Bleacher Report - Articles by Conor Mc

Federer Advances to US Open Fourth Round With Auto-Pilot Turned Off

Conor Mc — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 21:00:19 -0400

With 15 Grand Slams as well as the French Open under his belt, Roger Federer can be easily forgiven for his lack of motivation in the first few rounds in a Grand Slam.

Today was no exception as he stuttered his way past an on-form Lleyton Hewitt, 4-6, 6-3, 7-5, 6-4.

Federer's performance was far from clinical, however the early signs did not suggest that this would be the case. Having broken Hewitt to take a 4-2 lead in the opening set, the match was going the way the previous 13 had suggested it would.

When beating Devin Britton and Simon Greul in rounds one and two respectively, Federer had that almost bored look to him, the look that we have all become accustomed to in tournament's earlier rounds. It's a look that I like to call auto-pilot.

Not only is it a look, but furthermore the way he plays, everything in his control, even the games that his opponents get, it's as if he is playing cat and mouse with them, and no doubt, he is the cat!

Even when we see maximum Resistance from the likes of Greul, he simply steps it up a gear, while maintaining his typical style of plodding around the court, barely looking around him, as if he doesn't care about the result.

However today was different. It seems the auto-pilot mode was turned off. This can simply be written off as one of those odd Federer performances where the concentration lapses almost due to boredom, or, the more cynical of viewers and critics may see this as perhaps partly down to the fact that he now has two children on board. Has he been doing too much nappy changing in the middle of the night? Is Mirka no longer in the best of form every morning?

These are all hypothetical questions such is the efficiency of Federer's ability to keep his private life truly Private.

All we can judge Federer on is what we see on the court.

Having gone up 40-0 in his service game at 4-2, Hewitt hit a stunning backhand pass to get to 40-15 and effectively turn this auto-pilot mode off as Federer made miss hit after miss hit. He didn't win another game in the rest of the first set as Hewitt, playing some of his best tennis, stormed to a one set advantage.

Early in the second set Federer was relying on Hewitt's misses on break point opportunities, with still far too many wayward forehands, to his growing frustration.

Then, the break came Federer's way, but all was not perfect as he struggled his way to a set a piece, 6-3. Once more avoiding break points at 5-3.

In a tightly contested third set, which still contained many uncharacteristic Federer misses, the two appeared to be just about equal. However Federer stepped it up at just the right time and broke at 5-5. He then served it out to take a two sets to one lead and finally find some rhythm.

He then broke early in the fourth set and it proved to break the back of the match, eventually closing the set and match out 6-4, despite Hewitt pulling back one of two service breaks.

In the end, it seems the biggest threat to Federer not advancing to round four may have been his slip in the third set. Hearts stopped for the short and rare interval that Federer lay on the ground. However it was huge relief for everyone when it appeared that the panicked look on Federer's face was only because he was going to lose the point.

"I just had to believe I could turn this around," Federer said, and he did.

He came through in an uncomfortable four sets which included , but it shouldn't act as a catalyst for his opponents hope, as very rarely do we see two such matches in a row, especially not in Grand Slams.

Federer next faces the winner of Tommy Robredo and home favourite James Blake.

Talking about the prospect of facing either men, Federer had to say,"Well, I guess Tommy (Robredo) would be easier in terms of the crowds but I think both of them are good enough to give me a run for their money, I think James (Blake) could be just a touch more dangerous with him believing more in his chances, but I look forward to watching their match later!"

No doubt he's confindent and no doubt he'll be ready to step it up, and one has too feel that his next opponent will have to face the hard task of turning auto-pilot off.

Federer may have slipped today, but the predicted result didn't.

The Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal Rivalry: Turning Point

Conor Mc — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 11:54:59 -0400

The Roger Federer-Rafael Nadal rivalry has raged on for the best part of four years now, with Nadal taking the lions' share of victories. While it may be fair to say that Federer's recent return to the pinnacle of the tennis world was helped by Nadal's knee injury, there is no doubt that there has been a huge momentum shift in their rivalry.

With the most likely prospect of the pair meeting in Cincinnati, due to the expected birth of Federer's child, as well as Nadal's knees possibly needing more rest perhaps taking at least one of them out of running for Montreal, I think Federer is by far the favourite.

Furthermore, if they are to meet in further Grand Slams, or even as soon as the US Open, again, I would fancy Federer to overcome the all-to-often stumbling block that he seems to meet when playing Nadal, such is the fearless ferocity of his game.

