Why does he have to play mid day in the heat? Terrible scheduling for him (as always)
He wont do it but I wish he would save his energy for USOPEN

30-40 3-4 2-6 Why was Berdych allowed to ask his coach to take a challenge he was already not having one but he looked up notted his head and challenged. Pff Fed didnt bother why would I.
I think the match could turn but Fed is vulnerable.

Federer completely outclassed by Berdych..

Fed couldnt even beat an injured Berdych.

Sloppy play again

Both Fed and Rafa in tatters before US Open. It would be great if both battered men before the US Open contest the US Open final.

Fed loses big points now..I guess nearly 820 points..as he won 1000 last year

And out goes Roger AND I've just watched another rubbish tie break AND Berdych is clearly injured.
Lucky Nole.

So ExFed is gone... OK... he should be happy with QF... the way he was playing here... didn't even deserved to go this deep...
Delpo still fresh from injury and Blake who was playing some exhibition match...
...so 820 points gone with the wind...
Bravo Berdy... even injured still beautiful!

nole didnt look good vs stepanek, so i would not be surprised if la monf won.

What a day it would be if Nole too followed Rafa & Fed..most unexpected

But Nole losing to the highly inconsistent Monfils who leaps and jumps more than he hits the ball..no way I say..Djoko will find a way to win.

Rafa was injured and drained..so his loss to Fish is explainable to an extent..not taking anything from Fish..he deserved to win but Fed put in an even worse performance than Rafa today..he couldnt take even an injured Berdych out whose shoulder clearly hurt me..The slew of UE in tiebreak and throughout match were ugly

deuce Nole destroyer! :)

Del Potro still fresh from injury? What planet do you live on? He's been back for 8 months now with titles in Delray beach and Estoril!

This wasn't a surprise at all. Federer's fall continues and I'm still surprised he is still number 3. Too bad the players out of the top 4 are so inconsistent. Otherwise he should be ranked 6-8.

@ts38
... but he did not reach the lvl of game he got before!
Be happy that you didn't had such kind of injury... I had that kind of surgery ...one year is enough to feel god but to be top player... no way!
Five years...and every change of weather... I am feeling bad...
Some standards you have....lol... and we are reading posts about ExFed's mono 3 years after....

Federer got thrashed

Delpo did sustain some injuries during Wimbledon as he fell quite badly a few times there, injuring his hips. Though not major ones, he needed time to recover and hence he had not much time to train and get back to his hard court level of earlier this year. He's been losing to Gulbis, Cilic and then Fed this summer hard court season. I can see that his movements weren't that great during his match against Fed here.

lucky,

Have I told you what a privilege and a pleasure it is to chat with you? You have been the calm in the eye of the storm, the voice of reason regarding Rafa's troubles. I am grateful to have your perspective here.

I thought that Fed was a lock to get to the semis and Nole, but I should have realized that Delpo was not anywhere even close to being in good form. It is possible that reinjuring his hip in his fourth round match with Rafa at Wimbledon, did take time to heal. I just focused on how well Fed appeared to be playing. It's true that he was pumped up for this match, having lost to Delpo the last two times they met. So he came out there and played aggressive and served very well. He dictated play and Delpo couldn't really get anything going. But I remember thinking that Delpo's groundstrokes didn't look as sharp and penetrating and forceful. So many use Delpo as the marker of how well a player is doing, but the truth is that he has not yet regained the form he had before he was injured.

I didn't think there was any way that Berdych could beat Fed. I forgot that the match was on after Rafa and Fish. By the time I realized it was being played and turned on espn2, Berdych had already won the first set 6-2. I was blinking my eyes as if I couldn't believe the score. It wasn't looking much better for Fed in the second set. Berdych was just taking him apart. I was very surprised!

I was mislead by Fed's match with Delpo. He played great, but Delpo was just not playing well at all. Blake was never going to be any kind of challenge for Fed. However, Berdych hasn't looked good this year. I didn't see him playing well enough to take out Fed. He proved me wrong! I couldn't believe how well Berdych was serving and his ROS was unbelievable. He was hitting shots that overpowered Fed.

I don't know what to expect from Berdych against Nole. Was this his one great match to knock out Fed or does he have anything still left in him?

You have to hand it to Fed: it takes a lot of chutzpah to continue making the kind of pronouncements he comes out with about the state of his game and his chances of another big win after what for him have been some humiliating losses. But, as Cheryl pointed out recently, we have to remember who this man is and what he is capable of.

