here's the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ENdw9ezginM

He didn't lose it? Does he know what losing it means? I think he lost a lot. His composure, his calmness, his forehand, his backhand, his serve. 4 years had he not broke a racket. And before those 4 years he was in the dark ages. Now is the same scenario.

I think he lost it on court also . The shot he missed before the racket throw was a shot he could make in his sleep . The number of UE's made in that match sure as hell got to him . Dark Ages as in Darth Federer ...hahah .... I wouldn't mind that guy back .....

No, he frustrated not just because he was losing, because his back might get worse again. Let's see he squatted down during the match. It should be the physical problem. Frustration not for the one match, but for the injury which might suffer him for the rest of his career.

Yeah......Fed smashed a racket! Whooopeeeeee.....the guy is human. WE, THE FANS, have made him into a godlike creature...WE and the SPORTING WORLD have elevated his status from ordinary human to incredible God of Tennis.

It is us who are disappointed because WE expect so much more from our idol. WE need to give him a break...(yep he did that with the tennis racket). The pressure that he must be under in terms of media asking him moronic questions, commentators picking up on his EVERY mistake. There is no other tennis player on the tour that has to put up with so much. I FIRMLY AND TRULY believe that. Even when Fed plays these days, I listen to Eurosports, Skysports and other channels all reporting on 'the decline' of Fed....'Will he or won't he'....Arghhhhhhh.

I want to scream. Whatever he did yesterday, it was ONE incident out of a million times he has wowed us with his class, his expertise, his technique. WE, the fans need to put things into perspective. Roger is a great champion. He ALWAYS will be. He is an intelligent man and if he chooses not to seek outside help then there is no way forward for him, but that will be his decision. If he does, then there is hope. But it is his decision. We can hypothesise about what he has done, what he should do, but only Roger can make that choice. I couldn't believe it initially. I thought he was going to storm through the game, like he did with Roddick (in terms of playing great tennis). But once again, he lost his nerve. He choked.

Great first set, confidence flying, second set, very poor. Third set..........................A-P-P-A-L-L-I-N-G. BUT. I remember this time last year, Djokovic at US Open, playing the crowd, clapping and jeering...Commentators writing him off. 'Djokovic is low in confidence, change of racket, he's finished'........Then what happens...slowly....slowly....he gets things together, gets his act sorted, comes back. It's what happens. Right now, I doubt Roger. I hate myself for that. And so I need to work on ME. I want to believe that Roger is going to find a way, but when he loses (even though, let's not forget, he DOES get to the business end of things...), I hate it. Kooyong 2009, won, Doha Semi finals, IW, semi finals, Miami Semifinals. It's NOT a bad record. It is just that we have come to expect so much more........It is great that he is not playing Monte Carlo. I believe Roger is still hungry and motivated to win. He does need to sort out his head though. No doubt. And let us not forget....that potty mouth Roddick and Murray, saying the 'F' word on more than one occasion in this tournament, in full view of children and the like, that isn't sportsmanship.....Does that get picked up on? No! But because it is 'Fed in decline'...everyone is joining the bandwagon. We need to calm it down......

malteser ...i like ur post ...i especially like the " I need to work on ME " part ..hilarious. I dont have that problem , i find my believe still strong , but i wish u all the best in 'recovery' .

As for the significance of the racket smashing ... i dont think its all that much . heck we just had nadal smash his racket a few days ago .. and that was cos he missed shots in training !!...and it was not made into a big deal ( in terms of criticism). Its normal ...as ive posted there. If feds game will come together at the expense of him letting out the little bit of Safin in him ...then so be it .

Fedex....thanks....Phew...I feel better already.

I think I read too much. I totally understand his reaction.....God...the amount of 'cool' that he needs to keep in his 'coolbox'....hell...He is an ice god....Jeeezz I am glad he smashed the racket..an outlet for him. Surely his 'team' cannot let this carry on? They HAVE to talk him into getting outside help, another pair of eyes, a fresh voice that can advise, talk,sooth,criticise,laugh and joke with.......I am sure his father will calm the waters with Roger....they seem close and perhaps this will be a turning point for him. Just that unease I feel these days when I watch him play..every time I see him make a great shot, I jump for joy, screaming like a crazy banshee....then a bad shot....my heart sinks. I elevate him. I cannot help it. Now there is talk AGAIN of his retirement....Arghhhhhhhh. I want it all to go away!

