With Rafael Nadal out of the way for the time being, Roger Federer eyes the number one ranking that Once belonged to him.
Federer desperately wants top-rank back from Rafa
Roger Federer Eliminates Swede In French Open Rematch
Roger Federer came in after the middle Sunday break at Wimbledon and looked every bit as sharp as he usually does on the lawn of the all England club, playing the Swede Robin Soderling. Soderling has had a certain degree of success over the last couple of weeks, beating Rafael Nadal at the French Open, albeit a tournament in which the king of clay (Nadal) wasn’t healthy. Soderling took advantage of an injured Nadal, hammering him with hard backhands and putting the clay master in a difficult position to return a backhand to his right side. Nadal was not himself, but nonetheless, Soderling advanced to the final at Roland Garros, losing to Federer in straight sets.
Good, but good will beat Roger Federer at Wimbledon
Roger Federer, taking Soderling in the first two sets in the fourth round at Wimbledon 6-4 and 7-6 in the second set tiebreaker, looked fresh and had a clean service game, but so did the Swede. In the third set not much changed, both Robin Soderling and Federer held serve throughout the set and again, played a tiebreaker to determine the outcome of the match and whether or not Soderling could take the Swiss number one to a fourth set. Soderling and Federer battled in the tiebreaker and at 5-5, Soderling choked and served up a double fault putting Federer at 6-5 and match point. With a second serve, Federer went wide and Soderling (with a passing shot across the court) dropped the ball just millimeters out, handing Roger Federer the victory 6-4 7-6 7-6. This puts Roger Federer just three matches away from a chance at another title at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, but first he’ll have to beat the hard serving Croatian, 6′10″ Ivo Karlovic. Karlovic is crushing the Wimbledon record for most aces in the tournaments. Karlovic is an imposing player standing almost 7 feet tall and appearing to serve down over the net and what may seem even more difficult is that he’s not all that bad of a player during rallies. He’s not going to get Roger with the serve and volley that you see from some of the tall players, he just doesn’t have that kind of mobility. But, the Croatian sensation will put pressure on Roger because you just simply can’t lose your serve. Because, breaking his serve is virtually impossible with the kind of success he has found in a very unpredictable and powerful service game. If Roger wins this years Wimbledon would be Federer’s 15th major putting him all alone as the record-holder for most grand slam titles in a career. Another Wimbledon title would also give Roger six Wimbledon trophies in his career. While Nadal is idle, back in his hometown Majorca, Spain resting and rehabing his knees, Federer will likely reclaim his number one ranking back from Nadal. A title at Wimbledon and perhaps a Masters tournaments shortly after, Roger Federer should be able to amass enough points to overtake Nadal’s No.1 rank.
Lookout! Rafa Nadal will we'll return 100% before U.S. Open, Says Doctor.
Rafael Nadal: “I’ll be back!” Nadal is expected to miss perhaps the Rogers cup or maybe even the Cincinnati Masters in Ohio before returning. Nadal’s doctor told him to expect to miss 3 to 4 more weeks after the Wimbledon tournament has concluded. His physician has said that he will likely be back for one or two masters events and should be 100% by the time the Olympus U.S. Open, the last slam of the year and the only major that Nadal has never won. Nadal could likely be back to defend his championship at the international German open in Hamburg, Germany. That would be in late July. If he could return in late July or early August, he would also have the opportunity to defend his title in Toronto at the Rogers cup. Last year, he also went to the finals of the Cincinnati Masters, but exhausted after winning Roland Garros, Wimbledon, Hamburg, and the Rogers cup consecutively, Murray’s fresh legs were too much for the weary Spaniard. However, Rafa is getting a much needed rest after a quick start to the 2009 season. This is great news for Nadal fans, but you have to wonder if he will be in playing condition taking so much time off for rehabilitation. If anyone can overcome this kind of adversity, it is a player like Nadal who is a tireless worker and will do everything he can to return to the courts of the ATP tour. You’ve got to know that Nadal has his eyes trained sharply on the U.S. Open. He wants it bad and he has never had any rest going into this last slam of the season. Usually, Nadal has had many successful tournaments, winning his share and getting almost no rest between events; That will not be the case this year. Nadal should be well rested and if he can put his