Roger Federer retires (in 2 weeks)

[tolmie's hairdoo]

The greatest this era, and I've seen them all.

Father Time caught up with him, but to watch Fed play someone like Rafa or Djokovic, was like watching the other side of the net playing a different sport.

The other two using power and return of serve, but Fed seemingly never in a sweat and moving like a ballet dancer.

His backhand was a thing of beauty and a tremendous role model.

Enjoy your retirement Fed, with your family and £500m to keep you warm.

 

[cookster]

The greatest this era, Rafa Nadal.

 

[Exeter Blue I am here]

Blessed with the same effortless grace as Muhammad Ali. The greatest natural talent the game has seen IMO

 

[Legal Alien]

My joint favourite men's player along with Bjorn Borg.
Both were the best players of their era imo.

 

[Stephen230]

Everybody likes an underdog. Usually the very best players in any sport have at least a little bit of an arrogant edge that makes them easy to root against.

It may have happened but off the top of my head I honestly can’t recall anybody having a bad word about him.

Fellow pros, the press, the fans. He was universally admired and liked. That’s possibly unique in such a successful sportsperson.

He’ll be a big loss to tennis.

 

[Alan Harper's Tash]

Everybody likes an underdog. Usually the very best players in any sport have at least a little bit of an arrogant edge that makes them easy to root against.

It may have happened but off the top of my head I honestly can’t recall anybody having a bad word about him.

Fellow pros, the press, the fans. He was universally admired and liked. That’s possibly unique in such a successful sportsperson.

He’ll be a big loss to tennis.

It seems like the dawn of a new era in tennis generally, what with Serena retiring a couple of weeks ago too.

 

[Stephen230]

It seems like the dawn of a new era in tennis generally, what with Serena retiring a couple of weeks ago too.

It moves so quickly. I used to follow it really closely but like most things I’ve kind of lost a bit of interest as I’ve got older.

But I was watching a bit of the US Open the other week and they flashed up the WTA World rankings. I was going down the list struggling to find a name I’d even heard of.

 

[Jonsilfab]

Crazy that the Federer-Nadal rivalry will end without a meeting at the US Open.

 

[the blue panther]

He's the best imho - from the point of view of success; class; cool; and power with grace and artistry.
I think Nadal and Djokovich are wonderful as well, but, Federer is THE man. He is the one I would go out of my way to watch.
It's over 20 years ago since Henman came up against this young Swiss and they had a great tustle which Henman won at Wimbledon, but Federer put down his marker. I think he might have won it the following year, but, the writing was on the wall in that Henman match - the teenager was a real threat.
And, wow, he delivered - big time!

 

[domalino]

It moves so quickly. I used to follow it really closely but like most things I’ve kind of lost a bit of interest as I’ve got older.

But I was watching a bit of the US Open the other week and they flashed up the WTA World rankings. I was going down the list struggling to find a name I’d even heard of.

The WTA is in a bit of an odd spot at the moment because everything was set up for 2 players to pretty much dominate the game post-Serena but Osaka is struggling with her mental health and Ash Barty retired at 25 out of nowhere.


So that created a bit of a vaccuum where some journeymen (journeywomen?) have jumped up the rankings in their late 20's like Kim Pegula and Ons Jabeur. There's a really good generation coming up behind them that promises an amazing decade of women's tennis, Swiatek is the first to break through, then Raducanu, Fernandez, Rybakina (won wimbledon), Anisimova, Gauff are all 18-22 and really good but they're not quite there yet.