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Who said King Roger was finished?
38 Comments · Posted by Scoop Malinowski in Articles, Scoop
After getting trounced by Rafael Nadal in Miami, the future of Roger Federer at the top level of tennis looked doomed.
But the old man in the Barclays World Tour Finals showed there is plenty of gas left in his tank as he won the event for a record sixth time. Old man Roger, age 30, won his third straight ATP event to close out another fine ATP season.
Showing no signs of the devastating semifinal loss to Novak Djokovic at the U.S. Open, Federer capped off an excellent fall season by outplaying the French powerhouse Jo Wilfried Tsonga, 6-3 6-7, 6-3 in today’s final.
With Rafael Nadal’s diminished foot speed as well as an admitted loss of passion for the game, and Novak Djokovic facing massive pressure to defend all those points and titles next year, the former king of the tennis throne looks to be in perfect position to seize power once again.
Ageless doubles wonder Daniel Nestor, the oldest man in the event at almost 40, won the doubles with Max Mirnyi as they overcame the Polish Power due of Marcin Matkowski and Mariusz Fyrstenberg who were contesting there first ever World Tour Finals. Mr. Longevity Nestor, who lost a Davis Cup singles match vs. Marcelo Rios in 1996 in three sets, has now won this event four out of the last five years.
Ageless wonders · Federer and Nestor
Dan Markowitz · November 28, 2011 at 2:02 am
What did you shoot this picture at the bottom of a fish bowl? You can’t help but get Rios into your story. You’re becoming like me with Spadea.
Anyway, I heard Brad Gilbert say that he thinks Fed will have a better 2012 than he did 2011. I’m in the Missouri state of mind now about Fed. Show me outside of an indoor event that you can handle Rafa and Novak because it wasn’t happening this year on the outside.
That being said, what Fed has done at the end of the season is starting to become Lendl-ish. We have about one and a half months before the real season begins.
Mitch · November 28, 2011 at 2:29 am
I really like what Steve Tignor said in his recap of the match “He finishes 2011 not as the best player in the world or the champion at its biggest tournaments, but as the last man standing, the last man smiling, the last man crying, the last man winning.”
There are so many interesting narratives and question marks going into 2012. Should be another great year.
Steve · November 28, 2011 at 2:46 am
It’s all clicking for Federer right now and I’m loving it and I needed no predictions from Brad Gilbert or anyone else. You just needed to watch Fed play. And, Dan, Fed handled Novak just fine at the French, whatever excuse you come up with. I hope Novak brings it in 2012 and we can have some amazing matches with he & Fed.
I tried to explain professional doubles tennis to a non-tennis fan and if you ever tried you realize how bizarre it is as the words come out of your mouth. It’s almost as if it’s an alternate universe exists in our sport where players not at the top can make amazing amounts of cash. Yet they live in constant fear that a top singles player(like a Nadal) want’s to work on his volleys and enters their tournament bracket.
Don’t misunderstand I love watching doubles and seeing Nestor & fill in the blank partner face Nadal & Lopez or Fed and Stanislas but it’s very odd.
lit · November 28, 2011 at 11:55 am
“It’s all clicking for Federer right now and I’m loving it and I needed no predictions from Brad Gilbert or anyone else. You just needed to watch Fed play. And, Dan, Fed handled Novak just fine at the French, whatever excuse you come up with.”
WORD!
Dan Markowitz · November 28, 2011 at 12:05 pm
Federer, my friends, has not achieved anything to date that shows he will rule 2012. The only man who holds the throne now is Djokovic. That’s the simple fact. They won’t be playing with no wind, sun and fast, low-bouncing courts in Aussie-land. Why do all you who hail Fed choose to ignore history?
In the last three years, Fed has dominated the late-season, indoor-events, and yet he hasn’t won a slam in two years. Doesn’t that tell you anything? Djoko put forth an amazing season, an other-worldly triumph at the Open, taking down Fed and Nadal, back-to-back (and as Yankee announcer, John Sterling, likes to say, “and a belly-to-belly”), there had to be a let-down.