It is in stark contrast to Rafa's approach which is becoming more and more negative by the day. But as someone mentioned earlier, this is his way of handling the pressures and expectations. Each man to his own.

NNY: re Berdy's chances. Even without the shoulder problem which was clearly troubling him yesterday, I dont think he is the player who can halt Nole's inexorable march to another title. But if Andy can 'batter' the fish today then Sunday's final could be very interesting.

Unlikely ed., Mardy is at the top of his form. Andy isn't yet. Also, Andy always seems to find Mardy really trixie doesn't he? These darn match ups again. Fascinating part of tennis.

Nole looked exhausted to me during his match with Monfils. I really thought that if Monfils continue with his good level of set one throughout the second set, he'll win the match. As it turned out, Monfils couldn't sustain his level and was running out of steam in set three. If Berdych is not bothered by his shoulder problem, he really has a good chance of beating this exhausted Nole, provided of course Berdych played like he did against Fed, serving well and returning well. Berdych seemed more consistent than Monfils during his match.

Fish vs Murray can be interesting. I think a top form Murray can beat Fish, however I'm not sure are we seeing a top form Murray or not.

Federer is playing sloppy tennis, but you only have to look back to RG to know that he can still find the zone. I hate the way he shakes hands when he loses though.

ed,

I think it's going to take something special to beat Nole now. Monfils played some of his best tennis to get that first set, but look what it took out of him. You could see him gradually weakening, although he did keep on fighting instead of just playing the clown as he is wont to do at times. I thought he might pull it off, but he doesn't have the level of fitness required to stay with Nole. I think if he was going to do it, then he needed to get it done it two sets.

Nole was not serving well at all in that match. His first serve percentage in the first set was 36% at one point. He seemed to be bothered by shoulder troubles of his own, but when it counted he raised his game and just wore down Monfils.

Andy is going to have to play a lot better if he wants to beat Fish. This guy is playing some great tennis right now, having not been broken yet in this tournament. What I noticed about Fish in the Montreal final with Nole, is that he stayed mentally tough even after going down in that first set 6-2. He didn't give up, just kept on hitting his shots until he got the break in the second set. Once he did, I saw him unleash some of the most aggressive tennis I have seen from anyone against Nole. He had Nole completely flustered. When have we seen Nole get broken twice in a set, the second time at 0-40 to lose the set? However, Nole managed to get it under control in the third set and get that one break. I guess the thing to do against Nole is hold your serve at all costs! Which is easier said than done.

It's a big ask for a player to take out Fed and Nole back-to-back. I don't know that Berdych is up for it. We will see.

Samprallica (is that a nickname from metallica?)
He hates losing ok but this handshake was terrible he didnt even look at Berdych.

Well they do hate eachother. There is no secret there. Fed is actually more fond of Djoker then Berdych.
The handshakes after the Tsonga defeaths were a litle better. Maybe that is the new topic for the haters to lookat his handshake after a loss.
Well healmost turned the matchbut it just went to quick. Always pretty awful feeling but it comeswith the state of his career. Just try to peak mentally on the big one.
He did at Garros why not on this slam?

Too much is read into the hand shakes. They love winning, they hate losing. Simple.

Cough... hkmmm....coughhh....
I mean... he lost at FO... or we are living in parallel universes...
Well ...that's a kind of season... one GS underdog and tinny, little, sweet tournament called Doha...

NNY: re: a big ask.
I have to agree. But to take No.3 and No.1 out back to back would be a major coup for Berdy who on fire can go toe to toe with the best of them: unfortunately he only catches fire from time to time! But it will be an interesting match because all the signs are Nole is feeling the strain at the moment and is going to need a big rush of adrenaline to reach yet another final this year.

I have to say I am riveted by the way Mardy is playing at the moment: it just goes to show what dogged determination can do. However I'm quietly confident Andy is equal to the task but it will all hinge on whether he has a good service day or not.

samprallica:
Dont forget, Berdych has been a thorn in his side since Athens 2004 not to mention putting him out of Wimbledon last year!

But then Roger never has been a gracious loser. I guess all those years of being able to swat everybody out of his path left him with an enduring sense of his entitlement to the win ;-)

ed251137...
Every word is correct! Very well said :)

Roger federer is the best tennis player ever to have graced a tennis court.

