In praise of Roger Federer!
#1
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If you watched his match against Roddick you were privilged to see one of the best performances by any sportsman or sportswoman, ever!
Roger has actually improved a lot since last year - more topspin on his backhand and bite on his serve.
And still some people say that until he has won X Grand Slams or X titles that he isn't the greatest player of all time!
As Mats Wilander said on the commentary, "the best 5 sets of tennis I have ever seen in my life have all included Roger Federer and that (the 2nd) was the best by far (Roddick with his serve and forehand won 6 points). His highlights tape for that match would exceed anyone else's for a year."
OzTennis
Roger has actually improved a lot since last year - more topspin on his backhand and bite on his serve.
And still some people say that until he has won X Grand Slams or X titles that he isn't the greatest player of all time!
As Mats Wilander said on the commentary, "the best 5 sets of tennis I have ever seen in my life have all included Roger Federer and that (the 2nd) was the best by far (Roddick with his serve and forehand won 6 points). His highlights tape for that match would exceed anyone else's for a year."
OzTennis
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#2
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It should be a crackin final if they both play like they did in the semi.
Well done to the Scottish teenager winning the doubles.
Well done to the Scottish teenager winning the doubles.
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#3
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Euan Dyce comes from Edinburgh and is the top 18 & U boy in GB. He's been based at Bolliteri's in Florida this last year and has come on a treat. Like Murray going to Spain, the key has been to leave these shores to succeed! Nice lad, great player (not Murray's potential though) and I can tell you from personal experience he too hits a mean ball. His father was an excellent player, Scottish internationalist, but not quite good enough for the tour.
An Aussie boy from Perth is in the Boys Singles final and plays a seeded Frenchman. The lad in the losing pair in the Boys doubles finals, Stephen Donald, comes from out your way Bordy - Ringwood way I think.
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#4
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It should be a great final.
And where did this Fernando Gonzalez bloke spring up from anyway!!
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#5
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Yeah, I've gotta say, Federer looked unbeatable against Roddick. But then Gonzalez looked the same tonight.
It should be a great final.
And where did this Fernando Gonzalez bloke spring up from anyway!!
I don't follow tennis as much as I used to, but I thought I was up to speed on all the new guys. .
JTL
It should be a great final.
And where did this Fernando Gonzalez bloke spring up from anyway!!
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JTL
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Oh, and Gonzalez and the other good Chilean, Nicholas Massu won the gold medal in doubles at the last Olympics.
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#6
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Yeah, Federer has improved, if that was possible. Well, I hope for tennis' sake Fernando gives him a bit of a run out.
"Can you hear the drums fernando? "
Sorry for the Abba quote
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#7
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Correction to earlier post, I gave Graeme his father's name Euan! I've already had my email from Tennis Scotland advising of Graeme's win - they are justifiably proud.
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#8
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If you watched his match against Roddick you were privilged to see one of the best performances by any sportsman or sportswoman, ever!
Roger has actually improved a lot since last year - more topspin on his backhand and bite on his serve.
And still some people say that until he has won X Grand Slams or X titles that he isn't the greatest player of all time!
As Mats Wilander said on the commentary, "the best 5 sets of tennis I have ever seen in my life have all included Roger Federer and that (the 2nd) was the best by far (Roddick with his serve and forehand won 6 points). His highlights tape for that match would exceed anyone else's for a year."
OzTennis![Smile](https://britishexpats.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif)
Roger has actually improved a lot since last year - more topspin on his backhand and bite on his serve.
And still some people say that until he has won X Grand Slams or X titles that he isn't the greatest player of all time!
As Mats Wilander said on the commentary, "the best 5 sets of tennis I have ever seen in my life have all included Roger Federer and that (the 2nd) was the best by far (Roddick with his serve and forehand won 6 points). His highlights tape for that match would exceed anyone else's for a year."
OzTennis
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#9
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A lot of pundits are wondering whether Federer can beat last year's 91-4 and 3 Grand Slams record. If I was a betting man I'd ask a bookie for odds on a 'Fed Express' Grand Slam or the even better odds for going the whole year unbeaten.
Can you imagine Tiger Woods winning nearly 20 tournaments a year to put it in perspective? I realise that outwith Grand Slams (128 entry) that the tennis field is usually smaller than golf (most tour events are 32, 48 or 64) but it's an interesting talking point. Is Federer or Woods (or someone else) the best sportsman/woman on the planet? The difficulty comes in comparing people who compete in individual sports with those who compete in team sports (Ronaldhino would challenge them for example).
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#10
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If you watched his match against Roddick you were privilged to see one of the best performances by any sportsman or sportswoman, ever!
Roger has actually improved a lot since last year - more topspin on his backhand and bite on his serve.
And still some people say that until he has won X Grand Slams or X titles that he isn't the greatest player of all time!
As Mats Wilander said on the commentary, "the best 5 sets of tennis I have ever seen in my life have all included Roger Federer and that (the 2nd) was the best by far (Roddick with his serve and forehand won 6 points). His highlights tape for that match would exceed anyone else's for a year."
OzTennis![Smile](https://britishexpats.com/forum/images/smilies/smile.gif)
Roger has actually improved a lot since last year - more topspin on his backhand and bite on his serve.
And still some people say that until he has won X Grand Slams or X titles that he isn't the greatest player of all time!
As Mats Wilander said on the commentary, "the best 5 sets of tennis I have ever seen in my life have all included Roger Federer and that (the 2nd) was the best by far (Roddick with his serve and forehand won 6 points). His highlights tape for that match would exceed anyone else's for a year."
OzTennis
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Truly, Federer is "God of Tennis".
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#11
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Not a chance in my opinion... Ronaldhino is good I'm sure, but to be compared to Federer or Woods he'd have to be called Pele or Maradonna...
Woods, Federer, Schumacher, Khan, Gretzky... People that rewrote the book about how to play their chosen game...
Woods, Federer, Schumacher, Khan, Gretzky... People that rewrote the book about how to play their chosen game...
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#12
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Federer was in 3rd gear against Gonzalez and was still too good.
Mats Wilander again made an excellent point on the British Eurosport commentary - mankind swims, runs, jumps etc, etc, better than ever; how can you argue that they don't play tennis, soccer etc, better than ever? (in answering his question, it is because in some sports you don't have an objective way of measuring performance. Some old timers think Laver, Borg, McEnroe, Connors or Sampras were better than Federer - often by resorting to Grand Slams or titles won as their only objective measure.)
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#13
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Rod Laver said he thinks Federer's form is good enough to win the Grand Slam this year and said .... "And if he does that, it will equate to the two Grand Slams that I won because standards are much higher these days."
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#14
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