RF Tennis News 2018

Great post, ph∞be! "This man knows how to live!"... I couldn't agree more!

Thanks for the information. I share this view myself: who would have thought that someone not related to me, someone I hadn't met personally. would be my light on dark days or nights. I am happy about this, and it has meant more than I can express.

Steerpike 60, Seve and Roger know what is important. Winning majors is what counts, and which, incidentally, can help so much with other goals. It is good that tennis is not like Monopoly, where you were destined for bankruptcy once someone got to an expensive hotel on the best location--it was too limiting.
This might not be quite the place, but speaking about priorities...saw on ATP site that the nextGen games will have yet more "innovations." I could not bear to read all of it, as my eyes started to turn red, but something about g game sets to begin with...
This is not the right way to address the issues created by the technology that draws so much physical power and energy from younger players, in my opinion. It is a diminishing of the game, and it makes me afraid that some of it will carry over into the Regular Gen game. That would sorely diminish tennis.
Roger is the reason I watch tennis so fervently these days, and where a lot of the satisfaction and thrill and involvement comes from, but whenever he won't be on the court, my involvement will definitely diminish. You can't go from ambrosia and nector to weak tea and wet toast. So a diminished game quality would only reinforce the lessening of my involvement in tennis.

Cromar wrote:You can usually get one or two free viewings. I was able to read the article first, but then got locked! Then, I used a different browser and voilà, got to see it again, in full, and copy it here for you!

I had to thank you immediately, before I even read the article, Cromar! My browser didn't let me see the article, and when I checked their special offer, I realized a credit card is needed. I run into this problem recently on occasion, as I don't use/have a credit card, but I think I will have to resort to it, because sometimes it is just too inconvenient, even if I don't like to pay with them.
 So..how thoughtful of you to bring the article here! You do ever so much for us here, and I shall always remember that. Yours truly, I am.

Something very important, meaningful, for the mental state and for how a player can focus and be intense are these paraphrased statements from Roger in his WSJ artoc;e/interview when asked about what he thinks retirement will be like:...that there is an unkown about, and that he'd given up long ago wanting a fairy tale ending....that he loves to play tennis, and that means putting yourself out there, vulnerable (each time of course)....
Those who can't acknowledge that they are vulnerable and struggle or fight against it or deny it are the ones who lack that fighting quality that Roger has in abundance. The article is pretty good, and although it makes some mention that his beautiful one handed backhand had become a fearsome weapon with his return to the very top, what is always most missed is the quality of competition, drive, the fight in him, to find a way. It has always impressed me, although I reveled in his awesome and beautiful play. It was there when he seemed to play without effort, with an breathtaking eas making impossible shots, but the courage for the fight was always in him, and the intensity to do so. Just that the way he did things looked so out of this world.
I can tell that there are some players who cannot let themselves be vulnerable, or will strive long and hard, at any price, to chase that away. But t hey won't be the greatest, because being able to take vulnerability, which is not absent, but different at the top, assuming a higher pitch of demand, is key to sustaining top play and ranking.
It is not something that can be forced, though. Maybe for a stretch of time, but not on an ongoing basis. Only the love of something can do that, boecause it takes away the fear, and of course, the incredibly great natural talent, ability, and physical suitedness for the game.
I think that Rod Laver, had he played when the game was pro, and had he not been ill and then his wife, also, would have been the one for certain as an example par excellence alongside Roger. --
Roger has moved the game forward, setting new standards, creating new shots, and making other players seek to improve themselves. He added a richness and variety to the game and showed that it is like a duel, which needs all the alignment of strength, skill and love to win. As I have said before, frequently Roger has played against himself, and I have seen him innovate on the court.

Roger is not happy with some TDs. Good on him for speaking out for himself!

https://www.ubitennis.net/2018/06/roger-federer-hits-back-critics-decision-skip-clay-season/

Aprilp20n wrote:Roger is not happy with some TDs. Good on him for speaking out for himself!

https://www.ubitennis.net/2018/06/roger-federer-hits-back-critics-decision-skip-clay-season/

Yes, good on Roger!  Shame on folks like Tiriac.  As some folks on Twitter have pointed out, outside of the AO, Rafa has not played in a tournament off-clay in months.  I don't hear the TDs from those tournaments screaming.  Of course, Rafa pulled out of those tournaments as each came up citing injuries whereas Roger did it all at once.

And it's not like Roger did this in his prime or even at Rafa's age.

^ I salute Roger for what he said, he's totallly right ! I didn't know Tiriac criticized Roger for skipping clay. He can sometimes act like such un arrogant who thinks he owns both WTA (remember the Serena incident) and ATP. Grrr... And I thought he's one of Roger's biggest fan

He definitely is not one of Roger's fans. He is associated with the Madrid tournament. When they first played in the Caga Majica and Roger won against Nadal, Tiriac look very unhappy. He clearly had wanted Nadal to get that title in the new facility!! A sourpuss, he was.
  And good for Roger, speaking up for himself. He is absolutely right. He has perfomed tirelessly, while others withdrew on a whim, and also, at times, because they didn't want to lose to him and have that affect the H2H.
 All these qualities, aside from all he has achieved, and what he has contributed to the game, improving it, elevating the standards greatly, and even creating an atmosphere of greater camaraderie.
 Roger is a stalwart player, besides being a living legend.
 I am surprised that hardly anything was said about the lengthy and fairly regular absences of some players, or a lengthy absence without an adequate medical explanation.
 Roger not only had an injury, but he had an operation on his knee. But then we know this on this site. I am just struck by the unfairness and lack of appreciation by some of those involved in the sport.

Well Mats Wilander opined on this as well:

Federer's decision to skip Paris hurts tennis: Wilander
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-tennis-frenchopen-wilander-federer/federers-decision-to-skip-paris-hurts-tennis-wilander-idUSKCN1J42CD

^^^ That is a ridiculous interview with Wilander.  He goes back and forth with saying Roger should play and then saying he totally understands why Roger is skipping.  

I took real exception to a few things.  He said that Roger could practice for a week, lose in the first round and that it would not dent his confidence.  That it would not change his prep for Wimbledon.  Really???  The media would massacre him if he lost in the first round at a major.  And it would absolutely change his prep, especially his mental prep.

And then to compare his not playing with Serena playing??  Apples to oranges, Mats.  Idiot.

I think the only line he should have said is the very last one:  "We are disappointed in a constructive way.  I don't blame him but would have loved to see him here".

^^^^
I agree. I can't believe that he said some of the things he did and I'm sure that Roger was affected by it.

Beautiful read. Thanks, cromar.

Just saw on Twitter that Roger and Belinda Bencic have confirmed that they will once again play together at the Hopman Cup! Good to know that Roger is planning his 2019.