Masters Cup - Federer: I'm still the man to beat

Eurosport - Sat, 15 Nov 12:43:00 2008

Roger Federer believes he and Rafael Nadal are still the main men in world tennis despite his lost to Andy Murray at the Masters Cup.

TENNIS 2008 Masters Cup Roger Federer - 0

The defending champion, who was suffering the effects of a back injury and a stomach bug, lost his final group match 4-6 7-6 7-5 in a titanic three-hour encounter with Murray that ended Federer's hopes of a record-equalling fifth Masters Cup title.

Murray's victory made the Briton only the third player to beat Federer three times in one season after Argentine David Nalbandian and Spain's world number one Nadal, who has done it twice.

Despite the 21-year-old Scot now holding a 4-2 advantage in their career head-to-head, world number two Federer said his main rival would continue to be Nadal, absent this week because of injury.

"At the moment it's Rafa and myself," said the Swiss, who beat Murray in the US Open final.

"I really still feel it's that way because we've played big events on so many occasions. I mean, we still have to play a few more Grand Slam finals. If that's the case, I'm very happy from my side."

Federer told reporters he was happy just to have come close to reaching the semi-finals this week given his physical condition coming into the season finale.

"Of course I'm disappointed. I wish I could have played the matches I played here under better circumstances," said the 27-year-old, who also lost his opening match to Gilles Simon of France.

"But I tried. I almost made a miracle happen. I can't believe how close I got, to be honest. So I'm actually very happy."

Federer said his back had stood up quite well but compensating for it had taken its toll.

"I play four hours in slams, it's not a problem," said the 13-times Grand Slam winner. "Here I play two hours, in the morning I can hardly wake up. On top of that, I got sick. All those things just made it really difficult this week."

Federer made 64 unforced errors in the match, the result, he said, of his physical condition weakening his serve and dictating his approach.

"When you play on the offensive it's you who decide how you move, where you put the ball," he said.

"When you're on the defensive this is where you can't control what you're going to do.

"Obviously you always have to pick the offensive game plan. That then has a lot to do with a lot of errors. Sometimes you look like an idiot but you don't have an option sometimes."

Reuters

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  1. Who is the player of the year?
    1 Scott (Britt)
    1 Spaniot
    1 French
    3 Serbs
    1 Russian
    1 American
    A Million Dollar Question should be … ;-)

    From Igor K, on Mon 17 Nov 9:08PM

  2. The fact is- 2008 might have been the beginning of the end for the Swiss master. His decline began last year when he start to lose his first or second match on tournament from unseeded players like Canas (twice in a row), Volandri...
    Someone said that Nadal are obsessed to beat Federer. What a stupidity! Federer's worst nightmare is Nadal on clay!!! And for sure, Federer will not win Roland Garros. Never!
    Like him or not, the fact is- Federer is one of the best ever! That fact can not changed by anything.
    But, at this moment he is not the best in the world. His dominion is over. He must to accept that, he no need excuses like lethargy, Infectious mononucleosis, stomach virus...
    I do not understand the need to insult some great players because you don't like them. You must be frustrated, or full of hate, or incredible stupid, or what! Are you boring?

    I have a question for the Serbs: Why react to provocation of them? Serbia have great players, young players of the future and only blind can not see that!

    From big mouth, on Mon 17 Nov 4:57PM

  3. No, it is a pure arrogance my friend. Especially saying this after defeat from Murray and having such a lousy results this year.
    And wanting everyone to call you “my king” after all ?!

    From Igor K, on Mon 17 Nov 2:45PM

  4. Guys, think before you write! Roger and Rafa have been Nr. 1 and/or 2 for something like 180 consecutive weeks. If one of them says: "We are the men to beat" then he IS right. It is a pure fact, no matter whether and how soon it will happen.

    From puhuuupapp, on Mon 17 Nov 12:01PM

  5. - and most important, his Ego is huge, and he will BRAKE DOWN if he doesn’t win GS soon, and he will not !
    Sorry again, but I lost respect for him long time ago, acting this way !

    From Igor K, on Sun 16 Nov 1:17PM

  6. - if he has a problem with a first serve, he is in a big trouble most of the time. His very good serving is saving him this year.
    - he lost a lots of nerves this year, he is not so "secure and competent" any more
    - He will start AO as a third, not even a second holder, having on every tournament from now on harder schedule, then when he was no.1

    From Igor K, on Sun 16 Nov 1:17PM

  7. it can not be more objective then this, for me:
    - Fedex can not improve anymore
    - there are lots of others being better currently then him, younger and they have space for improvement - he didn’t have so strong concurrence till last two years, especially this year!
    - if you study his game deeper, you will see that his famous backhand slice is just making him too defensive comparing to other aggressive players, lots of them learned to dismiss with ease this defensive slice. His game became only 2 dimensional to lots of talented oponents.