There are many reasons why I feel this way.

If we look back to their most recent meeting in Madrid, where Federer triumphed 6-4, 6-4, we can see many new tactics that Federer has employed both in the physical side of play, and, I feel most importantly, also in the mental side of things. The fact that Nadal may not have been 100 percent that day is of absolutely no relevance.

Firstly, and perhaps most noticeably, we saw the drop shot. We've all heard how Federer used to say that he felt as if he was messing around by playing the drop shot. However, things have changed. The Swiss man has decided that this is something that can hurt Nadal, and now he has embraced the shot with his usual precision to perfection style.

Disguising this shot excellently, he used it at the right time in the right place against Nadal, and nearly every time it worked. However, he did not fall victim to over usage or predictability, and therefore, it was most effective. He mainly used this shot when Nadal was not only out of position but on his backhand side, which made it virtually impossible for Nadal to suddenly run in and reach the ball, let alone get it back—he was running in the opposite direction.

How can I be sure that he will use it in the future? Because not only was it a success, but we saw Federer use this shot time and again against his opponents when Nadal was still in the French Open. Many feel it was in preparation for facing Nadal in the final.

The Madrid final also provided us some very interesting new serve-and-volley tactics, which, once again, were employed by Federer.

Federer mixed things up very well. He would sometimes serve and volley on his second serve, and soon enough Nadal started to anticipate it, and therefore hit a short dipping ball, so it was hard for Federer to get. No sooner than Nadal had started to do this, Federer then started to fake a serve and volley.

This would mean that he would pretend to move into the net but would simply and suddenly step back, Nadal would already have hit a short ball that would only reach the service line, and Federer would be in control of the point.

This was a very, very clever move by Federer, and he would then change between serve and vollying on the second serve, and faking it. This left Nadal stranded as to what return he should produce, and usually left Federer in control of the point.

Another very interesting point to take from this most recent encounter to take is how Federer attacked and changed it up on the break points, something he rarely did before.

He would hit over the ball rather than slicing it like he used to, and instead of inviting Nadal's mistake, he would force the winner, or force an error from Nadal. The drop shot also came into play on his break points. Once again, very clever.

Now, if we look at the mental side of things, we can also draw some very interesting things from the Madrid encounter.

Federer once joked about how when himself and Nadal play, there shouldn't be a coin toss to see who decides who serves first. This is because if Nadal wins, he likes to receive first, whereas if Federer wins, he always asks to serve first.

However it appears that Federer was first to pay close attention to this. As we know, Nadal is a very superstitious character. We see this with his constant fixing of his socks so they are even, arranging his bottles so they are always in the exact same place, and many more things. It now seems that somewhere along the line of Federer's decision to start making new tatics to play Nadal, he has realised the importance of the menatal game.

When Federer won the coin toss in Madrid, he looked Nadal in the eye and said, ''You serve.'' While it may not have sent shock waves down Nadal's spine and while he did not break him in that first game, it was still a very smart plan, and one that would make Nadal think, and show that Federer is up for the mental game too.

All of these new tactics and more are a great help for Federer in making a sound game plan to defeat Nadal, but now that, admittedly with the help of Nadal's withdrawal from Wimbledon (but Federer will say,''Ahhh he's had his fair share of luck, I deserve mine!''), Federer has broken the record, and is in one way, now ahead of the history books, he has very little pressure on his shoulders.

He can tell himself that he has a very good life with his wife and baby(due Aug 10th). He can also tell himself that he no longer has to worry about breaking the Grand Salm record, and that every Slam victory from here on in is a bonus. Some people will claim that he has to beat Nadal in a Grand Slam final, and he can think to himself that he has lots of time to do that.

I think he will defeat Nadal in a Grand Slam, if not a final, and even as soon as the US Open. Especially if it was the US Open final, in fact, as in the US Open the pressure is on Nadal for his career grand slam, and won't Federer know what that feels like?

Federer will feel very little pressure on most if not all of his future matches, and with people perhaps taking favour with the younger Nadal every time they play, he has the freedom to enjoy working on the head-to-head deficit.

So yes, I'm going on the record saying that I am convinced that Federer will beat Nadal the next time they play, wherever that may be, but thats not to say that I underestimate the sheer will power of Nadal.

With complete freedom to unleash all his talent and skill, as well as some well tested new tactics for Nadal, the Swiss man looks, to me, in complete control of the Tennis World.

