Federer Getting Big Support in Greatest

7/27/2019 Federer Getting Big Support in Greatest

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Federer getting big support in greatest-ever debate

by Matt Cronin, FOXSports.com

add thisRSSblogemailprintUpdated: July 5, 2009, 6:50 PM EDT

The now greatest player ever was bruised, but he wasn't beaten yet.

After sustaining a barrage of aces, groundstroke winners and crisp volleys, Roger Federer faced two break

points at 8-8 in the fifth set against American Andy Roddick, who was surely playing the Grand Slam match

of his life in Sunday's Wimbledon final.

But Federer did not want to walk away from the final like he did last year, his face splattered with tears after

a wrenching 9-7 loss in the fifth set to Rafael Nadal. So this time, he responded, cracking a wicked service

winner, launching another service bullet and then taking Roddick's next return and ripping a swing volley

winner.

He eventually held to 9-8 and then the clock began to tick loudly on the American's tired legs. He hadn't

been broken in the match to that point and, even after blowing the second set tiebreaker, looked like the

better and more consistent player on the day.

But that was Federer across the net from him, the same man who for good reason owned an 18-2 record

against him coming into the match, who had beaten him at seven previous majors, including three times at

Wimbledon.

The Swiss kept serving the daylight out of London and Roddick, and Roddick sensed that Federer was

growing a bit more confident returning too.

"He was having trouble picking up my serve today for the first time ever," Roddick said. "He just stayed the

course. You didn't even get a sense that he was even really frustrated by it. ... He gets a lot of credit for a lot

of things, but not a lot of the time is how many matches he kind of digs deep and toughs out."

Roddick later got out of a hole to even the longest men's final (in terms of total games) at 14-14 with two

searing service winners. He had held serve from behind facing match games on 10 straight occasions. Even

the toughest of men weaken at the thought of it.

Andy Roddick gave Roger Federer all he couldhandle in the Wimbledon final. (AnjaNiedringhaus / Associated Press)
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2/15

FEDERER VS. SAMPRAS

Category Federer SamprasGrand Slam titles 15 14

Grand Slams played 41 52

Slam finals record 15-5 14-4

Overall Slam record 182-26 203-38

Aussie W-L (titles) 47-7 (3) 45-9 (2)

French W-L (titles) 39-10 (1) 24-13 (0)Wimby W-L (titles) 51-5 (6) 63-7 (7)

U.S. W-L (titles) 45-4 (5) 71-9 (5)

Career record 657-155 762-222

Career win pct. .809 .774

Source: ATPWorldTour.com via the Associated Press

"You just keep going," Roddick said. "Looking back it seems like a lot, but each time it was just a point, and

then another one and then another one. I guess it added up after a while."

But then Federer easily held again to 15-14, and with the shadows creeping over the court, the tension

became too much for the 2003 U.S. Open champion. Roddick had worked diligently all year at improving his

all-around game in order to re-enter the top-five conversation, but the man who was on the verge of cracking

Pete Sampras' record of 14 Slam crowns seemed lighter of foot and certainly more sure of his place in

history.

Roddick finally cracked. He couldn't convert two game points when he committed two backhand errors and

at deuce, Federer half-framed a backhand return that Roddick butchered on his forehand side. On the

Swiss' first match point, Roddick framed an easy forehand into the sky and way wide.

Federer roared in celebration after the 5-7, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5), 3-6,16-14 victory as Sampras who had flown

all night from his home in Los Angeles clapped mightily for his friend and all Roddick could do after his

heroic effort was return to his chair and reflect with tears in his eyes on what might have been after 4 hours

and 16 minutes of brilliant, nail-biting theater.

"It's hard," said Federer, who ended the match with 50 aces and 107 winners overall. "Sports or tennis is

cruel sometimes. I went through some five setters in Grand Slam finals too and ended up losing. But I think

he did great. He's not going to let his head hang down."

Had Roddick taken care of set points in the second set tiebreaker, Wimbledon might have had a new

champion, but down 6-2, Federer came up with an amazing series of shots, while Roddick gagged on a

huge one. After Federer had nailed a backhand half volley winner, an ace and service winner to get to 5-6,

Roddick approached the net and looked at an easy high backhand volley, but seized up and hit it well wide.

"When he first hit it, I thought I wasn't gonna play it., Roddick recalled. "Last minute, it looked like it started

dropping. I couldn't get my racquet around on it."

The match might have been decided there, as Federer went on to seize the next two points and the set.

