Posted: 22.03.09 21:37. Post subject: Всё, что в прессе о Роджере-экспрессе-2

 Posted: 16.05.09 02:16. Post subject: PRESS CONFERENCE May..

PRESS CONFERENCE
May 15th 2009

PLAYER
Roger FEDERER (SUI)

MATCH RESULT
Roger Federer (SUI) d. Andy Roddick (USA) 7-5 | 6(5)-7| 6-1

Q: There seemed to be times out there today when you appeared to be enjoying yourself as much as you have for a while on clay. Do you think that that would be a correct statement? Do you think that you were playing well at times?
A: Yes, I think it was a close match, there was a good atmosphere, good weather, all of that helps. I thought it was a good match, I think Andy was mixing up his serve very well and I think I came up with some nice points, you know, those make me happy, so, I’m happy with the way I played today, of course, I should have or could have won in straights but that is what happens when you play Andy sometimes but it bounced back well in the third and I played well.

Q: Do you think that you are going to have some kind of fitness advantage in the semi finals considering that your opponent are probably going to start playing at around 11 tonight?
A: Not really, it’s best out of three after all. I don’t think Andy and Del Potro played last week either and they both had a bye, so, it’s not like they had to play seven matches in the last seven days, so I don’t think it’s’ going to come down to fitness, it’s not that hot at the moment, I didn’t even have to change my shirt today even though the sun was out, maybe sitting on the stands for over two hours might have been hot but for us down there it was actually the perfect conditions. So I doubt it, I think it’s going to come down to who plays best.

Q: Could you just analyze the potential semi finals?
A: Sure. Del Potro, I had a great match with him in Australia, I know that’s not going to happen again, that happens very rarely on tennis so I’m expecting a tough match because he played well against Stanislas. I’m sure if he’s able to beat Murray it’s going to be a tough one. I like his game and the way he’s been coming through to rankings is impressive. Whereas with Andy I’ve been having more problems, it’s been more difficult to beat him but then again I haven’t played him on clay, I was supposed to play him on the Davis Cup but they decided to not make him play so, which was funny but I’m excited to be first to go to semi finals and let’s see what happens in the semis tomorrow.


Q: Which of the components of your game are you more satisfied with at the moment? And which ones are you not so satisfied with?
A: Well, I think this week is a kind of a different week, the balls fly, it’s quick, you can play quick points if you want, which is a good thing and on top of that I have also been trying to keep the points short… Let’s say it’s been a tough week because I haven’t been playing those regular Spaniards and guys who want to extend the rally, I’ve been playing guys who have been standing in trying to keep the points short and have big services like Soderling and Roddick. It’s never easy but at the same time I’ve always been a dominant player from the baseline, so I know whoever I’m going to get in the semis is going to be much different, I’m going to have to work much harder and the rallies will be extended and it’s going to come down partly to the fitness level and to the mental strength as well, which I haven’t had to show quite that much yet this week. I’m not saying that I’m uncertain about what is going to happen in the semis but there are good things in my game, there are also bad things and I just feel like I have to tighten up a few things and there are definitely big improvements that I can use this week, I just haven’t had to show them yet.

Q: Playing in the altitude of Madrid, what is the shot that is most difficult to control? Is there a shot that you don’t use as much as you would somewhere else?
A: No… I mean, balls fly here but at the same time I feel like I have control of the ball, which it’s a good thing because sometimes, you know, a few years ago I would get on clay and I would really struggle with the returns or just to be able to play the back hand over shoulder height at the beginning and that doesn’t seem to be a problem for me anymore during this week and I think that’s definitely a good sign when looking ahead to the French open where the bounce is not going to be that bad. Certainly the slice floats but I feel that I have it under control, I’m not missing any easy ones and those are all good things, so, I feel like I have a decent amount of control over the ball this week.

Q: Roger, Del Potro said yesterday that he is “the best of the bad ones” and he put you and the other 3 in different league. Do you agree? Do you see such a big gap between him and you 4?
A: Well, I don’t know how the points have been but we have been the most dominant and solid. He’s got many tournaments coming up that needs to defend, it’s going to be interesting to see how he’s going to play first up against the two possibilities that are going to be highly ranked at the French and at Wimbledon, that’s definitely going to give him some chances. I guess he’s right but at the same time, all the other players are very strong too, I think that the pack behind us are solid and dangerous players. They are also playing consistently and that’s why they’re coming through to the quarters very regularly and very comfortably, actually. Also he’s one of the youngest and therefore has most potential to improve, with Tsonga I guess.

Q: If it is Andy tomorrow, do you feel that it is about time that you beat him? I think that he’s won the last four between you and I know that you want to protect the difference in points between your second ranking and his third ranking.
A: Not really, it’s not my goal. I want to get back to number 1 but he’s been playing very well, very consistent, he’s maybe going to struggle a bit more on clay but that’s kind of normal, you know, it’s early in the season on clay and it’s short for us, we only play a handful of tournaments and it’s kind of tough but, sure, I’d like to beat him, at least on clay, especially after losing to him so many times this year on hard court… I just have to make sure that I put on a solid performance.

Q: Would you like to play in Buenos Aires in the Telmex cup? People would be very excited to see you there because we have never seen you in Buenos Aires.
A: It’s a long way. The reason why I never go there is because it’s in the season I usually play in Europe or in Dubai, isn’t it? And I don’t usually go on clay before Indian Wells or Miami. I wish I could go to South America more often, to be quite honest, but the swing they have is a bad timing for me, the travelling is hard so I have to pick my weeks and I hope that if I don’t come for a tournament I will eventually play some exhibitions at least, because I know that I have many big fans over there, especially in Argentina and there are many good players, so, who knows, before we even know it I’m going to be there for Davis Cup, so we never know.

Q: Did you change anything technically about your backhands?
A: Not really, it’s just a feeling I have and thanks to all the other players who played to my backhand it’s improving, you know, it’s a good thing! Especially on clay where there is more of the kick serves and I have to slice them, I always do this on all surfaces and it’s been a successful play but it’s important to be able to come over it, also in the being able to step in on the return and to take it early. It’s just important to find the right timing and with the bad bounce on clay you have to be very selective but I feel like I’m hitting it OK, which is a good thing.

 Posted: 16.05.09 16:56. Post subject: Небольшое интервью н..

Небольшое интервью насчет того, сколько еще Мирка сможет путешествовать с Роджером и будет ли она с ним также много ездить после рождения ребенка

irina, если будет время, переведете? а то там не все понятно через онлайн переводчик
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wie lange kann Mirka ihren Roger noch begleiten?

Wird Roger Federer vor der Geburt seines Kindes alleine auf Tour gehen? «Kommt ganz auf Mirka an», sagt der baldige Papi zu BLICK.
Seit bald neun Jahren sind Roger Federer und seine Mirka ein Paar. Seit sieben Jahren ist sie kaum von seiner Seite gewichen. Und seit Ostern sind die beiden verheiratet.

