Federer is not having it all his own way.

1st set Falla.

Yikes, Falla takes the first set.

falla is on fire - federer does not look confident

Guys,
With all due respect to your opinion and to Falla's game... this is a clear straight-setter for Fed if I'd ever seen one!

WTF! I hadn't realised it had already begun!
I thought you were forecasting.... this is news indeed even if Fed ends up winning ...

pssst pssst nadline!!!

<whisper> is it really true Falla won the first set? Haven't I told you that Roger is on slump? <end of whisper>

Come on Fed!

Guys,
With all due respect to your opinion and to Falla's game... this is a clear straight-setter for Fed if I'd ever seen one!

Shireling , 6/21/10 2:52 PM


Famous last words.

Davydenko has lost the first set to Anderson.

Federer is now a set and a break down.

listening to the commentary McEnroe cannot believe it.

lets see if he will be able to take it to tie breaker ???????

Rog hasn't had any break chances in the second set yet, so this one may have to go to 5 sets...

btw I don't think for a minute that Falla will win - I still think Roger will put it off but let's see.

Federer should be more aggressive, he is mainly defending now. A bad day at the office due to Falla's good play too.

Shireling it is a bit shocking ... Falla is now serving for second set!

5-3 !! what the hell is this?? :S :S

In the last game on Falla's serve Roger got to deuce so that is more promising, but in any case he needs to get his first serve percentage up again.

vamosrafa, I just turned on the TV and said the same thing.

What in the world is THIS?

YEEES

Falla is now 2 sets to love. 7.4 6.4

There's gonna be a lot of pressure on Falla now to win one more set. But even more on Roger: 2000 points for one.

F***+ S****+F***+S***

things are going out of federers hand...

Federer seems to have zero confidence, not going for his shots at all, this sucks. Just putting the ball in play.

Good, now what was that "Wimbledon draw revealed"?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..is any one home?!!!!!!!!!!!!

Like I said, perhaps its the WCup bug!!!

VAMOS!!!!

This is nuts!
Lol nadline - who would have thought it!

Prediction: Federer for a straight-set victory with little difficulty...............right!......

No more predictions..............please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Does Falla have the nerve to close out a GS match against Roger? He might choke before he even gets there. Supposed to he be an easy draw.

Well good day to you...lovely day isn't it??

Why would anyone choke against ExFed??? ...it's gone with wind...
Sooooo many UEs... pathetic!!!

They are not showing federers match and I can't believe what the scoreboard is saying. Federer has got to win, I mean a predicted that this years Wimbledon will be a shambles with early exists, but this is going a bit too far!

<whisper> Is it really true that Falla is 2 sets up against Roger? <end of whisper>

And somebody talks that he is not happy... he will go thru ...
Can you imagine..... Falla is injured.... what lucky guy this ExFed....
C'MON FALLA!!!!!

Falla being treated again for his left leg hamstring.

what do ppl think abt this han? fed crushed falla in halle and they say it is much touhger to play and beat fed in a slam becoz he doesnt care abt those 250s anymore...look what is happening in a slam ! :S its hard to digest really. falla cramping..does fed need some intervention??

yes, Raindrops. And isabeau, can you honestly say that you would have picked Falla to win 2 sets (at least) over Federer? ON GRASS?

for some odd reason they are not showing the match live in Oz either. They have Davidenko on now. I'm watching on livestream...with good commentary.

isabeau,
you can watch this match on www.atdhe.net

Fed is making incredible mistakes!!! ...completely lost...

Hi zare, it's a very lovely day for sure :) but the day isn't over yet.

Luck of the draw...luck of an injured opponent...how lucky can a guy get?

Falla being treated for the third time for that hamstring...

Third time... Falla is treated for one minute. Why don't they take medical pause!!!

Oh, Good Lord. This is horrible...

<whisper in the wind> Falla finish what you have started <end of whisper>

Despite the pressure and probably still feeling his hamstring Alejandro is still playing great tennis. Like after being unlucky with a net cord staying in the game and still closing out the point with a precision passing shot a few strokes later.

