US Open - Federer: I felt invincible

Eurosport - Tue, 09 Sep 16:23:00 2008

After Roger Federer proved that reports of his demise as a Grand Slam champion were greatly exaggerated, the Swiss sipped champagne with friends and family to celebrate his fifth successive US Open title.

TENNIS Roger Federer US Open - 0

"I played great, I felt like I was invincible for awhile again," the 27-year-old Federer said after his 6-2 7-5 6-2 thumping of young Briton Andy Murray in Monday's men's final.

"That's exactly how you want to finish a tournament."

Federer desperately wanted to finish his season on a high - especially since his quest to add a 13th grand slam title in his collection had been thwarted until he arrived in New York.

"I would have been disappointed, losing today and having three finals and one semis in the slams," he said.

"You feel like you missed an entire year, being so close but yet so far, because semis and finals don't help me a whole lot anymore in my career.

"It's all about the wins, and that's why this is huge. This is massive, and I'm very happy about this Grand Slam obviously. It's a different type of flavour, this one to me, no doubt."

Weakened at the start of the season by a bout of mononucleosis, Federer was eliminated in the semi-finals at the Australian Open and later in the season piled up losses to motley crew of players including Mardy Fish, Radek Stepanek, Gilles Simon and Ivo Karlovic.

Federer absorbed a drubbing by Rafael Nadal in the French Open final and lost a sensational five-set Wimbledon final to the Spaniard after clawing back from two sets down in his drive for a sixth consecutive title at the All England Club.

A semi-finals and two finals in three grand slams would normally rate as a great achievement, but not for Federer, who had reigned as number one for a record 237 weeks before being deposed by Nadal last month.

Suggestions that time might be catching up with the Swiss maestro, who had stalled within two slam titles of the record 14 held by American Pete Sampras, started to gather momentum. Federer never lost faith in himself.

"I don't think it got to me but I was aware of it," he said.

"I'm a bit disappointed. Sometimes to a point a bit annoyed, because all sorts of crazy people started writing to me and trying to reach me, telling me I need some help either mentally or physically. People come out of a closet and think they can start helping me now. It's just a pain.

"For me, this sort of puts them to rest a little bit, and calms down the phones at my parents' a little bit, which I'm happy about."

Federer acknowledged he had not played up to his standards.

"I didn't feel like I was moving all that great for the last couple of months," said the second seed, who had won only two low-key tournaments in 2008 until Monday.

"I think my coordination was missing a little bit. Here as the tournament went on, I started to feel like I was moving better and better."

After struggling to find his top gear, Federer began to hit on all cylinders in the semi-finals against Novak Djokovic. He then ruined the Grand Slam final debut of 21-year-old Murray with a masterful performance.

Embraced by the Flushing Meadows fans, perhaps moved to support a great champion suddenly seen to be vulnerable, Federer fed off the support and affection shown right from opening night when he drew the biggest ovation at Arthur Ashe Stadium in a ceremony honouring winners of the last 40 years.

"Getting the reception I got really touched me," he said.

"It's incredible the amount of people in New York that just come up and recognise me and wish me luck. Cab drivers screaming out, I'm still the guy, and 'you can do it!' It's great."

The victory also made Federer the first man to win five US titles in a row since American Bill Tilden in 1924.

His run in New York after previously stringing together five straight Wimbledon titles from 2003 to 2007 made him the only player to have won five in a row at two different slams.

"It's nice to compare five Wimbledons to five US Opens, no doubt," he said. "Not many guys (actually) nobody can do that."

Reuters

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  1. Hey, I'm an open minded girl from UK, I'm­­ interested in exotic things, photography, dating and­­ sports...I have my photos on --- T a l l h u b Co m­­ ---, I love tall guys!
    Do you love traveling and have­­ some experience? Just find me out.

