Dude, this is just an exhibition match.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sanjeevi
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Dude, this is just an exhibition match.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sanjeevi
oh unaccountaaQuote:
Originally Posted by ajithfederer
appadintu illa. Perusa eduthutu velayandiruka maatarnu thonudhu. but it is just my impression.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sanjeevi
http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topic...9&parent_id=29
Federer adding more tricks to his repertoire
Roger Federer poses with kids after holding a clinic for them at the Khalifa Complex yesterda. Picture by Jayan Orma
By N.D. Prashant
WHEN it comes to a sound technique in tennis, there is none better than the 13-times Grand Slam winner Roger Federer. However, the master, who lost his No 1 billing to Spaniard Rafael Nadal, is keen to bring some more variation to his play in order to recapture the top ranking.
The Swiss ace will be trying out a few new things this season starting with the Qatar Open after having already experimenting with them at the recently concluded exhibition tournament in Abu Dhabi.
“I don’t know how the rest of the guys approached that tournament but I just tried some volleys, chip, charge, ran to the net, played aggressive and even tried defensive. Saw how it goes and played the moment as well; it was the first tournament of the year. I wish I had won but it was a close tournament so it didn’t hurt at all,” said Federer.
He was of the view that the new tricks can only do a world of good to his already deadly repertoire.
“Why I try these things is because practice is one thing but doing it on court is different. In these exhibition matches, I can try certain things which I can’t do for four months as I’m playing Grand Slams. At the big stage, you don’t want to give away any point that easy.
“If it doesn’t work, then I will go back to my original game. But if it does, you have a few more tactics in your pocket which is what I’m looking to add this year.”
And with this being the preparatory tournament ahead of the Australian Open, Federer is keen to give his best.
“This is an important week for me to see where my game is. I would like to get through the first few matches solid and see where it takes me ahead. Then only I can prepare better for the Australian Open.”
Despite Scot Andy Murray steaming up the ranks, Federer still rates Nadal as his prime rival.
“I still consider Rafa as my main rival. It’s logic, after all that we’ve been through in the last four years. So there is no question of putting Rafa away. There are lots of possibilities of a change in the rankings season and that will be interesting.”
Federer warned his opponents that he won’t be lowering his guard by any means this season.
“I will still be trying to dominate tennis the way I’ve been doing it for the last five years. I didn’t win as many titles last year but there was a certain reason for that. But I would say it was a very good year. I expect the same this year. The pressure would be on other players which would be a good thing. Last year, four titles was not so bad.”
Federer justified his decision of playing lesser clay court tournament by saying, “It was the decision that I took to concentrate on the Masters Series except the one in Monaco which I don’t have to play. I didn’t want to say no to any but I don’t have lot of time to get ready for the clay court season. If I play Monaco, I’ve no time to practice for clay.”
Federer is well aware of the fact that any Grand Slams this season will only add to his elite distinction.
“Every Grand Slam that I win this year will be very meaningful one because I would equal Pete Sampras’ record. Everybody also knows it will be Wimbledon as well; there will be no change about it. I’ll try for my first French Open and sixth US Open because they are all special. But my focus first and foremost is now to start the season well here in Doha and hopefully play well at the Australian Open.”
http://www.google.com/hostednews/can...gIpQZIXMKkC3sA
Roger Federer says he's capable of dominating men's tennis again
1 day ago
DOHA, Qatar — Former No. 1 Roger Federer believes he can dominate men's tennis again.
The 27-year-old Swiss star, who is one short of Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slam titles, said Monday he is looking forward to a big year in 2009.
"This could be a very meaningful season for me," Federer said. "I can equal Pete Sampras' record. I can add another Wimbledon title and this is something that is very dear to me. I can also win my first French Open title, so I am looking forward to my season."
Federer was slowed by mononucleosis last year and lost his No. 1 ranking to Rafael Nadal.
"I feel much better this year," Federer said. "Last year, I couldn't practice the way I wanted to because of health reasons. But this year I have trained really well and I feel very confident about myself. I have less pressure now and it is not a bad thing."
Federer plays Potito Starace of Italy in the first round at the season-opening Qatar Open on Tuesday as he builds toward the Australian Open, which starts on Jan. 19.