However, I will never inderestimate the never-say-die Spaniard, and he'll be determined to battle back from adversity.

I'm sure Federer craves to play Nadal right now, and he's not the only one...

Roger Federer: A Stamp Of Elegance

Conor Mc — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:52:15 -0400

It’s already been a dozen days and the dust has begun to settle, but the date rests firmly in my mind. June 8th 2009. The day Roger Federer, the grand slam man, shook the world of his shoulders, and held aloft the one trophy that had eluded him his entire career, the Coup de Musketeers. I’ve bathed in the glory of his career fulfilling victory for over a week now and still my excitement is uncontainable.

For so long I, and many others have dreamed about this moment. As Federer lifted the trophy to the roar of approval from the French crowd, it was as if a White Dove swept a wave of joy across the critics of Federer and brought peace to his mind.

Now I’m trying to capture, in words, the greatness of Rogers’ game, and in particular, this tournament, where he struggled in matches but had that sudden, beautiful release of swiftness and greatness where doubt or even seeds of doubt held no place in his mind.

The final itself (of the French), had that typical but unique stamp of elegance I talk about.

He comes rushing out of the blocks, and with a ruthless couple of breaks the set is his. The inevitable resistance from the opposition, in this case the Swede, Soderling, comes in the second set, but not much longer and he’s found his game. And he knows it, he feels it, we feel it, the sudden relaxed fluidness that takes control. Out of nowhere, the beauty begins.

A stunning forehand straight to the far corner, the next bringing a beautiful echo, then, the sudden but subtle change of pace, a deft cut of spinning slice, the quick shuffle of feet, honoured with time. Eyes of panic from the opponent as points, games, and sets go by.

Like a spider his shot-making casts a web of exquisite geometry around the court. A pinpoint backhand swoosh, a clinical forehand volley, he’s on top of the world. Bursts of brilliance from all over the court, all in beautiful harmony with the sweet sound of his racket. His movement is timeless, his strokes are pure, he’s on the Angel-Guarded roads to greatness.

Then, he’s reached his moment, Championship point. A silent brush aside of hair, a quick fixing of racket strings, a subtle glance to the dead silent crowd. History beckons. Roger Federer is ready, razor eyed. A gentle helping of the ball into the air, he’s in position, a trigger fire of the racket, he sinks to his knees, and no sooner are we saluting our history man of tears.

As of now, he’s the French Open Champion. He’s filled that void he was previously so vulnerable to in his claim to greatness. He’s crossed that great divide.

Enjoy it Roger, you deserve it. Mr.Consistent (20 consecutive grand slam semis) has collected his just reward.

I’m tempted with the line ‘’the King is back’’, but in reality, he was never gone. More like ‘’the critics are silenced’’.

He can now play with the sheer and utter freedom that we so long to see. It is a freedom that grants Federer the ability to put his stamp of elegance on nearly every match he plays from now on.

Oh how we long for Wimbledon……………

Roger Federer, The GOAT; Rafael Nadal, The Kid

Conor Mc — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 21:36:10 -0500

The GOAT (greatest of all time) status has always been a sensitive subject. One that many people hesitate to label any player. One that is argued until the day is dead. One that rarely finds a conclusion.

As we have seen over the past four to five years, Roger Federer has risen the bar of tennis to a standard that was never seen before. He has shown us his unique ability to adjust his game to suit almost every opponent.

He has demonstrated to us his various weapons available to him to destruct or counter attack the many threats posed to him on the court.

Winning on almost every surface, bar clay (which he was still winning ‘’titles’’ on, such as Hamburg), praise was coming to him from all directions.

From every corner of the tennis world.

Federer’s status was becoming so large that by the time he was two tears into his reign, he was the household name of tennis.

The early challenges of Andy Roddick, Leyton Hewitt and Marat Safin were thrown into Federer’s ever-growing spider’s web that he was masterfully winding around that GOAT status.

If it was to be seen literally, the timing was perfect. Federer’s GOAT with precision and perfection was entering a new dimension in tennis, a new field of it’s own, with Sampras, despite his 14 grand slam titles, quickly exiting.

For many, Federer’s Swiss revolution was deserving of the GOAT status.

It was a monster he had created. It needed continuous grand slam victory feeding, and it was getting it.