That was a real scary moment for me. When I watched it, it's like someone you know is cool losing his head. Like someone who is quiet and never gets angry suddenly does something crazy. Those people are even scarier than those who always get angry because we do not expect it.

here is a a deduction.....no disrespect to the swiss ace but what i have deduced is that federer is mentally nt as strong as i used to think he is...rafa is abt 3 times stronger mentally despite being so inxperienced....roger did the same thing in 05 miami final against nadal...he used to do such things way back in 00-01....he never did such a thing b/w 06-07....this is becoz these were the yrs when he used to face no serious adversary...no its nt the same..he is facing bad times and is showing negative emotions...its easy to stay calm when u hardly lose matches bt ur patience and other qualities are tested when u fall into serious pitfalls....he burst into tears...he demiloshed his rackets....threw away water bottles...didnt shake hands wid teh chair umpire...so strange and depressing. ROger federer ,its now time to be tested seriously....btw juan martin also took a set away from murray so the guy is playing aolid tennis...rafa ws very rusty and juan martin certainly is playing 10 times better than he did against roger in the OZ qtr.

I was thinking after watching him play yesterday, maybe it is time for the Fed to take a sabbatical. Take a long rest, and take good care of his back, and whatever and then decide if he wants to return to tennis as a champ or just be remembered as one. Or just play less, much less... I for one would not watch tennis much without him, but when he would take the time to return to us, I'm sure it would be spectacular. It's a shocking thought! All of it! Something has to be done. It's time to take care of himself first and foremost. I realize I'm probably overstepping myself saying these things... It's just an idea. What if the back can be brought back to 100% with enough time OFF! What IF?! Personally (and for tennis in general) it would be a GREAT loss if Roger Federer were to take a Sabbatical, and decided later to stop tennis. I don't believe he WILL. Just a thought... Yes it is shocking to think about such things. Shocking, but I hope he will decide to do whats BEST for him. Whatever that may be. Only Roger knows for sure. I will respect him whatever decision he makes. I still love to watch him play, and he still wins most games he plays, just not the biggest ones of all these days. It's not over for Roger it will never be over. Whatever he decides. It's just a change. A change is needed. (There, I said it) Cheers.

Okay sky.....take heart....I feel your pain....we all do.....I used to say, this is a 'blip', but I very much like vamosrafa's post this time around....other players are playing better and are not frightened of Roger anymore. It was the essence of mystery, that aura that used to protect him, like a shield. It has gone. We all have to accept that. Now, I don't think that the match which Djoko played yesterday was brilliant? Give me a break....1 hr. 46 minutes.....No. Not a classic. But he said in interview, he learnt to be patient with himself (Djoko),look how the press were knocking him last year....Djoko is out, he is over, he has a new racket, he's made the wrong decision.....BUT Roger's problem (and it is a BIG one...is his NOT hiring someone else in his team to SHARE his problems/his concerns. And I am not talking about Mirka. Great that they are together. BUT he needs to have a fresh person on the team, someone INDEPENDENT from her, someone who can CRITICISE his play and not praise his past talents all of the time. I really think that he is in MAJOR DENIAL. Unless he gets past that, we are all in for tough times supporting Fed. Only he can sort this out. He has the answers but he just seems to be ignoring them. If this isn't a HUGE WAKE UP call for him, then I fear as he goes into more tournos, his confidence will be at an all time low...I mean how many more losses is he going to endure before he finally turns his back on all of this.......I have just been looking at a piece written by Nick Botterelli...Get onto the Federer website, there is a whole host of them and he has put together a slide show of Fed's shots...Honestly, you are not telling me that the talent of this guy has gone because he has smashed a racket or is showing more emotion these days....No....Fed is indeed in a deep dark tunnel...But the talent is there my friend. It is the heart and the will and the mind that needs the work. With confidence, a whole new outlook can be gained. I watched Beckham go for his 110 cap in football against the Ukraine on Wednesday night. He is an icon in UK. A year ago (honestly)...he was written off, Steven McClaren, the then England coach said it was 'over'...at the age of 33. Becks took stock, made a bad move to LA Galaxy, but eventually got himself a contract with Real Madrid.....been working with their team and the improvement in his game is phenomenal. He is now back in the England Team, Fabio Capello accepted him as part of the UK team. So my point is that GREAT champions if they have the will and the hunger will FIGHT. Ricky Hatton did it in boxing, beckham in football, Federer has to take heart from this. If not, then it will be time for him to do something different. I don't think he wants to do anything other than play tennis. It is his life. His class, his style....BUT he does have to listen to people who can give him a different perspective on his game.

