RF Tennis News 2017

Rufus1 wrote:Roger further tweeted about it.  I am looking at the lack of swarms of people around his practise and think how refreshing and relaxing that must be for him.  Practise completed but without the fishbowl.

When in Central Park  pic.twitter.com/JOiFYETPqy

— Roger Federer (@rogerfederer) August 31, 2017

mrsjillzarin
Verified
Central Park

mrsjillzarin  Guess who played #tennis with us in #centralpark this morning at the last minute?? That's right ! @rogerfederer fans went nuts. The 30 or so who saw him! He had a small Entourage but was down to earth and very kind to the kids. Good luck Rog! #usopen #tennischannel

He asked the USTA officials if they could find a place where he could practice without having to make the trek out to Queens from Manhattan. Presto: Federer was at the Central Park courts to the delight of tennis hackers who were playing nearby and not used to a legend occupying one of the other courts.

"I really liked the idea of playing in Central Park for the first time," he said. "We tried it out. It was perfect. I was really happy. It was really a totally different experience in the sense that when I finished practice, that was fun. If only all practices were like this. I really enjoyed myself.

"I think having a fun practice session, being in a totally different surrounding like yesterday, where all 20 courts just stopped playing, came to watch you play," he added. "I don't know. It was kind of really different, you know. People were just happy to see you there, meet you, talk to you, maybe get a photo. They didn't care about autographs."

Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer Steady the Course Toward a Historic Meeting

  By BEN ROTHENBERG - The New York Times | Sept. 3, 2017



Roger Federer won in straight sets against Feliciano López on Saturday. Credit Don Emmert/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images  


After a shaky first week, the stumbles of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer suddenly smoothed Saturday. Each turned in his most convincing performance of the tournament, buoying hopes that they might finally face off at the United States Open for the first time in their careers. ...


Read more here:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/03/sports/tennis/rafael-nadal-roger-federer-us-open.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

So the label "genius" isn't shorthand for defining someone who has surpassed all of his or her rivals in a contest, no matter how many times a champion may have done so

No, from where I sit, a sporting "genius" isn't just a champion, or exceptional at sport. Champions can fill trophy cabinets without ever traversing into the stratosphere of genius. "Genius" denotes that rare kind of champion – the type who mesmerises; who triumphs in a special way, where you're left to ask yourself how, exactly? A genius, is a champion who astonishes in a complex, sometimes inexplicable fashion. Genius in the sporting sense, is a thing of true wonder.

Roger Federer lunches with Bill Gates after crushing loss


By Francesca Bacardi and Bryan Hood - PageSix

September 8, 2017 | 6:14pm



Bill Gates and Roger attend the Federer Foundation's Match for Africa 4 fundraiser in April.  Getty Images

How do you get over a crushing quarterfinal loss at the US Open? If you’re Roger Federer, you get lunch with pal Bill Gates.

The tennis legend and the Microsoft co-founder were spotted breaking bread at Le Bilboquet on Friday afternoon, a source told Page Six.

According to the source, none of the other diners at the luxe French bistro bothered them or seemed to “care” that they were in the presence of the icons.

The casual Upper East Side lunch came less than 48 hours after Federer was bounced in shocking fashion from the US Open by Juan Martin Del Potro. Had he won, the Swiss star would have gone up against longtime rival Rafael Nadal on Friday night at Flushing Meadows.

This isn’t the first time Federer and Gates have made nice. The duo even hit the court together in April at the Federer Foundation’s Match for Africa 4 fundraiser in Seattle.

Alessandro Mele - Le Bilboquet
Respect @rogerfederer #tennis #legend #rogerfederer #usopen

Roger Federer ready to team up with Rafael Nadal ahead of the Laver Cup

• The inaugural Laver Cup will commence on 22 September.
  
• Federer and Nadal will be on the same side for once on Team Europe.
  

By Abhinav Kini - Ibitimes.co.uk

September 14, 2017 13:30 BST



Nadal, Laver and Federer during the Laver Cup media announcement @Getty


With all the talk after the US Open on who the greatest tennis player of all time is, Roger Federer is simply excited about the possibility of teaming up with long-time rival Rafael Nadal.

World number one Nadal won the US Open by defeating South Africa's Kevin Anderson in a win that marked his 16th Grand Slam title — just three behind number two-ranked Federer's tally of 19.

With the duo looking likely to compete for the top spot in the ATP tennis rankings in the remaining months of the season, Federer is instead focused on an exhibition event in the Laver Cup.

The competition is in honour of 11-time major champion Rod Laver and will see Europe, captained by Björn Borg, take on the rest of the world, captained by John McEnroe.

"For me to spend time with Bjorn, it's quite rare," Federer said, as quoted on Tennis World USA. "He doesn't spend so much time on the tour. When he shows up, it's short."

"I feel every minute you get with him is a privilege. Here we are, he's going to be stuck with us. So it's going, I think, to be very special for all of us, particularly me.

"I mean, I have incredible respect for him. I feel like if I could play one player ever going back, I feel like it would be Bjorn. I feel he's that incredibly good, for what he did for the game. If I look how he played, what he brought to it, it's crazy."

The Swiss ace then turned his attention to Nadal, stating how for once, he can actually be on the same side as the Spaniard, having previously mentioned his desire to be a doubles partner with him in the three-day event.

"So okay, enough of Bjorn. But Rafa [Nadal], he's been such a wonderful champion and a good friend of mine on the tour, one of my big rivals for life, that it's just nice to be able to spend some time with him and support him," Federer added.

"If I can help him, great. If he can help me, even better. Finally, after all these years, I get a chance to actually support his forehand, his aggressive play, his everything, his fighting spirit. Everything before was always like, ahh, another forehand and another fighter."

The inaugural Laver Cup takes place from 22 to 24 September and will be held every year except for an Olympics year.

Both teams will consist of six players and there will be four matches each day, with at least one doubles match.

Click here to see the full rules of the Laver Cup.