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Nov/19

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Federer Falls To Tsitsipas At Nitto Finals

Stefanos Tsitsipas masterclassed Roger Federer today at the ATP Nitto World Tour Finals first semi 63 64, saving eleven of twelve break points.

Federer took an unsportsmanlike swipe at Tsitsipas’s serving under pressure success today, saying to the media after, “Spinning a second serve into the body and getting an error…I’m not sure that’s mental toughness.”

Federer was broken in the second game of the match, missing two normal overhead smashes at net. “I think getting broken with missing two smashes in one game, that hasn’t [happened] in a long, long time or ever. So that was tough,” Federer said. “That’s not something you can train or practise for. [My] feet were not quite there yet, still not quite getting used to the high ones.”

Federer was simply outplayed by the 6th ranked 21-year-old Greek who also beat him at the Australian Open this year. Federer also beat Tsitsipas twice this year in Dubai and Basel.

This Tsitsipas performance commanded some respect by the master. “I thought that he played really well. He took the ball early. I know he does that. I thought I returned pretty good on the first serve… But for the most part, I wasn’t quite getting into the rallies the way I wanted to,” Federer said. “I think I have to credit him for pushing me to not play at the level I was hoping to today.”

Gunning for his third ATP title of 2019, Tsitsipas described the victory. “Sometimes in matches like this, you wonder how you overcome all these difficulties, all these break points down. It’s really a mental struggle, so I’m really proud that I managed to save so many break points today,” Tsitsipas said. “I was trying not to give an easy time to Roger. He was playing good and shout out to him as well. He did pretty well this week.”

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104 comments

  • Andrew Miller · November 17, 2019 at 7:25 pm

    Catherine, I first noticed Goerges for her game – I caught one of her matches not too far away. I said that’s a good player, and wow she’s from Germany, and I thought her game was more “textbook” than Petkovic (who I also associate with German tennis, so too of course Kerber and Lisicki).

    I was a little far from the action and watched from sidelines. Saw the US Open now years after that match and said, yes she has a solid game and some drive, wants it. Then I said ah she’s also a good looking girl! Can’t help it. Doesn’t seem like it’s gotten to her but what would I know.

  • Andrew Miller · November 17, 2019 at 7:28 pm

    Man, Tsitsipas wins, beating Thiem, who I thought would “Massu” everyone on the way to a fine title. But it is Tsitsipas, predictable serve and all, who master-classes everyone this time around. If he had put in more effort and “died on the court” against Nadal, there’s a chance he’d have been undefeated this ATP Finals. Small chance, but a chance.

    Yeah. Tsitsipas. What a way to pull off a nice title. He should feel good, motivated. The big guys also have less practice time for Australia. Is it possible we’ll see a new champ in Australia BECAUSE of the crazy new format for Davis Cup? Because it deprives Federer, other of that massive advantage they have for training – where they use this period to climb hills, drink potions, whatever they do in the off-season, do nine on ones on the court etc.

  • Hartt · November 17, 2019 at 7:33 pm

    Goerges does not seem to make a big deal of her looks. I just had a look at her Instagram and most of the pics show her as a tennis player. There are some that emphasize her looks, but none of the “cheesy” photos that some of the women players post.

  • Andrew Miller · November 17, 2019 at 7:58 pm

    As much as Instagram says something, Hartt, I truly do not know what any of it communicates. I am coming around to the possibility that the Instagram “billboard” is helpful for players to telegraph things, present some image or help sponsorships. I don’t like the idea of it because it’s like the old “Image is Everything” Canon camera advertisements from the 1990s, which stuck with Agassi until Agassi changed his brand in the 2000s – but instead of Agassi only it’s tons and tons and tons of athletes.

    Again I don’t know how to see it other than the player and their team show you what they want to see. And like Catherine has said before the long form reporting like what Pete Bodo used to write or even Scott Price (SI Price) and Jon Wertheim wrote has “gone out of style”. Those also had a lot of what the player wanted to share, but they went beyond because often those journalists did their homework and like Dan, Scoop, spoke to many people. Or like Catherine, who I am sure did her homework!

