"former Mac rival Pete Sampras" they played in different eras they were not rivals. Mac and Fed are such contrasting characters I dont ever see them working together. I dont think one racket smash puts fed in the mac category lol

Federer has not "stalled" on 13 Grand Slam singles titles. He's only PLAYED in ONE Grand Slam since winning his 13th!!!!!!!

Oh, please! Fed would not LOWER himself to play with such a schmuck. Talk about oil and water! I'd bet any amount of money this would never ever happen.

hmm....i agree that thier styles are super contrasting and that oil and water is probably the right analogy . however , McEnroe is one person who can tell you to you face what is wrong with your game and where to improve ...how to improve is something Fed cant take from him ( this is where the oil and water analogy comes into play ) . ..so McEnroe ...though may not be a complete package ...bring the one things Roger needs now ....constructive criticism

maybe the smashing accident made him want that.
for a huge fan of Nadal's such like him to say that he would like to help Roger,that is ironic, but he and Roger can not happen the two has totaly different personilties, unless her majesty queen Mirka decides otherwise

So Mac offers to help Fed 'beat Nadal'. Does he even realise its not a Nadal problem afterall? Unless he's suggesting Fed looks elsewhere for help with Murray. Oh wait, it wasn't even Murray who inspired his first dramatic performance since that tear-jerker Down Under. Maybe Mac got nostalgic seeing as Fed engaged in his favourite pastime and wanted a bit of the action. Seriously though is it too far-fetched to suggest 'what goes up must come down' and that Mac should let nature take its course?

Kiki, it could be that the unlikely pairing of Fed and Mac...with Mac being the more experienced and more aggressive, could be the kick up the backside that Federer needs. Please don't keep going on about the tear jerker phase. It is so over. Passion in sport. That is what this is all about. Emotion is healthy. Accept it and move on. It shows what events mean to these guys. So no need for sarcasm.

roger need coche i dont know why he dosen t wont that iwatched him engry its frist time thats make me sad for him ineed to know his number phon for call him

Ok, so all my respect to Mac, I truly think this is a very sweet offer of him... BUT to me it looks like he wants to be in the limelight again... I'm not saying he wouldn't coach Federer if Fed agreed, that's another thing. What I'm saying is I can't help but thinking Mac is a very self-centered person; therefore, he would offer help to any great player as long as he could star in the headlines...

alba, you make a good point. Tho' have you thought about this. Mac is ALREADY in the limelight with commentating contracts and advice as a self-promotor. He has the reputation in the tennis world and so his resume is already secure. He is already in the headlines as soon as he steps out on the street. He has played with Fed in the malaysian exhibitions events with Borg last November...so wherever he goes, he will always be in the headlines. But....you do make a good point. What will happen from here on in is whether or not Fed will take up the offer...somehow I doubt it....tho' we can all hope that he does get some form of help because he does need this. There must be coaches and psychologists out there already saying 'roger we can help you' and Tony Godsick must be inundated with CV's of all kind. At the end of this all will be whether or not Fed accepts the help or continues to reach semi finals and perhaps the odd final or two this year and then blows out in terms of confidence/consistency and mental strength. Let's hope that he makes the right move.

Malteser-

Yes, I know you are right. I know he has enough attention these days because, well, he's a tennis legend. But given what he is like... it's never enough attention. And think about this.... what makes the biggest impact: an exhibition event in Malaysia for the tennis fans or saying you want to help a big champ like Fed to get back to his game? If Fed accepted (which I truly doubt) Mac would get all the publicity in the world, people would say it was thank to him he recovered, blahblahblah... And after all, he's not offering his help to a nobody, you know? So for me it doesn't really count as a selfless offer. If that was the case, he would do what Agassi did with Verdasco, don't you think? And not with one of the greatest players in tennis history.

I don't know... maybe I'm being cruel or I'm overthinking this. But then again, it's Mac whom we are talking about!

Agf...you have actually said a few 'nice' things about Fed...yet you just keep saying 'this once'....Agf...you are going soft buddy...real soft....it's quite nice...You are endearing yourself to me. I am not sure whether I can handle the softer side of your nature....but I do agree with you..(did I just say that?!).....it was nice to see the REAL side of Fed......shows he's human eh? Agf? Just like you perhaps....?

