New York – It all turned on one forehand.
Brave or foolhardy. Lucky or good. Fate or destiny. All adjectives apply.
On match point against him deep in the fifth set, when Novak Djokovic took Roger Federer’s first serve and sent a screaming return cross-court for a winner, everything changed.
What once had seemed all-but-certain victory for Federer somehow morphed into the greatest Grand Slam comeback of Djokovic’s career, a 6-7, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 victory that put him into his second consecutive U.S. Open final.
Once again, he’ll face Rafael Nadal, after the No. 2 seed outclassed a game-but stressed-out Andy Murray 6-4 6-2 3-6 6-2 in the second men’s semifinal.
“Hit the forehand as hard as you can. You’re gambling. If it’s out, you lost. If it’s in, you maybe have a chance. I was lucky today,” said Djokovic, who pulled off a similar shot, in nearly identical circumstances, a year ago in the semifinal between the two.
“I felt it’s the moment,” he added later. “You know, it’s the moment when I should step in and show what I got, and it paid off.”
Federer was stunned.
“Well, I mean, it’s awkward having to explain this loss because I feel like I should be doing the other press conference. But it’s what it is, you know,” he said. “Yeah, I had it. There’s no more I could do. Snaps one shot, and then the whole thing changes.”
The sellout crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium had been vociferously pro-Federer, and Djokovic felt it.
But at crunch time, instead of bemoaning it, he used it as fuel just when he needed a little boost.
After that flaming forehand, he held his arms up to the fans and smiled as if to say, “I know what you guys want, but I’m not done here yet. So give me some love, too.”
And then, preparing to face a second match point, he had a huge smile on his face. Federer, as he looked across the net before he served, couldn’t have missed it.
What a contrast from just moments before, when Djokovic unexpectedly gave away his serve on a double fault. Then, when Federer was serving for the match at 5-3, 30-15, Djokovic missed a makeable backhand return on a second serve and just nodded his head, lips pursed, as if to say, ‘Yup, I’ve just given this away.’ ”
That set up the match point. Then, Djokovic hit the forehand.
It was a moment of bravura that Federer, the ultimate technician disguised in virtuoso’s clothing, could not comprehend.
He remembers players in his junior days being in that position against him and just hitting out with abandon – and having all those shots go in.
“I never played that way. I believe in hard work’s gonna pay off kind of thing ... So for me, this is very hard to understand how can you play a shot like that on match point,” Federer said.
“It’s just not a guy who believed much, you know, any more in winning. To lose against someone like that, it’s very disappointing, because you feel like he was mentally out of it already.
“Just gets the lucky shot at the end, and off you go,” Federer added. “I mean, I set it all up perfect, but I couldn’t finish it.”
Brave or foolhardy. Lucky or good. Fate or destiny. All adjectives apply.
On match point against him deep in the fifth set, when Novak Djokovic took Roger Federer’s first serve and sent a screaming return cross-court for a winner, everything changed.
What once had seemed all-but-certain victory for Federer somehow morphed into the greatest Grand Slam comeback of Djokovic’s career, a 6-7, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 7-5 victory that put him into his second consecutive U.S. Open final.
Once again, he’ll face Rafael Nadal, after the No. 2 seed outclassed a game-but stressed-out Andy Murray 6-4 6-2 3-6 6-2 in the second men’s semifinal.
“Hit the forehand as hard as you can. You’re gambling. If it’s out, you lost. If it’s in, you maybe have a chance. I was lucky today,” said Djokovic, who pulled off a similar shot, in nearly identical circumstances, a year ago in the semifinal between the two.
“I felt it’s the moment,” he added later. “You know, it’s the moment when I should step in and show what I got, and it paid off.”
Federer was stunned.
“Well, I mean, it’s awkward having to explain this loss because I feel like I should be doing the other press conference. But it’s what it is, you know,” he said. “Yeah, I had it. There’s no more I could do. Snaps one shot, and then the whole thing changes.”
The sellout crowd at Arthur Ashe Stadium had been vociferously pro-Federer, and Djokovic felt it.
But at crunch time, instead of bemoaning it, he used it as fuel just when he needed a little boost.