    Never get the reality. But it would at least provide a decent perspective or more in depth one. Scoop’s 360 degree takes on players are special. I sure do hope that players are reading something like the many good tennis books out there, but I don’t even read one percent of what I’d like to read.

    Hartt thanks for the podcast recommendations. I have stuck to only a few for now as I can’t keep up. I can barely keep up with the changes in the sport a foot. The Tsitsipas rise caught me totally off guard, I had no idea he’d get to this point.

    Zverev I have a bias, I think he’s over-rated and needs a big pushy brother to breathe down his neck to get him to play 90 percent of his capability. But over-rated or not he’s top ten and that means he has good draws and good opportunities to be relevant. Even a “player”

    I still maintain as it comes to the young guys the dust is far from settled. I have my favorites and then other players I think will sneak up on everyone much as De Minaur and Nishikori in the past had done. I also think other players have more in the tank. Another thing that may unfold, the revenge of everyone else as the big three decline ever so slowly.

  • Jeff · November 17, 2019 at 8:06 pm

    Goerges has that one pic on her Instagram in a leather skirt that I highly recommend. I put in my 2 cents offering my hand in marriage as well but she has yet to respond.

    This next gen is really captivating – you have the Big 4 in Thiem, Tsitsipas, Zverev and Medvedev with Shapo and Felix close behind and then a guy like Sinner who can challenge for Slams as well. And Khachanov, Hurkasz and DeMinaur are dangerous wild cards as well.

    What it means is that the Americans will have to wait another 20 years to produce a Slam champion since Fritz/Opelka/Tiafoe can hardly compete on that level and reach the ATP finals. I do think Fritz will get there one day but I expect the players above to collect Slams.

  • Harold · November 17, 2019 at 9:22 pm

  • Andrew Miller · November 17, 2019 at 9:40 pm

    Jeff man that was funny. Goerges!

    I got no crystal ball. But sometimes seeing a peer player do well motivates players. For all we know Taylor Fritz has gotten his mojo back over the long break post indoor season and is dying to take on Tsitsipas. Or Opelka is like I can serve this guy off the court. Or Tiafoe decided to work on his forehand and conditioning after a so-so next gen finals.

    Or some other U.S. guy in the wings. Only reasons I say this, tennis works in funny ways and motivation isn’t straightforward. Donaldson for all I know is dying to get a crack at this again. When McEnroe played the 1986 ATP final against Becker (?) in Atlanta and announcers talked about Mayotte, Gilbert, Goldie, Wittsken I think, and said yeah is there anyone who is coming behind McEnroe? The announcers concluded: “No, there is no U.S. player on the horizon that can do what McEnroe or Becker is doing, there’s no Becker equivalent.”

    We all know what took place after that. 1989, Chang wins French Open. 1990 Sampras wins US Open. 1991 Courier French Open. 1992 Agassi Wimbledon.

    No one saw it coming in the broadcast booth but it doesn’t mean it wasn’t there. I haven’t seen much to be happy about, but these guys do have a pride thing when they are going to at least want to get a slam QF or SF if they haven’t already, just to match Querrey and Isner.

    Could be worse. Like Dan said look at France.

  • Jeff · November 17, 2019 at 11:50 pm

    I am not sure the Basel security guard is the most objective person to comment on Fed but it is what it is.

    I find Fed’s on-court arrogance charming. Even though he should be past his prime, look how upset he was to lose to a stud like Tsitsipas. It just speaks to how manically competitive he is. But all of us should imagine what it is like actually being Roger Federer. He has a charmed, perfect life but when he loses one match, it is considered headline news and disastrous. Yet you don’t see him carrying that kind of pressure. Not even Nadal and Djokovic face that kind of glare.

    I have never understood the idea of rooting for one of these players at the expense of the others. To me you are not a true tennis fan to do that. There are players worth rooting against, like Sock and Kyrgios for their boorish behavior. But why people criticize the Big 3 and Murray I will never understand.