    From Igor K, on Sun 16 Nov 1:13PM

  8. Sorry, but you're writing Federer off a bit too soon. I think he still has many things to offer. He'll find his way back, you'll see. And just for the record, I've never been Federer's huge fan. My favourite male player always was and always will be Djokovic, but I'm just being objective.

    From Boris, on Sun 16 Nov 12:14PM

  9. Roger Federer believes he and Rafael Nadal are still the main men in world tennis despite his lost to
    Andy Murray at the Masters Cup.

    Federer is still good, but this seems like an arrogant statement - unless it was something misrepresented by journalists.

    The fact is that Federer is only 10 points better than Djokovic, and this year Murray won 2 ATP events fair and square - compared to them Federer only has a very slight edge.

    From AlexD, on Sun 16 Nov 11:55AM

  10. Oh my god ?! He can not improve any more, he is going down. Other younger player can improve. He can just complain. Doesn’t meter he is not defending many points, FACT: he is not better anymore then Murray, Novak, Tsonga, Simon, Nadal for a long time... sorry !
    He has to learn to cope better with defeats, this is shameful for a big champion !

    From Igor K, on Sun 16 Nov 11:46AM

  11. Federer will have so much room for improvement next year. He hasn't won any tournaments from Masters Series this year, and still he's number two in the world. Not bad! But in my point of view, he will never dominate like he used to. But definitely, he'll be in the top of men's tennis for quite a while because he's such a great talent.

    From Boris, on Sun 16 Nov 11:36AM

  12. Igor k
    You are absolutely right for your comments (53,54)

    This year was Federer's worst.
    His illness and now his injury didn't let him to play in the high level he used to.
    But we shouldn't forget the fact that Federer is 27 now.
    Nadal and Murray are newcomers.They are in their best condition.
    They are good players and the future belongs to them.
    Finally I believe that Nadal and Federer have a big difference.
    Federer can win games even in his worst condition whereas Nadal can't win when he is not in a good day.However Nadal is very young and rarely is in bad condition.That's why he rarely loses.
    Nadal's wins against Federer this year were so likely.He was in his best condition while Federer was ill.Does anyone think that Nadal could win Federer not only when he is in bad condition but when Fed is in his bests?

    From John G, on Sun 16 Nov 10:59AM

  13. desperate attempts by eurosport to misquote federers words so that he could be projected in a different light. try as you might, eurosport, you can only envy federer but cannot become him. he is a class apart - pretenders can come and go, like the steroid laden nadal and the sulking murray but not every djoker becomes a federer.
    try you might and whip up an anti federer frenzy by misquoting him and projecting him as arrogant and snobbish but people know the truth. pretty funny you guys are actually.

    From aaditya, on Sun 16 Nov 6:40AM

  14. I think Federer is still the best player in the world .
    I respect him .

    From , on Sun 16 Nov 1:19AM

  15. This shameful misrepresents Federer's quote. Read the actual questions and answers from Federer's interview in Bob Larson's tennis news site.

    From BobW, on Sun 16 Nov 12:43AM

  16. many great people have perished for lack of wisdom, the sooner "andy boy" realises this, the better for his fragile and "start up" tennis career. he should have learnt from novak who obviously did not have to overstretch himself against tsonga in name of retaliation for previously losing to him at madrid. his myopic goal has robbed many of us from seeing the spectacle of a possible final between himself and roger in which he stood a chance of winning, had he not acted stupidly in the early rounds. i hope he doesnt live to regret this anyway. ROGER, YOU ARE THE BEST!

    From shodolu, on Sun 16 Nov 12:23AM

  17. ROGER YOU ARE THE HISTORY OF THE TENNIS...YOU ARE THE BEST OF ALL TIMES..4 ME YOU ARE THE ONE...C'MOOONNNNN....I HOPE YOU WILL WIN ALL THE 4 GRAND SLAMS OF THE YEAR 2009...WE LOVE YOU ROGER...TAKE CARE!!!!!

    From Gladiatoru, on Sat 15 Nov 11:06PM

  18. Federer, now you No2, next year you will not be even No3! Don't be so arrogant!!!

    From tinker bell, on Sat 15 Nov 9:50PM

  19. answer to comment 60. federer complained for back injuries long before he came to the masters. and pulled out of paris because of back injury while he has in the quarters. and he never won and he really wanted to win there so you should believe is true.

    From Varnavas P, on Sat 15 Nov 9:33PM

  20. Federer is 27 years of age, Marrey only 21
    Federer won his first Grand Slams when he was 22
    So, wait for 6 years, and then compares them
    Marrey beat Federer because he was better at that moment, not because he is the best
    The best is Nadal, world number one!!!

    From big mouth, on Sat 15 Nov 9:28PM
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