January 31st, 2010 at 3:55 AM ^
I have it recording though. Don't particularly like either player, but I hate Federer more, so hoping for Murray
January 31st, 2010 at 4:48 AM ^
Fed is currently having his way with Murray. He is up a break in the second. He wins this set and I'm off to bed.
January 31st, 2010 at 4:50 AM ^
A toast to my first double post.
January 31st, 2010 at 7:43 AM ^
Murray will be king one day, but not if he doesn't learn from this and actually work hard in the offseason instead of playing video games 6 hours a day.
January 31st, 2010 at 12:41 PM ^
He really needs to work on his serve, especially that second serve of his. Beyond that, he needs to change his country of citizenship. You could tell during the trophy ceremony last night that he really felt the pressure of an entire nation on his shoulders. The British are like the Cubs when it comes to any sporting event. They have not won anything big in a while even though they have the potential to win, and always come up short when given the chance.
January 31st, 2010 at 1:50 PM ^
That was a pretty good line he had though. "I can cry like Roger, too bad I can't play like him."
January 31st, 2010 at 2:06 PM ^
He won't be the king..
He doesn't bring anything new to the table, and guys like Del Potro will eat him for breakfast once they mature.
January 31st, 2010 at 2:50 PM ^
I watched the match last night (morning?). I agree DelPo is the best of this upcoming group, ahead of Murray, Djokovic, and Cilic but each of them will win multiple slams in their career.
As for Murray's game: he's got to stop playing defensive tennis and start being the aggressor like he did in his match against Rafa (another 3:30 start so not sure if anybody watched it). He dominated that match from start to finish. Yesterday he returned to a passive, stay-in-the-point strategy and was simply outclassed by the best ever. He needs to get a more consistent, more dangerous serve, he needs to get into net more often, and he needs to take more chances by going for more winners. He's gonna get a few - and probably a Wimbledon for the folks back home before long - but the sooner he changes his game the better.
As for Fed - best I've ever seen - looked like he played for 10 minutes at the end, not 2:30...everything about his game is incredible.
January 31st, 2010 at 4:06 PM ^
I'm really impressed at Roger's "renaissance" since losing to Nadal at the Aussie last year. He seemed psychologically broken then, giving up the last of his surfaces to Nadal. He's a tiebreaker away from winning all four majors since that loss. After last year's Aussie, there were questions about who the best of all time is, but I think Federer has put those to rest now.
If Rafa can minimize his injuries, then I think he and Del Potro will be the torch bearers of the Post-Federer generation. I wouldn't be surprised in Djokovic never wins a major again.
January 31st, 2010 at 4:48 PM ^
Del Po really needs to improve on grass. Nadal needs to stay healthy, and his topspin fh sets up well for the taller players like Del Po to kill. Djoko needs to improve his mental strength and be able to get over the lapses that have caused him to lose in the majors lately. Andy Murray does not have the forehand nor does he have the serve to bail him out during his service games. Point is, with Federer, he has all these weapons and that is what makes him so great. I really feel, in my opinion, that after Fed, there will not be one torch bearer, but rather a lot of mediocrity like we see in the women's game. Fed has certainly raised the bar in the game, and it will be interesting to see what a successful season will be considered once he is gone.
January 31st, 2010 at 6:36 PM ^
Of course there will not be any one dominant player after Federer. There hardly ever is. It is astounding that Federer has been able to win at such high levels for so long with hardly any letup.
HOWEVA, I think that there is a big difference between the men's game without Federer and the women's game (without Serena?) Looking at the men's top ten there are a lot of really good players. The women all seem to be mediocre though. For example, look at their serving problems.
When a group of players (or teams like a conference) all beat up on each other it's impossible to tell whether they're all good or all bad. Anyway, I agree there will be parity but I don't think it will be mediocrity.
January 31st, 2010 at 4:58 PM ^
This is going to sound homo-erotic, but...
Roger Federer is a beautiful, beautiful man. He is one of the most graceful, purest athletes I've ever seen; he is an artist, in my estimation. I feel privileged each time I get to see him play.