Now we’ve seen it, but I don’t for one moment think Djoko is going to get beaten by Fed or Nadal in Australia. Maybe if it’s 100-degrees, but I still think Djoko knows how to train and that we have not seen the best of Djoko yet.
I predict once more, he’s winning the Slam in 2012 and is going to streak to the front of the GOAT standings.
And in doubles, the fear of the singles player devoting his talents to doubles is over-wrought. There used to be top singles players playing doubles, Mac, Smith, Gottfried, but not anymore. I mean Fed even lost to Dolgo and Malisse pairing with Stan the man in Indy Wells. Doubles is a specialists’ game now with the big money in singles.
I’d like to see a doubles player gain some traction in the singles fields. The only one, to my mind, who has is Rik DeVoest of S. Africa.
Scoop Malinowski · November 28, 2011 at 1:03 pm
Llodra too.
Scoop Malinowski · November 28, 2011 at 1:07 pm
Yes I flew over to London and just took that one shot from the press section ) a couple of rows over from Pippa, Yes I gotta pipe up Rios, he’s a legend of the sport. I mean to beat the likes of a Vince Spadea 62 60 in the final of St. Poulten is one helluvan result. Good point O2 does look like a fish bowl lol.
lit · November 28, 2011 at 1:51 pm
“Federer, my friends, has not achieved anything to date that shows he will rule 2012”
Who said he will or should rule? And who cares???? His fans love watching him play and let others worry about goathood.
Catch if you can, just don’t die while doing it 🙂
Steve · November 28, 2011 at 2:26 pm
Dan, if you’re this stubborn on the court you must be an amazing player. HA.
By bringing up Dolgo, you’ve made my point about doubles.
Scoop Malinowski · November 28, 2011 at 3:20 pm
To take a cynics view of London, one could say that Nadal, Djokovic and Murray willingly gave the London title to Federer. Let me explain. Rafa was clearly not at his best and has more important duties to take care of in competing for Spain in the Davis Cup final in Spain next week. Murray said he had a minor injury and checked out. Djokovic undoubtedly has nothing more to prove this year he has #1 wrapped up easily almost doubling the points of #2 Nadal and while he showed flashes of brilliance clearly he was not extremely motivated to win the event, like he will be to defend Australia. Federer seized on the opportunity and played superb tennis to beat the second tier guys Ferrer and Tsonga who have yet to win a major. The question remains unanswered though, let’s see if Roger can play this type of winning tennis again when it really counts in Australia. If not, the critics will still have their doubts about if Roger can still win a major.
Tom Michael · November 28, 2011 at 4:18 pm
Someone posted that Federer has not won a major in two years. If he fails to win Australia in a couple months, then it will be two years. However, Federer is not finished.
Dan Markowitz · November 28, 2011 at 5:29 pm
Since when did Llorda become a top singles guy? And Melzer is fast losing that distinction. Dolgo doesn’t always play doubles. I don’t think he played doubs at the Open.
Look, it’s all conjecture now. Fed wins his 70th title in 100 finals. Pretty impressive stuff. But now he’s got to go Down Under and beat Novak/Rafa and maybe Murray, who’s probably looking to knock Fed off after what Fed about Murray’s wins in Asia not amounting much.
Look, I’m stoked. I think this all leads to a more interesting next slam.
Thomas Covenant · November 28, 2011 at 5:39 pm
“But now he’s got to go Down Under and beat Novak/Rafa and maybe Murray, who’s probably looking to knock Fed off after what Fed about Murray’s wins in Asia not amounting much.”
Funny, because I do remember Murray´s comment, with reference to what Federer allegedly said, just fine: “Hopefully, we’ll get a chance to play in the next week and we can let the tennis do the talking”
…next thing you knew, Murray chickened out…
Tipsarevic said the wouldn´t have thought in the slightest that something was wrong with Murray when the two practiced together at the O2 – he rather expected Fish to pull out as most of the other guys did, but Fish actually stood his ground. To me it seems as if Murray didn´t particularly like to play at “home”.