Federer later admitted that it would have been extremely difficult to come from two sets down with the waythat the American was serving.

But Roddick continued to stay the course, battling his way into a third set tiebreaker which Federer won with

a forehand crosscourt winner, and grabbing the fourth set when he broke Federer early with a screaming

backhand down the line and then held firm.


3/15

"We're human. We're not cyborgs," said Roddick, who ended the match with 74 winners and only 33

unforced errors. "You know, at that point there's two options: You lay down or you keep going. The second

option sounded better to me."

The same option sounded just as good to Federer, who has now rewritten the history books. After his

record-setting 15th major, should Federer be called the greatest ever? There are varied opinions on the

topic, as it's nearly impossible to compare him with pre-Open Era players, many of whom were forced tomiss majors.

Moreover, there remains the one black mark against him his 7-13 record against his primary rival

Nadal, who was unable to defend his Wimbledon title due to a knee injury.

But as Federer says, injuries are part of the game and he himself had to deal with a bout of mononucleosis

as well as a back injury. Without question, until Federer turns his rivalry against the younger Spaniard

around, some will question whether he deserves the greatest of all time moniker.

Federer, though, points out that Nadal's health is not his fault.

"Tennis, that's the way it goes," said Federer, who is once again the world's No. 1 player. "Everybodyexpected (Andy) Murray to be in the finals. He wasn't there. It's not the mistake of the one who wins at the

end."

Even though Sampras is friendly with Roddick, he more than backed up his buddy Federer's claim to

greatness, saying that everyone should now take a bow to the Swiss, who was won majors on all four

surfaces.

"The critics say (Rod) Laver, and Nadal beat him a few times in majors, but he's won all the majors, he's

going to win a few more here, so in my book he is (the greatest)," Sampras said.

Former three-time Wimbledon champion Boris Becker backed Sampras up: "Winning the French Open and

in doing so collecting all four Grand Slam trophies, in my opinion, has made him the greatest player inhistory."

The 27-year-old still has a few more things to accomplish on the court attempting to win his sixth straight

U.S. Open title, winning Davis Cup for the first time, getting after Nadal again.

But on Sunday at the All England Club, he wanted to dispel a myth that's he's too cool and collected and

lacks inner fire. When asked what quality was key in his 15 major wins, he brought up one that isn't

discussed very much.

"Just the fight, because I'm famous for being all casual and relaxed out there, not showing much."


4/15

Federer Stands Alone

By Liz Clarke

Washington Post Staff Writer

Monday, July 6, 2009

WIMBLEDON, England, July 5 -- It was a day for making history.

Roger Federer won his sixth Wimbledon title in the last seven years Sunday, turning backa resilient Andy Roddick, 5-7, 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 16-14, and setting two records in

the process.

It was the longest Grand Slam final in history, capped by a fifth set that lasted 95 minutes

-- seven minutes longer than Saturday's women's final.

And with his idol Pete Sampras looking on, Federer broke his tie with the former great

and moved into a class of his own as holder of a record 15 major titles.

"I know how much the record means to him, and he knows how much the record means

to me," Federer said afterward, thanking the seven-time champion for flying in fromCalifornia for the occasion. "In a way I still feel like we share it, just because he was such

a wonderful champion."

Federer hailed a teary-eyed Roddick as "an unbelievable guy" and unbelievable player

during his post-match remarks and urged him not to lose faith that he would winWimbledon one day.

"Today, I was on the lucky side," said Federer, who finished with 107 winners and 50aces.

And Roddick bore his disappointment admirably, telling the capacity crowd of 15,000who honored him with a standing ovation, "I'm one of the lucky few that gets cheered

for."

Then he turned and apologized to Sampras, half in jest, for not being able to keep the

Swiss from overtaking his record. "I tried to hold him off," Roddick said.

And he spoke of the honor he felt in playing tennis in front of such great champions as

Sampras, Manuel Santana, Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg, who sat shoulder to shoulder onthe front row of the Royal Box.

"I hope one day my name will be up there with theirs," Roddick said.

Wimbledon opened this year on a down note because of the last-minute, injury-relatedwithdrawal of defending champion Rafael Nadal, who defeated Federer in a five-set final

that many hailed as the greatest match in history.


5/15

Sunday's final proved its equal, though few suspected Roddick, who had lost to Federer

in three previous Grand Slam finals, could mount a worthy fight.

Roddick was tested mightily from the opening set, in which he turned back four breakpoints, but used masterful serving to take an early lead.

