(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
"I'm overall pretty happy with the way I played overall. I served extremely well. So did my opponent today. I only got broken there at 5-6 in the second set for the first time after having a long, long game back and forth. I think maybe I was trying to go for a little bit too much then and not following up, being aggressive, coming into the net. "
Don't worry Tommy you're not the only one.
"He took the first chance. The same thing happened in the third when he broke me at 3-4, a long game with chances and game points for me."
Wel,l my friend, the greats can capitalize on their chances.
"Overall I'm pretty happy with the way I played. Just sometimes on these little tiny points that could have made a little difference just came up short, making too easy unforced error for my liking. But overall pretty happy."
Those "tiny chances" are what makes Federer Federer, and not winning those "tiny chances" are what makes Haas Haas.
When Tommy was asked if there are any potential weaknesses in the Federer game, he came up with his quaint formulation.
"There aren't really any weaknesses," Haas said. "I think he moves in such smooth ways and has such good defensive play. The slice bites a lot. When you think sometimes you might get a relatively easy volley, he kind of either dinks it in front of you, or he made two spectacular slice lobs over my head at important points."
Those two spectacular slice will undoubtedly haunt Haas for sometime to come.
The turnaround of sorts which Federer has endured in the past month or so, capturing the Madrid title, then the French, and now the finals of Wimbledon, will have the Swiss in confident mode. Appearing unbreakable, the title on Sunday is well within reach.
"Look, I'm very proud of all the records I've achieved, because I never thought I would be that successful as a kid," Federer said modestly. "I would have been happy winning a couple tournaments and maybe collecting Wimbledon, sort of achieving the dream scenario, you know?
"But it's quite staggering now, having reached again I think it's my sixth straight Grand Slam final I've achieved, as well. Having so many things going for me now again. The opportunity again on Sunday, it's fantastic.
"Quite amazing to be back in the Wimbledon final already because it seems like now all of a sudden everything happened very quickly."
One quick correction Roger (not that you need many), you have made seven straight finals in London.
After putting the finishing touches on the Haas encounter, Federer was left with only one minor point of concern heading into Sunday's final.
Would his finals opponent be the Queen, and Andy Murray (all of England involved no doubt)? Or Andy Roddick and Larry Stefanki, attempting once again to solve the Swiss riddle?
Well, if there was ever a reason to question, Federer has acheived a return to prominence after a relatively dismal 2008, good karma, and now a good draw will await the 14-time grand slam champ in Sunday's final.
No Queen for Murray
Coming into the 2009 season, American Andy Roddick had one simple, sole objective: to win one more grand slam title.
To do so, things would have to change. The current crop of tennis stars were faster, better and younger—Roddick had fallen off a touch.
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