I'm sorry to say this on the account of BOTH players but it seems that this match will be decided by the hamstring.

Can someone explAin to me whAt is going on with federer? I get that falla is injured but what's up with fed?

Falla can't run anymore, so he'll probably take a pass on the greatest opportunity of his career. Fed's luck!

Oh...he's just lost and confused... and generaly he looks like he would like to be somewhere else...

God, Federer is pathetic!

Roger is not always great in the first matches of a tournament but at slams this has not been a problem for many years as he has enough sets to pull things around.

Roger is not on fire anymore. He needs a break from tennis.

3 break points for Falla

...and one more... fourth...

Roger just saved 3 break points. One more.

The sad truth is that for so many years Roger has rarely needed to work hard to win on a bad day. And lately he has been more vulnerable and has lost some of his aura of invincibility.

Like others say, we are now in the third phase of Roger's career where periods of excellence and periods of not so great play will be alternating.

...and 5:4 for fed...
Falla is so slow...

In your face!!!!

Set point for Fed.

Federer takes the 4th set.

wow-Federer wins 3rd set. I sense similarities between this match and Federers houdini act against Tommy haas at the French last year.

YES!!!!! Thank you, Roger. At least you're fighting!

Sanela- against an injured opponent your comment is unfair!

And if federer gets out of this one it's becAuse of pure luck and injury of his opponent! Falla does not deserve to lose like this

No...Falla just can?t fight anymore...

@chlorostoma
as much as it saddens me to say it,your 6/21/10 3:59 PM post hits the nail on the head. If you look at this match,he always hits a wonderful winnner,and then follows it up with a shanked forehand and backhand. When he is feeling his game,he is still utterly dismissive of most of the competition.(see AO final) But at this stage of his career,he seems to be "feeling" it less frequently than he did in his prime. I guess it is natural as you get older.

There is so much negativity on this site, my previous comment was aimed at the negative comments here and not Falla at all.

Ivan Ljbucic is out,and Marin Cilic is a set down against Florian Mayer.

Zare- he can't fight because he is injured!!!!!
I am sure if fed pullEd his back you would have a totally different attitude!
Pathetic!!!!

Falla should ask for medical timeout, or go to toilet... make pause somehow...
And still it is fight! This should be over. Fed is pathetic!!!
Two doubles in one game!?!

goodness me, the great RF had one leg out of the championships in that 3rd set..great drama and great fighting spirit spirit..falla playing awesome ..nd ooo brk pt in the 4th set

I rest my case.

here we go again... it's like watching a horror movie.

Falla breaks in the 4th!!!

Isabeau what are you talking???
Ofcourse he is injured!!! ...read my posts... I AM CHEERING FOR FALLA!!!!
For better player today on court...
btw...Falla just broke Mr. ExFed.. :-)

what the heck is going on? I just tuned after seeing Fed's grand appearance on Centre Court and thought ho hum, its going to be a straight setter...is Fall playing lights out tennis or is Fed playing crappy?

This is so bizarre like a bad joke...

Sanela,
I don't think anyone on this thread is being particularly negative. Just incredulous at what is happening and at the potential of a totally unexpected defeat so early in a tournament.

Anyway, looks like hamstring or otherwise Roger will save his match.

tj600,
yeah... no player can escape this phase if they don't retire before. If they love the game and the competition a lot, though, they can take the rough patches in stride, knowing that that is the nature of a later career. (For other players this is the nature of their entire career at the ATP.)

Sanela this is just shocking ... most tennis fans don't want the defending champion out in the first round.

it looks like FedError showed up today not FedExpress...

federer just needs to get thru this match...I am sure he will play better tennis later in the tournament

Why not... lets make life little interesting:-)
Btw... Fed was hoping he can go and watch football ( but not in this way)

Fed is service break down in fourth.

Well, I'm off to a meeting for several hours so... good luck to Roger: he can't afford the blow of a first round exit at Wimbledon and a drop to third place.

