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7/3/08 2:09 PM | Ricky Dimon
Welcome back to the final weekend of a Grand Slam, Marat Safin. Unfortunately, five-time defending champion Roger Federer is greeting you there.
Federer, who is bidding for an Open Era record six straight Wimbledon titles, and Safin will do battle in the semifinals at the All-England Club. The two stars have met this late in a Grand Slam on two previous occasions, both at the Australian Open. Federer won the 2004 title with a straight-set victory in the final, while Safin got revenge one year later in a classic semifinal that went to 9-7 in the fifth. Federer and Safin also met last season at Wimbledon, where Federer needed just three sets to take out Safin in the third round. Overall Federer leads the head-to-head series 8-2.
While Safin is an astronomical underdog, he showed Down Under in 2005 that he can beat Federer even when the world No. 1 is close to his best. So far in 2008, Federer has been nowhere near his best. He has lost to Andy Murray, Mardy Fish, Andy Roddick, and Radek Stepanek in addition to Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal (three times). Federer has also won just two titles in 2008, although one of those came on the grass courts of Halle just prior to Wimbledon. His game has continued to heat up at just the right time for Wimbledon. The top seed dismantled all five of his previous opponents over the last week and a half in straight sets (Dominik Hrbaty, Robin Söderling, Marc Gicquel, Lleyton Hewitt, and Mario Ancic) and only two sets out of twelve were extended to a tiebreaker.
Safin has been taken to four sets in his last three matches; by Andreas Seppi, Stanislas Wawrinka, and Feliciano Lopez. After crushing Fabio Fognini in the opening round, Safin pulled off the shock of the tournament by sending No. 3 Novak Djokovic packing in straight sets. The Russian is always capable of this kind of brilliance, but it has been absent from his game in 2008, just as it had been last year. Safin is ranked all the way down at 75th in the world, but all that ever matters with him is the here and now, and right now at Wimbledon he is in rare form.
When Safin is on, he is one of the few players on tour who can beat Federer even when Fedrer is playing well. Safin, however, has to go beyond just sustaining his current level; he needs to raise it even a notch above what it was against Djokovic. The other critical thing Safin must do in order to have a chance is keep his head on straight and stay mentally tough during the rough patches of the match. Those will undoubtedly come against Federer, and Safin failed to maintain his composure in a brutal first set against Lopez in the quarters. If Federer starts off strong this should be over in three sets, but Safin could become the first to take a set off Federer this fortnight if he comes out blazing like he did after Wednesday's rain delay.
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i expect roger to win, but we might have a surprise on our hands. i hardly think that fed is just going to stroll pass safin. i am hoping for a fed and rafa's final.
rakten , 7/4/08 11:53 AM
Did you know that... Thomas Johansson did not have to face any of the top-10 players when he won the Australian Open in 2002.
kaitepai, Dec 2, 2008 4:51 AM
tennisfan2, Dec 2, 2008 3:42 AM
tennisgirl, Dec 1, 2008 11:48 PM
lendl, Dec 1, 2008 6:17 PM
jorgeedu72, Dec 1, 2008 3:34 PM
samprallica, Nov 30, 2008 1:33 PM
samprallica, Nov 30, 2008 1:21 PM
samprallica, Nov 30, 2008 1:15 PM
Roger Federer
Marat Safin
Wimbledon
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Sadly it is unlikely Safin will beat Roger who has peaked at just the right moment. I say sadly because a final between Safin and Nadal would be a tantalising prospect!
Safin is great to watch and has provided some of this Wimbledon's best moments but I expect to see him fall apart mentally face to face with Roger who is a man with a mission - to win his 6th title at Wimbledon.
ed251137 , 7/4/08 8:28 AM