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February 28, 2005
The ‘Basel Dazzler’ at his very best
By Ahmed Abbas Rizvi, Khaleej Times
DUBAI
— Roger Federer has played some sublime tennis over the past year and a
half, and some unbelievable matches. And when he claims he has played
“magnificent” in a match, you really got to feel sorry for the guy on
the other side of the net. And that’s the way most felt on Saturday night.
There
was a tinge of sadness in the stands as Andre Agassi walked out
shell-shocked, humbled 6-3, 6-1 by the ‘Basel Dazzler’ in just 51
minutes. At the same time, their senses were aroused by the tennis
Federer produced.
“Today
was an incredible match for me. I am very, very happy of course,” said
the World No.1, after getting the better of Agassi for the sixth
consecutive time.
“I
didn’t expect anything like this because I was struggling with my
rhythm,” he admitted. “I thought it would be extremely hard against
Agassi, but I pulled off.
“That’s a magnificent match I played and it will be very special to me.”
There
was one particular shot that will stay in the memory of all those
present, even after Federer is long gone from the court and amongst the
immortals of tennis.
It
was the sort of “I-was-there” moment and left even the Swiss himself
shaking his head in wonder. Words can do no justice, but to describe —
he ran back and then hit a lob with his back to the net that landed
right on the baseline. It gave him his second break of the second set,
putting him ahead 3-0 and virtually sealing the fate of the match.
“That
was unbelievable. What can I say — it is one of my best shots in my
life,” said Federer. “You try that in practice and in matches you try
to scramble back everything possible.
“I
thought it was lost. I just tried to get the right angle on the ball
and just send it back but it finished for a winner. I don’t know what
happened. I’ve got to see the replays,” he added modestly.
“I
know I am very good at bringing back maybe some impossible balls and I
do that in practice. But in a match, on a point like this against Andre
Ö it’s a different feeling.”
The
Swiss is surprised though at his statistics against Agassi. He has not
lost to the American since the 2002 Miami finals; he has won six on the
trot since then, and all with a level of comfort.
“I am definitely surprised myself that I could win the last six,” said Federer.
“I
am a different player now. When I played him (Agassi) in 1998, I was a
boy so he was toying with me,” the Swiss said, when asked the reasons
for his dominance of the American. “But now, I am a better player;
stronger mentally and physically.
“I
was just struggling with his rhythm in the beginning; I just couldn’t
handle it. But now, because I have become much more match-tough, I
would say I can hang with him. And this makes the difference.”
The stands were overwhelmingly for Agassi. But Federer wasn’t too perturbed.
“I
thought it was fantastic atmosphere out there, and I thought it was
equal,” he said. “Some of the fans were, of course, screaming a little
louder for Andre because as soon as they saw him slipping down in the
scores, they wanted to be back even.
“Just
when they felt that he would be catching the plane soon, they really
wanted him to be still in the tournament. And I totally understand
that. He’s been great for the tournament and he has done a lot of stuff
to promote the tournament.
“So,
of course, it was a pity to see him go out. But I thought it was a
fantastic match and I have never experienced an atmosphere like this on
centre court in Dubai. It definitely gives a lot of hope for the future
of the tournament,” he added. Federer’s conquest of Agassi set him up
for a title-clash with Croatian Ivan Ljubicic last night — the third
time they faced-off in a final this year after Doha and Rotterdam.
“He
just doesn’t go away that guy,” joked Federer, who won both time
against Ljubicic, and leads the Croat 5-3 going into the final.
“He’s just been great; he’s been beating some good players and he has been doing that consistently.”
And
when someone suggested Federer-Agassi deserved to be a final, the Swiss
was quick to add that the two best players were in the final.
“I
have played many matches before which people believe should have been a
final,” he said. “But I don’t believe in that. I believe the best are
in the final. Ljubicic and me are now in the finals and we got to
battle it out.”
There
could be little battle though considering past evidence. The Swiss has
been unbeaten in finals the last 15 times he has been there. And
winning close matches over the past week has added to his confidence.
“In
the last few matches when I was struggling with my rhythm, I showed
that I could raise my game when it is important,” the Swiss said.
“I
am definitely the best frontrunner in the game. Once I am up, I hardly
ever slip. But it has shown that coming back from behind is also a
forte of mine. That’s a lot more difficult and it is not going to be
every match.”
Asked
to name his favourite matches of all time, the Swiss singled out his
duels with Australian Lleyton Hewitt at the 2004 US Open and American
legend Pete Sampras at Wimbledon 2001.
“My
favourite match, playing well, was the one against Hewitt at the US
Open (2004 final). I thought I was just unbelievable. I expected a
tough match and then it turned out the way it was. So that was
unbelievable,” revealed Federer, who won that match 6-0, 7-6, 6-0.
“Also,
one of my most memorable matches was the one against Sampras at
Wimbledon (2001)Ö 7-5 in the fifth set. Of course, then I went on to
win the title,” added the Swiss.
In
2001, Federer ended the reign of Pistol Pete at Wimbledon, beating the
seven-time champion 7-6 5-7 6-4 6-7 7-5 in the fourth round. Sampras,
gunning for his fifth straight title, which would have equalled Bjorn
Borg’s record, was silenced in a five-set thriller by a composed
teenager with a tantalising array of shots.
Sampras, before this loss, had not lost at Wimbledon in a 31-match streak stretching back to July 1996.
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