Roger Federer

[annie]

ay, good luck to Rafa...

[SAFINNO1]

he'll need more than luck against federer but being a lefty can give him a chance as lonf as he plays to his potential

[Karen]

Can't believe Rafa had a 2 set lead and lost. He was playing some great tennis and had Roger sooooo frustrated. It was great for awhile but Roger came back as usual. Congrats to Rafa for making it an excellent match to watch.

[alysha]

what an unbeliveable match.....both deserve the win

[alysha]

but now atlesat everyone know rafael's potential and he himself knows how good he really is...so at least it was good for him in one way

[SAFINNO1]

i cant believe roger can still play awful and still win a TMS title, i wish i could use that racket.

[Karen]

SAFINNO1 said:

i wish i could use that racket.

You will be very soon. ;D

[alysha]

ha trusst me its not teh racket .......the guys a god

[SAFINNO1]

Karen said:

You will be very soon. ;D

LoL
Alysha i think it is the racket he aint no god he can be beaten just ask everyone here

[Karen]

A racket can make a difference, you have to demo many rackets to find one that suits your game. I read Roger is going all out to win Wimby this year taking a week to play at a club in England and he is going to be practicing with a wooden racket.

[SAFINNO1]

Really Karen, that will be really good for his grasscourt game if he can play with a wooden racket as they have narrow heads.LoL.

[annie]

Laureus World Sport Awards

Switzerland’s Roger Federer won the most prestigious award in sport when he was named Laureus World Sportsman of the Year following a brilliant 2004 in which he won three Grand Slam tennis tournaments and established himself as undisputed No.1 in the world, at the age of just 23.

In an Olympic year, Britain’s Kelly Holmes, winner of a celebrated 800 metres and 1,500 metres double gold in Athens, was honoured as Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year, while China’s Liu Xiang, who won the 110 metres hurdles at just 21, was named Laureus World Newcomer of the Year.

There was an emotional reception at the Awards Ceremony, staged at the Casino Estoril in Portugal, for Italy’s Alessandro Zanardi, who won the Laureus World Comeback of the Year Award after courageously returning to the track after a horrific motor racing accident in which he lost both his legs.

The Laureus World Sports Awards has established a unique place in the sporting calendar, honouring the greatest sportsmen and sportswomen from around the world. In the audience at the Awards Ceremony at the Casino Estoril, which is watched by a global TV audience of 460 million, were members of the Laureus World Sports Academy, sports guests and celebrities including His Majesty the King of Spain, Hollywood stars Jackie Chan, Teri Hatcher, Joely Richardson, Marcia Gay Harden, Woody Harrelson and Morgan Freeman, Formula One supremo Bernie Ecclestone, England football coach Sven Goran Eriksson, England football captain David Beckham and his wife Victoria Beckham and former Formula One drivers Jean Alesi and Mika Hakkinen.

The winners are selected by the ultimate sports jury - the 40 members of the Laureus World Sports Academy. Among these legends of sport who were in Estoril were: Boris Becker, Ian Botham, Sergey Bubka, Sebastian Coe, Nadia Comaneci, David Douillet, Emerson Fittipaldi, Sean Fitzpatrick, Tanni Grey-Thompson, Tony Hawk, Miguel Indurain, Michael Johnson, Kip Keino, Franz Klammer, Edwin Moses, Robby Naish, Ilie Nastase, Martina Navratilova, Gary Player, Morné du Plessis, Hugo Porta, Mark Spitz, Daley Thompson and Katarina Witt.

The year 2004 saw Roger Federer (Laureus World Sportsman of the Year) become the dominant force in world tennis. He completed arguably the most spectacular 12 months by a tennis player in the open era, becoming the first man since 1988 to win three out of four Grand Slam events in the same calendar year, winning the Australian Open, Wimbledon and US Open. He also won Wimbledon in 2003, becoming the first Swiss to do so. Now 24, Federer established himself as indisputable World No.1, winning 11 times in 2004, the best performance in almost 20 years.

Laureus World Sports Academy member tennis legend Boris Becker, himself a multi-Grand Slam winner, said: “It was a phenomenal year for Roger Federer. He is not only a skilful player, but he is wonderful to watch. In 2004 he seemed to be able to win the un-winnable points and out-think his opponents. He served up superb, winning tennis throughout the year and at 24 it leaves us all wondering what he can achieve in the future.”