Alba....liked your post. But you see whoever steps into the shoes of Fed's coach...whether it is Mac or whether it could have been Cahill....or whoever else....it would apply to any one of those guys.....They would all have been getting the limelight from fans/media/presser guys....and they would be saying that it was thanks to the 'new coach' that Fed recovered...so it might as well be Mac...tho' like you, I don't think it will happen...but then I've been wrong before and will be wrong again many times am sure....I just hope that Fed is listening to his conscience....It's time for CHANGES and the time starts NOW!

Speaking of Verdasco...Agassi & Gil! That's the ticket!!! Not that Agassi would ever go to Dubai. Vegas Roger? Come on now!

well,now it is JMac,who will it be next,Borg,sampras.why has JMac never wanted to help roddick beat fed?I admit i am not a fed fan .I know that he has alot or had a lot of skills to beat anyone but now as i watch him play it seems like every tourney he is slowly declining.it is sad to me and in reality i don't want to see him go out like that.
i believe that this decline in his game very stressful for him and with the baby coming and all i believe that it is only going to get worse. iI wish that he would just lower his pride a little and just try something different just say"what hell" and just do something different .
it would not hurt anything to just try something different .it is hard to believe that a person will have that much pride when you know and can see that the way you use to play is not working any more.but i doubt if it will be JMac .Can you picture JMac in the stands and fed hit a shot out of the court.JMac will start to scream and holler like he is crazy(lol) no JMac i believe is not the one for him but you never know.

Alba, you're correct. Afterall he did make the offer in the 'French media'. Unless he's talking to Rog about this its just a 'media sound bite'. Malteser, you are missing the point completely, there's no need to be super-defensive.

I think many people have been duped into believing the hype that Fed was the greatest of all-time before he finished out his career. While age may be taking a toll now, hes only 27. There is time to win if hes good enough. What I think happened is that he benefitted in his early career slam wins from not having any other great players to deal with. Now that we have Nadal, Murray and Djokovic playing at the top of their games, were finding out that Roger really does have some flaws, especially mental. Im not a big believer in crying and while you might think its just emotional and its ok to do, I view that as another mental flaw that he has. While he might win 1 or 2 more slams, the days of him winning every slam are gone and gone forever.

Slicer....where have you been...? Another fed hater...thanks for that... I think all the fed fans out there know that Roger's game is not the same but that does not mean that he is over and out.....Also once again, check out the sporting champions out there that do cry....do you cry slicer? or do you spend your time berating yourself for caving in to a normal human reaction? Guess what...it's called NORMAL....Normal for beckham to cry, for Zinedin to cry, for Kelly Holmes to cry....so you know what...we already know that things are difficult for Federer....he knows what he has to do...it is just whether or not he is prepared to do it....but I actually think it is quite endearing to find a true sporting champion that shows a human side...Hell...go over to the UK and see 11 grand slam rugby 6ft 7inch MEN crying when they have won a slam and crying when they have lost.....Pure emotion. It's what humans do...NOT ROBOTS.

I'm not a Federer fan but I understood why he was crying and even liked it. Maybe I'm wrong, but emotions are the root of sports... actually, any sport is based on emotions, whether it is crying, shouting, dancing or booing... If this is what the crowds do, why should it be banned to the players?

And this is why I never understood why people were so hard on Federer for crying during the AO. I appreciate when the players show they emotions, you connect better to them when they do... For me it just shows that they care.

Alot of the greats in tennis have suggested ways (in the media) that Roger can beat Rafa. Cahill did not become Roger's coach as expected and now JMac is offering ways to coach. But regardless of how many offer, it all means nothing unless Roger is WILLING to be coached. If he isn't willing to listen to a coach, then all the coaches in the world won't make a difference. The ball is in Roger's court right now and he has some tough decisions to make.

fan4tennis you are right.....

This is a post I found from one of the tennis experts on a different site......for a change, a POSITIVE one about fed....

First of all, you hit the nail right on the damn head with this entire piece. More than just the wheels are on fire though. His engine is sputtering, the fan belt has come loose and he's running out of gas.

