Roger Federer- any CATS come close?

I don't think there's any individual sport I care about, tbh. I've never been able to feel an affinity with a single athlete when compared to an enduring institution with heritage and meaning - although that practically approaches my political views.

Then tennis on top of that is a very basic sport on the conceptual level. Sure, there's a lot going on when you dig deeper but the whole thing is incredibly basic and stripped bare - like chess for athletes.

And while I can appreciate chess I'm not going to spend my day watching it. Not when it actually requires focused attention over a long period of time (vs say the cricket which instead is realised in brief moments and is basically perfect background while doing something else).
I love that- chess for athletes.
Chess is an awesome game, very intricate and time consuming potentially, and what I do love about tennis is the athleticism of the great players.
Tbh, I could only watch the 5th set of RF's win the other night, I am such a pathetic nervous watcher- and then knowing the result, the replay of course. I do that with Geelong finals v Hawks too.
 

Landgraft

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I love that- chess for athletes.
Chess is an awesome game, very intricate and time consuming potentially, and what I do love about tennis is the athleticism of the great players.
Tbh, I could only watch the 5th set of RF's win the other night, I am such a pathetic nervous watcher- and then knowing the result, the replay of course. I do that with Geelong finals v Hawks too.
That's probably my eventual fate, tbh. My heart rate soared from the siren for the Prelim vs Adelaide, not even relenting when we were clearly out of it until their song was rubbing salt into fresh wounds.

For now I'm happy enough to ride that rollercoaster because of the highs, but I think eventually it'll become too much to handle. Once I really enter my lukewarm beige phase, hopefully accompanied with a stable career.
 
That's probably my eventual fate, tbh. My heart rate soared from the siren for the Prelim vs Adelaide, not even relenting when we were clearly out of it until their song was rubbing salt into fresh wounds.

For now I'm happy enough to ride that rollercoaster because of the highs, but I think eventually it'll become too much to handle. Once I really enter my lukewarm beige phase, hopefully accompanied with a stable career.
We went to the final at Crow Park, mate, 24 yo son, and self; somehow when you see it there in front of your eyes, it is slightly easier to take- no choice, nowhere to escape to, and that pragmatic feeling -WOFTAM- might as well sit it out and suffer. Suffice to say, won't be doing any more interstate finals- first and last over 55 years of support.
 
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Spazz Cat

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About 750000 people attended this year and they quote 7% annual growth at the AO each year since 1987. That suggests phenomenal interest; let alone the worldwide TV interest. The Mens AO final is the most watched event in Australia.
If you've ever played tennis, it is not difficult to marvel at the skill and brilliance of the elite players.
And then the Fed interest; could he possibly win again?
Each to his own though- I find Basketball, Gplf, Horse Racing boring. Miliions don't
Yeah the AO is an amazingly run event an everyone loves it and rightly so. I don't really like watching tennis on TV but I like going down there when it's on. It's a really good vibe.
But really when the Aus Open is done not many people care about tennis much. You don't get many people talking about the French open, even Wimbledon.
Like Langdraft individual sports don't really do it for me except the Moto Gp, Super X etc.
I do like playing tennis though. Only sport I play now.
 
Yeah the AO is an amazingly run event an everyone loves it and rightly so. I don't really like watching tennis on TV but I like going down there when it's on. It's a really good vibe.
But really when the Aus Open is done not many people care about tennis much.
Like Langdraft individual sports don't really do it for me except the Moto Gp, Super X etc.
I do like playing tennis though. Only sport I play now.
True, I never watch the FO, rarely the USO, but don't mind the old grass court WO.
I love watching Valentino Rossi go around, much to my wife's annoyance.
 

Spazz Cat

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True, I never watch the FO, rarely the USO, but don't mind the old grass court WO.
I love watching Valentino Rossi go around, much to my wife's annoyance.
Yeah the bikes are always on late. It shits my wife but she does love watching him talk in the podium conference.
Honestly I think the AO is the best run event of any type in the world and that somehow translates over to TV which is why so many people like it.
Tennis really is a great sport to play, I'm trying to get my kids into it.
 

Landgraft

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We went to the final at Crow ark, mate, 24 yo son, and self; somehow when you see it there in front of your eyes, it is slightly easier to take- no choice, nowhere to escape to, and that pragmatic feeling -WOFTAM- might as well sit it out and suffer. Suffice to say, won't be doing any more interstate finals- first and last over 55 years of support.
I was at the 09 Granny, probably the tensest game I've ever attended (although I was also at one of the Kennet curse 11). It's definitely not as bad when actually there, but I did still get pretty nervous at times.

But for me basically every game or final is interstate. I've only seen Geelong in Canberra once and we got flogged by Norf.
 
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I still can't find it in me to care about tennis. I tried, I really did, but ultimately I care more about the Zac Dawson's of this world than the Roger Federer's.

Feel the exact same way. Am I the only one who feels tennis titles at the top seem to be a lot easier for few to dominate as upposed to footy players?

Success in footy seems a lot harder to achieve and maintain than it does in the tennis world.

Maybe it’s a bit of an opinion I hold of tennis as a lot of Australians do, that growing up as a kid basically none of the sporty or athletically gifted kids played tennis. They all inclined towards footy or cricket. Tennis has never had a reputation amongst Australia as a big deal to play.
 
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Feel the exact same way. Am I the only one who feels tennis titles at the top seem to be a lot easier for few to dominate as upposed to footy players?

