Hope you enjoy today's video, Don't forger to DROP A LIKE For More Original Tennis content! The True Last Dance of Roger Federer, 24 minutes of pure maestro entertainment.
Will never forget this match. Actually it cost me a mouse. When Del Potro won the point at 22:40, it was too much for me and I smashed it into the wall.
Yes, this was a turning point which eventually created a cascade of chokes in the late career of Federer. Halle 2018 vs Coric, Wimbledon 2018 vs Anderson, US open 2018 vs Milman, Paris 2018 vs Djokovic, Australian Open 2019 vs Tsitsipas, Indian wells and Madrid 2019 vs Thiem. And to top them all, Wimbledon 2019 against Djokovic was the pinnacle of it all. I firmly believe that had Federer converted that championship point against Del potro in Indian wells 2018, he'd have ended with atleast 22 slams and a few more masters. This choke just zapped all of his confidence, and he never hit the ball with same conviction afterwards, like never after that.
Well, the SF against Nadal disagrees a bit with you there, but it's safe to say he wasn't hitting his shots with conviction the moment he could grab a big title..
Yeah well that's what he meant I'm sure. His performance in the clutch wasn't what it was from ao17 to Indian wells 18 final. Clutch performance fell off a cliff. @@TvRFReloaded
With all due respect, I believe you're mistaking "tough losses" with "choke". Choking is to lose a match when you either had match points or had everything to serve it out - basically, be extremely close to winning on your own terms. You almost listed all defeats Federed had after that match - including his 3-0 defeat against Nadal in RG apparently - which is far from being true. In Halle 2018, Coric always looked the better player and Federer lost in the third set rather easily. In Paris 2018, it was an "anyone's game" against Djokovic. It was a third set tiebreak, where he lost 7-3 - a choke would be for him to have match points at 6-5 or, for example, leading with two mini-breaks 5-2. Both matches against Thiem, he started better, but Thiem just surpassed him in the following two sets. And even the loss against Tsitsipas I wouldn't really consider it a general choke - he had set points on the second set, but on the Greek's serve and he saved them pretty well. For example, I consider 2011 USO SF against Djokovic a clear choke - and not because of THAT great return of Djoko but the 40-30 forehand miss when Djoko was barely able to get the ball back and was very far back in the court - but not the 2010 USO SF, where Djokovic saves 2 MPs on his own serve in an impressive manner - Federer couldn't do anything more to prevent him from winning those points... in fact, if it was the Djoko of today, maybe he would have been missed them since he's no longer crazily aggressive as he was back in that time where he was young and had nothing to lose still. That said, I agree with the main point ofc. After IW 2018, the clutch Federer we were seeing for a year and a half disappeared.
It's just how the top players level goes down after a very long career. The body is just tired, if only to take into consideration hundreds or even thousands of flights. Normal stuff for 36 yrs old athlete, who started to shine in his early twenties.
@@TvRFReloadedno, he never played like this again even when he won titles. And even here in 2018 it wasn't quite like the first half of 2017. The semi against Nadal at Wimbledon wasn't super high level from both. Federer was good but his level was like 80% of what he showed here and even less compared to 2017. I'm not saying this loss against Del potro is the reason he lowered his level, that's impossible to know but it is true that he never played like this again.
As an Argentinian and also a Federer fan, I vividly remember the Indian Wells final with Del Potro! Federer played the entire match superbly and consistently, but ended up choking! What an injustice... However, this was Del Potro's first and only Masters 1000 title, and he won it I believe just a few days after his dog called "César" passed away; he even dedicated this win to him when he signed the camera
Although this one stung, it was always easy enough to be happy for Delpo as he is such a likeable man and played great tennis on this day. It's so rare to see Federer get this agitated i was even rooting for Delpo watching the highlights :D
Del Potro was one of those players who had a reasonable chance to beat Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, or Murray when he was playing well. Too bad, i juries significantly derailed him. Fed once said, he felt Del Po would soon be world number #1, he kept playing post his 2009 season. Movement was good for a big man. World class first and second serves, legendary forehand and top class backhand. He played big points well. An alternate universe would have seen King Del Po.
not on clay delpo strugless on slow surfaces, never competitive to win bith tiltes there, yeah he won a couple of 250 and 500 atp but not many, and in masters on clay never reach a final or be consistent. Yeah he was a threat on fast surface like hard and grass but not consistent enough because of injuries yes, i think delpo will defeat nadal, murray and even djokovic on his best level, we saw in olympics 2016 crush nadal and even beat nole in 2 tiebrakes
@@Fernball21 And Federer was very successful in his 20s without real threats. Vulturing his weeks there. 237 consecutive weeks. Record. No one else in any serious era was able to streak so many weeks. Thankfully Nadal and Djokovic matured their level and game and ended this circus of their six-seven years more experienced rival. And their incredible success put Federer's highly inflated success during a weak era into perspective.