    Maybe the best kind of career to have is Wawrinka – a great champion and has he ever been criticized in any way? Not that I can think of.

  • catherine · November 18, 2019 at 12:55 am

    Andrew – I’m sorry to say I gave up interviewing players a long time ago partly because it became too difficult, also no one ever likes what you write about them (and I minded that, very unprofessional) and I felt I wasn’t particularly good at it. So I used freelancers instead who didn’t care a bit and came back with good stories. But as you say, those days are gone.

    Instagram – those can hide as much as they reveal – you have to learn to read them. I just looked and Angie hasn’t posted a public twitter/IG for several weeks. Could mean something but probably doesn’t. Shampoo ad was her last comment. ‘Go your own way’.

    Jeff – I suspect you’re at the back of a long line with your proposal 🙂

  • Jon King · November 18, 2019 at 1:23 am

    Ha, Juan the security guard said Federer wasn’t arrogant. Gee, sounds like a PR planted story if there ever was one. Newsflash….a guy who flies a private plane carrying 7 people polluting the earth instead of flying first class on a plane carrying 400 people is arrogant. End of story.

  • Hartt · November 18, 2019 at 8:39 am

    It’s true it isn’t easy to get in depth info on tennis these days. I use a variety of sources, and each has its strengths and weaknesses. Regarding Instagram I think it is purely for fun, for the “fluff”. I joined to get stories about Kevin Anderson’s dog, for goodness sake!

    The ATP website has some good videos with player interviews, etc. I initially became a big Khachanov fan from seeing interviews with him, although I had been aware of him since he did well in the Moscow tourney as a teenager. But Karen’s charm made me a fan even before he started to have big results.

    Blogs such as Tennis-Prose provide a different look at tennis. Someone mentioned Tsitsipas, and Scoop wrote about meeting him and his father a few years ago, when no one had heard of him. So he was on our radar before he started to get big results. Gill Gross, who does “Monday Match Analysis” also recognized Stefanos’ talent early on and before the beginning of the season predicted Stef would finish in the No.8 spot. Stefanos finished at No.6.

    Match Call Migrants has a limited membership because it was originally established to ensure “civilized” discussion, without the nastiness you so often see online. But because its members are from several different countries we get a wide variety of news. For example, our member from Romania, who is an expert on the WTA, writes about what is happening with Simona, including within Romania.

    On Today’s “Tennis Podcast” Matt Roberts, who is in Madrid, talked about the atmosphere in the city as well as at the arena. Subway stops have players’ names as well as their countries’ flags. He said it is cold and raining, which is a problem for the stands set up for the tournament because they are basically outdoors. The players are pleased with the facilities, especially the large locker room provided for each team.

    Roberts said that ticket sales are sluggish for the first few days, except for Spain’s matches. He also said that the coach for Croatia’s team was not at the press conference because there is a dispute between him and the federation, with the players siding with the federation. They feel that he has been too busy with his regular coaching to provide enough assistance throughout the year.

  • Andrew Miller · November 18, 2019 at 9:20 am

    Federer is a complex guy. I’m sure lots of people want him to fly coach and hand out lollipops to kids. You might not like him but he’s not like other players dads who go after tennis parents or officials etc.

    I’m ok seeing the full dimension of the guy, that he is ticked off after a loss or bristling after a question. Seriously if he was a total gentleman all the time he wouldn’t be still out there beating most players most of the time and staying even as father time takes its toll.

    Is this works than when Giorgi doesn’t even shake an opponent’s hand after losing?

    These players have a lot of desire and pride, more probably than most humans. They are specialists in winning tennis matches and amassing glory. They aren’t normal as much as we want them to have a beer and drive a station wagon. And they aren’t hiring people to pull a Tonya Harding either.