It's a very much disillusionment from Roger, becouse we raising him up the sky and
now what? I think he hate Novak so much and can't control his feelin's, idea that
meaby he will loss kill's him. So frustration for Roger and what can we say only
Hail's for Novak.

Now come on!!!!! Give Roger a break and let's not get carried away here. What happend to Roger can happen to any tennis palyer or any one of us at work for that matter. It's pretty much " the last drop in the FULL cup" before a blow out!!!! I take it as a bad day at the office! Folks, Novak was no better. He was lacking confidence and concentration in the 1st set and looked at least 10 times to his box for some kind of encouragement and or guidance. Yesterday was like watching two UE machines, one was functioning on low fuel and one completely broke! As far as Novak is concerned, he did not impress me with his play and focus yesterday. The only thing I was impressed with, was his attitude to hang in, fight and dig deep for a win. Actually he did not even have to do a lot of that because Roger made it very easy for him. If he wants to win Sunday he needs to step it up, because Andy is on a roll here!

Roger is a legend and I believe he does not care about being king again (he already had that title for over 4years). Let's cut him some slack here and let the guy chill. As far as Novak is concerned, he has a lot to do in the proving department to get to the King Title. He has the tools to get there, but still lacks confidence and mental stability and maybe work ethic at times IMHO! Novak needs to prove us differently! Until than, RAFA is the KING!

(By the way, I AM A NOVAK FAN! I am a realistic Novak fan and will never make excuses for him unless he is sick - (hope not), the way he was at the AO09 and in the match with Tsonga, when he did not look good at all!)

Finally, now what, what are you going to find right now, what is an excuse, WHAT, just tell me what, thanks God Novak has shown him what kind of tennis he has for him, he shut up his big mouth finally, cause he said it would be routine for him, he exactly know how to play against Novak, he showed all variety of his character, Novak dominated during all the match, he lost his temper, for God sake, how it's possible Mighty one couldn't control the match, thanks to God once again, and Novak, who has special motivation to play against that arrrogant one, FINALLY, HE SHUT UP YOUR MOUTHS. I'm more than happy, and as far as I am conserned, he doesn't need win against Murray, it would be great if he's going to do the same thing with him but if not, victory against the BIG MOUTH is greatest for me, full stop...

Gordana....SHUT YOUR OWN FAT GODDAMN MOUTH. FINALLY...SHUT IT UP! Who the hell cares about YOU. YOU STUPID, IDIOTIC, UNINTELLIGENT person. Arrogant? Oh My God.....Arrogant? You want to talk about Arrogant? Go check out NOVAK AND THE ARROGANCE HE DISPLAYS IN THE LOCKER ROOM. It's on Youtube. Check it out? Arrogant/ You want to say that Novak is all peaches and cream, strawberries and syrup? I don't think so! You lazy, lazy tennis fan. There are no excuses. Roger played poorly. Very bad. Yes. You are right there in terms of NO EXCUSES. Everything else though is PURE, PURE CRAP. But then I expect nothing from you. You lazy tennis fan. Novak did NOT play well. He was poor in the first set. Roger handed him the next two sets. It was not magical tennis from either player. Read the pre-interview before the match from Roger.....'Novak is a talented player...up and coming...not easy to beat. Tell me Gordana what is arrogant about that? Furthermore, at the post match interview..Roger said 'Novak played better than me, I played worse than him'. Tell me Gordana what is arrogant about that? Your problem is that you always have a BAD word to say about Federer. Always. You NEVER are able to say anything positive. Showing YOUR ARROGANCE. YOUR ARROGANCE, Gordana. He did not say the match would be routine for him. You put words into his mouth and spout your own. Lazy reporting from you Gordana. Go and sort yourself else you wannabe lazy tennis so called fan. BIG MOUTH...FULL STOP!

malteser, don't let gordana push your buttons. That is what he/she lives for. I was glad to see Roger show some sign that he cared that he was sucking up the court in the 3rd. Actually made me laugh out loud. Now, don't get me wrong. I don't want him to turn into Marat (even tho I love him), but one time is ok.

Just watch Andy (who is not my favorite tennis player by a country mile) obliterate him, and smile and say, "That's nice." (Southern joke that I can't repeat.)