@@vyraselis6641 Their situations are comparable to a degree, but to me Federer is much more impressive for having ascended beyond all his peers (some of whom had lopsided winning records against him pre-2004) whereas Djokovic merely outlasted his.
Can we simply hammer home the point of just how amazing Roger's backhand overheads were throughout his career? When discussing Roger's exceptional skill-set as a player over-the-years, people almost always address or bring-up the great forehand, the pressure-filled and timely pinpoint serving or, the great approach-shots and slices. These were most definitely worthy of admiration and applause but, his backhand overheads must have been taught by Zeus himself at the great Mt. Olympus Tennis Academy!😁 Roger's consistent and steady ability to handle the steady diet of extremely difficult and challenging backhand overheads during his career is the single-most overlooked aspect to his comprehensive game, other than by the most knowledgeable and erudite tennis fans. Those same fans also understand just how efficaciously complicated and challenging it can be to perform an accurate backhand overhead, while fatigued, late in a rally and/or match. Roger's backhand overhead's were summa cum laude!
This was my favourite ever best of 3 match considering my 2nd favourite player is Delpo after Nole, and best comeback from match points down ever... until i saw Nole do it himself at Wimbledon 2019, and at Cincinnati 2023 against Carlos. It was unbelievable, to watch these three matches live and I'm so grateful to have seen them. Had i watched the USO 2009 Final live aswell, i'd rank that right up there with these aswell. Amazing turnarounds and comebacks, the quality of these matches were so high too.
Djokovic didn't do anything special to save the match points in 2019. He just didn't make errors and that's good of course but it's not like he had to win those points himself risking a winner or that they played high quality tennis in those points. Federer was unlucky his first shot went just out and then played a terrible second point
When Roger isn't getting those 1st serve sliders, he starts panicking 0_o 20:57 *Almost Identical to Wimbledon 2019* 30-15 Slider ace down the middle (which disappears on match points) 40-15 Fault, 2nd serve 40-30 Serve into the forehand (instead of the monster kicker out wide)
Having match point and lose doesn't automatically mean choke. It's only choke if your shot looks tentative and nervous. But if the opponent plays well then it's his match, not your choke.
No, it's a choke. He's the greatest server ever with double match point on serve. If he can't close it out, especially losing a point in such an embarrassing fashion like attempting that drop shot, then it's obviously a choke. Federer put himself in the position to win, but he failed to stay focused and capitalize. Story of his career, really. Choking 40-15 several times that would've swayed the GOAT debate in his favor easily.
@thebigmonstaandy6644 That's wrong shot selection. Could happen at any time. Usually 40-15 is not a high stress situation. Against Djokovic at US Open semi or Wombledon 2019, you can call that choke.
With the kind of success that he had the goat status plus his age at the time we couldn've expected of him to grind tirelessly like nadal or djokovic. He didn't have that hunger anymore maybe also the energy that extra motivation. Plus he won most of his titles not through grinding with blood sweat and tears but dominating of course this sets a habit of certain way of thinking and acting. If he had that animal inside of him which he didn't need while becoming the goat first(he got to 20 first plus most weeks at #1) he would've been truly unbeatable. But it was what it was. Still Roger is the goat in my book.
Well, he could have definitely played better when he had MPs but Del Potro played really well on them. To be honest, Federer was fortunate to even get to that position in the first place. He really struggled against Coric and could have lost in straights to juan as well. Anyway, it was a great match, I really miss these 2 on the court.
Wonderful game. Always only respect for Delpo and for what he and his body endured until he had to call the end. If it's a great player who I like and they beat Federer, I can handle it!
