You're saying Federer wasn't in prime form at 04 W. After Wimbledon, Federer won the next two masters, the USO bageling Hewitt, a guy who had dominated federer before, twice and won the WTF. That was prime federer, other than the 07 AO. And roddick would have had a better chance against federer on fast grass. Roddick is an all-time great serve, whereas federer is a slightly above average serve, he had a career serving day at the 09 W Final, and he didn't even have 70 free points of his serve in a match that lasted 79 games. Roddick's serve is nearly as good as Sampras, and if Aggasi, an all-time great service returner couldn't break it, how can federer, an average serve returner break a serve nearly as good.
OK where to start here:
1. Federer in the Wimbledon 2004 final was playing nowhere near as well as Sampras in the 1999 Wimbledon final. Put that down to whatever you want, but anyone who watched the two matches and suggests otherwise is an idiot. Roddick would not take a set off the Sampras in the 99 Wimbledon final either, period. How could he, Sampras does EVERYTHING better than any version of Roddick on grass if he is playing like he did that day. 1st serve, 2nd serve, returns, volleys, overheads, athleticsm, overheads, agility, groundies, passing shots, you name it.
2. Being in ones prime does not mean you play your best everyday. The 2004 and 2009 Wimbledon finals were not Federer's best tennis. And in the case you believe it was then Federer must really be inferior to Sampras on grass, since Sampras at his best would NEVER look the way Federer did those two days, even with Roddick playing as well as he did those two days.
3. Agassi has played only 2 matches vs Sampras on grass, Roddick has played 4 with Federer on grass. Obviously Roddick has had more chances to give a competitive match. As it was Agassi and Roddick have both played 1 5 setter vs Sampras and Federer, respectively. Contrary to your claims Roddick has done no better. In fact Federer has won 12 sets vs Roddick on grass, Roddick only 3 vs Federer. Sampras has won 6 sets vs Agassi on grass, Agassi 2 vs Sampras. Agassi has a better ratio (25% sets won) than Roddick vs Federer (20% sets won). Your claim of Roddick being a threat to Federer on grass, and Agassi not to Sampras has no basis.
4. Calling Federer just a slightly better than average server is ridiculous. Federer does not have a top 3 serve all time but he has an outstanding serve. Agassi or Nadal are what you call slightly better than average servers. However in the case Federer did really have only a slightly better than average serve than Roddick must have a totally sh1tastic return beyond description to allow Federer to serve 50 aces against him in the 2009 Wimbledon final. So you have just confirmed by your logic the Roddick return is even more useless than already thought, a recipe for disaester on the old fast grass.
5. Regardless your opinion on Federer's serve, Roddick cant even return it worth a darn most of the time on the current grass, so how the hell would he be breaking Federer on the old grass. Let alone guys like Sampras and Ivanisevic with much better serves than Federer (or Roddick for that matter).
6. Federer had 50 clean aces in the 2009 Wimbledon final and you suspect didnt even have 70 free points of serve. Please.
7. Roddick's serve is NOT as good as Sampras's or Ivanisevic's. In fact it isnt even close really. And we have already established he must have the most ****astic return ever to allow Federer a according to you "only slightly above average returner" to ace him 50 times in a Wimbledon final, and regularly ace him at will when they play, in contrast to the very good returns on grass (especialy compared to Roddick) of Sampras and even Ivanisevic. Add to that the superior volleying and athletic ability of those two guys and what the hell is he going do to either against fast grass (which is the main topic, not Federer anyway).
8. We have already seen Agassi had no trouble breaking Roddick's serve. Even in Roddick's lone win (after saving a match point) vs grandpa Agassi on fast grass at Queens, Agassi had chances on Roddick's serve throughout the match. Roddick also had a better than usual serving day as evidenced by his WR serve coming that day.
9. To call Federer just an average serve returner is ridiculous. However again if Federer is just an average serve returner then how extremely bad must a serve returner must Roddick be when his return is WAY below Federer's. Especialy when Federer with supposably just a slightly better than average serve and a supposably average return of serve still does better on the serve/return combined in matches with Roddick with a "nearly Sampras" serve. By that logic Roddick must have just about the worst return ever outside of Karlovic. And just how can someone with such an awful return of serve (which you have now confirmed twice by your own theories) hope to win Wimbledon on fast grass.
10. If Federer really has only a slightly above average serve and average return of serve (again your words) then how you can even suggest he is close to Sampras's level on grass, by your own ratings of Federer's abilities (especialy when you add in Federer volleys nowhere near as well or frequently as well as Sampras too). And what does that say about the grass court field of today that a player with a slightly above average serve and average return of serve can win 6 Wimbledons in this era. And what does that say about Roddick that cant even win a Wimbledon in that same era.
