Long time member of camp root for whoever is playing against Djokovic. So lets go Nadal !
I didn't see you at the last meeting.
The idea of who the GOAT for most sports involves the typical things like stats & achievements. But for certain sports like tennis & soccer even once you’ve achieved the accolades & stats, there’s an added element of artistic beauty & grace that someone must possess in their game to be the greatest. This is why I still think Federer is greatest but could also understand why someone might argue for Nadal. But Djokovic doesn’t have that in his game and he’s also a lying asshole. Vamos Rafa!
I am a big fan of single handed backhand. It is just beautiful. So, I am biased and will agree with you readily. Federer just moves with grace. I loved Sampras' game. Having said that, I like Nadal a lot. That dude had a lot of injuries and he could have improved his record even more if not for that. I love Nadal's game because he was trending towards a clay court specialist early in his career and was surprised how well he has done in other majors with adjustments and improvements.
I think Jimmy Connors is the best. Doesn't make it true. There is no scenario where Federer walks away with the GOAT trophy in tennis. None.
I think Djokovic is going to go down as the best when all is said and done because I think he'll just outlast Nadal. Hope it's Nadal, but he has to win today to keep the Serb at bay.
Why is there no scenario where Federer is the greatest? That doesn’t make sense. Rafa has 21, Fed and Djokovic have 20. You can say that Rafa having 21 makes him greatest, sure. But at that level, An argument can easily be made that it’s Federer or Djokovic as well. I don’t think the most championships is necessarily the sole criterion for determining the greatest ever, especially when you’re talking about these three. Now, there’s a limit to that, sure. When Tom Brady got his 5th ring, I don’t necessarily think that made him the greatest QB ever as Joe Montana went 4/4. But appearing in a 10th and winning his 7th, with 5 MVPs, sets him beyond any argument Joe could have. I don’t know where the limit is with Nadal/Federer, but you can’t say there’s no scenario under which Federer could be considered the great. At least not yet.
When Tom Brady got his 5th ring, I don’t necessarily think that made him the greatest QB ever as Joe Montana went 4/4.
I completely disagree. Once Brady got #5, he was unquestionably ahead of Montana. The argument that Montana was 4-0 in SBs (compared to Brady at 4-2 when he got his 4th ring) doesn't hold water for me, because the flipside of that argument is that every Super Bowl that Brady lost is a Super Bowl that Montana didn't even make, either because he lost earlier in the playoffs or failed to make the playoffs entirely. Holding up Montana's undefeated Super Bowl record is essentially saying it's better to lose in the conference championship game (or divisional game, or wild card...) than it is to lose in the Super Bowl, which is insane. Montana was perfect when he got to the Super Bowl, but failed to get there way more often then Brady. Just for reference, Montana was 4-3 in conference championship games (and 16-7 overall in the playoffs), whereas Brady is currently 10-4 (35-12 overall)...
I felt this way too until he ran from a crowd post match , saw my 5yo daughter holding a ball, ran up to fence signed her ball and then kept running.
Many things I dont like about him, but that smile she had... trumps all that.
Fed >>>
Can’t take Joker seriously after his er, lack of judgment, recently. (And I can think of like 5 instances where this comment applies)
Hell yes. Idemo Nole!
Djoker is the biggest prick in tennis. And a liar too.
I'm guessing you've conveniently ignored all the charity / philanthropy Djokovic has done.
(Yes, I disagree with Djokovic's anti-vaccine stance but that doesn't blind me to all the good he has done.)
Djokovic is such a tool. Respect his game but no one touches Fed when it comes to a combination of class and finesse.
The same Federer - who in his prime - talked shit about a younger Djokovic?
I'm glad Djokovic went on to rip Federer's heart out in the biggest matches in front of Federer's legions of adoring, sycophantic bandwagon fans.
If nothing else, Djokovic currently has the head to head against both Federer (27-23) and Nada (30-29). And unlike Federer, Djokovic was able to beat nearly invincible Nadal twice on Nadal's preferred surface and best tournament. And oh yeah, Djokovic also has the unprecedented Golden Masters feat which neither Federer nor Nadal has accomplished.
Ne moj, brate. on je prava budala i kukavica. svi u napad jedan je Nadal.
