It has been a few days since witnessing Roger Federer lose in heartbreaking fashion to Novak Djokovic in the US Open semifinals, after leading two sets to love and holding two match points at 5-3 40-15 in the fifth set. Right after that loss I was truly devastated. This was Roger's chance to make another Slam final and win his 17th major title. Alas, it was not to be, as Djokovic, the undeniable best player in the world right now, cancelled out both match points, one on a once in a lifetime forehand return winner, and won the final four games of the match, to make his third major final of the year, which he would win on a Monday final against Rafael Nadal, in a brilliant display of behind the baseline counterpunching tennis from both men.
That Nole dethroned Nadal most certainly eased the pain of Roger's defeat, although I still find myself asking what could have been. I have replayed the match over and over in my head, wondering what would have happened had Roger played those two match points (particularly the first one) differently. What if he had hit a serve up the T on MP #1 instead of trying to go out wide? What if he had gone out wide, as he did, but hit it better, stretching Nole to the limit instead of giving Nole a strike zone swing to hammer away at? So many questions that nobody can answer except for Roger himself, and I'm dead sure he doesn't want to think about it any more than he already has.
Without any doubt in my mind, that booming forehand return shook Roger up, and brought back haunting memories of last years' defeat at the hands of Novak, in the exact same fashion. It was clear to me that Roger was going to lose if he did not hold that 5-3 game. He faced a break point, hit an ace to save it, then faced another one an double faulted. I know Roger got many criticisms for double faulting on such a crucial point, but allow me to put things in perspective. Roger played so well in this US Open, and specifically against Nole in sets one, two, and five, because he went after his second serve. Roger, fully capable of hitting a big albeit risky second serve, used it to full effect when he needed to all tournament, especially with great effect against Tsonga, yet that same serve failed him when he needed it the most. Sometimes that is life. That is the nature of the beast. But looking back, who is to say Roger would have won the point if he had put in a second serve? I would much rather look at the "what if" situation had Roger gotten another crack at winning the match.
Now, enough about the actual match, time to talk about the aftermath of that epic encounter with the Unstoppable One. A 30 year-old Roger Federer took the much younger 24 year-old Djokovic, at the ultimate peak of his career, to his absolute limit. Roger, with his lethal serve, attacking all-court game, and boundless experience, was able to come within a point of beating Novak for the SECOND time in majors this year. Sadly, it wasn't to be. Sometimes things just happen that are unexplainable. Sometimes the bounces just don't go your way, and although it is hard to accept, it must be accepted. I know that the word "choke" is thrown around often, but I don't like to use that word. Sometimes matches get away. On the court, things happen, and we want to make sense of it. Sometimes sense can't be made. As with every athlete, Roger is getting older and losing a step, both mentally and physically, but nothing can change the fact that Roger is the greatest tennis player to walk this planet. That in 2011, at age 30, Fed could take Nole to the limit, and Nadal, five years his younger, couldn't, speaks to the Maestro's longevity and consistency.
Sport is a cruel creature, but a creature that can bring us to the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. By supporting Roger, we give our faith to him and with his racket as a wand, can weave magic and make us feel such joy that is rare in this world. But with that faith, losses can become painful, shaking experiences. All we want for Roger is to see him succeed, and when that success fails, we question everything. It is only natural, but we must remember that everything happens for a reason. Life takes its unalterable course, and all we can do is hope that we can see Roger brought success at the highest level, even if it is only one more time.
At this late stage in Roger's career, it is time to appreciate his genius, and give him nothing but unconditional love and support. This man has given us so much over the years, and it has been such an amazing ride, we owe it to him to stand by him throughout thick and thin. I believe Roger has the greatest fans in the world, and we are those great fans because we accept Roger for who he is. We have cried with him, laughed with him, celebrated with him. As he gets older, success will become harder to achieve, but we shall never doubt this great man, for what he has given us is remarkable. What he has given tennis is remarkable.
In this final statement, let me say this: Roger keeps putting himself in a position to win majors. Soon, the cards will fall into place and he will win again. Fed is the greatest athlete and champion I have ever seen, and before the end of his career, we will see him triumph again. Hopefully, that triumph will come next January!