Jetzt droht den beiden aber die Trennung. Mindestens die kurzfristige. Denn ab zwei Monaten vor der Geburt sollten Hochschwangere nicht mehr unbedingt fliegen. Wird Federer also in nächster Zeit alleine unterwegs sein?

Die Weltnummer 2 zu BLICK: «Mal schauen, wie sich Mirka fühlt. Die Turniere sind ja in nächster Zeit zum Glück nicht so weit weg. Ich bin froh, dass es jetzt nicht noch nach Australien oder Amerika geht. Im Moment sind alle Flüge sehr kurz. Wenn sie sich gut fühlt und das Okay von den Ärzten bekommt, fliegt sie überall mit. Und sonst bleibt sie dann halt mal daheim. Wann der Moment kommt, weiss ich nicht.»
Wer Federers Aussage genau nimmt, kann davon ausgehen, dass das Kind vor dem 10. August auf die Welt kommen muss. Denn dann beginnt das Turnier von Montreal, ein Event der Masters-1000-Serie, die Federer normalerweise spielt.

Und wenn für die schwangere Mirka keine Überseeflüge mehr geplant sind, ist es wahrscheinlich, dass die Geburt des Kindes dann bereits vorüber sein wird. In einem Interview mit der Sportzeitung «Marca» sagte Federer deutlich, dass er kein Turnier auslassen werde.

Und wie sieht die Zukunft aus? Wird die Familie vereint um die Welt reisen? «Wir denken schon», sagt Federer. «Aber wenn das Kind oder Mirka sich nicht wohl fühlen sollten, ist es klar, dass das Reisen nicht möglich ist. Vielleicht kommt sie dann auch mal hinterher. Es gibt verschiedene Möglichkeiten. Momentan will sie noch viel reisen. Aber wir werden zum Wohl des Kindes entscheiden. Es wird sicher nicht allzu viel sein.»

 Posted: 17.05.09 11:00. Post subject: Роджер Федерер: «Мат..

Роджер Федерер: «Матчи с Надалем – это всегда вызов»

Швейцарец Роджер Федерер, обыгравший в полуфинале турнира в Мадриде аргентинца Хуана Мартина Дель Потро со счетом 6:3, 6:4, в финале встретится с первой ракеткой мира испанцем Рафаэлем Надалем. Это будет 16-я встреча теннисистов в финале.

«Матчи с Надалем, где бы они ни проходили, это всегда вызов, а особенно на грунте. Дополнительный фактор – то, что мы играем в Испании. Это будет впервые.

Я очень люблю играть с Надалем. В этом году мы встречались лишь однажды, в финале Australian Open. Сейчас мы на грунте, это его покрытие. Посмотрим, что будет», – цитирует Федерера AFP.

 Posted: 17.05.09 11:16. Post subject: Федерер: с оптимизмо..

Федерер: с оптимизмом думаю о Париже

http://www.championat.ru/tennis/_atp/article-32844.html

 Posted: 17.05.09 14:02. Post subject: PLAYER Roger FEDERER..

PLAYER
Roger FEDERER (SUI)

MATCH RESULT
Roger Federer (SUI) d. Juan Martin Del Potro (ARG) 6-3 | 6-4

Q: Many people are always dreaming about this final, Federer vs. Nadal, perhaps you can do it here in Madrid with the altitude. How do you feel you have been playing during the whole week?
A: My game’s been pretty good. I’ve had some very different opponents; I’ve played many hard court players including Blake and Roddick. Soderling was a tough one just because he plays far in the baseline and has a massive serve, he actually plays similar to Del Potro, so I had to adjust my game a little bit. Also, having played my first match during night time and then the next two I played during the day and now I played at night again, the conditions changed quite a bit, but I’m actually happy with the way I’ve been hitting the ball, my serve has been getting better throughout the week and I feel more and more comfortable as the week goes on and definitely the biggest test is tomorrow against Rafa. It’s exciting, I mean, I love playing against the guy and I’ve heard just now that it’s our 15th final against each other and I’m not sure if it’s the first time that we meet in Spain in a match situation, so it’s definitely going to be a nice match, I hope.

Q: How important is it for you to play your first final of the year on clay just a week before the French?
A: Well, during the last couple of matches I’ve been feeling like I’m ready for the French Open. You want to stay in the tournament and give yourself an opportunity. I think that the important thing for me is that I got past that semi final hurdle, which I haven’t been able to pass for the last two months; it gives me an opportunity to win a tournament, of course, I have the toughest opponent in the finals and at the moment he’s not losing on clay but he came really close today and I thought it was a phenomenal match but I’m sure he’s going to come back strong tomorrow but I’m happy that I’m right there to give it my best shot and I definitely will.

Q: Is playing Rafa on clay now the ultimate challenge for you?
A: I don’t know, I mean, I feel that playing him anywhere is a challenge, I don’t know that if it’s more on clay. I guess that the extra flare here is that it’s in Spain, I think that’s something new, it’s has never happened before, I’m not a 100% sure but I’m excited to be playing against him, we don’t play so often, the Australian Open was the last time and before that, maybe Wimbledon, I’m not sure. We haven’t played that often in the last few months and that was really close and now we’re on clay, which is obviously his surface but I’m sure I’m going to play well tomorrow and we’ll see what happens.

Q: You’ve suffered some hard defeats against Nadal before and Novak seemed pretty emotional after his defeat tonight. Could you offer him some words of advice on how to re-bounce form such a big lost after he was in control for most of the match?
A: Not really, he’s my rival. It was a wonderful match. I guess that’s what you can take away from such a match, being so close but yet so far, it’s obviously going to hurt but it was good tennis, it’s not like he gave away the match. He’s lost to him four times on clay already prior to the French Open and it’s not a perfect scenario, that’s for sure.

Q: Did you watch the match against Djokovic?
A: I’ve been talking about it during the whole interview. Yes, I did.
Q: What do you think about the match?
A: Very nice match. Long.

Q: Do you compare the match that you played in Hamburg last year or maybe two years ago against Rafa with the conditions here in Madrid? Is the altitude something that plays in your advantage?
A: We’ll see tomorrow. I don’t know, I don’t remember having played Rafa in altitude before, I mean, it’s not like it’s 2000 m here either but it could change a little bit but at the same time Rafa always plays in the same way and so do I. We’ve played each other so many times that I don’t think I will see something completely different or he will see it either, except if I decide tonight or tomorrow that it’s time to mix it up a little bit and just go for it. We’ll see what happens, you know but we’ve played so many times that we really know each other’s game so it is obviously going to be hard to come up with something new.

Q: Could his physical condition after a 4 hour match be an advantage for you tomorrow?
A: They asked me the same question in Australia and it wasn’t really. Well, those two guys take their time as well, so, it wasn’t really four hours. I don’t say that to take anything away from how they played because it was phenomenal and fantastic to watch but they do take their time and it was the best of three set match, so it wasn’t the best of five and we’ve done it many times, we’ve practiced hard and then we’ve come back the next day and done it all over again. I think that with the help of the adrenaline and the crowd, I’m sure he’s going to be the Rafa we know tomorrow.

