By Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
Roger Federer has one of the greatest resumes in tennis history. Part of what makes his career among the best in tennis history is that he won all four major tournaments at least once – a career Grand Slam.
Federer won on the clay at Roland Garros only once, coming in 2009 when he took advantage of Rafael Nadal losing in the fourth round to Robin Soderling to seize the title. However, Federer was narrowly close to being eliminated from the tournament also in the fourth round when he trailed Tommy Haas two sets to love and facing a break point that would have allowed Haas to serve for a straight set victory. However, Federer hit what he has called the most important shot in his career to dig himself out of his deficit and survive.
The following is the excerpt from my book “On This Day In Roger Federer History” (for sale and download here https://a.co/d/fKusbOM) that describes the situation.
June 1, 2009: Roger Federer strikes perhaps the most important single stroke of his career, connecting on an insideout forehand crosscourt winner that lands on the line for a winner down two-sets-to-love, 3-4, break point against Tommy Haas in the fourth round of the French Open. The winner prevents Haas from serving for a straight-set upset and marks the turning point in the match as Federer rallies for a 6-7(4), 5-7, 6-4, 6-0, 6-2 win, capturing 15 of the last 17 games of the match. “I knew I was going to look back on that shot,” Federer says of fortuitous forehand. “That saved me on the day, you know.” With Robin Soderling’s upset the previous day of four-time champion Rafael Nadal, Federer’s conqueror the last four years at Roland Garros, Federer’s advancement into the quarterfinals continues his more realistic dream of winning his first French Open championship and win a career Grand Slam. Says Haas, “(Novak) Djokovic is out, Nadal is out, maybe Roger was feeling it a little bit knowing this is maybe a great opportunity for him to win and he puts a little extra pressure on him.” Writes Chuck Culpepper in the Los Angeles Times of the famous Federer forehand, “It made a gorgeous thwack in the sun. It went screaming across the court and above the net and toward the sideline without a hint of fear. It landed obediently maybe two inches shy of doom. The inside-out forehand Roger Federer struck at midday Monday at Roland Garros already drips with relevance. Already it has rescued the alluring new narrative of the 2009 French Open, the question of whether Federer will capitalize on the shocking removal of his great nemesis Rafael Nadal and win the only Grand Slam china he lacks.” Concludes Haas of the Federer shot, “You just got to tip your hat and say, ‘That’s why he’s Roger Federer.”
Then, of course, on June 7, Federer was able to clinch the championship with his victory over Soderling in the final, as excerpted here also from “On This Day In Roger Federer History”
June 7, 2009: Roger Federer finally completes a career Grand Slam defeating Robin Soderling 6-1, 7-6(1), 6-4 in the final of the French Open in Paris. The title is Federer’s 14th major singles title, equaling the record of Pete Sampras. Writes Rene Stauffer in the book Roger Federer: Quest for Perfection, “Even before he won the last point he had tears in his eyes. He finally won the title that many thought he never would, and only a few weeks after a drastic low and a phase where most people already wrote him off. Federer became the sixth man after Fred Perry, Don Budge, Roy Emerson, Rod Laver and Andre Agassi to accomplish the career Grand Slam, to complete the quartet of major titles within the scope of a career.” This might just be the greatest victory of my career. I’m so proud,” Federer says after receiving the Coupe des Mousquetaires from Andre Agassi, who also clinched the career Grand Slam at the French Open 10 years earlier. “It really wasn’t easy to deal with my emotions during the match.” Writes Mark Hodgkinson of the Daily Telegraph, “Federer’s defeat of Robin Soderling gave him a first French Open title, made him only the sixth man to achieve the career grand slam, put him level with Pete Sampras on a record 14 majors, and surely brought confirmation that he is the greatest tennis player of all time.”