Friday, September 16, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Djokovic defeats Nadal - US Open Final
For the fourth year in a row, the US Open final was being played on a late Monday afternoon, and for the second year in a row, the two finalists were the #1 and #1 players in the world, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal. Last year, Djokovic was considered the heavy underdog after a long, tough match with Roger Federer, saving two match points en route to victory, but this year was a different story. With Djokovic having beaten Nadal 5 straight times in finals in 2011, the odds were most certainly tilted in his favour. In the end, Djokovic capped off a wonderful Grand Slam season with a 62 64 67(3) 61 win over his foe, Nadal, thus giving him his third major title of the year, and fourth overall.
The match itself was what you would expect between a Djokovic/Nadal match. Long baseline rallies, brilliant defense, and a LOT of time in between points. In the first set, Nadal jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but then Djokovic won 6 straight games to take the crucial opening set. The second set started the exact same as the first, with Nadal again gaining a 2-0 lead, but then the seemingly invincible Djokovic stormed back, and took 6 of the next 8 games to take a commanding two sets to love lead. In the third set, it looked like more of the same, as Nole got a break lead, but Nadal fought back with everything he had, and broke even. Then, at 5-5, Nadal was broken and Nole was serving for the match. Nadal ended up breaking, sending the match to a 3rd set tiebreak, which Nadal played his best tennis of the tournament to win 7-3. At the start of the fourth set, after the first game, Djokovic took a medical time-out to treat a back problem, and with all the momentum on Nadal's side after the tiebreak, it all vanished as Nole won the set 6-1 and his first US Open title.
Before the match started, Nadal himself had said on numerous occasions that Djokovic was inside his head and that he hadn't found any solution to defeat him. He could not find one on Monday, and the match really wasn't even close. Djokovic was never really threatened at all, and seemingly broke Nadal's serve at love. Rafa's serve, which had been questionable the past two matches against Andy Roddick and Andy Murray, was eaten alive with deep, penetrating returns that immediately gave Novak the edge at the start of the point. The reliable lefty slice serve on the ad court was rendered useless. From the baseline, the crosscourt forehand of Nadal was hammering back by the imperious Djokovic backhand. It was clear pretty much the entire match that Djokovic is just the perfect opponent to beat a player like Nadal. Nadal cannot hit through the court like a Roger Federer can, and his spinny balls have no effect on Novak's backhand.
More than anything however, this match showed how one-dimensional Rafael Nadal really is. The majority of the match he was standing ten feet behind the baseline, trying to play like it was the French Open final. On a hardcourt, no matter how fast, that just doesn't work. Roger was able to give Novak fits on Saturday because he takes the ball early, hits it flat, and uses his serve to his advantage. Nadal does not take the ball early, does not hit it flat, and lost all the pace on his serve from a year ago when he won the US Open title. A big reason why Nole was able to break Nadal so many times was that he returns the ball so deep and so flat, Nadal cannot half-volley like Federer can, so while Roger has a decent chance of keeping the rally neutral should Novak pound a return at his feet, Nadal cannot. On the forehand, his extreme grip does not allow him to. He ends up topping the ball, and against Novak right now, if the ball is short, he will pounce, as he has shown all of this year. Overall, it was a brilliant performance by Djokovic, he completely deserves all the praise he has gotten in 2011, and Rafael Nadal has a serious problem that could be a big issue for the rest of his career. Like Roger with Rafa in 2008, Rafa has his own nemesis who can beat him consistently on any surface.
PS: Something MUST be done about the time wasted in between points by both Nadal and Djokovic. It is sad to see that a 4-hour 3 set match in Madrid two years ago was barely shorter than a 4 set Grand Slam final. Mary Carillo was also talking about both of these men getting illegally coached, and that issue must be addressed also. Not sure about Djokovic, but it is plainly obvious that Nadal has gotten coaching his entire career.
Cheers!
The match itself was what you would expect between a Djokovic/Nadal match. Long baseline rallies, brilliant defense, and a LOT of time in between points. In the first set, Nadal jumped out to a 2-0 lead, but then Djokovic won 6 straight games to take the crucial opening set. The second set started the exact same as the first, with Nadal again gaining a 2-0 lead, but then the seemingly invincible Djokovic stormed back, and took 6 of the next 8 games to take a commanding two sets to love lead. In the third set, it looked like more of the same, as Nole got a break lead, but Nadal fought back with everything he had, and broke even. Then, at 5-5, Nadal was broken and Nole was serving for the match. Nadal ended up breaking, sending the match to a 3rd set tiebreak, which Nadal played his best tennis of the tournament to win 7-3. At the start of the fourth set, after the first game, Djokovic took a medical time-out to treat a back problem, and with all the momentum on Nadal's side after the tiebreak, it all vanished as Nole won the set 6-1 and his first US Open title.