"Obviously, I can dominate the game," he said. "I have worked hard at my game and when you do that, things become easy for you. If I can play two good matches then I will feel really good going into the Australian Open."
The second-ranked Federer was eclipsed last year by Nadal, who won Wimbledon, the French Open and the Beijing Olympics gold medal.
"Rafa is my main rival," Federer said. "We have been doing it for so many years and have had great matches."
Andy Murray beat Federer and Nadal last week at an exhibition tournament in the United Arab Emirates. Federer could face Murray in the semifinals here after having defeated the Briton in the U.S. Open final for his only Grand Slam title of 2008.
http://tennisworld.typepad.com/thewr...ks-rogers.html
'09 Picks: Roger's Career Year
Posted 01/06/2009 @ 3 :45 PM
Fed_2Prediction No. 2: Roger Federer Will Win Wimbledon and Make Us Learn to Love Davis Cup Again
Thinking about Roger Federer’s status as he heads into 2009, I keep returning to his win at the U.S. Open last September. In retrospect I'd call it a clarifying victory.
All through last summer, after Federer had been whacked upside the head in Paris, had his Wimbledon crown taken, and lost his No. 1 ranking—each time at the hands of the diabolical Rafael Nadal—many of us wondered which former champion Federer would resemble in the future: would he become Bjorn Borg, or would he become Pete Sampras? Going Borg meant flipping out about being No. 2 and never winning anything again; going Sampras meant accepting that even gods slow down and plugging away for four or five or six more Slams.
Federer’s routine win at Flushing Meadows settled it: He’s going the Sampras route. While he may hate being announced as No. 2 in the world, he respects the current No. 1 player, accepts that he will lose to him sometimes, and knows that it is no longer a given that he’s superior to all who stand across the net from him. This is healthy. Knowing Federer’s basically sane mind-set, it seems absurd that anyone ever thought he might not win big again. Burnout just doesn’t seem to be an issue with Federer; he’s always played a lot of tennis and rarely seemed to feel the effects. I probably wouldn’t either if I won everything in sight.
So Federer is going to be with us for a while, and he’s going to break Sampras’ Slam record either this year or next. (I’ll say he’s going to finish his career with 17 or 18 majors.) The three-Slam seasons are likely over, but I doubt that will keep him up at night. The French Open is also getting less likely each year—this may be the season when Federer backtracks and loses before the final—but that doesn’t seem to weigh on him the way not winning the U.S. Open seemed to weigh on Borg.
What Federer loves is to compete on a tennis court, an in-born trait that will serve him better as he ages than any conditioning program anyone could devise. The Swiss is unlike Borg, and even unlike Sampras, in that traveling and playing tennis has never been a chore for him. As always, Federer is focusing on winning Wimbledon in 2009. It’s a rote statement he makes at the beginning of each year, a way of keeping his goals manageable. But he also means it—as with Sampras, that tournament is his Holy Grail. Last year's final aside, when I think of Federer at Wimbledon, I see him holding the winner’s trophy, not that lame runner-up plate. (Is there a bigger letdown in sports than to have to hold that little thing up rather than the big golden cup?)
I think Federer will reclaim Wimbledon this year, that it will tie him with Sampras at 14 majors, and that it might lead him to No. 15 at the Open (my crystal ball is fuzzy on that one). It’s not that Nadal’s Wimbledon win in 2008 was any kind of fluke; he’d been to the final the previous two years. But it took more of a special effort, a major build-up of momentum that had begun two months earlier, to get Nadal that golden trophy—and he still almost fell short. For Federer, winning Wimbledon is part of life, an annual rite, a pilgrimage by which he sets his yearly schedule. Plus, grass is still a more natural fit for his game than it is for Nadal’s.
This would obviously be a highlight of the year for many fans, and a moment we'd see replayed forever, but there's another intriguing possibility involving Federer in 2009 that should be mentioned. As you know, he has added Davis Cup back to his schedule. He and Stanislas Wawrinka will be a formidable team, but they'll begin with a tough tie against the U.S. in Alabama. It should be a barn burner of a weekend, right down to the doubles, where the Bryan brothers will want to avenge their loss to Federer and Wawrinka in Beijing.