The second set was a mirror of the first, only closer, with each player holding serve to

force a tiebreak. Roddick got the early break and a cushion of four set points to take a

commanding, two sets-to-none lead.

But Federer reeled off the next six points to draw even at one set each and celebratedwith a defiant roar.

Roddick sloughed off the disappointment and played on with no dip in his play or

temperament.

"At that point, like everything else, there's two options: You lay down or you keepgoing," Roddick said later. "The second option sounded better to me."

Two hours into the match, it was dead even at one set each and 6-6. Another tiebreak was

needed. Roddick was coaxed into the critical error by a short ball from Federer, replying

with a one-handed backhand that landed in the net.

That put Federer up two sets to one, even though the Swiss hadn't yet broken Roddick'sserve.

Roddick got an early break in the fourth set and drew even at two sets each, shaking off

what looked like a nasty injury when he lunged awkwardly for a ball with his right footextended.

By then, shadows had started their march across the court. And there was no telling how

long the match would go, with neither player able to break serve and tiebreaks not

allowed at Wimbledon in decisive fifth sets.

It was a matter of whose nerves would fray first.

The match passed four hours with Federer leading, 13-12.

Still, they played on. Federer held serve with relative ease, while Roddick's game startedshowing patches of vulnerability -- a minor gaffe here, followed by an ace there.

"Each time it was just a point, and then another one and then another one," Roddick said

when asked how he kept his focus while serving from a deficit so many times.

But after clanging one last ball off his frame to end the match, Roddick wasted no time

trotting to the net to congratulate his rival.


6/15

"He gets a lot of credit for a lot of things, but not a lot of the time is how many matches

he kind of digs deep and toughs out," Roddick said of Federer. "He doesn't get a lot of

credit for that because it looks so easy. But he definitely stuck in there today."


7/15

Wimbledon 2009: Roger Federer's 15 grandslam wins

Roger Federer's defeat of Andy Roddick in the Men's Singles final at Wimbledon

gives him a world record 15 grand slams.

By Telegraph staff and agencies

Published: 6:59PM BST 05 Jul 2009Previous

1 of 2 ImagesNext

Familiar feeling: Roger Federer laps up the Centre Court applausePhoto: PA

1. Wimbledon 2003 - Federer, 21, produces a near-faultless display to beat Mark Philippoussis7-6 (7/5) 6-2 7-6 (7/3) and claim his first grand-slam title. He had previously failed to get past the

quarter-finals at a major.

2. Australian Open 2004 - Federer celebrates becoming world number one by outclassing Marat

Safin 7-6 (7/3) 6-4 6-2 in what proves to be a one-sided final.

3. Wimbledon 2004 - For the second year in succession, Federer is brought to tears after

winning Wimbledon, digging deep to come from behind and beat Andy Roddick 4-6 7-5 7-6 (7/3)

6-4 in a stuttering display.

4. US Open 2004 - Federer becomes the first man in history to win his first four grand-slam finals

- and the first man in 16 years to claim three Majors in one year - with a 6-0 7-6 (7/3) 6-0 rout of

Lleyton Hewitt, his first victory in New York.

5. Wimbledon 2005 - Federer completes a hat-trick of titles at SW19 with a devastating display

to defeat Andy Roddick 6-2 7-6 (7/2) 6-4, labelling his performance "flawless" and the best in his

life.

6. US Open 2005 - Federer dashes 35-year-old Andre Agassi's hopes of a fairytale victory in

New York, defending his title with a 6-3 2-6 7-6 (7/1) 6-1 win.


8/15

7. Australian Open 2006 - Federer recovers from a poor start to sink unfancied Cypriot Marcos

Baghdatis 5-7 7-5 6-0 6-2 for his second title in Melbourne.

8. Wimbledon 2006 - Federer takes his winning streak on grass to 48 matches by beating arch

rival Rafael Nadal 6-0 7-6 (7/5) 6-7 (2/7) 6-3 for a fourth Wimbledon crown.

9. US Open 2006 - Federer become the first man in the Open era to win three successive titlesWimbledon and New York in the same years by downing Andy Roddick 6-2 4-6 7-5 6-1, moving

past Agassi and Fred Perry in the list of grand-slam winners.

10. Australian Open 2007 - Federer becomes the first man since 1980 to win a grand slam

without dropping a set as he sees off Fernando Gonzalez 7-6 (7/2) 6-4 6-4 for a third title in

Melbourne.