Before the match started, Nadal himself had said on numerous occasions that Djokovic was inside his head and that he hadn't found any solution to defeat him. He could not find one on Monday, and the match really wasn't even close. Djokovic was never really threatened at all, and seemingly broke Nadal's serve at love. Rafa's serve, which had been questionable the past two matches against Andy Roddick and Andy Murray, was eaten alive with deep, penetrating returns that immediately gave Novak the edge at the start of the point. The reliable lefty slice serve on the ad court was rendered useless. From the baseline, the crosscourt forehand of Nadal was hammering back by the imperious Djokovic backhand. It was clear pretty much the entire match that Djokovic is just the perfect opponent to beat a player like Nadal. Nadal cannot hit through the court like a Roger Federer can, and his spinny balls have no effect on Novak's backhand.
More than anything however, this match showed how one-dimensional Rafael Nadal really is. The majority of the match he was standing ten feet behind the baseline, trying to play like it was the French Open final. On a hardcourt, no matter how fast, that just doesn't work. Roger was able to give Novak fits on Saturday because he takes the ball early, hits it flat, and uses his serve to his advantage. Nadal does not take the ball early, does not hit it flat, and lost all the pace on his serve from a year ago when he won the US Open title. A big reason why Nole was able to break Nadal so many times was that he returns the ball so deep and so flat, Nadal cannot half-volley like Federer can, so while Roger has a decent chance of keeping the rally neutral should Novak pound a return at his feet, Nadal cannot. On the forehand, his extreme grip does not allow him to. He ends up topping the ball, and against Novak right now, if the ball is short, he will pounce, as he has shown all of this year. Overall, it was a brilliant performance by Djokovic, he completely deserves all the praise he has gotten in 2011, and Rafael Nadal has a serious problem that could be a big issue for the rest of his career. Like Roger with Rafa in 2008, Rafa has his own nemesis who can beat him consistently on any surface.
PS: Something MUST be done about the time wasted in between points by both Nadal and Djokovic. It is sad to see that a 4-hour 3 set match in Madrid two years ago was barely shorter than a 4 set Grand Slam final. Mary Carillo was also talking about both of these men getting illegally coached, and that issue must be addressed also. Not sure about Djokovic, but it is plainly obvious that Nadal has gotten coaching his entire career.
Cheers!
Saturday, September 10, 2011
US Open Semifinals Preview
Well, the time has finally arrived, tennis fans: the final four at the US Open, and it could not get any better with the top four all there. We have Nadal vs Murray and Federer vs Djokovic, two marquee matches that are surely as important as it gets in tennis for Grand Slam semifinals. Nadal wants to prove last year's US Open triumph wasn't a fluke, Murray wants to prove he can win a Grand Slam, Djokovic wants to prove that he is really is the top dog in tennis by winning his 3rd Grand Slam this year, and Roger Federer, well, Mr. Federer wants to prove that his age is only a number and that he is still a force to be reckoned with.
Previews for this year's US Open semifinals!
Rafael Nadal vs Andy Murray
This is a match that we have seen countless times before, and both men have had success against one another at the Grand Slam level. Murray won in the US Open 2008 and the Australian Open 2010, whereas Nadal has picked up victories at Wimbledon in 2008, 2010, 2011, and the French Open 2011. No matter what the outcome, it should be a tough, competitive match with many ebbs and flows, and it should be highly entertaining to watch, as long as the two men don't stand at the baseline waiting for the other to miss.
Rafael Nadal looks to be in imperious form heading into this match, picking up his game against Gilles Muller in the fourth round and an injured Andy Roddick in the quarterfinals, where he only dropped 9 and 6 games respectively. He is certainly the favourite coming in, being the 10-time Grand Slam champion, and owning many wins over Murray at the Grand Slam level. But he has never beaten Murray at the US Open, and one could say that the surface plays into Murray's favour, as it did 3 years ago when he really broke through by defeating Nadal and making his first Slam final. Nadal will need to be sharp on the serve, as Murray is arguably the best returner in the world, and unlike Andy Roddick, Murray is very solid from the back of the court defenseively and can hang with Nadal should they have many long rallies throughout the match. Both men are elite counterpunchers, so there should be many rallies that should be finished but end up lasting 3-6 shots more because of the great defense that will be undoubtedly displayed.
