|
January 31, 2004
Federer's ready to fulfill ranking
By MaliVai Washington, ESPN
MELBOURNE,
Australia -- Without question, Roger Federer and Marat Safin are
playing the best tennis of anyone in the world right now. With
his semifinal victory against Juan Carlos Ferrero, Federer will take
over as No. 1 when the ATP entry rankings are released on Monday. More
than that, though, he's respected and well-liked. What endears
so many people to Federer is his great tennis ability and likeable
personality. His classic game is a perfect match for his personal
style. He's a throwback to the players of old who congratulated their
opponents on a good shot, didn't question line calls and were modest in
victory. You don't find those qualities often in players today, and
that's probably why Federer will end up being one of the most admired
No. 1 players -- by the fans and fellow players. Now, his focus
turns completely to winning a second Grand Slam title. When Federer and
Safin are playing their best tennis, it's hard to imagine how they can
possibly be defeated. The final (ESPN, 10 p.m. ET, Sat.) will be great
because of their contrasting styles. Federer has a classic game
with every shot imaginable. Safin is the big Russian who has an
overpowering game that will come at you only one way: full force. The
keys in this match are going to be typical stats: first serve
percentage, first serve return points won and break points converted.
Usually, the player who wins more points in a match is the player who
wins the match. That was not the case with Safin and Andre Agassi in
the semifinals; Agassi actually won one more point than Safin. So, the
player who comes out on top in two of those statistical areas will most
likely be the player who wins the championship. If Federer
prevails, he will not only solidify his position as the best talent in
the world but also confirm his No. 1 ranking with a victory. He will
most likely -- an early call here -- finish the year No. 1. Once a
player proves he or she can win multiple majors on different surfaces,
that player becomes a serious threat at every major. If Safin
wins the title, it will put him back in the tennis elite, where he
should have been all along. This might be the beginning of a great few
years for Safin. If he can keep his head about him and his focus on
tennis, he might end his career with four or five Grand Slam titles. This
match has the potential to be one of the greatest finals we've seen
since Andre Agassi's five-set victory in the final of the French Open
in 1999. It could go either way, but look for Federer to win in five
sets. MaliVai Washington, a tennis analyst for ESPN, reached the 1996 Wimbledon final.
|