Mitch · November 28, 2011 at 7:12 pm
Stepanek is probably the best example of a doubles guy who transitioned into a top singles player. Llodra almost cracked the top 20 earlier this year, which is pretty amazing when you think about it.
Dan Markowitz · November 28, 2011 at 7:25 pm
I never remember Steppy being a doubles specialist except in his tryst with Hingis and marriage to Vaidisova.
Scoop Malinowski · November 28, 2011 at 9:59 pm
Steps played dubs with Jiri Novak and then Korda took Step under his wing and told him if you listen to what I say you can be top 50 in the world. Steps was ranked over 100. He eventually got to top 15 or top 10 for a few weeks.
Scoop Malinowski · November 28, 2011 at 10:00 pm
By the way, did you know Federer and Djokovic both played the exact number of matches this year – 76? 64-12 to 70-6.
Andrew Miller · November 29, 2011 at 3:20 am
Ha Dan’s comment on Steps and doubles (Hingis/Vaidisova) is awesome! I think one writer had referred to Steps as the “Czech lothario”. Pretty unbelievable to me. Vaidisova is to Czech Republic as Kournikova is to Russia?
I liked Vaidisova’s game. It’s too bad – she and Ivanovic were, basically, part of the big babe brigade who rose up to challenge the Williams sisters’ dominance only to be beat by the Clijsters-Henin-Williams-Williams, over and over again.
Ivanovic MAY have another major in her. MAYBE. She is like the WTA’s Del Potro.
Tom Michael · November 29, 2011 at 8:41 pm
Vaidosova, Ivanovic, and I will include more attractive tennis factory, corporate package products like Jankovic, Hantuchova, Sharapova, Azarenka, and even the Williams sisters in some ways, i.e. little girls in pretty boxes, to be the ruin of women’s tennis. BTW Grunting is not ruining it. I have no desire to see them win too many majors in the immediate future.
I hope that Petra Kvitova shows the world what serious tennis looks like in the women’s circuit. I just love watching her school the likes of these brainless baseline bashers.
Scoop Malinowski · November 29, 2011 at 10:03 pm
Would love to see Ana win another major but she has not even come close in a long time. Andrew, Vaidisova was a much ballyhooed WTA star in the making, she had all kinds of endorsement deals (Reebok, the TV commericial about the watches “Unstoppable”, etc.) and she came close to making a final of a slam, had a match point I believe, but after that she went downhill and ended up quitting the sport before the age of 21 or 22. A case of tennis burnout. She was definitely hot stuff at one time, a tennis beauty on the rise, like a Sharapova and Kournikova, but it unfortunately never panned out. I saw a photo of her hitting at IMG Academy a year ago but not sure if she has any desire to make a comeback.
Scoop Malinowski · November 29, 2011 at 10:08 pm
Tom I get the sense you are not a big fan of women’s tennis, in that regard you and Dan are in agreement – for a change! I enjoy womens tennis, some of the best matches were WTA matches, Capriati winning her first major from four MPs down to Hingis, Mauresmo winning her Wimbledon title, the Bondarenko sisters winning the Australian doubles. Petkodancer any time she wins a thriller. Li Na winning the French Open. Kvitova winning Wimbledon this year. I know many fans don’t like the monotony of baseline bashing between two righties with two handed backhands who stay back on the baseline, but there still are some great matches and some finesse players who can mix it up like Radwanska, Schiavone, etc.
Dan Markowitz · November 30, 2011 at 12:07 am
You’re right, Scoop. I am not a fan of women’s tennis. The Williams sisters to me, except for when they were both young and wore the beads, and were so outrageous, imagine! black girls from Compton hitting the crap out of the ball, beating Steffi and the other girls!!, are a bore. Never liked that they didn’t play each other seriously.