You sound mad, bro.
nope, not mad at all.
I'm a Djokovic fan, because ... I started out as a Federer fan, so found myself cheering *against* the guy who for many years was his arch-rival. Plus, I think, as a late-comer to the rivalry, Djokovic always had the crowd against him, as they had already taken sides in the Federer/Nadal rivalry.
What he's accomplished -- having to play his entire career in the primes of the other two, while each of them had a good few years before he was around -- is amazing.
But ultimately, I just ... tend to find my sympathies going to the person/team that everyone else hates. Sucks to always have the crowd cheer for the other guy.
Still, there's no denying it. He's difficult to like, and he seems to always take the wrong side of every controversy. So be it. Sometimes, you like who you like. I was a McEnroe fan too -- and he too was (and remains) a giant prick.
C'mon, Joker!
That's the thing, right? Not only has he never had the crowd on his side, but often actively cheering against him. That just shows the mental toughness that I've come to respect.
Some people love being the heel and thrive off it
I was a Sampras fan. I was a McEnroe fan. I liked his game. I was a big Borg fan.
At first I didn’t like Federer because his game was so “perfect” and he was impossible to beat. I didn’t like Nadal at first because he seemed like a muscle bound clay specialist. I grew to respect both players, Federer because of his artistry and Nadal because of how he changed his game to beat his rival on hard courts and then on grass. Also both players have such grace.
Nole was the opposite. I started out as a Nole fan. He was funny and had an incredible all around game. The fans were behind him in the beginning. But then over the years he’s made such an ass of himself. He was also known for his always well timed injury timeouts. Which actually works famously and there are players on the tour that do it. You take the wind out of your opponent’s sails while you recover mentally. No one can prove you’re not injured but it’s bad sportsmanship. Sampras played while throwing up. Fed and Nadal wouldn’t do that. Neither would McEnroe. Nole deserves the hate he’s getting and he doesn’t deserve GOAT.
I don't think Djokovic has done that in the last 13 years, though. Federer was actually a big complainer and whiner very early in his career too. At some point players grow up. Fine to not like Djokovic, but he hasn't disrespected opponents (the way, say, Tsitsipas did last year) in well over a decade.
That being said, every time he does his huge open-mouthed yell of arrogance I cringe. So unattractive. As I said, I can't defend him. But I think the guy can't help himself, and I respect his mental toughness.
There’s a big difference between whining and complaining about points and taking fake medical timeouts. Fake medical timeouts are fake because they always seem to happen when you’re down emotionally. It’s very obvious to the players on the tour who does it. McEnroe did plenty of whining but he never took a fake medical time out. Joker Vik did it for a long time. Siri spelled his name that way.
Yeah, the guy is so tough. I think the other reason people don’t like them is because he’s kind of a narcissist looking for attention. For what it’s worth, people who go out of their way for attention usually get the opposite.
No doubt, and I agree. I'm just saying, people always talk about how "classy" Federer is, and he didn't start out that way at all. Sometimes it takes people a while to grow up. I don't think Djokovic has done that in over a decade. A better argument is that he's a narcissist, with unattractive personality (and playing) tics, and politically inept. Still focusing on things he hasn't done in 13 years seems a little unfair.
Though, I guess, we all pick our own reasons to cheer for and against people, so go for it. :-)
He was taking fake time outs as recently as two years ago based on an article from two years ago. At the French and AO in 2020. Who knows if he’s it done recently.
“The impression in the tennis community at large is that Novak Djokovic uses medical timeouts as a tactic rather than a necessity. Many popular commentators have alleged that the Serb takes them to regain momentum while trailing in sets or matches.
Djokovic was criticized severely for his medical timeout Dominic Thiem in the final of this year's Australian Open. The 33-year-old took the break in the middle of the match, at a time when the Austrian was looking to gain control of proceedings, and he later explained the reason for it in detail.”
It’s always the same MO. I’ve watched it too many times. So much so that when he is almost down for the count you’re just waiting for the magically timed TO.
From the same link:
Roger Federer asked for an MTO not only in the semifinal against Djokovic at this year's Australian Open, but also in the quarterfinal against Tennys Sandgren - where he saved seven match points afterwards. The Swiss had also been criticized for his use of the MTO in the 2017 final at Melbourne, where he was given a break after losing the fourth set to Rafael Nadal.