Q: You didn’t play much in Barcelona but…
A: I did play one match…and I won three games…

Q: With Bruguera…
A: It was really good.

Q: Yes, with Sergi but you were young then…
A: Yes and I was the favorite… he lost 6-0, 6-0 the week before, so, I should have won but I lost. But go ahead, ask your question.

Q: Thank you man. What I mean, it’s your first time in Madrid. Are you having a good time this week? Do you like the change of the covered court to open air?
A: Yes, it seemed smooth. Actually, I already played well in Madrid the last few years indoors, so it’s nice that I could also do it on clay. It’s been a good week for me, I hope I can top it off with a win tomorrow and I’m looking forward to returning next year because it’s been a nice tournament but we’ll talk about that tomorrow.

 Posted: 17.05.09 23:04. Post subject: 58th Tour title "..

58th Tour title "satisfying" for Federer

Mutua Madrileсa Madrid Open champion Roger Federer said he had never stopped believing he would win a title in 2009, despite failing to reach the final of an event since the Australian Open in January.

“I’ve had some bad losses this year in terms of the way I’ve played but I’ve felt it coming in the past few weeks so it’s very satisfying,” said the Swiss.

The first two-time champion in Madrid (previously the tournament had seven different winners) Federer said he had played a solid clay court match.

“I though I played well – you have to against Rafa on clay. There are no easy ways against him and he’s not going to hand it to you,” said the 27-year-old former world No.1.

“I served well, mixed it up well, took all the right decisions today. In the end it looked comfortable for me out there so it’s a good win for me and very satisfying.”

Celebrating his 58th career title and 15th Masters Series trophy, Federer said that he didn’t feel any great sense of relief in breaking his run of match losses to Nadal.

“I got so close in Australia and at Wimbledon so it wasn’t a question of ‘oh, finally’, said Federer. “Even though I lost I had to keep the belief. The press was all telling me that he was invincible and I didn’t want to believe what the press was saying.”

And Federer said that he didn’t feel that Rafa’s loss would have any long-term effects on the world No.1’s confidence.

“I know his game inside out. He’s rock solid, does one thing excellently, moves well on this surface and is an excellent competitor. It makes him very difficult to beat.

“He had a bad patch last season and he recovered from that so I don’t think he will have any problems bouncing back from this loss,” said Federer.

 Posted: 18.05.09 00:43. Post subject: ой, ну, швайцеры жгу..

ой, ну, швайцеры жгут! статья в духе "ура, кто бы мог подумать"
http://www.blick.ch/sport/tennis/ab-16-00-uhr-live-federer-nadal-119358

 Posted: 18.05.09 09:44. Post subject: Роджер Федерер: «Оче..

Роджер Федерер: «Очень важно сохранять веру в себя»

Швейцарец Роджер Федерер, обыграв в финальном матче первую ракетку мира испанца Рафаэля Надаля со счетом 6:4, 6:4, выиграл первый в этом сезоне турнир – Mutua Madrileña Madrid Open категории Masters.

«Розыгрыши в матче были короткими, так как было трудно контролировать мяч. Рафа сегодня играл на приеме не так четко, как обычно, и поэтому, долго не разыгрывая и принимая правильные решения, мне удавалось наносить завершающие удары, когда у него уже не оставалось времени на то, чтобы среагировать. Это именно то, что не удалось сделать Новаку в полуфинале, когда он должен был выигрывать в двух сетах.

Эта победа, конечно, придаст мне уверенности в преддверии «Ролан Гаррос». Очень важно сохранять веру в себя, особенно когда слышишь что говорят о Рафе на пресс-конференциях. Не хочется верить в то, что пишут в прессе. Мне было очень тяжело. В этом году я не выиграл ни одного турнира, и я счастлив, что наконец одержал такую победу», – цитирует Федерера Tennisweek.

 Posted: 18.05.09 13:10. Post subject: PRESS CONFERENCE May..

PRESS CONFERENCE
May 17th 2009

PLAYER
Roger FEDERER (SUI)

Roger Federer (SUI) bt Rafa Nadal (ESP): 6 - 4 | 6 - 4

Q. How satisfying is that for you and how well do you think you played?
A. I thought I played really well, I think you have to against Rafa on clay, there are no easy ways there. He is not going to hand it to you and that is what has made him so tough the last few years on this surface. I thought I mixed it up well; I served well and was dangerous on particular return games. I thought I took all the right decisions today and in the end it looked pretty comfortable so it was a perfect win for me.

Q. Are you relieved to beat Rafa Nadal after nearly two years?
A. Well not really. I was so close in Australia and Wimbledon, of course it is nice. Itґs not like “oh, finally I got him again”. I felt I was close to Rafa and I felt that, even though you lose, you keep the belief, especially on this type of surface because you come into the press rooms and they all they talk about is Rafa and it works you and you donґt want to believe what the press says, you want to stay positive and thatґs what I did. I am very happy that I remained positive and I got the win I needed badly because I have had some rather bad losses this year in terms of the way I played but I think that everything is falling into place and I felt it coming the last few weeks so it is the right time to get a victory like this.

Q. You said to is yesterday that you might just wake up this morning and go for it. You did?
A. Yeah, I think so. I definitely didnґt try to go into massive amounts of rallies but at the same time, Rafa was missing some returns and I kept him guessing many times. We have both played better, in the past, from the baseline and Iґm sure thatґs what it is going to take to beat Rafa at the French Open. This was a particular clay court match against each other; for both of us we both had trouble controlling the ball, because the pints were kept shorter it was better for my game and thatґs why I won today.

Q. After your Hamburg title two years ago, you said that you learned something about how to play Rafa on clay; Did you learn something new about his game today, thinking about Paris?
A. Not a whole lot. I know his game inside out. Itґs not like he changes many things, he is just rock solid like when Leyton Hewitt was no. 1 and all those other guys who were dominating from the baseline. He does his one thing excellent and he is the best mover on this surface.
He is just an excellent competitor and that is what makes him so difficult to beat.
I know what you have to do but itґs not easy to do against him because he is so good.

Q. Did you notice that he was slightly slower today than usual?
A. No, not really. I think and I am sure - thatґs my approach anyway – that when I go into a match and I start and finish a match there are no excuses, otherwise you retire during the match, which is not my philosophy, or you donґt play, but I donґt think you should play injured or hurt or whatever it is. We didnґt have many rallies so I donґt know where you can see that he was slow. As I said, conditions were tough out there, tough to control the ball and I saw some of those things against Djokovic, that he was struggling in the beginning to control his serve and probably Djokovic should have finished him off in two but then the adrenalin and the whole thing that Rafa came back with made it difficult for him to close out the match so I just raced to the finish line and it was all over before he could react so it was a good match.