If it were not for him, players like novak djokovic and rafael nadal would not have raised their game so high to get to Roger's level. It's obvious.

Now Novak is riding the crest of a wave, he is on a high.

Nadal is over. I have said this before. Too many injuries which will continue to deteriorate.

Federer is still there with a shot, but is not the favourite for any of the tournaments. Novak is and we shall see how he copes with the pressure for the 5 years that Federer was No.1.

Nadal couldn't cope with the pressure for more than 60 weeks as No.1 consecutively.

That doesn't even come close to Roger's accomplishments.

So however zare you want to put Roger down. You are the loser here.

You are uneducated perhaps?

But then Roger never has been a gracious loser. I guess all those years of being able to swat everybody out of his path left him with an enduring sense of his entitlement to the win ;-)
ed251137, 8/20/11 11:41 AM

Ednumbers, you are jealous of Roger's accomplishments. Stop watching him play if he makes you bristle. He is a wonderful human being.

He may have been able to swat people out of his path because he was so good for so long, they were the salad days. These days are different.

Strike him out of your phone book and let's see if Novak and Rafa can achieve what Roger has at aged 30. tap. tap. tap.

ed251137
I agree a little about the entitlement comment. Sometimes after a match he explaines and he goes I lost my set;-) To claim it is youre set says a great deal about his mindset.
You guys and gals make something about it. Try to bring him down with it, It is just a great part of being a champion. It is not like he is a manager of a bank where he should work with many people etc. He is a tennisplayer wanting the most. 9still) Winning is their occupation. There is no room for compassion so this is their tick. They all have it.

Fleur.. Ednumbers LOL hilarious. I thougth it was his age?

You are rigth of course with everything you say. I am glad you did.

ed, Quick, quick! Duck!

My comment about the handshake was nothing to do about Roger as a player or person, all I'm saying is that having been on tour for so long, he might have figured out how to do it better when he loses. But yes, the arrogance is what makes a champion - I do not know of a single champion who hasnt been arrogant on court.

"Roger federer is the best tennis player ever to have graced a tennis court. "
HAHAHA... LOL... ROFL.... Well this is the second biggest BS on TT since someone said that Sienna is normal person.
He was king of privilege... the pampered spoiled cry baby. Geeeeez... when Exfed's tard is speaking about crying on court I have dilemma ...is she shameless or brainless... probably both:)
RF.com..... lol ... such bunch of loosers:
My dear Roger I so sooooory...
My dear you will always be the one... ( no, he won't)
My dear Roger were you in toilette this morning... any update about color or smell, perhaps??... and so on and on...

So Fleurwithnonumbers (this part is about IQ, but ignore it, anyway you won't understand) that site is source for your data?
BTW that site is very well known as tolerant to chauvinistic, nationalist posts about Serbians, Argentinians, Spaniards... who ever win over fake idol :)))
.... "to put Roger down... " No need... he is doing that by himself every bloody day. His real personality slowly reaching the surface... poor Mirka can not be there all the time to guide him. He should retired like great Eric Cantona , when he was on top!
From game directly to legend. But he got junky like hungry... never realizing how much lucky he was to stay on top for so long. So he will destroy his own legend... he will leave tennis like drama queen... crying lost soul... Time will tell... You can think what you want, that's your right... but stop bothering another posters here...
Go get help, boyfriend, girlfriend, pet, master.... TT does not mean toilet , so you shouldn't do here what are you doing.

I don't know, zare - Sampras is the one who I enjoyed watching the most, but Federer could certainly make a case for greatest player of all time, especially if statistics is the sole criteria taken into account. I do think the era he dominated wasn't the strongest, but with the way he played all those years, he would have done great in most eras anyway.

deuce: Tell me. What did I say to get up her nose?

darling ed., you dared, oh you foolish woman to suggest in the tinsiest, tiny, tiny way that God was possibly.....yikes how can I put this without being shot....shhhhh, not as h..u..m..b..l..e as he might be....Oh lawks now I've said it.......yes, Voldemort is back and Rafa's castle is under seige....

Meh. It's going to be hard to watch the US open if this goes on.
And well tennis is tough that way don't you think; you have to have these skirmishes with other individuals, people with different personalities, they're in your face all the time, around you. There would be people that you like and people that you absolutely hate, but then you have to keep it all neutral, speak about each other in pressers etc, and you can't put a foot wrong, you're just a raised-eyebrow, a cold handshake, a fist pump away from being a horrible person.