The full list of Award winners is:

Laureus World Sportsman of the Year: Roger Federer Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year: Kelly Holmes Laureus World Team of the Year: Greece Men’s Football Team Laureus World Comeback of the Year: Alessandro Zanardi Laureus World Newcomer of the Year: Liu Xiang Laureus World Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability: Chantal Petitclerc Laureus World Alternative Sportsperson of the Year: Ellen MacArthur

The Laureus Spirit of Sport Award was presented to Boston Red Sox The Laureus Sport for Good Award was presented to Northern Irish boxing coach Gerry Storey

The Laureus World Sports Awards were established in 1999 by Founding Patrons DaimlerChrysler and Richemont, who are represented through their brands Mercedes-Benz and IWC Schaffhausen. The awards honour the achievements of the world's greatest sportsmen and sportswomen on an annual basis, and also contribute to social change through the Laureus Sport for Good Foundation.

[Teresa]

I found the following on another forum, and thought to copy it and share it with you all

It was on bbc tennis msg board (have u say)
and the person, I think female, made some very good points.......but then most of you know by now that if
I Federer was the last tennis player on the face of this earth I still would not support nor like him


re: Just Can't Help Myself twist - 110th post - 16 Jun 2005 14:56

Why do I think Federer is arrogant? Look at the mail archives on this site and you will get the specific quotes..better yet, go and look at interview websites at tournaments and you will get an even more exact quote.

Any player who says that it will be extraordinary for his countries DC team to win a tie when he is not there, is blowing his own trumpet and arrogant. ( In arrogance, the truth of the matter is not an issue)

Any player who repeatedly tells us he is number one and the favourite anyway, the "entire week" is arrogant and boastful.

Any player who tells us that it doesn't matter who he plays in the next round, he will be the favourite anyway, is arrogant.

Any player who says, he looked at the draw for a grand slam and WONDERED where this tough draw is that everyone is talking about, is arrogant....

Any player who says he can not give advise to a young Swiss because he(FEDERER) plays different tennis from other people, is an arrogant player who has started believing his own hype.(2nd round interview Roland garros) ...some will have you believe he said he plays a different style..NO. He said he plays different tennis from other people.

We presume he hits no forehands or backhands, and plays with a cricket bat. I find that comment arrogant that it is sickening and clear evidence that he has been reading his overblown press reports where some tennis pundits are overhyping him as they did Hingis and as they will continue to do hot players on a streak.

I find it arrogant of any player who tells the Press Corps to remind another player of his two losses to the speaking player on a surface simply because the other player said he would prefer to play the speaker on clay, is an arrogant player who can not stand the idea of not being seen as the favourite in any match.

I find it arrogant that a johnny just come lately has the audacity to say of an 8 time slam champion that he, the Johnny just come will not have to raise his game to play the 8 slam champ but that the 8 slam champ will have to raise his game to play him and that he is the number one.

Some will have you believe such a discourteous response is justified becuase he was questioned in a perceived tone as if Agassi was the favourite instead of him. Ofcourse we are to blame the press for thinking that a 4 time AO champ can be considered the favourite at the Australian open especially when he has taken this number one to 5 sets in the last match they played in a slam.

I find it arrogant that he would have to ponder the cleverness or stupidity of Nadal simply because he was told Nadal says he is the fav at wimbers but not at the French. He rambles on about pressure, and says Nadal must be tired having not played for two weeks. A joke? Some think so. I think not. Especially when I add the rest of his comments over the last few months.

Now, these and others I forget are the reasons I think Federer is arrogant. He makes arrogant statements. You may disagree and find excuses for why he says such things but I prefer to deal with the reality of what is before me. [reply] [Complain

[Karen]

No disagreement from me. Very well said and very true. It seems he wasn't like this before but it got worse with each title he won. At least he's good with fans he signed 6 things for me, 5 were his own postcard type things he pulled out and signed and he signed my photo from his first Wimby win.

But on court and towards other players, yup, he's become arrogant. Sorry Rogi it's true.

[annie]

I agree....recently the guy has been scaring me to death...honestly...the look in his eyes when he plays..he just looks at his opponents in a manner that makes me shiver...ufffff

The same look I sometimes see in Ferrero's eyes when he plays against Marat....pure hatred....

Yeah, sorry Roger but I think you need to set your head straight....fame and good fortune are not immortal, you know