If the Swiss get past the Americans, they would play the winner of Chile and Croatia, then perhaps the winner of Argentina and France in the semis. If it's Argentina, Federer would get a chance to enter the clay cauldron of Buenos Aires for the first time on September 18. (As you probably already know, the last tie between the countries took place in 1952 in Lausanne, so this one would be in Argentina.) I won't predict that the Swiss team will win down there—despite last year's debacle, the Argentines haven't lost at home on clay for more than a decade. For now, I'll just will say that the thought of Federer, suddenly a fish out of water, digging into the orange clay and fighting the whistling fans, the wild atmosphere, Nalbandian, del Potro, and Maradona is enough to make this tennis fan relish the 2009 season just a little bit more.
Sampras vs Federer Wimbledon 2001 4rd
This is the only match that Federer and Sampras ever played on the ATP tour. At the time, Federer was a 19 year old player making his Centre Court debut, and Sampras, 29 years of age, was a 13-time Grand Slam champion (7 times at Wimbledon) in the twilight of his career. That day, Federer ended Sampras reign at Wimbledon and announced his arrival at the top echelon of the pro game. Federer plays an outstanding match: He is never nervous, he sticks to his game plan, he serves almost as well as Sampras, and plays all the big points well. Sampras is playing very well, too, but he seems to believe for too long that Federer will let himself down, and when he raises his level in the 4th set it seems too late. Federer winning the 1st set gets the plot going, and the crowd senses what may happen (they are very loud at the end.) My only real misgiving is that the match is a little bit short on exciting points and winners, at least from Sampras end of the court. All the same, it is a great match and no tennis enthusiast should miss it.This is one of the matches that changed tennis history.
:clap:
Federer vs Stepanek 2008 us open 3rd round
There is a similar overhead smash lob in this game similar to the one against Djokovic in us open 2008 semi's.
Roger arrives in Melbourne
http://in.youtube.com/watch?v=usM-MUhi1s0
A news report of Roger arriving in Melbourne for the 2009 Australian tennis circuit.
January 12th, 2009
Why Roger Federer will Finish 2009 at No. 1
by Sean Randall
Yes, I’ve read the news, seen the video, digested the comments and heard it from my friends and family that the mighty, or once mighty, Roger Federer is finally finished. But as you can tell from the headline above, I don’t quite see it that way and I’m not buying it. At least not yet.
Based on my research, only one player has ever returned to a year-end No. 1 ranking after losing it, that being Ivan Lendl in 1989 when he took it back from Mats Wilander. This year I think Federer will duplicate that feat and also get his No. 1 ranking back.
Before I get to the how and why, let me say that the level of play in the men’s game right now is awesome. We’ve come a long way from 2006 when we saw guys like Ivan Ljubicic, Tommy Robredo and James Blake embedded at the top our sport. They have since been replaced by rising talents like Jo-Wilfried Tsonga, Juan Martin Del Potro and Andy Murray.
And the competition at the very top is the toughest I can remember in the last 15 years. It seems that each passing year we cement another player into upper echelon. It use to be just Federer, then Rafael Nadal came along. In 2007 we saw Novak Djokovic creep into the conversation giving us a solid “big three”. Last year Murray got into the mix leaving the ATP circuit with a very, very strong “Fab Four”. Will we expand and add a fifth this year? It’s possible.
That said here’s my 2009 year-end top 10.
1. Roger Federer
I agree that Roger’s not playing at the same level we saw of him a few years ago, but even at the age of 27 he can still work the magic. And this year offers a sort of fresh start for the man from Basel who doesn’t have to deal with mono – I’m a firm believer he had it – and the Olympic distractions. Plus, with the lower expectations from fans and media, Federer comes into 2008 without the same pressure he has carried in the past. And that should help.
While his play has slipped his effort in the majors are still impressive. Despite his losses in the smaller ATP events Federer still reached the semifinals or better in all four Grand Slam in 2008 – in fact, the Swiss has been to the finals of 13 of his last 14 majors! And remember, this year the new ATP point structure gives even more weighting to Slam results in the rankings, another benefit for Rog who has shifted gears, ala Pete Sampras, by focusing primarily on the majors.
