Federer is becoming a bitter and twisted old man. We first saw it last year when he swore at murray. You could see it again yesterday in whaterever he said after getting beat fair and square. I'm afraid his whole body language tells you that his time at the top is now over. Even the crowds have turned against him.
And it was great to see him go out data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
I have never liked Federer, but what really sealed my dislike for him, was when he turned up for the final a few years ago in a white blazer trimmed with gold edging data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Agree with the other comments. Federer should definitely retire at the end of this year. It's not good to see a once great champion fade.
Some of these comments are funny.
Feds is no where near finished!!One bad match and hes past it,please.
Feds is a true sportsmen but of course he is going to find going out so early hard,it hasnt happened in about 10 years.
Rafa is more in question then feds is as he has been plagued with injury.
At the end if the day feds is the best there ever was and he won't just add away.
They might be funny too you but, that doesn't make them incorrect. Federer may not be finished as a player, but he is finished as a top player. He is 32 and is not going to get any better or fitter, and as his slide continues to accelerate, his losses to the journeymen will become more and more prevalent. I for one as a fan don't want to see that happen and for someone like him who has won everything and then some, I'm sure that is not how he would want to be remembered either.
Which is why for a player of his stature, he needs to get out of the game at the end of this season or he risks becoming a figure of pity to the fans who will want to remember how great he once was and not what he will become if he continues.
Sampras timed it to perfection. Won the US open in 2002 and bailed out as a champion as he knew the writing was on the wall, especially after that epic 5 set battle at Wimbledon in 2001 where he lost against a supremely skillful and cocky young upstart called - Federer. It's gone full circle as they say.
If I was Federer, I'd be thinking..
'How many players through history have won slams over the age of 32?' (he turns 32 in August)
'I've won 9 of my 17 slams on hard, can I grab another this year?'
'Am I still as motivated, travelling the world year round, or is it time to spend time with my young children?'
Not that he needs it, but you definitely receive more recognition, and perhaps respect, bowing out at the top. If I was him I'd go for one more major and announce my retirement during the immediate victory speech data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
Feds is 31 not 32 and in the modern game is not past it,realistly if he can stay fit he has another 3/4 good years in him.
He doesn't need to get better hes game is still top draw.
Sampras is from a different era,you started younger and finished earlier.
You don't have teenage superstars in tennis now.
Its all imo and you def haven't seen the last of his top flight tennis yet.
Staying fit is a big part of it as rafa is finding out.
Stakhovsky confirms this morning in an interview with Sue, Tim & Jonny Mac that there was no heated discussion at the umpire handshake after yesterday's match! Stakhovsky said he was asking Roger if he was feeling alright after seeing a lot of shots missed by Roger throughout the match that he normally puts away with his eyes closed...
In Federers press conference after the match he confirms that he intends to carry on playing for many more years to come...
I believe he was also dumped out of wimbledon early and people were saying the same its the end of an era then went on to win the US open in 02
Against a much weaker field than Federer is now faced with....//static.avforums.com/styles/avf/smilies/facepalm.gif