An old rivalry was resuscitated on Rod Laver Arena a few nights back. This was the hottest ticket in town as the stage's namesake didn't even get a front row seat and had to watch the magic unfold from 15 rows back. Roger Federer, in pursuit of his 4th title down under, faced a semifinal match up against American Andy Roddick.
Even though Federer had a 15-2 record against Roddick, Andy did win their last meeting was playing smashing tennis throughout the tournament. But this was going to be a different night for him.
Roger knows Andy's game better than anybody and started off by enticing him into the net. Federer sliced every ball short, setting up perfect passing shots. Not one return was put into Roddick's strike zone; balls were either sliced and stayed low or hit so flat that they kicked up around Andy's shoulders. Even on his own service games the American was put on the defensive and Federer was able to unload every shot in the book, and a few that he, solely, owns: backhand slice winners up the line, crosscourt flicks, angles so steep they might as well have been parallel to the net and many more. He even out-aced Roddick! Clearly Andy had no chance in this match but did go down fighting.
Roddick made one obvious change this time around. He tried to play Fed's game, most noticeably with the slice backhand (which worked beautifully for him against Djokovic). However, the inventor of the shot could obviously handle it with ease. As much as he tried, Roddick was not about to out-finesse Mr. Federer.
Roger, with easy wins over Del Potro and Roddick coasts into the final and awaits world #1, Rafa Nadal. The dream final is upon us but everyone is expecting Federer to come out the victor. Nadal survived a grueling 5 set match against countryman Fernando Verdasco which outlasted any other Australian Open match in the tournament's history. Rafa is coming into the final physically and emotionally drained with only a day to recover. The perfect Swiss should have little trouble dismantling the only other true champion on tour.
Even though Federer had a 15-2 record against Roddick, Andy did win their last meeting was playing smashing tennis throughout the tournament. But this was going to be a different night for him.
Roger knows Andy's game better than anybody and started off by enticing him into the net. Federer sliced every ball short, setting up perfect passing shots. Not one return was put into Roddick's strike zone; balls were either sliced and stayed low or hit so flat that they kicked up around Andy's shoulders. Even on his own service games the American was put on the defensive and Federer was able to unload every shot in the book, and a few that he, solely, owns: backhand slice winners up the line, crosscourt flicks, angles so steep they might as well have been parallel to the net and many more. He even out-aced Roddick! Clearly Andy had no chance in this match but did go down fighting.
Roddick made one obvious change this time around. He tried to play Fed's game, most noticeably with the slice backhand (which worked beautifully for him against Djokovic). However, the inventor of the shot could obviously handle it with ease. As much as he tried, Roddick was not about to out-finesse Mr. Federer.
Roger, with easy wins over Del Potro and Roddick coasts into the final and awaits world #1, Rafa Nadal. The dream final is upon us but everyone is expecting Federer to come out the victor. Nadal survived a grueling 5 set match against countryman Fernando Verdasco which outlasted any other Australian Open match in the tournament's history. Rafa is coming into the final physically and emotionally drained with only a day to recover. The perfect Swiss should have little trouble dismantling the only other true champion on tour.
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