I couldn't agree more that his ego and pride remains bigger than the Siberian tundra. What he really needs to do is swallow the pride and find himself a coach he can respect (like Mats as you said or possibly Edberg). Not necessarily even a great coach like Cahill but a great player would work also.

Until then, he's going nowhere. Because he's at the point of thinking his learning days are over and he knows all he needs to dominate the game. FALSE FALSE FALSE. There are at least 3 others who have caught up with (or even passed) him. Tennis is always a learning experience. You can ALWAYS get better no matter how high you are.

There are a number of players who played at a very high level into their 30s, and Fed can absolutely be one. But he doesn't have a prayer if he doesn't make some changes.

this is me now.......He simply has to make changes if he ever is going to improve...the above piece proves it. Anything is possible and as you said fan4tennis, the ball is in Roger's court well and truly.....I wonder whether he checks out these sites or his agent does and kind of says...'hey Rog, come on man...do something!'

It used to be that Rafa was his main problem but I think it has gotten way away from that. It's become not only "how does Roger beat Rafa", but how does he beat anyone else. As a Rafa fan, I still never felt like Fed would NOT reach his 14th slam. He will get it, but it's just a matter of when.

But malteser, even IF Fed gets a coach or advice, the change won't be instantaneous. Any changes to a game take time to work in. It becomes a matter of how long it will take.

I agree with all those suggesting a coach is part of the answer for The Fed. And also with those who think JMAC might not be the best fit.

Roger is in a new phase of his life and his approach to tennis (some say the "3rd stage of greatness") where it is harder for his gifts to pay off as they have in the past. The competition is hungrier. His body is wearier. His aura is dismissed as past glory. His ability to temper his emotions is slipping from his tried-and-true instincts, where he was the sole master of his destiny.

Exhibit 1: The new and unknown strains of Mirka's new role and pregnancy and of his status as father-to-be. Exhibit 2: His fall from the grace of #1 and the constant assaults on his place at #2. His AO crying, his smashing racquet, his ball kicking all reflect this emotional turmoil. Even the pressure of experts and fans suggesting he needs a coach is part of the mix and a bitter pill to swallow.

What's a besieged champion to do?

I think a break, possibly skipping the FO, to allow himself time to heal physically and emotionally could place him in the right mental framework for Wimbledon. That he might have to limit his schedule -- focusing on the slams he can reasonably win -- is another decision point.

Maybe a coach/former player can help him through this mental crossroads in his career and life. I sure hope so...

Fed shouldn't care too much of a new strategy to beat Nadal. He needs to focus on his game and not the opponent too much. Everytime he play Nadal, he gets psyched for mysterious reason. Maybe nadal is intimidating to him. Now Murray also has a psychological edge over Fed. He needs to deal with counterpunchers. Even before he rose to the pinnacle of tennis, he had trouble with counterpunchers as evident as his earlier records to Hewitt. I doubt this year he will be able to solve this problem. Maybe next year.

torres....I agree with you....but I think that Fed is all geared up to play the FO this year....it's been on his schedule for a while.....still..he could always change his mind. I found an interesting article which I think would counteract's funspiritman's take on the baby scenario....Funspiritman...good post...but I for one don't think that baby is going to be such a big issue.....read the following and see what you think....

(3) Roger is distracted by his personal life, the upcoming birth of a child, and his relationship with Mirka.

Pooh?they have been together many years and although the news of the upcoming birth of a child set the tennis world on fire, the impact on Roger?s life will be minimal except to add to his joy and his contentment.

(4) The top of the field has caught up with him and some have surpassed him. All will by the end of 2009.

Yes, Roger is no longer dominating his competition. Rafael Nadal is the No. 1 player in the world. But Roger is still the No. 2 player. Whether the rest of the field will catch him and surpass him is still conjecture at this point.

It is a simplistic statement without consequences made by those without anything better to add to the debate.

(5) Roger is too proud and too stubborn. He needs either a coach or a sports psychologist to help him find his consistency and improve his mind set.

No disagreements here. Every critic, every fan, every sportswriter agree that Roger needs another pair of eyes to help him fine tune his inconsistent game.

Ah, Mr. Cahill, Roger needs you in his corner! Mats could help you, too, Mr. Federer!