However, there was still one place where Federer couldn’t feed his GOAT...the French Open. It was at the final of this grand slam in may 2006 when Federer lost for the first time in a grand slam final, to Rafael Nadal of Spain.

Little was made of the young and persistent Spaniard, who had previously beaten him in the semifinal the year before, aged just 17.

Nadal then shocked tennis fans, analysts and pundits by reaching the Wimbledon final that same year. However, he was no match for Federer’s angry GOAT, going down in four sets.

On to 2007 and Federer had finally beaten Nadal on clay in the Hamburg Open final, ending an 81 match winning streak by Nadal (on clay). Then, the French Open final battle raged again. Federer losing again, and failing to capitalize on the momentum gained after Hamburg.

Now it was Nadal’s turn to have a go at the GOAT’S patch in the Wimbledon final, but once more he went down, this time in a more tightly contested five sets.

With Federer cleaning up around all the other grand slams, it was the French Open final 2008 before they battled again. Federer’s GOAT had caught illness and went down in a non-resistant three sets.

Then, it was the Wimbledon final. The raging Rafael finally announced himself as a Kid (a baby Goat). Federer made a brave comeback from two sets down, in which we saw tennis that redefined the law of physics, but ran out of steam in the fifth, eventually losing 9-7.

Federer’s veteran GOAT was feeling the pull of critics across the globe, and even worse, the weight of history. It was feeling vulnerable to nearly every player.

With haste the bruised GOAT retreated to New York.

Here, people believed in the lame GOAT. They roared him on like never before and, to the relief of the Swiss man, he ended the year in a flourish, taking the U.S. Open home.

For Federer’s GOAT, redemption and the number 14 beckoned at the Australian Open 2009. However for the little Kid of Nadal, it was battleground number three and a sixth grand slam title which awaited him.

It was the fifth set of this final when Federer’s GOAT showed the first signs of fatigue in a grand slam final, going down 6-2.

Perhaps it was that number 14 (the record) which had made Federer so subdued with nerves, or perhaps it was the sheer realization of Nadal as a hungry Kid in his GOAT’S field, willing to fight for every grand slam.

Federer knows that Nadal was unscripted in his story of greatness. He knows how different things might be if it wasn’t for Nadal, and perhaps his tears at the victory ceremony demonstrated this.

Nadal knows that he is breaking through to a field of greatness. He knows that he is the ever-growing Kid with six grand slam titles at the age of just 22, and perhaps his sleeves demonstrate HIM growing from a Kid into that GOAT status.

The scientific definition for competition is ‘’when two or more living things need the same thing that is in short supply."

That is exactly the competition Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal have. Both men want grand slams and there’s only four a year.

What Federer and Nadal win and how they perform in the next three to four years will strongly define the field of greatness in tennis.

It is a time for us to look forward to, a time to enjoy. A time that will be remembered forever.

Good luck guys.

May the best man win.

Can Jo-Wilfried Tsonga Fly Like A Butterfly, Sting Like A Bee?

Conor Mc — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 16:15:50 -0500

It was the Australian Open 2008 when the tennis world (or at least your average lay man), was introduced to the Muhammad Ali of tennis, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga.

In achieving astonishing results against some of the world's best players, including Andy Murray and world No. 2 (at the time) Rafael Nadal, whom he defeated in straight sets. He reached the OZ final where he lost to Djokovic in four sets.

He certainly confirmed and assured all tennis fanatics of his defiant status as a true competitor in the highest echelons of one of sport's most beautiful games.

However, for some the question of ''who exactly is this guy?'', still lingers in the mind.

Joe-Wilfried Tsonga Petsonga was born on April 17, 1985 in France, in the beautiful city of Le Mans, located on the Sarthe River.

His father Didier Tsonga, a Congolese man, moved to Le Mans to play handball, the sport he loved. It was for this reason that Tsonga has always had ball sports in his blood.

Tsonga's French inheritance comes from his mother Evelyne, who now teaches in France alongside his father Didier, also a teacher.

He has an older sister Sasha and a younger brother Enzo, who plays on the French Junior Basketball team. Most surprisingly, he has a cousin, the well known Charles N'Zogbia who plays for the English Premier League football team Newcastle.

However, it is his father Didier Tsonga who has had the largest impact on his life and career. Not alone did Didier encourage Tsonga to train hard and respect his family, but furthermore showed him there was a greater meaning to life than tennis.

