Topic: 2009 OFFICIAL FRENCH OPEN THREAD - ATP

[Babblelot]

Thanks guys!  I'm so happy that I don't know what to do!  I have dreamed about this for years and it hs finally come true!


THANK YOU ROGER!!!!!!!!!

Celebrate and next season don't tell us a trillion times how much you do not like the clay season because the only interest is who is going to lose in the final or perhaps now the same kind of posts involving knees.

SLAP! Preach it, sister!!   

[Dallas]

Actually, the clay season is still my least liked season on tour.  But this year was more successful than the others.  I'm just glad it's finally over.

[Babblelot]

Actually, the clay season is still my least liked season on tour.  But this year was more successful than the others.  I'm just glad it's finally over.

Never too early to get started on the 2010 hatefest 

[Dallas]

[Chris1987]

Huge congrats to Roger for achieving his dream of the Career Grand Slam today and equalling the record of 14 Slams too and to Dallas and all the great Roger fans we have here I'm very happy for you guys Roger played a really good match out there today considering what was on the line(must congratulate Soderling on a wonderful 2 weeks and some incrediblw wins and performances, Roger owes him sooo much too for playing such a huge part in winning him this Slam   ), made a bit easier by having such a superior record over Soderling. Not that Roger or his fans will care one bit and rightly so, but I just wish he had played this match for the Slam and 14 Grand Slams against 1 of his fellow top 4- that would have been much more interesting. Still it was a fantastic day for Roger, his fans and tennis, and just truly wonderful to watch such a moment- fantastic and I'm very pleased Roger has at last got his Roland Garros title

[wissywig]

Just wanted to say a quick WOO HOO! to all the Fed fans here.  I'm sincerely happy for all of you, and of course for Federer but he's not reading this.   He looked great, focused, and VERY intent on earning that trophy.  (Personally, I've put him in the GOAT category for a long time already--now that I know what GOAT means, lol--critics be damned, and I'm not a diehard fan, which makes me more objective, I think. ) Enjoy the moment, it's a biggie.

Now everyone can go back to getting to their haircut appointments and sleeping past 6 AM again...at least for the two or so weeks until Wimby!



Oh, I have to say one thing--I'd been perched at the edge of my seat watching the match intently when I finally decided I HAD to get up to pee.  I ran in there and did my biz-niss as fast as I could and can I tell you that when I came back everyone was talking about this huge thing that had just happened and I was like, whaaaa?  Broadcasters referring to something "scary" and I couldn't believe that it happened the very second I got up.  Happens every time. But when I saw it on the replay I was glad I'd missed it, I would have had a heart attack...at least I knew he was okay.   I think what was really frightening about that moment was that the guy seemed really intent on getting to Roger, and he was trying to pull that thing over his head or something.  Streakers are fairly common and expected, but what I saw was someone who was really intent on doing something to Roger, and that freaked me out.  My first theory was that it was a Soderling fan trying to mess with Roger's head.  Oh well, all's well that ends well...and I'd say it ended well for the Federation 

[Lugburz]

OK ,for the ones that still wonders who was that ''lunatic'' today:

http://www.jimmyjump.com/cont/main.php?id=3
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaume_Marquet_Cot

the guy is pretty famous by his acts but there's still a question,how the hell on Earth he manged to touch Fed,beside all those crappy security guards?! 

[avidkeystamper]

GOATS do not trail their biggest rival 2-5 in slam finals (2-6 if you add a semifinal).

I'm fine with your arbitrarily narrow definition that only discounts Federer.
Here's mine, because this seems to be a trend. GOAT's must have made at least 11 semifinals of a GS in a row.
While yours may seem to be an intuitive requirement for being a GOAT. There's nothing that says it's one of the "requirements". That only shows you don't want to accept him as one because of that arbitrary condition.

[gm3106]

Poll on BBC, 85% think Federer is the GOAT.

