why is djokovic playing in halle?

ive been wondering that too, karupin. maybe he was trying to avoid nadal before wimbledon? that must make him feel silly now.

i hope he makes it to the final. otherwise his confidence for wimbledon will be at an all-time low!

guys djokovic didn't want to play queens because of nadal...he thought he had a better chance at halle as he beat roger in rome in semi finals.... (i know not on grass)..he signed up shortly after that as a precursor to wimby......

I believe Djokovic is playing Halle because although Nadal is the defending champion, Federer is still the man to beat at Wimbledon. Regardless, Djokovic has never played Federer on grass whereas he's already played Nadal several times. Halle would be an opportunity to test himself against Federer prior to Wimbledon...assuming Federer plays Halle.

spot on incoherent82. Nole also plays doubles with Troicki.

I think Fed will just play normally. There's little left for him to prove. He'll probably treat it as an exhibition so we will see more glorious shots from the genius.

My prediction is Djoker Vs Fed final but considering Fed is tired emotionally and mentally, he might lose earlier but I dont think it matters much.

he definitely needs a few days rest torres...but i think he has EVERY intention of going for the title at wimby...he made that very clear 8 months ago in an interview...but as you say...he will be basking in the glory of RG for a long time to come....it really is happy days......

mentally..i actually think he feels stronger....he said on court in french straight after match that he can now 'relax'...ha! he is so incredibly wonderful....
torres...REJOICE...REJOICE...REJOICE...

nothing matters right now!
C'MON!
Allez Federer!

http://www.readthehook.com/stories/2009/06/04/THESPORTSDOC-Federer-082 2.aspx Guyz a good article! hav fun fedfans!!

Here's a heart-warming article with some fabulous comments from Laver,Courier ,Lendl...

Open Emotions





By HARVEY ARATON
Published: June 7, 2009

Across oceans and continents, from the Australian summer to the Parisian spring, Roger Federer just might have proved himself the greatest men?s tennis player of all time Sunday, but he surely established one pure, emotive truth.

There is nothing wrong with a good public cry.

He sobbed uncontrollably after losing a five-set final in the Australian Open last February to Rafael Nadal. A gracious Nadal and fans everywhere watched and wondered: What do we make of this?

?I was there, right on the court, doing Australian television, and I can tell you I didn?t react negatively the way some did ? saying he?s soft, he?s cracking up, he?s losing it,? Jim Courier said. ?I was also there the day he won the Australian and Rod Laver presented him the trophy and he broke down.

?I think what we know by now about Roger is that not only is this a sensitive guy, but he is incredibly emotional about the history of the game.?

Courier was on the telephone not long after Federer finally took Paris, outclassing the Nadal-slayer from Sweden, Robin Soderling, 6-1, 7-6 (1), 6-4. A two-time French Open champ himself, Courier rolled out of bed early to watch the match and afterward said there was ?a nice poetry? to how it played out.

In his fourth consecutive French final, his first without Nadal tormenting him with top-spin cross-court forehands, Federer conquered the clay, his last untamed surface, and claimed his 14th career Grand Slam title, pulling even with Pete Sampras, with Wimbledon up next.

?He came back in matches in this tournament, was able to tough it out after what seemed like his darkest hours,? Courier said.

Toughness, moistened by emotion.

?He looked like he was about to lose it when Soderling was serving to stay in the match,? Courier said. ?The thing is, we?re not used to seeing our heroes so vulnerable.?

Maybe Federer, whose footwork evokes ballet, whose Swiss-taught linguistic skills are the envy of many, was rewarded by the tennis gods for being an open man, for sharing with the world how much he cares.

How else to explain the divine parting of the draw as the world?s best players went down, especially Nadal to an overachieving Soderling in the fourth round? Then rain slowed the red clay court in the hours before the final, blunting Soderling?s power, favoring Federer?s movement and variety.

Unbreakable on serve, fierce with his forehand, dead-on with his drop shot, Federer was threatened only in the second set when Soderling served himself into a tie breaker. Federer then came up aces on the four balls he served.

?When there was a chance to make it a match, you saw what he did,? Rod Laver said from his Southern California home. ?Amazing, the other guy didn?t put his racket on one ball.?

Three years ago, Laver presented Federer the trophy in Melbourne after career slam No. 7.

?I shook his hand, gave him the trophy, he went to the mic and couldn?t get any words out,? Laver said. ?Afterward, when we were inside, he gave me a hug and said, ?I?m sorry, I couldn?t help it.? But I was touched by how much it meant to him, by how much of a historian he is, how much he knows about the years that I played.?

Even if Federer never wins again, Sampras is already out of the greatest-of-all-time discussion. He never so much as made a French final. But what about Laver? He won a Grand Slam as an amateur, another as a professional. In between, he lost five years of eligibility in grand slam tournaments, limiting his career victory total to 11.

