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roddick federer

FEDERER OUSTED IN KEY BISCAYNE; NO RAFA DREAM FINAL

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By Randy Walker

KEY BISCAYNE, Fla. – Just as fans started to squirm about possibly scheduling Easter Sunday brunch plans around a renewal of the Roger Federer vs. Rafael Nadal rivalry and journalists began spicing up their preview stories about the greatest match-up in tennis today, Federer ensured that there would no “Roger vs. Rafa” dream Sunday final at the Sony Ericsson Open. The world No. 1 was upset in the fourth round Tuesday night, losing to Thomas Berdych of the Czech Republic 6-4, 6-7 (3), 7-6 (8-6) in a dramatic match that finished after midnight.

Roger Federer
Roger Federer

Federer appeared moody and irritated throughout the match, missing many routine ground strokes and volleys and hit an incredible 62 unforced errors in the three set match. For perspective, Federer hit 38 unforced errors in his extended five-set 2009 Wimbledon final last July, a 16-14 in the fifth-set win over Andy Roddick.

Federer held a match point serving at 6-5 in the third-set tie-breaker, but Berdych saved it with a strongly hit forehand winner. He won the next two points to clinch the match, Federer hitting his last unforced error – a forehand – on match point.

Federer admitted he is still struggling with his game, particularly his timing, following a lung infection that threatened his participation in the two premier hard court events in Indian Wells, Calif., and Key Biscayne.

“My game has issues at the moment,” said Federer post-match. “I’m definitely lacking timing.”

Federer trailed 4-2 in the third set, but rallied to win three straight games and was two points from the match holding a 0-30 advantage of Berdych’s serve at 4-5 in the third. With Berdych serving at 5-6, 30-30 in the final set, Federer had a match point opportunity taken away from him when Berdych hit a groundstroke that was called long, while the Hawk-eye replay system overruled the call, giving Berdych game point, which he executed to send the match into a final-set tie-breaker. Berdych had the match on his racquet, serving at 5-4 in the final-set tie-breaker, but Federer was able to play Houdini and escape to win the next two points, before faltering.

Berdych, who busted an eight-match losing streak to Federer after winning their first career meeting at the Olympic Games in 2004, will next face Fernando Verdasco in the quarterfinals with the winner facing either Mikhail Youzhny or Robin Soderling in the now wide open top half of the draw. Nadal, a 7-6 (5), 6-4 winner Tuesday over David Ferrer, faces Jo-Wilfred Tsonga and Roddick plays Nicolas Almagro in the two quarterfinals in the bottom half of the draw.

Federer and Nadal have not faced each other since the Madrid final in May of last year, their second longest time period of not playing. They have played 20 times in their careers to date, Nadal holding the 13-7 series lead.

They will next be the same event together in Rome, starting April 25.

WHEN FEDERER FIRST BECAME NO. 1

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February 2 is an historic day in the life and career of Roger Federer. As documented in the book ON THIS DAY IN TENNIS HISTORY, it was February 2, 2004 when Federer first became the No. 1 player in the world. It was one day after Federer won his first Australian Open title – and his second career major title – that he first assumed the top position on the ATP rankings, replacing Andy Roddick. Federer held on to the top ranking for a record 237 straight weeks, before Rafael Nadal finally toppled him on August 18, 2008. Federer then regained the top spot on July 6, 2009 after winning his sixth Wimbledon title and has held it ever since. Rene Stauffer, the author of the leading Federer biography THE ROGER FEDERER STORY: QUEST FOR PERFECTION ($24.95, New Chapter Press, www.RogerFedererBook.com) documents Federer’s final push for the No. 1 at the 2004 Australian Open in this exclusive book excerpt below.

When Federer arrived in Australia in January of 2004 in preparation for the Australian Open, criticism about his separation from Peter Lundgren already preceded him. The international media wanted to know the reasons.

Pat Cash, the Australian Wimbledon champion, hastily stated in London’s Sunday Times that Federer made a mistake and was risking a career setback by ending his coaching relationship with Lundgren. Cash could neither un­derstand the timing nor the motives for the separation and went as far to say that Federer was not yet ready for the new season and that he was allowing himself to be unduly influenced by his girlfriend. “Errors of judgment have already been made and the first thing Federer must do is ensure that his girlfriend returns to being just that,” wrote Cash. “It’s a simple matter of common sense.”