Atul... Fed would probably play better in next rounds... but he simply don't deserve to get thru this match.

Roger is playing so badly ... Falla is dictating most of the points.

4-2 Falla

yep, smr - this match is too disappointing to watch - as a tennis fan.

so many possible changes to the ranking order if roger loses this - i cant think of a bigger motivation for muzza and djok to perform well!

ok i'm not bothered anymore... this is just a natural process of a champion's career towards the end....

at least mirka is looking relaxed eventhough her man is playing so horribly. can't say the same for his mom though....

Zare- so sorry. I'm delusional I can't believe the score! So god only knows who I am responding to!

Can Falla or can he not serve this out for the match!!

2002 was the last time Fed lost in the 1st round of a GS, said the announcer.

Falla will choke..set will go to a tie break and fed will win in 4th set

OK..OK... he did not lost yet...

federer breaks back...he will win it in 5!!!

5:5... Falla choked... completely passive...

federer breaks back.

Can u believe it???????????

Federer breaks again with Falla serving for the match.

Told ja he'd choke! Fed will win in 5.

poor falla!!

break ball for Falla....wooooow!!!!

as i predicted..haha go home Falla...u dont deserve to win if u cant hold ur nerve

Vrael- I agree. Falla doesn't have the nerve to close this match out! ThAt's why he is ranked where he is ranked

He should close it in third... lucky Fed...lucky, lucky...

AMAZING drama!!!

C'mon FALLA.... WAKE UP!!!!
SENT HIM HOME!!!!

Still breathing guys?

wat would rafa be thinking right now...lol

Federer playing a little better in the tie break.

It's going to a 5th set.

Falla looking tired.

Vrael- rafa is watching the football! Haha and cursing Switzerland as spain is up next

i don't think falla's spirit is broken yet...

So now it is 2 sets all

What is the tiebrake score?

Falla has a "swiss mountain" to climb now if he wants to win. And btw,the WC referees are screwd up this time round. That swiss player should have been given a yellow card,not a red.(which all the hosts and commentatros said) This hasnt been the only mistake,the USA were robbed,and the Kaka send off...

Federer will eventually win this match but the scare should temper the arrogance of some people here...I hope.

2:2, fedex should breeze through the 5th or maybe not?

isabeau77, it was 7-1.

And Falla just was king of bad luck. He will remember this match for a lifetime.
Just one word about crowd... they are cheering for Fed...everyone of them. I can't understand that. Now there is guy, making surprise of decade... new guy... making this match first class drama... and all the losers are cheering for favorite. Common, ppl, don't you have any spirit?
Falla is finished.

tie break was 7-1

stu ... not the spirit but maybe the body.

btw,falla has lost it mentally. This is the difference between champions like Federer and Nadal,and the rest of the field. When they are in a hole,they remain focused. When you tom,dick and harry get in a hole,they choke. As the saying goes:When the going gets tough,the tough get going.

Thats why zare it makes it all the sweeter when Rafa BEATS him!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mirka is the best barometer of Fed's game. She was looking relaxed during that last set even when Falla looked like he might pull off the upset to end all upsets.

Brave attempt by Falla but Roger has got the upper hand now.

@ed
when mirkas biting her fingernails,you know that Roger might be beatable.

This will be over in 20 min. now...
But with this kind a game he won't reach Rafa... in two days Tipsy will be there, not injured I hope!!!

good that federer wins today, otherwise it might have put a lot of pressure on rafa early on in the tournament. he would have been the odds on favourite had fed lost today

Falla running out of gas - Wimbledon organizers breathe a sigh of relief.

yes tj,

But now people can understand , why experts says you can pull off upset in best of 3.

But beating Fed and Nadal in 5 it is a very big task.

zare, this was just one of his early-round lapses...he got lucky here, but I think by the time he gets to tipsy he'll be in the zone...