Q. First of all congratulations, they said that the clay is a little bit hard because Madrid is a little but high for the players; we want to know if it was a problem for you because you beat Nadal here?
A. Yes, I think it was tough for both of us today. You could see that we both struggled to control the balls but like I said yesterday I donґt think itґs so extreme, itґs not like itґs impossible to control. I think itґs interesting to be playing on clay at a different altitude, Iґve played in Gstad before which gives you opportunities to play aggressive and itґs more interesting that you have the chance to come forward and you have the chance to play aggressive and itґs not so easy to hit passing shots because at times on other surfaces when itґs so slow itґs almost impossible to come to the net because the guy is just moving past so well that this is a nice change for me.

Q. You said in Rome that since your back problems you were having trouble finding the motion of your serve the way it used to be before; it seems that this week things sort of clicked for you?
A. I had some good serving already this year but then at the same time I couldnґt do it consistently. I would go through a few games where I would serve very well and then get broken a couple of time is a row and thatґs not something that I am used to. I just felt that I couldnґt hit my spot so well and today and this whole week it has been coming back. I am obviously aware that this is altitude and that itґs easier to serve well here and to mix it up but still I feel, in my body, that the serves are working, the motion as well, I have the right rhythm and I think that is very good looking forward to the French Open where it is important to serve well, for me.

Q. How important is this win for you going into the French, does it massively change your confidence going in?
A. Yes, I think that at this stage it does. Now that I havenґt won a tournament yet this year, in other years it didnґt matter whether I won or lost, I was always one of the top two or favorites. This year it looked like other guys might come moving up but I always knew that I was going to get stronger week by week on clay, obviously I didnґt give myself the best opportunity in Monaco but I worked extremely hard in the two off weeks I had before and after Rome and itґs all finally paying off, itґs not the moment to get carried away but it is definitely good for my confidence especially beating Rafa in the final so it definitely proves that I am doing the right things and I am working extremely hard and it is paying off so itґs a nice feeling. I am very excited about going to Paris whereas a couple of weeks ago I was still a little bit unsure about my game and not sure if I could win the French. Obviously that has not changed.

Q. Confidence is a fragile thing for players and this is now Rafaґs first defeat in 33 clay court games and he has lost to you as well, his main rival; Do you think that might have some impact on his psychology going into Paris?
A. I snapped his streak at 81, a couple of years ago and it didnґt really bother him too much – he went back on another streak so I donґt think so. Sure, itґs nice to beat him in his own country where it is probably the hardest, you see the spectators and itґs pretty tough when it gets close plus he has that game which keeps you doubting because you have to keep going for your shots and as the crowd gets into it itґs hard but I donґt think that’s he is going to be damaged by this. He has played so well in Monaco, Barcelona and Rome, I think this is probably the best clay court season he has had so far so Iґm sure he will be rock solid in Paris again.

Q. Andre Agassi was talking yesterday about the Slams and he said that he thought Nadal had a chance of winning all four this year; do you think that he has improved that much and has a chance of doing that?
A. Well he is the only guy who has obviously. I donґt know, same as me the last few years when a guy wins the Australian Open. I think when a guy wins the Australian Open and his better surface is clay then sure there is a big chance that he might go two for two but I came very close a few times and itґs not the easiest thing to do. I said a couple of weeks ago that he definitely has a chance. There are guys who donґt want to allow him to do that and I am the first guy so... I have a great record at Wimbledon and the US Open and I have my dreams at the French Open so I have some say there hopefully.

Q. You bet Rafa Nadal, one hour ago, two years ago and you bet him today to; What about in Roland Garros, will you beat him because we heard that he was a little bit tired and he hadnґt slept too well?
A. I hope that when we play each other that he is not going to sleep much either because he knows that I am waiting the next day. I donґt think that it makes any difference that he played a long match yesterday and that he didnґt sleep much. Sure, itґs not the perfect preparation but I think that we are all tough enough to take it so thatґs why he was out there today trying hard for the spectators and for himself. I am sure Paris is a different circumstance, he has never lost there, obviously his confidence is very high there but I think that we have seen this week, that if you play Rafa the right way there are chances whereas sometimes he has gone out and dominated just about everybody on clay and it is good from the other players and also from myself, that itґs most important because I am always the one gunning after Rafa, especially at the French Open and I hope that this year could be the right one.

 Posted: 18.05.09 22:46. Post subject: First title of year ..

First title of year gives boost to Federer


MADRID (AP)—A victory over Rafael Nadal in a clay-court final has Roger Federer feeling good about his chances heading into the French Open.

It’s not the first time.

Federer broke a sluggish Nadal once in each set for a 6-4, 6-4 win Sunday that earned him a second Madrid Open trophy. It was the second-ranked Swiss player’s first title of 2009.

With Roland Garros a week away, the victory over four-time defending French Open champion Nadal is sure to provide a big boost for Federer.

“At this stage it does, considering I hadn’t won a tournament yet (this season),” the 13-time Grand Slam winner said. “It’s all finally paying off but it’s not the moment to get carried away. I’m very excited going to Paris whereas a couple of weeks ago I was still a little bit unsure about my game.”

Federer had similar feelings two years ago after he beat Nadal on clay at Hamburg to snap the Spaniard’s record 81-match winning streak on the surface.

After that win, Federer said he’d figured Nadal out ahead of Paris. But he then lost the ensuing final in four sets. Last year he lost the French Open final to Nadal in straight sets.

“I know what I have to do but that doesn’t make it easy,” Federer said Sunday.

Nadal, meanwhile, was only thinking about the first week at the French—a long way ahead of any rematch with Federer.

“Federer has the potential to win at Paris and at any site in the world. He’s showed that throughout his career. But Paris begins with the first round, not the final,” Nadal said. “If I was told now that I can play the final against him, show me the paper and I’ll sign.”

In 2006 and 2007, one loss to Nadal was all that stood between Federer and a season Grand Slam—wins in all four majors.

The situation is different approaching Roland Garros this year. For a start, Nadal is ranked No. 1, having ended Federer’s 237-week stint atop the men’s rankings by winning the Olympic gold medal at Beijing in August.

Nadal also beat Federer in the finals at both Wimbledon and the Australian Open.

The loss at Melbourne Park in January left the 27-year-old Federer in tears. He did go some way to rebounding from that in Madrid by ending Nadal’s 33-match winning streak on clay and denying him a sixth title this year.

Nadal, with an imposing 25-2 record in clay court finals, said his loss in Madrid would have little influence on the upcoming major.

“To me, this tournament has nothing to do with Paris. This tournament is practically another surface compared with Paris,” said Nadal, who wasn’t at his best following a record 4-hour semifinal win over Novak Djokovic. “There are points on normal clay that aren’t points but they are here. The conditions favored him more than me.”

Nadal said he was “empty” after Madrid and that he needed a few days to recover. He said his right knee is OK, but it acted up again on Saturday and has troubled him since November.

 Posted: 18.05.09 23:36. Post subject: Очень толковый товар..

Очень толковый товарищ сейчас пишет аналитику на спортс.ру, всем рекомендую.

