Go, go, ROGER!!!
What a day ahead……..
This is the morning of THE final where we’ll find out whether Roger Federer will beat Pete Sampras’s current record of 14 Grand Slams. I write will instead of can because there’s no doubt he can do it, it’s just a matter of whether he can will himself to. He’s playing against the big-serving Andy Roddick who put out Andy Murray, much to the upset and consternation of the Brits who were hoping Murray would be the first British player to win Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1936. Roddick has the fastest and most powerful first serve of the modern era (155mph) and is tenacious in chasing down balls, so it’s not a foregone conclusion that Federer will win even though the scoreline of their previous encounters is 18-2 in favor of Federer.
Now, I know this is going to be a controversial comment but during the Murray vs. Wawrinka match I thought, “He’s not going to make the final. His footwork’s flat. He’s not tactically smart enough — why isn’t he slicing it short to wrong foot Wawrinka? — and if he meets a big server……..bye-bye.” Of course, I wanted Murray to win and make it through to play Federer in the final; what an occasion that would have been! Nonetheless, I tend to differentiate between what a country wants and the realities of a player’s strengths and limitations.
The Swiss Federer has more outstanding play than he does poor play. Here are some examples:
As I noted before Federer and Steffi Graf are my two all-time favorite players. In substance and in style they’re the male and female equivalents of each other and move in very feline ways: panther and leopardess, respectively.
Mostly, I love watching Federer play because he’s graceful, smart and gracious as much as competitive and powerful. His timing on-and-off the ball is incredible and just watch how he really COMMITS to every single point of play; he consistently follows through and positions his body parts (feet, hips, shoulders, head) to anticipate the next shot(s).
P-H-E-N-O-M-E-N-A-L.
My prediction for the Federer vs. Roddick score line is: 6-4, 7-6, 6-7 and 6-3.
Go, go, Roger!!! Bonne chance!
FEEEEEEEEDERER!!! He did it!!! 15 Grand Slams!!!
Amazing match and what a fantastic competitor Roddick was!
Final score line, Federer vs Roddick: 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 16-14.
I’m so happy my prediction was off-the-ball — LOL.