To all the fed fans: The good news is that whenever fed gets into a dog fight in the early round,he normally follows it up with a beat down. He was nearly 2 sets to one down against andreev in AO,and he went on to crush hanescu. He was in a tussle with davy,pulled through,and gave a total beatdown to tsonga in what was one of the most one sided semifinals in grand slam history. Oh,and remember in AO 09 when he was 2 sets to love down against berdych,he went on to annihilate Juan Martin Del potro. So in reality,IF federer keeps on playing this badly,he wont win the title for sure or even come close to reaching the final,but thats a big if.

zare,

Federer hardly plays his best from round 1 , but still manages to come thru well.

But when tourament proceeds he reaches to his best (or atleast good).

(*This can give some confidence to Fed fans)

Possible Stu... but if he goes on court again with this level of game... I am watching on TV... even SWISS commentator is very critical about his game... so many UE... very uncharacteristic for him

3-0 Fed.

This Falla guy really threw away his chances to wrap up the match both in the third and the fourth sets. The match is slipping away from him now. Fed isn't even playing at his A game most of this match, only up his level when in trouble. All these go to show how good Rafa is, even when Fed is at the top of his game in the final, Rafa is able to beat him. Agree with tj, that's what separates the champions from any tom, dick and harry.

Falla is losing heart now. Fed leading 3-0 in the final set. Its a pity that Falla having come so far, still can't finish the job in the end. He has himself to blame, couldn't capitalize on all the Fed's shanking, crappy play to take the match.

Bagel time to end it?

this sort of a match is exponentially more damaging to a top seed in a 4th round or a quarter final match....its just 1st round atm,federer will have lots of time to fine tune and improve...he is still a fav to reach the finals imo....but i dont think he will win it....it will be either rafael or murray this time

VAMOS!!!!

@vrael
you are right. He was nearly 2 sets to one at the AO against Andreev. He was in horrible form,but still went on to win. I think he has a shot at making the finals,and maybe winning if he imroves. And he is very fit,so this match wont take as much out of him as it would for another player. But nadal or murray could win if they improve their grass court form.(murray has to improve his form in general) I think nadals going to make it ot the final-i have a feeling that tsonga's going to beat murray in the 1/4s.

Thanks Falla for such an exciting match.

Yes...but remember Haas, Acasusso... they played matches of their lifes first two sets... I don't have feeling that Falla played so well... simply I have never in my life saw Fed sooooooo bad...
He didn't raise his level... simply Falla got lost and started to play worse... probably the injury decided this match...
Ofcourse he just cruised thru fifth set...
We can analyze and analyze... but Fed was just LUCKY... one more time.

Vreal, you guys continue to predict but there is NO telling what is going to happen from there on! I have seen Fed play like this on many occasions in Slams and he has gone on to win........FO 2009 and USO 2008! However, expectations are a hell of a thing!.......

Re: World Cup!!

VAMOS!!!!!!!!!

vrael,

we may see someone else winnig the wimby...

are you from India or Pakistan ????????

that was a nice thing to say - (i paraphrase a bit) a few times this year i have lost games i should have won, today i won a game i should have lost.

Federer says he should have lost, he says this year he's lost a lot of matches he should have won, but he should have lost this one.

Any way... thank to them both... this was one of those matches... not so high level of game, but tension, drama... everything was there...
And Ljubo is out... Cilic is two sets dawn... this Wimby promises a lot of fun!!!

Cilic has been beaten in straight sets by Mayer.

cilic is out. The first big casualty at wimbledon.

Even Davydenko is fighting back from 2 set love down.

nadline,

Do you know about mahesh bhupati's Mission 2018 ???????

Too much shanking by Fed. I'm not sure whether he can improve on that in time for his later rounds, more difficult matches. Falla failed because he choke when serving for the match. This often happens to those lower ranked players, as if they can't believe that they are nearing the finishing line, beating a top players; sad but true. Its a pity because Falla really plays so well. Fed as usual, is able to raise his level and produce some spectacular tennis when he needs them most. Well done to Fed for hanging on right to the finishing line; that's the mark of a champion.

A LETTER TO SOMEONE IN HEAVEN.