Now, to watch, say, a Christina McHale match, is pretty much torture. There’s not enough athleticism in the average women’s match. That’s why I loved Navratilova, but basically couldn’t stand Evert Lloyd. I like this newcomer, Madison Keys, interested to see how her young career starts arcing. I liked Mauresmo a lot because she was so stylish. And Clijsters is pretty cool because later in her career she has done what Hingis did–which was beat both Williams sisters.
I’m not a Williams’ hater. I think earlier in her career, Serena, was pretty cool and a good interview. Venus is one of the worst interviews in sport (my personal lineup: Patrick Ewing, Bernie Williams, Charles Oakley–only because I literally couldn’t understand a word he said–Venus, Nadal and Sampras).
I dislike women’s tennis to such a degree that I literally cannot watch the women’s singles, and usually the doubles, part of a WTT contest. I can watch a Jesse Witten-Dusan Vemic match, barely, but I can’t watch, say, Melanie Oudin vs. Katie O’Brien.
If Billie Jean makes a comeback, or Alexandra Stevenson gets out of the Challengers, wake me up.
Andrew Miller · November 30, 2011 at 12:32 am
I see everyone’s point…for the record I love WTA tennis. I just love tennis. For Dan – I saw Spadea’s sister play in West Palm Beach, Luanne Spadea (one of the two Spadea girls?). She was 18 or so years old I think, and on her way to Duke University. Her style seemed to resemble today’s baseline WTA players, but it was pretty amazing to see someone so consistent at the time. I think she was top 200 or so? It was a local, meaningless hard court tournament. I think even then, in 1991, they were talking about her brother, who was always listed as top seed at every junior tournament I went to. And you see, I looked at all the boards – the 12s, 14s, 16s, 18s, and Spadea was always or almost always top seed. To me anyways, he really is the only “Florida” product – actually born and raised there during Florida’s turn as “the place” to be, to make it big on the tour.
But anyhows heck I do love WTA tennis. I like watching players surprise me. Like Kirilenko – she has a very clever game (don’t get me wrong, she’s also super beautiful). Henin’s one handed backhand, remarkable. I loved watching Dani Hantuchova just hit that backhand, sheesh it is such a shot.
Anyhows – I can see the point about the monotony on the WTA tour in terms of style. Seems like an opportunity for a player to do something special. Kvitova did something special, she did not play a boring style this year…seems to pay off!
Steve · November 30, 2011 at 1:52 pm
I openly wept when Henin retired the first time. Beating both Williams sisters back to back at the US Open was incredible to watch –that’s how tennis should be played! Beautiful all court tennis.
I do like watching Alize Cornet but she may not be strong enough to get the the top. I like Kvitova, nice lefty serve and an interesting style of play. I like Sharapova in the same way women like Nadal, I guess. 🙂 She’s a fighter too.
Dan Markowitz · November 30, 2011 at 2:21 pm
Watching Sharapova play is like a power tool tear up a sidewalk–all brawn, no beauty. She is a beautiful woman, but her game is emblematic with what’s wrong with the women’s game. You’ve got too many Sharapova’s or ova’s who’s games are indistinguishable, hit out on both sides, but no nuance, little athleticism and little personality.
Tom Michael · November 30, 2011 at 3:20 pm
I do not like Women’s Tennis as a whole. I confess! But I follow it enough, particularly for a feel-good finish. I was cheering for Li Na to win Roland Garros this year, especially after she beat Kvitova in the round of 16 down 0-3 in the 3rd set–she had to be worthy to win the event after this performance. I was cheering for Kvitova all the way at Wimbledon. At the US Open, I was actually rooting for Serena, but after her outburst again, I went for Sam in the final. I was always aware of Schiavone’s talent, and was thrilled for her win in 2010 Roland Garros. I am happy for Clijsters’ Renaissance as a player, and hope she finishes 2012 in style, whatever it may be. It should be her last season. I do hope she may win a slam event she never won before, like Roland Garros in singles. I also hope she medals at the Olympics at singles, doubles, or mixed, whatever she plays. I hope team of Serena/Roddick wins the Australian and French Opens in mixed doubles, completing career Super Slam for Serena winning all 12 grand slam events in singles, doubles, and mixed in a career. I hope they also win Olympic Gold; though they may have a tough road with the team Kvitova/Berdych. I ultimately hope Kvitova dominates 2012 in singles, winning two slams like a repeat performance at Wimbledon, and maybe Australian or US Open.