11. Wimbledon 2007 - Federer emulates Bjorn Borg by winning a fifth straight title here, beating

Nadal for the second year in succession in an epic five-setter - 7-6 (9/7) 4-6 7-6 (7/3) 2-6 6-2 -

that lasted close to four hours.

12. US Open 2007 - Federer was given a tough test by Novak Djokovic but won 7-6 (7/4) 7-6

(7/2) 6-4, despite trailing by a break in each set. It was his fourth consecutive title in New York.

13. US Open 2008 - Federer recovers from his Roland Garros and Wimbledon heartbreak

months earlier to win a fifth straight title at Flushing Meadows, beating Britain's Andy Murray 6-2

7-5 6-2 in the final as a second seed.

14. French Open 2009 - Federer grabs the elusive title at Roland Garros by beating surprise

finalist Robin Soderling 6-1 7-6 (7/1) 6-4. The Swiss had lost the three previous finals to Nadal.

15. Wimbledon 2009 - Federer and Roddick were locked in a tense final-set battle as both

players held serve comfortably, but the American's resolve was finally broken. Federer served 50

aces in his 5-7 7-6 (8/6) 7-6 (7/5) 3-6 16-14 victory.


9/15

On the Way to a Marathon, Federer Keeps HisFooting

WIMBLEDON, England

I think the public should just watch his feet, just watch Roger and not the ball, and youd see how great a player

he is to pull off some of the shots, Rod Laver said of Federer.

The fifth set will always be remembered as an all-time marathon and an exclamation

point to the most cherished record in tennis. But the second set was whenRoger

Federer, on the brink of falling into a two-set hole toAndy Roddick, reminded Pete

Samprasthat he hadnt come all the way from Los Angeles to congratulate the first

American Wimbledon winner since Sampras won here in 2000.

Yes, you could argue it was Roddicks own failure to close the deal after holding

quadruple set point in the tie breaker. Serving at 6-5, you could accuse him of bad

judgment and worse execution on a high backhand volley, on a running Federer

forehand that might actually have been on its way out.

You could dwell on that potentially shattering sequence for the man whose serve was

unbreakable until the bitter end, but that would be missing the point.

That would be dwelling on Roddicks moments of frailty Sunday while neglecting the

essence of Federers tennis immortality.

Long before Roddick mis-hit a forehand, finally surrendered, 5-7, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5), 3-

6, 16-14, to Federers quest for a 15th Grand Slam singles victory after 4 hours 18

minutes, Roddick hit a blistering forehand on the first of those four set points in the

second-set tie breaker.
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10/15

The ball landed deep in the court, at Federers feet, on his backhand side. On pure

instinct, he flicked at it with his wand of a racket, angled it just enough to direct the

ball cross-court, over the net, into open space.

Come on, Federer shouted, convincing nobody except himself there was still a wayout of the trap.

He believed because he is Federer. Five points later, it was one-all in sets. The match

of Federers record-setting dreams and some would say Roddicks life was on.

I thought the second set was obviously key to what came after, Federer said.

Maybe being down two sets to love, the way Andy was serving, would have always

been a difficult situation to be in, you know.

It was more than the way Roddick was serving; it was how he was holding his own

with Federer when the ball was in play. Lighter on his feet after shedding 15 pounds,

hitting through the backhand as we have seldom seen him, attacking the net and

dropping deft volleys to the other side.

Once upon a time, Roddick was supposed to be for Federer whatRafael

Nadalbecame, nemesis and measuring stick. No one has played more matches on

tour against Federer than Roddick. The record is now 19 wins for Federer, 2 for

Roddick. But in their fourth Grand Slam final, third at Wimbledon, Roddick finally

attached himself to Federer as an opponent to remember, on a day when legends of

the sport Sampras, Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg and Manuel Santana were in the

royal box.

I feel badly for Andy, this was his chance, Sampras said after the match on

the BBCand before meeting Federer, along with Laver and Borg. But Rogers a

legend, an icon.

Best player ever?

I have to give it to him, Sampras said.
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11/15

He had graciously made the long trip with his wife, Bridgette Wilson, but it was

Laver who earlier in the day had advised us not to dwell too much on the greatest-

ever debate. Let vastly different eras be singularly defined, he said. Live in the here,

in the now.

I think the public should just watch his feet, just watch Roger and not the ball, and

youd see how great a player he is to pull off some of the shots, Laver said.

If we must compare Federer to anyone, let it be his contemporary legend with the

familiar corporate backing.

He andTiger Woods are good friends, fighting to see who can have the best number

in golf and tennis, Laver said, his point being that tenniss Tiger takes a back seat to

no one.