Competition-wise, no question it’s brutal out there with Nadal, Djokovic and especially Murray all capable of derailing the Swiss on any day. The Scotsman of late clearly has had Fed’s number. Heck, he’s got Roger’s cell phone, his home phone, his email, his Skype #, his IM, etc. Whenever Murray wants to dial-up and get to Fed, it appears he can do it. And that’s not going to stop. So Fed will need to avoid Murray as much as possible, although Andy has yet to beat Roger in a Slam when it counts the very most. As for Rafa, well I just don’t see him playing like he did in 2008. So that leaves Fed and Murray for No. 1, and I’ll go with experience right now with Fed finishing on top with a Wimbledon title and possible another at either the Australian Open or US Open. Murray’s going to get his wins, yes, but he’ll need to beat Fed at the Slams and I don’t think he’s ready to do that on a consistent basis.
2. Andy Murray
I didn’t think Murray would mature this quickly, but the kid really has. And more importantly it seems he has really dedicated himself to getting stronger and fitter, vital to being at the top in tennis these days. Credit to him and his team. Murray is also beating the top guys with some regularity now and that too is a great sign. The Scot’s arguably been the No. 1 player on the circuit since Wimbledon last year when his game really took off after Richard Gasquet did his infamous throat clutch. But will Andy win a Slam this year? It wouldn’t surprise me, but my guess is no. I still see him in at least one final, maybe two, and he gets to the No. 2 ranking by playing consistently throughout the season, dominating the Masters events, or whatever they are called now, and staying out of the doctor’s office. But Andy will also have to deal with the new expectations and the pressure from Britain and 1936. It won’t be easy. Murray’s time will come, but just not this year.
3. Rafael Nadal
Speaking of the doctor’s office, I really didn’t like the way Rafa ended 2008 having to withdraw from the Masters Cup and the Davis Cup after another tendonitis flare-up in his much-troubled knees. And I don’t like that he started this season playing an exo and then Doha. I’d rather have seen him rest a little more because he’s going to need it because with guys like Murray, Del Potro, Tsonga, Simon, Gasquet, etc., it’s going to be that much tougher for him to win the bigger titles. I’m not saying he won’t snare a few big ones, but the wins will come at a greater toll on his body. That said, maybe he is feeling healthy an he gets through the year with any troubles, and if he can do that then there’s no reason he won’t maintain his No. 1 spot. And I do see him again ruling the clay and winning the French Open, but there will be no Wimbledon title repeat.
4. Novak Djokovic
The clown prince of tennis really surged at the end of 2008 with his Shanghai title, which will no doubt help offset the points Novak’s dropping when his Australian Open win rolls off the rankings in a few weeks. No, I don’t see him repeating his Melbourne title run nor do I see him holding up any Slam hardware this season, but he’ll be a major player at all the big events once again. He’s just too good a player not to be. And maybe he gets his head straight, works out his image and health issues and really comes on strong. Maybe. Otherwise he’ll again be the garbage guy, the player who cleans up the mess when the top guys like Federer, Nadal and Murray go out early.
5. Andy Roddick
After the Fab Four we really do drop a level, and for me the top cat in the next group this year is going to be Roddick. Andy’s been beaten up and kicked around lately, but I think he makes a strong comeback this year primarily because of new coach Larry Stefanki. Remember how well Roddick played when Brad Gilbert stepped in, or when Jimmy Connors took over (or even when he split from Connors)? Regardless, Roddick seems to get energized when he makes coaching changes and I’m betting it’ll happen again. Plus, he should easily surpass the paltry six Slam wins he had in ’08 this season.
6. Juan Martin Del Potro
I was really impressed with just how well this lanky kid from Argentina played last year. I said above that you could make a case for Murray being the No.1 guy the second-half of last season. Well Del Potro was right there, too, winning 37 of his last 45 matches to finish as the youngest player in the Top 10. JMDP did suffer a crushing setback in the Davis Cup final, but if he can get over that loss and stay healthy, a year-end No. 6 ranking should be well within reach. And in my mind, if there’s one guy that can break into the Fab Four this year I think it’s him.
7. Jo-Wilfried Tsonga
I once thought JW Tsonga was just another flash in the pan. A one-slam wonder. But no longer. The kid brought the goods Down Under last year, and then shrugged off a three-month layoff in the summer to recovery from knee surgery by closing the year in excellent form. If he can put together a full season without any physical troubles watch out. But that’s a huge if.