After that flaming forehand, he held his arms up to the fans and smiled as if to say, “I know what you guys want, but I’m not done here yet. So give me some love, too.”
And then, preparing to face a second match point, he had a huge smile on his face. Federer, as he looked across the net before he served, couldn’t have missed it.
What a contrast from just moments before, when Djokovic unexpectedly gave away his serve on a double fault. Then, when Federer was serving for the match at 5-3, 30-15, Djokovic missed a makeable backhand return on a second serve and just nodded his head, lips pursed, as if to say, ‘Yup, I’ve just given this away.’ ”
That set up the match point. Then, Djokovic hit the forehand.
It was a moment of bravura that Federer, the ultimate technician disguised in virtuoso’s clothing, could not comprehend.
He remembers players in his junior days being in that position against him and just hitting out with abandon – and having all those shots go in.
“I never played that way. I believe in hard work’s gonna pay off kind of thing ... So for me, this is very hard to understand how can you play a shot like that on match point,” Federer said.
“It’s just not a guy who believed much, you know, any more in winning. To lose against someone like that, it’s very disappointing, because you feel like he was mentally out of it already.
“Just gets the lucky shot at the end, and off you go,” Federer added. “I mean, I set it all up perfect, but I couldn’t finish it.”
Now he has seen it twice in a row, from the same cheeky opponent, on the biggest stage in tennis.
And after it happened, it was as though Federer’s feet were rooted to the Arthur Ashe Stadium court. It wasn’t fatigue; it was the nerves of a 30-year-old who was getting a creepy sense of déjà vu.
He barely won another point.
Federer had been 178-0 when winning the first two sets of a best-of-five match in his career, before Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated him at Wimbledon in July.
So now, it’s happened in two straight majors, the occasions Federer now lives for at this stage of his career. It will be the first season since 2002 that the former No. 1 has failed to hold up at least one major trophy.
Federer said he’ll get over it, and that it will make him that much hungrier for the Australian Open next January.
“That’s why we all watch sports, isn’t it? Because we don’t know the outcome and everybody has a chance, and until the very last moment it can still turn. That’s what we love about the sport, but it’s also very cruel and tough sometimes,” he said. “It got me today. It hurts, but it’s fine. Could be worse. It could be a final.”
And after it happened, it was as though Federer’s feet were rooted to the Arthur Ashe Stadium court. It wasn’t fatigue; it was the nerves of a 30-year-old who was getting a creepy sense of déjà vu.
He barely won another point.
Federer had been 178-0 when winning the first two sets of a best-of-five match in his career, before Jo-Wilfried Tsonga defeated him at Wimbledon in July.
So now, it’s happened in two straight majors, the occasions Federer now lives for at this stage of his career. It will be the first season since 2002 that the former No. 1 has failed to hold up at least one major trophy.
Federer said he’ll get over it, and that it will make him that much hungrier for the Australian Open next January.
“That’s why we all watch sports, isn’t it? Because we don’t know the outcome and everybody has a chance, and until the very last moment it can still turn. That’s what we love about the sport, but it’s also very cruel and tough sometimes,” he said. “It got me today. It hurts, but it’s fine. Could be worse. It could be a final.”
Read more: http://www.montrealgazette.com/Djokovic+comeback+upsets+Federer/5383732/story.html#ixzz1XbnXE3f1
What is there to say about this match I think the last Federer quote sums it up best. It hurts.
Right now every Federer fan probably feels very raw, to have him be so close yet again and not get through is really heartbreaking.
The fact that it's happened twice in a row with basically a deja vu of last year's semis makes it hurt all the more.
I have no doubt that Rog, being the GOAT that he is will bounce back from this.
2011 is not turning out to be his best year, but something tells me 2012 will be a different story.
As he himself states it'll just make him hungrier, and all the more determined. Enjoy your time in the lime light while it lasts Djokovic. Because Roger will be back with a vengeance.
Something tells me he'll probably get his revenge down the road at the remaining tournaments of the year.
Right now everything is too fresh, but I'm sure with time all of his fans (myself included) will learn to look at the positives in this match (and learn to appreciate the brilliance that was on display).
With time, but for now I choose to wallow in sadness for a bit at yet another opportunity lost :(.
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