Choking is Brain Dunn losing 7-5 6-0 Against Aaron Krickstein when Brain literally was up 5 love in the first set and then lost 13 straight games in a row. That match I seen live in Key Biscane Florida at the Lipton Open!
This one doesnt bug me as much as Wimbledon. Delpo would have gone without a Masters title in his entire career had that comeback not happened. That would not have felt right. Delpo was too good a player to finish his career without a Masters title. Even as a Fed fan I'm glad JMDP managed to grab a M1000 title. Great that u got the whole tournament here. The Chung match was a fun one! Also great find with ESPN footage!!!!
1. He wasn’t neo Federer here. He lost the first set to a resurgent Delpo and had to scrap and fight to get into the match. 2. It was always a tight match. 3. I loved this match, it was so scrappy bad tempered and fun. Best match I watched in ages, 80’s style, the crowd were at it, both players losing their shit with the umpire. Brilliant
I agree. I didn't look as sharp and powerful as he did in 2017 but was pretty good. He was definitely nervous and frustrated at having to deal with Del Potro which is why he resorted to hitting the ball right at him.
I wouldn´t say that. Federer´s level at this point was far away from his 2017 version, even if he was able to win AO and Rotterdam. In fact, his level during the first part of 2019 was higher than 2018 beginning, despite he couldn´t win in Australia.
I think he level just got lower after Rotterdam 2018. In AO he was playing great, not like 2017 but really good and solid, just losing 2 sets in all the tournament. But, I think this video is more for the mental, he was in full confidence until this lost
No he was better at the start of 2018 compared to 2019. But from the grass "season" onwards he was better in 2019 as he was really bad for his standards in 2018. Overall despite not winning a slam he was better in 2019 but definetely not from the beginning.
Chokerer Choked twice against Delpo. In 2009 USO final and then, 2018 Indian Wells final. But his most famous Choke is that 8-7 40-15 against tennis goat Djoko in Wimbly 2019 final.
40 15 Saga all over again😂😂😂 on his serve dudes got that number embedded Anyway Coric in the previous match choked too was leading 4 2 in the 2nd set having already won a set....But Choking will have some effect but to someone like Roger it wouldn't have had a lasting impact....Roger did play well after that and infact made the Wimby 2019 finals beating RAFA in the semis....Legends don't dwell on the same thing for too long the Big 3 and Sampras are on different level mentally...Same seems to have happened to Nole too after his Davis Cup loss to Sinner....Having 3 BPS and then going on to lose and has lost to a player recently outside the Top 100 but I expect him to come back stronger which he ll...
Federer definitely has a thing against Delpotro. He gets pretty pissed whenever he looses to him for some reason. Yet isn't like that against Rafa or even Novak.
@@mick7922 Ya Delpo at his best is actually crazy good. Not as good as Wawrinka as his best (which is probably the best player ever at his best) but definitely can overpower Federer and the big 3. Too bad he had all the wrist injuries.
@@ryaniam22Wawrinka at his best isn't better than big 3 at their total best. Same for Del Potro. Both Del and Waw need a lapse of judgement from big 3 to beat them in crucial moments. Waw's best is like a blue moon day and his average is very well pretty average, whereas Del always plays good if injury free.
@@sakshamsanwaria7486 Ya I disagree. Wawrinka is generally pretty average now but for a few years he was a steady top 10. And on his best days he BLOWS all of them off the court. Except for Federer whose slices and variety kept Stan from ever getting in in zone. But Stan fucks up the Rafa and Novak when he plays his best. So much so that Novak pretended fake medical timeouts like fuckin whiny looser and everyone who isn't a that known that's exactly what he HAD to do because Stan was in the zone and absolutely killing him. There was nothing he could do...even at his best. Except loose like a man....a classy option that Novak never takes...or fake a medical timeouts to try and let time itself get Stan out of his zone of awesomeness. Stan at his best is a freak. His backhand is literally harder than Novaks, Federer's and Nadal's forehand. When it's on they are toast
Federer fans crying about him being the GOAT despite being 4 slams and 108 weeks at #1 down against Djokovic is the most entertaining scene in the world 🤣😂😆😅🙂🙃😄
@@henkka8157 Boring my ass lol Of course he doesn't get as much love as Federer and Nadal when both of their fanbase are hating him for being so much superior lol