8. Richard Gasquet
Left for dead after his colossal collapse at Wimbledon last year, I think this year Gasquet gets his hands off his throat, feeds off the success of his fellow Frenchmen and plays like he’s capable of playing. The kid is just too talented not be in the Top 10 and really the Top 5. And with his countrymen Tsonga, Monfils and Simon doing their part, I think the pressure and expectations on Gasquet may have abated a bit as the spotlight moves away from him. That should help. Frankly though, among the Four French Musketeers I give Gasquet the best shot at reaching a Major final or winning a Slam this year. Heck, he may even do it in a few weeks.
9. Nikolay Dayvdenko
I know he’s suffering from a bad heel/foot, but because the Russian plays so much tennis missing January shouldn’t be that major of a setback. And who knows, the additional time off may keep him fresher at the end of the year. Dayvdenko is and always has been a consistent work horse type performer who’ll play enough tournaments, reach enough quarterfinals to remain in the Top 10. 2009 should be no different.
10. Gael Monfils
My man Monfils is finally going to crack the Top 10 this year and it could happen in the next few weeks. Yes, it’s going to happen! Remember, last year Monfils missed the Australian Open along with Wimbledon so he’ll have plenty of points to pick up at both events. Of course the Frenchmen will have to defend semifinal points from the French Open, but I think if he stays healthy and focused a year-end Top 10 finish is easily doable.
Other players to keep an eye on:
David Nalbandian – After that devastating Davis Cup defeat, just how intent, how motivated will be on working hard and competing week-in and week-out? If he crashes early in Melbourne he may not finish in the Top 20.
Fernando Verdasco – On the flip side, I’ve always given guys a little bump after the year after they win the Davis Cup, and this season that bump goes to Verdasco. So might Fernando, arguably the biggest underachiever on the circuit, make some additional noise in 2009? His Davis Cup effort was great, but I’m not sold on him becoming a consistent force on the circuit.
Gilles Simon – I don’t think his 2008 performance was a fluke, but it’s hard to squeeze him into the Top 10 right now.
Marin Cilic – Another youngster knocking on the door of the Top 10. He won’t break it down this year but a Top 15 finish will set him up nicely for a big run in 2010.
Ernests Gulbis – We know what he’s capable of, and I think this year he’ll continue to mature and we should see him become more of a fact in the latter part of events.
Kei Nishikori – Another talented youngster but injuries will ultimately tell the tale of how far and how fast he rises.
As for the women, as always it’s a crap shoot. Maria Sharapova’s shoulder is still bad. Serena and Venus Williams play when they want but just not enough to finish No. 1 these days. Sveta Kuznetsova can’t seem to get over the hump and consistently be a factor second week at the Slams. And Ana Ivanovic seems more interested in new beau Fernando Verdasco than with tennis, but we’ll see. That leaves Jelena Jankovic and Dinara Safina to fight it out for the No. 1 ranking, and I’ll go with my girl Janky who I think will finish on top and do it again by not winning a single Slam. How lovely.
Back to Federer. I really see 2009 almost as a “tweener”, or an in between type of year. With the competition as tough as it is I can’t see Nadal duplicating or exceeding his 2008 results, and I’m not yet ready to hand the circuit over to Murray. So in the absence of another No. 1 threat (sorry Novak) I have to go with Federer. Then again, if Nadal and Murray play up to their level, Fed could easily fall to three if not lower. If nothing else, it should be a great and an exciting year of tennis.
http://www.tennis-x.com/xblog/2009-01-12/706.php
http://www.australianopen.com/en_AU/...ub_toparticles
Analysis: Federer faces rocky road
Friday 16 January 2009
By Alan Trengove
If 2008 was a relatively difficult year for Roger Federer, he may find life no easier at Australian Open 2009, the first Grand Slam championship of the year.
Last year, at this time, he was still recovering from the after-effects of glandular fever. He narrowly escaped elimination in a long, draining third-round match with Serbia’s Janko Tipsarevic, and lost in the semi-finals to another Serbian, Novak Djokovic, who went on to win the title.
It was a traumatic start to the year for the popular Swiss. Worse shocks were to follow, what with his French Open thrashing by Rafael Nadal, and the loss of his Wimbledon title and his No.1 ranking to the same player.
