Wimbledon - Men: Federer continues to cruise
Eurosport - Tue, 30 Jun 13:14:00 2009
Roger Federer came through a comfortable fourth-round match against Sweden's Robin Soderling at Wimbledon, winning 6-4 7-6(5) 7-6(5) against the man he beat in the French Open final a few weeks ago.
There was only one break of serve in a match dominated by sublime serving, with each man enjoying countless love games: just thirteen points were won on opponents' first serves in the course of the three sets.
The only player to blink was Soderling. The Swede missed just enough first serves in the ninth game of the opening set to give Federer something to swing at and, with Soderling's groundstrokes consistently either overhit or guided wide, the world number two took advantage.
Federer closed out the first set, but after that Soderling's serve only grew stronger - and in neither second nor third sets did another break of serve ever look likely. Indeed, every time a chance came the other player invariably slammed the door with one of the match's 39 aces.
That left the winner to be decided in the tie-breaks - and it was there that Soderling's weaker ground strokes were decisive. His 25 unforced errors - compared to Federer's eight - put him on the back foot at the critical moments, as he did in faltering late in an otherwise blemish-free tie-break to let Federer grab the second set.
In the third set Soderling enjoyed a pair of break points at 4-4, but two wild backhands and an ace by Federer closed out the danger.
It was a massive disappointment for the Swede, who threw his racquet in the air in disbelief - but he seemed to be making amends in the tie-break after taking the initiative early on and getting to 5-3 and with two serves in hand.
Yet a brilliant winner from the Swiss player followed by a catastrophic double fault by the Swede got things back on terms, and the 14-times Grand Slam champion finished the match of ruthlessly to earn a quarter-final match against Croatia's Ivo Karlovic, who won a bruising encounter with Spanish seventh seed Fernando Verdasco 7-6(5) 6-7(4) 6-3 7-6(9). .
Verdasco has a mighty serve himself but he could not compete with the imposing Karlovic, who makes it through to the last eight at a grand slam for the first time.
Karlovic, the 22nd seed, won the first set 7-5 on a tiebreak before Verdasco levelled up, taking the second breaker 7-4.
It was not exactly subtle stuff and the only variation on the theme came in the third set when Verdasco went 0-40 in the eighth game and lost the last of them after thrashing a forehand long.
Karlovic served out before the fourth set reverted to type, with the Croat taking the inevitable tiebreak 11-9, as Verdasco spooned an easy forehand long.
Fourth seed Novak Djokovic continued his unassuming path through the men's draw with a 6-2 6-4 6-1 victory over Israel's Dudi Sela.
Former Australian Open champion Djokovic, the youngest man remaining in the draw, simply had too much ammunition for the 24-year-old world number 46, and progressed through to the last eight for the second time with ease.
Sela, the first Israeli man to go this far at a grand slam for 17 years, could not reproduce the form that took him past seeds Rainer Schuettler and Tommy Robredo in previous rounds, ditching a forehand into the net on match point.
Djokovic will play Germany's Tommy Haas, the oldest men's survivor, for a place in the semi-finals after the 24th seed reached the last eight for the first time witha 7-6(8) 6-4 6-4 win over Russian Igor Andreev.
Haas, the oldest player remaining in the men's draw, showed superb timing off both wings to produce his best showing at the All England Club since his debut in 1997.
The former world number two took a tight opener 10-8 on the tiebreak and after that solved the problem of the 29th seed's booming forehand to wrap up the second just 41 minutes later. A single break was enough in the third and the end came when Andreev netted a forehand.
Former Wimbledon champion Lleyton Hewitt fought back from two sets down to defeat Czech Radek Stepanek 4-6 2-6 6-1 6-2 6-2.
It was an epic victory for the feisty Australian, firing on all cylinders once more after a hip operation that saw him tumble down the rankings.
In a "battle of the crocks," Hewitt had to call the trainer to work on his left leg after the second set while Stepanek, the 23rd seed, summoned help after the fourth set to strap up his troublesome left knee.
Hewitt, the 2002 Wimbledon champion, showed all his old spirit, cheered on by a raucous bunch of Australian fans chanting "If you want to see five sets, clap your hands." The crowd obliged and so did Hewitt.
Andy Roddick booked a tantalising quarter-final date against former champion Hewitt after outgunning Czech Tomas Berdych 7-6(5) 6-4 6-3.
The American sixth seed fired down 24 aces as he outclassed the 20th seed with a combination of guile and power.
After giving Berdych the runaround, Roddick sealed his place in the last eight here for the fifth time when his opponent could only paddle a backhand into the net.
Berdych had been one of only two men who had not dropped a set coming into the fourth round but he failed to trouble Roddick with his baseline tactics and went out after an hour and 48 minutes.
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Comment 71 - 90 of 110
risimko my friend, you are wasting your time, Igor is a hopeless case. In his fantasy world, the draws should not be a lottery but specifically designed to make Federer face Djokovic, Murray and Nadal succesively in every tournament he plays:) Otherwise Fed wins unfairly, hahahaha
Risimko I didn`t want this to be another pro and contra is he the best in the world.. but is it a theory or true that he has such negative record against Murray, and Nadal, and lost last two against Djokovic ? it is not a theory, so I think it gives the right for some people to ask how he could be the best with so many GS-s, when can not deal at all with those guys having totally half of his number ? ;-)
Old glory is one thing my friend.. and wishing of people to see big headlines and history pages being written is understandable ..
reality is other ! for me he lives on old glory still, and new one wouldn’t happen if Nadal wasn’t injured.. everybody knows that ! so some modesty in his statements would have been appreciated..
