Wimbledon Men - Who Wins?

[OHSportsFan9]

It still has to be up there though, right?

Last year's was better, but these two are battling it out as well.

Though no one can break the other's serve.

[BuckeyeMike80]

It's up there.

It'll have to go a while before it's on last year's level apparently.

[3074326]

Originally Posted by Bucknut24

no, last year's wimbledon final was prob the greatest ever, the quality of play here is just so much different

One of the best, not THE best.

[Flocka]

Also, it's not as if they are fighting off match points and break points. Federer fought off two this set and I believe that it is all. It is an epic match obviously at 15-14, but the quality of play is nowhere near as good as many other matches.

Match point for Fed.

[Flocka]

There it is, please don't cry Roger.

[buchtelgrad04]

Andy may need to be put on suicide watch...

He gave this one away.

[Bucknut24]

finally over, 16-14, congrats to Roger..

I'm proud of the way Roddick played

[generaladm]

I'm trying to feel sorry for Roddick, because a title would have done wonders for his legacy. Then I remember he just made nearly a half million Pounds Sterling for two weeks of tennis, and has Brooklyn Decker waiting to give him a sympathy BJ. Poor guy.

[BB73]

Anybody that doesn't think Roddick played great just doesn't get it. He held serve 37 straight times against the best player in the game.

If he had one thing he'd like to do over again, though, it would be the point at 6-5 in the 2nd set tiebreak. He didn't get the first serve in on a point that could have given him a two set lead.

When they were interviewing Federer on the court after the match, he was saying he knew how it was a tough situation for Andy, since he lost a similar match last year. Roddick chimed in with 'You'd already won 5', which I thought was a great comment at that time.

Earlier, in his own interview, he said 'Sorry, Pete' since he couldn't prevent Fed from getting the record 15th major.

I'd love to see Roddick win the US Open - he'll have a good chance at that.

In the 'best ever' conversation, Laver's now the only one with any realistic argument. Like Sampras pointed out in the interview with McEnroe (with Laver and Borg also involved), the Rocket won two slams and missed 5 years in between due to the 'no pros' rule.

[sepia5]

Does anyone else think that Federer putting on the Nike "RF 15" jacket immediately after the match was poor form? I'm sure Nike asked him to wear it and that this is just the product of modern marketing in sports, but Roddick had just lost the most emotionally draining match of his life, and then he's got to look at the "15" on the back of Club Fed's jacket during the victory speech. I dunno. I know that in basketball, football, baseball, etc. it isn't unprecedented to don the championship gear immediately after winning the title, but this just feels different to me, maybe because it's sort of unusual to the sport of tennis. I don't necessarily buy into the idea that tennis and golf are "gentlemen's" games, but I do think that perhaps because they are individual sports a bit more restraint is necessitated in these situations. Maybe I'm being overly critical, but I've always thought Federer's attempts at disguising his own self-love and elation in moments of victory are pretty thinly veiled. It's sort of why I've become a Rafa fan. . . .

[Jake]

Originally Posted by generaladm

I'm trying to feel sorry for Roddick, because a title would have done wonders for his legacy. Then I remember he just made nearly a half million Pounds Sterling for two weeks of tennis, and has Brooklyn Decker waiting to give him a sympathy BJ. Poor guy.

Good points.

[MolGenBuckeye]

Originally Posted by sepia5

Does anyone else think that Federer putting on the Nike "RF 15" jacket immediately after the match was poor form?...Maybe I'm being overly critical, but I've always thought Federer's attempts at disguising his own self-love and elation in moments of victory are pretty thinly veiled. It's sort of why I've become a Rafa fan. . . .

Yes, yes, 1000 times yes. I have no clue why the media gives him a pass on all this. The jacket reminded me of 2002 Miami's pre-game flyers for their championship party: complete arrogance. I don't care if you back it up or not, it's absolutely poor form. Quotes like "It's a tough moment for Andy...but it's a great one for me!" don't help either.

[gracelhink]

Originally Posted by sepia5

Does anyone else think that Federer putting on the Nike "RF 15" jacket immediately after the match was poor form? I'm sure Nike asked him to wear it and that this is just the product of modern marketing in sports, but Roddick had just lost the most emotionally draining match of his life, and then he's got to look at the "15" on the back of Club Fed's jacket during the victory speech. I dunno. I know that in basketball, football, baseball, etc. it isn't unprecedented to don the championship gear immediately after winning the title, but this just feels different to me, maybe because it's sort of unusual to the sport of tennis. I don't necessarily buy into the idea that tennis and golf are "gentlemen's" games, but I do think that perhaps because they are individual sports a bit more restraint is necessitated in these situations. Maybe I'm being overly critical, but I've always thought Federer's attempts at disguising his own self-love and elation in moments of victory are pretty thinly veiled. It's sort of why I've become a Rafa fan. . . .