But woteva Wimbledon Fed is gnna win :) I will bet my Audi!

gordana .....seriously ....what is your problem ? ...and i was under the impression you were better than that . sigh..

malteser1 , chill dude ...gordana is just trying to get some attention....

Rafterfan ....i echo your thoughts about fed's anger on court ....he cares ....he really cares ....so it ain't over...and in ain't gona be over for a long time

Gordana, when are you going to learn that one you don't have anything positive to say, "silence is golden"! Learn how to control your emotions and don't be negative.

Malteser, as Rafterfan said, no need to let Gordana upset you! True tennis lovers, miss the old Roger, even if they are fans of other pllayers. HE IS AND WILL REMAIN TO BE A LEGEND AND RIGHT NEXT TO HIS NAME, IN TENNIS HISTORY THEY IT WILL NOT SAY, "HE LOST FROM NOVAK IN MIAMI 09 IN A PATHETIC SEMIFINAL MATCH". I was there and even though a Novak fan did not enjoy good tennis from any of them. They both displayed poor tennis. Roger just made some more errors than Novak. But overall it was a disaster.

Thanks guys. Am calm......just idiotic comments from that ridiculous person. Am chilled.....how on earth h/she can say was a great match that Novak played well? Huh? Hey Gordana.....H2H against Novak yesterday was 7:2, so Novak has upped it by ONE MATCH. Let's face it. He needs the practice.

Now guys, this is a toughie for me. I cannot stand Murray. Seriously, seriously I don't enjoy his game at all. Sorry. I just don't. In UK, there is a split, a divide. I don't dislike Novak. I think I would like him to win more than Andy, but I am really torn here.

May the best win!!!! By my opinion this is a Novak and Andy rivalry that just stated in a new tennis era. Novak is more talented, but Andy is consistent, focused and has a mental edge, therefore, he is a favorite. Novak just has to step it up and prove that he care and prove everybody wrong. I did not get tickets on time and therefore, I will not be able to go! I can probably get tickets, under the table for $200.00+, but I will enjoy watching from the comfort of my home.

This is all about tactics now. Cannot stand the murray game/man....but in terms of the nearest guy to get to No.2 position...I am hoping that Murray wins as he will then be closer to Novak, Novak will get...is it 750 or 500 points if he loses tomorrow? So he still has a way to go before he reaches the No.2 slot.
But as you said arailic, may the best man ON THE DAY, win.

To all fed fans out there......

Tennis-McEnroe offers to help struggling Federer
Sat Apr 4, 2009 3:46pm BST Email | Print | Share| Single Page[-] Text [+] PARIS, April 4 (Reuters) -

Former great John McEnroe has offered to help Roger Federer rediscover his form after the Swiss suffered a series of uncharacteristic defeats this year.

Since the start of the season, Federer has failed to win a tournament or beat any of his rivals ranked in the world's top four.

After the world number two's latest loss to Serbia's Novak Djokovic on Friday, when he was knocked out of the Sony Ericsson Open in the semi-finals, McEnroe said he was willing to lend a helping hand.

"I would really like to help Roger. Especially as he needs to change his strategy if he wants to beat Nadal. And I have an idea about that," the American was quoted as saying in the French weekly Le Journal du Dimanche on Saturday.

"I can't see myself accompanying a player all year long but it could be really interesting to help out from time to time."

Federer has failed to beat his greatest rival Rafael Nadal for almost 18 months and has emerged second best in their last five meetings, including five-set final thrillers at last July's Wimbledon and at the Australian Open in February.

McEnroe said the Spaniard could cause Federer, who is one shy of Pete Sampras's all time grand slam title record of 14, even more problems in the future.

"I think (Federer) will beat Pete Sampras's record of 14 grand slam wins. But it will not be easy at all for him to become world number one again," McEnroe, a former world number one himself, said.

