RF Tennis News 2017

^^ Dear Vinny, you are not alone!

The Rome draw is out and Roger is not there, but I believe Roger will play RG.  On Twitter, I read that Roger is supposed to attend Pippa Middleston's wedding.  If that is true, Roger will be back in Europe next week.  And supposedly he requested like 36 cans of the balls RG uses... so if true, that's a pretty strong hint that Roger will play RG.

I just can't see Roger skipping a major when he's fit to play, clay or not.  I'm not expecting much, but then... I wasn't expecting much for the AO and look what happened?

At this point, I'll take anyone but Nadal.  As much as I hate Djoker, I think I would take him over Nadal at RG.

Man... can they both lose tomorrow in Madrid?

http://www.tennisworldusa.org/news/news/Tennis_Technique/43333/roger-federer-by-nick-bollettieri/

ROGER FEDERER
by Nick Bollettieri
13 May 2017


I have been around tennis for 60 years. I have personally witnessed many of the great tennis players playing in their primes including Rod Laver, John McEnroe, Jimmy Connors, Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Rafa Nadal, Arthur Ashe, Poncho Gonzalez, Lew Load, Chris Evert, Martina Navratilova, Billie Jean King, Margaret Court, Maureen Connolly, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Monica Seles, Justine Henin, and others. Among the great’s I have had the privilege of seeing, there is one player that stands out to me both on and off the court, both by his play on the court, by everything he stands up for off the court, and by his ability to inspire both on and off the court. Why? God has blessed Roger with the talent and the ability to be a role model on and off the court, and Roger has accepted and embraced his position.

There are only a few people, and I truly mean only a few, who can win grand slams and masters 1000’s, be a super son, spouse and parent, be a real gentleman, and give back to children in need. Roger has not only been able to do all of this from the time he was in his early 20’s, but even now at the ripe old tennis age of 35, he has continued to win grand slams and masters 1000’s with grace and humility and inspire on and off the court.

Roger has continued to have incredible success on the court because he was open to make changes. It’s not easy for a champion who has already won more grand slam singles titles than anyone in history to make changes to the formula that has proven so successful for him. However, that’s exactly what Roger did. He selected a new racquet with a larger head and larger sweet spot. This helped him handle heavy topspin shots hit to his backhand and has given him easier power for all his shots. He’s also started standing in closer to the baseline taking the ball much earlier. His mentality became much more aggressive whereby he is now always looking for a way to attack the net and finish points at the net. He is a very accurate server and can hit very specific areas

of the service box under pressure. His larger racquet has given him easier power while serving without sacrificing accuracy. He has somehow maintained his movement at age 35. He’s still explosive and can move around every inch of the court like a jaguar. His incredible forehand has not lost any of its dominance. His slice backhand and drop shot have become more effective over the years and he knows exactly when to use them.

Off the court, Roger has surrounded himself with people who share his principles, discipline, ideals, and passion for the game. His management team has managed his schedule and activities well so he is not overextended by his tournament schedule or business obligations. Roger has also managed to maintain a happy and healthy family life by making his beautiful family a priority in his life. In addition, Roger is committed to providing educational opportunities to children. He has established the Roger Federer Foundation which provides educational services to hundreds of thousands of children without these opportunities in Africa. As education is the foundation of our world, there can be no greater endeavor than to provide educational opportunities for children who have no such opportunities. Well done, Roger! There are only a few players in the history of tennis that we admire as a role model both on and off the court like Roger Federer.

http://www.tennisworldusa.org/news/news/Tennis_Technique/43333/roger-federer-by-nick-bollettieri/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/2017/05/12/roger-federer-reborn-tennis-great-remains-top-20-years/#comments

Roger is back in Switzerland. He would seem to be in Zurich.

https://www.instagram.com/realslimschnidi/

33m

   realslimschnidi#coolsunday#federer#realslimschnidi#seveluethi#frenchopen?#zurich

Note the ?.  

"Norman" has reported, on twitter, that Roger has had his first practise on clay (but that he won't wash his socks!!)

^^
In "Norman " I trust

^^ Great news!

Great sign if Norman is for real! I know some members are not keen to see Roger play RG. I am, of course only when his body feels well enough after training on clay. I have a feeling and a strong belief, like VR, that Roger has the ability to beat RN in RG and he will.

Here is what we know

1.  Roger has said that he is entered into RG with the intention, at the moment, to play.

2.  However, he has left himself an out, if he doesn't "feel it" upon practising on clay to not play the tournament. It should be noted that he sounded more positive after Match for Africa 4, than he did earlier.

3.  He has begun his clay practise, using the RG balls.

Now here is something to consider on the back of what we know - just to think about, not to form conclusions with

4.  I would remind you that there was a ? after #frenchopen in the instagram of Patrick Schnidrig that I posted earlier.  While that communication wasn't from Roger directly, he was in the photo with Seve and Patrick and I highly doubt that it was put out without his knowledge of the content.  Subtle way to get a message out without doing it yourself!!!  Further research about Patrick Schnidrig reveals him to be an inactive Swiss tennis player who is only 1 year older than Roger.  He is a Zurich resident, who at one time worked at the Grasshopper club there.  Today he owns a tennis store outside of Zurich, which sells, amongst other things, Roger's gear.