So do I, but winning a couple more should make it completely clear-cut. The only question mark hanging at the moment is of course his record vs Nadal. A couple more slams, especially if he could beat Nadal in the final of one of those, should go some way to putting that to rest.

But regardless, he has the finest record we've seen till now. Quantitatively equal to Sampras, but qualitatively better than Sampras, as he has won all 4. That's good enough for me. He has also reached a level of consistency that Sampras could only dream of - he hasn't lost before the SF of a slam for 5 years.

Astonishing.

[kittens25]

GOATS do not trail their biggest rival 2-5 in slam finals (2-6 if you add a semifinal).

I'm fine with your arbitrarily narrow definition that only discounts Federer.
Here's mine, because this seems to be a trend. GOAT's must have made at least 11 semifinals of a GS in a row.
While yours may seem to be an intuitive requirement for being a GOAT. There's nothing that says it's one of the "requirements". That only shows you don't want to accept him as one because of that arbitrary condition.

Before 1985 all 4 slams were not valued the way they are now.   The French Open wasnt fully valued by all until 1981 or so, the Australian Open not until a few years later.   Thus that would be an impossible measure to use with any fairness.

[TennisVeritas]

GOATS do not trail their biggest rival 2-5 in slam finals (2-6 if you add a semifinal).

That is a lop-sided tally though having to play the best clay courter of all time on clay for 3 of those 5.

The best player of all time (whoever that is) on either gender would beat their biggest rival on every surface.   Graf beats Seles and Navratilova on every surface in the slams and elsewhere.   Navratilova destroyed Chris Evert, the greatest female clay courter ever in the 84 French Open final.   Evert has beaten Navratilova at every slam, including her beloved Wimbledon (ok semis not final but still). 

Laver has bested Rosweall and Gonzales on every slam and on every surface, including a straight sets win in the French Open final over Rosewall.  Sampras wasnt owned by any opponent, despite his failure to win the French.   He has even beaten most of his eras greatest clay courters at the French head to head though- Muster, Courier, Bruguera.   Borg beat McEnroe and Connors on every surface, and beat both at the U.S Open, just never got the 7th win to win the title.   Budge beat Perry and Riggs on every surface and won the Calender Slam.   

Federer has never beaten Nadal at the French.  Nadal has beaten Federer everywhere.  In the last year Federer at only 26/27 has lost 3 straight slam finals to his biggest rival on 3 different surfaces, and the one on Nadal's surface was trounced.  Sorry that isnt GOAT material.

Your stas are "strange" and full of hate as usual..Rafa has beaten FED everywhere..How many times out of his beloved clay..I count 1 HC and 1 on grass..Now..FED was able to beat him 2 on grass..Rafa is owning FED out of clay in slams? Where is that stats..I do not see that..Out of clay they are all dam close: And how many time Rafa was there in the final at the USO ?

I mean it is just unfair, and pure FED hater, to say that Rafa is far superior to FED when FED was ALWAYS there playing against Rafa in his playground when Rafa was never in FED's (HC) garden in New York: The H2H is coming as well from there or you are saying to us taht Rafa would have easily beaten FED at the USO in '06-'08..BTW was he was not ion the final if it was so easy!!!!

You hate this guy so stop posting about him..Your arguments are too biased..

[Babblelot]

OK ,for the ones that still wonders who was that ''lunatic'' today:

http://www.jimmyjump.com/cont/main.php?id=3
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaume_Marquet_Cot

the guy is pretty famous by his acts but there's still a question,how the hell on Earth he manged to touch Fed,beside all those crappy security guards?!  

At least twice at Wimbledon Finals. I'm just sayin'...  

Streaker gatecrashes Wimbledon men's final (2002)
A male streaker held up the resumption of the rain-interrupted Wimbledon men's final between top seed Australian Lleyton Hewitt and Argentine David Nalbandian on Sunday.




The streaker jumped on to Centre Court from the stands and ran around the court, kicking his shoes off, much to the amusement of the crowd who were waiting for the match to restart after a 15-minute rain delay.