    All of them remind me of Connors these days but more subdued. Connors following his US Open loss to Courier wasn’t charitable at all at age 38? Why??? He wanted more glory. We’re talking a guy that won more matches than anyone in history and believed that no matter what age he could conjure the magic and he wasn’t wrong…until he ran up against someone with a similar amount of desire yet more speed better tactics fresher legs an easier draw fewer kids who knows?!

    I don’t mind teenage Federer showing up or breaking through the appearance of total civility. I can’t stand no handshakes etc, it’s not right.

  • Andrew Miller · November 18, 2019 at 9:24 am

    Jeff I am embarrassed to have rooted for Nadal in his US open final. Afterwards I was like why? Here was Medvedev in the finest effort yet from a young player to get a slam after generations of players were mostly shut out of slams with exceptions. Making a stirring comeback. Admire Nadal for finding his form but why cheer for someone to increase their grip on perceptual slam winning?! Isn’t beinf tops in history best?

    So yeah. Gotta call myself on it.

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 18, 2019 at 9:25 am

    Each match is more than life and death for these top elite historic players, we can’t forget that. Their lives have been dedicated and sacrificed to win that tennis match. Even now Federer is driven to win and failure is not an option. If he feels he screws up more so than the opposing player deserves credit he will say that. Who are we, who are the media, who are the fans to challenge his assessment of the match? Federer said he choked on some easy second serves by Tsitsipas. Who is anybody to dare challenge that assessment? Now the seed is planted in Tsitsipas head that his second serve is junk and he will have to change it. And make it easier for Federer to handle. Anybody see the brilliance in Federer’s mind game to influence Tsitsipas to change his second serve??!!

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 18, 2019 at 9:29 am

    See Andrew, the mental powers of Nadal, he forced you to root for him in US Open F even though you didn’t want to. You wanted to root for Medvedev. Imagine what his mental mind control monster can do to other players? Imagine what Federer’s mind control magic can do to other players, fans and media? 🙂

  • Hartt · November 18, 2019 at 9:40 am

    Somehow I can’t get too bothered by the fact that Fed uses private jets, especially when he is travelling with 4 kids.

    When someone is so vehement about something, nothing is going to change their mind. But so many people have talked about how Federer is friendly with everyone and not arrogant that I tend to believe them. We hear stories from “ordinary” fans who said they happened to meet Fed again after some time and he remembered what they said about their own tennis experiences. Or instances like the volunteer driver who, when Fed asked if he was going to see the match, said he did not have tickets, and Fed arranged for him to receive tickets. Obviously Roger had no way of knowing that this act would become public, and he probably does this sort of thing often and we don’t hear about it.

    He goes to Africa to meet some of the kids his foundation helps (which has reached over 1 million children). The kids have no idea he is famous, or even that there are professional tennis players. He interacts with them and enjoys the experience.

    Of course Federer is not perfect, no one is. But I think he has handled his success and the adoration of countless fans extremely well.

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 18, 2019 at 10:50 am

    If we all had the budget for our own private jets, we’d fly em too. One of my friends has one in Florida. If you can do it, do it. Sure beats taking the greyhound or amtrak.

  • Jon King · November 18, 2019 at 12:54 pm

    Not true Scoop, many billionaires do not fly private planes. One of them has a kid that plays juniors with us, the heir to Ziff publishing. They fly first class but do not want to increase their carbon footprint by being selfish and flying private. Fed is an arrogant jerk, always has been, always will be.

  • Jon King · November 18, 2019 at 1:02 pm

    I knew someone would bring up the Foundation stuff. Players own money do not go to the foundations, its done by sponsors and other funds. Fed’s foundation, and all other foundations by sports personalities, are totally run by others. They fly him in now and then for show. Interesting how many professionally shot videos of Fed in Africa are available. Does anyone really think he goes to Africa and hangs out with no cameras? On his own time? Nonsense, its PR stuff.

    We live in the hotspot for foundations, Palm Beach County. The rich and famous hold lavish parties, spend $300000 on their own entertainment, then $5000 gets donated to charities. I guarantee you several people are making great salaries off Fed’s foundation and the actual amount that benefits the kids is a small percentage. And your only source for the “million kids touched” garbage is from the people who are taking nice salaries from that Foundation.