"Even though Roger is a fantastic player, I think that Nadal will play at a higher level this year than last year provided he stays in a good shape. It could be hard for Roger to keep up." (Writing by Bertrand Boucey; editing by Pritha Sarkar; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)

interesting malteser1....very interesting ....McEnroe probably saw the racket action on court and probably thought that they are not all that different :P hehheheh

i don't really see anything bad in smashing the racket, it just shows he is an emotional player and has that drive for success, but that's not the only reason he did what he did. namely he was afraid to lose coz of his venomous statements addressed to Novak during AO 2009 and the day before the match, he couldn't live up to his cockyness and self-confidence and he lost it and he lost it big. he tried to explain his loss (wind, sun ..) instead of giving full credit to his opponent. Nole and Fed have some history, but Nole was still a kid when he made his remarks and changed his behavior since, but seems Fed is not ready to forgive yet.

as someone noticed already, Nole gave a really mature presser, it's amazing how this kid has learned in a year or so.

i still like Fed's game but don't appreciate his personality when he loses and he doesn't lose gracefully.

malteser..this is quite an old story..Mcenroe said this after the AO..not now.So the racqet action dosent count..its beyond me why the media is putting up the article now though.Or maybe Mcenroe said the same thing again..lol.

Federer lost it. Everyone loses it at some point or the other. Rebounding is a real measure of the man.

Novak didn't play great, but he didn't play horrible after the 2nd did he? He was smart and persistent with his tactic. More than anything what I appreciated was the fact that he hung in there and believed.

I don't think Federer is done with. Sure, he has had tough times, and the last two weeks have been appalling by his standards. But to get out of tough times, you need to believe in your own talent. Novak seems to be in the process of doing just that; Fed definitely can win more slams if he makes the adjustments.

malteser, you just showed your home education, you've lost your temper exactly the same like your loving Federer, but I've noticed, Nadal makes him crying and Novak makes him angry, interesting, don't you think so, and learn something finally, I'm female not male, you 'smart' one, Novak forever...

It's very strange Gordana. Call yourself a female....? read the posts.....I'm not the only one who recognises your attitude....let me give you a reminder as clearly you are very selective with the information you use....
gordana .....seriously ....what is your problem ? ...and i was under the impression you were better than that . sigh.. FEDEXFAN

malteser1 , chill dude ...gordana is just trying to get some attention....
do you want some more....?
Gordana, when are you going to learn that one you don't have anything positive to say, "silence is golden"! Learn how to control your emotions and don't be negative.
arailic....so pleeeazzzzeeee...look at your own attitude before you start checking out mine. Plus lady, you don't accept what I said about the presser pre-match and post-match. So please, if you can re-read......I can write with a caps lock on like the rest of you. Novak doesn't make him angry honey....You might recall how Novak was highly agitated at US Open last August and jeered with the crowd...was that okay? Are you intelligent enough to understand that one incident does not maketh the man? You clearly have no class and conveniently forget the incredible amazing tennis this guy has brought us over the years and all you can do is spout ridiculous comments with no sound foundation because your intelligence is limited. If you are female then you are a female with a small mind.

If being 'arrogant' means winning the Sportsmanship award 5 years in a row, then Fed should just be 'arrogant' because people who are actually involved in tennis think his attitude is the best example for 5 years. Seriously, no one play more fairly than Fed. Nadal grunts and make noises which is unintentional but nevertheless distracting. Murray never smiles to the opponent. Djoker isn't too humble when he made the US Open crowd angry.

malteser1 You are truly an amazing tennis fan, and obvious true Roger Federer fan. Thanks for all the Great input. It would be cool, very cool if Roger accepted John McEnroe to help from time to time (as offered). It is always good to hear that people care about Roger, and when someone like John McEnroe (who obviously believes in Roger, and is very knowledgegable in tennis) makes himself available to help,believing he has something to offer Roger is encouraging. I hope Roger will accept. What if McEnroe has something useful to Roger? He obviously believes he has something useful to offer Roger. He says he has an idea. I'm very curious about this. Why not give it a try?! Nothing ventured, nothing gained. Could be interesting! In the end it is Roger who will have to put it together, but outside insights could prove beneficial. Roger is in a perfect position to accept "some" advise. The time is right. I really hope he takes it! You never know till you've tried. We all know he cares. He will do "something". What will it be I wonder...

