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September 10, 2007
U.S. Open champion Federer adds to legend
By Art Spander, Inside Bay Area
NEW YORK — What is left now but the accolades, the admiration? The
tennis itself, the graceful backhands, the powerful serves, that is
understood, that is a given. We've seen every possible shot, every
possible situation, and in the end, no matter the opponent, there's
Roger Federer, all alone in his success. On the lawns and quiet of Wimbledon. On the hard courts and noise
of Flushing Meadows. Roger, so gifted physically, so resilient mentally
is a man apart, raising trophies, breaking records and ending
comparisons. Because there are none. He took another Grand Slam on Sunday, as we knew he would,
although perhaps in an unexpected mannered, allowing the talented young
Serbian, Novak Djokovic, more than enough chances for an upset and then
like any great winner not allowing Djokovic to take advantage of those
chances. Federer, who might have lost the first two sets, naturally
won them and in the end won the match, 7-6 (4), 7-6 (2), 6-4, becoming
the first male since Bill Tilden in the late 1920s to win the U.S. Open
four consecutive years. He now has 12 Grand Slam titles, second only to the 14 of
Pete Sampras, is the first in modern history to win both Wimbledon and
the U.S. Open back-to-back four consecutive years and has won 27
consecutive matches at the Open, equaling the mark of Ivan Lendl. "It is amazing to see him perform under pressure," said the
20-year-old Djokovic, whose own performance under pressure, blowing
chances when he served for the first and second sets, was not so amazing. But then it was his first step on a stage Federer has been so frequently.
So close for Novak, as even Federer admitted. But also so far.
We've seen it so often. Someone has a 2-foot putt to beat Tiger Woods.
And missed. A team has three outs to win the World Series — OK, let's
be cruel, and say six outs, the 2002 Giants — and can't close the deal.
Or needs just one point on seven different occasions, as did Djokovic, to win a set from Roger Federer.
Would have or could have. But didn't have. And maybe never will have.
What a night. What a show, The usual sellout of 23,700 at Ashe
Stadium. Liza Minelli starting things off singing "New York, New York."
Dustin Hoffman, Christie Brinkley, that uptown girl, Donald Trump and
Robin Williams in the house. Maria Sharapova and Robert DeNiro not only
in the house but in Djokovic's box. And Federer, as normal, doing what
was required. Next up, certainly, is Pete Sampras' mark, and Roger said
he wants it. "One of his biggest strengths," Novak said of the 26-year-old
Federer, "is his mental strength. He gets an advantage of the players
in any match, because they are thinking, 'OK, I'm playing Roger
Federer, one of the best players in tennis' ... but on the other hand,
he's the No.1 player of the world, and everybody expects him to do
well, on every surface, so he has a lot of pressure." Which he handles quite beautifully. "I thought I played well
when I had to," Federer remarked. "I enjoy the challenge of young guys
challenging me. This is probably my biggest motivation, seeing them
challenge and beating them in the final. It's really for me the best
feeling." Federer beat Andy Roddick in the quarters, Nikolay Davydenko in the semis and now Djokovic in the final without losing a set.
"Those matches were close but I came through," he said.
Doesn't he always? Except for the French, Roland Garros, where
he's been defeated this year and last in the final by Rafael Nadal, the
only two times out of 14 he's reached the final of Slam and not won.
The real effort is for someone to knock him off. Djokovic did
it a month ago in a tuneup tournament, which Federer called
"insignificant." It's the big ones that matter, the Super Bowl, the
major golf tournaments and the Slams in tennis. "Wimbledon is always going to be No.1," said the Swiss
Master, Federer, "but since that famous final against Agassi a few
years ago I started to love this tournament." Why shouldn't Roger Federer? He owns it, along with the rest of tennis.
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