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Sep/16

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Did Federer sell his tennis soul to fashion?

federerThis is a very interesting opinion a reader sent regarding the Federer fall and the rise of Wawrinka:

“Wawrinka’s style is the Federer style of tennis with a heavy ball coming to you. Federer lost the edge when he became a fashion star and was more interested in style and costume as if he is going to a modeling ramp in the tennis court. He lost his masculine power and became feminine in his ways and movement.”

It’s hard to disagree with this observation isn’t it? Question:

Federer supposedly gave the nickname of “Stanimal” to Wawrinka as a sarcastic put down to imply that Wawrinka is more “beast” than “brilliant” – Apparently tried and true Wawrinka fans prefer the “Stan the man” moniker because the sense is that “Stanimal” is a veiled insult to portray Wawrinka as a physical brute while Federer continues to enjoy his hallowed image as “The Artist” – Perhaps this would explain Wawrinka’s repeated finger points to his mind which could very well be a secret response to Federer and any other critic who underestimates his intelligence and court IQ –

By the way did you know Federer said (in the first week of the US Open) he was cheering for Rafa to win the US Open? Rather surprising that did not show his support to Wawrinka (via Twitter) until AFTER Stan won the final on Sunday isn’t it?

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5 comments

  • Kevin Devereux · September 13, 2016 at 3:03 pm

    Not that I have an inside scoop, but I don’t buy it. Stanimal himself says it’s his favourite nickname:

    “My favorite nickname? Stanimal makes me laugh,” he told Le Journal du Dimanche. “It conveys the attacking dimension of my game รขโ‚ฌยฆ I put the physical in everything I do. I want to go the distance in long matches … Plus, it was Roger Federer who first came up with that at the 2014 Australian Open. Also, sometimes, he calls me that.”

    Worth noting also that Federer referenced the “temple point” in his twitter congrats.

    https://twitter.com/rogerfederer/status/775350901913640960/photo/1

  • Doogie · September 13, 2016 at 5:02 pm

    Very curious about your article which will prob. seen here tomorrow about the Williams sister and doping.

    For me just another example that doping in tennis is not out of ordinary.

    I still think nearly everyone (!) takes something

  • catherine bell · September 14, 2016 at 2:52 am

    ‘feminine in his ways and movement’ ???

    People think they can make any kinds of observations online and no offense and/or legal action will be taken.

    This applies to the breaking WADA story as well.

    Might be simpler, but less provocative to say that Federer got older and his style changed, as can happen.
    He never had Wawrinka’s sheer bullying power.

  • Scoop Malinowski · September 14, 2016 at 8:12 am

    Catherine: Federer had the bullying power when he was ruling the sport – how quickly forget how Federer use to destroy people and destroy careers with ruthless impunity –

  • catherine bell · September 14, 2016 at 10:37 am

    Yes, he certainly did destroy players etc and was the supreme player of his era – I, for one, haven’t forgotten anything.

    But Wawrinka plays a different style, one that appears ‘heavier’ although stastically it’s probably not.

    I would still object to the comment on Federer – it’s got a subtext, and I’m not too naive (see drugs post ๐Ÿ™‚ ) to pick it up. That’s what I was responding to.

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