Cash’s aggressive—and below the belt—punch at Federer was unfounded. Federer not only would dispel all doubts cast on his professionalism, but also fundamentally call into question all theories about the importance of even having a coach. Federer was not lacking in offers from coaches around the world. After all, Federer was the only top 10 player without a coach. However, he didn’t want to be overhasty. “Out on the court, I alone have to decide what I am doing,” he said. “And nobody can help me with that anymore.”

As the Australian Open began, questions about Federer’s form and prepa­ration mounted. He lost to Juan Carlos Ferrero at an exhibition tournament in Hong Kong, then at the Kooyong Classic in Melbourne, Andre Agassi polished him off in less than an hour with an ominous 6-2, 6-4 decision. Agassi, the four-time Australian Open, was firmly entrenched as the favorite at Melbourne Park having won his last 21 Australian Open matches.

Federer effortlessly reached the round of 16 and, thanks to his new found self-confidence, was able to avenge his Davis Cup loss to Hewitt, defeating the Aussie standout 4-6, 6-0, 6-3, 6-4 on the very same court where he tasted bitter defeat four months earlier in the Davis Cup semifinals. To make mat­ters worse for Australian fans and Hewitt, Federer’s victory occurred on all days but Australia Day, the Australian national holiday, with nearby fireworks going off in nearby downtown Melbourne.

Federer’s fireworks continued in the quarterfinals against his nemesis David Nalbandian. In the decisive moments of the first set against the Argentine, Federer confirmed the sound state of his morale. Serving at 15-40 at 5-5 in the first set, Federer fired off four straight aces to win the game and carry him to win the first set and the eventual 7-5, 6-4, 5-7, 6-3 victory. His previous uncertainties with Nalbandian were now part of the past.

With world No. 1 Andy Roddick losing unexpectedly to Marat Safin in five sets in the quarterfinals, the door was open for Federer to take the No. 1 ranking. By reaching the semifinals, Federer was guaranteed to leap over Roddick in the rankings, but the No. 1 spot was still up in the air. If Ferrero, Federer’s semifinal opponent, were to win the tournament, he would return to No. 1. Should Ferrero not win the tournament, Federer would ascend to the top for the first time. For the second time in his career, Federer was one match win from attaining his goal as world No. 1 when he took the court with Ferrero. After some initial tension in the opening set, the match was never in doubt. At 9:18 pm local time on January 30, after finishing his 6-4, 6-1, 6-4 domi­nation of the Spanaird, Federer sank to his knees and raised his arms to the heavens. It was now certain. Federer would officially become the No. 1 ranked player when the next rankings were released on February 2.

“I wanted to enjoy this moment,” he said. “You only get to be No. 1 once.” But he remained adamant that his big goal was the title. “It would be a gigan­tic disappointment if I were to lose in the final.”

Safin was Federer’s unexpected opponent in the final. The Russian stunned Agassi in a five-set semifinal to reach the Australian Open final for the second time in three years. Although unseeded and ranked No. 86 in the world due to an extended layoff due to wrist surgery in 2003, the former world No. 1 was a powerhouse capable of winning matches and titles regardless of whom he played.

Federer, however, would not let anything stand in his way of victory. After he won the first set in a tie-break, Safin seemed increasingly tired and frus­trated and resigned to defeat. Federer’s 7-6 (3), 6-4, 6-2 final-round victory earned him his second Grand Slam tournament title and served as a stylish ascent to the world No. 1 ranking

“Becoming No. 1 was a goal but winning the title was bigger,” he said.

He didn’t forget Peter Lundgren either. At nearly every interview during his championship run, Federer mentioned the importance of his dismissed coach and even sent him a text message to Sweden, thanking him once again for his previous efforts.

There would be no discussion among experts in the tennis industry of the validity of the No. 1 ranked player. Having won Wimbledon, the Tennis Masters Cup and the Australian Open, Federer won three of the five most im­portant titles in tennis in the last seven months. His success equaled the best run of success in men’s tennis since Hewitt captured titles at Wimbledon, the US Open and the Tennis Masters Cup over a stretch of 10 months in 2001 and 2002.

The transitional phase in men’s tennis that produced eight different Grand Slam tournament champions over a two-year-stretch was over. The ATP promoted this period in its “New Balls Please” campaign since nobody really knew who the next dominant figure would be in men’s tennis. The discussion ceased. The age of Federer had dawned.