(6) Roger is following Pete Sampras down the long and inevitable road of decline. Roger?s path will be like Pete?s rather than like Agassi?s because Roger is too proud to be content with existing in the top ten.

No?Pete?s serve and volley game was more difficult for him to sustain. Roger?s game while inconsistent at the moment does not exert the wear and tear of the Sampras attack. Roger will have an easier time maintaining his style of play than Sampras did over his last three years.

As to Agassi, Roger has spoken of how he looks up to Agassi and his ability to remain a force well into his thirties. It has given Roger the courage to predict that he will continue to play until he is 35 years of age or close to it.

It is natural for those who admire the tenacity and the game of Roger Federer to overreact at these losses that occur when he cannot play tennis at the same level he did two or three years ago.

The ?game? is cemented in the collective recollection of Roger?s fans everywhere.

It is not exaggerating to surmise that no one will ever play as Roger did ? perhaps, not even Roger. At least not day in and day out.

This transition from being the top player brings headlines and eulogies at every loss suffered by the Swiss dynamo. Better to concentrate on the facet of transition because we are in the midst of one in men?s tennis.

It promotes questions instead of certainty; it proposes scenarios of possibilities at every major event or masters series. There are young guys galore coming up the ladder, all willing themselves to the top of the game.

The former king of the mountain is hanging on and battling without his accustomed footing. Whether Federer can hold his place is the most intriguing drama unfolding in the sports world today.

Will the king foil his competitors and reign again or will one of them dethrone him and sit next to Rafael before upending the Spaniard as well?stay tuned?

Cmon Roger win the FO , dont skip it

malteser, I am sure Nadal will follow the same path of decline in about 6 months. He is pushing even more now. Good for short term but i the long run, he will burn out.

torres I hear what you say....I have changes in Nadal's game too this year...but much earlier on. For example. going out in the quarters in miami, that didn't happen last year....also more problems with his knees....I dunno though. He is strong and has a good team around him. I think he goes to play straight at Monte carlo when perhaps he should be taking a rest....anyhow, these players know their bodies better than anyone....plus the talk about nadal's knees has been going around for about 3 or 4 years now...so nothing new. The decline will be Fed's as it is already happening...breaks my heart.....but there is still hope provided he listens... I didn't realise that anyone could be that stubborn.....still...if the game means that much to him and I have to put my trust in him to do the right thing.....He still has the game just the self-belief has gone, if he volleyed more at the net that would not be a bad thing and try not to get into the baseline rallies with the other baseliners....not a good move. such a graceful player....he's too young to 'die'.

nadal's not gonna die....those who desperately hope for his knees to fail him should go get a life...nd live it more positively....nadal knows his baseline game is injury prone nd he is making changes...any keen observer would have noticed that hez more aggresive now...comin to the net more...and has evolved such a brilliant sliced backhand to change the rythem of points to his favor..his game is still evolving...so it would be better not make predictions this early about his longevity in this sport...some idiots even predicted that nadal's only gonna win rolland garros...as he can only play at clay...those people had to eat their words...nadal is one of the four men who have won grand slams on all surfaces...nd he has got an intelligent team to help him stay fitter nd healthier....

vrael ..i agree with all that ur saying except the " brilliant sliced backhand to change the rythm of point" part ...please ....when compared to the rest of them using the slice backhand he's is nothin special ....its not bad ...but not brilliant! plus he uses it as a defensive shot ....not to 'intentionally' change pace on the ball or setup for the winner...the only person with a 'dbl handed' backhand that executes the slice with an aggressive purpose right now is murray .

fedexfan.....i meant to say that his sliced backhand is a new improvement..it does make it easier for him sometimes..nd yeah murray's backhand is destructive

i repeat once again , stop stalkin the great player....once again nadal loosin out in the quarters to potro is not an issue but fed. loosin in the semis is ..he has a right to express his emotions...he will come out strong in the comin season...
The great mac will b a great help to roger escpecially in voleyin techniques...........
Roger will bounce bak.................

