Mutual respect will be put on hold, though, on Sunday when the Centre Court crowd, whose allegiance was split when Murray faced Federer, will be cheering loudest for the Swiss. You never know when the last time you’re going to play against him. ‘He’s one of the people that actually made me a better player, as well.
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Federer had 10 break points and converted three of them.
On Sunday, the No. 2-seeded Federer faces No. 1 Novak Djokovic in a rematch of last years final. “I expected four or five sets”.
We’ll see over the next few days if it makes the disappointment easier to bear this time, but it’s not like I came off the court and thought that I did something stupid or played some ridiculous shots at the wrong times. My serve was good again, against one of the best returners. Murray couldn’t find another opening.
“I played so well on the biggest occasion today, and that’s probably why I got it”, Federer said. “I was seeing he was serving 80 per cent in the first set, and he was in the high 70s for most of the match”. Murray saved the first set point with a splendid forehand pass down the line, but on the second Federer smacked a crunching backhand to Murray’s feet which the Scot was unable to pick up.
“A lot of guys serve first”.
It’s the third in a major final; they’re tied 1-all. So definitely one of the best matches of my career.
This is their 40th head-to-head meeting; Federer leads 20-19. Since then, neither of them has beaten the other more than three times in a row.
Federer said, “Definitely one of the best matches I’ve played in my career”. As the great British sports writer Simon Barnes has observed of Federer, “I doubt if any athlete has ever exploited serenity to the same devastating effect”. “He doesn’t show that”, said Djokovic, asked if sleepless nights fray Becker’s nerves. Among his many sensational shots was a sublime backhand flick across the court that should be bronzed and sent to the Federer hall of fame. He brought the best out of Federer with some excellent defence, hit some splendid winning passes and lobs when the Swiss charged forward and remained competitive throughout. Nadal won his ninth Roland Garros title in 2014.
Federer can become the fifth player in the Open era with multiple Grand Slam titles after turning 30, after Ken Rosewall (4), Rod Laver (4), Andre Agassi (2) and Jimmy Connors (2). Similar to Federer, he has won 88% of his matches while No. 1, and 91% at the Slams.
Djokovic has now reached the final in 15 of the last 20 Grand Slam tournaments he has taken part in.
“I kept the pressure up and then pounced when the chance was there”. This year so far has been my most consistent year by far. Novak’s lost three matches this year.
Both matches were completed in 3-Sets. (For the record: Federer’s fewest losses in winning a season came in 2005, when he went 81-4.).
And the one in pursuit knows all about what it’s like to be the hunted, but this time around he will be doing the hunting as he looks for revenge after last year’s Wimbledon heartache at the hands of the Serbian.
Twice grand slam champion Murray went out with a whimper against Bulgaria’s Grigor Dimitrov in the 2014 quarter-finals as he struggled to regain form after back surgery. But he’s now playing like that never happened. “You could fall down, you could do anything”.
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“We all know how good he is”, Djokovic said. Played a great game to break. Roddick rolled his ankle and ended up limping around the All England Club the rest of the day. “It’s been okay just to free my brain”, she said. Though the Frenchman was largely able to keep up with the Djoker, in games won, distance run, and general play, Djokovic managed to stay enough ahead to go out in just 3 sets.
