Smells Originally scheduled for 8am EST. Then pushed back to 9:30...then 10:30, then 11. By 11:10am, Roger Federer and Thomas Berdych were warming up on center court at Wimbledon. Of course fans could watch the other semi-final match, Marin Cilic vs. Sam Querrey, but, when it comes to Wimbledon, Federer will always be the star that everyone is clamoring to watch. The semi-final started at 11:30am and proved to be worth the wait.
The players varied drastically in their styles of play. Berdych is a more modern breed of player: a big server, flat ground strokes, and less-than-elite footwork. Federer is the vet with a tennis IQ off the charts. He relies on consistency, killer instincts and incredible footwork to get the job done. Also, something that is seldom addressed, Federer is the favorite every where he goes. The crowd will always be rooting for him, and both players know it. And why wouldn't they be? He hasn't dropped a set in the whole tournament. Even at 35, he may be the best grass court player that has ever played. Both guys came into the match wanting to play to their strengths. Berdych wanted to over power Federer, hit his spots in his service games, keep the rallies short and maintain focus throughout the match. Federer on the other hand simply wanted to get the big man moving. At 6'5", 200lbs, Berdych has trouble covering the court in longer rallies, and his power is significantly diminished if he can't get his feet set. Ultimately this match would be decided by who could enforce their game plan and convert clutch points, because both men are excellent at holding serve. The first set turned out to be eventful. Federer came out with an early break, and the set looked to be going his way; however, midway through the set, Berdych started to gain momentum. He began to absorb Federer's pressure better and managed to get a break back. The set remained even and was decided by a tie break. Federer managed to edge Berdych out in the tie break 7-4. The second set was a test of the two men's focus. Each man was able to hold their serve throughout the set, resulting in another tie break. Although there were no breaks, the set was riddled with quality play. Both men displayed polished ground strokes and brilliant spot serving. Berdych had his chances to put the pressure on his opponent, but it seemed he always hit an unforced error in the clutch moments. The second set tie break ended just as the first: 7-4 Federer. The third set was where Berdych's frustration affected his game. He had shown little visible frustration up to this point, but his unforced errors increased as the games went on. He was still able to keep the set close, which is a testament to how good a player he really is, but Federer was just too good in this match. Federer broke Berdych in his fourth service game and held on to take the match in three sets. Federer's experience, consistency and mental toughness were the highlights of the match today. He was able to play his style of game, while Berdych could not stay focused in the clutch moments. Overall Berdych played well, and the match was closer than many predicted, but beating Roger Federer on grass is something few men can boast. Considering Federer has yet to drop a set in this tournament and his head-to-head stats with Marin Cilic, I predict him to be a heavy favorite leading into the Wimbledon final on Sunday morning.
0 Comments
Tommy V It's somewhat rare to be able to watch the greatest player of all time in any sport. I was too young to be able to appreciate Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali, Jack Nicklaus, or Babe Ruth. It's even more rare to watch the two greatest players of all time in any sport at the same time. The NFL is a difficult sport to pinpoint a GOAT because of the differences in position, but many believe Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are the greatest two to ever to play the game. Tom Brady likely took the crown for the greatest with his 5th Superbowl win but the debates will likely rage on for some time. You know how rare it would be for the three greatest players in a sport to be playing at the same time? It would be seemingly impossible. Could you imagine Michael Jordan, Lebron James, and Kareem all playing at the same time? The league is about as strong as it's ever been right now and I still can't imagine having these players square off against each other. The three of them have played in a combined 24 Finals and somehow the Warriors would still probably be favorites. You know what's more crazy than that? Tennis might have the four greatest players of all time playing at the same time. You might think from the picture that it would be Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray but you'd only be 3/4 right. Murray is an excellent player and I enjoy watching him but I don't think he ever deserved the moniker of being part of the "Big 4" of Tennis. He might end up with a few more major wins but he's never been close to as dominant as the other 3. Who's the 4th one then? You know who it is. It might be cheating to take from both the men's and women's side to grab these four players but this article is about the state of Tennis as a whole not just the men's side so I'm doing it anyways!
I think the only ones that really need any arguing are Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams (barely). The Joker currently has 12 grand slam singles titles which puts him tied for 4th all time and two behind the great Pete Sampras. I think he'll win at least two more if not more if his elbow injury he's been dealing with (which caused him to leave early in this years Wimbledon) isn't too serious. He's only 30 years old right now and has been one of the most dominating players in the world the last few years. The other player that's occasionally brought up as one of the greatest is Bjorn Borg who won 11 titles before retiring early at 26 when he was pushed out by the ATP (as some believe), however I like to look at what happened instead of what could have been when arguing the greatest so we'll leave Borg out for now. So let's say Djokovic is the 3rd greatest player for now. That leaves just the meager argument for Serena Williams as the greatest woman who ever played tennis left. She's currently just one major victory behind Margaret Court's 24 that leads not just all women but all tennis players ever! I think Serena will win at least one more and even if she doesn't I believe she's still the greatest woman to ever play tennis. The argument is a lot like why Michael Jordan is better than Bill Russell. Bill Russell has 11 championships as a player but few consider him to be a better player than Michael Jordan. The competition back then just wasn't close to it is now and the same can be said for Margaret Court. Serena is playing some of the greatest women of all time and is still dominating. So think about it for a second. Four of the greatest players of all time. At the same time. It truly is a golden age in Tennis. Now go watch Federer try for another Wimbledon title. |