I am not particularly fond of two things in life, tomatoes and melodramatics.
That is precisely the rationale why I waited for a week before writing down this piece. As the storm passed, frenzy settled down and as things tended towards equilibrium, the thoughts tend to become more lucid and objective.
Is it really true that the Fed-Express is at Crossroads?
Roger Federer deserved to win the Wimbledon final as much as Rafael Nadal, but on that particular day, Nadal was that shade better.
It was a brutal loss, more brutal because it was at Wimbledon, but at the end of the day, Federer lost a tennis match. Don’t we all?
As I mentioned last week, I beg to differ with most of the so-called tennis experts. No, the reign is not over, YES, it is over this year but in the larger context, Roger Federer is still capable of taking anyone on and beating him on any given surface (except possibly Rafa Nadal on clay).
So, am not sharpening my pencils to even think about writing his obituary, not even close. Is Federer done? The answer to that question is an emphatic no.
But a more intriguing question is: "Is Federer at a crossroads of his illustrious career?" Well, if someone told me that I would be crossroads in my career after clocking 12 Grand Slam titles along the way, of course I would take it without a shred of a doubt.
But is he at crossroads? I would have to say YES.
Federer at heart is an artist and a performer; he is neither a blacksmith nor a muscle-popping athlete. Of course, every top sportsman is both of an artist and a supreme athlete, but when you think of Federer, it is that silken touch that comes to your mind first. When you think Rafa its those Popeye biceps that come to your mind.
Today's Must Reads
That’s where Federer runs into trouble at times. He is a very proud artist, make no mistake. Most of the times when he steps on to the court he just needs to play his game and he will win, simply because he is just that much better than the opponent.
He does need to protect any of this weakness, because he does not have any. That theory holds good against anyone and on any surface in the world, except for Rafa Nadal.
Time and again last Sunday, Federer ran around his backhand and teed off with his inside-out forehand with tremendous success. He had to protect his backhand a smidgen, which he hadn’t done against anyone until now, and that hurts Federer’s pride.
That’s precisely why he is at a crossroads. He had finally met someone who made him change the way he plays in order for him to win.
There is no question Rafa is in his head. He has to be and I don’t buy ‘No’ for an answer. The success of the post-noon session of his illustrious career will be defined by whether he wins his bete noire, Roland Garros.
If this year was any indication Federer needs something extraordinary to happen, for him to win Roland Garros. He probably has two more years; I’ll give him three before his window to win the French Open begins to close rapidly.
As Becker put it quite elegantly, "I knew at some point against Sampras, that if he and I play our best games on grass on a given day, I might still not be good enough to win."
Can Federer accept and live with the fact that if he and Rafa play their best on clay (and shall I even dare ... suggest grass) he might still not win. This is intricately linked with the essence of being proud again.
As Federer enters into his high 20’s, his biggest opponents will not be who stands at the opposite side of the net, but himself.
He will be that half a step slower and it will be unrealistic for him to expect himself to play the way he did when he was 23 or 24. Can he accept more losses, be indifferent to them and concentrate on the slams? The ability to look at the bigger picture becomes ever so imperative.
The ‘Power of Suggestion’ is lethal. As he enters the second phase of his career, can he let those annoying (sometimes downright inane and mundane) journalists’ questions on the threat to his ascendancy after every single loss, not affect him?
Those questions are a major source of negative energy, which if allowed to creep in, can be extremely detrimental to an athlete’s psychological state.
None of these questions are easy to answer, but these are essentially at the core when you are questioning an athlete (even one as prominent as Federer) at his crossroads. Each one of these is relevant to Federer at this stage, and so YES; he is definitely at the crossroads of his career.
How he responds to each one of these, will elevate him from being one of the best players in the history of the game, to the Greatest Ever to Have Played the Game.
Personally, I like the option of the latter, but your guess is as good as mine.
comments (34) write a comment »
write a new comment
about 1 month ago
Nice article with some valid points. THose throwing Fed "under the bus" as being done are foolish. I hope he rebounds strongly and that his future victories are made sweeter by this disappointment, and that the world again takes notice of Fed when he wins rather than taking it as a foregone conclussion. Nadal plays a great game of tennis too and this rivalry has made tennis interesting to more people again, which is terrific for the sport.
from about 1 month ago
DEFINITELY Ali -
but when you are as good as Rodge, thats the price you pay, people only talk about you - when you lose mate
cheers - glad you liked it
about 1 month ago
Federer's confidence may have taken a bit of a hit but I don't think it's close to as bad as the press is making it out to be. In the last couple games of the final he started hitting straight down the middle when he got a short ball rather than going for inside-out forehand winners and I think it cost him the match. Hitting straight into Nadal when you're coming in isn't the best plan. Not sure if he was tiring or lost confidence in going for the lines or thought Nadal would start missing but either way it allowed Nadal to win some critical points that he really should have been out of. Last year Federer was outplayed and still won. This year he lost but wasn't outplayed. Makes it tougher mentally but his level of play still isn't dropping off. If he loses to Nadal on hardcourt later this year it could be a bigger blow, but if he wins the US Open he'll be fine.
