Federer- Er Er Erred: Part-2

To read the first part, click here- PART-1

CAN ROGER BOUNCE BACK FROM THIS SLUMP TO HIS PREVIOUS DOMINATION? FEDERER ON A SLIDE, IS HE POSSIBLY GONE? Federer tends to bristle when this subject is raised. Tennis is all about concentration, if you lost it for a microsecond, you lose the ball, and I guess this is what is happening to Federer, he is not focusing on the game, and so his results were really disappointing in 2008, but the good part is that he still got it, he still has his magic, he still shoots great shots, but he can’t focus, and so he isn’t able to win.

 

One can tell that his skills, his mind and his amazing attitude are the reason that he ruled tennis for more than 4 years that no one could achieve more than half of it. Out of the 4 Grand Slam tournaments, Federer failed just like Sampras to win the Roland Garros, my personal favorite championship. Asked by one of his more obtuse inquisitors to imagine that a "little fairy" would come up to him next season offering only a single grand slam and asking which, of Roland Garros and Wimbledon, he would like to win, Federer snapped: 

"I don't want to answer these stupid questions any more. I want to win everything, I have no preference."

"After a loss like this you don't want to play Rafa again tomorrow that's for sure," he said. "You hope to be here again next year, and you probably assume that Rafa is going to be here, too. I was hoping for a better outcome, no doubt. But Rafa made it hard for me and was better. It was a tough loss."

 

Federer, for the first time in his career, looked almost broken. Not that he would admit it. "I didn't come close here, so it's disappointing, because I really thought I was playing well the last few weeks." It’s not really the strategy that he is lacking; it’s the execution of it that’s not good enough for Nadal.

But the reality is this. Roger is an exceptional player who is able to beat anyone on any surface when he is on his game. Every player eventually drops from the #1 ranking, but that doesn’t mean that he / she is not capable of winning against anyone or winning more titles. I believe there's an extra bit of confidence that shows up when you win, win, win, win, win. But pressures and keep on losing have shifted the momentum of confidence towards his opponents who now win, win, win against him. Attacking and in control, if patchily, at the start, Federer will hit a flat spot mid-match before trying to bluff his way through. The low in confidence will pull him through the crisis; a younger, more powerful opponent comes over the top with a knockout punch.

 

Another danger for Federer is this the media, players and people will fall into this pattern of repeating the story that Federer is done, that he is not the player he was, and so on bullshits. He must not listen to them because if he starts believing that his abilities have somehow changed, he won’t fight to the end, and he won’t go for his shots when needed – thus he won’t be the supreme player he can continue to be.

His motivation has changed. Before, he wanted to become #1 in the world, he wanted to win every tournament he played in, and he wanted to prove every time that he is the best player in the world. His goal has now narrowed down to almost just two things: beating the Grand Slam record of 14 titles held by Pete Sampras and winning the French Open, the only Grand Slam title he hasn’t won yet. I think if Roger really (to the power n) wants to beat Sampras’ record of 14 Grand Slams, he will have to start working really hard on taking his game to the next level.

Now he has lost the number one ranking, which he kept for 4 years in row, to the player that I really hate, Nadal, I don’t know why but I really hate him, he plays a lot of mind games, and what is worse is that he kills the game, the more the ball remains in play the better. The best part in a tennis match is the rally but Nadal never plays it so often. It's a sickening sight to watch him running the court like a SPANISH BULL in corrida de toros

At the end, Federer will remain the best, even if he lost, and I don’t think I will enjoy tennis knowing that Nadal is number one, I just can’t. I don't see a whole lot of weaknesses with Roger Federer. I'm sure, going to want to get his No. 1 back and I'm sure he's going to try and regain his Wimbledon trophy. At 27, Federer has already outlined plans to play until the 2012 London Olympics.

When Federer enters the court, half the match is won; If you are to pick up a GRAND SLAM FINALIST (if exaggerating; SEMI FINALS) Fedex will be in the list. 2007 was tired of reading Fedex won, watching Fedex demoralizing his opponents but 2008 backfired and I’m tired of reading FEDEX lost, FEDEX stunned and now I flip to the SPORTS column of newspapers, not to see the Scorecard by which Fedex have won; but to confirm has he won? 

 

In the past four seasons, Federer would have ducked, grinned and survived and now we’re in for a very interesting Australian Open on January this year. It’s obvious that Federer is not at his best at the moment.  Perhaps more importantly, he enters the tournament without the aura of invincibility. Federer has 5 days before the January 19 start of the Australian Open to heal his body and mind. If the remedial process works, he will start as favorite and probably win a record-equaling 14th major. But if his mind continues to protest, he is in big trouble.

2009 didn't start in Federer's favor as he lost 2 matches to ANDY MURRAY, where he looked like shrugging off the old Demons but stumbled soon. The ball is in Federer’s court. The question is will he hit it a winner or an unforced error? I like millions of fans waiting for Federer’s resurrection in AUSTRALIAN OPEN 09.

THANKS!! KEEP VISITING!!

PS: A Bad news with this post. My toils on you have aggravated to the limits of infinity that making it so worse, this is my 25th Post. I thank all my Friends who have endured the ache and hope you'll extend the support. I'm really happy. it was not planned, but my 25th post on Federer is something memorable

PS 2 PS: Wish You all a HAPPY PONGAL!!!