From the people who are closest to him, Tsonga has been credited with a unique ability to have a broader perspective of life, one stretching far beyond the game of tennis. He always ensured his son had a broader perspective of things and an appreciation for the world that stretches far beyond the game of tennis.

Tsonga's current coach, Winogradsky often credits Tsonga’s father for this.

''He knows about the bad and hard things in life, coming from Africa, so it's all relevant," he said, speaking of his knowledge and experience of life. ''If Jo makes it, it will still only be sport.''

This shows the mentality of the Tsonga family.

This mentality appears to have served him well in the 2008 Australian Open, when he was able to shut out the tennis world that was whizzing around him, and focus solely on his tennis.

Tsonga's strong passion of tennis was nurtured at his very first tennis club, Coulaines, outside Le Mans in Western France. Here at the age of seven he met his first coach, Franck Lefray, who once recalled his desire to practice very hard.

''When Jo was young, he always wanted to train," he said. "When Jo was tired he would not stop.''

Perhaps this is another one of the traits which has served to produce one of the strongest players on the tennis tour.

By the age of 16 Tsonga was playing junior tennis to the highest level. He often trained and practiced with his French compatriot and good friend Gael Monfils.

Under his next trainer, fellow Frenchman Winogradsky, he had a magnificent year in junior tennis in 2003, beating Marcos Bagdadis in the U.S. Open final and finishing second to the Cypriot in the ITF year-end Junior Rankings.

However, back pains and several other injuries were slowing down his progress and it was Bagdatis who made the first Real breakthrough on the senior stage, reaching the OZ final in 2006, only to be beaten by Roger Federer (Hip-Hip...).

After Tsonga's breakthrough performance in last years Australian Open, he is now a well recognised force in tennis, ranked No. 5 in the world. Great future performances are surely anticipated.

He is currently through to the quarterfinal to face Fernando Verdasco (will I say it.......yes), the man who has just defeated Andy Murray the tournament favourite in five sets. Despite this great win for Verdasco, he will be tiring and facing the power of Tsonga, I would not fancy him to come out the victor.

If Tsonga does win, he will be through to the semifinals, and here we are likely to get a repeat of last year's match up with Nadal the probable winner of his match with Gilles Simon, another Frenchman.

Whatever the future may hold for Tsonga, his story is a special one, to the tennis court he has already brought his own unique brand of power and presence.

Safina To Test The Best

Conor Mc — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 19:10:55 -0500

If Dinara Safina is to win the Australian Open, she will become the world's number one player regardless of how anyone else performs.

Unlike the Men's side, this spot is unlikely to be preserved by one single player for a long length of time. This mainly being down to the sheer competitiveness of the Women's game.

However, what this would do for Safina is to state to the tennis world that she is no longer just Safin's little sister, but that she is the rising star of Women's tennis.

The stern, focused and determined face she showed while out on court against fellow Russian Ekaterina Makarova, was there for all to see that she is not just out here to have a bit of fun, but that she is here to win her first grand slam and indeed emulate the achievements of her brother Marat by climbing to the world number one ranking.

Although Safina does seem to have kept last season's momentum going with her 6-7, 6-3, 6-0 defeat of Makarova in the second round, there is a clear inconsistency still to be seen in her game, as demonstrated in the first set. With 44 unforced errors and a poorly played tie-break, she looked wildly out of sorts.

However, despite this she managed to gather herself together and take the next twosets albeit with some tentative moments and then stormed clear convincingly, an ability to recover that is rarely shown by her brother Marat, who often seems to fall apart in similar situations.

Not alone did Safina show the power in her game to fight back, but furthermore demonstrated the strong and ruthless mentality that is often seen in top class performers such as the the Williams sisters.

The imposing physical presence and sheer firepower of Safina is in stark contrast to the style and elegance of Ana Ivanovic, a main title contender.

Her next opponent, Kaia Kanepi, the Estonian ranked number 25 in the world, is likely to pose more of a threat to Safina, having breezed through her second round match up 6-3, 6-1 against Patricia Mayr.

Last year Safina was battling on many fronts. One of these included her fiery temperament which often saw her lose matches which she was well capable of winning.

Now however, she uses her temperment as a driving force, so often pumping her fist and willing herself on. She has always had strong shots, but now a much fitter and more muscular Safina is hitting some of the most powerful shots on tour. As well as this she has managed to hone her sliced backhand to the point of near perfection, giving opponents good reason to worry considering the power of her forehand.