And Djokovic hasn't done it today, for instance, despite being down 2 sets to 1. Sometimes, these guys do get injured, after all.
Yah, I can’t defend Federer. I’m only a fan at the end of his career and always preferred Rafa in their matches. Apparently Fed has admitted to some MTOs. From 2017 at the AO:
Q. You said on the court you never take the timeouts. That’s kind of a new turn for you. Did it help to give you a chance to clear your head before the fifth set?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, I think these injury timeouts, I think they’re more mental than anything else. Okay, normally you would have to do it on court. If you do groin or something like that, or a tape way up there, you have to go off court.For the first time maybe during a match you can actually talk to someone, even if it’s just a physio. We know him well. It maybe relaxed Stan, you know, just to be able to talk about I don’t know what. The same thing for me, as well. You start chatting about it, how good or bad the leg is, how you hope it’s going to turn around. That can leave a positive effect on you when you come back.
I only really did take the timeout because I thought, He took one already, maybe I can take one for a change, because I’m not a believer in any way that we should be allowed to take a lot of timeouts. But I took it after the set break. Yeah, people know I don’t abuse the system. I hope it’s going to stay that way in the future for me, too.
Who knows, maybe Fed is a BSer. Or maybe he does occasionally it and admits it.
Yeah, Federer has the most beautiful game of tennis that's ever existed. He simply out skilled players for a decade+. Novak and Nadal, though have the most determined, stubborn will I've ever seen. You can't kill them and they refuse to die!
Players lose to Roger when they watch him warm up. They lose to Nadal and Novak once they stare across the net and see a maniac willing to die for the win.
juck foker
You seem to have trouble spelling words. Did you eat too many crayons in kindergarten?
Also, "FUCK the University of North Carolina." (That's how it's done. You're welcome.)
Well, Novak speaks his mind. I don't have a problem with that, he is at least interesting (unlike some tennis players).
The roots of "why is Novak the way he is" really goes back to that 2008 US Open match with Andy Roddick. Roddick I like quite a bit. But Roddick decided, for whatever reason, to accuse Novak of cheating during that match (too many injury timeouts). Roddick had the day prior made his infamous "cramps ..... bird flu ..... anthrax ...... SARS" comment.
So then Novak told Roddick off post-match in front of the NYC crowd. Novak got booed extensively, and Roddick (supposedly) almost fought him in the locker room.
But I think Novak realized then "hey, it's kind of fun being the heel .......... Maybe I'll do this more often."
If nothing else, one cannot question Novak's mental toughness.
Novak has been taking ill timed medical timeouts his entire career. That’s one of the main reasons everyone hates him.
I'm team Fed all the way. All I root for in this rivalry is good tennis. We had that for a few games in the first set, but Nadal has taken the last few games easily... other than this one.
It might be like last year. Nadal in the first, Novak in the rest. I think it'll be a gripping match, though.
Djokovic makes tennis interesting and fun. He actually has a sense of humor.
Downvoted for the weakest opening post of May 2022.
Do better.
Worst post? There's still time. Would you be interested in what are you binge drinking on a Tuesday post?
Come on Rafa!
i'm shocked that rafa made sure that he wore a smedium shirt with his left arm showing.
I can't believe this is only on the Tennis Channel. What gross mismanagement
Coverage of French Open is always by far the worst/least accessible of all the majors. Even worse than the Australian which happens overnight for US audiences. So frustrating.
Go Nadal
So far in this match, Nadal is slicing and dicing the Joker with more efficiency than any Ronco invention ever sold!
I want Nole to win, but Rafa is just phenomenal today.
Edit: and just like that, we're back in business!
Yep.
As dominant as Nadal was early, it's now tooth-and-nail for each and every point.
I love Nadal and stayed up for his last 3 matches and what was an incredible final in Australia earlier this year. I loved Agassi and even though they don't play with the same hand I always felt that Nadal was his spiritual successor in the way he would gallop across the court and his wicked returns.
Also, funny how the usual suspects that love to stir shit up on this site are fans of Joker.
Also, funny how the usual suspects that love to stir shit up on this site are fans of Joker.
Care to elaborate?