from about 1 month ago
very good observation - but i think hitting straight into rafa takes any angle he might be able to use otherwise ... so that isn't necessarily a bad plan .. i know what you are talking about stu - i saw him miss the forehand in the 7-7 game in the 5th
very good observation - cheers -
about 1 month ago
This is best summation I've read on where his career is at the moment. Great writing!
from about 1 month ago
cheers - thanks Mate ... appreciate it harvey, glad you liked it
about 1 month ago
Nicely written. Unlike many of the pundits who want to label the Wimbledon final as "the greatest match ever," I don't think Federer played his best. Perhaps he failed to have a game plan (as he seemed to indicate in his pre and post match interviews). Perhaps the fitness and sharpness he lost due to illness at the beginning of the year haven't quite been recovered yet (I recall hearing that he is 5-7 pounds heavier than he likes). I don't think he necessarily has to lose a step in the next couple of years, and while not at his best this year, I don't think age has slowed him down. I am an exercise physiologist, and the "normal aging" that robs people of their quickness, strength and stamina is really to a large the cumulative effect of over stressing the body as most pro athletes do. Of course age will eventually cause decline, but Federer conserves energy on the court and in his scheduling probably better than anyone in the game. I think he will continue to be a little "off" until he gets some time off to train and get his edge back. Perhaps after the U.S. Open he will do just that.
from about 1 month ago
that was super interesting dave
i did not know the actual reasons for slowing down - but you are right on the money, scheduling is so key, but FED isnt mad like jankovic and davydenko, he does not play every tournament that ever existed
but thanks - dave for that point, i learnt somethin new today
cheers -
about 1 month ago
Nicely written. Unlike many of the pundits who want to label the Wimbledon final as "the greatest match ever," I don't think Federer played his best. Perhaps he failed to have a game plan (as he seemed to indicate in his pre and post match interviews). Perhaps the fitness and sharpness he lost due to illness at the beginning of the year haven't quite been recovered yet (I recall hearing that he is 5-7 pounds heavier than he likes). I don't think he necessarily has to lose a step in the next couple of years, and while not at his best this year, I don't think age has slowed him down. I am an exercise physiologist, and the "normal aging" that robs people of their quickness, strength and stamina is really to a large extent, the cumulative effect of over stressing the body as most pro athletes do. Of course age will eventually cause decline, but Federer conserves energy on the court and in his scheduling probably better than anyone in the game. I think he will continue to be a little "off" until he gets some time off to train and get his edge back. Perhaps after the U.S. Open he will do just that.
from about 1 month ago
Dave,
In response to the statement that Federer didn't play his best: Didn't that make the match so great in the first place? I was one of those pundits, and I may not have got it across in my own article, but the fact that Federer stayed with Nadal despite his fitness problems was amazing in itself, and made the match great.
But unlike many I don't believe Federer is all downhill from here. As you mentioned, once he takes time to get his fitness back, he will be just as dominant as ever, which is why this rivalry is just now taking off.
from about 1 month ago
i actually do think Rodge played his best .... just one of those days in which the dice does not fall your way mate -
about 1 month ago
I think maybe Dave and some others would agree that this years wimbledon final was "the greatest match ever" IF Roger Federer had won. And I agree with Tyler: Isn't Roger's comeback from 2 sets down enough to qualify for "best" play? What about all of the match points he saved? What about all of the beautiful winners? I grow a bit weary hearing about Roger's illness at the beginning of the year (which I am sure was difficult) and if he has put on weight or whether he had a game plan, etc. All tennis players are susceptible to the same illnesses for the most part; all have choices to make regarding game plans, all can put on weight. Because of this, unfortunately, these "reasons" why Federer lost wimbledon come off as the excuses that they are.
How about this? Perhaps Nadal decided that to win wimbledon he had to change the way he played so he figured out what he needed to do and he trained and worked and practiced really hard and he did it! He changed his game. Then, coupled with the most incredible mindset and mental game in tennis, he beat roger federer at wimbledon. (Not to mention the French). And by the way, not all of us (at least us women) think of "popping" muscles and all that "man" stuff when we consider Nadal. Interestingly, it is his "play each point" commitment that shows in his athletic (no, not "silken", but not brutish either) game, and his sportsmanship that come to my mind.
And as awesome as these feats are, I agree that they do not mean Roger is all washed up. But if he is at a crossroads or decline, surely classy federer would be the last to blame journalists, with their admittedly inane and often ruthless questions for this.
about 1 month ago
Ivy
thanks for letting me know what you thought of my piece
yeah - no, the pop-eye biceps are not ALL what we think, but it is a major part when you think rafa - and ofcourse as you mentioned, the commitment to play every single point the same way, from first point to match point
no - i dont think rodge is washed up either .... not even close, and yes, he is too classy to blame the journos -
good knowing you - take care
about 1 month ago
I think maybe Dave and some others would agree that this years wimbledon final was "the greatest match ever" IF Roger Federer had won. And I agree with Tyler: Isn't Roger's comeback from 2 sets down enough to qualify for "best" play? What about all of the match points he saved? What about all of the beautiful winners? I grow a bit weary hearing about Roger's illness at the beginning of the year (which I am sure was difficult) and if he has put on weight or whether he had a game plan, etc. All tennis players are susceptible to the same illnesses for the most part; all have choices to make regarding game plans, all can put on weight. Because of this, unfortunately, these "reasons" why Federer lost wimbledon come off as the excuses that they are.