With increased maturity she is now thinking her way through difficult matches, a good sign of a potential grand slam champion. If She can remain focused and hold her game together there is no doubt that she will progress deeply into the tournament, and possibly win it.

With her most likely opponents (if she is to reach the final or semis) looking to be the on form Serb Ana Ivanovic or seven time grand slam champion Venus Williams, she will have to be at the very best of her game to out-hit and outwit this experienced duo, and although she is certainly not at her peak right now, there's a strong chance she will be, come the end of the tournament.

Perhaps it's good for her to stay mildly under the radar for now, as hype can often do damage to the confidence of a young player looking to win their maiden slam.

If there's one thing for sure, it's that no hype can damage facts, and right now the facts say that if Dinara Safina wins the Australian Open, she is the world number one.

Sublime Rafael Nadal Makes Statement

Conor Mc — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 20:55:48 -0500

With Federer, Djokovic and Murray already through to the second round of the Australian Open, all eyes were on Nadal to see how he would perform.

The talk had been about his slow starts at the beginning of the season and his previous performances in the Australian Open not quite being up to scratch.

However, no more than 19 minutes had passed before Nadal was up and running as he took the first set 6-0.

His 34-year-old opponent, Christophe Rochus, still looked as though he was up for a match, but Nadal poured it on. In the soaring heat, Nadal managed to whip 47 winners in 22 games to put an early close to his first-round match-up.

Although Rochus was never a real threat, it was still a strong statement to his fellow title contenders.

With Federer getting the slightest of tests against Seppi and Djokovic surviving a late third set surge from Stoppini, Nadal will be pleased to have come through with ease.

Following his victory, Nadal was asked about a possible pursuit of a Grand Slam. While he insisted that he is "not thinking about this,'' his performance clearly sent a strong statement to everyone below him that he wants to be No. 1, and is out to add the slam to his collection.

With the consistent Federer a near-lock to make at least the semi-finals, there will be lots of intriguing match-ups. Perhaps we will see another Federer-Nadal battle, or maybe it's Murray's turn to take front stage. No one can count out Djokovic, either.

If there's one slam you would most fancy an outsider to win, it has to be this one. With two breakthrough champions in the last four years (Safin and Djokovic), and many epic cliffhanging matches, perhaps a dark horse will emerge.

Look out for Tsonga, who lost in last year's final, and Gilles Simon, the on-form Frenchman.

All we know is, it's statement time for 2009.

Will Roger Federer, Venus Williams Retire at the 2012 London Olympics?

Conor Mc — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 21:07:30 -0500

While it is far too early to be looking forward to or making predictions about the 30thOlympic festival in London 2012, it is possible to look at the significance of this largely anticipated event.

Roger Federer, who has always regarded Wimbledon as his favourite grand slam tournament, holds a special place for the Olympic Games.

His first experience of Olympic competition was in Sydney 2000. Having reached the semi finals at the age of just 19, Federer was in position to become the youngest ever Olympic gold medalist.

However, he put in a below average performance against Tommy Hass, who at the time was ranked 12 places below him.

Perhaps the most agonizing part of the Sydney Olympics was the fact that he couldn’t even beat Arnaud DiPasquale of France, in the end going down 6-7(5), 7-6(7), 6-3.

Federer did not go home with total disappointment, however, as during the tournament he met his girlfriend Mirka Varinec, whom he is still with to this day.

In preparation for the Athens Olympics 2004, Federer described how he had been looking forward to the event for four years. He was the flag carrier for Switzerland in the opening ceremony and was dreaming of bringing the Olympic Gold home for his country.

However Federer, who was in peak condition for taking gold, suffered a devastating defeat to the young Czech Thomas Berdych. The final score was 4-6, 7-5, 7-5.

Federer was further disappointed when he and his doubles partner, Yves Allegro, were defeated by India’s Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi.

Once again, the Beijing Olympics 2008 provided Federer with a clean slate. However, during his worst season for some time, Federer lost to American James Blake.

Thankfully for him, unlike the previous Olympics, Federer’s doubles campaign was successful, as he and his Swiss compatriot Stanislas Wawrinka won the Olympic gold.

There was clear relief for Federer as he celebrated with Stanislas, but one must question his satisfaction with doubles gold, rather than a singles gold, which he appeared to crave for so long.

Given that the London Olympics will of course be holding the tennis in Wimbledon, Federer’s beloved Grand Slam, and he will be aging at 31, perhaps this would be the perfect stage for Federer to bow out of his illustrious tennis career.

