The Gap is Closing On Federer

[Drummond]

Federer just got out of jail on his favourite surface against Nadal at Wimbledon. Now he’s just been defeated by Djokovic in Montreal.

He had better watch out at the US Open because I’d say the gap is starting to quickly close on Federer. No doubting he’s still the dominant player on tour, but his reign at the top is beginning to dwindle.

 

[Syd Kennets]

Of course its closing, he has dominated the guys his age for years.

Djokovic is a solid number 3 in the world, and that guy should be able to beat number 1 1 in every 4 matches or so.

 

[gaelictiogar]

Drummond is correct. The fact is he hasn't been playing at anything like his 2004-2006 level since he was imperious at Melbourne 7 months ago. His record since then is impressive by most standards but ordinary by his.

I watch him a lot and he is often lacking in concentration recently and appears bored at times going for ludricrously early winners instead of working a point through. His Unforced error count in recent months is huge and I believe the inevitable fade back into the pack which happens to all champions has begun as inevitably it had to.

He remains the stand out player on tour and is favourite to win any tournament he enters but the days of 40 to 50 match streaks are over. He no longer wants it enough to be patient enough to get it.

All that said if he never wins another match - and of course he will win many - he is firmly placed among the timny group of true all time greats.

 

[Ricketts]

Federer just got out of jail on his favourite surface against Nadal at Wimbledon. Now he’s just been defeated by Djokovic in Montreal.

He had better watch out at the US Open because I’d say the gap is starting to quickly close on Federer. No doubting he’s still the dominant player on tour, but his reign at the top is beginning to dwindle.

How insightful.

 

[Total Power]

How insightful.

plan to jump on the nole bandwagon now?

 

[Ricketts]

Yep, off Roger, on to Novak.

 

[Gunnar Longshanks]

Any player who wins 3 out of 4 majors is still pretty comfortably out in front.

You can talk about "the gap closing", but he still won every Grand Slam except the French.

 

[gaelictiogar]

Any player who wins 3 out of 4 majors is still pretty comfortably out in front.

You can talk about "the gap closing", but he still won every Grand Slam except the French.

True enough. That said his form is nowhere near what it was and he is more vulnerable than he has been since 2002. However he is still streets ahead of the pack....; Djokovic, by far the most likely next No1 is still too inconsistent, Murray has the talent but has he the ability to stay injury free and of course Nadal hasn't the ability to win with any consistency off the clay as we discovered again today when nalbandian nilled him. How many non clay tourneys has he won in the past 2 years? one or Two? Nowhere near the quality to be a consistent year round No.1.

Murray and Gasquet must be licking their lips.

 

[Smell The Glove]

The gap isn't closing. Federer has just limited his focus to the four Slams. His legacy isnt in minor tournaments, he doesnt need to perform well in them for ranking points or prizemoney purposes- he has plenty of both. Nor is Federer the type that needs a lot of maintenance or practice. He simply loses when he turns up and for whatever reason decides to play at less than 50%. Even doing that he thrashes 90% of everyone else.

Remember, everyone else needs to play brilliantly to beat him. He simply needs to play at a higher level than auto pilot.

 

[wally funk]

The gap isn't closing. Federer has just limited his focus to the four Slams. His legacy isnt in minor tournaments, he doesnt need to perform well in them for ranking points or prizemoney purposes- he has plenty of both. Nor is Federer the type that needs a lot of maintenance or practice. He simply loses when he turns up and for whatever reason decides to play at less than 50%. Even doing that he thrashes 90% of everyone else.

Remember, everyone else needs to play brilliantly to beat him. He simply needs to play at a higher level than auto pilot.

didnt davydenko get in trouble for doing that? fed would too

 

[Smell The Glove]

didnt davydenko get in trouble for doing that? fed would too

Figure of speech, but yeah, touche

 

[crowsarethebest]

The gap isn't closing. Federer has just limited his focus to the four Slams. His legacy isnt in minor tournaments, he doesnt need to perform well in them for ranking points or prizemoney purposes- he has plenty of both. Nor is Federer the type that needs a lot of maintenance or practice. He simply loses when he turns up and for whatever reason decides to play at less than 50%. Even doing that he thrashes 90% of everyone else.

Remember, everyone else needs to play brilliantly to beat him. He simply needs to play at a higher level than auto pilot.