DEAR MR. HARRY HOUDINI,

HOW ARE YOU DOING?? I HOPE YOU CONTINUE TO ENTHRALL PEOPLE UP IN HEAVEN WITH YOUR UNBELIEVABLE ACTS OF ESCAPISM. DON'T WORRY ABOUT EARTH. THERE IS A MAGICIAN NAMED ROGER FEDERER HERE, WHO, ON THIS FATEFUL DAY, HAS TAKEN UP YOUR MANTLE AS THE GREATEST ESCAPOLOGIST. FOR THE LAST 7 YEARS HE PROVED TO EVERYONE THAT HE WAS A GREAT MAGICIAN LIKE YOU. BUT THE GREAT ACTS OF ESCAPISM WERE MISSING.
HOWEVER, ALL THAT CHANGED A YEAR AGO ON THE CLAY OF PARIS, WHERE HE STAKED CLAIM TO THE TITLE OF HOUDINI II BY GREAT ACTS OF ESCAPISM, AGAINST TOMMY HAAS AND JUAN MARTIN DEL POTRO. WITH TODAY'S ACT, HE HAS SHOWN THE WORLD THAT HE IS INDEED A WORTHY SUCCESSOR TO YOU. SO DON'T WORRY MR. HOUDINI. ENJOY YOURSELF IN HEAVEN. ROGER FEDERER IS THE NEW HOUDINI ON EARTH.

YOURS SINCERELY
CLAYKING

@clayking
LOL. Hilarious.

Clayking.................whatever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

@champ00289.....northern india....

lol clayking...;)

It just shows how the draw is set up so that the top seeds are less likely to be ousted in the early rounds.................although there is always a chance of it happening like we just saw.

vrael & tj,
thanks..
this was a funny idea tha came to my mind..
but truly it was amazing..
even though at no moment i thought falla would win, still, it was amazing how it unfolded out!!
oh this just looks like his wimbledon to lose now..
unless nadal steps up one level(on his serving) or roddick/murray steps up ten levels!!

oh,and did anyone see portugal DESTROY north korea. Wonderful stuff. :)

We need federer to be in finals for Nadal to beat federer to further improve his h2h over federer

oh yes tj..
that is why i missed the first set because i was watching portugal toying with korea..
but the scoreline was insane!!

lets see nadal's form tomorrow
people r assuming dat nadal is in the final for sure

Well saxenanalin, many assumed Fed would be in the final for sure, but after today...........there are no guarantees!

I still say Rafa and Roddick!

vrael,

I am from Mumbai.

hey champ,
you are also Indian..
great you know!!

"oh,and did anyone see portugal DESTROY north korea. Wonderful stuff. :)"

you are a cnn victim, obviously.

Saxenanalin,

It's you people who assumed Fed will win the tournament. And Fed himself assumed he'd be in the final - that he's invincible.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/tennis/article-1287992 /WIMBLEDON-2010-Roger-Federer-says-hes-Mr-Invincible.html

I bet he's got his no. 17 jacket ready!

the 6th goal...with ronaldo accidently controlling the ball on his head.....and then scoring....the best moment in world cup for me so far.......the diego forlan goal comes close too though....

back to tennis,RAFAEL playing tomorrow....he might be a bit nervous...hopefully he will serve well......clinch it in 3

it will be very important for rafa to serve well....like he did in 08 if he wants to win this!!!

vreal, you think Rafa dont know what he needs to do.........or you are just informing us?............lol!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks clayking,

Davydenko survived the first round loss.

RAFA knows best

not informing u well informed ppl at all...just hoping..his serve is not the best for grass.....hoping he serves like he did at 08

http://goo.gl/96i4

jamie baker...rafa's hitting partner at wimbledon sharing his thought abt rafael......talks abt rafa's game and the crazy top spin forehand rafa has!!!

You are right though! In the FO 2010 his serves were not that great until he got the the finals!!! He will be needing his serves to send a message right at the start!

Fed's play is a bit shaky. I really doubt playing like that can get him to the final. Those shanking seems to be staying with him for quite some time now. It takes one good player to capitalize on that. Who will that be?