Federer should definitely take up the offer of being coached by Mcenroe. Here are the reasons why:

1. Federer has a bigger toolbox than mcenroe but mcenroe has a different set of tools than federer. There has to be something in that toolbox fed can use to beat nadal.
2. He is gonna have to start doing something different to beat nadal. The
sooner he comes to realize it the better for himself.
3. As federer becomes a father the relaxed company with John and contrasting personalities will be refreshing for both of them.
4. Mcenroe had a doggedness in his playing style and willingness to try things that could inspire Fed.

From Macs perspective:
1. his body is not gonna stand up for much longer on the seniors tour. Coaching fed will be a nice replacement for that.
2. He can team with fed to win the singles french open he never won himself.

vrael......I meant Fed! 'he's too young to 'die'...silly! The talk about Nadal's knees have been going on for years....he will be fine as you said....I really don't think that people want to see Nadal fade. He won't. He's too talented so just relax.....

I'm with torres9 mostly on this one. I have felt for quite some time the Fed may need (emotionally speaking) a whole year before putting himself back together. The fact that he continues to play while he is convelescing or mixed up emotionally is encouraging. We might be into a big surprise at any moment. He could all of a sudden just get over most of his emotional turmoil (having assimilated,and digested it) and Wammo! Bang! Just start playing much better again. I'm not saying the old Fed will come back. Not exactly, but a Fed who is better than the one we have now. That is all it will take for him to win the occasional against Nadal, and Murray. I no longer believe the Fed "needs" a coach. The problem is mostly emotional here (mixed pride/ego). What I do believe is the Fed would be best served by a sports psychologist (very much so). I'm always anxious to watch him play. Can hardly wait for his next game. Of course the matter pertaining to the back... well this is a whole other angle, not as easily addressed. My salutations to malteser1. Always a pleasure to read your posts. Cheers everyone.

Hey sky! Great to see you back! Where have you been! Hear what you say about Fed...I think it would do him more harm than good to take a year off....I think he is doing the right thing by missing the odd tourno tho'. He is tailoring his tennis schedule back and so not playing as many tournos. This should help him in terms of the recovery process and I think, it will help him in terms of healing....I remember an interview he gave just after the AO this year, then took 6 weeks off, he said he felt 'fresh and raring to go'....I believe having longer rest times - weeks rather than months, will do him no harm at all and I think will give him time to reflect on the matches he has not done so well in. On reflection, once again, I really don't think he has done that bad this year...(considering he has been written off already....again!).....we all know what his accomplishments have been.....I think his back will not be a big problem. It will be sore after any match, like Nadal's knees, or Djokovic's nose/breathing difficulties...but they have the physios that travel with them that give the treatment pretty much straight away....so they have the best 'hands' so to speak......Torres has put forward some great points....the only thing is that I hope he isn't going over to 'the other side' as someone has suggested?
Catch you later sky.....

Absolutely agree malteser1!!! The Fed has not done that bad. We just don't know what is going to happen out there, and as a result we are perked more than ever. You could say many of us Federer fans are steaming with emotional roller coaster like sensations (that's all, LOL, No biggy ) We would just like him to win an occasional "BIG ONE" (naturally) The fact that it will happen is very consoling. The question of when is the enigma. Cheers

Sky....have a read....an article I found earlier..should warm the soul and give the heart some hope.....

The world No. 2 is still capable of playing at or near his former level, as he has shown at times in the losses to No. 1 Nadal, No. 4 Murray and No. 3 Djokovic. The problem seems to be some adverse reaction, a mental block that takes over his nervous system and feeds on itself.

As mystified as he may be, he must accept he is no longer eerily better than the competition, and try to play more relaxed and not constantly beat up on himself.

Also, the tears after these losses, which famously flowed at the Australian Open and were also in evidence last week, have to stop.

He needs someone, such as a coach whom he respects, to shake some sense into him and emphasize what is happening is not cataclysmic. The great Pete Sampras went 26 months and 33 events without a title from 2000 to 2002. Federer has gone a mere five months and five tournaments without success.

Exactly 10 years younger than Sampras, Federer has always worked harder than him at staying fit and should have a few more years left to add to his 13 Grand Slams titles and surpass Sampras's record of 14. But he needs to find a rekindled joy and freedom in playing, and combine it with an attitude that reconciles his less dominant status today with his glory days.

After his unexpected loss to Djokovic in the 2008 Australian Open semi-finals, he dramatically declared he had "created a monster."