game together quickly without having to take several tournaments to get back into playing condition, he could be a very dangerous player at a tournaments he desperately would love to add to his three other slams; Australian open, French Open and Wimbledon titles. He needs just the U.S. Open trophy to complete his career slam at 23 years old. Roger Federer just completed his career slam winning at Roland Garros finally, at nearly 29 years old. Many people put a lot of credence on Federer’s victory at the French Open. I’m not one of them. Rafael Nadal shouldn’t have even entered that even. He was already suffering from tendonitis in both knees and should have withdrawn from the event before you started. I personally don’t believe a trophy has all of its magnificence when a player who dominates the tournament isn’t there because of injury. I know that many people are happy for Roger that he finally got the monkey off his back, but the monkey wasn’t the French Open. The monkey is named Rafael Nadal. Roger Federer was asked after his disastrous defeat at Roland Garros last year at the hands of Nadal whether he had troubles with the surface and that’s why he was unable to bring away a trophy from that tournament. Roger Federer responded “I don’t have a clay-court problem, I have a Rafael Nadal problem”. Roger Federer has reached the finals at Roland Garros for four straight years. Three of those years he met Nadal in the final and lost miserably in all three matches. It was only when Rafa Nadal was injured that it cleared away for Federer to win the trophy. This could also be said about the 2009 Wimbledon trophy. Nadal is not there to defend his championship. Some credit should be given to Federer for keeping healthy for so many years and keeping his body fit to avoid injury, but it’s more of a case that Federer plays a different style of tennis then Rafael Nadal. Rafa is a workhorse and will power you until you beg for mercy. He beats up his opponents, but also that style takes a toll on his own body. Federer is more graceful. He’s like Muhammad Ali; He floats like a butterfly, and stings like a bee. He is truly a graceful tennis player and he makes it look so effortless and easy. Nadal frustrates him because he forces Federer to get down and dirty and play a Nadal style of tennis. It’s just not the way that Federer constructs his game and that’s why Rafa has been so successful playing the 14 grand slam trophy winner. He’s the only player that gives Federer fits and it is a huge problem for Roger to overcome. When Nadal is healthy “LOOKOUT”. Nadal is getting healthy. Make no mistake about it, he will return and he will be ready to compete and conquer the best players in the world. This is his mission, this is hands passion and without that passion tennis is dead. Rafa Nadal’s trophy room needs only a U.S. Open cup to complete the career slam and Nadal will do everything to make that happen.
Andy Roddick has never looked better and he's hungry to beat Federer this time.
Players that have survived week one after the middle Sunday all have big-time potential to push for a title at Wimbledon. Certainly Andy Roddick has the potential. He has already appeared in two Wimbledon finals, but his championship chances were dashed by five-time champion Roger Federer. In their second meeting on center court, Andy Roddick was cruising to what looked like a huge upset. But the Swiss grass master pulled another rabbit out of the hat and sent the American packing for a second straight year.
Roddick is much more fit than any of his previous years playing with the world’s top players. With his new coach Larry Stefanki, Roddick has reinvented himself, but still wields that lightning fast service came and will be a very worthy adversary to whomever meets him in the Wimbledon final should he advance that far. Roddick has several new things in his life. As I pointed out, Roddick’s coach is new, but he also has a few other things to add to his repertoire of tennis prowess. He has a brand-new flattened out two handed backhand that he is using with great success right now. His forehand has also flattened out and he has become much more aggressive and patient at the same time. Falling behind early has not hampered Roddick in the slightest. He doesn’t panic in his game like he used to, going to his strongest talent, his serve. Now, he is quickly becoming one of the better returners and tennis. Usually, the best returners have been players like; Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Stanislaus Wawrinka and of course Roger Federer. Now Andy is really learning to anticipate unpredictable service games and he’s getting the ball back into play and deep enough to be able to position himself for long rallies. Andy really came to play this year and the results are speaking for themselves. He is definitely a force to be reckoned with.
