Across The Net: Federer and Sharapova Own New York
Posted by Dan Martin on 09.11.2006
Tiger Woods, Jimmy Connors, Martina Navratilova and John McEnroe in one place. Was it a sports award show? No, it was a Roger Federer tennis match.
One week ago Andre Agassi bid tennis farewell and the sport lost an active player who served as champion, ambassador and humanitarian. When Agassi's prolific farewell speech was complete, I told a friend that in a real way the U.S. Open ended today. I was wrong. Federer is also a champion, an ambassador and a humanitarian. Federer continued to make history, and Sharapova propelled herself toward the top of the women's game.
The men's final was surrounded by a lot of star power. 49 year old Martina Navratilova presided over the coin toss one day after capturing the U.S. Open mixed doubles title! Navratilova was also inducted into the U.S. Open Court of Champions. Andy Roddick had 5 time U.S. Open Champion and beloved great Jimmy Connors in his corner. Federer topped that by meeting with Tiger Woods before the match and having Woods sit in his corner. Four time U.S. Open champion John McEnroe announced the match.
The stage was set for something great to happen and in the first five games Federer did not disappoint. Federer led 5-0 before Roddick got his teeth into the match. Roddick matched Federer's excellence in the second set. Roddick played tremendous defense and drew errors from Federer as well as attacked the net to put pressure on Roger. At the end of two sets the score stood 6-2, 4-6, and each player was two sets away from the title. Roddick had four chances to break Federer's serve at 2-2 in the third set. Federer fended Roddick off by raising his level of play. Roddick then saved five break points to level the third set at 3-3. Roddick seemed a bit flat footed on Federer's service games after that point and fatigue seemed to be emerging as a factor. Roddick, however, continued to hold serve and forced the third set to a 5-5 stand off. Then Federer held at love and broke Roddick at 15 to take the third set 7-5. Roddick's legs seemed to be gone. Federer raced to a 5-0 lead in the fourth set before finishing things off 6-1.
Why did Roddick get tired? He certainly is not out of shape. Some of his fatigue has to be attributed to Mikhail Youzney extending Roddick to four sets in the Saturday semifinal. Most of the fatigue has to be attributed to Federer. Roddick won some spectacular points by making lunging volleys and digging out ground strokes from twenty feet behind the baseline. However, if you are lunging or playing from fifteen and twenty feet behind the baseline and the opposition is playing from five feet behind the baseline, you are working harder than Federer just to stay even. Federer made Roddick work a great deal in the first three sets. In the fourth set, Federer punished Roddick by working him over from the baseline. It is part of Roger's strategy, and a major reason he is so hard to beat. Players expend a lot of energy to hold serve and to even take one set off of Federer. The prospect of taking three sets off of Roger becomes very daunting. This is especially true if Federer is in the lead. Federer hit seventeen aces to Roddick's seven. Federer hit sixty-nine winners to nineteen unforced errors. By playing so cleanly and returning so many of Roddick's huge serves, Federer placed a lot of pressure on Roddick anytime he did not hit a service winner or ace. That pressure paid off as Roddick got tired. It helped Federer turn a close match into a routine win.
Maria Sharapova conquered world #1 Amelie Mauresmo 6-0, 4-6, 6-0 in the semifinals. In the championship match, she defeated world #2 Justine Henin-Hardenne 6-4, 6-4. Sharapova did two things very well to conquer the two most complete players in the women's game. First, Sharapova served at a high percentage and took advantage of being 6'3" by putting a lot of quality power serves in play. At 6'3" Sharapova can put more spin on her serve to avoid faults and still hit with enough power and placement to get free points. Secondly, Sharapova moved well. In that past against Henin-Hardenne, Mauresmo and Kim Clijsters, Sharapova has lost because of committing errors due to poor footwork. Against Mauresmo and Henin-Hardene, Sharapova played good defense, hit powerful passing shots and avoided costly errors. Sharapova is only nineteen years old. If her movement can continue to improve, she ought to move into the top spot in the world in 2007. If Sharapova adds a net game she might dominate the women's game for several years.
The 10 Biggest Winners at the U.S. Open
10. James Blake - His quarterfinal run helped put an end to a spell of bad play and legitimize his spot in the top 10
9. Justine Henin-Hardenne She reached all four Grand Slam finals in 2006. While she only won the French Open, this is still an impressive feat.
8. Patrick McEnroe The U.S. Davis Cup coach has a rejuvenated James Blake and Andy Roddick to go with the world #1 doubles team. It still may not be enough to win in Russia on red clay, but 2007 looks good.
7. Jelena Jankovic No relation to Weird Al (that I know of), but the talented youngster beat three seeded women before succumbing to nerves and Henin-Hardenne. She should be a factor next year.
6. Jimmy Connors Roddick's coach guided Andy back from the brink of mediocrity. Will others seek Connor's guidance?
5. Russian Tennis Marat Safin played well. Maria Sharapova won the title. A score of Russian women played into the second week. Mikhail Youzney and Nicolai Davydenko reached the men's semifinals. Ochen harasho! (sorry no cyrilic scripts)
4. Andre Agassi He went out with class. His back will also be happy that he has reduced his physical activity.
3. Maria Sharapova Building a foundation for dominating the women's game.
2. Roger Federer Tiger Woods and he can discuss the pressures of dominating a sport.
1. NY Fans They got to see Agassi retire, Connors return to the sport as a coach, and Federer rewrite history.
My predictions of the men's draw were not perfect, but I did predict the final match and a four set victory for Federer over Roddick. I should have picked Lleyton Hewitt to reach the quarterfinals. Hewitt has done no worse than the quarterfinals since 2000.
My predictions on the women's side were a bit better at one level. I picked three of the four semifinalists. However, my selection of Elena Dementieva to win the title was foiled by the impressive Jelena Jankovic. All I am saying is don't go to Vegas with my picks. I would be too guilt ridden.
Federer and Sharapova own New York until next September
