2021 Roland Garros...ATP 2000...Paris, France

[stroke]

Yahoo Sport Australia: Ugly Naomi Osaka twist in Roger Federer's French Open withdrawal.
https://au.sports.yahoo.com/french-o...225909962.html

Everything that happens nowadays is not fair treatment. Unbelievable, but so predictable. Guy and the French Tennis establishment may simply be not woke.

[arturohernandez]

“I wasn't sure after the second set how much was left in the tank, so, you know, it was a good battle until then. I feel like I needed to maybe pace myself ever so slightly at that moment, especially emotionally, of not pressing too hard and wanting it too badly. So maybe just get a bit more mellow and relaxed about things and just go with the flow a little bit, let the experience take over.”


Wonderful post match summary by Roger on his match with Koepfer. It's funny because I sensed he had become more relaxed about things compared to the first two sets. It's physically sapping to expend too much nervous energy and want it to much versus going with the flow and letting the game come to you. Roger at his best will take any match by the balls but even he recognises conservation can be paramount. I guess no one knows tennis quite so well as Federer, except maybe Pancho Gonzales, who would fuss over string tension aged 42 when he played those Hilton matches way back when. The wrong string tension, Pancho worked out, could extend matches against someone like Rosewall because it meant he couldn't be accurate enough to knock him off....fine margins become even finer when you're passed your sell by date.

Good move by Roger. The FO was always going to be unwinnable. Both Novak and Rafa are in way better form and Roger cannot match them right now.

SW19 will be different. On modern grass there are only two players that are any good. Roger is one and Novak the other. That's why Roger thinks he can do it. There are literally hundreds of amazing hard and clay court players out there, but on grass...virtually no one can play on the stuff.

And everyone is upset that he did not play. No one knows his body better than him. It was just a matter of not winning. He needs to get back into form physically. He needs more recovery and his team must know that going too far could lead to an injury.

I think he knew that he could not play that many matches on clay. He is shooting for Wimbledon but Paganini thinks that the rode back will be very long. The time off was very long and he lost a lot of muscle.

Wimbledon might be a possibility but he may be working himself back with the hope for a run in a year. He will be older but it might take that long for him to be in form again.

I guess we will find out in a few weeks.

If Stotty is right, then maybe Djokovic and Nadal will play some ridiculous long match. Tire each other out and then have nothing left for SW19.

The draw will open up and Roger will win number 21.

[stotty]

“I wasn't sure after the second set how much was left in the tank, so, you know, it was a good battle until then. I feel like I needed to maybe pace myself ever so slightly at that moment, especially emotionally, of not pressing too hard and wanting it too badly. So maybe just get a bit more mellow and relaxed about things and just go with the flow a little bit, let the experience take over.”


Wonderful post match summary by Roger on his match with Koepfer. It's funny because I sensed he had become more relaxed about things compared to the first two sets. It's physically sapping to expend too much nervous energy and want it to much versus going with the flow and letting the game come to you. Roger at his best will take any match by the balls but even he recognises conservation can be paramount. I guess no one knows tennis quite so well as Federer, except maybe Pancho Gonzales, who would fuss over string tension aged 42 when he played those Hilton matches way back when. The wrong string tension, Pancho worked out, could extend matches against someone like Rosewall because it meant he couldn't be accurate enough to knock him off....fine margins become even finer when you're passed your sell by date.

Good move by Roger. The FO was always going to be unwinnable. Both Novak and Rafa are in way better form and Roger cannot match them right now.

SW19 will be different. On modern grass there are only two players that are any good. Roger is one and Novak the other. That's why Roger thinks he can do it. There are literally hundreds of amazing hard and clay court players out there, but on grass...virtually no one can play on the stuff.

[stroke]

I loved Roger for making this an issue. The Bouncy-Bouncy routine is clearly an abuse of the 25s rule. It's not a right to make your opponent maintain maximum alertness in the ready position for 23s and then, just as he's getting pissed and losing focus, finally serve.

There's a guy at my club I refuse to play unless in a tournament because he holds a pose early in his serve for ages, during which time I lose the will to be standing on the same court as him, and develop an overwhelming urge to drill my return between his eyes. I don't know how the regular pros put up with Nadal, Cilic, Djokovic, etc. The offenders should at least be ridiculed, but preferably not allowed to get away with it.

Your story brought back memories of irritating guys I have played regularly in recreational tennis. I also used to play with a guy who would through his quirky antics and made me(or whoever was waiting to receive his serve) wait way too long in a state of "alertness". Very irritating. The most irritating server I ever faced had this routine. If he missed his 1st serve, he immediately declared "2nd" as he, like a old fast draw western gunslinger, drew the tennis ball from his pocket and delivered his 2nd serve like in 2 seconds. It was unbelievable. It did not matter where the 1st serve fault was on the court. His 2nd was coming. Of course, he received a lot of negative feedback on his "routine ", but it fell on deaf ears for him.