torres...great point buddy.....sky....great to see you back and I hear what you both say......The sportsman award voted for by the tennis players as well.....voting for Fed....this ONE incident re:smashing of the racket is really insignificant in the scheme of things. Over the years, Roddick's language has been blue as blue can be....Oh yeahhhhhh baby!.....yet still Roger does this ONE thing and the WHOLE media is like 'Oh My God...Roger has reacted...I have never seen this happen...' It is actually making me smile the day after the event....but then that is the media for you. Janhavi says the post re: mcenroe is an old one, but I read it as it being said by him this weekend, saturday in France for a french magazine. May be it is a reprint, if so....I can imagine the offer still stands. Especially as Mac was the one who interviewed fed at the end of wimby 2008 and said 'Man...that was the best match I EVER saw....thank you Roger....thank you.....God...what a dude! Here's hoping that Fed takes this on board and shows the whole world, including small minded people....(Gordana)...what he is made of.....He is ONE of the ALL TIME GREATS and always will be...and before you fed haters out there think that I don't accept that his tennis is not the same)..I do accept it. But I still still flashes of his brilliance...(more than flashes on a good day)...and I also see his will to win, but that it lacks in the final set against Nadal in the main. I don't rate Djokovic as a major threat.....sorry...I might be missing something here...but I feel he was lucky yesterday...it is just my opinion....but Fed gifted the third set to him...lost his bottle or whatever you want to call it.....Things WILL change for him because they simply HAVE to. Simple as that...

Am I the only one who think it would be a horrible idea for McEnroe to coach Roger? Seems like oil and water to me. (Besides, didn't McEnroe make it abundantly clear last year that he loves Rafa?). I, for one, hope Roger doesn't take him up on the offer! But the question is who? who? who? They have to 1) have Roger's respect; 2) Be a great scout 3) be willing to move to Dubai and travel full-time around the world 4) babysit (ok, I'm kidding on that one!)

Uncle Toni :)

Change the pic please!(so depressing)..........A smashed racket is so appropriate!(makes it a bit lighter)

agf25agf LOL this is the second time I agree with you! (it would appear as if I'm counting, you've been good lately, thanks) The racket smashing shows some GRITE! Rafterfan I think/believe the point is McEnroe cares and is reaching out to be of assistance/help. It is a nice gesture whether Roger accepts or not. I am comfident Roger (our/the tennis genius) is capable of clear thinking, and precise decision making in these matters. Which ever he deems best for the remainder of his career. The outcome of these offers (am hoping there will be others) could very well be the cathelist we (fed fans) are hoping for... That we feel Roger DESPIRATELY NEEDS! LOL It will be a thrill to see him play again. I miss him already! LOL Cheers.

sky--- I'm trying!LOL
Ask me why!........ FED did RAFA a favor! Nadal's loss to Del Potro was suppose to be the center of discussions for days( had he not lost to Novak), but it didn't last another day because of what Roger did. So it's my humble way of "thanking" him!

i did think too that it's his fan that's partly putting RF's under so much pressure. we just have too much expectation of him that maybe he just don't want to dissapoint.

years before, it was RF that got me interested in tennis. i liked his personality & his brilliant skills, that's why i watch the sports & today i'm hooked... all thks to RF.

but his decline is a natural process of progression. expected no? EVERYTHING has a peak before it plummets. naturally, there are many younger players out there whose main goal is to beat RF. they are always finding new ways to 'play' RF & the few succeeded. i think RF's is always going to be challenged that way. how long can RF put up this fight? it's a bleak picture.

i don't doubt RF still got it in him but for now i believe he's working on it. sure before i too had expectations & do get disappointed, but now i realised it's always a pleasure to watch him whether he wins or loses. from now on i'm just gonna sit back & enjoy.

no pressure from me, roger... hehe...

agf25agf LOL It would appear Federer losing is good therapy for you. Perhaps he should lose more often! I know I said it, but of course I would NEVER want it to happen! I mean FEDERER lose again!!! Even if there is a possibility it could be good therapy for you!!! FORGET IT BUD! LOL May the BEST man WIN! Obviously it's not going to be Federer or Nadal this time. So we're even this time around.

I really don't care if he wins or loose,that time, coz Rafa was out anyway. What I loved about the situation was that I saw Federer as a "real person", again. I kinda felt for him this once!

RF called it frustration. But that childish outburst of racquet smashing followed by flinging water bottles around was plain, simple petulance and very unbecoming behavour from the man who has just received the fourth consecutive Sportsman of the Year Award. If I were a member of the Laureus Panel I would be questioning my judgement.

ed251137, you just answered the question as to why you are NOT a member of the Laureus Panel .