Andy Murray has without a doubt had the tougher road to this semifinal, having come back from two sets down to beat Robin Haase in the second round, and a tough 4-set match with John Isner yesterday in the quarters. However, despite having played way more tennis, Murray is as fit as they come, and he will be ready. He knows he must have a true breakthrough at some point, and why can't it be today? The court surface favours Murray, he knows he has beaten Nadal here before, and he too is looking fairly sharp heading into the match. The only concern, as always with Andy, is his mental toughness and his ability to concentrate during crucial stages in the match. How he controls himself will go a long way in determining the outcome of the match. On paper, Andy is a great matchup for Nadal, but every time he has lost to the great Spaniard, it has been due to his mental strength and his inability to sustain lengthy periods of great play because his mind gets in the way. Murray has all the ability in the world to go out and beat Nadal if he is playing well. But if his mind puts up roadblocks, he does not stand a chance.
Alright, onto the first semifinal that will be played today, the best match in tennis:
Roger Federer vs Novak Djokovic
Can you say blockbuster? With their many close matches over the years, and their brilliant matches this year at the Australian Open, Indian Wells, and of course Roland Garros, where Federer ended Djokovic's undefeated streak of 2011, this should be, without any doubt, one of the best tennis matches of the year. Whereas Nadal and Murray play defensive baseline tennis, Federer and Djokovic play offensive, attacking baseline tennis, and they should have a compelling match that will feature beautiful attacking tennis and great shotmaking.
Novak Djokovic has been pretty good this tournament so far, as expected, and he has gotten two retirements, thus limiting his time on court. With all the tennis he has played however, that should not be a problem. What may be a problem though, is Djokovic's questionable form heading into this match with the hottest player in the draw right now, Roger Federer. Novak was tested by Alexandr Dolgopolov, and looked to be in real danger before he won the first set 16-14 in a tiebreak. Against countryman Janko Tipsarevic, he wasn't any better, and dropped a set before winning in 4 sets when Tipsarevic retired three games into the 4th set. Simply put, Novak Djokovic will need to play much better or else he will be in for a rude awakening, because.....
Roger Federer is EXTREMELY sharp right now.
This is the best form Roger has been in since the World Tour Finals last year, or maybe even the Australian Open 2010, his last Grand Slam triumph. The fire is back in his eyes. He is as sharp as he has ever been off the serve and return, and that is no exaggeration. Roger came out in his quarterfinal vs Tsonga and made a statement that he was still a giant force in men's tennis today, capable of playing lethal tennis just as he did in his prime from 2004-2007. There is a case to be made that he wants this Grand Slam maybe more than any other he has won before, with perhaps the US Open 2008, Wimbledon 2007, and French Open 2009 being the only exceptions. At this stage in Federer's career, he is trying to prove that he can still win Majors, and a win over Novak Djokovic, the #1 player in the world, would most certainly prove that he is still the man to beat in tennis today.
As for as the actual match goes, it will be a very tight battle, much like their past 4 encounters at the US Open. Roger does have the weapons and the motivation to beat Djoker though, especially if Nole is at any time off during the match. Roger, like Djokovic and Murray have become known for, is eating second serves and hammering them deep in the court, immediately putting his opponent on the defensive. Like Nadal in the other semifinal, Djokovic will need to serve extremely well, as Roger is rolling on return. Needless to say, Roger must be clutch on the serve as well, and if he is, then watch out, because that only means he is able to be more free on the return, which is dangerous no matter who he plays. More so than any tactic in this match, Federer must use his fire and determination to will his way through the match, and play with the same emotion he did in 2008 here in New York. Roger Federer has shown for years that he is the most talented man ever to play the game, but when he is focused and out to prove a point to his doubters, even now he is the best tennis player in the world.
It should be a wonderful match. If there was ever a time to beat Novak Djokovic, this is it.
Prediction: Roger in 4, 63 64 46 62
Previews for this year's US Open semifinals!
Rafael Nadal vs Andy Murray
This is a match that we have seen countless times before, and both men have had success against one another at the Grand Slam level. Murray won in the US Open 2008 and the Australian Open 2010, whereas Nadal has picked up victories at Wimbledon in 2008, 2010, 2011, and the French Open 2011. No matter what the outcome, it should be a tough, competitive match with many ebbs and flows, and it should be highly entertaining to watch, as long as the two men don't stand at the baseline waiting for the other to miss.