Although some would argue that Federer might want to continue for some time after this, as he stated himself, they may be in for a surprise.

The fact is that the very beauty of Federer’s magnificent career is built around a pure elegance and grace of character. He’s even said it himself on numerous occasions, ‘’I don’t want to do something unless I know I can do it 100 percent.’’

From the very start of his Olympic career in Sydney, the Olympic Games have had a profound effect on Federer, an effect that has fallen deep into the core of his tradition.

As we have seen from his hatred of the Hawk Eye system, Federer is clearly a true traditionalist, and what better way to mark that by signing off in London 2012. The home of his tradition. The home of his ‘’Golden Beauty,’’ Wimbledon.

On the women’s side, we’ve heard how Venus Williams would like to end her career there as well, and given that she also holds five Wimbledon titles, surely this would be the best way to mark the end of a magnificent era in a blaze of glory.

Top Five Tennis Players Banned from 2009 Grand Slams (Humor)

Conor Mc — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:41:52 -0500

For the past three years, we’ve seen the top five players in men’s tennis dominate the Grand Slams.

With Federer and Nadal winning the majority, Djokovic reaching two finals and winning one, and Murray reaching a final and looking hopeful for more.

So lets say that the ATP have banned the top five from Grand Slams for the year 2009 for being too dominant!

The tennis world is shaken to its foundations!

This crazy decision by the ATP has caused outrage!

Tennis fans around the world have gone into a state of depression!

It’s Feb. 2. The final of the Australian Open is underway. 2007 finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga is playing the Argentinean Juan Martin Del Potro. TV.viewings are at an all time low as the stadium is almost empty.

The young French man powers into a first set lead (6-3). The second set serves up a thriller game at 2-2. Del Potro is serving at break point down. He manages a 145 mph ace to save the game.

Two backhand winners help Del Potro to 3-2. At 6-6, we have a tiebreak. A beautiful forehand winner from Tsonga ends a 34-stroke rally on the first point.

At 7-7 in the tiebreak, there’s a clever drop shot from Tsonga to go 8-7 up. Tsonga is serving for a two set lead.

Del Potro capitalises on a poor second serve. Then two quick winners from Del Potro and it’s one set all.

Tsonga’s inconsistency comes back to haunt him as he is thumped 6-1 in the third set!

We’re into the fourth set and Del Potro is out of the blocks quickly taking the first three games to lead 3-0.Tsonga claws it back to 3-3 after some fine tennis. The two players hold serve to bring us to another tiebreak. After a gruelling 18 points, it’s 9-9!

Del Potro double faults on serve to make it 10-9 to Tsonga. Tsonga serves and volleys……Del Potro just manages to get to it and push it down the line. Just as it looks as it is 10-10, Tsonga challenges. The ball is in fact out and Tsonga takes the set.

Breaking news. Sports stations across the globe tune in to watch match as people pour into the stadium!

The fifth set has begun with both men looking nervy. Each of them failing to take a stranglehold on the match. 5-5. Tsonga is two break points down but rallies back with an amazing forehand winner and backhand lob.

Four straight games of each player holding serve brings us to 8-7. Del Potro is 0-30 down on serve but somehow manages to serve a game of aces to stun Tsonga and bring it to 8-8.

Then a moment of inspiration from Tsonga. A lovely deft drop shot and lob. Break point. Del Potro swings in a weak second serve and Tsonga hits it clean. All Del Potro can do is hit it high in the air. Tsonga waits for the ball to drop, lets it bounce…. then SMASH! He has his break!

After four hours and 58 minutes, Tsonga has match point. He feels the weight of the world on his shoulders!

His arm feels heavy!

He manages to get his first serve in. It’s an ace!

The umpire confirms it, ‘’game, set, match, Tsonga’’.

He’s done it!

He’s won the Australian Open and revived the world of tennis in the process!

After an amazing Australian Open, it was on to the French.

Here, James Blake had made it to the final to play Fernando Gonzalez.

Yet another enthralling battle saw James Blake come out the victor 7-5, 5-7, 6-7, 7-5, 6-4, and get sweet revenge for his Beijing defeat.

Then we move to Wimbledon where crowds are now at a record high!

Another Frenchman, Gilles Simon, had gone on a great run to the final to play the American veteran and two-time finalist Andy Roddick.