Yeah....ed....come on. Don't let one incident spoil the great times that Fed has brought the tennis fans and will continue to do so. Remember the bad days that you have had in your life, which have not been in the public arena.....BUT with any great athlete, they are.....I am not saying that what he did was wrong....just HUMAN...Like the rest of us. Bar that one incident, all sports guys/pressers were saying they had never seen that side of Fed. I doubt it will change their opinion of him. Just shows that the game means that much to him. I was actually 'shocked' at the time. Then afterwards had a bit of smile.....Thought, good on ya mate...Shows you are REAL....I kinda liked it. And I think when you read all of the good work he does for the sport and all the money he has put into the game and all the charity work he does, he MORE than deserves the title for a FIFTH consecutive time. Not fourth. Plus remember the players voted for him too....so don't be too harsh Ed....just be real...like Fed!

Thank Malteser for correcting me - you are right it was the 5th award. But first we had the uncontrollable crying and now the temper tantrum exacerbated by leaving the court without acknowledging the umpire or the spectators. I was merely pointing out that it is not the behaviour one expects from a mature man of nearly 28 who had been at the pinnacle of tennis for a record-breaking 237 weeks and has broken record after record along the way.
Part of good sportsmanship, surely, entails accepting defeat graciously. Actually I find it is very sad to see him tarnish his reputation in this way.

malteser I agree with you.None of us can understand what he's going through at the moment.Its easy to be gracious when you arent really expected to win every tournament.Till last year.Heck,till this year Roger has been expected to win every tournament( except on clay) .Its hard for him.To me,one incident changes nothing.

The truth is, I noticed when one of Djokovic's supporters called something out, thats when Federer got distracted and that was the end! When the umpire calls out for calm so the players can concentrate there should be calm. I think its happened in the past when Federer had to tell the Djokovic crowd to "Be Quiet" Some players can take all that noise, and others get distracted! Federer is sensitive at the moment.

^ no nothing of that sort happened.Roger is the only one to be blamed for his meltdown ..but the meldown is understandable.

janhavi....fofe was right. I watched the match. Someone in the crowd did shout something out.....but I agree with you Janhavi....this meltdown is totally Roger's responsibility and HE has to do something about it. HE has to take responsibility for his own actions, like we all have to do in this life. What Roger has which most of us don't is the money to buy help in. It is all at his fingertips. If he is too stubborn to ask for help then it will be his own downfall and no one else;s. I cannot see that he will be THAT stubborn....but these are critical times for him. He is wounded....but wounds can heal given time and patience and the right help. So come on Roger! Do something about it and give your fans the next slam!

First, what belief I had in Federer is shaken to the core. Not because he broke a raquet, but because of the way he played. The second and third set against Novak were the sorriest two sets of tennis I think he has ever played in his professional career. Truly pathetic. But I'm an optimist. Let's see what some time on clay can do for his confidence.

Second, just so all of you know, Novak Djokovic DID NOT beat Roger Federer, and anyone with an ounce of objective sense can admit that. Roger Federer played one set, then wrapped the match up and stuck it in a pretty box and said "Happy Birthday, Nole." Novak deserves ZERO congratulations for the match. The only thing he needed to do to win was not retire and let Fed's meltdown do its thing. I watched the whole painful match and it was all just a matter of who was the least pathetic. Nole fans have nothing to be happy about, as their player is still not playing his best tennis.

-Arvis

Problem with Fed and majority of his fans is that they are the sore losers, Arvis being the biggest one obviously. That's been confirmed millions of times no matter whether he loses to Rafa, Andy, Novak ...

posmatrac , looser is the person who 13 grand slams ,he is the guy who won all masters except 1 in a calendar.....here a nadal cant win 2 masters bak 2 bak...
it hurts him when he looses coz he still considers himself god and the rest mere mortals..he has never lost to a person who is a better player , he looses bcoz he plays badly...as they say unforced errors similar unforcd defeats...he never looses he alwas gives away.................

you just confirmed the rule, thanks.

It's fun to see him doing that from time (decades) to time. What's the big deal?

postmatrac you are wrong buddy....why do you think that Fed fans are sore losers?! The thing that bugs us is when people like you ALWAYS knock the guy. I for one, congratulate Rafa, Djokovic, Murray (don't like Murray but commend his game), but my favourite player is Roger.....It's kind of like what would you like to eat? A strawberry cheesecake or a Banofee pie? I kind of like the both but my favourite is the Banofee pie....You can be respectful to as many tennis players as you like...but when you have been on top for so long and played such beautiful tennis...it's hard to accept that your man is not playing as well as you know he can....so what do we do in these transitory times? Turn our back on the guy? Be disloyal? Forget all about him? That may be your philosophy, but it's not mine. We try and think of ways between all of the fans out there, come up with numerous answers...'If he does this then that will happen...' etc...It's just sometimes because we are all so passionate about our 'idols'....yours Rafas, mine Rogers....it kind of blinds us to their imperfections. I don't think that Roger is a sore loser....I think he is having problems accepting his losses more recently, but I will tell you something....this motto...'It's the taking part that is the most important', is crap...You play to win...Nothing less is acceptable. He has high expectations of himself hence the difficulties with his current transition...try not to be too hard and certainly do not include me in your category of 'sore losers'....are you so perfect?

