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It is far from insanity to claim Federer as the greatest male tennis player in human history. When you factor in modern era competition, the whole world to face and how you conquer it, human ...

If Federer Can't Win, The Greatest Era Is Over

by Alexeiv Goodenov (Scribe)

25

1,514 reads

Preview/Prediction

December 02, 2008


It is far from insanity to claim Federer as the greatest male tennis player in human history.

When you factor in modern era competition, the whole world to face and how you conquer it, human eyes have seen the greatest era of tennis played by the greatest ever.

Nadal taking over the reigns simply means it has ended, or is coming to an eventual end.

Rafael Nadal will never touch the greatness of Roger Federer, and let's be realistic about it, this is not to say Nadal isn't ONE of the greatest tennis players in human history, for he is, imagine he breaks the vaunted Borg curse and wins a fifth consecutive French Open crown?

However he will never be mentioned as THE greatest male tennis player, his style of play can only last him so long and even if he finally dominates as Federer once did by winning the hard court Slams, the dominance won't shine for four whole seasons, or even three.

Roddick has his role in the greatest era, too, as did many, but who is left now?

Djokovic has proven inconsistent, and even though Murray has fanfare and is fun to watch, a seemingly two-man battle between him and Rafa will not be the same as with Federer.

There will not be an aura of greatness, because Nadal can lose, and does lose, and not rarely, as Federer once did.

And let's be honest here, who will care if the 2010 Wimbledon Championship is fought between Mario Ancic and Ernests Gulbis? Anyone? Really?

Cause that is exactly what's ahead on the radar, it will be the same time period as 2000-03 where you had aging wariors in Agassi and Sampras, and Kuerton on clay, and various one Slam wonders.

The same will arise between 2010-12.

Murray and Nadal will not dominate as some may think, but 2009 will see Murray make at least one Slam Final.

Federer may not be done yet, but it's hard to imagine him winning three-of-four Slams again, perhaps two.

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25 comments Last one added 3 days ago — Leave a Comment

  1. marybell xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 7 months ago

    I hold a memo in my office, to post a comment after Rog's 16th slam!!!And it will happen during 2009.
    As for the others, i agree, but Fed is about to raise again..Wait and see!!

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  2. J.A. Allen 7 months ago

    Alex - I love the way you talk - brash, blunt and blue collar! Not only that, I like what you say! But Federer isn't done--noooo...not yet. He is not done winning--not by a long shot! So, you save this little ditty for when he is...cause it is a first rate one!! Thanks...jaa

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  3. claudia celestial girl 7 months ago

    It's absurd to think that the 'greatest era' will be over, or that no one will care in 2010 if Wimbledon is contested between Gulbis and Ancic. Players mature - they grow and improve. By the time someone like Gulbis is good enough to be in the final, we will very much care to watch him contest it with someone equally good. BTW - Gulbis is a very good up and coming player. One criticism of Federer is that he was unwilling to elevate his game to confront someone like Rafa - to change what he had been doing all along in the face of new challenges. Looks like he's going to do it now. Because it is what he must do to regain the top position in the face of so many new and good players. And that is why he might one day be considered the greatest of all time - after showing that on the downslope of his career he could still go places that younger players can't go. in defense of Federer, I believe that the next generation of players can sort of be considered the 'children of Federer' because they are who they are in terms of their game precisely because Federer made them be that much better.

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    • J.A. Allen 7 months ago

      You know whereof you speak. Roger will change because he must and that is the mark of a true champion - doing what is necessary to win. He has honed another generation of players who are good enough now to match him on a given day. He created them in his image and they aspire to take him down and that is sports.

      Federer must retool and rethink his strategies...he will. He either moves forward or he falls back off the radar. I don't believe it is in his nature to do anything other than move forward. I think he loves the challenge - that he was getting a bit complacent and now has to up to stakes!

      You gave an excellent read...thanks....jaa

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  4. Rob York 7 months ago

    "... imagine he breaks the vaunted Borg curse and wins a fifth consecutive French Open crown?"

    It's true that Borg won four in a row, but he won six total, including the last six he contested, so I don't think five has particularly special meaning.

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    • Alexeiv Goodenov 7 months ago

      No, he actually contested the French Open after his 4th win and failed in back to back tries before winning back to back titles.

      It was his last Slam victory, 81 I believe.

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    • Rob York 7 months ago

      It looks like neither of us had it quite right.
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bjorn_Borg#Grand_Slam_and_Masters_singles_tournament_timeline

      He won in Paris in 74-75, lost in 76, skipped in 77, and won his last four. He only ever lost to Adriano Panatta in Paris.

      But my point remains: 5 isn't considered a magic number for Rafa, because it's widely believed that Borg could've won there in 82 and thereafter had he not quit the game completely. Rafa's goal is 7, at which point he'd surpass Borg's record total.

      Thanks for the response.

