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9/1/10 7:35 PM | Johan Lindahl
American James Blake has voiced his doubts about the "magic" from Roger Federer's racket as light-hearted controversy about the Swiss player's "Wilhelm Tell" viral video fills idle locker-room hours at the US Open.
"I heard there was like a controversy as to whether or not it was real or it was just Photoshopped. I wouldn't trust my accuracy with that," Blake confessed. "Hitting a can off someone's head - Roger's a pretty good athlete."
"But I think even Roger's accuracy might not be perfect every time. I wouldn't hit a ball as hard as I could anywhere near someone's head."
Speculation on just how the video was achieved have been a talking point for several weeks in the sport, with Federer only adding to the doubts by laughingly refusing to say if his stunt - repeated twice - was actually achieved. "A magician can't tell his secrets," was the light-hearted Swiss response.
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Well, it would be news, but it would also be extremely embarrassing for Blake.
cherylmurray , 9/1/10 8:38 PM
LOL! this is obviously a smart campaign if even tennis player are making comments about it.
I have seen the video and my take on it is that it is a combination of actual sleight-of-hand and CGI
Roger uses a real ball on the first attempt, but he shoots way off to be safe. Indeed the camera misses the hit and we only see the can flying, probably hit by an assistant with a black rod to blend with the background.
On the second attempt, Roger bounces a real ball, for effect, but then he makes a fake, and at that moment he hides the real ball and the CGI ball is added. Then he makes the "shot". This time the camera shows the CGI ball hitting the can at the same time that, again an assistant knocks it off the head of the target with a dark stick. This time the CGI ball is covering the stick, so it looks real.
Finally someone drops a real ball on the floor to complete the effect.
Roger seems quite proud that some magician taught him how to conceal the real ball and he did a pretty good job at it.
grafight , 9/1/10 10:34 PM
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how is this news?
this would be news only if Blake actually thought it was REAL!!!
RickyDimon , 9/1/10 8:12 PM