?It?s not Roger?s fault that Laver didn?t play five years,? Ivan Lendl said Sunday in a telephone interview. ?But I?ve been thinking about this for a long time and I think the only conclusion you can reach right now is to split it ? Federer in the modern era and Laver from 1968 and back. But if Roger wins the next two or three, well, maybe you give it to him.?

This is not just a news media debate, Courier and Lendl said. Players of all generations want to weigh in. And with few exceptions, count on the sport continuing to root for Federer to climb higher up the mountain of immortality, as it has championed him since he rocketed to the top with the beautiful game and the embraceable persona.

Even Soderling, who by reputation shuns discourse with most players, became a humble charmer during the awards ceremony, paying his respects.

?You really gave me a lesson on how to play tennis,? he told Federer.

They were joined by Andre Agassi, the trophy presenter and the last man to complete the career slam, in Paris 10 years ago. In the presence of another great, in perhaps his most rewarding hour, you knew Federer would get in the flow.

The ceremonial first tear escaped during the playing of the Swiss national anthem, down his left cheek, followed by more. Finally, the French Open was played Sunday by Roger?s rules, No. 1 being: there is crying in tennis.

janhavi , that article was fan..blady...tastic .... i had goose bump on my arms !
Such true emotion and love for the game .......i have that image of roger dropping to his knees after that last point welded in my brain ....just gives me sheer pleasure ..still on cloud 9 ....
He is truly the greatest of all time now !!!!

With no pressure ....i reckon he has a few more slams in the bag ....i cant wait to see his tears of joy again !!!!

C'MON!!!!

After this win,everything that comes is a bonus for me...I dont take anything for granted.Right now all I wish is for him to have a happy , healthy life .
When I saw those tears in his eyes when the Swiss national anthem was being played I just felt like going right up the Eiffel tower and screaming my love for him at the top of my lungs.
Chris Evert is sooo right about him.There's just something about this man that pulls at your heartstrings(I'll post the interview where she said that soon...she also said that she cries everytime Roger loses..aww Chris)

Am still on cloud number 9 but i hope he can take some rest now,he deserves it and he will gather for wimbledon not to get into Djokovic's drama whome has been at Halle for almost 5 days now rested he is over whomled now
i invited my friends for celebration on my treat to celebrate wish i can invite all Federer's fans here you guys rock ,we did it!,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
Roger you did it man!

Yipeeeeeeee..........really m so happy today ........m feeling like that its my personal achievement more than Rogers........

I was just waiting for this way from so many years .....every time he lost at RG .....i cried ......my heart cried ........

Oh god........m so relieved ........so happy...... Our dream come true.......yesh .......it was all our dream .......so we need t see more dreams !!! : ))))))

Common Fed fans........joy is not over ........party is not over ...he is not gonna stop here ............Fed will give us much more moments like this to cherish for life ..........

@Janhavi .........I agree........wt ever from now .......will be like bonus......he is got everything ........wish u a happy life !!!

Love u Roger ..........thanks for this title .........Thank u sooooo much !!!!!

Go Fed Go..........

janhavi...thanks for the article...truly inspiring......

C'MON the fed!

janhavi...thanks for the article...truly inspiring......

C'MON the fed!

That's a wonderful and inspired article, janhavi. Thanks for sharing it. :)

I hope Roger will take it easy in the days leading up to Wimby. He shouldn't be too pressured in Halle, just enjoying himself is the key.

With #14 AND Roland Garros, I think a huge weight has been lifted off his shoulders, and I really really hope for Roger to ENJOY playing tennis again. That, actually, is him at his most inspiring, when he plays with no expectations, no burdens, and just purely immersing himself in the game and in the moment...thinking of Olympics 2008 with the doubles win :)

jyannis...i think that roger is gonna be keeping his expectations high this year.......he is in the zone to win a few more slams.....he gonna get wimby and he gonna defend us open...this is roger's year!

C'MON The Fed!

He's got a baby on the way. I wonder what would happen if he had to choose between supporting Mirka while she is in labour and another Wimbledon title. I think the arrival of his first child will change his perspective on life despite his claim that it won't have any impact on his career. With the pressure of getting that elusive 14th grand slam, to tie with Sampras out of the way, I would think this could be a Wimby title that he could/should "give away".

I think this win as a perfect intervel of a thriller.
Now is the time for federer to blast at all cylinders at wimbledon,with the confidence...
I am sure he will rattle all the players that come his way b4 the final...
And i hope nadal recovers frm whatever he has and comes fully fit into the wimbledon...
And then we will hav a Final
The french open champion Roger Federer and the Aussie open Champ Rafa...
And this time Roger wont let it slip away....
And that would b the Perfect Grand Slam no.15.....
cheers

jibi...have to agree with you...i cant wait for wimby to start...only two weeks to go...am sure that rafa will play...and roger will have had the rest he needed.....i wonder where he will get his 'grass match practice tho'.....?

even if he took this week off (which he has)...theres still next week to practice...so i guess he'll be flying to london in the next couple of days and may be practice somewhere....hire it out for the week? prior to playing wimbledon....
C'MON!
Allez Federer!