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 18, 2019 at 1:09 pm

    True, Jon, and I have heard of stories of billionaires living like paupers or even pretending to be homeless. A friend’s friend once even picked up Howard Hughes who ran out of gas on his motorcyle outside Vegas at sundown and drove him back to Vegas.

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 18, 2019 at 1:09 pm

    Most of those foundations are scams.

  • Jeff · November 18, 2019 at 1:13 pm

    It is true that foundations are PR scams. Even Kyrgios has one, which shows what it is worth. As if I would want to donate to Federer or Jennifer Aniston or Tom Hanks or any celeb.

    Still, no reason to bash on Fed. The man has won 20 Slams and is building an empire with new tennis properties like the Laver Cup. He is an inspiration to millions and is a wonderful family man. So many worse role models in the sport of tennis like Kyrgios, Sock or Fognini.

  • Andrew Miller · November 18, 2019 at 1:18 pm

    Scoop, I like Nadal and Federer both, and neither forced me to root for them. I didn’t like Medvedev from seeing him in person, but he made a believer out of me with his wicked runs to titles and finals from July 2019 to October 2019. At the time I couldn’t deny the guy was doing special stuff versus Nadal. But some part of me wanted the champ to win and then when he won I was like why should I be for this guy I should be for the tennis. It isn’t like Verkerk vs Ferrero where I wanted to see a polished clay master like Ferrero grt over his 2002 loss to Costa and redeem himself. It was hey let’s eat someone get another record.

    I am embarrassed. I’m not doing that anymore!!!

  • Hartt · November 18, 2019 at 1:25 pm

    Why are you so hostile towards Federer?

    The Foundation must have to issue proper reports, and there is no reason to believe their figures are “garbage.” The current director did an extensive interview and she said when she started they were so busy that Fed had to do more work with the Foundation, not less. Of course there were cameras when Fed visited, it was a way to increase awareness and interest.

    Federer does contribute his own $ towards to the Foundation, as well as to other causes over the years. He was even recognized by UNICEF for this.

    Obviously no amount of proof will change your mind, you will simply dismiss it as “garbage.” Of course we will like or dislike certain players, whether logical or not. But your antagonism towards Federer seems extreme, and hard to understand.

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 18, 2019 at 1:25 pm

    Andrew, you don’t even realize you were Jedi mind tricked. ) And you never will )

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 18, 2019 at 1:26 pm

    What happened to Federer’s friendship with Rossdale?

  • Jeff · November 18, 2019 at 1:51 pm

    Anyone watching Davis Cup? How about Goffin losing to some journeyman

  • Hartt · November 18, 2019 at 2:25 pm

    I am watching Canada vs Italy, but Flashscore shows Goffin winning in 3 sets, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.

  • catherine · November 18, 2019 at 3:02 pm

    I always thought foundations were some kind of tax write-off. Starting a foundation was almost a of coming-of-age as a pro player. It meant you’d started shifting your money around.

  • Hartt · November 18, 2019 at 3:13 pm

    I don’t think that is always the case. Milos started his foundation very early in his career, when he spent time in hospitals following his hip surgery and saw many children there. He wanted to something to help kids who faced physical and economic disadvantages.

    He goes to the facilities that his foundation helps and plays with the kids, and seems like a big kid himself.

  • Hartt · November 18, 2019 at 3:58 pm

    I just saw an incredibly exciting match between Shapo and Berrettini. The score shows how close it was – 7-6,6-7,7-6, won by Denis.

    Both played well overall, Matteo serving very well and making good use of his big FH. Denis had far too many DFs, something like 11, but he was patient for the most part, returned well and played well at the net.

    Denis is slated to play the doubles along with Pospisil, who won the first match vs Fognini. He must be exhausted after a long, grueling match. It would make sense to substitute FAA for the doubles, but they haven’t announced a change.

