicic, and Roddick (Andy has his own issues with players, b.t.w. – namely Djokovic and Ljubicic and I remember him staring down Tsonga a couple Wimbledon’s ago) continually praise Roger as a person and for his behavior on and off the court.

Sure, Roger can say some arrogant or snide things to the press (personally, I prefer these statements to the boring old “I did my best but he was too good” junk) but that isn’t the full measure of what kind of person he is. I don’t know him, perhaps he is a jerk, but I think you have to look to his colleagues for the truth, and as a whole, they seem to love and respect him.

And him telling Novak’s obnoxious parents to shut up just made me love him more!

By: Jaromir Jagr

Jaromir Jagr — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 14:22:52 +0000

Freakyfrites, I love the side note. Maestro Nalbandian on a given day can make anyone look out of place. I remember couple indoor tournaments at end of 2007 in europe (Madrid and Paris if I am not mistaken) Nalbandian took out Djokovic, Federer, Nadal in a row to win the first one and then followed it up by winning the next one by taking out these 3 guys again. And he did it so easily. He is quite the enigma also.
First, I should have put some money down and I don’t disagree with that . Second I am a HUGE Fed fan but sometimes I guestion why that actually is. Sadly as many people in this world we love those extraordinary athletes which are the best, invincible and #1….maybe the best of all time in their respective field? I guess that explains why I love to watch Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Pete Sampras etc. So what is so great about Fed. First he is a fantastic player with all the skill. He makes a lot of it look easy, his play is elegant BUT I am no longer sold on him being that really nice guy. Frankly Nadal is a MUCH nicer person, way more down to earth. Even when Roger made it to the top and stopped smashing tennis rackets he always talked trash about other players. The media did not want to acknowledge that. He is a sarcastic person. I remember him telling Djokovic camp to shut up during a match, never giving his opponent his due for beating him, always talking about himself how badly he played. Always talking about himself, himself, history, himself. Poor Andy R is another guy who is so much nicer than Roger. I guess the measuring stick to Roger are not these 2 guys but former other #1 ranked player who were just the biggest assholes on the court; Connors, McEnroe, Lendl and compared to those Roger is a really nice guy.
Will he retire? Again nobody is thinking he will but I am.
Just my opinion of course and I am just someone who wastes a lot of time watching the game…I have no inside scoop at all. But when I watch Roger play against Rafa or Murray he looks lost and is NOT capable of changing up his style. They bully him around and he is not capable of changing up the tempo.

By: freakyfrites

freakyfrites — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 19:06:58 +0000

Hi Jaromir!

I just don’t see Roger FEderer retiring. He loves the game too much and has too much pride. And there’s no way he’s not playing the Olympics in 2012 at Wimbledon. Even if he retired, he’d come ot of retirement for that!

I could see him doing a very long “injury” time out – kind of like Venus did a couple years ago. In fact, I think taking a break from the circuit a la the Williams sisters could make a world of difference for him. His game’s not the problem, like you said, it’s his head.

Side note: Isn’t it interesting that everyone on tour has problems with Nalbandian and yet he’s never won a Major? So disappointing.

By: freakyfritters

freakyfritters — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 18:44:28 +0000

If you were really spot-on on predicting these events, you should be putting money down!
I honestly doubt that Roger would retire. He’s almost there in terms of the history books.
I feel that Roger and the critics have put too much pressure in his own mind to becoming the Greatest of All Time, and trumping Sampras’s record.

It’s a wall that he’s mentally building, and keeps getting bigger. We all know what he’s capable of it, and that he can become the greatest tennis player of all time.
Like you said, its completely mental. He honestly needs to see a sports shrink, and also needs to remember to have fun with it, and forget about the records, the numbers, and making history.
If he did forget, the he would achieve all those things naturally.