How about this? Perhaps Nadal decided that to win wimbledon he had to change the way he played so he figured out what he needed to do and he trained and worked and practiced really hard and he did it! He changed his game. Then, coupled with the most incredible mindset and mental game in tennis, he beat roger federer at wimbledon. (Not to mention the French). And by the way, not all of us (at least us women) think of "popping" muscles and all that "man" stuff when we consider Nadal. Interestingly, it is his "play each point" commitment that shows in his athletic (no, not "silken", but not brutish either) game, and his sportsmanship that come to my mind.
And as awesome as these feats are, I agree that they do not mean Roger is all washed up. But if he is at a crossroads or decline, surely classy federer would be the last to blame journalists, with their admittedly inane and often ruthless questions for this.
from about 1 month ago
I agree with Dave, it wasn't "the greatest match ever" and it would have IF Roger would have played his best. He didn't. I didn't see winning shots from him and look all the unforced errors he made!! That makes things really clear for me: Rafa Nadal did not win the match, Roger lost it.
from about 1 month ago
cecilia
fourth set tie break -
7-8 down - that out of the world backhand pass down the line, at championship point down ....
ARE YOU KIDDING ME ?
about 1 month ago
Long,
I guess I got off subject of your piece a bit - I have read a lot of stuff and I am probably responding to all of it at your expense. Forgot to say it in my writing frenzy, but I your piece was thoughtful and well written. thanks.
from about 1 month ago
Ivy thank you - completely appreciate your comment, its a great incentive to keep writing ! cheers
about 1 month ago
great article!
i think Federer will lose more in the coming years....now and then he will win a slam but not with the kind of frequency during his golden years
about 1 month ago
YES - thats whats is called the post lunch session .... lets just hope one of them is roland garros !
from about 1 month ago
That's exactly what tennis needs! Federer beating Nadal at the French next year would just be incredible. Good call!
from about 1 month ago
yeah - can you believe i was so insane that I flew to NY, from Chicago to watch the Wimb final with my best mate ...
wud love to do that if it hap at RG next year -
about 1 month ago
Great read, very valid points. Don't write off Federer yet. Every champion at some time will have to mentally and physically step it up in their career's if they want to make history. We will find out in the next few years if Fed has it in him. Kudos to Rafa for stepping up his game and doing whatever it took to get him over the top. Injuries could be a factor with him in the future because of the way he plays.
Andrew
from about 1 month ago
could not agree more Andrew .... am waiting for that FED to show up at French Open at some point of time, cheers -
about 1 month ago
Truly amazingly perceptive article! Wonderful work! Kudos and 5 starz to you!
from about 1 month ago
Thanks S -
completely appreciate it - cheers
about 1 month ago
Federer will be back. It may take him awhile to break Sampras' record, but he will eventually, and overcoming this bit of adversity will add polish to his career.
from about 1 month ago
pretty much what I feel too Rob - thanks for the comment, nice knowing you
about 1 month ago
Federer will be back. It may take him awhile to break Sampras' record, but he will eventually, and overcoming this bit of adversity will add polish to his career.
from about 1 month ago
Sorry to post twice. Don't know how that happened.
from about 1 month ago
dont worry about it rob - i posted some messages - on your profile ... let me know the answers to those when you have time- take care
about 1 month ago
I posted the answers on my profile.
about 1 month ago
This year's Wimbledon was the most exciting sports contest I've seen since The Rumble in the Jungle. Absolutely riveting and the best tennis match I've ever witnessed. Your piece poses a question that has certainly crossed all of our minds. Anyone that can dominate their sport the Roger did for about 3 years is indeed special. As some one above said, he might win an occasional Grand Slam in the future(not the French) but this changing of the guard is life. It's not so much that Roger might have lost a step but he's raised the bar and Nadal has stepped up.
Your other point about Roger having to change his game to beat Nadal and not liking to do that, well I'm not enough of an inside tennis guy to say other then when I play I am always looking to exploit a situation. If my opponent can handle my best shot, I'm looking for what he has trouble with.
Another question to ask is how long can Nadal play his pounding game-22 and knee problems. I was at Melboure(front row) and saw Tsongas murder Rafa, hard surface courts are not his best venue to play.
I think Novak will give Roger all he can handle at the Open, Roger is just not the lock he was. It happens. I've enjoyed the hours watching him play and our sport is so much the better for both of these classy men.
from about 1 month ago
Hi Michael
first of all - thanks for the thoughtful comment to start with - you raise some super interesting points
yeah - i have often wondered whether Rafa will have the longevity that Rodge has - because Rafa's game is indeed inherently demanding
Yeah - I remember the Jo-Willie game against Rafa, but see that wont happen everyday, that is on a day when no one would have stopped Jo-Willie, so I wont read much into that
so - thanks .... enjoyed reading your comments and keep writing - cheers Michael
are you from down under Michael ?
write a new comment