18 мая 21:38 | автор: Виктор Радзиевский

Домашняя заготовка

На теннисных состязаниях Mutua Madrilena Madrid Open Роджер Федерер завоевал первый в сезоне титул. И сотворил самую, пожалуй, большую сенсацию в теннисном мире, обыграв в финальном поединке на грунте первую ракетку планеты Рафаэля Надаля. Швейцарец прервал победную серию испанца из 33 матчей и череду собственных поражений.

По драматургии и ценности той особенной информации, которую дал этот матч теннисным аналитикам, он, думается, может быть назван хитом сезона. Федерер переиграл Рафу в двух сетах со счетом 6:4, 6:4. Это кажется невероятным, почти невозможным. Почему? Ведь сам Федерер не так давно выглядел вполне непобедимым на быстрых покрытиях. Плюс три финала «Ролан Гаррос». Мы все ждали, когда и эта – последняя – вершина ему покорится. И если бы покорилась, восприняли это как должное, разве не так? Да, Надаль с 2005 года проигрывал грунт только четыре раза, да, в личных встречах с Роджером на земляных кортах до Мадрида он вел со счетом 9-1, но Роджер – он велик, он способен на все. Так думали еще вчера его поклонники, но наблюдая за спадом в игре своего любимца, как-то незаметно стали покидать его корабль. Слезы Федерера на Открытом чемпионате Австралии, где он уступил Рафе последнее свое прибежище – хард, огорчили и растрогали, но никак не вдохновили. На Роджере, если уж быть честными до конца, многие почитатели поставили крест. И грех упрекать их – таков спорт. Доказывать свое право на лидерство надо на спортивной арене, а не на словах.

На Роджере, если уж быть честными до конца, многие почитатели поставили крест

Вот почему заявление Федерера накануне мадридского турнира о том, что он собирается играть в финале и уверен, что ему по силам победить Надаля на грунте, мало кто воспринял всерьез. Но давайте обратим внимание и на другие его слова: «Я играл хорошо в этом сезоне, но не лучшим образом против сильнейших игроков». И дальше: «Надеюсь, это случится на этой неделе, если нет, то поеду в Париж, так и не сыграв с Рафой, и, может, это и неплохо...» Вот теперь, после того, что Федерер сделал в Мадриде, задним числом начинаешь расшифровывать эти интервью и понимать скрытые смыслы. Теннис, который показал Федерер в последних стадиях австралийских состязаний, не просто был хорош, в нем появилось нечто новое, особенно в матче с Дель Потро, когда маэстро позволил себе немного покрасоваться на корте. Это новое условно можно назвать стилем «Хамелеон»: Федерер здесь – Федерер там, он и активен, когда не ждешь, и уходит от лобовой атаки. Но не смог этого показать с Надалем и от обиды заплакал. После стольких проигрышей его некогда железная психологическая устойчивость дала сбой. И вот теперь, когда он в тиши закрытых кортов, избегая посторонних глаз, начал готовить к Парижу свою новую грунтовую модель, его посетила мысль о том, что было бы неплохо не встретиться с Надалем в Мадриде, а сохранить эти заготовки до «Ролан Гаррос».

Слезы Федерера на Открытом чемпионате Австралии, где он уступил Рафе последнее свое прибежище – хард, огорчили и растрогали, но никак не вдохновили

Но встретиться все же пришлось. И теперь мы знаем, какой сюрприз готовил Федерер своему извечному сопернику.

Собственно, он сам потом сформулирует свой замысел, скажет на послематчевой пресс-конференции, что сделал «именно то, чего не удалось сделать Новаку в полуфинале, когда он должен был выигрывать в двух сетах». И хотя он со свойственным ему политесом подчеркнет, что Рафа играл на приеме не так четко, как обычно (видимо, имел в виду усталость Надаля после четырехчасового матча), и потому, мол, было выгодно избрать тактику коротких розыгрышей с опережением в завершающих ударах, но будет ясно: речь идет не об одноразовой тактике, а о принципе, которым мог бы воспользоваться и Джокович.

Впрочем, и до разъяснений Федерера, по тому, как действовал он с первых минут матча стало ясно: да, он стремится к коротким розыгрышам, но все дело в их наполнении.

Роджер поставил задачу не дать втянуть себя в удобный для испанца теннис

Роджер поставил задачу не дать втянуть себя в удобный для испанца теннис, когда Рафа, обладая прекрасной скоростью и лучшей в туре физической подготовкой, возит соперника по задней линии и, измотав его, заставляет ошибаться. У самого же Надаля уникальная способность – чем больше он двигается, тем точнее начинает играть.

Так вот, Федерер предложил Надалю не бегать, а думать. Но думать было сложно, потому что на это категорически не оставалось времени. Как можно было, например, предположить, что швейцарец, вроде бы приняв дальнобойную перестрелку, отправив Рафу глубоко за корт, ответит укороченным с задней линии? С такой точки направить мяч в медленном полете с сильным вращением, чтобы он клюнул вниз сразу за сеткой, очень непросто, но ему это по силам, и очко взято. В другом случае Роджер играет по прямой с бекхэнда на бекхэнд, игнорируя советы спецов, которые считают косой удар Надаля с двух рук куда более опасным, чем воздушный бекхэнд Федерера. Но мяч послан так глубоко и так близко к боковой линии, что у испанца не остается ни угла для замаха, ни времени для обработки мяча – он отвечает по прямой, а Роджер еще дальше смещается влево, готовя форхенд. Обычно в этой ситуации последовал бы обратный кросс, и Надаль готов стартовать, чтобы искать счастья в своей излюбленной игре по всей ширине корта. Но Роджер и с форхенда пробивает по прямой. И возникает такая картина маслом: весь корт открыт, а игровая ситуация не позволяет Надалю этим воспользоваться – швейцарец держит его в узкой полоске и продолжает по линии гнуть свою линию, пока не укладывает на нее мяч.

Швейцарец в каждом гейме ходил к сетке, стремясь отловить и остановить мяч – когда успешно, когда не очень

Все эти подробности нужны лишь для того, чтобы зримо представить себе, что избранный Федерером аскетичный рисунок игры, которая без привычной многоходовой перестрелки как будто не имела тела и ощутимого ритма – вся эта затея с пресечением инициативы соперника требовала штучного подхода к каждому розыгрышу и нестандартного завершающего решения. Для этого швейцарец в каждом гейме ходил к сетке, стремясь отловить и остановить мяч – когда успешно, когда не очень. Из 18 розыгрышей у сетки он выиграл 10. Надаль выходил два раза и выиграл одно очко. Важно еще и то, что, когда сетка перекрыта, обводка по узкому лучу свободного пространства справа или слева должна быть сверхточной, и это ограничивало возможности испанца, вносило в его игру дополнительный риск.

В итоге мы едва ли не впервые увидели, что Надаль играет в чужой, неудобный для него теннис. Проявить себя ему удавалось только на своей подаче и то отчасти, потому что – такое складывалось впечатление – некоторые геймы на подаче испанца Роджер словно бы пропускал. Может, и тут не хотел дать ему разбегаться? Мысль, конечно, довольно дикая, но факт: из десяти геймов на приеме пять проиграл с нулевым счетом, еще в трех поборолся, а в двух – девятом в первом сете и пятом во втором – сыграл очень ответственно, блеснул форхендом по линии, очень красивым укороченным. И там, и там сделал по брейкпойнту и тут же превратил их в брейки. Надаль тоже имел две возможности взять подачу швейцарца (в шестом гейме первого сета и в девятом второго), но получил быстрый отпор и не сумел их использовать.

