You all know the story of Icarus), who flew too close to the sun. I'm here to tell you something about Roger Federer. He's no Icarus. Dude landed on the sun last night, still so cool that his feet melted two nice little holes on the surface; all you need to add is the "close parenthesis" and you've got a smiley face icon! And that may be the most counter-intuitive thing of all, when it comes to Roger Federer's slash through the tennis history books. He makes his way with such apparent ease. With such unqualified grace. With such good humor, to blunt the bone-chilling inevitability. Last night, he hit double figures in his quest for Grand Slam titles; he now has 10. Anybody want to fast forward to 20 and drop in to see how he's doing?
Shortly after the match last night, he seemed to be doing pretty danged well. A group of us hallway surfers were gathered outside the locker room, shoving microphones in Larry Stefanki's face. He'd had a few beers, it seemed, and he was waxing philosophical and making a lot of sense. A moment later, the door to the locker room opened and out strolled Roger. As he passed by us, he called out, "Is that so Larry?" He was laughing. He kept right on going, around the corner, to do God knows what end (collecting his 11th Grand Slam title, thereby saving a trip to Paris?).
Five minutes later, while Larry was floating the theory that, tonight,his boy Fernando Gonzalez had been "thrown under the bus" (coaching patois for being flung into his first Grand Slam final against perhaps the greatest player of all time), Federer came back from his errand. Eyes sparkling, he quipped as he strolled by, "Yeah, right!"
"*hole," Stefanki retorted.
Everyone laughed, including Federer. This, you might say, is an ERR - Entirely Reasonable Response. The Mighty Fed just won the Australian Open without losing a set. Hahahahahah! There isn't anyone on this planet who can touch the dude. Hahahahahaha! Pete Sampras is thinking, "Gee, maybe I ought to make a comeback - try to build a little more of a cushion." Mwahahahahahahaha!
I may be delirious after the hours I've been keeping at this tournament, but right now it all seems too amusing for words. TMF wins another major, and everyone else on the premises is nothing more than a co-conspirator. Why fight it? Sit back and revel in the sheer audacity and once-in-a-lifetime beauty of it.
Of course, Gonzalez couldn't be quite that casual about it. Contemplating Federer's flight toward the sun, he could only say. 'Yeah, of course I have the tennis to be Number One. But Roger is really far away now."
I thought the match had two striking qualities. First, Federer took a young bull and moved the ball around the court so well that, by the middle of the second set, Gonzalez was sucking wind. TMF can pull even an aggressive player around as if were made of taffy, and it takes its toll. Stefanki had a point when he said that this was partly because of the nervous energy Gonzo was burning off as a first-time finalist at a major, but the rest of it had to do with striking quality number two: the defense Federer plays. I may have mentioned a few weeks ago that Andy Roddick recently told me that the most lethal aspect of Federer's game was his ability to defend, and the theory was borne out tonight.
Time and again, Federer found ways not just to stay in points, but to turn the tables and take control of them from defensive positions. Have you noticed how, when he's pulled wide by a near winner, TMF sometimes fields it with a stroke that bears a greater resemblance to the volley of some doubles specialist than the conventional, desperate get of a singles player out of position? And how about that squash-shot forehand flick that so often buys him a lot more than a collective exhale of appreciation from the crowd. As Gonzalez conceded, "He's defending really well. I mean, when I attack him, he's back in the middle, and that confuses you a little bit. That was really important in his game."
Oh, what the hail, let's make it three striking qualities. TMF chose not to pursue the obvious strategy of working Gonzalez's weaker, backhand side. Everyone (including Gonzo, I suspect) expected him to do that. But one of Federer's greatest - if not most conspicuous assets - is knowing how to keep an opponent off balance. He'll pursue this strategy even when that it demands working an opponent's conspicuous strength, instead of merely overworking his most glaring vulnerability. Federer knows that when you do the latter, you often accomplish one or both of two things: with a quality opponent, which Gonzalez certainly was, you help him get his lesser shot grooved, because he's expecting to use it. But you also you create counter-punching set-up opportunities for his stronger shot.
But don't try this at home. Only Federer plays defense well enough and offense precisely enough to walk the fine line required to make this strategy pay off.
I broached this subject with Federer in his presser. He clearly understood that bull-headedly working Gonzalez's port side would, in effect, close the court. Gonzalez would lay back and trade slice backhands all day, waiting for an opening. Instead, TMF chose to do what he does best: open the court, keep Gonzalez off balance, challenge him to take his best shot. As he explained, "I knew that if he plays so many slices, it's going to be tough for you eventually. You have to stay on the attack. Otherwise, it's just going to be defense. It's going to be hard for you physically to go through a match like this. So you have to open up a little bit. I was hoping for that moment to come, once I lead a set, maybe take advantage."
Gonzalez's chances, from the onset, were slim to none. They vanished after a surprisingly tight first set in which Gonzo failed to convert two set points. Stefanki: "Obviously, it's not a good idea to lose that first set to Roger. Fernando had two set points - on the first, he didn't challenge a close call that went against him, because the chair umpire (Sandra "Hear me Roar" de Jenken) signalled that it was out. The next point, he decided to run around the serve. It was a good idea, but he didn't execute well. So deuce. With Roger, you have to get that first set under your belt. Otherwise, his nervous seystem goes to flatline. He doesn't get bothered at all. He has the best nervous system since Borg. And as big as Fernando's forehand is, Roger plays defense like Borg, or Mats Wilander."
Fernando was subdued in his presser, as befits a guy who had no problem with the idea that he, instead of 18 other guys in the Top 20, was playing the final against TMF. And that's a good sign when it comes to his prospects. But, as Stefanki noted, he has to get better. So does everyone else. The standard TMF continues to set is sending every contender back to the practice courts; the best among them may have the courage to go back to the drawing board. "Roger," Stefanki said. "Is like Tiger Woods. He's forcing everyone to become a better player."
But while everyone else is laboring on earth, TMF continues to soar. Last year, you may remember, he wept when Rod Laver presented him with the champion's trophy. This year, there were no tears. If the sun doesn't melt your wings, maybe tears will. Can't let that happen.
P.S. - bonus read here on "hating Roger."