Scoop Malinowski · November 30, 2011 at 9:11 pm
Womens tennis can be bad theater sometimes, like a Kuzzzzznetsova vs. Zzzzzvonareva match in a stadium half full in just about silence except for the grunting. It’s like two robots playing. Devoid of any drama or flair. Then on the other hand you can see magic such as Schiavone playing that perfect high flying tiebreak to win Paris vs. Sam and almost even better was the interview she did after with Johnny Mac. Ivanovic is always fun to watch, she gives you the fist pumps and emotions. Wozniacki is fun to watch, she is a fun character, did you see her dancing with Cibulkova on court, for like 2 minutes! Looking forward to see her get the critics off her back. Serena is always drama in one way or another. Venus has become rather subdued and withdrawn on the court, she used to be so expressive and joyful when she won. Li Na, how can you not like her, she made history. First Asian woman to win a slam. Wonder what the next continent will be to make history? Maybe Kei as the first Asian man to win a slam? Can’t leave out Bartoli, she is a fighter to the highest degree. I also like Peng Shuai, not sure why, just do. Also like Pennetta and Radwanska. Zvonareva and Azarenka are fantastic interviews but their matches can be dull. Kvitova could be a lot of fun to watch next year, hope she has the hunger to win more and dominate, unlike some of the Eastern Europeans who get one and kind of drop off. So there are many highlights of woman’s tennis to balance out the dull matches.
Scoop Malinowski · November 30, 2011 at 9:14 pm
Kind of tired of Sharapova now too, she gives blander than bland interviews and her game is just so darn predictable. You know what’s going to happen. That’s one reason why Marcelo Rios was such a pleasure to watch, you never knew what was going to happen, what kind of shot he was going to try. Like some admirers of Rios say, “He played a different game than everyone else, he was ahead of his time, his time still hasn’t come yet.”
RIP · December 1, 2011 at 3:15 am
Scooop,
Are you forgetting that dramatic Kirilenko vs. Stosur match we watched from right behind Stosur’s chair at the Open? That was exciting stuff and Kirilenko was coming forward attacking net a lot.
Serena will have an impactful 2012, IMO, because it’s the olympics and because the Olympics are at Wimbledon where they’ve dominated.
Barring injury, Kvitova will win double digits in majors, IMO, she’s got total game, she’s lefty, she understands how to create angles to open the court, she finishes at net better than any other top 10 player, IMO, and she didn’t come from some tennis factory where she hit for 7 hours a day. Her game will expand even more as she gains experience.
Thomas Tung · December 1, 2011 at 4:16 am
The only guy I can think of who was top 10 in both singles and doubles over the last 15 years was Yevgeny Kafelnikov.
As for Petra Kvitova, I’m a big fan of her game. If she can just hold it steady over the next few years, she could really bring women’s tennis to another level, and (hopefully) inspire young girls to play a more fluid and flexible style. I greatly enjoyed watching women’s tennis during the mid-90s to early 2000s simply because there was still quite a bit of variety in the women’s game then. You had bashers like Seles, Pierce, and Davenport. Steffi in a category all her own. Relentless grinders like Arantxa Sanchez-Vicario. Netrushers like Jana Novotna. And brainy types like Hingis. One of my most enjoyable tennis experiences was watching the 1998 Chase Championships in Madison Square Garden — got to see quite a few of the women’s players there, and greatly enjoyed all the matches, both singles and doubles, that I saw there.
Dan Markowitz · December 1, 2011 at 6:35 am
Wait a second, Scoop, you enjoy watching Wozniaki play!!? Are you kidding me. She is one of the great bores of the women’s game. She rarely does anything unpredictable. I know even a top junior girl who said she can’t stand to watch her play.