Congrats to Davy for his win, after being 2 sets down. Really like Davy, and what a win, on his worst surface against a big server who serves thirty over aces! Poor Cilic can't seem to do well after his AO run this year. Rest well Marin and get well prepared for the NA hard court season.

And, Switzerland lost their football match against Chile. I'm happy that the Swiss were beaten, they just played very defensive football, I can't stand that kind of football, with eleven men defending all the way. Congrats to the Portuguese team for the win. Hope it will be a good match between Brazil and Portugal with some glorious attacking football.

luckystar,

I doubt it will be that attacking as you are expecting it to be.

champ00289, why?

@clayking.......ur houdini post is at tennis-x.com....some poster der visits TT as well....and he pasted it der under ur name.....ppl appreciating it der......way to go...lol!!!

We had already seen a goalless draw between port and ivory .

And brazil played good yesterday but it was not that good .Fabiano scored 2 goals out of which 1 was hand goal.

Cristiano Ronaldo, I like his game but I belive he just can't control the pressure.

Kaka out with red card , lets hope it to be a good match ......

vrael,
seriously??
isn't tennis the haunt of certain fedfans here???
of course fedfans will like it..
i think i said good things abt him..
but who posted it like that??

poster named "its all about the game" .......he posted it mentioning that it is from TT...from a poster named clayking

ppl might think that u are a fed fan der.......:P

well, this was an awful match. Simple as that. I have to give it a lot of thought before I can analyse it in as much depth, and I look forward to hearing what ricky/cheryl or kelli say in respect to this. What a shocker!

I don't even understand the bagel. It makes no sense to me at all!

Zare, i havent spoken to you in a while but i dont really think that you can call fed lucky. At least he went on to fight and was able to pull this off. He won't get away with this again.

My heart went out to you, ollyk and duro when novak gifted away his match when he was 2 sets up at the FO. That was a shocker. I never thought in a million years that novak would lose that match. He should have won it in three straight sets, but it goes to prove that the best of them, and I include novak in the best of them, can sometimes go astray.

Plus be careful what you wish for. It was only 2 years ago that Novak was knocked out in the second round, and it could very well happen to federer if he continues to play like this. I just simply cannot believe it.

And zare, I dont wish novak anything other than success at wimbledon, I just don't understand you sometimes.

nadline,

Do you know about mahesh bhupati's Mission 2018 ???????

champ00289 , 6/21/10 5:44 PM


Enlighten me???????

me, a fedfan???
LOL..
i'm just a tennis fan.. :P

roddick just cracked a 142 mph serve against rajeev ram........

champ00289, its because that Kaka is out that makes the two sides more 'equal' in terms of strength. The Portuguese team couldn't handle the full strength Brazilian team. I hope Spain plays to their full potential for their next two matches to secure top spot in the team. I hope Spain and Brazil avoid each other in the knockout stage till the final. I like the Spanish team, they have beautiful passes and are attacking all the way. They missed Torres for the most part of their first match, I hope they can field two strikers in today's match and score many goals. They really need to win and by as large a margin as possible to have a chance to top the group.

Interesting tennis matches going on - Stan being taken to the fifth set by Istomin, the semifinalist at Eastbourne. Tipsy down the first set and coming back in the second. Berdych, my pick to upset Fed, is two sets up. Roddick having an easy day with Ram, Ram makes Roddick looks so good out there. Looking forward to the Nole match coming up next.

Roddick's match not SO exciting ... but good if you are an Andy fan.

@Maxi,

u remind me of myself when Rafa plays the same. Asleep for most of the match, playing well only when under immense pressure and squandering opportunities. I really thought Fed was a gonna but good that he pulled thru! But he must NEVER pulll a stunt like that again!!

@clayking .. good one ...

dunno where all the whisperers disappeared :) ....

Stan the man is up against it .. Istomin showing all his skill, 52 up in final set ... Berdych, Roddick on their way to victory .. Tipsarevic also leading, Robredo is trailing ...