Ah, the internet. Why do I bother to continue using it?

posmatrac, you should get to know me before you start acting like you know me. For instance, I don't know if you're a Djokovic fan or not, but honestly that shouldn't change anything. It's basically FACT that all Novak did was just hang in there and try and keep his errors down. And yet the insane Nole trolls here seem to think he accomplished something AMAZING! Like his tennis was incredible, or something. It wasn't. It was pathetic. You know this, posmatrac, and his final against Murray should have confirmed that in all but the deadest of minds. If people like wearing their blinders and covering their ears shouting "NOT LISTENING!" then far be it from me to ruin their fun. But facts are facts, and it's a fact that Djokovic was gifted a win by Federer's junior-level tennis.

Now I dare you to go find any post I've made that makes me seem like a "sore loser." Confusing title to label me with considering I haven't lost anything...

-Arvis

Djokovic didnt play his best, yet his C game was enough to beat fed rather comfortably. His game was far from his best but his tennis wasnt pathetic; saying he deserves zero congratulations and his tennis was pathetic is. Im sorry Arvis, but in your previous two posts you sound like someone who never ever played tennis and didnt watch many matches either.

All I know is if Roger does not get a coach IMMEDIATELY then there will be a lot more of these incidents. First, it was the crying, then it the crashing of the racket. I am almost afraid to see what will happen when Rafa beats him at Wimby!!! Wont bother mention Roland Garros bcos Roger already knows the outcome.

And another thing...... I dont know if it is just me but I am positive that i heard Roger say 'F**K as he approached the net to shake hands after his loss to Rafa at the Aussie open.

Arvis, I haven't seen anyone on this thread or others (except Gordana) say that Nole played AMAZING tennis as you say. Most everybody, including Nole fans, know he wasn't playing his best as wasn't Fed. But to say "Novak Djokovic DID NOT beat Roger Federer, and anyone with an ounce of objective sense can admit that. Roger Federer played one set, then wrapped the match up and stuck it in a pretty box and said "Happy Birthday, Nole." Novak deserves ZERO congratulations for the match." is pretty harsh. It's not like Nole was standing still on the court, never hitting a ball and doing nothing! It doesn't mean I think he played amazing tennis either. He was smart enough to stay in the game when he saw weakness in Fed's game. That's what this game is about. Taking advantage of your opponent's weaknesses.

thanks orion, fan4tennis.

Arvis, yes I'm a big Nole fan but realistic one. I'm aware of Novak's huge potential but also frustrated with his work ethic, especially with his fitness. I hope he follows Andy's example.

I can't agree that Fed gifted Novak with the win tough. Nole didn't play beautiful/amazing tennis (for some time now) but he played smart tennis, taking advantage of Fed's forehand. Fact that Fed won the 1st set must have given him a huge mental boost to finish the match. How do you explain the meltdown, Fed got scared and nervous he could have won the match? Shouldn't Nole have suffered the meltdown instead, he was the one who was one set down just after 30 mins or so + all the odds were against his victory?

I bit of fair-play can't hurt anyone.

postmatrac...are you going to answer my post?

Mona Lisa...Fed did not swear so don't include non-existent things that didn't happen to put a different slant on things. If you are unsure, go back and watch the final and you will that your accusation is completely wrong.

Arvis, I agree with you. Novak did not play a brilliant match, he must have been thanking his lucky stars that he won that match...probably couldn't believe his luck. Yeah, Postmatrac, smart tennis.....but it was not a great match from either one of our heros. They were both in trouble. Novak needs to sort out his breathing difficulties and Roger needs to sort out his head.

novak is....strangely....and sadly.....not starting his important matches that well.....he did it against fed...started horribly against murray in the finals.......wat is wrong wid him??? he starts playing better in the 2nd or 3 rd set...after he has lost the 1st set.