  • Andrew Miller · November 18, 2019 at 5:51 pm

    Scoop I can live with it 🙂 I am trying to broaden my horizons and see that the frame of “big three 4ever” isn’t holding up so well. I go back and forth I thinking they have a “monopoly on slams” and “have mastered the best of five set format”, but could be that given they have aged and they’ve motivated young guys that seemingly get better much faster, that their chokehold on slams too may come to an end sooner.

    I know the big guys delight in showing the next gen guys a thing or two, in pulling houdinis like Nadal has against Medvedev and against Tsitsipas. And they should, they are the ultimate competitors and the best school for the young guys is the school of hard knocks.

    But as a fan yeah, I’d like to pay more attention to the tennis and also get used to the idea that the big three of years ago wasn’t at this super level of polished games and strategy for a long time. Our next slate of champions will play great tennis with likely somewhat worse games, more mistakes. They’ll be more mortal, like Nadal off clay from 2005-2007. He was awesome. Just not same level of awesome.

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 18, 2019 at 6:10 pm

    My crystal ball which has a couple of cracks in it, sees Tsitsipas winning a major next year and possibly in AO. Beating Felix and Medvedev was massive for his mind, he now knows he has no kryptonites, he overcame everything this year and he can beat everyone. I think he will do it. Also, in my newest post article I point out that Tsitsipas is actually slightly ahead of Roger in a results comparison up to age 21. Tsitsipas will change the balance of power in the ATP in 2020.

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 18, 2019 at 6:26 pm

    Shapovalov is a new player since Youzhny came on board. Berretini continues to prove he’s elite now and keeps posting consistent results, consistent tough battles vs the best. One of these guys can be the second man to win a major wearing a backwards cap – Hewitt is the first and only.

  • Andrew Miller · November 18, 2019 at 7:54 pm

    Surprised the big guys won all slams this year. That’s why I say they have “mastered the slams”. But – this wasn’t the case over last few months. The us open had only Nadal in final four “holding up the fort”, Shanghai saw NO big three big among final four, Paris had two with Nadal retiring prior to his semifinal, and the ATP Finals had only Federer (while Nadal played extraordinary after his Thiem loss).

    So big three still have their thumbs on the scale at big events. Just somewhat less than before. It’s hard for me to tell given this is indoor season and it’s a long year. The results are real just let important.

  • catherine · November 19, 2019 at 1:20 am

    News for 2020 – the lovely Julia G will defend her title in Auckland, her favourite city, and also in the draw will be Serena and Bianca. So Serena’s serious about the AO.

    This news comes from Julia’s twitter via T-T and not from the WTA page which has no information at all about the event. A truly appalling site.

    (Pics I’ve seen of Bianca recently show her as slightly overweight. And more than slightly over made-up.)

  • Hartt · November 19, 2019 at 9:34 am

    There are photos of Bianca enjoying a recent Raptors game, along with Penny Oleksiak, who won 4 medals in swimming at the last Olympics. The two young women were born just a few days apart, and it sounds like they are friends because Bianca went to the tree lighting ceremony last year when Penny did the honours.

    Penny has been good friends with Denis Shapovalov and Denis talked about how great it was to be able to talk about things with another young sports star who had to cope with sudden fame. I imagine this has been helpful for Bianca as well.

    A have to agree that Bianca overdid the makeup at the tree lighting ceremony, but she looked fine at the Raptors game. 🙂

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 19, 2019 at 9:46 am

    I heard Andreescu ate two hot dogs with extra mustard and relish at the Raptors game and she got a popcorn with butter. She also said to Tonic Tennis she plans to order the same items at the Maple Leafs game and she will also get peanuts.

  • Hartt · November 19, 2019 at 9:55 am

    Scoop, LOL. But she was photographed drinking a beer at the Raptors game!

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 19, 2019 at 10:08 am

    Hartt, she can say one of the guys sitting around her bought it for her and she was too nice to reject the kind offer.