Both players were on court and had to wait on the sidelines until officials caught the man, who leapt across the net to evade them. He was eventually led off court.

"We're taking down some details from him and he is expected to be escorted off the premises," a police official at Wimbledon told Reuters.

But the amount of time it took officials to catch him will raise concern about security measures at this year's Wimbledon.

"Security had been reviewed but it is always a tough compromise between containment and the great views and closeness to the court that spectators enjoy at Wimbledon," the All England Club said in a statement.

"In this instance it was quickly apparent that there was no threat but it would be a great shame if we have to put more permanent measures in place to prevent people gaining access to the court. Clearly we hope this will not be the case."

A woman streaker had invaded the Centre Court before the start of the 1996 men's final between Richard Krajicek and Malivai Washington.



More streakers at Wimby


2004 Naomi McDonald (pictures too graphic to post    But here's a link for the curious  
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/article90899.ece

[Federer's_footwork]

Would be interested to see what the ranking implications are of this.

Guessing this ends the "Murray to be #2" debate for a while.

If Fed wins Wimby does he get #1 back?



Side note: sincere congratulations to Fed and his supporters. I thought this day would never come. Keep the faith!

[wissywig]

OK ,for the ones that still wonders who was that ''lunatic'' today:

http://www.jimmyjump.com/cont/main.php?id=3
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jaume_Marquet_Cot

the guy is pretty famous by his acts but there's still a question,how the hell on Earth he manged to touch Fed,beside all those crappy security guards?! 

Ha, the Wikipedia page already updated his bio with today's shenanigans: "During the 2009 Men's Singles Finals of the French Open he accosted the winner Roger Federer, attempting to place a red beret on his head."

I suppose some folks think it's all fun and games, but that really isn't all that funny, IMO.  Between poor Monica and the general trend of insanity and sociopathy, security really needs to be tighter at these things.

Attention hogs...boring. 

Though I suppose I can't blame him if he's a real estate agent, he needs something to do these days

[kittens25]

The only way for Federer to be a worthy GOAT candidate of any degree would be to:

-Win atleast 2 Calender Slams
-Wins slams over a 12 year span/13 year stretch so win atleast 1 slam in 2015
-Gain a winning head to head with his main rival Nadal in slams, so gain atleast 5 more wins vs Rafa in slams than Nadal can on him
-Beats Nadal in a French Open final atleast once
-End the year ranked #1 atleast 3 more times
-Gains a winning head to head with Murray, not even strictly the slams is good enough in this case but overall

If he achieves this it would put him in the conversation with Laver, Sampras, Rosewall, Gonzales, and Borg.  Right now he is in the second tier with people like Tilden, Budge, Kramer, and Perry; just above the 3rd tier of Lendl, Connors, McEnroe, Cochet, LaCoste.

[Dallas]

Like I said earlier - since we don't have a definitive definition of what you have to have done to be the GOAT, there will always be people disagreeing.  That's fine. I will say that Roger is one of the GOATs... and I don't even think kittens can dispute that. But regardless, I'm still happy.

When you look back over post from previous posters from - say January through now - you'll see that many had given up on Roger.  Some said he would never win another major because now he's not playing in that 'weak era'.  Many said that it was a "LOCK" that Nadal would win the French & Wimbledon, and many were even saying that Nadal could even go on this year to win the Grand Slam.

But you see how 'fast' things can change in tennis?  You have to play well, be healthy, and yes  - be a little lucky".  Now we're wondering about Rafa's knees - and to all you Nadal fans - I truly hope there is nothing seriously wrong with his knees.  Let's hope he bounces back because he is good for tennis as well.

So that's why I have a motto of "ONE STEP AT A TIME" because things can change in a heartbeat!

[Dallas]

GOATS do not trail their biggest rival 2-5 in slam finals (2-6 if you add a semifinal).