В расчетливости и рационализме на этот раз Федерер превзошел самого себя

В расчетливости и рационализме на этот раз Федерер превзошел самого себя. Он допустил всего три двойные ошибки и 25 – невынужденных (у Надаля – 16), сделал на 5 эйсов больше испанца (6-1) и у него в два раза больше активно выигранных очков (25 –12). Но от этого чисто как зрелище матч, конечно проиграл. Не было ощущения битвы корифеев. Зато метафора о том, что теннис – это шахматы в движении, ложится на мадридский финал лучше всего. При том, что обе их партии можно почти целиком разобрать на этюды и поместить в учебник.

Нет сомнений, что продемонстрированный Роджером в поединке с Надалем вариант игры, техника и тактика успешного противодействия тому, что признано в современном мужском туре грунтовым эталоном, заставит многих задуматься о креативных возможностях современного тенниса, все больше похожего на рубку гладиаторов. Роджер не совершил открытия – скорее, развил собственные идеи. Но идеи эти интересны уже хотя бы тем, что Федерер сделал наконец то, чего от него давно ждали, но сделал совсем не так, как ему подсказывали многочисленные доброжелатели. Он не стал играть агрессивнее и мощнее, а остался верен себе, своей интеллектуальной модели, считая, что его спад в игре не означает, что она исчерпала себя. Трудно, безумно трудно остаться верным себе, когда после четырехлетнего доминирования на корте, обернувшегося неизбежным физическим и эмоциональным спадом, вокруг возникает вакуум и тотальное непонимание…

Но Роджер – очень хотелось бы надеяться – все это преодолел. Он не доказал, что сильнее Надаля. Он всего лишь доказал, что знает, как с ним играть. Теперь знает.

 Posted: 18.05.09 23:52. Post subject: Алёна, спасибо больш..

Алёна, спасибо большое за статью
Все достаточно объективно и по делу и вообще, есть о чем подумать

особенно вот это приятно слышать:

quote:

Федерер сделал наконец то, чего от него давно ждали, но сделал совсем не так, как ему подсказывали многочисленные доброжелатели. Он не стал играть агрессивнее и мощнее, а остался верен себе, своей интеллектуальной модели, считая, что его спад в игре не означает, что она исчерпала себя.

 Posted: 20.05.09 11:31. Post subject: ^^^ на рфк выложили ..

^^^ на рфк выложили английский перевод этой статьи, выполненный словенкой)

 Posted: 20.05.09 11:32. Post subject: Chris Evert on Fede..

Chris Evert on Federer : " i cry every time he loses "

“Isn’t there something about Federer that pulls at your heartstrings? I cry every time he loses a match, and I don’t even know the guy. (Laughs) There’s something so endearing about him as a person.”

Chris Evert on Federer vs. Nadal (I’m guessing this was pre-Madrid final):

“The thing that concerns me about Roger is, I just don’t know if his best is going to be good enough to beat Nadal. I don’t really see him playing out of the box, so to speak; I don’t see him changing anything, and that is what must happen if he wants to turn the tide. And also you have the added dimension of Andy Murray emerging, and [Novak] Djokovic, he seems to have gotten it back together.

”Chris Evert on the great Federer coach debate:

I think Roger’s his best coach. I don’t think there’s anyone better than him out there. Maybe someone to help him with training, fitness, getting stronger. If he can’t beat [Nadal], join him. Maybe he needs to get into the gym more. And by the way, he might be doing all this already, I don’t know. The fitness level could improve and that will bring along with it quickness and more power. But as far as playing the game and tactics, Roger is the best judge of that. Fitness helps you psychologically, there’s no doubt about it. When Martina started cleaning my clock, I said, I at least have to give myself a chance here, and so I went into the gym. Not to try to copy her, but just to be the best I could be and the strongest I could be. I think that’s what Roger needs to think about. Now’s not the time, but after this year when you have a period of six weeks, two months where you can really train hard.

sports.espn.go.com/sports/tennis/french09/columns/story?columnist=ford_bonnie_d&id=4176032

 Posted: 20.05.09 11:52. Post subject: "Noone should wr..

"Noone should write off Father Federer" -- 19.05.2009

http://www.welt.de/sport/article3768668/Niemand-sollte-den-Vater-Federer-abschreiben.html

In the middle of the decade he was the best tennis player in the world. But Roger Federer actually conquered the fans' hearts for the first time, only during the last twelve months, when Rafael Nadal caused him consecutive painful defeats. In an interview on WELT ONLINE the Swiss reveals how he wants to achieve his latest great career goals.

Roger Federer (27) is the most successful active tennis player of our days - till now he has won 57 tournaments, among which 13 Grand Slam Titles. But recently he has shown signs of weakness, he has been defeated many times by Rafael Nadal, and he has been waiting since October 2008 for a tournament victory - until he beat his steady rival on Sunday at the final in Madrid.


WELT ONLINE: Mr. Federer, next week the French Open begins. Where do you see yourself standing right now, just before the major tournaments in Paris and then at Wimbledon?

Roger Federer: I'm convinced that, after a hard year in 2008, I am again fully on the right way. This has also to do with the fact that I feel much fresher and fitter.

WELT ONLINE: Can a single victory like the one in Madrid change everything?

Roger Federer: Sometimes a great success is enough. Everything comes and goes very quickly in tennis. I haven't been saying without a reason, when I was no1, that nothing is for granted when it comes to my dominance.

WELT ONLINE: It seemed like a given fact however - after all you have dominated the tennis world for many years. Now you're still only (sic) no2, and therefore recently people say constantly that you're going through a crisis.

Roger Federer: I myself have created these great expectations/ high standards. When you remain the no1 for so many years and you only lose 5,6 times in one season, with some more defeats a state of emergency will be proclaimed. But I was never in a crisis. I never really lost my calm, and I have always looked into the situation with composure.

WELT ONLINE: Really? Boris Becker, after a sudden fall from the top of the world, once said: Tennis is brutal.

Roger Federer: This is in the nature of things - when you're out there all alone, you can't hide. There's noone to catch (?) you, like in a football team. You can win ten tournaments in a row, everything's great. But even if you lose (only) two times in a row, people start asking questions. Sometimes even you yourself start wondering. That's something you can't prevent.

WELT ONLINE: Many great athletes have felt true/genuine support from the beginning, while you had to walk off with big defeats first. What do you think of this?

Roger Federer: Yes, particularly after Wimbledon, last year. People were sad for me rather than happy for Nadal. I found that almost bitter for him. Many suddenly understood: Federer's wins are not for granted. It makes someone more human, if one loses sometimes.

WELT ONLINE: There have been voices that said, Federer is not receptive to advice, he wants no guidance.

