LanceStern
Professional
That's the strange thing abotu it, and this sentiment was stated in one of Yahoo's sports blogs as well:
So I thought about it, and it really is the truth. The three losses Fed suffered this year came from Murray and Nadal. That's it.
In his previous 3 tournaments the set tallies went:
Doha: In three matches only lost a set to Murray (and lost the game)
AO: Lost 2 sets to Thomas Berdych, but straight setted everyone else. Lost to Nadal in the finals
Indian Wells: Lost 1 close set to Gonzalez but straight-setted everyone else. Lsot ot Murray in the semis.
Even with Federer's decreased movement compared to his in-form form of 05-07 and even 08 (showcased at Indian Wells), Federer still has enough consistency, gas on the forehand etc. to beat every player except Nadal and Murray. And he can beat them too if he puts his head on again.
Federer still has far too much game for anyone else in the world except for Nadal and Murray, and reports of his demise are woefully premature. He remains one of the finest players the world has ever seen, but this period of his career is an opportunity to showcase his true mettle.
If Federer can find a way to conquer the mental demons which seem to grip him every time he is forced to up his tempo against Nadal or Murray, it would be one of the most notable achievements in a glittering career that has produced 13 Grand Slam titles.
And more importantly, for tennis, it would rescue a magnificent rivalry from turning into a one-way ticket to predictability.
So I thought about it, and it really is the truth. The three losses Fed suffered this year came from Murray and Nadal. That's it.
In his previous 3 tournaments the set tallies went:
Doha: In three matches only lost a set to Murray (and lost the game)
AO: Lost 2 sets to Thomas Berdych, but straight setted everyone else. Lost to Nadal in the finals
Indian Wells: Lost 1 close set to Gonzalez but straight-setted everyone else. Lsot ot Murray in the semis.
Even with Federer's decreased movement compared to his in-form form of 05-07 and even 08 (showcased at Indian Wells), Federer still has enough consistency, gas on the forehand etc. to beat every player except Nadal and Murray. And he can beat them too if he puts his head on again.