Roger Federer's Career

[A_B]

Calling the whole thing off.

[DaveInSeattle]

Calling the whole thing off.

Who will have the first Hot Take™ saying that Federer is retiring because he's scared of Alcaraz?

[Jerloma]

Absolute artist. Best ever, IMO.

Gonna play doubles with Nadal at Laver Cup in October.

[The Sybian]

I'm a bit disappointed I never watched him play. I liked watching tennis as a kid, mid 80s-early 90s. I started playing tennis about 5 years ago and love it, but I just don't ever think to watch tennis, and when it's on, I just don't care about it. Kind of weird. Maybe if I started watching and got to know some of the players I'd get into it, but I just lose interest after 10 minutes. I think as a kid, I got emotionally invested in matches, either wanting a player to win or hating Boris Becker so much I'd get angry when he won.

[Nonlinear FC]

I don't know our age spread, Syb, but I wonder if even just 5-7 years is enough to do it. I grew up in the heyday of Connors, Borg and McEnroe. That was just an incredible time to be introduced to the sport. Oh, not to mention Chrissy Evert and Martina and then Sabatini... wowsers.

[The Sybian]

I don't know our age spread, Syb, but I wonder if even just 5-7 years is enough to do it. I grew up in the heyday of Connors, Borg and McEnroe. That was just an incredible time to be introduced to the sport. Oh, not to mention Chrissy Evert and Martina and then Sabatini... wowsers.

I'm 46 for reference. I caught the tail end of McEnroe and Connors. They were still competitive but no longer dominant. I just missed Borg, but remember Becker and Graf before they were dominant. Caught the last few years of Evert. Regardless of when I started, I think I would have fallen out regardless. In college, I really only followed the Jets and the Bills by force of living in Buffalo. I occasionally watched intermission of Hockey Night in Canada for Don Cherry, but lost touch with the NHL. We did watch all the games in the Olympics and Canada Cup, so I still knew all the players. For me, when I don't know any of the players in a sport, it's impossible to care about it. I used to be a huge Mets fan. I know they are good this year, but I can't name 3 players on the team. It's just off my radar completely. I'm at the point where Hall of Fame inductions came out, and I've never even heard of half the players.

[Nonlinear FC]

FWIW, exactly in the pocket of what I thought our age difference was/is.

I get it, especially with baseball.

For me, with tennis, for whatever reason, it's just been something I follow, particularly the finals of the French, almost all of Wimbledon, and then the Open. Doesn't hurt that they have a Washington tour event in the summer between the latter two.

But, also to your point, especially on the women's side... Past a few Americans and maybe the top 2 or 3 ranked (even then, barely), I have no idea who 90 percent of the field is anymore. I used to know the names of the top 25-50 on the men's side, top 20 on the women's.

[EnochRoot]

Mens tennis was a hell of a lot more fun to watch when I was a kid (I'm 52). McEnroe, Borg, Lendl, Connors, Wilander, Noah, Vilas, Gerulitas...It was less about power and more about playing the entire court. The volleys that lasted forever. McEnroe walking out to Center Court and getting booed. Hell yes.

I think the last watchable tennis star (to me, anyway) was Pete Sampras. Or maybe this is an age thing. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[Jerloma]

Here you go, Syb. Enjoy...

[Jerloma]

Mens tennis was a hell of a lot more fun to watch when I was a kid (I'm 52). McEnroe, Borg, Lendl, Connors, Wilander, Noah, Vilas, Gerulitas...It was less about power and more about playing the entire court. The volleys that lasted forever. McEnroe walking out to Center Court and getting booed. Hell yes.

I think the last watchable tennis star (to me, anyway) was Pete Sampras. Or maybe this is an age thing. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I love Sampras but his game was the epitome of short rallies. If a great game could ever be described as boring, he's at the top of the list.

[EdRomero]

Mens tennis was a hell of a lot more fun to watch when I was a kid (I'm 52). McEnroe, Borg, Lendl, Connors, Wilander, Noah, Vilas, Gerulitas...It was less about power and more about playing the entire court. The volleys that lasted forever. McEnroe walking out to Center Court and getting booed. Hell yes.

I think the last watchable tennis star (to me, anyway) was Pete Sampras. Or maybe this is an age thing. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I love Sampras but his game was the epitome of short rallies. If a great game could ever be described as boring, he's at the top of the list.

Agreed on Sampras. I do miss the variety -- serve and volleyers could win because rackets and strings weren't as good and returns weren't as good, and someone like Chang or Courier could win by being in great shape and not having dominating shots. However, rallies with the big three were amazing and long, especially with Nadal. His opponent would hit what you thought was a winner, and Nadal would not only get it back, but would hit an incredible shot, and then Federer would do it back to him. Some rallies would have 5 or 6 shots that would be winners 20 years ago. The quality of play is so much better now.