Poor Novak and Murray... They have a lot to prove before being called 'THE BEST'... How imature, dear friend Igor K.
I was going to stop posting things out here, but this Igor K, just disgusts me! What does 'a regular basis' mean in your Serbian language dear friend? It probably doesn't mean the same in English! Joker has a losing record againt Fed! Wake up! Jok is not playing anything! He is doing badly! He won't get pass Haas; no way! As for Rolland Garros, Nadal, Murray and Djokoshit didn't get get to the finals because they weren't good enough! The only guy to be praised against Fed, is got to be Nadal. Murray and Djok only got the wins against an ill Fed, with mono and back problems. I'd love to see Novak in the semis to prove you are completely wrong about your idol, but he is not enough to get there!!!
Igor - Nobody gifted French Open to Federer. He had tough matches prior to the final. Fully deserved. Ask Kohlschreiber and Soderling what have become of the two as you call them clay fighters and why they didin't go further. Tennis is not about hypothetical theories what would happen if Nadal hasn't been thrashed by unknown Soderling or if Djokovic didn't give up to average clay player Kohlschreiber. Tennis is about how you play that particular oponent on the other side of the net. Whoever it is. You there to fight him and not to speculate what if there was someone else.
I`m not supporting "anybody". I`m with guys who ARE THE BEST in last two yers - beating, and will be beating Fed on regular basis no matter his form are: Novak, Nadal, Murray..
.. and others could, if only they are less afraid of Mr. Best in Arrogant World, so I have to cheer them a little ;-)
I say again, I would have personally congratulate Federer if he won RG with trashing Novak or Murray or Nadal. included.
..you know, when two guys fights to death whole clay season, and then comes third from nowhere and takes price, and takes RG that he would NEVER won under other, not so lucky conditions, and whole world is licking his @#$% as best ever, even knowing he doesn’t stand a chance against those guys for a long time, just used momentum of their weakness - it makes me sick !
and I will congratulate if he manages to beat Novak, and then Murray in the finals.. but it will not happen, cose he just can not win those two in a raw, even on his favourite grass, sorry Federer fans ;-)
I think men's tennis should rise to the occasion now and stop Federa. It is boring seeing one person in all the GS finals. Though not perturbed but worried at the level men are challenging. Murray is a good candidate but lacks the killing instinct. This was demonstrated yesterday with the prolonged match against a lower ranked wawrinka
I can almost see Igor K and Ray V praying fervently for someone to beat Federer!!! Poor guy is so frustrated with his idol Joke-ovic that he has been reduced to supporting just about anybody to defeat Fed!
@ aaditya, you forgot to mention another prominent member of the "hate Federer" brigade - Igor K!
aaditya: How does that work? Does Nadal lose points for having missed Wimbledon? If not, and Fed wins, Fed still won't be #1, will he?
Nadal was amazing some time ago but now he is either injured or beaten by some other player...
IgorK, you are just amazing. You don't watch tennis matches, do you? You seem just to stubbornly praising Novak never mind how and whom he plays. Maybe you should watch some tennis to finally get to the reality.
yee crusing untill semi with Novak...
MURRAY IS THROUGH TO THE QUARTER FINALS!!! BY THE WAY NOW fEDERER ONLY WINS GRAND SLAMS IF NADAL WITHDREW OR SOME OTHER PLAYER BEAT NADAL. In other words federer was amazing a few years back but now he is just lucky
Great to see Federer taking Soderling in straights. That is after all such a mental strenght being able to sustain the pressure of the replay of FO final. Soderling has had all the advantage of making another major upset. And yet he was very capable of doing it hadn't he faced Federer in his best serving performance this year. I guess the same will repeat with Karlovic. Straight sets maybe not even tiebreaks. Federer will concentrate on return/rally game. Karlovic will score some aces but eventually fall in the long runs and sharp whipping cross court shootings of the Master.
Carlos: I miss-spoke. Just got to me that so many people have "selectively" been shut down in this column. I'm not a moralist and believe that everyone should be able to sound off, but I should not take it out on you guys. I read all your posts and appreciate your enthusiasm. This Wimbledon is beginning to give me the willys a bit. Sorry, sorry...ignore me.
Hi guys!
still remember that Hewitt took that Karlovic down? is he a bigger server that a Philipousis? who after over 50 aces against Agassi in AO a few years back looked flat footed against Federer infront of his home crowd?
Serving big is just a tinny part of the story! Let see how Fedex will handle that!
i would predict strait set for Fedex (Possible) Tie break.
cheers,
Hatsutking,hey man,we are just talking here,whats the problem ?
with the hate federer brigade almost been blasted away, rats like RayV can now hope karlovic will beat federer.
looking how frequently this clown has had his foot in his mouth and yet again runs back to the forum posting anti federer garbage, i wudnt be suprprised to see RayV, Serranos and other "malignant hate federer desperados" empytying their bowels here after federer wins his 15th Grand slam and becomes the world number one this Sunday.
All sports lovers, great place for all big and tall singles, please check: ---BigTalls Co M ---- ,More fun waiting for you...
Yeah, Murray is good but not aggressive enough (apart from his serve) against big-hitters who make few errors to really dominate - so I think he often runs out of steam by the QFs after a 5-set saga or two. He should come into the net and volley more, to shorten points and reduce the effort.
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