Tag Archives: Federer
The Whiff Of Gotterdammerung
Miami Masters 1000, Second Round The seeds continued their jolly tumbling today at the Miami Masters 1000. Of the 32 who slugged their way past first round byes, 14 have failed to progress past actual opponents. As attrition goes, it’s … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
Second Comes Right After First
Indian Wells, Semifinal Djokovic d. Federer, 6/3 3/6 6/2 By defeating Roger Federer in the second of today’s Indian Wells semifinals, Novak Djokovic regained the No.2 ranking. Tomorrow he will face world No.1 Rafael Nadal in the final. If Nadal … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
Doubles Is Cool
Every form of human endeavour falls prey to loopy fashions from time to time, and tennis is hardly exempt. Some trends – like garish headbands or Feliciano Lopez – are destined not to last. Others endure. Think of piss-weak commentary … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
Real Tennis Ensued
The last two unseeded players in the draw’s bottom half collided this morning, and it turned out to be the match of the day, although this is not an especially stellar accolade as no other match reached a deciding set. … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
That’s What It’s For
Abierto Mexicano Telcel, Acapulco Ferrer d. Almagro, 7/6 6/7 6/2 For the second time in as few years, a Spaniard came within a single match of capturing three titles in the Golden Swing, which, as achievements go, hardly ranks up … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
A Betrayal of Egalitarian Ideals
Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, Semifinals Federer d. Gasquet, 6/2 7/5 When Roger Federer gifted a break of serve to Richard Gasquet in the second set of their Dubai semifinal, the was a collective worldwide exhalation as tens of thousands … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
Damp Squibs
Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, First Round I am quite taken by the stadium court at the Dubai Tennis Championships. Notwithstanding the fact that it is hemmed in by city, neatly wedged between the airport and a golf course, it … Continue reading
Filed under ATP Tour
Infinite Monkeys
In 2010 Roger Federer was defeated four times after holding matchpoint, an unhappy series of results that strikes many as another sure indicator of his accelerating decline. How accurate is this? The first thing to do is recall the matches … Continue reading
Filed under By the Numbers
Why Compare?
Following his defeat by Novak Djokovic in this year’s Australian Open, Roger Federer was invited to compare the loss to the ostensibly similar one three years earlier. Baffled, Federer considered the request for a few seconds, then blurted ‘Why compare?’, … Continue reading
Filed under By the Numbers, Players
Valuable Lessons
With the year’s first major concluded, the annual diaspora has commenced, with the haves retiring to their palaces, and the hoi-polloi spreading to South America, South Africa, and West Croatia. As an Australian, this signals the end of tennis being … Continue reading
Filed under Grand Slams