Success in footy seems a lot harder to achieve and maintain than it does in the tennis world.

Maybe it’s a bit of an opinion I hold of tennis as a lot of Australians do, that growing up as a kid basically none of the sporty or athletically gifted kids played tennis. They all inclined towards footy or cricket. Tennis has never had a reputation amongst Australia as a big deal to play.

I’ve often found myself thinking they should dial their racquets back to something closer of yesteryear......take out the pure bludgeoning / 200kph serves, and force players to resort more to skill, finesse, strategy, a la cricket bats.
 
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I’ve often found myself thinking they should dial their racquets back to something closer of yesteryear......take out the pure bludgeoning / 200kph serves, and force players to resort more to skill, finesse, strategy, a la cricket bats.
You'd have to dial it back a long way, and go back much further than "yesteryear". I sat at ground level courtside for a couple of Aus Opens back in the 70s, and the power and speed with which they hit the ball even then was simply incredible. And it wasn't simply the serving.
 
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You'd have to dial it back a long way, and go back much further than "yesteryear". I sat at ground level courtside for a couple of Aus Opens back in the 70s, and the power and speed with which they hit the ball even then was simply incredible. And it wasn't simply the serving.

Ok.......pre WW1 then :p
 
I’ve often found myself thinking they should dial their racquets back to something closer of yesteryear......take out the pure bludgeoning / 200kph serves, and force players to resort more to skill, finesse, strategy, a la ROGER FEDERER

Agreed
 

Landgraft

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Feel the exact same way. Am I the only one who feels tennis titles at the top seem to be a lot easier for few to dominate as upposed to footy players?

Success in footy seems a lot harder to achieve and maintain than it does in the tennis world.

Maybe it’s a bit of an opinion I hold of tennis as a lot of Australians do, that growing up as a kid basically none of the sporty or athletically gifted kids played tennis. They all inclined towards footy or cricket. Tennis has never had a reputation amongst Australia as a big deal to play.

Kind of easier to succeed at, kind of harder. Plenty of average players have played in premierships to fulfill a role for the team, but you won't get near winning a tennis open that way.

At the same time fewer moving parts in the game means it's more possible to remain on top of the world if you're capable of getting there. Keeping a best 22 together and focused is bloody difficult year after year but a lone wolf like Fed doesn't face the same degree of entropy...

I would say I respect tennis. It just doesn't hold my interest to actually follow the goings-on, let alone suffer through a whole game.
 
Personally, I prefer Nadal.

Federer is good, but - for me - has the personality of a dead cod.
The opposite is true in reality from people who work at the AO
And personally, have never dealt with dead cod.
I can't stand watching a grown man play tennis with the Sharapova sound effects as if he's in labour, and spending half the match plucking out wedgies, and the other half bouncing the ball 50x before each serve. Each to their own likes though.
 
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The opposite is true in reality from people who work at the AO
And personally, have never dealt with dead cod.
I can't stand watching a grown man play tennis with the Sharapova sound effects as if he's in labour, and spending half the match plucking out wedgies, and the other half bouncing the ball 50x before each serve. Each to their own likes though.

Yep, makes the world go around
 
Feel the exact same way. Am I the only one who feels tennis titles at the top seem to be a lot easier for few to dominate as upposed to footy players?

Success in footy seems a lot harder to achieve and maintain than it does in the tennis world.

Maybe it’s a bit of an opinion I hold of tennis as a lot of Australians do, that growing up as a kid basically none of the sporty or athletically gifted kids played tennis. They all inclined towards footy or cricket. Tennis has never had a reputation amongst Australia as a big deal to play.
There's playing tennis, and THERE'S PLAYING TENNIS.
I played as a junior and at Uni but seeing the Pros is something else. I recall playing a kid once who was at our tennis club ( Highton) and had an excellent reputation and wanted to succeed at this sport. 0-6, 0-6, 0-6. Embarrassing, but this kid just toyed with all of us. He made it as a Victorian good player, but never really made the world scene. I think he's still involved in coaching, and I may be discrediting him somewhat based on my memory...Can only imagine how fearsome the real guns are.
You are correct about the inclination though- our school- St. Joeys Geelong- if you weren't a footy player / cricketer you were a nerd.
 
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Muhammad-Ali.jpg

He’s probably not even the best heavyweight of all time let alone the best boxer.
His record got tainted a little bit by the Berbick and Holmes losses but before that he was bested fair and square by Frazier, Norton and Spinks.
Also had none of the grace (in sportsmanship terms I mean) that Federer does
 
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I’ve often found myself thinking they should dial their racquets back to something closer of yesteryear......take out the pure bludgeoning / 200kph serves, and force players to resort more to skill, finesse, strategy, a la cricket bats.

Honestly if they did that, no player would beat Fed/Nadal. Their court craft is so much better than everyone else, it would be even more of a two horse race than it has been.
 
Except maybe for the other tennis player who could (maybe unlikely but it’s possible) match his slam tally, has a superior head to head record, and is equally loved and revered?
Like comparing GAJ with Joel Selwood- both champions in the true sense, both respected.
GAJ seems to glide and do things so perfectly, Joel is so much effort and vigour.
 

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Can't think of any cats players that tick all the boxes. Cam Smith on the other hand- best player ever in his position, captain of Melbourne, Queensland and Australia think he holds game records for all as well. Well spoken, respectful and humble.
 
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