Does Federer have a motivation problem?

Question

I've been reading the Bjon Borg bio, he says in the end he just ran out of motivation.

Facing every day knowing every player wanted to beat you.

Breaking records, playing amazing five setters.

When asked to comment on Federer Borg said' If Federer can keep his motivation he will be the greatest player ever.

But being #1 for many years can be very taxing'.

What do you think?

Answer 1

Yeah just cause you get everyone's best shot because they want to take down the number 1 seed. And since Federer has shown some vulnerability it gives some of his opponents competition. It definitely is taxing but the great players can continue play even with the pressure of having their great skill every game.

Answer 2

Yes you can see it on Rogers face, in his game, and by his actions. He stopped playing all together near the Fall of last year until the AO where he had Mono.  His loss to Djokovic in Montreal was his first and was a real surprise to everyone. But Novak earned that one win. Loosing to Novak closely at the AO was the effects of Mono. Had Novak played Rafa and not Tsonga in the Semi there is no way Novak would have won the AO.

So for you people that say Roger is getting beat by Djoker there has only been the two losses, which is why Roger leads 6-2 in their head to head, Montreal which Nole earned and Oz which he lucked into.

So Lisa, Nole has Jack over Roger. So to luck into your one and only Grand Slam sure doesn't spell World #1 but 3rd after a 3 time French Open Champion like Nadal is where he belongs and behind Nadal is where he will be as long as Nadal keeps playing. Roger has so many wins, titles, and records that he may be getting burnt out playing players that give their all when they play him, and he is aging so perhaps his heart really isn't in it any more.

With 12 Grand Slams and possibly 2 more this year at Wimby & the USO, you can't blame him. He will beat Borg's Wimby record and Sampras' GS record. As for the French he does seem set on winning it next year which would be realistic if he put his total effort into it just to get the Grand Slam and get the monkey off his back and I'm sure Borg will say that Roger will win the French just to throw Nadal off and not have Rafa beat his 3 consecutive French Open title record just like he said today to Mac that Rafa will win Wimby. It's called gamesmanship. Borg would rather be tied for the record than a footnote saying the guy that the new record holder beat to get the record.  Borg was great on grass and clay but since most tournis now are on hard court he would have a tuff time. Not only is hard court tougher to win on for a dirtballer, unless he has a BIG serve, but also harder on the body as well.

Yes Rogers motivation problem is that he has been winning too easily, too often, and been #1 too long. Finally Rafa and Nole decide to step up and now he needs to get back to work to stay ahead which by the way he will.

Answer 3

He is still motivated but he just can not beat Rafael Nadal on clay, nobody can.

Answer 4

i think he has got at wold number ranking to easily , now he does not want to work that little bit harder

Answer 5

yeap u r right he has his motivation problem being the world # 1 in tennis.

Answer 6

He is loosing hunger to win because he has done everything there is except winning French Open he needs a coach because every times he plays nadal he faces mental block and same problem will emerge against Djokobitch

Answer 7

No, I think you need to give Rafa his credit, he's a great player. Remember Federer is not the only great player out there, Rafa is that other great player. He's an immortal on the clay. Same thing with Federer, when he beats everyone else we can't say that they are not motivated, give the credit to Federer for being better.

Answer 8

After this 2008 French Open, at 26, Federer is aware of three things:

1) He will never win the French Open if Rafa is on the other side of the net;

2) Time is against him;

3) Rafa is nearly unbeatable on clay and getting better on grass;

I watched NBC's replay of Wimbledon 2007: how different the result might have been if Rafa had not faced that 5-day mess of rain delays

Answer 9

Yes he does have a motivation problem.  But not just in this recent match. I'm talking since Dubai last year. Federer has lost that cutting edge. Now it's starting to affect him in a big way.

Answer 10

No, I don't think so, not when he's this close to Sampras's record  of 14 slam titles, and not when he still needs to win the French Open to complete the career slam.  He's chasing history, and if that isn't enough to keep him motivated I don't know what else could.

Answer 11

The problem for Roger Federer is that the plan has not gone according to the script this year.  He was supposed to win the Australian Open and his usual tally of Master's titles.  The he was to lose the French to Nadal is a tightly contested 4 set match.  Next he was to take Wimbledon for the sixth consecutive year.  The he would break the Sampras record and hold his fifteeth Grand Slam trophy up in New York.  Djokovic in the final.

The problem is, Djokovic has begin to bring his power game to the big finals.  He's starting to beat Federer more often on the surfaces that Nadal doesn't dominate.  So Nadal has Federer's number on clay and Djokovic has his number on the other surfaces.  

Another thing.  Federer forgot that players are going to just go out and beat him when he  least expects it. Complacency has lost him a fair few matches. This year, players started to roll Federer and the trend has continued.  

People forget that before he dominated tennis with his amazing game and psychological edge over all the men in tennis except Nadal, Federer was mentaly brittle.

We saw this version of Federer on display in the Roland Garros final last night.  Full credit to Nadal who crushed Federer as Federer has crushed hundreds of opponents.  

There is no question of Federer's God-given gift.  But he should probably invest some of money in a truly great sports psychologist.  

Nadal is an inspiration to the men of tennis with his grit and fight and determination.  His mental powers are awesome.  

I am only too grateful (unlike the entire Roland Garros crowd) for Nadal and his contribution to tennis.  Without him, Federer would have made it very boring.  What's so wrong about Nadal winning a fourth consecutive title in Paris.  Federer's taken five straight Wimbledon's.  

P.S:  Federer has had several chance to go for the French title before 2005 when Nadal played his first match at Roland Garros.  He's had plenty of chances.  

I do believe the time has come for Federer to forfeit his Wimbledon crown.

Answer 12

Roger Federer will remain highly motivated to win the French Open.  And he will definitely want to beat Sampras' record for most majors.  After that, assuming he can accomplish these goals, he may then feel like there is nothing left to accomplish....unless he wants to try to sweep all four Grand Slam in the same calendar year (unlikely, as he is not getting any younger while Djokovic and Nadal will probably only get better).