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  5. Ali Shaw 7 months ago

    This site is my curse...I see it now. First of all, Marybell and J.A., if you guys are raising that champagne flute in 2009, I hope 3 isn't a crowd! I'll buy the Dom... And Claudia, I know JAA and MB both agree that Federer will undoubtedly be the greatest when he figures out how to once again win the big titles again. 2008 was a struggle for him, but I see that as nothing negative. Think it's just nature doing its thing - no one can win the way he was winning for that long without tiring mentally. I think he got tired mentally, and the mono certainly made him even moreso. But if he stays healthy, I do believe, as does Sampras, that he will undoubtedly break Pete's record and win at least 3 or 4 more big titles. Let's hope he figures out how to do it at the French so that he can be a complete champion. If anyone can do it, it's Roger Federer.

    Oh, and by the way, I love Gulbis. He's never going to be Roger Federer, but he has poise, class and he's very cute too. I certainly would love to see him rise to the ranks of Del Potro and Tsongas sooner rather than later.

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    • J.A. Allen 7 months ago

      Hi Ali - Hey, if you are buying we will be happy to join you!! Three is never a crowd when you are happy! What fun to imagine such a celebration...what would be even more fun would be to be there when it happens! I am in - we shall have to make plans! jaa

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  6. Gil 7 months ago

    The Glory days of winning 3 of 4 Slams may not (or more like it, will not) recur. But Federer is not done with winning, Oh no he is not. He has his sights on more records to be broken and Made. And the guy has the hunger to do it too, no second thoughts..
    Inevitable as it is, his breaking Sampras' most coveted record, even if he doest win as much as he used to in those crazy days, weeks, months and years of unprecedented Dimonance in the sport, ss long as Roger Federer can come up with Wimbledon 2008 shows or Shanghai(vs Murray) like performances which are bordered, for even more, highlighted lets say by the resilience of a Champion at heart, the FedEra cannot end. The 'Era' thing is what Fans imagine in their hearts, and we are only too willing to keep it on.

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  7. Dee Jack 7 months ago

    Roger Federer is not done yet. Mark my words...

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  8. Alexeiv Goodenov 7 months ago

    I didn't say he's going out and retiring.

    I can't see him winning more than 2 Slams a year, and I would expect it to be this year.

    I think he can retake Wimbledon.

    And then he can win either Aussie or French, but not both.

    U.S. Open I think will fall.

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    • Gil 7 months ago

      Its that time of the year - the time of doing the permutations and combinations and make our predictions on what is going to happn next season.
      ..
      But what has to happen will happen, Federer may go Slamless next year, or he may win all four or it may be there somhing between the two unlikely extremes...
      ..
      But it takes 7 straight best of 5 victories in a fortnight..
      The man who can do it will win and be richly deserving too...

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  9. Dino Cardoni 7 months ago

    "U.S. Open I think will fall."

    Hang on.

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  10. marybell xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx 7 months ago

    I can see Fed taking the 6th in a row, in US...It will take out the curse of this year's 6th straight attempt(we all know what i am talking about)...So even if he has already tied or broken Pete's record, he'll do his magical best to take the 6th straight NY trophy, and his chances are really good, as always, in the Big Apple...A flash back can persuade the doubters!!!!!

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  11. Jack Sparrow 7 months ago

    I now believe in tennis, if anyone is capable of doing it (said monumental task) it's Roger Federer.

    I still think he goes into any Grand Slam as favourite; he's got to much ability - this year was like a dip in form - he still has the ability, he just needs the form.

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  12. reg guid 7 months ago

    "Rafael Nadal will never touch the greatness of Roger Federer" never say never. Never "touch"?? I found this is offensive.

    How interesting tennis will be when Federer is winning all the time, every time? What about if he were going to win every Grand Slam for another five years, ten years? what's left for the anticipation? what's left for the excitment? What's left for tennis?

    A sport is healthy and attractive when it is competitive. A sport does not live by one star.

    I daresay if the obessions of RF's fans prevails, Roger Federer will eventually kill the sport.

    Absolute domination for a good five years is a hell of long time. If not for Nadal, I lost the interest in tennis at least two years ago.

    Thanks for the new generation, tennis is once again reviving and becomes exciting again.

    Thanks for the newcomers and challengers, we can look forward to an unpredictable 2009!

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    • Gil 7 months ago

      'an unpredictable 2009!'

      - for namesake... arent we all busy making our own narratives and predictions...?

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  13. fm k 7 months ago

    Fed has given up the dream of winning the French. & although I was one of those fans who thought he'd get that title & complete his resume, I now think it's best that he lets it go & to focuses on breaking Pete's record & getting back to #1. The only way he gets the French is if Nadal's body breaks down. So Fed doesn't control his own destiny there. But he still will accompish much before he retires.

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  14. aisha yue 6 months ago

    I do believe that Rogie is not done yet, he still has to win RG and he still has to break Pete's record.
    No, Rogie can't give up now...not now.
    I would be happy to see Rogie reigning for ten years from now before he retires. I think the next generation after him will take him as an example, the man to beat, the records to break... these will make them better players...

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  15. Alexeiv Goodenov 3 days ago

    I am so happy I was wrong.

    Now Federer can win 3 Slams in one Calender Year for the FOURTH time.

    I think he will win his 6th U.S. Open in a row.

    It's nice to look back at some of my articles and see how I was wrong.

    But Nadal is not done so I think 2010 may be like 2008 for Federer.

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