Roger Federer: There are many who say much. I am not standing on a memorial (poDium?) and say: I know everything, I can do everything. I see the weaknesses, I see the strengths. And I bear the consequences. I examine myself every day, I am my own strict judge. Otherwise I would have never managed to have these successes.


WELT ONLINE: Observers have interpreted the latest developments this way: The big pack, that has hunted in vain for years, have now lost their respect for Federer. Because he has no longer the aura of the Invincible.

Roger Federer: Maybe. I never felt though, that there was a great pressure for other players to stand against me. You could get out on court and you had an easy job: either lose, which was nothing special, or be the hero who brought Federer to his knees.


WELT ONLINE: You are still highly motivated, even though you have won everything. Are you ever tired of tennis?

Roger Federer: I love this sport incredibly. There may be a moment once in a year, that I think: Now it would be nice to stay at home. As a junior I had already those zero-willpower-days, because I only depended on my talent.

WELT ONLINE: How much have you been thinking about the Grand Slam Record? Pete Sampras' 14 titles record is to be beaten.

Roger Federer: A few years ago I said: let me win ten titles, and then we'll talk about it. Now I am damn' close and I would like to make it. But I don't chase this goal with sick ambition. This is imputed to me indeed, but it's not true. I read: Federer fails at Wimbledon, at the Australian, because he has Sampras' recond in mind. That is silly.


WELT ONLINE: A few weeks ago you got married to your partner Mirka Vavrinec, and you will soon become a father for the first time. How much will this affect your career?

Roger Federer: My life's gonna change for sure. But I don't feel that this is going to make me lethargic/unenthusiastic. More likely the contrary: this will give me a boost. Our shared dream has always been that our children would be born while I would still be playing tennis. And now the first child (и здесь рекорды будет ставить?)) is on the way, and I already feel great anticipation.


WELT ONLINE: Will your wife still travel with you so regularly?

Roger Federer: I would like this very much. And we have the means - certainly more than others - to sort out the financial matters and to organise the practical matters. We will be a travelling tennis-family. Right now I feel very happy. And this happiness, this satisfaction in my life - these feelings inspire me. I wouldn't advise anyone to write off husband and father Federer.

WELT ONLINE: Have you already talked to other tennisfathers about the impact of the birth of a child?

Roger Federer: No, not yet. Right now all I wish for is that our child is healthy, that everything turns out well. In the beginning one thinks: is it going to be a boy? is it going to be a girl? But then there is only one thought, that there will be no complications. The attitude is changing very quickly.

WELT ONLINE: The birth date is during summer. Approximately during Wimbledon?

Roger Federer (laughing) : There is nothing to worm out of us - and this is the right thing to do.

 Posted: 20.05.09 12:34. Post subject: Алёна Очень приятно..

Алёна
Очень приятно! Впервые прочитала хороший материал, написанный русским специалистом.

 Posted: 21.05.09 09:10. Post subject: Burn Baby, Burn! ht..

Burn Baby, Burn!
http://tennisworld.typepad.com/tennisworld/2009/05/fed-1.html
Posted 05/19/2009 @ 1 :39 PM

Rog by Pete Bodo

Okay, I understand that it's not all about me, all the time. But I need to write a little about me to put this whole Roger/Rafa rivalry thing in perspective. My boy Luke, who's six, was invited to a birthday party starting at 10:30 on last Sunday morning, I knew that if I took him, I'd miss the live coverage of the Madrid Masters, but I figured I could catch the highlights later. One disadvantage of my job is that any Sunday is, at least in theory, a work day for me. I've had to learn not to feel guilty about taking Sunday off.

Anyway. I took Luke to the birthday party, but not long after noon I found myself wondering how things were going in Madrid. Nadal was the favorite, of course, but in a recent post for ESPN I speculated that Madrid might present Federer with an interesting window of opportunity. Just how off-base would I end up looking? So I punched up the browser on my Blackberry and, after much navigating, I learned that Federer had won the first set, and they were even halfway thorough the second.

Interesting, I thought, wonder if he can make it hold up.

By the time we left the party and made our way home it was around 3 pm. I got right on the computer at the apartment and checked the final score. My immediate reaction upon seeing that Federer had won was: Wow, must have been something to see. . .

Now, I've basically spent my entire adult match watching and writing about tennis matches. At this point, it takes an awful lot to make me feel like I might really have missed something, and even more to make me go out of my way at an inconvenient time to watch a tennis match. In my world, there's always another match, another player, another controversy, another icon; the down-side of a sport that rewards a player so handsomely and immediately is that the here and now quickly becomes the there and then. Meanwhile, the game inevitably coughs up the next big thing. Think you missed a "must see" or "once in a lifetime" event? Just wait a week for the next one.

Yet I found myself thinking, I've got to see this match. . . And it wasn't just because I knew I'd have to write about it here.

So that's how I ended up watching Tennis Channel at 2 am on Monday morning, with a bag of chips in my lap and a cold beer. The network was re-broadcasting the Madrid final starting at 1:30 am, so I dutifully set the alarm. I bolted out of bed at 1:20 and flicked on the tube. The fact that I already knew the outcome meant nothing at all. And that's the greatest endorsement of this rivalry that I can offer: It can get you out of bed in the middle of the night, even if you already know the outcome. This Federer vs. Nadal thing is special. Even to a jaundiced eye.

It's entirely possible that one day we'll all look back on this match - Federer against Nadal, fighting it out in the dirt inside the Magic Box, 2009 - as a career-defining moment. It could go on to be the most critical victory of Federer's career. For Federer has introduced a big question mark in the Roland Garros narrative, and revived the idea that he may yet win the clay-court major.

if Federer wins at Roland Garros - whether his final-round victim is Nadal or someone else - Madrid will stand as the turning point: the moment when Roger Federer finally got some wind behind his sails and floated free of the shoals of self-doubt and a self-protective embrace of disappointment. We all know just how much that Roland Garros title means in the big picture; the French Open championship match could have a more profound impact on tennis history than any other major final.

A Federer win in Paris would also represent an impressive act of courage and will, for one of the more compelling (and, for Federer fans, agonizing) aspects of the Swiss champion's hunt for the game's golden fleece is that fate threw him a curve ball so wicked that even the most perverse spoilsport couldn't have dreamed it up. Fate didn't give Federer a couple of good players to beat, the way it did Pete Sampras, Rod Laver, Bjorn Borg, and others. It gave him one exceptional one - a nemesis who is especially able on the clay surface that deducts the most from Federer's game.

This challenge has been, and continues to be, as difficult as it must be unnerving. Just think about it - wouldn't Federer's life be a lot easier if he'd lost a final to a Safin here, a Hewitt there, a Roddick somewhere else? The guy hasn't lost a Grand Slam final to anyone but Rafael Nadal, to whom he's lost five. What's a genius supposed to do when someone out there can taunt, Who's your Daddy?