    From mollyro05, on Thu 12 Mar 6:40PM

  2. for me federer is the one who made me see tennis ...he­ is the best
    go on fefo...go on fed...go on rog­
    كلنا­ منحب­ فيدرر­
    روجر­ فيدرر­ هو­ الأفض­ ل

    From maia, on Sun 21 Sep 12:05AM

  3. Well done Roger finaly you make my day done when you­ won a final grand slam of the year at Us Open you­ diserve that i most say you are the best player in this­ game and sport you are simpley the best player ever you­ are my hero my favorite player since you startet to­ play tennis but i most say that when you lost in­ wimbeldon final against Nadal i was very disepointet­ because you diservit to win that final but thats the­ way it is sometimes i gues i just hope next year you­ can win all of the grand slams Goo Roger Federer .

    From extrememello, on Fri 19 Sep 9:35PM

  4. Whoever is playing, world champion or a new comer,­ Sarah mcdonald's statement is true "the one­ who wins on the day is the best".

    From Roy, on Sat 13 Sep 5:52PM

  5. The tennis is a great sport and Grand Slam winner­ desserver their wins. This year Nole won the Aussie­ Rafa the French & Wimbledon and Fed The US Open. I­ respect all the players however I am very happy for Fed­ win.
    Rafa desserve the number one spot with the Gold­ medal attached to it well done Rafa.

    However there is­ nothing to contest here the last four year only one­ player was the best and that is Fed. Rafa since 2005 is­ the King of clay and that is great however Only one­ player beat Rafa on Clay and stop him for winning more­ than 90 games on that surface and this is Fed. Someone­ called Fed an arrogant person because he said he felt­ invincible, we are living in free societies where­ people can express themself especially after a win. I­ don't like Rafa but I respect his credential. I­ wonder if this so called writer Jimmy G. I am glad Fed­ has the ambition to surpass Sampras. Record exists to­ be broken look at Phelps at the Olympic. Look at Tiger­ Woods looking to surpass Nicklaus, of course a great­ champion wants to break the record, otherwise what a­ waste.
    I am sure that Rafa will come close and maybe­ even go beyond Fed time will tell. I hope Fed will win­ the French open. Rafa can win all four majors, however­ I hope Fed will do it first. If Agassi is amongst the­ great it is because he did something Sampras could not­ win the French and all the other slams. Champions are­ measured by the achievements. This is what I called the­ measure of a man.
    Well done Roger you are a true­ champion and I am sure you will win at least three­ more.

    Andy Murray is a future Slam winner he is the­ most gifted on the tour with Roger and Gasquet.

    From rod, on Fri 12 Sep 12:07PM

  6. My comment, Roger federer is best ever Tennis player in­ the world. He lost three grand slam this year two final­ and one semifinal. He win US open becuase he deserved­ to that. Roger is looking to break the record of P.­ Sampras which is 14 grand slam to be best ever tennis­ player since 18th centry. I am huge fan of Roger­ because he is humble
    person nd respect his oppenents.­ My opinion there is no compare between him and any­ other one. He is such great, great, fabolous and­ fantastic tennis player.

    From riddai, on Fri 12 Sep 1:12AM

  7. fred is good,to me is still the number one tennis­ player,nadal is also good,and he deserves to taste­ number position at list for once.

    From bolax2001, on Thu 11 Sep 11:23AM

  8. com53.think hiv222000 should stop posting com..we risk­ getting infected by hiv.

    From nthk8, on Thu 11 Sep 6:28AM

  9. com69..u mus b jimmy GONNERS?not connors rite?

    From nthk8, on Thu 11 Sep 6:11AM

  10. federer is invincible on court cus opponents cant see­ when playing fed.fed is the hollow man.

    From nthk8, on Thu 11 Sep 6:09AM

  11. Winning once but feeling invincible in tennis when you­ are BEATEN MANY TIMES in a year by someone is plain­ ARROGANCE. You might feel invincible IF if you've­ beaten also many times the one who beat you. Such an­ airy mindset, worse than any player in other­ sport!

    Yes, Nadal hasn't mentioned he's­ catching up the Grand Slam titles of past players yet­ Fed wants to surpass that of Sampras. True color of a­ real champion truly shows when he/she wins a lot and­ loses sometimes.