Stan the Man is out, lost to Istomin. This Istomin is one big server. He took Rafa to three sets at Queen's, this guy can play on grass. I'm happy that S & V king Llodra is through to the second round, most likely meeting Roddick there. I'm looking forward to that match. Berdych wins his match too!

@clayking ... yeah: great Houdini piece

@atr
Where are you, mr defensive play and mr choke?

Wow! Reading this thread, who knew Falla had such a passionate following of fans?

"The left-handed Falla was unfazed by Federer's serve, one of the sport's best, and repeatedly won points serving to Federer's backhand - a tactic frequently employed by another lefty, Nadal." --AP Associated Press

Nadal better take heed!!!!!

VAMOS!!!!!!!

<Whisper>did you hear roger wins again<Whisper> :D

@chloro, ATR is hiding away, tomic got himiliated at the hands of fish.

monalysa, your 7.38 post.

I know what you mean. I had to rest this evening. I watched the match again on record and it didn't seem so bad! Then I read about other previous matches from previous champions and whether they had been through something similar - and I found a boris becker match in 1991 - read this:

A couple of things:

We all know that federer is vulnerable. Never more than now. However, all is not lost. I don?t believe it. I am still in a bit of shock, I am federer is too and there will be a lot of talking in his camp tonight. The wife will put it right!

Boris Becker said, ?We all talk about the importance of being prepared for a Grand Slam.

Becker said in the Australian Open, 1991, he had a terrible run-up to the tournament, he was homesick, and didn?t really want to be there.

?I played the longest match of the Open era against the Italian Omar Camporese in the second round - over five hours - I had blisters, I felt dreadful, but 10 days later I beat Ivan Lendl in the final and I was the official No.1 in tennis. If you had told me that at the beginning of the tournament that was going to happen I would have given you everything I had because you were wrong. Anything can happen at any time?.

Secondly, Murray at FO, seeded 4 against Richard Gasquet? Remember he came back to win when he was two sets down, fight of a champion. What a 5 setter that was! And remember though he is currently ranked 48, I am sure he was ranked lower at the FO. And, yes you could argue that clay is not murray?s favourite surface, but gasquet has been seriously lacking match practice and he put murray well and truly through his paces! Respect!

4:6, 6:7,6:4, 6:2, 6:1

So I suppose I am trying to reassure federer fans that really, anything can happen, but only Federer can ?make? it happen!

C?moon Federer. We are with you all the way!

How many more scares though Monalysa, can a fan take?

If spain plays brazil,they have zero percent chance. Spain are perennial underachievers at the wc,whilst we all know about brazil. Same goes for Switzerland obviously. As for the federer,im not really that concerned. Why? Whenever he is forced to did deep in the early stages of a slam,he normally follows it up with a beatdown. Like at the AO 09,this years AO(struggles against davy and then thrashes tsonga,and struggles against andreev and thrashes hanescu) and last yrs french.

well spain was brutal today ..they cud have easily made it 6-0 , torres was out of sorts ... nd abt federer..i agree with TJ600 that fed is likely to raise his level big time but boy o boy it was a BIGG SCARE tday...anyway , but the thing is that trends have been breaking and not going in fed's favor anymore, players have started scoring their maiden victories over him and he also lost that glorious semi final streak .. so anything strange can happen these days! long way to go for both but berdych-fed qtr final would be intriguing.

rafa's match is coming up and i expect him to play a good match ..good luck rafa :)

@vamos
thanks. The one advantage he has over some of the other players is that even if he plays a few 5 setter en-route to the final,he is not likely to be tired as his game isnt physically taxing.(like at the FO 09) This coulnt be said about someone like djokovic

very right, and fed is physically extremely fit...even at 29 much fitter than so many youngsters...phenomenal really

it's good to see Rafa supporters say good things abt Fed, the recent trends where some users have just been mud slinging .. good to follow posts of u guys ...
@ Maxi well said .. it was the worst possible start for Fed, well now then it has started come on champ .. even if u have to play 35 sets to win this one ... make it count ... but i still feel he did not serve well, not many first serves in .. hope he improves ... and as he lost points, he put in too many aimless balls right in the centre of the court .. Falla just obliged and swung away landing mm perfect ground strokes ... Davydenko.. superb match, Djoker survives ..Cilic, Robredo, Ljubicic, Wawrinka .. bite the grass

vamosrafa, :)

Fed is 28, not 29.