By: Jaromir Jagr

Jaromir Jagr — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 16:20:57 +0000

Federer is a mental case. All is well hidden when the wins are piling up but the human side shines when things go badly. And they are going very badly for Roger lately. Mentally he has lost each and every match against Rafa and now Murray. The funny thing is if you read his sarcastic comments about Murray from the past he actually kept saying that Murray’s tastics need improving and that even though he lost to him he did not see Murray getting better. That was less than 2 years ago….Murray was 19 or 20 and already started beating the great Roger. I am not even talking about Rafa, that is just too painful to watch. No matter what the score after the 1st set Rafa is able to come back and win. Then there is Novak who just 2 years ago was ready to start beating up on Mr Federer. He beat him in Montreal then last year in Australian Open. Another 2 hand backhand guy who hits the ball really hard. The problem with Novak is his conditioning and also HIS own mental state. I think he shares the same dilemma as Roger in that he does not feel that Rafa and now Murray can be beaten. Roger also encounters problems with David Nalbandian. All of these guys have a very solid backhand, something Roger’s one hander just isn’t.
However the biggest problem is that Federer keeps the same approach going throughout the match. He simply does not adjust his strategy enough. While Murray and Nadal are absolute masters in this area, it represents the weakest part of Roger’s game.
I predicted Roger’s undoing last year at Rome when he was destroying Rafa in the first set. Then Rafa called injury at 1:5 and managed to win the 1st set 7:5. It was the strangest thing to watch ever…as if Roger was the one suffering from an injury. Then came the beating at French in the final against Rafa. I predicted then that Rafa would win Wimbledon and Roger US open. So far so good. At the same time I predicted a complete meltdown in 09′ and a retirement at the end of 09′. So far so good, retirement is coming up!!!!!!!!

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 18:59:35 +0000

i love himmm i feel so bad for him and he can do that every once in a while, he was bound to do it at some point.

By: David

David — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 12:49:44 +0000

I couldn’t agree more with your analysis.

That was such a nice tantrum that even SuperBrat John McEnroe is offering to be his coach:

http://www.nadalversusfederer.com/federer-smashes-racquet-john-mcenroe-new-coach/

Roger, Roger, Roger – where is this going?

By: Alice Marble

Alice Marble — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 04:51:35 +0000

Scots wha hae!

By: freakyfritters

freakyfritters — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 03:17:12 +0000

HAAH!…it should be a decent final, as long as Nole doesn’t “retire” from the match if he’s losing.

By: freakyfrites

freakyfrites — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 19:04:22 +0000

Interesting point, Alice! I think that most of Pete’s fans have transferred their affections over to Roger, so that’s why we want RF to meet or beat Pete! Hey, that would look good on a t-shirt!

By: freakyfrites

freakyfrites — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 18:52:26 +0000

Hi Sasha! Yeah, that’s me – for some reason my avatar switches back and forth between Rafa and Roger, which I agree is VERY confusing. Didn’t actually realize it was happening. Must put a stop to it somehow! All Roger, all the time.

By: sasha

sasha — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 15:45:41 +0000

between djokovic and Murray?Neither….Bohoooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By: sasha

sasha — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 15:43:32 +0000

Are you really FF or just another wannabe?whatever!just wanna applaud Roger for that racquet smashing and water bottle throwing…it was really “classic”because he never let anybody be bored with him…win or lose he still stirs controversy left and right because wether we all accept it or not, if its the TMF we always bothered to stop look and listen.

By: Courtney

Courtney — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 13:33:50 +0000

2005 against Rafa at this same tournament, actually! But your point still stands. Sigh.

By: freakyfrites

freakyfrites — Sat, 04 Apr 2009 06:36:47 +0000

Hey y’all. I do feel for him. We’ve all been frustrated. But when I get frustrated at work all I can do is throw a pen across the room. I’m not smashing my laptop, that’s for sure!

I agree, that Roger’s been held up to strange standards and that everyone has to realize that he’s human like everyone else. Which means he’s not going to be perfect and “classy” (I hate that word) all the time.