I am reluctant to chime in after my embarrassing prediction that Roddick would win 5 total games in the finals match.
About the commercialization of tennis and Federer's apparent lack of restraint;
1. For me the most noticeable different apparel worn by Fed after the match was the huge Swiss timepiece on his left wrist. It was obviously absent during competitive play.
2. Re. the aforementioned Nike jacket. In rewatching the postmatch interview, the "15" insignia was concealed low on the back and not noticeable or just barely visible when the cameras panned Fed's face and profile. Agree that it was a Nike expectation that Fed wear the jacket just like the watch company expected him to display their watch.
It was not Federer that drew attention to the 15 on the jacket however.
I wasn't sure which of the announcers demanded Fed turn around and show off the 15, but Roger seemed to do it almost reluctantly.
I have to disagree with the impression you have of Fed, My interpretation FWIW, Federer is one of the most highly respected and endearing opponents on the court. even Roddick has admitted to having a hard time with Fed as an opponent because he beats you on the court, but is so humble and nice that it is impossible to hate him.
In the Wimbledon post game interview Fed was neither ungentlemanly nor even comfortable with the commercialization of the Nike "15" or Swiss watch.
I believe you are being overcritical of Fed's actions so to interpret them as attempts to disguise or veil self love.
Players genuinely like Federer, not only for his demeanor on the court, but his gracious, and selfless public persona.

[sepia5]

Originally Posted by gracelhink

I am reluctant to chime in after my embarrassing prediction that Roddick would win 5 total games in the finals match.
About the commercialization of tennis and Federer's apparent lack of restraint;
1. For me the most noticeable different apparel worn by Fed after the match was the huge Swiss timepiece on his left wrist. It was obviously absent during competitive play.
2. Re. the aforementioned Nike jacket. In rewatching the postmatch interview, the "15" insignia was concealed low on the back and not noticeable or just barely visible when the cameras panned Fed's face and profile. Agree that it was a Nike expectation that Fed wear the jacket just like the watch company expected him to display their watch.
It was not Federer that drew attention to the 15 on the jacket however.
I wasn't sure which of the announcers demanded Fed turn around and show off the 15, but Roger seemed to do it almost reluctantly.
I have to disagree with the impression you have of Fed, My interpretation FWIW, Federer is one of the most highly respected and endearing opponents on the court. even Roddick has admitted to having a hard time with Fed as an opponent because he beats you on the court, but is so humble and nice that it is impossible to hate him.
In the Wimbledon post game interview Fed was neither ungentlemanly nor even comfortable with the commercialization of the Nike "15" or Swiss watch.
I believe you are being overcritical of Fed's actions so to interpret them as attempts to disguise or veil self love.
Players genuinely like Federer, not only for his demeanor on the court, but his gracious, and selfless public persona.

Well, Roger could have always declined the invitation to wear apparel like that, given that it is sort of inappropriate and all. I doubt Nike would have dropped their sponsorship. Regardless of the size of the 15, the fact that he wouldn't think twice about the fact that wearing the jacket might be seen as pompous celebration at the expense of his opponent is somewhat telling, in my opinion.

But if you're not convinced, read this blog post and see if you still feel the same way, as it really sums up how I feel about "RF 15":

The Turbulence of Dreaming: Nobody Likes a Bully

My favorite Club Fed quote is this one, from 2007 after he beat Roddick 6-4, 6-0, 6-2 at the Australian Open:

"It's just unreal, I'm shocked myself. I've played good matches here, but never really almost destroyed somebody. That's a highlight of my career."

Source: BBC SPORT | Tennis | Majestic Federer thrashes Roddick

But there are a handful of other gems in that blog post above. There was a time when I thought these kinds of statements were just a result of Federer's true intent being lost in translation. But the guy speaks perfect English and I've come to believe that these continuous, subtly pompous statements are more likely the product of a guy who is just incredibly, incredibly good, doesn't realize what it's like to lose, and doesn't have anyone call him on how inappropriate they are. In short, he's full of himself. Can't blame him too much, but the perception that he is just a really great, humble champion is very wrong, in my opinion. Pete Sampras didn't pull out the "PS 14" jacket when he knocked off Agassi at the US Open. Maybe Nike didn't conceive the idea back then, but if they had approached him with such a proposal, I can hardly see Pistol Pete accepting. Any champion has to be somewhat cocky and self-confident. It's just that the ones I appreciate most do a good job of concealing these qualities after victory. It's called tact.

You said that Roddick himself has had very nice things to say about Club Fed, even in defeat. I'd suggest that fact has more to say about Roddick than it does about Federer. . . .

In conclusion, I've just got to say this:



(By the way, regarding that ridiculous outfit, said Club Fed: “Everyone was talking about it in the locker room! People were saying ‘Wow, looks great!’”