[EnochRoot]

Mens tennis was a hell of a lot more fun to watch when I was a kid (I'm 52). McEnroe, Borg, Lendl, Connors, Wilander, Noah, Vilas, Gerulitas...It was less about power and more about playing the entire court. The volleys that lasted forever. McEnroe walking out to Center Court and getting booed. Hell yes.

I think the last watchable tennis star (to me, anyway) was Pete Sampras. Or maybe this is an age thing. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I love Sampras but his game was the epitome of short rallies. If a great game could ever be described as boring, he's at the top of the list.

Agreed on Sampras. I do miss the variety -- serve and volleyers could win because rackets and strings weren't as good and returns weren't as good, and someone like Chang or Courier could win by being in great shape and not having dominating shots. However, rallies with the big three were amazing and long, especially with Nadal. His opponent would hit what you thought was a winner, and Nadal would not only get it back, but would hit an incredible shot, and then Federer would do it back to him. Some rallies would have 5 or 6 shots that would be winners 20 years ago. The quality of play is so much better now.

I suppose this is true, but it's most certainly less enjoyable to watch.

[DaveInSeattle]

and someone like Chang or Courier could win by being in great shape and not having dominating shots.

I'm sure I've shared this before, but when I went to the US Open in '98, we watched Chang play part of a match. It was in the old stadium (Louis Armstrong) so it was general admission (it was the first year that Ashe opened) so we were able to sit down close.

Chang was (and I guess still is) a small dude! The guy he was playing was some Ivan Drago-looking dude from Eastern Europe who would hit these screaming forehands, and Chang would scurry along the baseline, then wind up with every ounce of him and hit it back. The rallies went on forever.

Walked out totally impressed that Chang was able to play at such a high level for as long as he did.

[Ryan]

That mid-to-post Sampras era where everyone was 6’4” and bombing serves down the T sucked shit. Federer’s first GS win was against Philippousis! Crazy that most everyone serves like that now and players have just gotten better at returns

[Rex]

How did men’s tennis avoid permanently going down that road? Was it changes to the equipment? The rules? It’s strange to me that the sport got hacked/solved for like 8 years and then came back. Welcome, but strange. And also welcome.

[The Sybian]

Mens tennis was a hell of a lot more fun to watch when I was a kid (I'm 52). McEnroe, Borg, Lendl, Connors, Wilander, Noah, Vilas, Gerulitas...It was less about power and more about playing the entire court. The volleys that lasted forever. McEnroe walking out to Center Court and getting booed. Hell yes.

I think the last watchable tennis star (to me, anyway) was Pete Sampras. Or maybe this is an age thing. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I love Sampras but his game was the epitome of short rallies. If a great game could ever be described as boring, he's at the top of the list.

You know what, I think I lost interest during the period where Sampras dominated. I liked him and he seemed like the greatest up until that point, but he didn't have anyone else challenging him really, and his matches weren't fun. He just very quietly demolished opponents. He showed no personality on the court, either. The only thing interesting about him was dating Bridgette Wilson.

Thanks for the clip, I'll definitely watch.

[Jerloma]

How did men’s tennis avoid permanently going down that road? Was it changes to the equipment? The rules? It’s strange to me that the sport got hacked/solved for like 8 years and then came back. Welcome, but strange. And also welcome.

So oddly enough, it's strings. String technology has exceeded all racket technology. These polyester hybrids allow you to string your racket so much lower but still have control. Less tension=more pop. Trampoline effect. I used to string my racket at 62 pounds. Now it's like 46.

They were still using cat intestines in the 80's.

[Jerloma]

That mid-to-post Sampras era where everyone was 6’4” and bombing serves down the T sucked shit. Federer’s first GS win was against Philippousis! Crazy that most everyone serves like that now and players have just gotten better at returns

Exactly. It's like how a 300 yard drive used to be epic and now it's practically a necessity.

[Rex]

How did men’s tennis avoid permanently going down that road? Was it changes to the equipment? The rules? It’s strange to me that the sport got hacked/solved for like 8 years and then came back. Welcome, but strange. And also welcome.

So oddly enough, it's strings. String technology has exceeded all racket technology. These polyester hybrids allow you to string your racket so much lower but still have control. Less tension=more pop. Trampoline effect. I used to string my racket at 62 pounds. Now it's like 46.

They were still using cat intestines in the 80's.

Interesting, thanks. Definitely a good development for the cats, then.

[Jerloma]

Absolute artist. Best ever, IMO.

Gonna play doubles with Nadal at Laver Cup in October.

Not October. This is on Tennis Channel now of that's a thing anyone is interested in.

[A_B]

So like oktoberfests that happen in September. Cool.





Fuck Julius Caesar. He should be stabbed.

[A_B]

Holy shit I fucked up that joke.




Shut up. Don’t judge me.

[Tom 1860]

Probably my favourite player outside of Miloslav Mecir

[The Sybian]

Probably my favourite player outside of Miloslav Mecir

Jerloma? He is my favorite.

JLo, you saying your match is in the tennis channel? Considering their lineup (I was flipping through the guide a few weeks ago, it was pickle ball all day), it’s possible.