Roddick came out all guns blazing in the first set taking it 6-4. However Simon showed great strength of character to take the next two sets to lead 2-1. Roddick won the fourth set by a crushing 6-0!

Simon found it hard to recover and lost a thrilling final set 11-9! Roddick had finally broken his duck at Wimbledon as tears rolled from his eyes!

Into the last grand slam of the year at the US Open and the final was to be played between David Nalbandian and Gael Monfils.

Gael Monfils stormed to a two set lead in which he only lost three games. However, there was a rain delay out on the Arthur Ashe stadium and this allowed Nalbandian back into the match when they resumed play.

At two sets to one, and 6-6, we had yet another grand slam final tiebreak. A cheeky hot dog shot by Monfils at 6-6 cost him the set as Nalbandian went on to win the tiebreak 8-6.

Six hours and 10 minutes of play had gone by until finally Nalbandian reached Championship point at 8-7, 40-30. He served and volleyed to win the match!

So there you have it. The top five were banned from the world of tennis for 2009, but the lower ranked outsiders stepped up to the plate to produce some of the most amazing battles tennis has ever seen in one season!!!! (Now back to reality!)

Roger Federer: Fed Express with Reason to Impress

Conor Mc — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:30:44 -0500

As we look back on a long and eventful 2008 in men's tennis, we look forward to an exiting year ahead.

This time last year, Roger Federer, struck with glandular fever, feeling tired and lacking in energy, lost his Australian Open title in the semi-final to eventual champion Novak Djocovic.

Having not shaken off the fever, Federer lost (by quite a margin) in the French Open once again to Rafael Nadal.

With harsh critics closing in on the Swiss maestro, he and Nadal served up what has to be seen as one of the world's greatest tennis matches ever.

The comeback from two sets to love down and an out-of-this-world tiebreak in the fourth set makes any tennis fanatic's hair stand up with the slightest mention of the mouth-watering battle.

For those privileged enough to have witnessed it, it was the true clash of two great champions. Federer the emperor of grass, Nadal the gladiator of clay.

Ice and fire, heart and soul! For some time in the final set, it appeared that the only thing to separate the two was the dimming light or perhaps a drizzle of rain.

Then the moment came.

A few tired shots from Federer, and Nadal had his break. Federer could only push him to deuce in what was the final game. He hit long, making Nadal the champion (painfully for me).

As the Beijing Olympics approached, the critics described how Roger Federer had lost his touch, how he was on the decline.

It would be fair to say that it was a poor performance against James Blake, which cost him the Olympics singles gold. However, for the pro-Federer fans (such as myself), there was a clear reason: Federer had lost his rhythm. This was mainly due to being knocked out of tournaments early and having too much time to prepare.

There was a large consolation at the end of the Beijing story, however.

Along with Stanislas Wawrinka, Federer defeated Swedish veterans Simon Aspelin and Thomas Johansson to win the men's doubles gold. Tears rolled from Federer's eyes, knowing he had achieved what he longed for: an Olympic Gold.

Not only did the tears show his relief, but also his everlasting burning passion and will to win. It was a message to all fans, doubters, and critics that Roger Federer has not finished yet, nowhere near.

Heading into the US Open, Federer had lost his No. 1 ranking to Nadal but was cleared completely of glandular fever. In an extremely sticky five-setter in the fourth round against Igor Andreev, Federer just managed to pull through, perhaps the turning point of the tournament.

Breezing past his 2007 finalist opponent Novak Djockovic, Federer was through to his fifth-straight US Open final and presented with the opportunity to emulate his Wimbledon success.

In a 6-2 7-5 6-2 crushing of British hopeful Andy Murray, Federer had made history, with five straight wins in two different Grand Slams.

Genius. The only word to describe such dominance.

Despite failing to get past the group stages of the Tennis Masters Cup, Federer was in good shape for a resurgence in 2009.

So there it was, a terrible year for Federer in which he only won one Grand Slam and reached three finals and a semi, as well as setting new records.

''Another year like that please'', says Federer!

His tactics for 2009 will likely be to go in to the net more often and keep the points short.

Having already said that he won't play in as many tournaments, especially clay, it looks as though he is focusing on Grand Slams.

I feel that he still has a very strong chance of winning the French Open, and perhaps his new tactics will help him do this. I also feel that he will have a resurgence in 2009, especially given the fact he is under much less pressure with the points system.

For now, happy hunting Down Under, Fed!