I'm fine with your arbitrarily narrow definition that only discounts Federer.
Here's mine, because this seems to be a trend. GOAT's must have made at least 11 semifinals of a GS in a row.
While yours may seem to be an intuitive requirement for being a GOAT. There's nothing that says it's one of the "requirements". That only shows you don't want to accept him as one because of that arbitrary condition.

Before 1985 all 4 slams were not valued the way they are now.   The French Open wasnt fully valued by all until 1981 or so, the Australian Open not until a few years later.   Thus that would be an impossible measure to use with any fairness.

Well I'm confused then.  You're putting Laver as the GOAT, but didn't he win both his slams before 1985? So according to you - those shouldn't be valued the way they are now?  Or am I missing the point?

But anyway... like I said earlier - I don't care if some think Roger is or isn't the GOAT.  Doesn't matter to me!  He's MY GOAT!!!! and he doesn't have to prove anything else (to me)!

[miticfam]

The only way for Federer to be a worthy GOAT candidate of any degree would be to:

-Win atleast 2 Calender Slams
-Wins slams over a 12 year span/13 year stretch so win atleast 1 slam in 2015
-Gain a winning head to head with his main rival Nadal in slams, so gain atleast 5 more wins vs Rafa in slams than Nadal can on him
-Beats Nadal in a French Open final atleast once
-End the year ranked #1 atleast 3 more times
-Gains a winning head to head with Murray, not even strictly the slams is good enough in this case but overall

If he achieves this it would put him in the conversation with Laver, Sampras, Rosewall, Gonzales, and Borg.  Right now he is in the second tier with people like Tilden, Budge, Kramer, and Perry; just above the 3rd tier of Lendl, Connors, McEnroe, Cochet, LaCoste.

I'm sorry but those things you mentioned are really stupid, you say if he does all that you can consider him to be in Tier 1???? Cmon you are just bashing Roger... Roger achieved so much more than Borg and you put him below him???? And he is better than Sampras b/c Sampras only got in SF of RG and Roger made 5 finals and 1 win. Laver won 2 calendar slams, but on which surfaces??? Everything you said just isn't on it's place and I don't know what are you trying to achieve with this bashing

[wissywig]

Now we're wondering about Rafa's knees - and to all you Nadal fans - I truly hope there is nothing seriously wrong with his knees.  Let's hope he bounces back because he is good for tennis as well.

No kidding.  That news is a bit scary.  There was some speculation that he's using that as an excuse of sorts, or a reason, let's say, to take some time to process the huge loss at RG.  But I would hope that they wouldn't do that--if he needs some time off, that's fine, but I don't think they would create a major problem just for this purpose.  I wish I could agree that the news is just a ruse, but I don't think they would make up something so career-threatening to give to the press.  I hope not.  But then, I hope they did...I don't want it to be true. 

[TennisVeritas]

The only way for Federer to be a worthy GOAT candidate of any degree would be to:

-Win atleast 2 Calender Slams  
-Wins slams over a 12 year span/13 year stretch so win atleast 1 slam in 2015
-Gain a winning head to head with his main rival Nadal in slams, so gain atleast 5 more wins vs Rafa in slams than Nadal can on him
-Beats Nadal in a French Open final atleast once
-End the year ranked #1 atleast 3 more times
-Gains a winning head to head with Murray, not even strictly the slams is good enough in this case but overall

If he achieves this it would put him in the conversation with Laver, Sampras (How many Career GS  ) , Rosewall, Gonzales, and Borg (How many USO  ) .  Right now he is in the second tier with people like Tilden, Budge, Kramer, and Perry; just above the 3rd tier of Lendl, Connors, McEnroe, Cochet, LaCoste.

 

Pete:

"Now that he's won in Paris, I think it just more solidifies his place in history as the greatest player that played the game, in my opinion."

details here: http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/sns-ap-ten-french-open-sampras,0,3263409.story

case close for plenty of people a part some haters like you