Email
Save
Rate
Print
Federer's impregnable 15-1 head-to-head record against the American with Roddick's last win in the semi-final of the 2003 Montreal Masters event suggested that this would be yet another routine night for the world number 1. Eleven consecutive loses to the Swiss maestro in the last 5 years was a psychological hurdle most believed was insurmountable.
Even when Roddick bagged the opening set on a tiebreak 7-4, taking advantage of some uncharacteristic unforced errors from the Swiss, the end result was still unexpected given that Federer has beaten him from a set down many times before.
At 4-4 in the second set, a backhand crosscourt pass gave Federer two break points which he converted at the first opportunity when he stepped in and put away a short ball on the forehand. He closed out the set minutes later on serve with an off-forehand winner.
The final set saw the American holding his own on serve, not giving Federer a sniff at a break point. Then at 3-4, Federer found himself 0-40 down after hitting two consecutive backhand unforced errors after Roddick had passed him down the line with a sublime running forehand in the opening point. The audience erupted as the Swiss netted his forehand to leave Roddick serving for the match.
An ace followed by a couple of errors from the Swiss gave the American 3 match points as the excited crowd awaited a famous American victory.
Federer in true champion style saved the first two with some immaculate play; a forehand winner off mistimed smash and a forehand crosscourt pass.
Roddick closed out the match on his third match point with a service winner.
"It's a tough way to finish a match", Federer said. "I've been on a good run on my serve this week. To end it this way is sort of disappointing, but what are you going to do? It's over now. I think I did well to hang in there. Maybe this is one of the matches I should have won against him because he's had some other ones where I think he was supposed to win, but this time around it went his way.
"I didn't make it tough enough for him to come up with good shots. I missed too many, and I think that was the disappointing part of the match today. All in all I think it was still a good performance, and I think Andy served really exceptionally well tonight."
It seems strange that after being so dominant against Americans since becoming world number 1 in 2004, that he should suffer two consecutive loses. Perhaps Pete Sampras has in some way inspired his fellow countrymen to take on Federer in the forecourt. The Swiss did not believe his exhibitions with Sampras to be a factor.
"I really doubt that. Those surfaces are too quick, and nobody plays like Pete, so it has nothing to do with these matches."
An ecstatic Roddick was still in disbelief in the press conference interview afterwards:
"I'm just glad I have a little hair left", Roddick laughed. "It's nice to build on Dubai and to have wins over 1,2 and 3 in the world early in the season. It's a good thing. It's probably what's been missing the last couple of years, so it's encouraging.
"I figure I was due. He hadn't missed a ball in a crucial moment against me in about 6 years. I figured the law of statistics had to come my way eventually."
Roddick admitted to being inspired by his friend Mardy Fish's victory over Federer last week in Indian Wells.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't encouraged by Mardy's result last week. After I heard the news I went out for another run after a long day of practise because I think I was excited and optimistic. I had a sudden burst of energy and kind of ran till the sun went down because I was starting to feel hopeful and I was happy for Mardy."
Roddick will play Nikolay Davydenko in the semi-finals after the Russian easily dispatched Serbian Janko Tipsarevic 6-2 6-1.
Andre Jones
Crandon Park
Key Biscayne
Miami
Comment on this article! (
© 2003 - 2008 Inside-Tennis.net. All rights reserved.
Created by W2 Studio - Web Design Cardiff