Federers 15th major one more than Tiger as well as Sampras was his third

straight five-set Wimbledon final. Forget about the greatest player argument; we

probably cant even reach a consensus on which was the better match: last years

five-set victory by Nadal, 9-7 in the fifth, or Sundays epic that featured a record 77

games for a Grand Slam final and the 95-minute fifth set that left Roddick

disconsolate, unwilling to congratulate himself for not shattering sooner.

You know, at that point, like everything else, theres two options, he said of the tie-

breaker meltdown. You lay down or keep going. The second option sounded better

to me.

He lost a third-set tie breaker but broke Federer to win the fourth set, matched him

service hold for hold in the fifth. Still, in the final analysis, there was no getting away

from quadruple set point, from the what-ifs.

The wind had been gusting, Roddick said, when he hit the high backhand volley. He

was going to let the ball drop, changed his mind, couldnt get his racket around on

it.

He will remember that shot for the rest of his life. Federer? Probably more the

backhand he took off his toes three points earlier, a stroke of pure tennis genius.
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12/15

For those of us who had taken Lavers advice, focused on the feet, that shot was a

symbol of the greatness in the man, if not a signal of what was to come.


13/15

Does Federer have the perfect game?

Roger Federer created history at Wimbledon by winning his 15th grand slam title.

The Swiss's epic win over American Andy Roddick moved him clear of Pete Sampras's recordand he was again hailed by former players and his current peers as the greatest player tohave ever played the game.

But what is the secret of his success?

BBC Sport caught up with three-time Wimbledon winner, Boris Becker, to analyse what makeshim the best. SERVE

"You wouldn't immediately think of Federer's serve being one of his biggest weapons, but hegets such a large percentage of his first serves in that it is so difficult to face.

His placement of where he puts the serve is second to none and it's so challenging for any

opponent. He's also not afraid to go for his second serve and really mix it up."

FOREHAND

"This is the most powerful shot in his arsenal. He goes through the ball with his wrist so muchand accelerates so quickly that he gets so much top spin.

The key to all of his strokes is his movement and on his forehand he can get around and get

to most balls.

It is quite unique really, he has a pretty old fashioned Western grip which needs a lot of wristwork to get the top spin over, but he has got enough strength in his arm to do it."

BACKHAND

"I wouldn't really call his backhand a weakness, it is arguably his less powerful shot, butnevertheless it is very difficult to play against.

He is able to mix up the top spin with the backhand block return and therefore his constantlychanging shot selection makes it difficult for his opponent to feel comfortable out there."

VOLLEYING

"His volleying is peerless. I don't see a player in today's game who gets anywhere near the

sort of volleys he is able to play.

He is able to play low volleys, difficult volleys, drop shots off volleys. This is all possible forhim because of his court coverage as he can come to the net quicker than most players.

He is the best of today's players but it is very difficult to compare him to John McEnroe, RodLaver or Stefan Edberg as volleying was more common in their eras."

DEFENCE AND SPEED


14/15

"His defence all starts with his footwork. He is so fast that out of a bad position he can make agood play and that's what I would call his biggest weapon.

His speed and footwork means he almost comes across the court like a perfectly timed balletdancer."

MENTAL STRENGTH

"The 2009 Wimbledon final was the perfect illustration of how mentally strong Roger Federeris. You can't come through situations like that match with Andy Roddick (Federer won the finalset 16-14) unless you are really tough. He will always find a way to win.

Even on his not so good days his will to win and his determination not to give up until thematch is finished makes him so tough to play.

I was worried, and I think everyone was worried, after his defeat to Rafael Nadal in theAustralian Open in January (Federer lost the final set 6-2), but he is over that."

HOW IMPORTANT IS HIS PREPARATION AND SUPPORT TEAM?

"He keeps his off court preparation very quiet. He is very professional and doesn't need to talkabout it and he really wants to keep it like that.

Officially he doesn't have a coach, but the Swiss Davis Cup coach Severin Luthi travels aroundwith him a lot. His wife Mirka used to be a tennis player herself so she knows a thing or twoabout the sport and is with him at all times."

THE FUTURE

"The big question is, what is his motivation now broken the record of grand slam wins?

He wants to defend his US Open title, but he really has to sit down this summer and think

about the next big target he wants to go for.

Men's tennis is in the best shape it has been in for a long time, with Federer and Nadal goinghead to head and Andy Murray and Novak Djokovic right behind them, it's a fascinating time."

Boris Becker was talking to BBC Sport's Paul Birch


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