Rafael Nadal looks to be in imperious form heading into this match, picking up his game against Gilles Muller in the fourth round and an injured Andy Roddick in the quarterfinals, where he only dropped 9 and 6 games respectively. He is certainly the favourite coming in, being the 10-time Grand Slam champion, and owning many wins over Murray at the Grand Slam level. But he has never beaten Murray at the US Open, and one could say that the surface plays into Murray's favour, as it did 3 years ago when he really broke through by defeating Nadal and making his first Slam final. Nadal will need to be sharp on the serve, as Murray is arguably the best returner in the world, and unlike Andy Roddick, Murray is very solid from the back of the court defenseively and can hang with Nadal should they have many long rallies throughout the match. Both men are elite counterpunchers, so there should be many rallies that should be finished but end up lasting 3-6 shots more because of the great defense that will be undoubtedly displayed.
Andy Murray has without a doubt had the tougher road to this semifinal, having come back from two sets down to beat Robin Haase in the second round, and a tough 4-set match with John Isner yesterday in the quarters. However, despite having played way more tennis, Murray is as fit as they come, and he will be ready. He knows he must have a true breakthrough at some point, and why can't it be today? The court surface favours Murray, he knows he has beaten Nadal here before, and he too is looking fairly sharp heading into the match. The only concern, as always with Andy, is his mental toughness and his ability to concentrate during crucial stages in the match. How he controls himself will go a long way in determining the outcome of the match. On paper, Andy is a great matchup for Nadal, but every time he has lost to the great Spaniard, it has been due to his mental strength and his inability to sustain lengthy periods of great play because his mind gets in the way. Murray has all the ability in the world to go out and beat Nadal if he is playing well. But if his mind puts up roadblocks, he does not stand a chance.
Alright, onto the first semifinal that will be played today, the best match in tennis:
Roger Federer vs Novak Djokovic
Can you say blockbuster? With their many close matches over the years, and their brilliant matches this year at the Australian Open, Indian Wells, and of course Roland Garros, where Federer ended Djokovic's undefeated streak of 2011, this should be, without any doubt, one of the best tennis matches of the year. Whereas Nadal and Murray play defensive baseline tennis, Federer and Djokovic play offensive, attacking baseline tennis, and they should have a compelling match that will feature beautiful attacking tennis and great shotmaking.
Novak Djokovic has been pretty good this tournament so far, as expected, and he has gotten two retirements, thus limiting his time on court. With all the tennis he has played however, that should not be a problem. What may be a problem though, is Djokovic's questionable form heading into this match with the hottest player in the draw right now, Roger Federer. Novak was tested by Alexandr Dolgopolov, and looked to be in real danger before he won the first set 16-14 in a tiebreak. Against countryman Janko Tipsarevic, he wasn't any better, and dropped a set before winning in 4 sets when Tipsarevic retired three games into the 4th set. Simply put, Novak Djokovic will need to play much better or else he will be in for a rude awakening, because.....
Roger Federer is EXTREMELY sharp right now.
This is the best form Roger has been in since the World Tour Finals last year, or maybe even the Australian Open 2010, his last Grand Slam triumph. The fire is back in his eyes. He is as sharp as he has ever been off the serve and return, and that is no exaggeration. Roger came out in his quarterfinal vs Tsonga and made a statement that he was still a giant force in men's tennis today, capable of playing lethal tennis just as he did in his prime from 2004-2007. There is a case to be made that he wants this Grand Slam maybe more than any other he has won before, with perhaps the US Open 2008, Wimbledon 2007, and French Open 2009 being the only exceptions. At this stage in Federer's career, he is trying to prove that he can still win Majors, and a win over Novak Djokovic, the #1 player in the world, would most certainly prove that he is still the man to beat in tennis today.
As for as the actual match goes, it will be a very tight battle, much like their past 4 encounters at the US Open. Roger does have the weapons and the motivation to beat Djoker though, especially if Nole is at any time off during the match. Roger, like Djokovic and Murray have become known for, is eating second serves and hammering them deep in the court, immediately putting his opponent on the defensive. Like Nadal in the other semifinal, Djokovic will need to serve extremely well, as Roger is rolling on return. Needless to say, Roger must be clutch on the serve as well, and if he is, then watch out, because that only means he is able to be more free on the return, which is dangerous no matter who he plays. More so than any tactic in this match, Federer must use his fire and determination to will his way through the match, and play with the same emotion he did in 2008 here in New York. Roger Federer has shown for years that he is the most talented man ever to play the game, but when he is focused and out to prove a point to his doubters, even now he is the best tennis player in the world.
