11/21/24
November 20, 2006
Roger Federer's year in numbers: - for all the stat heads.
Po-po-zowch! It's true, he's had an amazing year, and next year doesn't look to be appreciably different.
posted by chicobangs at 10:27 AM on November 20, 2006
'Tis no man, 'tis a remorseless tennis machine... I can't believe that he only lost 5 matches and it wasn't even the record.
posted by chris2sy at 12:10 PM on November 20, 2006
"Federer has also set a new ranking points record of 8,370 and will pass Jimmy Connors' record of 160 consecutive weeks as world number one on 26 February 2007 - even if he were to lose every match until then." Well, ok then. Roger remains the only reason I watch any tennis at all. I'm not fond of it as a TV spectator sport, but I could watch Federer move opponents around the court quite readily.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 03:27 PM on November 20, 2006
During his (rather perfunctory seeming) match v. Blake, ESPN flashed a graphic that showed his three-year record at something like 246-15. That has to qualify as one of the greatest modern-era runs in any sport, especially an individual sport. We're almost to "this is getting ridiculous" territory with Federer. Were it not for his stretch of consecutive losses to Nadal, there wouldn't be much to remember about men's tennis the last few years, other than Roger lifting one trophy after another. Although I personally prefer watching Roger's game to watching Nadal's, I hope the two trade victories now and then.
posted by Uncle Toby at 12:50 PM on November 21, 2006
Federer. Wow. Although it only went 2 sets, the Masters Cup match with Nadal was intense. Rafa is fire to Federer's ice, they need each other, all great players have had to have great rivals. But Rafa still can't touch him on the hard courts, at least not with that sketchy serve, although don't be suprised if he makes noise again at Wimbledon. Still Federer is in a class by himself. I do like the young stars that are coming up. Think about the players that weren't even in the Masters: Berdych, Baghdatis, Gasquet, Ancic, Fernando Gonzalez, etc. Any one of those guys could blow up in the next couple of years and knock Federer down a peg.
posted by sic at 04:34 PM on November 21, 2006
By the way, the one tournament final he didn't reach? He threw that match to Fish. I watched it and he definitely threw it - he wanted a rest.
posted by sic at 04:43 PM on November 21, 2006
Federer is unstopable No one can beat him. He's number 1 with anybody else finishing a distant 2nd
posted by msusportsguy at 10:57 PM on November 21, 2006
Awww, com'on now Sic. I presume you mean Murray, (Fish?), and it's important that we are allowed to build him up to a suitably high level so that we can apply intense pressure to him every summer at wimbledon, during the two weeks most of England is actually interested, (or at least feigns interest), in tennis. An entire brigade of lazy sports writers depend on their "Can Tiger Tim Plucky Murray Win?" stories and they float so much better if they can refer to Murray's win over the unstoppable Federerzilla, for the rest of time.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 01:25 AM on November 22, 2006
Those are some amazing stats, for sure. However, Roger should be angry that every time I see his name I misread it as Federline.