This year, Federer, winner of the Australian title in 2004, 2006 and 2007 and now seeded second behind Nadal, embarks on another rocky road at Melbourne Park.
He should beat Italian Andreas Seppi in the first round, and possibly the 41st-ranked Spaniard, Carlos Moya, in the second round. But waiting for him in the third round could be Marat Safin, the No. 26 seed.
It was the big Muscovite who stopped Federer at the 2005 Open, prevailing 9-7 in the fifth set of a torrid semi-final. Safin subsequently won the title by beating Australia’s Lleyton Hewitt in the final. Safin atoned for his defeat in the 2002 final, when he carelessly underestimated his Swedish opponent Thomas Johansson, and the 2004 final, when Federer beat him.
Safin has played many other tight matches with Federer. He seems more relaxed these days, perhaps because he plans to retire at the end of the year, and his carefree attitude may make him an even greater threat this time around.
Should Federer win this testing challenge, he would probably face fellow Swiss Stanislas Wawrinka, seeded 15th, or the 20th-seeded Tomas Berdych, the young Czech who ousted him from the Athens Olympics in 2004.
Other brilliant young players in Federer’s quarter are Argentina’s eighth-seeded Juan Martin Del Potro and Croatia’s 19th-seeded Marin Cilic, the champion recently at Chennai.
His semi-final opponent may be either Djokovic, who has a comparatively easy draw up to the quarter-finals, or old foes Andy Roddick or David Nalbandian.
In the top half of the draw, Nadal will be trying to become the first Spaniard ever to capture the Australian crown. His draw looks easier than Federer’s, though Germany’s Tommy Haas, a three-time semi-finalist, could pose an early threat.
Another possible obstacle is the swashbuckling Fernando Gonzalez, who made the final in 2007 after beating Hewitt and Nadal, among others, and then lost to Federer. The Chilean takes plenty of risks, however, and hasn’t shown the same confidence in recent months as he did two years ago.
Nadal’s probable quarter-final opponent is sixth-seeded Frenchman Gilles Simon, who produced some sizzling form in the latter part of 2008.
An equal favourite with Federer, Nadal and Djokovic is the fast-improving Andy Murray. The rangy Scot seems unaffected by the pressure of public expectations as he battles to become Britain’s first Grand Slam champion since Fred Perry won the Wimbledon and US crowns in 1936.
Murray faces strong opposition from the likes of 2008 finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (who beat him in the first round in Melbourne last year), American stalwart James Blake, and recent Brisbane finalists Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic and Fernando Verdasco of Spain.
He is expected to meet Nadal in a semi-final, with the winner facing either Federer or Djokovic in a fortnight. Murray now has an impressive head-to-head record against all except Nadal, and has beaten Federer in five of their seven meetings, including the last three in succession.
Alan Trengove has covered around 130 Grand Slam tournaments as a reporter and feature writer, and covered his first Australian championships in 1953.
Roger Federer defeats Andreas Seppi 6-1 7-6 7-5
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/6217420.html
Everybody thinks this will be Andy Murray’s year and, if it’s not, it will be Rafael Nadal’s year again. Or perhaps Novak Djokovic’s.
Almost nobody seems to believe Roger Federer has much gas left in his tank after he surrendered the No. 1 ranking to Nadal in 2008. Never mind that he did take the season’s last Grand Slam, claiming a modern-record fifth consecutive U.S. Open. Or that he did thump Murray, practically a consensus favorite to claim his first major at the Australian Open, in straight sets in the Flushing Meadow final.
But Federer himself is one guy who insists reports of his demise are absurdly premature. He asserted recently — before Murray beat him in an exhibition in Abu Dhabi and again last week in the Doha semis — that “I have been dominating for several years and obviously I think I can do it again. I expect 2009 to be a very good year.”
A bout of mononucleosis got him off to a slow start last year, and Nadal’s continued evolution from being a good player into an all-time-great candidate formally spelled the end of the Swiss’ 4½-year run on top when the Spaniard emerged victorious in their for-the-ages Wimbledon final.
Ranking not priority
History and the computer-point differential between Federer and Nadal weigh against his bid to return to No. 1. In the 36 years of the ATP computer system, only Ivan Lendl in 1989 reclaimed the top spot the year after he lost it. But that’s not Federer’s front-and-center priority anymore. Rather, he’ll pick his spots carefully as he attempts to surpass Pete Sampras’ record of 14 Slam titles.