It should be a wonderful match. If there was ever a time to beat Novak Djokovic, this is it.
Prediction: Roger in 4, 63 64 46 62
Friday, September 09, 2011
US Open Quarterfinals Recap
Well, it's that time of the year again - the final 4 in the 4th and final Grand Slam of the year, and for the 4th time in a row, the final will be played on Monday, a decision that has made all the players very happy. Speaking of the number 4, the top 4 seeds are all in the semifinals of the 2011 US Open, as it was in 2008 when Roger Federer and Andy Murray made it through to the final.
Quarterfinal recap, here we go!
Roger played about as well as I hoped he would, defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 64 63 63 in a rather comfortable win that was delayed by a slight drizzle for 90 or so minutes early in the match. I was one of the seemingly few fans that was confident Roger was going to win this match decisively, although I guess you can't blame anybody for thinking Tsonga would have a real chance with the results at Wimbledon and Montreal. But I knew that Roger, after the way he looked vs Juan Monaco, was going to be sharp as his Gillette razor, and win the match in dominant fashion, making a statement in the process. Roger did just that. He was serving well, returning brilliantly, and he remained very level-headed when he got broken in the first two sets after having a break and double break lead. He played within himself and used his lethal serve and quick-strike attacking tennis to take the match to Jo, and in the end, the Frenchman never really stood a chance. Roger proved again why he is such a dangerous player in when he has something to prove, and he certainly had a score to settle with Jo after his two losses in the past few months. Yes, Tsonga didn't play his very best tennis, much of that had to do with the way Roger was hitting the ball and constantly putting Jo in a defensive position in the rallies. It was a brilliant gameplan and brilliant execution by the Maestro, and he looks exceptionally good heading into the semifinals, where he plays the #1, Novak Djokovic.
Novak had a tough match with countryman Janko Tipsarevic, who gave it his all but ended up retiring down 3-0 in the 4th set, down two sets to one. It was a valiant effort from Tipsy, and he could not ask anymore of himself. He reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time ever and he can walk away from this tournament knowing he had given it his all. I, for one, am very proud of his effort, and he is quickly becoming one of my favourite players.
As for Djoker, he did enough to win but he certainly wasn't as sharp as we have come to see this past year. He will need to be much better vs Federer in the semifinal, ESPECIALLY if Roger plays as well as he did vs Tsonga and as well as he did earlier in the year in Paris, where he sent a message to the world by beating Nole and handing him his first loss of the 2011 season. Novak seems more prone to mental breakdowns than he did say, in March or April. His confidence seems a little shaken, and he is, to me, not the favourite to win vs Roger. If anything, it is right down the middle with Roger playing as well as he has the past two matches.
Onto the bottom half of the draw, and Andy Murray showed why he is such a great returner and defeated John Isner in 4 sets, even winning a tiebreak vs the big American, something that is rare to do, as Isner is a master of playing those tiebreaks. I did not see the entire match, but Murray seems to be heading into the semifinal in good form, something that is a great sign for himself, his team and his fans. As for John Isner, he is always improving and could be a top 10 player very soon if he keeps improving like he has. I could definitely see him surpassing Mardy Fish as the top American in the world shortly, with his big serve, wide reach, and always improving fitness. So basically, John Isner is improving, and that is great. He is a class person and deserves to keep rising up the ranks in men's tennis.
The final quarterfinal to be played featured Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick, and if you watched the match, it wasn't ever close. Nadal was focused and on fire right from the first point and he ended up winning 62 61 63. Nadal certainly must be happy to be playing this well after his tough summer hardcourt season, but let's be honest here, Andy Roddick was injured going into the match and could have retired in the 2nd set, but didn't, mostly because, like Roger, he has respect for the game not to retire in such an important match, no matter what the final score in the end may be. Rafa is certainly in good form, no doubt about that, but this may not have been the match to overly praise Nadal, seeing how he was playing an opponent who was undoubtedly moving and hitting the ball far worse than he is capable of. Still, Nadal is dangerous right now and is peaking at the right time. He has been very solid ever since his tough match with David Nalbandian in the 3rd round.