Have noticed that. He simply just cruises around in the other tournaments other than the Grannys. He might try in a few tournaments when it is close but he doesn't really give his best throughout a match, only when its tight. He's concentrating on the grand slams. He's a fricken freak though. Will be regarded greatest of all time... He'll still be GOAT even if he doesn't win a French IMO. Will have the most Grand Slams to his name once his career ends. If he wins a French Open there is no disputing- he will be greatest of all time. However he'll need to get past Nadal whos one of the greatest already on clay.

 

[wally funk]

well, look at sampras - he never wona french, and half of his slams were wimbledon titles alone, so he certainly had a favourable slam event. but he is rightfully regarded as one of the very best to have played. fed is looking like he might end up the same way as pistol pete (dominant in england, lacking in france) but again, one of the unquestionable legends of the sport.

 

[Smell The Glove]

well, look at sampras - he never wona french, and half of his slams were wimbledon titles alone, so he certainly had a favourable slam event. but he is rightfully regarded as one of the very best to have played. fed is looking like he might end up the same way as pistol pete (dominant in england, lacking in france) but again, one of the unquestionable legends of the sport.

The main difference between Sampras and Federer though is that Sampras was vulnerable against just about any top player on clay, especially early, while Federer still cruises through the minor rounds. Remeber, there is still only one man who has beaten him at the French in the past three years- Nadal. Sampras was regularly beaten, sometimes thrashed at the French.

Add to that the fact that Federer is closing the gap on Nadal at the French. Sampras got worse there as his career went on.

 

[Geddy Lee]

It's very hard to win the French with a one handed backhand unless it is truly exceptional, and may never happen for Roger in the Nadal era.

And ironically, Nadal will probably never get to number one.

Tragic for both of them.

 

[Geddy Lee]

Pretty funny to hear that of the players that Federer could have played in the Tennis Masters Cup Round Robin stage (i.e. Players 3-8 in the world; Roddick, Davy, Gonzo, Gasquet, Ferrer, Djoke) he has a 51-3 H2H against them.

Worst TMC ever. Fed df. Ferrer/Nadal in Final in straights YAWN.

 

[Drummond]

Gonzalez def Federer 3-6 7-6 7-5.

Closing with each passing day.

 

[Total Power]

hahahaha suck it up loser.. go gonzo

 

[Total Power]

Pretty funny to hear that of the players that Federer could have played in the Tennis Masters Cup Round Robin stage (i.e. Players 3-8 in the world; Roddick, Davy, Gonzo, Gasquet, Ferrer, Djoke) he has a 51-3 H2H against them.

Worst TMC ever. Fed df. Ferrer/Nadal in Final in straights YAWN.

if he makes it that far

 

[Geddy Lee]

Wow I jinxed the shit out of Federer.

He was 5-2 up, playing like Jesus, with a 10-0 H2H, and I went to bed.

 

[johnnyhoward]

A shame if Ferrer doesn't get to face the Fed with the form he's in at the moment (although they could meet in the final).

The signs are there that Fed is fading, but he's still got a few Slams in him from here. With champions, it's hard to gauge whether they're running at 50% (figuratively, not Davydenko style ) or struggling. But I think that applies to Fed - he'll be back fresh for '08. Djokovic is another example of someone who desperately wanted the season to end.

 

[Geddy Lee]

A shame if Ferrer doesn't get to face the Fed with the form he's in at the moment (although they could meet in the final).

The signs are there that Fed is fading, but he's still got a few Slams in him from here. With champions, it's hard to gauge whether they're running at 50% (figuratively, not Davydenko style ) or struggling. But I think that applies to Fed - he'll be back fresh for '08. Djokovic is another example of someone who desperately wanted the season to end.

A few?

Fed's got about 6-7 more in him, surely.

 

[Geddy Lee]

Well Nadal isn't closing the gap on him.

Last 7 meetings between Fed : Nadal: 5-2

Last 7 meetings between Fed : Bandy 4-3

Bring on 2008.

 

[Smell The Glove]

Well Nadal isn't closing the gap on him.

Last 7 meetings between Fed : Nadal: 5-2

Last 7 meetings between Fed : Bandy 4-3

Bring on 2008.

Interesting. And Nalbandian is 2-zip against Nadal, both this year, on hard. But Head to Heads mean nothing unless it can be replicated in Grand Slams. Hasnt beaten quality opposition (no, I dont count an inconsistent Monfils at the French quality) at a Slam in a while.

 

[gaelictiogar]

Indeed. Head to head can be very misleading. We saw Nadal struggle and totally c capitulate today against Fed and it is only the fact that they have played so often on clay which gives him his head to head lead.

Equally the fact that Nalbandian has yetto show it against topplayers at Slam semi and final level leaves questions against his head to head record.