[stroke]

Medvedev finishes the match strong vs Garin. Quite the matchup next round Medvedev vs Tsitsipas. Berrettini obviously gets a big boost with extra rest going into the semis.

Stef a solid favorite vs Medvedev with a 69% implied probability of winning the match.

[stroke]

https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/tennis/roger-federer-french-open-withdraws-b1860551.html

It's official

[stroke]

Medvedev rolling under the radar. And I think he likes it that way.

[stroke]

One stand up guy...glacierguy. Go ahead and drill him between the eyes. Jerk! Roger is nobody's waiting post! Neither are you or anybody else for that matter. It was the best drama I have seen in ages from the ATP. Hawkeye removes all of the edginess...and that is what Roger implied about injecting some "energy" into the match.

On a similar line the commentating has been just abysmal. Mark Woodbridge has been embarrassing himself terribly with his walks down memory lane provoked by his stupid moronic partner. Right now there are two WOMEN announcing the Tsitsipas match and it left me no choice than to turn off the volume. The shrill insights were too much to bare. Not a single announcer knows when to just shut up and let the play work on its own. Aways trying to hype something or other. The most guilty have been announcers for Nadal and Serendipities Williams. They just couldn't gush enough over either. The stupid endless remarks about the wonderful fashion sense of Serendipities makes me throw up. The gushing of Nadal adoration is particularly galling. Somebody should drill him between the eyes over his obsessive compulsive routines. He subjects not only his opponent if that isn't bad enough but he ropes in anybody watching. I cannot watch him...unless his opponent shows that he is going to beat his ass. Which doesn't happen very often at the French...once in a blue moon.

How about Mary Carillo on the "Peacock" channel for the Fed match yesterday. She takes sucks beyond belief as a commentator to a whole nother level.

[stroke]

Tsitsipas in the left lane on cruise control vs Carreno Busta. Stef had 10 winners and 2 unforced errors in dominating the 2nd set. Busta is a fine clay court player, but a terrible match up for him vs Stef. Stef looks great. Best scenario for him to me is extend Nadal to 5 grueling physical sets. He will definitely have to cut the head off the snake so to speak. Not going to be pretty. Hard hat all day. Still think Sinner has a chance though. Nadal's forehand looked as brutal as ever in plummeting Norrie.

[don_budge]

Oddsmakers are not really on board with me about Sinner being a real test for Nadal as he has an implied probability of 92% of winning the match. Berrettini is the favorite vs Fed at 75% implied probability. But as all have mentioned, it certainly appears Roger may just pull the plug here and move on to the grass, his last hurrah for a Major. As far as the bouncing of the ball thing, it appears the Nadal/Novak/Cilic, even McEnroe(he did more of a bending and twisting that bouncing, and Connors, is dying out. The young guys coming up don't seem to have this issue. All these guys somehow developed this yips kind of thing and we all know how that kind of thing goes. I am certain Cilic would much prefer to have all of Roger's tennis attributes, but he does not. I am certain Cilic, who seems like a good guy to me, is kind of tired of almost always losing to Roger. For that matter, Koepfer did not seem to overly enjoy his loss to Roger.

Interesting scenario. I have an hard time imagining Federer using a Grand Slam as his practice playground. Could it be a smoke screen? I remember he won the Australian one year after being absent from the tour for a long time. He played like a dream. I would love to see a Berrettini match. Every time I get to see Roger play is a blessing. Every round he plays should add to his form if it isn't degrading his physical fitness.

[don_budge]

I loved Roger for making this an issue. The Bouncy-Bouncy routine is clearly an abuse of the 25s rule. It's not a right to make your opponent maintain maximum alertness in the ready position for 23s and then, just as he's getting pissed and losing focus, finally serve.

There's a guy at my club I refuse to play unless in a tournament because he holds a pose early in his serve for ages, during which time I lose the will to be standing on the same court as him, and develop an overwhelming urge to drill my return between his eyes. I don't know how the regular pros put up with Nadal, Cilic, Djokovic, etc. The offenders should at least be ridiculed, but preferably not allowed to get away with it.

One stand up guy...glacierguy. Go ahead and drill him between the eyes. Jerk! Roger is nobody's waiting post! Neither are you or anybody else for that matter. It was the best drama I have seen in ages from the ATP. Hawkeye removes all of the edginess...and that is what Roger implied about injecting some "energy" into the match.

