[Lvnufcdc]

Jelena's reference to Nadal was uncalled for though. Sort of childish: "Look, I like him better than you!"

[HawksBurnDown]

Jelena's reference to Nadal was uncalled for though. Sort of childish: "Look, I like him better than you!"

She's no dummy.

[Lvnufcdc]

She's no dummy.

You mean she knew where it would hurt?

[BaselBimbooooo]

Let Roger alone - he is only speaking the truth. When was the last time Nadal said anything remotely interesting?

I found this remotely interesting.

Q. Have you followed the election of Obama as the president of the USA?

A. The only thing I can say is that he seems to be the president of the world, that it will probably be an important change. Among all the disasters that surround us, all the wars, the violence and the misfortunes in the world, he seems to be a great hope. The world needed him. A hope, a new image that apparently can solve everything. He probably won’t be able to do it because it is impossible to solve all the evil already done.

Q. In sport, it helps to think that things can be changed.

A. Sure. Surely things will get better. I trust, but this man has a lot of pressure: all the expectations created around him... That’s partly good, but partly it isn’t. No matter how well he does it, it will never seem to be enough. He will have a complicated life, but ... he is welcome. If he really wants to change things like wars, to avoid misfortunes like what is happening now in Irak and Gaza, it will be good for everybody.

[seooptiman]

Novak is putting himself in those positions to get criticized time and time again. Last year, it was Roddick (although it was supposed to be a joke, to me it was everything but), this year Federer, next it will be someone else if he keeps doing that.

As far as WTA, I think he after rankings (which he was right about) and not Jelena specifically.

Agree. There need not be a discussion of class where Novak is concerned.

Agree.

[BaselBimbooooo]

Let Roger alone - he is only speaking the truth. When was the last time Nadal said anything remotely interesting?

This, too:

Q. You proved yourself as a true king.

RAFAEL NADAL: Oh, no, no. Well, the true, no. I don't know. I just win for sure an important title for my careera. But I no better five hours before than now, no? That's the true, no?

When you win an important match, but you have to know before the match who you are and after the match you have to know who you are, too. You are the same, no?

[BaselBimbooooo]

And this:

"I'm getting tired of this question. When someone has 13 grand slams and 14 Masters titles, there is no discussion about who is the best." Remotely interesting.

[jimbomaxf]

The quote about Novak (or rather about players who retire in general...) was from an interview the day of the AusO quarterfinals.

Q. Were you surprised Novak retired?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, yes. I wouldn't have predicted it after the first point, but I mean, he was looking wary. He showed signs of struggling with the heat. I don't know what his problem was, I mean, on his body.

So it's ‑‑ I think Andy forced him also. If Novak were up two sets to Love I don't think he would have retired 4‑Love down in the fourth. Thanks to Andy that he retired in the end. Andy pushed him to the limits. Hats off to Andy.

Q. You're not a man that normally calls for trainers. Do you have a view on the habit of players to call trainers and possibly stop matches in the flow of the matches currently and whether that's right or wrong?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, it's a fine line, isn't it? We'll never find the perfect scenario for that. What shall I say? I never usually call the trainer. Exactly.

When I came out on the tour and I was young, and I ‑‑ back then the rule was different. You couldn't ‑‑ what was it, a toilet break any time you wanted except obviously between the two games you were on the court. So you could basically take it at 6‑5 in the third set. So that's changed. Now you can only take them on set breaks, which I think really works out well now.

But then with the trainer, I guess it's a tough thing. I really felt when I was coming up the young players abused it, especially against a player like me. A little bit unsecure [sic] about finishing matches, you lose a set easy, and then you go to the toilet and call the trainer and strap your ankle.

Next thing you know, you're twenty minutes extra out on the court. Things go through your mind. Then once I got out on center court, you know, I guess I got the respect I deserved. People stop doing it against you. I think that's nice, in a way.

Probably on the outside courts it's still being abused at times. It's there to be used, so why not use it to give yourself a better chance to win? You don't fly to Australia to not give it your best shot.

I'm almost in favor to just say, you know what, if you're not fit enough, just get out of here.

But if something really bad happens, okay, it is just unfortunate, I guess. It's a tough call. I mean, I don't know. I guess we'll speak about it and see what happens. The other one about Jelena was actually a comment about Murray and his chances to become Number one:

Things change very quickly. But I hope if he were to become No.1 he would win a slam - not like the women's side. No disrespect to Jelena Jankovic but it took Rafa five grand slams to become No.1.

[verybigf]

ROFL is all I can say about Jelena's response. I don't see NOTHING wrong with Roger talking about being #1 without a slam and I don't think he or anyone would have had issue had the #1 already had a slam under his or her belt.

JJ goes back and forth, one minute she prefers the #1 ranking over a slam and then when she loses it "it's not how you start the year but how you finish it" hmmmmm, yep as long as I can win 3 tournaments at the end of the year, that's all that matters.

And also I see nothing wrong with Roger saying he's is the best and using his slam counts of 13. To me it means he's the overall best when you consider the number of tournaments including slams won thus far. Nadal is the best player presently but it's still not overall the best based on # of tournaments won.

Anyway like they say you can't please all of the people all of the time so...

Foxy

[HawksBurnDown]

You mean she knew where it would hurt?

Well she didn't reference Del Potro or Davydenko...