In May of 2013, he practised with Roger, Michael Lammer and Seve on clay.

See this twitter - (the same photo was found on several fan twitter accounts)

Roger Federer practicing with Severin Luthi, Michael Lammer, and Patrick Schnidrig in Switzerland. #Federer pic.twitter.com/XPvdthdljf

— Go Roger Federer (@GoRogerFederer) May 2, 2013

PLEASE NOTE THE DATE:  NOT THIS YEAR!!!  Just to show that Patrick is somebody who is "close" to Roger, and not simply a fan out to show the world that he got a photo with Roger!!!

In other words, given his connection with Roger, this simple ? may mean that no final decision has been made.  Rather he might be giving it a go and seeing what happens in the next two weeks.  RG qualifying draw is on May 21.  I would hope that if Roger decides not to participate that he will make that decision before the qualifying draw so that the top ranked player there will be given a main draw entry instead.  (Friday 26 of May is main draw)  In the absence of a formal withdrawal, it would be safe to assume that Roger is playing.  I just feel that it is too soon to know.  One practise, jet lagged, does not a decision make!!!

I feel Roger was pretty positive in that interview at The Match for Africa last month. As this was his last communication on the subject, as far as I know, I would say he is going to play RG... barring any unexpected last minute issue, of course. But that risk is always there, for any tournament.


From Tennis Channel - Apr. 29: (posted earlier)

.@rogerfederer tells Mary Carillohe is entered in @rolandgarros and shares his thoughts on playing on the clay and his take on @rafaelnadal pic.twitter.com/PAziudsf6k

— Tennis Channel (@TennisChannel) April 30, 2017

By the way, I have opened a thread for Roland-Garros under ATP Tournaments: ROLAND-GARROS 2017

Just now checked in on Rome - the Bellucci/Goffin match.  One of the sportscasters just noted that Goffin smashed his racket somewhere in the first set and a photographer nearby was affected.  The match is still underway and they didn't replay the incident.

I still cannot believe that Roger played no clay court events. Given that Roger must really feel that playing on clay poses a bigger risk to his knee, I am left wondering why he would even bother with the French.

I know it's a slam and there are many arguments as to why Roger should play...it just feels like Roger has truly decided to truncate his playing schedule and play enough on surfaces he likes best, and leverage any success into more charity events for his foundation.

I now certainly believe him when he says being #1 is not even a goal. If he does play the French, I hope he falls on the other side of Rafa. Obviously, this presents the best chance for him not to play Rafa at all and just gain points. I don't think Roger fears Rafa, or anyone, on any surface. Just the effort required on clay in best of 5 format...and the inherent increase in chances for injury that come with it.

The more I think about it, the more I want Roger to stay healthy, and so if clay is no good for him at all this year, I'd still rather see him competing at 3 of the 4 slams for several years than to be forced out due to grinding through clay court matches. I know this contradicts everything I personally have hoped for, but after no Rome WC it's just how I feel. The two matches for Africa make more and more sense to me.

There is nothing to indicate, yet, Roger's decision.  He was always going to practise for 2 weeks and see how everything felt.  After his Match for Africa 4 he indicated that he had recovered mentally, emotionally, etc and that 10 weeks might be too long to be out.  However, it still required him to feel physically ready.  And he won't know that until after he gives practise a decent shot.

However, I am reminded about what Laver said - If the conditions are wet, the ball gets heavy fast and he could end up with a very tired serving arm going into grass.  Given that grass is his goal, not clay - RG is more like a lead-up tournament for Stuttgart!! -

There is a lot for Roger to factor in given his priority for grass - match toughness vs tiredness going into grass + NA HC which happens soon after.  How does his knee actually feel on the surface given how it felt last year? - that could be as much mental as anything physical because Roger wasn't at all sure that what he felt was CAUSED by the clay as much as simply timing -

Physically he won't know until he does some full out practise on the surface.  

He will also want to see if he can translate his new found aggressiveness to clay - rewatching some matches it is uncanny how early he plays the ball compared to his opponents. - He won't want to lose that in clay by falling back into "normal" patterns.

Again that takes practise.

Like others here I am happy that he is now practising on clay.  It means he is healthy, happy and raring to go.  Like some others, I am by no means convinced that this automatically means he is playing, even given his comments at the end of April.

Even those comments left the out - fewer than before because he now again feels motivated which was one of the criteria - but it did leave the out.  

I remember, right when he put out that he would not play the clay season, except, maybe RG, that he was talking about 10 weeks to RG, not the 8 it actually was.  10 weeks is the time to grass!!!  Anything to read from his subconscious??  No idea.  And I still firmly believe that the  #frenchopen? as a hashtag in his friend's/Swiss tennis player's instagram with whom he has practised in the past is significant.  I truly don't think he knows yet.  

The tour tracer shows RG for now since he is registered.  If it continues to do so then he will play.  If it changes to Stuttgart it means that Roger does not think that it is in his best interests or his family's to play.  Roger has made the big decisions before, and each one he makes, makes the next that much easier.

Thought about posting this yesterday but then decided against it. I think that now is a better moment though.

That's what Roger thinks about the clay season this year.