Let's be honest here, Federer doesn't seem to be clean

[Corbon]

I am talking about a guy whose last Slam victory happened 5 years ago and who did not win a single tournament last year and who is now in 2nd place in the Race to Milan (Number 1 is the ever suspicious Nadal). The veins on his arms are also more visible this year.

Not buying the resurgence based simply on "talent".

[isaldor]

k

[coke4]

I am talking about a guy whose last Slam victory happened 5 years ago and who did not win a single tournament last year and who is now in 2nd place in the Race to Milan (Number 1 is the ever suspicious Nadal). The veins on his arms are also more visible this year.

Not buying the resurgence based simply on "talent".

I would be surprised if Federer, or any top player, were clean. However I don't really think it'd be accurate to say this year's resurgence would be totally down to any kind of doping, as I cannot imagine Federer deciding at the start of this year to all of a sudden start juicing. It's always been the part of doping accusations that I find odd, that an already successful pro-player would start doping at an arbitrary time in their career.

[Fez]

Its hardly an "arbitrary time", its a critical time. He's aging, on his way out, makes more sense that he might dope now than at any other time in his career. But, there is too much money to be lost if he were ever caught for doping. It will never happen. He is the cash cow.

[coke4]

Its hardly an "arbitrary time", its a critical time. He's aging, on his way out, makes more sense that he might dope now than at any other time in his career. But, there is too much money to be lost if he were ever caught for doping. It will never happen. He is the cash cow.

I do take your point, but on the flip side people have been saying that Federer is on the way out since like 2012, and he had by far his worst year in 2013 which would in my mind be a more likely catalyst. I also don't really get why he'd now, 5 years since his last slam and his name cemented in history, decide to risk it all by doping.

[Fez]

Again, there is no risk. They would never do that to the golden boy of tennis. He's is above scrutiny.

[C4iLL]

Federer is perhaps not clean, but it's not the real issue. I will go further than the creator of this thread : ATP has become like Wrestling, it's a TV show with a script on each tournament.

Federer & Nadal, being at the top, while Murray & Djokovic could suddenly not perform... It is just a well-writen scenario to improve the TV ratings, sponsorship money, ticket sales, merchandising stuff.

The only real tour that is not yet scripted is ITST Tour, so come play Tennis Elbow. But I'm worried here too, because some hosts like Isaldor are rigging the tour (isaldor is in SF of Wimbledon with only 2 matches played...)

[inseedious]

I am talking about a guy whose last Slam victory happened 5 years ago and who did not win a single tournament last year and who is now in 2nd place in the Race to Milan (Number 1 is the ever suspicious Nadal). The veins on his arms are also more visible this year.

Not buying the resurgence based simply on "talent".

It didn't happen suddenly. Federer's game has improved a lot since he switched racket and met Edberg and Ljubicic. Do you remember how good did he play at 2015 US Open, where he lost only to Djokovic at his very best? That level was the same, if not slightly higher, of the one he showed at 2017 Australian Open. Between the abovementioned tourneys, there just was 2016 season which was ruined by severe injuries. And to be honest, Federer didn't play an impressive Wimbledon this year, as he wasn't forced to a higher level by any of the opponents he faced.

The only thing that has really changed from 2015 is Djokovic and Murray not playing at their usual levels.

[Vieira151]

Should also be noted that Federer may be playing well now, but he is playing considerably worse than he did a decade ago. Watch matches between Federer and Nadal back then and compare to the Australian Open this year - there isn't really a comparison in the general level.

[inseedious]

Should also be noted that Federer may be playing well now, but he is playing considerably worse than he did a decade ago. Watch matches between Federer and Nadal back then and compare to the Australian Open this year - there isn't really a comparison in the general level.

While I mostly agree with this, it's difficult to compare today's tennis to 10-15 years ago. The level is very relative.

[Corbon]

Well Lance Armstrong was once considered the greatest cyclist ever and he was a huge cash cow too. But of course he wasn't alone, nearly every single TdF winner of the last 20 years has been caught doping and Indurain was very suspicious as well. In cycling, there's no point speculating anymore, the riders who are supposedly clean simply evade capture.

There is a lot more money in tennis of course and the sport has only had few scandals so far. Cilic, Sharapova (caught in the Russian roundup) and Hingis back then with her cocain story. Figures like Federer or Nadal are larger than life now. Would be absolutely devastating if one of them got caught.

[AUSSIE_FABS]

Federer is perhaps not clean, but it's not the real issue. I will go further than the creator of this thread : ATP has become like Wrestling, it's a TV show with a script on each tournament.

Federer & Nadal, being at the top, while Murray & Djokovic could suddenly not perform... It is just a well-writen scenario to improve the TV ratings, sponsorship money, ticket sales, merchandising stuff.

The only real tour that is not yet scripted is ITST Tour, so come play Tennis Elbow. But I'm worried here too, because some hosts like Isaldor are rigging the tour (isaldor is in SF of Wimbledon with only 2 matches played...)

"TV show with a script on each tournament." That's some top tier conspiracy right there haha. It would be so incredibly difficult to rig games with the tennis scoring system.

Match fixing is more of an issue, with players throwing a few doubles here and there to earn a quick buck.

If the ATP could rig the game they would be getting their younger talent deeper into the tournaments consistently, in order to generate future brands. It's basically why they created #NEXTGEN to try and promote new players because they no damn well that when fed, rafa, novak and murray retire there is going to be a void.

[djarvik]

"Everybody Lies" - Dr. House

[inseedious]

I agree that playing a script would be incredibly difficult at top levels, since you can clearly see at least all top 20 players never giving up on important balls. Many important matches were decided by a key point or two and, since the error chance is always high in a sport like tennis, I think no one on earth is able to decide whether his own winners are going in or out.

I also agree that match fixing is a real, worrying thing at lower ranks.

[Corbon]

Zverev has won the Rogers Cup Second Masters title this season.