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 19, 2019 at 10:16 am

    Translation of Fed sniping at Tsitsipas serves: Federer is worried about Tsitsipas becoming great at his expense. He is hoping Tsitsipas will mentally breakdown and falter like Berdych, Raonic, Ferrer, Dimitrov, etc. Federer is trying to plant seeds of self doubts into Tsitsipas’ head. Kind of dirty if you think about it.

    Fact of the matter is Stefanos outsmarted Federer with those serves and Federer failed to exploit them because they were good enough, spinny enough, placed perfectly to make the master miss. It’s very rare to see Federer get bitchy like this but it really shows how good, how smart Tsitsipas is. Bottom line is he OUTSMARTED, OUTPLAYED, OUTCOOLED the goat. Brilliant work by the youngster.

  • catherine · November 19, 2019 at 10:55 am

    Auckland tournament starts on Jan 4th. Sounds as though Bianca is well into training mode and there’s Christmas still to come 🙂

  • Harold · November 19, 2019 at 1:21 pm

    Fed has one more year of the level he played this year, if hes lucky…hes not gonna stick around if he starts taking bad losses.

    The next Gen will be Nadals, and Djokers problem to deal with. Imagine Tsitsipas and Medvedev slam total projections dont keep Fed from relaxing on his private plane, while eating Caviar, and throwing away the pistachios he cant open, because of arrogace

  • Scoop Malinowski · November 19, 2019 at 2:19 pm

    Harold, you can’t dare write off Federer like Dan tried to do about nine years ago. Federer is planning on sticking around beyond next year, be sure of that. He will not suddenly decline next year and start enduring bad losses. One, he’s still a great player, he’s still super fit and no player out there wants to thrash Federer with a 6161 type loss. If he does start to fade a fraction, I think he will be carried. He means too much economically to the sport. Federer has made no mention at all about retirement plans – which obviously means he wants to keep going. And he’s said he wants to keep going for as long as he can. It’s possible we see Fed still competing into his mid 40s.

  • Andrew Miller · November 19, 2019 at 3:06 pm

    Tsitsipas serves Dementieva softballs. Have to hit it right back at him. He’s studied Nadal’s control of corner to corner – Agassi used it, Djokovic, Nadal, you try to move the player to expose the line. Then go for the line. Better to hit right at them, center of court. Messes them up because they expect a straightforward forehand to forehand etc rally. Don’t give that to them.

  • Harold · November 19, 2019 at 3:10 pm

    “ they’re going to carry him” are they going to pay his first 2 or 3 rounds opponents to dump, so he’ll go deep in events?

    He’s lost a step, or two, Closing matches, is a problem. The older he gets, aches and pains will be harder to bounce back from. Come out flat, and not be able to flip the switch…plus the game is more physical at the top..if he goes 5 in a Major, I would bet against him the next match. Every last break will be needed, draw, losses by top players, speed of the court, rain( moved indoors), to win a Major

  • Jeff · November 20, 2019 at 1:45 am

    US tennis falls to Canada in Davis Cup. Does anyone in the US care?

  • catherine · November 20, 2019 at 1:46 am

    Interview with Torben Beltz – interesting his comment on the German club scene and how it once was very big – in the past quite a few British players used to play League tennis in Germany when there were no ATP events.

    https://www.wtatennis.com/news/1497575/coaching-dossier-torben-beltz-is-the-king-of-positivity-every-week-is-a-new-challenge-

  • catherine · November 20, 2019 at 1:57 am

    Dutiful coverage of GB in Davis Cup mainly because Murray’s there but the cold isn’t helping and how many Brit fans are going to Spain for a week ? Hacks are scraping around for stories.

  • catherine · November 20, 2019 at 2:08 am

    Meanwhile in Argentina Federer reveals his fandom for Gabriela Sabatini, who sent him a welcome message, his love of women’s tennis and desire to play mixed doubles at the Olympics.

    Fed and Sascha are probably having a better time than those shivering in Madrid but I suspect Colombia may be dropped from the schedule due to ‘civil unrest’.

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