Federer, 27, remains one behind Sampras with 13. Given that Sampras won three of his after turning 27 — and Andre Agassi won five of his eight — the odds favor him accomplishing the feat, even if Murray’s for-real emergence as an elite adds a layer of complication.
The Scotsman’s entry into the who’s-the-king-of-the-hill conversation has balanced the halves of the men’s draw in the major championships. The two semifinals are now equally challenging matchups if the seeding holds up. The Big Three have become the Big Four and the likelihood that any one of them can hog three of the four Slams, as Federer did in 2004, 2006 and 2007, appears minuscule.
It’s far more probable that each of them will claim one, the democratic norm before Federer took over the ATP Tour in 2004.
Nonetheless, it would be foolish to count out Federer anywhere except at Roland Garros, where all appears hopeless for him.
Different at Wimbledon
But Wimbledon’s lawns remain a level playing field. The five sets and five hours he and Nadal battled it out there in July only spoke to their respective greatness, not to any dramatic paradigm shift or changing of the guard. Healthy, Federer remains the Wimbledon favorite. For the near term, Murray will find the pressure crushing — no Brit has won since Fred Perry in 1936 and he will be reminded of this fact hourly for the fortnight — and Djokovic lacks the right grass-court stuff.
The Serb is the defending champion in Melbourne, though, and Murray is playing the best tennis of the four right now, having defeated each of the others in ’09. (He’s also 6-1 vs. Federer of late.)
That’s why everyone has fallen in love with him.
A reasonable response. But falling completely out of love with Federer is dumb.
Sure, he could lose Down Under, even early. Still, should he seize that fourth Aussie title two weeks hence, it won’t be an upset. Not yet, not this year.
dale.robertson@chron.com
Federer playing korolev and leading 5-2 in the first set.
Federer defeats korolev 6-2 6-3 and 6-1.
Federer plays Marat Safin in third round.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WrPPfvvh9c
The first point is almost a replica of the overhead smash lob against djokovic in US open 2008.
Should be a very interesting match.Quote:
Originally Posted by ajithfederer
Safin, is capable of springing a surprise against anyone. With this being his last year in the tour, who knows, what he is going to do.
Yes.
Omega nethu federer match paatheengala??Quote:
Originally Posted by omega
No, actually I was expecting it to be today morning & missed it.
Ended up watching Roddick play Malisse...
Did you watch it. How did Federer play? How was his backhand doing? Heard the qualifier gave a good fight (even though the score doesn't reflect it).
But will not miss Feddy take Marat.
Federer was playing good. Korolev gave some fight at the start of the second set and he gae t away eventually with too many errors.
Me too Eagerly awaiting the match against Safin.
Quote:
Originally Posted by omega
Safin / federer Match@3.30 EST !!!
Annan/Swiss Mannan paetti
Roger Federer Interview - Australian Open, Jan 21
Posted on January 21, 2009
Roger Federer
Australian Open
Wednesday 21 January 2009
Start of Transcribed Interview
Q. Another good win today. You must be feeling good with yourself.
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, it was a nice match. I was happy the way I played. I knew it was going kind of difficult because he takes a lot of risks. Yeah, I'm happy the way I came up with a good game plan.
Q. Nice to see the chipping and charging.
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, occasionally I like to do that. Yeah, I tried to mix it up a bit today, you know. I don't know, just tried to hit with him, and it worked out well today. It was nice.
Q. Is playing Marat still a very exciting prospect?
ROGER FEDERER: Absolutely. It's going to be a nice match for sure. We have a history. We have played a few times. We've played in Majors before and played some good matches before. Played in Davis Cup before.
So yeah, we go way back. Him, of course, being a former No. 1, same for me, former Grand Slam champion, it's an intriguing matchup. Back when he was really at his very best -- we had different personalities growing up. I sort of chilled out and he kept on going.
It was just always, I thought, a good matchup. So I was actually happy.
I think it was last year at Wimbledon I played him. We had a good match there. Yeah, I expect it to be tougher here on the hard courts, which should suit his game more.