Federer is one of the most gracious, kind, compassionate human beings on the planet. Unfortunately, for people like zare and ed, who just don't....yikes...how can I put this without being shot.....shhhhhh, many people are uneducated fools here who want to....er....put people down, make them feel as if this is their site, their party, their show.

Hang ups children. hangs up. You have them.

zare, what country are you from? Outer Hebrides? Fiji? Galapagos Islands where the turtles live? They are slow moving...so I understand your trait here....you are slowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww. You don't get it. Federer is slowing down but he is still no.3, still with a fighting chance.

The 'handshakes' at the net. Mighty my, you should see those youtube links zare in the days when novak would not be so huggy muggy, curt, impolite, is not a strong enough word. You obviously do not understand how top athletes are. Let's face it not even rafa could look his opponent in the eye at the net when he lost in montreal.

And the arguing. The arguing with the umpire last year and the year before, it isn't a pretty sight to see.

How fortunate zare that you are living in his era even if you are disconnected from reality. You can join Ednumber1000 and Rafaissecondbest in Germany. Join the Hoff. He is a somebody over there. You are a hater zare. Go and swim with the turtles.

Sienna, Federer may well not be at his best and I think this is sad, but nothing lasts forever but the glory days are the best days to remember him and for his beautiful tennis and humanitarian work.

Federer fans will support his incredible career through the good times and the bad.

deuce? Are you in the twilight of your career? what does 'lawks' mean?

Rafa's castle was stormed a long time ago. He built a moat but it did not save him. The drawbridge was attacked by Novak and Dodig and Fish.

Rafa is done. He should go fishing with the Hoff.

Having another psychotic attack, Fluer? Did you forget your meds again today? Pls go get some from Sienna, but don't use up all of hers because she needs them too.

Hilarious...if the no. 2 is done, what does that make the no. 3? Doubly done?

Many people here who have come from the galapogos islands...go sing and swim with the hoff and the turtles ejan. you're hilarious...

ejan....er...why does rafa make excuses all the time when he loses?..

what is it now?

Come on champers!

did rafa make any excuses? he flatly admitted fish played very well.

i was more "genuinely" concerned about you of having a heart attack for too much hatred for rafa, you could pop your veins out for crying his being "done"

now, please spare us from your bitterness in life.. since you think roger's glory days are over, you might as well join him.

RAFA fans are in a different situation now....

RAFA was supposed to be at his peak and then djoker got in his mind and he lost a lot of things..

now what to expect from Nadal..

I still belive he will be back..may be not now may be next year..and Nadal fans needs to back him..

He still have a lot tennis left in him..once he is out of his mental problem(i.e he is able to beat djoker couple of time in row) things will start turning in his favour..

and djoker will feel the pressure next year to defend so many points in a row...

and if we can compare the progress of djoker with FED and NADAL, I can still say that djoker is more defeatble than FED in 2004-07 or Nadal in clay sessions..

Nadal has lost his top ranking even in past ..

and he got it back..

Now it's the Djoko-Fed fanwar... Oh my....

And Rafa is not done, please... Djoko will dominate this year but next year and the next and the next, does anyone here honestly think he wouldn't dip a little and do you think Rafa, Fed, Murray, Delpo, Berdych and co. will just sit down and let him have his way?

Fed is more gone than Rafa, even me as a Fedfan knows that.

But I rather see him lose than to not see him play.

torres,

Its not djoker fans vs fed fans..

I am simply sharing my view that nadal will surely fight for his top place...

he has never been in same situation before losing finals to same guy again and again...

his team will work when they get the time off after World tour finals...

so we will see what could unfold in the next year at AO2012....

yup Rafa needs time to readjust... I think the long break will give him ample time to get to his best level and when he meets Djoker next year, it's very possible that he'll add something to his arsenal.

Hoff...turtles... Fiji....
Quickly... some water, please... we have a serious case of brain overheating ...LOL???

zare, OMG you've got to laugh...and I do ;)

I always enjoy reading the banter on here! :)

Hoff...turtles... Fiji....
Quickly... some water, please... we have a serious case of brain overheating ...LOL???
zare, 8/21/11 11:22 PM

Yes zare. You are very entertaining. You write about entertaining? brain overheating? Such arrogance from a 7 year old Djokovic saying he will be world number 1! 7 years old!

Disgusting arrogance. There's self confidence which Federer has but arrogance belongs to Novak.