Showtime
Category: Tennis
Publish Date: 02-01-2009 05:07 AM -0500
Hello all, since I won't be writing a wrap of tonight's final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal, I've decided to post some thoughts after each set. Check back here for more as the match progresses.
First Set
First, a little background on the conditions and atmosphere inside Rod Laver Arena. At the start, the air was humid, more so than it has been all week (it was another hot day today). When the players were introduced, Federer received far louder applause, though there has been plenty of cheering for Nadal.
Federer opened the match with a sloppy service game that included a double fault and three bad errors. He then broke Nadal and later broke again for a 4-2 lead. Nadal took five of the last six games to win the set.
My overall impressions so far: Federer isn't serving terribly well. He's also rushing his forehand when he decides to run around his backhand. His backhand, as usual against Nadal, has had more than its share of shanks. He isn't approaching the net that often, and when he has, he's hit some terrible volleys. So far, he's playing far from his best.
Nadal: I thought he looked a step slow in a lot of the rallies; perhaps he's feeling some effects from his five-hour semifinal against Fernando Verdasco (I'm told Nadal went to sleep at 5:40 a.m. after that match). He missed more forehands in that set that I would normally expect to see him miss. He also served poorly. His backhand has served him quite well so far: a few outright winners and more forces. All in all, he was fortunate to win the set with mediocre play (he did pick up the pace in the last few games).
That's all for now. I'll be back with more a bit later.
Second Set
The mood swings continue here inside Rod Laver Arena. Nadal saved a break point early in the set with an ace and then leveled the score at 2-2. He immediately broke Federer, but his play declined from there while Federer, for the first time tonight, began to play like Federer. He won the last four games to take the set.
Impressions of Federer: He hasn't missed a forehand in a while and just won a set while serving 37 percent on his first serve. He has to be pleased. His backhand was much better that set: improved accuracy, more pace, better angles.
Nadal: He was talking to himself after letting that 3-2 lead go to waste. He's not getting many free points on his serve and still looks a smidgen slow to me. The backhand remains a thing of beauty tonight (though he had a few errors late in that set). His forehand isn't quite right so far. Very good (it always is) but he has hit too many careless shots (I'm blaming footwork, at least so far). Nadal is working a lot harder out here than Federer (a.k.a. Mr. Effortless). Not surprising, but I'm not convinced Nadal can continue to grind like this and win the match. He has fooled me before, but he has a long road ahead of him tonight.
I'll be back with more in a bit.
Third Set
A stunning turn of events in this set. Nadal, who has received treatment on his right thigh, struggled to hold serve the entire set while Federer held easily. At 4-4, Nadal escaped a 0-40 deficit (two of those points were on second serves). At 5-5, he walked the wire again, this time recovering from 15-40 (he saved a third break point in the game, too).
Impressions of Federer: He had this set. He missed a few chances to control break points with his forehand and wasn't aggressive enough when he had a chance to seize the advantage. Federer won the opening point of the tiebreaker, but immediately shanked a forehand. He missed another forehand (this one a wild one, wide right) to fall behind 4-3. He still isn't making enough first serves. On the plus side, I can't imagine that Federer can play better defense than this. He continues to make Nadal work and to track down balls from corners far and wide. Can he step up the offense, especially his serve? We'll see.
Nadal: The entire third set, I kept telling myself, no one can play this close to the edge and win a match. The man is a marvel. Once the tiebreaker rolled around, Nadal didn't miss. At 5-3, he played his finest point of the match, blasting a crosscourt backhand, working his way to the net and then dropping a soft backhand volley, from a full stretch, just over the net for a winner. He has to feel lucky to be in the lead here. Does he have enough energy to close out the match?
Fourth Set
Federer makes the most of his chances this set. A few crisp forehands on important points, better serves, and also a lot of resolve (he broke to open the set, lost his serve, and then broke again). This match is in his hands: He's controlling most points and serving better. The match is almost four hours old. If Nadal can last this set and win it, it might be his greatest achievement yet.
Fifth Set
Rafael Nadal, improbably, amazingly, is the Australian Open champion. Of the five Federer-Nadal matches that have lasted five sets, this was the worst fifth set performance by Federer. I thought he looked fairly fresh when the set began, and he won the fourth set with little trouble. By the middle of the set, though, his serve had lost power and accuracy, his forehand had less acceleration, and his backhand went astray. Was he fatigued physically? Mentally? Both? Nadal showed surprising energy down the stretch.
Nadal's victory raises the inevitable question: Can Federer be considered the greatest player of his generation now that one man has beaten him in a major final on all three surfaces, and in less than a year at that? It's a remarkable accomplishment for Nadal, and a blow for the now teary-eyed Federer.
