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Is Federer's Crown Slipping?

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by GB-Hack, Mar 3, 2008.

  1. GB-Hack

    GB-Hack Active Member

    Lost today in the first round of the Dubai Desert Open to Andy Murray, 6-7, 6-3, 6-4.

    http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/news/story?id=3274752

    The last tournament he played was the Australian Open. Is this just a long hangover after coming back from injury, something more significant, or will everything be well in the world by the time Wimbledon rolls around?

    Edit: To make sure everyone knows which Roger we're talking about here.
     
  2. Football_Bat

    Football_Bat Well-Known Member

    When was the last time Tiger won the Byron Nelson or the Colonial?

    With the Rog Mahal, it's all about majors.
     
  3. GB-Hack

    GB-Hack Active Member

    Last time I checked, we haven't had a major yet this golf season, yet Tiger's won all three of his tournaments.

    My point is, though, that before, he would sweep through games like this. Now, Murray is the world No.11, and has knocked off Federer before, but the question is whether the younger players like Murray, Djokovic, Nadal et al. are catching up, or whether Federer is coming back to the pack.

    Murray didn't face a break point the entire match. That's not the Federer that has been dominating the ATP Tour the last four years.
     
  4. sportschick

    sportschick Active Member

    Roger was going to start slipping. At some point there has to be some sort of deviation back toward the mean (look, big statistics words!) on his part and the younger guys (Nadal, Djokovic) were going to start catching up to him.
     
  5. GB-Hack

    GB-Hack Active Member

    But is this more to do with his layoff, or that they're catching him. Or do we have to wait until the middle of the season to find out?
     
  6. sportschick

    sportschick Active Member

    I think it's a bit of both. In the Aussie Open, he was still battling some sort of stomach thing, and Djokivic is catching up to him.

    Having a layoff that's close to a month long and then drawing a tough opponent in the first round is probably a recipe for disaster.

    And I think we'll have to wait until the French to see if this is really a trend on his part or just a hiccup.

    And whoever said Rog was all about the majors was wrong. He didn't even lose 10 matches last year. That's not the record of somebody who cares only about the big ones.
     
  7. Simon_Cowbell

    Simon_Cowbell Active Member

    It's inarguable he has begun the descent from his prime.
     
  8. Hammer Pants

    Hammer Pants Active Member

    Hey Nostradamus, do you know lottery numbers, too?
     
  9. Simon_Cowbell

    Simon_Cowbell Active Member

    You wanna bet me he never has a year like last year?

    Put your money up, or zip the cakehole.
     
  10. Hammer Pants

    Hammer Pants Active Member

    Why would I bet someone who knows the future?
     
  11. spnited

    spnited Active Member

    Federer might have said it best when he lost to Djokovic in Australia:

    "I've created this monster that I have to win every tournament."

    I think that's beginning to take its toll. Others are catching up but maybe the monster Roger created is starting to wear him out.
     
  12. spinning27

    spinning27 New Member

    Roger is what 26 now? In the tennis life that's pretty old. Sampras was done by 30, as are most of the greats. The prime years in that sport are 19 to 25. Roger can still get the slam record but I wouldn't expect the same dominance he had in 2005 and 2006
     
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