This state of affairs has to be as irritating as it is unusual, as demoralizing as it is unambiguous. But on Sunday, Federer shook his head to clear the cobwebs, looked around at the landscape, took a deep breath and played just the kind of match he needed against the guy who made him forget how good he truly is. Oh, I know Nadal was tired and curiously passive, I saw him fail to reach shots that are usually fodder for his topspin cannon. But that doesn't really matter - do you think it mattered to Federer? Do you think it mattered to Nadal? You all heard what he said: . .If I'm tired it's because I played longer than I should have yesterday. . .

Translation: It's my own danged fault that I had a semi-final war.

Let's look at Federer's accomplishment on the two fronts that most count, the strategic and the tactical. On the strategic front, Madrid could not have ended up on the ATP calendar at a better time for Federer. Given Federer's age (27), experience, and record, it's safe to say that playing the Euro-clay events was important to Federer in only one respect: the degree to which it might help him win at Roland Garros. He had little to gain by knocking himself out in the run-up events, and even that little could be negated if Nadal managed to rack up a few more Ws at The Mighty Fed's expense in the process.

Federer needed just two things out of this clay-court season: to experiment with whatever new tactics he could think up, and to get adequately comfortable to playing on red dirt under competitive conditions. That means one or two events, preferably without meeting Nadal, for it's far more important for Federer to make Nadal wonder what he's thinking than the other way around. The demise of the Hamburg tournament and the addition of Madrid was a great logistical development for Federer, even though he notched up his last win on clay over Nadal (in 2007) at the event Madrid replaced, Hamburg.

The combination of altitude and surface speed at Madrid helped Federer a lot more than it did Nadal, who had reservations about the way the altitude would affect his preparation for the French Open, and who made it a point note that the red clay in Madrid was, at least in relative terms, extremely "fast." Looking back, I now believe that Federer probably only played Monte Carlo in order to remain in the good graces of a key sponsor, Rolex (he lost to Stan Wawrinka and seemed not too upset about it). That means he budgeted two tournaments as a run-up to Paris: Rome and Madrid. Although TMF lost to Novak Djokovic in the Rome semis, he got the matches he wanted, on a surface well-suited to his game (until Madrid, Rome was thought to have the fastest clay). He got the same - and more - in Madrid.

So, while Madrid posed an unwelcome complication for Nadal, it was a boon for Federer, enabling him to accomplish three important objectives: He tuned up his clay-court game under ideal conditions for building his confidence; he got the competitive preparation he needed and, as an unexpected bonus, he beat his rival, on his rival's home turf, to plant what doubts or fears he could in Nadal's mind. It's funny, isn't it, what a significant change a tweaking of the calendar can represent.

Strategically, Federer is in better shape going into Roland Garros than he has been since the year he took out Nadal in Hamburg. And while the clay in Paris isn't apt to be as slow as ever (slower than Rome or Madrid), Federer will be playing on it with greater confidence - especially if the weather is hot and dry, as is sometimes the case.

The other facet of Federer's win in Madrid was the tactical - the specific things he did to beat Nadal. First off, he played with a confidence we haven't seen in some time. At the start of the match, while the strains of Disco Inferno still echoed in the Caja Magica, (Did they really play that cheesy number to warm up the crowd? What next, Ion Tiriac doing the frug?), Federer looked grim and distracted, the way he has so often in the past year or so. While it's nice to know that even The Mighty Fed sometimes hates to go to work, the furrowed brow and tight lips don't exactly convey or inspire confidence in what he's about to do. But by the time he hit that marvelous forehand drop shot and held comfortably for 2-all, it was clear that things might go a little differently this time.

Ultimately, Federer's win rested on a few critical and mostly subtle changes in his game, and his approach to what might be called "the Nadal Problem." Federer seemed for the first time in ages to want to attack - to take the game to Nadal and pressure him. He played right on the baseline or even inside it, looking to take Nadal's ball on the rise (Nadal mostly played from a good six or seven feet behind the baseline). Although Federer rarely took his aggressive posture to the serve-and-volley or chip-and-charge realm, he served and volleyed some, and even chipped and charged a bit.

Mostly, though, he seemed to be looking for the short ball to jump on, and Nadal obliged him. Federer's ability to attack was a function of court speed and his position on the court, but it was also a sign of confidence. Federer has always been a little reluctant to engage in problem-solving, and it's partly because doing so undermines the sense that he's a spectacular natural talent whose every move is inherently and casually elegant. But inside the magic box, he was willing to get down and dirty.

Rafa Federer also showed more variety and deception than he has in the past. He used the drop shot sagaciously, and he came up with a new solution to the ongoing problem of finding himself pinned in his own backhand corner - that was the forehand, hit down his own backhand line (inside-in?) after Nadal had already started his sprint toward his own forehand corner in anticipation of the devastating Federer inside-out shot.

This time, Federer also handled Nadal's lefty serve better, even though Nadal managed an 80 per cent first-serve conversion percentage. One of the elements that has always hurt Federer in his matches with Nadal is the Federer has never been an aggressive returner; he likes to get the ball back in play, because he knows he can take control of and dictate the terms of a rally. That's not good enough against Nadal, who will seize on any opportunity to take control of the rally, starting with his opponent's return.

Still, it was Federer's serve, not his return, that played the biggest role in the victory. Although his first-serve conversion percentage was a solid if unremarkable 63 per cent, his second serve had sting and penetration, and so much spin that one ad-court delivery pulled Nadal so far off the court that he disappeared from my screen. Mainly, Federer served with authority, and the threat that he might attack behind any serve had to be a constant source of concern for Nadal. Federer attacked the net 18 times, and won 10 of those points. That may not sound like a great statistic, but it doesn't take into account the overall effect his willingness to attack had on Nadal's comfort and shot selection. As Mike Estep once told his then-protege Martina Navratilova, "If you're not getting passed 25, 30 times, you're not coming in enough."

When you combine all these elements, you end up with a textured, nuanced game distinguished by an exquisitely controlled aggression - the only kind of aggression that might be effective against as formidable a marksman as Nadal. All along, Federer has been insisting that he doesn't need to make any major changes in order to beat Nadal, and on Sunday he showed exactly what he meant by that.

Whether he can duplicate the feat against Nadal at Roland Garros is an entirely different question, and one it would be importunate to ask unless the meeting became imminent. For different reasons, the big challenge for both men will be fighting through the field to get at each other.

 Posted: 21.05.09 09:40. Post subject: irina пишет: And wh..

irina пишет:

quote:

And while the clay in Paris isn't apt to be as slow as ever (slower than Rome or Madrid)

что скажешь? меня эта фраза зацепила еще в первый раз на рфк, не думаю, что Бодо без каких-то снований бы такое написал.. неужели..??)

 Posted: 21.05.09 09:46. Post subject: галка ежегодный все..

галка
ежегодный вселенский заговор организаторов РГ против надаля раскроют в соседней ветке, ты зачем им помогаешь?

 Posted: 21.05.09 09:48. Post subject: Марина я скорей пов..

Марина
я скорей поверю, что это Бодо прикололся над федфанами)
Бум ждать словес от свисса.. уже сегодня)