On a similar line the commentating has been just abysmal. Mark Woodbridge has been embarrassing himself terribly with his walks down memory lane provoked by his stupid moronic partner. Right now there are two WOMEN announcing the Tsitsipas match and it left me no choice than to turn off the volume. The shrill insights were too much to bare. Not a single announcer knows when to just shut up and let the play work on its own. Aways trying to hype something or other. The most guilty have been announcers for Nadal and Serendipities Williams. They just couldn't gush enough over either. The stupid endless remarks about the wonderful fashion sense of Serendipities makes me throw up. The gushing of Nadal adoration is particularly galling. Somebody should drill him between the eyes over his obsessive compulsive routines. He subjects not only his opponent if that isn't bad enough but he ropes in anybody watching. I cannot watch him...unless his opponent shows that he is going to beat his ass. Which doesn't happen very often at the French...once in a blue moon.

[glacierguy]

No worries that this point gets zero traction here on the forum.

I loved Roger for making this an issue. The Bouncy-Bouncy routine is clearly an abuse of the 25s rule. It's not a right to make your opponent maintain maximum alertness in the ready position for 23s and then, just as he's getting pissed and losing focus, finally serve.

There's a guy at my club I refuse to play unless in a tournament because he holds a pose early in his serve for ages, during which time I lose the will to be standing on the same court as him, and develop an overwhelming urge to drill my return between his eyes. I don't know how the regular pros put up with Nadal, Cilic, Djokovic, etc. The offenders should at least be ridiculed, but preferably not allowed to get away with it.

[stroke]

Oddsmakers are not really on board with me about Sinner being a real test for Nadal as he has an implied probability of 92% of winning the match. Berrettini is the favorite vs Fed at 75% implied probability. But as all have mentioned, it certainly appears Roger may just pull the plug here and move on to the grass, his last hurrah for a Major. As far as the bouncing of the ball thing, it appears the Nadal/Novak/Cilic, even McEnroe(he did more of a bending and twisting that bouncing, and Connors, is dying out. The young guys coming up don't seem to have this issue. All these guys somehow developed this yips kind of thing and we all know how that kind of thing goes. I am certain Cilic would much prefer to have all of Roger's tennis attributes, but he does not. I am certain Cilic, who seems like a good guy to me, is kind of tired of almost always losing to Roger. For that matter, Koepfer did not seem to overly enjoy his loss to Roger.

[don_budge]

Roger stated in his post-match interview (3rd round) that his not sure if hes going to play his round of 16 match against Berrettini. Preparing for Wimbledon is his main goal and may need the rest before the grass.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-G4snMgAPE

Roger is always in control. He is what you call a "control freak"...as are all great tennis players. All he can control at the moment is trying to gage how he is feeling and what the next step is. Every step you take...every move you make. He's counting down time. He's got the whole thing down by numbers.

He won. For him it was a big match. Each match gets a little bit bigger as he steps into the unknown. I have the feeling he is still gaging how his knee is feeling. I'm not at all certain he feels it is one hundred percent. Obviously, it is not. If he has to make a big decision as to whether or not to play the fourth round against Matteo Berrettini then something is gnawing at him in the back of his mind. He is on shaky ground and with all of his experience he knows it. In a way he is starting over. Look at all of the veterans who have attempted to come back in the past year or so. A lot of failures. Stan Wawrinka comes to mind...he just withdrew from Wimbledon. Wimbledon is obviously the goal for Federer and once he locks in on a goal he has tunnel vision. His eyes are always on the ball. No funny stuff.

If he is healthy at this point the matches he has played have been perfect. He has managed to keep the points relatively short although I have noticed him pulling a bit of air from the ball at times to accommodate the surface. He played a bit of clay court style. Keeping the ball in play. But not so much...he wants to conclude things. Only on important points will he play the extra shots. This guy controls everything within a certain radius around him. He knows all the tricks and traps. He is cagey. He is uncanny.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ir69b0OI2dc

Here is the interview I was waiting for. He discusses his "discussion" with the umpire and he tip toes around it. But the gist of it was as he said...I am not going to be a waiting post for Cilic and once he goes into his bouncy/bouncy routine. This was a perfect gamesmanship ploy by Roger. He was not happy standing around waiting for Cilic to bounce the ball "ten" times even though he was bouncing into the teens. I am surprised that nobody ruins Nadal's routine on a regular basis. Who can accuse Roger of not playing to the server's tempo? Even when the server's are cheating on every single point by making the receiver wait an outlandish amount to time.

No worries that this point gets zero traction here on the forum. I know the score. As does Roger. His uncertainty about the next match is probably fifty percent gamesmanship...fifty percent as he says. That discussion with the umpire was huge in terms of the tournament. A microcosm in time and space. It is not surprise everybody missed it. It was huge. I almost couldn't believe my eyes. But then again...knowing Roger like I know Roger, there is a reason for everything. I loved that moment. He carried it out in French which made it even more dramatic.

That walk for the towel and the ensuing conversation were all about control. It injected a bit of energy into the match...just the way he wanted it to.

[seano]

Roger stated in his post-match interview (3rd round) that he's not sure if hes going to play his round of 16 match against Berrettini. Preparing for Wimbledon is his main goal and may need the rest before the grass.