Roger Federer versus Patrick Rafter...Roland Garros first round...1999

[don_budge]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLbNLjN6e08

Had a referral for this match from stroke. Thanks man. Seventeen year old Roger Federer facing off with the defending U. S. Open champion Patrick Rafter. Rafter was never a favourite of mine. Guess why? It is the infernal Prince racquet of course. He seems like a decent sort but there is something in my DNA that will always hate the "Prince" racquet. The scourge of tennis. The awful bane. Throw Andre Agassi and Micheal Chang in there with Rafter and then send all of them off into the mulch pile. Head first.

Ironically...late in the match the commentator makes the comment that he saw a blurb that was attributed to Rafter. Everyone thought that Rafter was just a "Prince" of a guy...a reporter asked him, "Does anything bother you?" The ironic reply out of the mouth of Rafter was, "People who take advantage."

Well that is what he is doing here to the seventeen year old future Super Star...taking advantage. Federer using 85 square inches of the Wilson Pro Staff and Rafter using the "cheater's" choice the gay Prince blade. Not that there is anything wrong with gay as Seinfeld would say.

Thanks for the referral stroke...it was so good I thought it was deserving of a post and comments. Interesting comments about his technique. Worth a share...don't you think?

[stroke]

no doubt, Roger at 17, a real treat. At one point in the match, the commentator said Roger is a future top 10 player. That is so true. Speaking of racquets, I think here(not sure) Pat was playing with a 97 inch Prince Precision Response here, not the 107 used by Andre and Chang. If true, what if Roger has started using that racquet in 1999? I would be surprised if the specs on Pat's stick here are not very close to what Roger now uses.

[GregWynn]

It is the infernal Prince racquet of course. He seems like a decent sort but there is buffet near me something in my DNA that will always hate the "Prince" racquet. The scourge of tennis. The awful bane. Throw Andre Agassi and Micheal Chang in there with Rafter and then send all of them off into the mulch pile. Head first.

[tenniscoach1]

Interesting to see how he changed his forehand at the stages of 17/18/19 - it was not very reliable especially under pressure and very easy to read - wonder why he never got the coaching earlier to solve that forehand issue? That change was the difference maker in him being a good pro and the world number 1 in history.

[tenniscoach1]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLbNLjN6e08

Had a referral for this match from stroke. Thanks man. Seventeen year old Roger Federer facing off with the defending U. S. Open champion Patrick Rafter. Rafter was never a favourite of mine. Guess why? It is the infernal Prince racquet of course. He seems like a decent sort but there is something in my DNA that will always hate the "Prince" racquet. The scourge of tennis. The awful bane. Throw Andre Agassi and Micheal Chang in there with Rafter and then send all of them off into the mulch pile. Head first.

Ironically...late in the match the commentator makes the comment that he saw a blurb that was attributed to Rafter. Everyone thought that Rafter was just a "Prince" of a guy...a reporter asked him, "Does anything bother you?" The ironic reply out of the mouth of Rafter was, "People who take advantage."

Well that is what he is doing here to the seventeen year old future Super Star...taking advantage. Federer using 85 square inches of the Wilson Pro Staff and Rafter using the "cheater's" choice the gay Prince blade. Not that there is anything wrong with gay as Seinfeld would say.

Thanks for the referral stroke...it was so good I thought it was deserving of a post and comments. Interesting comments about his technique. Worth a share...don't you think?

Don Budge - comment on how that forehand was changed and what you think happened ... it's interesting isn't it? Few things got better with his hips as well (-:

[arturohernandez]

Don Budge - comment on how that forehand was changed and what you think happened ... it's interesting isn't it? Few things got better with his hips as well (-:

According to Lundgren, his forehand and serve were always good. Backhand, especially topspin, was not. I can tell here that his backhand seems really different than the backhand that appeared later.

The video is amazing in that watching him does not seem nearly that impressive. He is a great 17 year old but no way would I watch this and think he is going to be really good just 4 years later and start winning everything.

It think there are other 17 year olds that have "looked" more impressive. I remember seeing Nadal when he was really young and thinking "wow."

Federer seems to be sleep walking and watching him you wonder if he even cares about tennis.

Thanks for sharing!

[doctorhl]

His choppy footwork then versus his wide glide now seems to be one difference.