Now, he must beware he isn't devoured by that monster.

Thanks malteser1 interesting artical. I'm sure his friends, Mirka, and others are talking, and encouraging him. Roger will address the block... eventually... (when he is ready). I'm really looking forward to it. The WORLD is looking forward to it! LOL

I dont quite understand why Fed does not want to engage a coach to help him. Maybe he has become used to not having a coach so the idea of having to listen to someone else is quite foreign to him. Well, I do agree with some that maybe everyone has declared him the Greatest ever too early in his career and sorta created a Monster. We have too high expectations of him and should just give him a break. He is not having a lousy season even tho it may fall short of his usual accomplishments.

Another point is that maybe the standard in men's tennis now is alot higher than in the past few years with a new crop of talented guys. Federer is prob not used to having to deal with so much competition now when he was so dominant in the past and could easily win the slams.

Well, I do hope that Fed gets back on his feet. Im saying this even tho im not a Fed fan. Just want to see more tennis from him.

fed needs time.......nd a lil introspection...murray djokovic nd rafa all have beaten him this year,i expect him to come out strongly on clay.....would be real interesting...

ahahaha..not a bad idea though..he offered himself to rafa as a practice partner last year in wimbledon..remember????

now..now....'ladies'...slapslip....as EVERY FED fan knows...it could have gone either way....a matter of points......so please don't exaggerate....did you actually watch the match or are you listening to viscious rumours?

malteser: Every match is a matter of a few points regardless of who is playing. It is who plays the most important points better that matters. And YES, I did watch the match!

fan4tennis...are you slapslip as well? ummmmmmmhhh....yeah, point taken BUT to refer to the GREATEST tennis match of ALL TIME being Wimby 2008 and Federer as 'the practice partner' gives no credence, no acknowledgement nor any real undertsanding of these TWO great champions. It was an awe-inspiring match that COULD have gone either way. The Gods shone on Rafa that afternoon/early evening. AND NO fan4tennis it is not a matter of a 'few points'....like Federer bageled Del Potro in AO 2009? A few points? Pllllleeeeeaaazzzzzzzeeee. Go watch some tennis.

nadal07

TRUE - tennis now is a lot harder than the past few years and Roger then was at the height of his supreme prime. It's quite different now becomes stiff coupled with his age and health problems that are now creeping up on him. I think Roger is facing an uphill battle to keep his self in the groove along with the Big 4 or 5?

At any rate, he shouldn't do something drastic a la Borg for his fans to enjoy tennis :-)

correction: It's quite different now, competition becomes more stiff

FEDERER HAS TAKEN A WILDCARD AND IS NOW PLAYING MONTE CARLO....WHOOP! WHOOP!

malteser: I see from the your other thread rants and the ones on here, you don't care to direct your comments to the correct person. I NEVER said Fed was Rafa's practice partner (slapslip08 made THAT remark). Even I know that is ridiculous. Wimby 2008 as you said, COULD'VE gone either way, hence my comment about a few points being the decider. You can't say it could've gone either way, then deny that it wasn't a matter of a few important points. Winning a certain point can totally change momentum for a player. Most Rafa-Roger matches go to 3 or 5 sets depending on the tourney. With the exception of FO 08, most have been nail-biters for both sides. Quit acting like they were blowouts for either side and quit accusing me of comments that I don't make!!!!!!!!

fan4tennis....go read my thread again.....all will become clear....remember with threads (similar to texts..they can be misinterpreted...if I have insulted/upset you...I apologise....misreading can happen....I'll try to be more careful..)

sorry malteser, as we cannot edit our posts, your post that I replied to remains the same. What do you feel in your post will "all become clear?" Yes, things can be misinterpreted (it goes both ways), so I am willing to hear your point of view since you know mine because of my post. You and I have talked calmly at times without resorting to name-calling and nastiness. I'd like that to continue.

