Where's the Fed Express headed?
How do you explain frequent visits to homepages of ATP tennis tournaments other than the Slams?
It's what I've now begun to call "Fed anxiety".
Last year was a dream with the Wimbledon record along with the other titles (the French is currently not counted as a title in a Fed fan's books), the signs of the competition getting closer were showing up. Rafael ran Roger really close at Wimbledon and names such as Canas, Nalbandian, Ferrer and now Djokovic were pushing him to previously unchartered territory - tie-breaks, two sets down and the like.
This year has been nothing short of uncharacteristically disastrous for Roger Federer. Roger came with little preparation to the Australian and fought off some close calls to justify a place in the semi finals. Djokovic did the inevitable when he ended a rusty Fed's misery at the tournament. Even the most optimistic fan could tell that there was a let down in the intensity and focus on Fed's side. The mental preparation was definitely short, but Federer's ability and consistency to stay in long baseline rallies was also called under question in that match.
If one could ignore the Australian Open loss as a mere blip on an otherwise incredible career, there are more signs. Last month, Roger did well to make it to the semis of the Indian Wells, a tournament he hasn't won in 2 years. This time it was Mardy Fish who made a statement. Well, it was more a statement of Federer's decline rather than Fish's upsurge. Fish plays well but he went on to a fighting loss to Djokovic in the finals of the same tournament.
And now, Andy Roddick, of all people, decides it's time to puncture a flagging ego. Federer has not lost to Roddick in their last 11 meetings and this loss definitely has a story to tell. While Fed hasn't exactly looked ragged on court, he is probably feeling the heat of not winning much more now than ever.
Writing off the champ is no good. Atleast, I'll wait till the end of the year A couple of changes in strategy might be welcome
a. Serve and volley?
Fed's not winning the French with the kind of form he is in. He might as well try out more of serve and volley on his first serves to revive a dying art on hard courts. His job is made all the more difficult with slower hard court surfaces, but it would be worth a gamble at a time when baseliners are killing him with longer rallies.
b. Serve technique
The second serve's getting oddly predictable. I wonder if Fed's got a coach now since he parted with Tony Roche. Surely, there's room to reinvent himself so opponents do not start taking that second serve for granted.
c. Consistency
One notices a distinct lack of consistency and depth on the groundstrokes. In any case, a back to basics approach with a comparative of how his game used to be at its peak and changes to it now may bring out interesting information.
I'll resist the urge to ask the question "Is this the beginning of the end" and leave that to more 'knowledgeable' newspapers. The year to follow will tell which way Federer's career is headed. 15 career slams is a goal that's easily talked about but it may yet prove to be Roger Federer's biggest challenge. And if that happens against the kind of odds he is up against, the champion will ensure his fightback will be more talked of than the rest of his career.
It's what I've now begun to call "Fed anxiety".
Last year was a dream with the Wimbledon record along with the other titles (the French is currently not counted as a title in a Fed fan's books), the signs of the competition getting closer were showing up. Rafael ran Roger really close at Wimbledon and names such as Canas, Nalbandian, Ferrer and now Djokovic were pushing him to previously unchartered territory - tie-breaks, two sets down and the like.
This year has been nothing short of uncharacteristically disastrous for Roger Federer. Roger came with little preparation to the Australian and fought off some close calls to justify a place in the semi finals. Djokovic did the inevitable when he ended a rusty Fed's misery at the tournament. Even the most optimistic fan could tell that there was a let down in the intensity and focus on Fed's side. The mental preparation was definitely short, but Federer's ability and consistency to stay in long baseline rallies was also called under question in that match.
If one could ignore the Australian Open loss as a mere blip on an otherwise incredible career, there are more signs. Last month, Roger did well to make it to the semis of the Indian Wells, a tournament he hasn't won in 2 years. This time it was Mardy Fish who made a statement. Well, it was more a statement of Federer's decline rather than Fish's upsurge. Fish plays well but he went on to a fighting loss to Djokovic in the finals of the same tournament.
And now, Andy Roddick, of all people, decides it's time to puncture a flagging ego. Federer has not lost to Roddick in their last 11 meetings and this loss definitely has a story to tell. While Fed hasn't exactly looked ragged on court, he is probably feeling the heat of not winning much more now than ever.
Writing off the champ is no good. Atleast, I'll wait till the end of the year A couple of changes in strategy might be welcome
a. Serve and volley?
Fed's not winning the French with the kind of form he is in. He might as well try out more of serve and volley on his first serves to revive a dying art on hard courts. His job is made all the more difficult with slower hard court surfaces, but it would be worth a gamble at a time when baseliners are killing him with longer rallies.
b. Serve technique
The second serve's getting oddly predictable. I wonder if Fed's got a coach now since he parted with Tony Roche. Surely, there's room to reinvent himself so opponents do not start taking that second serve for granted.
c. Consistency
One notices a distinct lack of consistency and depth on the groundstrokes. In any case, a back to basics approach with a comparative of how his game used to be at its peak and changes to it now may bring out interesting information.
I'll resist the urge to ask the question "Is this the beginning of the end" and leave that to more 'knowledgeable' newspapers. The year to follow will tell which way Federer's career is headed. 15 career slams is a goal that's easily talked about but it may yet prove to be Roger Federer's biggest challenge. And if that happens against the kind of odds he is up against, the champion will ensure his fightback will be more talked of than the rest of his career.