It should be a great day of tennis on Saturday, as we have the men's and women's semifinals, and all should be compelling matches. I will go into more detail tomorrow morning about all the matches before the Federer/Djokovic match starts at noon local time. I am already psyching myself up for both men's semifinals, and I really cannot wait for them to get underway (I know many Fedfans on Twitter aren't feeling the same way). Cheers!
Quarterfinal recap, here we go!
Roger played about as well as I hoped he would, defeating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 64 63 63 in a rather comfortable win that was delayed by a slight drizzle for 90 or so minutes early in the match. I was one of the seemingly few fans that was confident Roger was going to win this match decisively, although I guess you can't blame anybody for thinking Tsonga would have a real chance with the results at Wimbledon and Montreal. But I knew that Roger, after the way he looked vs Juan Monaco, was going to be sharp as his Gillette razor, and win the match in dominant fashion, making a statement in the process. Roger did just that. He was serving well, returning brilliantly, and he remained very level-headed when he got broken in the first two sets after having a break and double break lead. He played within himself and used his lethal serve and quick-strike attacking tennis to take the match to Jo, and in the end, the Frenchman never really stood a chance. Roger proved again why he is such a dangerous player in when he has something to prove, and he certainly had a score to settle with Jo after his two losses in the past few months. Yes, Tsonga didn't play his very best tennis, much of that had to do with the way Roger was hitting the ball and constantly putting Jo in a defensive position in the rallies. It was a brilliant gameplan and brilliant execution by the Maestro, and he looks exceptionally good heading into the semifinals, where he plays the #1, Novak Djokovic.
Novak had a tough match with countryman Janko Tipsarevic, who gave it his all but ended up retiring down 3-0 in the 4th set, down two sets to one. It was a valiant effort from Tipsy, and he could not ask anymore of himself. He reached the quarterfinals of a Grand Slam for the first time ever and he can walk away from this tournament knowing he had given it his all. I, for one, am very proud of his effort, and he is quickly becoming one of my favourite players.
As for Djoker, he did enough to win but he certainly wasn't as sharp as we have come to see this past year. He will need to be much better vs Federer in the semifinal, ESPECIALLY if Roger plays as well as he did vs Tsonga and as well as he did earlier in the year in Paris, where he sent a message to the world by beating Nole and handing him his first loss of the 2011 season. Novak seems more prone to mental breakdowns than he did say, in March or April. His confidence seems a little shaken, and he is, to me, not the favourite to win vs Roger. If anything, it is right down the middle with Roger playing as well as he has the past two matches.
Onto the bottom half of the draw, and Andy Murray showed why he is such a great returner and defeated John Isner in 4 sets, even winning a tiebreak vs the big American, something that is rare to do, as Isner is a master of playing those tiebreaks. I did not see the entire match, but Murray seems to be heading into the semifinal in good form, something that is a great sign for himself, his team and his fans. As for John Isner, he is always improving and could be a top 10 player very soon if he keeps improving like he has. I could definitely see him surpassing Mardy Fish as the top American in the world shortly, with his big serve, wide reach, and always improving fitness. So basically, John Isner is improving, and that is great. He is a class person and deserves to keep rising up the ranks in men's tennis.
The final quarterfinal to be played featured Rafael Nadal and Andy Roddick, and if you watched the match, it wasn't ever close. Nadal was focused and on fire right from the first point and he ended up winning 62 61 63. Nadal certainly must be happy to be playing this well after his tough summer hardcourt season, but let's be honest here, Andy Roddick was injured going into the match and could have retired in the 2nd set, but didn't, mostly because, like Roger, he has respect for the game not to retire in such an important match, no matter what the final score in the end may be. Rafa is certainly in good form, no doubt about that, but this may not have been the match to overly praise Nadal, seeing how he was playing an opponent who was undoubtedly moving and hitting the ball far worse than he is capable of. Still, Nadal is dangerous right now and is peaking at the right time. He has been very solid ever since his tough match with David Nalbandian in the 3rd round.
It should be a great day of tennis on Saturday, as we have the men's and women's semifinals, and all should be compelling matches. I will go into more detail tomorrow morning about all the matches before the Federer/Djokovic match starts at noon local time. I am already psyching myself up for both men's semifinals, and I really cannot wait for them to get underway (I know many Fedfans on Twitter aren't feeling the same way). Cheers!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)