fan4tennis....seriously....when I read 'your' tennis..I think that I was replying to Slapslip08..I think they got mixed up....I said something along the lines that I felt the negativity surrounding federer was paramount, especially at the moment, and I feel that the guy deserves more respect.....honestly...I totally respect the fact that you are a nadal fan? But I have NEVER berated Nadal...always complimented him...love the Nadal/Federer rivalry, appreciate TWO great champions...a couple of the threads that you have written tho' (your altercations with torres9...(love him....fed fan!)....kind of prove the point that he as well as Arvis 'misread' your threads too! I think sometimes because this site is thick and fast with fans wanting to share their views, they can all be misinterpreted....mine included....but I guess we all have our own idols and it would just be nice if people would not write the guy off just yet...it is very frustrating..I want to be loyal to Roger...I am certainly NOT blinded by his weaknesses...he is his own worst enemy...but there is a lot of crap commentating about Fed...yours included buddy...don't think there needs to be such disloyal, misinformation about the guy...I don't know whether this provides any kind of placatory reason...but hopefully it will go someway to dealing with it?

malteser, I know you aren't blinded by his weaknesses. Just as you say "I have NEVER berated Nadal", I have NEVER written Roger off. I have never said he will never win again or ANYTHING along that vein!

You say you are frustrated and want to be loyal to Roger. I want to be loyal to Rafa as well. Now that Rafa is No.1, his fans have the right to celebrate it just as I'm sure fed fans did when he became No.1 without being subjected to constant comparisons between the 2. Rafa has achieved alot in 22 years and he deserves the notice for his accomplishments!

Everyone seems to "misread" torres all the time but where you react with facts and insight, he reacts with name-calling and baseless conjecture. Only problem I ever had with Arvis was when he/she said Novak deserved ZERO congrats for his win over Fed. That is an insult to any player, regardless of who is playing.

fan4tennis you should ignore torres completely. not worth your time at all. can't handle competition against his idol and goes beserk! not the only one though, as you've obviously noticed! you only need to notice how ugly some fans get when their idol loses (almost like their idol).

homos...you can stop talking rubbish....fan4tennis and I have had our disagreements but clearly you are taking up from where it was all sorted out...Torres is a passionate fan...so am I... I try not to be disrespectful but when people discuss Federer in such a disparaging, disrespectful way it is no wonder at all that we react...please don't come across as being an angel with beautiful sparkling wings...you are not...there is no othe player on these posts that gets as much of a bashing as Federer and if you cannot see that buddy then you are seriously misinformed.....how about some of the fed haters out there recognising what he has done for the sport of tennis? Do you think you could even utter one ounce of respect out of your mouth? I doubt it because you are so full of it. So don't start having a go at torres..he is defending his man...you are just making it worse getting on the ever growing bandwagon.....look at YOUR own actions first before throwing the first stone and oh...by the way...may be you should have a go at the REALLY UGLY fans like Carrie, Agf, Gordana AND noleisthebest or are they exempt from all of this?

oooweee aren't we a little temper tantrum. glad to see my words carry so much weight!

You haven't been here long enough maltosser so you should stop talking rubbish too - but I doubt you can!

ummmh....so you started this homos...........you talk about disrespectful? Ha! Swallow your own juice honey......having a problem with the keyboard? Maltosser...I like it actually, shows your lack of education, class and complete and utter DROSS that comes out of your trap.And by the way....I didn't need to be on this site for more than 5 minutes before I worked out how incredibly childish and purile you are. You wanna talk about tennis and be a bit more respectful? I doubt it. You are obviously on the bandwagon of the fed haters...you deserve to be with all the other lowlife..go back from where you came from....a very, very, slimey rock at the bottom of a swamp.

Now there's a respectful example I ought to follow. Thanks for the EDUCATION! Enjoy the ride on your high horse.

homos....seriously....you give it but you cannot take it...being of Greek descent, I am presuming that you know the meaning of your pseudonym? Just in case.....

'homos' derives from homo - any living or extinct member of the family Hominidae characterized by superior intelligence, articulate speech, and erect carriage OR it means 'same'...If you did have the superior intelligence then you would NOT have been so incredibly rude....so I'll go for 'same'...cos you take the same old garbage...You do need to go and re-educate yourself though, glad you recognised that....I guess that's a start and there's always hope for a lowlife like you.

Love the name calling! Shows what a high life, mature, self-aware, educated person you are! A look in the mirror every so often might do you some good, than again being perfect, there's no need to I guess. You definitely do a much better job pointing out the faults of others.