I had Gabriela Niculescu in my yoga class tonight. She said her sister is No. 30 in the world from Romania. Funny, it was so hot and humid, and it was her first class, and I had to tell her to stop drinking so much water. And she apologized afterward. That’s when I heard about her sister, who as I just googled her, Monica Niculescu, had a career-high ranking this year of No. 24. And if she comes into my class and drinks too much water like her sister, I’ll have to tell her to stop, too.
Scoop Malinowski · December 1, 2011 at 12:58 pm
I more remember Fred Stolle not even turning his head to watch the dramatic tiebreak in the media cafeteria! The longest tiebreak in history. When we ran out to grandstand to catch the third set it was a domination by Sam. Wish we were out there for the tiebreak though. That match sure toughened Sam up.
Scoop Malinowski · December 1, 2011 at 1:04 pm
Agree Thomas that was such a fantastic event, loved covering it then and seeing all the matches, doubles too. Wish they still had that event at MSG. Remember seeing Wilt Chamberlin sitting about 15 rows up by himself watching a match, he loved tennis. Derek Jeter was there one time too, at a Kournikova match, sitting in the front row.
Scoop Malinowski · December 1, 2011 at 1:10 pm
Yes I do enjoy Wozniacki play, why? Because I just like her personality. She’s a very nice person, incredibly nice and down to earth. Interviewed and conversed with her several times and she’s the most normal one of all. So that aspect makes me want to watch her play and follow her results. I think she plays that standardized baseline game a bit differently than the others though. She moves very nimbly on her feet and has a nice flow to her game, she is not quite as mechanical and stiff. Plus, she is a very clean and fair competitor and has excellent relations with all the other players.
Scoop Malinowski · December 1, 2011 at 1:12 pm
Monica Niculescu is a top player, she wins a lot of matches, though I have never actually seen her play she is always in the results in the newspaper agates. Tell us more Dan is Gabriela a player too? What brought her to Yoga for the first time and how did she like it? What’s wrong with drinking too much water when it’s 120 degrees for hot yoga, you don’t want anybody to faint in there.
Dan Markowitz · December 1, 2011 at 1:46 pm
You don’t want to drink too much water in a hot yoga class or during any physical activity. I read in Jon Wertheim’s “Strokes of Genius,” that Fed and Nadal are very careful to just sip water at changeovers because they don’t want to bloat themselves. Most of their heavy drinking is done before they step on the court.
Gabriela, apparently played pro tennis at the Futures level and now she teaches 45 hours a week at a club in New Caanan. If you’ve ever taught a lot of tennis you know that even if you’re young, your back gets tight very quickly. Feeding balls and picking up hoppers and hoppers of balls is not a good recipe for a strong back. So the yoga will strengthen your core.
I couldn’t tell that she was an athlete because she’s a little heavyset, but she was very nice after class and we’ll see if she comes back.
Scoop Malinowski · December 1, 2011 at 4:48 pm
Seems all the players take those small sips from each bottle, even the doubles players, every player drinks their drinks the same exact way. If Gabriela comes back you should think about doing an interview with her, might be interesting to hear about her life in tennis, and the junior program of Romania.
Michael · December 4, 2011 at 8:11 am
“Who said King Roger was finished?”
Dan did. After Miami as I recall. He also said back in January that Roddick has a good chance to win a Major in 2011. He also said sometime in the Summer, I think, that Djoker’s 2011 would turn out to be the best season ever — and so did you. Is anyone buying that anymore. One of the better 9 month seasons certainly. But the season lasts 11 months. Nadal basically took the life out of Djoker in NY.
And considering Fed is what, 29 or 30, he still stacks up pretty well against the number 1 player, six years his junior. Beat him on clay to end the streak, probably Fed’s weakest surface, when Djoker was at peak form. And Fed was beating him handily in NY until, well I don’t know how that match got away but it did. Craziest shot of the year Djoker’s forehand…