    From Jimmy G, on Thu 11 Sep 2:25AM

  12. Winning once but feeling invincible in tennis when you­ are BEATEN MANY TIMES in a year by someone is plain­ ARROGANCE. You might feel invincible IF if you've­ beaten also many times the one who beat you. Such an­ airy mindset, worse than any player in other­ sport!

    Yes, Nadal hasn't mentioned he's­ catching up the Grand Slam titles of past players yet­ Fed wants to surpass that of Sampras. True color of a­ real champion truly shows when he/she wins a lot a­ loses sometimes.

    From Jimmy G, on Thu 11 Sep 2:25AM

  13. The article is well written and balanced. I am a huge­ fan of Federer, and delighted that he has won the US­ open. I am just as delighted at the fact that Andy­ Murray got to the final- well done to our boy! Come on­ you Brits out there, please focus on the positives and­ praise the talents of rising star in British sport.­ Just a note about this " Federer vs Nadal"­ debate...as one very sensible writer said, they are­ both different, both very talented players, who I am­ sure would be very upset to hear such vicious comments­ being posted on the web. Can we try and be sportsman­ like about this? ; yes,we all have our favourites, but­ if we are serious supporters of the sport, we should be­ able to recognise good performances, whoever delivers­ them. One final note, the best player on the day, is­ the one who wins..........

    From sarah.macdonald2008, on Wed 10 Sep 11:24PM

  14. Now Roger Federer has won his 5th consecutive US Open­ championship he has proved he is not a tennis "has­ been", just a superb player having a blip from­ which he has emerged with skill and great style. His­ unique talent is something we admire but the amount of­ work required to keep up the standard necessary to stay­ at the top must control the lives of him and all those­ close to him and the fact that his name is known and­ admired by men, women and children world wide says it­ all. Roger, we love you.

    From Roy, on Wed 10 Sep 11:14PM
  15. Comment hidden due to its low rating. Show

    Winning once but feeling invincible in tennis when you­ are BEATEN MANY TIMES in a year by someone is plain­ ARROGANCE. You might feel invincible IF if you've­ beaten also many times the one who beat you. Such an­ airy mindset, worse than any player in other sport!­ True color of a real champion truly shows when he/she­ wins a lot a loses sometimes.

    From Jimmy G, on Wed 10 Sep 10:47PM

  16. pitic its not like that!!!! whatever!!!!

    From aniika_78, on Wed 10 Sep 9:52PM

  17. federer is arrogant saying hes invincible again, what a­ shame no respect to other player, he almost lost­ andreev, outplayed by muller its close, win over­ djokovic is questionable coz novak had some mental­ problem to deal

    From John A, on Wed 10 Sep 9:23PM

  18. Roger, Raga, Andy are really the guys to look up to! I­ do admire 3 of them. Novak is the one I don't like.­ He cant take jokes, but likes to laugh at others. Shame­ on him

    From mer_ma2030, on Wed 10 Sep 9:02PM

  19. Bobito, beautiful thoughts:)
    And to everybody who­ keeeeeeeps saying ( writing ) that any other tennis­ player are poor contendors... DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT­ THESE ONES WOULD LIKE TO BE EXACTLY LIKE FEDERER? They­ just want to PLAY a good tennis,to have a good place in­ the rank, to get higher, not to copy the other's­ kind of play.not to be like one or another. Its the the­ most stupid thing i ever heard in my life.

    From Pitic, on Wed 10 Sep 7:47PM

  20. aniika_78, sweetie how old are you?:)
    Its logical that­ Nadal cannot be like Roger and never will. As Roger­ cannot be like Nadal, ever. Every one has his own­ personality, his own kind of play. Everybody is­ different you know? The people are made to be­ different, from God above:) So, could you be exacltly­ the same is your sister,brother or friend? No? Well,­ i've told you. So, how do you expect Nadal being­ the copy of Roger? They both are great, in a different­ kind of being, in or oout the court.
    Whoo keeps saying­ Nadal( or about the other tennis player but especially­ about a great one ) is a looser,its a person without a­ brain, witout a heart..witout a personality, its an­ empty soul who's making shadow on earth..for­ nothing.

    From Pitic, on Wed 10 Sep 7:39PM
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