Q. Do you have a preference whether it's a day or night match?
ROGER FEDERER: Not really. You know, I don't think the guys are going to have a problem with the heat. I think he has a great five-set record. He's tough and never has any really physical problems. I have no preferences.
Q. Still seems a bit strange when you said “former champion like me.”
ROGER FEDERER: Former No. 1 I said.
Q. Former No. 1. Does that seem a little bit strange?
ROGER FEDERER: For both of us. I didn't say former champion. I said former Grand Slam champion and former No. 1.
Q. I misspoke.
ROGER FEDERER: Exactly.
Q. Does that still seem a little bit strange, to use the word "former"?
ROGER FEDERER: That's the way it is. It's a fact, right? I was a very proud man for a long time and still today about the record. Today Rafa deserves it because he's hung in there for a long time. He could have lost his No. 2 position for a long time against Djokovic, so he deserves it. It's fine.
Q. Did you catch any of his match last night?
ROGER FEDERER: No. I was at dinner. But I'm not surprised.
Q. Do you have any thought about the changes the ATP made this year about the schedule and points system?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, what do you want me to say? What do you want to hear? Good or bad. Nobody changes rankings, so that's been okay. Would have been good to change a few spots here and there.
No, it's all right the way it is. We've had better and worse times.
Q. What do you think of Ivan's sudden departure from the ATP board?
ROGER FEDERER: I was involved in the whole process, so I was, of course, disappointed. Ivan is a close friend of mine, and I know how tough the decision was to make. I still hoped he was going to continue. But at the same time, he's still an active player and wants to give it one last shot until the end of his career. Everybody completely respects that. It's not end of the world.
Q. What about his suggestion that you would be an ideal replacement?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, well, maybe not tomorrow. Maybe at some stage. I never thought about it, really. Of course it's nice that he thinks of me, that's for sure.
Q. Have you talked here with Etienne's replacement? And if so, any first impressions?
ROGER FEDERER: Yeah. He came to Dubai. I met him in December, and he also saw Rafa and Novak before he got appointed, sort of get the definite okay. Everybody met him, the top 3 guys.
I met him here again, yes, and I have a good impression. He's a smart man, smart and honest. I think a guy who can do an excellent job for the ATP.
Q. Were you concerned that he wasn't European?
ROGER FEDERER: That was Rafa's concern. I figured, let's get a good man. Doesn't matter where he's from. I guess that's why it was important for Rafa to meet him before, because I knew Adam from Nike.
So for me it was important that Rafa got to meet him and got a good feeling about it. If Rafa maybe wouldn't have agreed 100% chances would have been slimmer for him. I'm not sure.
I think Rafa was comfortable with the decision, and he also then realized it was just important to get the right man and not an American or European. At the end of the day that doesn't matter.
Q. Does he need a second in command that knows more about the professional game of tennis?
ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, the question was at some stage also do we a appoint someone who's already in the game, who know a lot about tennis and has maybe even played himself, or do we take somebody outside.
So there was a few guys left at the end. The best man basically made it in the end. But I think you learn quickly in tennis. I think he wants to learn a lot right now.
I think it's great we have a Grand Slam in the first week of the year. It's not like he's never been to a tennis tournament before. He's been into sports and he's been to tennis tournaments. I remember meeting him like five years ago here already.
He's been in the game a long time, so it's not like we get a complete stranger who's got no idea about the rules of tennis. That's not the guy we appointed here.
Q. Your opponent today, he kind of goes for every shot. So does that remind you of yourself maybe five years ago?
ROGER FEDERER: Maybe ten years ago. Five years ago I was a bit more ‑‑ I think a bit more easy already.
Q. Last year you said you created a monster. Do you feel like that monster is still there?
ROGER FEDERER: To some degree everybody still expects me to win every match. But, well, I mean, it went overboard there for a while already back in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008. Every match I played, when I lost a set it was incredible. It was kind of just a bit exaggerated from everybody.
People like that quote. You know, I like it too, because I'm happy I created that monster. I was very successful and still am, so I hope I can create it again.
The much awaited Federer vs Safin (round 3 AO) match has started.
Roger wins the toss & holds his serve........
Federer takes the first set 6-3............looking good.
Federer takes second set as well breaking Safin twice 6-2.....
Federer is cruising!!!