RF-"I've got to be realistic and there was a big threat against Falla. I got lucky," said Federer.
"It's important to take the right things out of the match. There was positives and negatives.

"Just because I struggled in the first round doesn't mean I'm going to struggle in the next round too.

"It's the same thing if you win in straight sets - it doesn't mean you're going to win the next match in straight sets. That's the way tennis is.

"That's why you're happy sometimes when you get over the finish line and have a chance to play better or face a different kind of a player.

"That's what I'm going to get for sure in the next round.

My God! Could Roger have been humbled!
Its is one of the rare times I have read something from Fed and have actually liked what I have read.
He may have needed this kick up the bum...:)

Isa: For once he was speaking from the heart instead of the usual 'talking himself up'. I read another humourous crack when he said 'Ive been losing matches I shold have won: today I won a match I should have lost'.

Apologies Stu: you had already picked that comment up and posted it earlier.

Fed will be 29 in about six weeks time. It doesn't matter whether he is 28 or 29, as six weeks doesn't make a lot of difference. Fed is obviously ill prepared for the match. His next two three rounds' opponents would not give him the same problems as Falla, as Falla is one lefty that tried to play like Rafa. Falla failed because he is not physically as fit as Fed and he falters when serving for the match twice. This is a common problem among lower ranked players, who rarely have the chance of going deep into tournaments like the slams. Its always a problem for them, that they expend too much energy playing above their normal levels just to stay ahead of the higher ranked opponents and if there be a need to go the distance, their energy level would drop and so would their level of play.

Fed shouldn't have any problem till the QF stage, where he'll meet good enough opponent to give him a good fight.

ed251137- Agreed. I am glad Fed is being honest for a change and calling it how it is like a mere mortal.

luckystar- Dont be surprised if Fed is made quite uncomfortable in the 3rd round and that in the 4th round he is pushed very close, but I wont dare say out.

Third Round- Luczak (not a push over)
Fourth ROund- Lopez, Meltzer, or Troicki. They are all playing very very well for their standards and are more capable in closing matches out than poor Falla.

But we shall see.

Oh yes I forget about Lopez and Melzer. Lopez vs Melzer, if they meet, can be quite interesting. Can Melzer surprise us, just like he did at RG against Nole? Yeah we shall see.

PS. Poor fella Falla, wonder how he was feeling, after coming so close to finishing the job yet failed twice. Must be regretting all the chances missed. I don't think he'll have a chance in future against Fed, as Fed will come prepared the next time they meet.

He was so close but so far. It works in two ways though. Some never reach those heights again but others take away the knowledge they have the game to stay with the maestros and are spurred on. Falla and Rochus both faded when it came to the decider but that is the difference between the top guys and the rest of the field, no?

Nadline,

Mahesh Bhupati is working with few coaches to train Indian kids to turn Pro and produce a GS winner by 2018.

Hope we will see one Indian GS singles winner by 2020.

We need people to contribute to other sports.

ed, that reminded me of Melzer vs Nole at RG this year. Melzer hang tough to beat Nole in five sets. I guess Melzer is ranked higher than Falla and he really believes that he can win. I think that is the difference - the belief!

@maxi, he will be 29 in august so 29 was the better figure to use to reflect his fitness level :D ..

just say 28 yrs 10 mths maybe everyone will be happy.

homos, I like that! Why has to be so specific, 28 or 29 no difference to me. In tennis term that is considered 'old'.

I shall never forget the look of wonder, amazement, and sheer joy when Melzer came through that match. He simply couldn't stop smiling. So great was his delight he didn't even look as though he minded when he fell at the Nadal hurdle.