Murray is hoping for center Court crowd support BIG time
The big buzz is going around Andy Murray’s rise to world number three. Novak Djokovic has been bumped to number four in the world with the onslaught of huge tournaments from Andy Murray of Scotland. If you asked anyone in England, they would tell you they’re pulling for Andy Murray because he’s from Great Britain, but make no mistake, Murray is a Scot. He does enjoy the support he receives when he plays at Wimbledon. Murray has got the attention of every tennis fan in Western Europe. It’s been several decades since a Brit has won the Wimbledon trophy. Now, all the weight of England, Ireland and Scotland is on Andy Murray’s shoulders. It’s got to be a huge weight of expectation for the 21-year-old Murray. However, he seems to be weathering all this excitement and attention like a polished veteran. Murray has an all court game and seems to be relatively comfortable on all surfaces, as well. If Murray comes away with a Wimbledon trophy, you can forget the name Tim Henman. Until now, Henman has been the most successful brit to come along in decades. I think Andy will win several grand slam trophies, but I’m not sure he has what it takes to win a four or five set match against the likes of Roger Federer or Rafael Nadal. These are the big boys and there is a considerable drop-off after mentioning Nadal or Federer. Andy Murray will have his day in the sun, I just don’t think 2009 will be that day for Murray.
Djokovic: Novak is the pride of Serbia and Wimbledon contender
Novak Djokovic also has huge talent and many shots that frustrate and puzzle players. He has a big game mentality at big moments and that is what makes him number four in the world. Novak came from war-torn Serbia, formerly Yugoslavia, but Belgrade, Serbia has produced some of the best tennis players in the world, while not being the best location world to support world-class tennis players. Novak Djokovic, Janko Tipserovic, Ana Ivanovic, Jelena Jankovic, and Frank Denkovic are all players that came out of the smoke and dust of Belgrade, Serbia. Quite extraordinary in the world of such chaos and violence. Novak Djokovic is the real deal. This year he has had a slow start and many people believe that it’s because he chose a new racquet manufacturer to endorse and switched from a Wilson racquet to a Head racquet. His confidence is not high, though that changes faster than the weather with the 21-year-old. In big matches, he’ll be pumping his fist on one play and throwing his racquet down in disgust on the next play. If Novak can get control on his emotions a little bit and hang on to his confidence, he can become a very dangerous player. He has some respiratory problems and can disappear later and long for and five set matches, particularly in the heat and humidity.
Darkhorse Verdasco is Nadal style threat to righthanders.
One of the players that has emerged as sort of a “Johnny come lately” is Rafael Nadal’s fellow Spaniard Fernando Verdasco. The 29-year-old Fernando Verdasco has a similar game to Rafael Nadal, with a left-hand slice and a follow-up topspin forehand to the righties backend. He could be a very difficult task for Roger Federer should he meet the Spaniard in the Wimbledon tournament. Roger Federer is one of the players that has been so successful at Wimbledon due to his expertise with a one-handed backend. Not many players utilize a one-handed backhand, but it is very effective on grass because the ball doesn’t jump as high on the grass as it does on clay or on the hard court events. One problem for Roger Federer is that players like Nadal have been so successful against him because of the left-handed slice to his backhand, causing him to take the ball practically off court and then Nadal will follow up with a forehand to the Federer a one-handed backhand. Typically this would be an advantageous situation for Federer, but because of the heavy topspin that Nadal and Verdasco put on their left-handed forehand, the ball jumps off of the grass very high and one-handed backhand shots are highly ineffective against a ball at eye level or higher. Federer loses all of his velocity on his backhand allowing players like Nadal and Verdasco to come to the net and play a volley to the left side of the court or even a drop volley if Federer is still too far past the baseline to make it to the net in time. Nadal has had a lot of success against Roger Federer using this exact technique on clay courts and particularly on grass courts. He is one of the only players in tennis that has a winning record against the tennis great. Fernando Verdasco could use this same game plan, as it worked for Nadal, but he must mix it up more. He doesn’t have the physicality that Nadal uses on his opponent. He must swing through the shots and follow through so that the shots will land where he wants them to. Nadal is a master at breaking the flow of the game. He will slow down his service came and break up a players momentum. He can also speed up his pace and surprise his opponent. One thing is for certain, whomever plays Roger Federer, whether it’s in the quarterfinals, semifinals or even the finals, you must keep Roger guessing. Otherwise, he will hone in on your game and start to pick it apart. He’s a master at this and just like Nadal, he is a problem solver on the court. He can take a player he’s never played before and feel him out in the first set and then go for the throat. You’ve got to find the chink in the armor of a great player like Roger. I think Verdasco has a chance if he can follow in the footsteps of Rafa. There is a huge difference between those players, but the technique is somewhat similar. They’re both left-handed tennis players and they both rely heavily on topspin forehands and backhand slices.
