Australian Open 2009


Federer hit a winner at the end of a very interesting rally against Korolev. Before Federer could serve again, the chair umpire interrupted and said, "[w]ait please, we are still amazed."

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ayyo, Thangala!

Suresh ET said...

haha, were you there by any chance?

Anonymous said...

no. I am back in India and running a business now. I still follow tennis, but only when Gasquet plays, although he's sort of gone on a downhill since 2005. I 'hope' he turns it around atleast this year.

Actually I play tennis a lot these days. So when you visit chennai or if I visit Canada, I'll push you for a game with me, which you will lose anyway. Ok va?

Anonymous said...

Ah, such 'un'diplomatic umpires need to be encouraged.

Anonymous said...

Sudhir,

Almost everyone at ATP sucks up to Federer, which is kinda disgusting. So no, no need to encourage such umpires. They are already influenced by the 'Federer magic'.

As for the shot itself, Gasquet made a similar shot off the backhand against Nadal in the Masters cup 2007. So, I don't think Federer's was special. The umpire was just stupid.

I like Murray now. He's standing up to Federer. And he's intelligent on the court. kinda like Nalbandian.

Suresh ET said...

Subhash,

"[B]ack in India and running a businees" - adhu seri.

I haven't played tennis in a long time (about 14 years), but it will be a shame if I still managed to beat you. It's alright if I lose too, I'll find plenty of other sports in which I'm probably better than you.

Come on, the umpire was just trying to be funny. The shot itself wasn't great nor was the rally. But it had an interesting exchange, that's probably what he meant.


Murray - new addition to the "kaatu adi" category of players. I like him only when he plays against the likes of Nadal and Djokovic.

Anonymous said...

Juvvi,
Haha, you're just sore. :P
I'm guessing it was the long nature of the rally that prompted the umpire to say so.
But hey, on the positive, Gasquet has moved into the third round!

Anonymous said...

As for tennis, I haven't played it in some 25 years. Which is about how old I am.
I'm quite decent though, at games like chess. So maybe if you guys are playing some tennis, I could be that 'stupid' umpire. :P

Anonymous said...

That's why I shouldn't comment on a game I didn't watch.

Murray's 'kaatu adi' is calculated and hence I consider him intelligent.

I am good in all sports known to mankind. So I take up your challenge.

Anonymous said...

Sudhir,

Gasquet will withdraw from the tournament before he gets to face a decent opponent. I am not sure if he thinks Gonzalez is a decent opponent.

Anonymous said...

Turns out you're right, after all. Unfortunately, the fools responsible for Star's coverage decided to show Nadal's match, instead of the Gasquet-Gonlazez marathon, even when it was obvious he was going to win in straight sets.

Suresh ET said...

haa haa (Milhouse stye), the Brit boy is kicked out.

Anonymous said...

Now, we'll have a the routine Federer-Nadal final. uh!

Verdasco, for all his obvious talent, will bend down for Nadal in the semis. But I wish Verdasco gets his mental health checkup and wins the whole thing now. It could be like a prophecy come true for a particular friend of mine who's been his fan for the last 6 years.

Anonymous said...

Oh? I'm for Tsonga. I hope he beats Nadal when he gets there. Federer, of course, will win the tournament. :D

P.S.: I hate how Nadal has to adjust his pants by pulling down something near his posterior all the time. I think I should do a video montage of it.

Anonymous said...

Tsonga is a streaky player. It is my humbel opinion that he won't get past Verdasco because he isn't good enough at the moment. Although things could change if the match is played under lights.

Anonymous said...

Federer bad mouths Djokovic..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S93YvQiCpE

Got to love Federer for this. Djokovic has a history of retiring from matches under dubious circumstances. He should be kicked from ATP.

Anonymous said...

Ha ha ha. Djerk.

Suresh ET said...

I saw it live and I was taken aback by his forthrightness (even for Federer). The BBC had tried to contextualize it by adding this: "Federer, who serves as the president of the ATP Players Council, agrees with Roddick."

Anonymous said...

Suresh,

This isn't the first time Federer talked about how frustrated he is Djokovic's injury faking antics.

To me, Djokovic is a disgrace to the ATP. He's not alone, but only one in the top 10 who consistently does this.

Suresh ET said...

I know he has commented on it before, but this time it looks he was really pissed. I don't remember him saying anything like this: "I'm almost in favour of saying, you know what, if you're not fit enough, just get out of here."

Of course, I have no sympathy for Djokovic either.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/7853583.stm

Anonymous said...

Suresh,

Btw, did you watch Carla Suez Navarro play? Reminds me of Justine Henin when she was young and exciting to watch.

So now I add Navarro to the dwindling list of could-watch players in WTA. Amelie Mauresmo is my all time women favourite player though.

Suresh ET said...

Did you notice that she walks and looks a bit like Gasquet?

Anonymous said...

Looks like many others think that too.
http://www.tennisforum.com/showthread.php?t=367870&page=2
As for Djokovic, wow, he's really going to be annoyed with Federer's comments. Until he receives his next rebuke, of course, after giving up for what, a long fingernail?

Anonymous said...

Sigh. Tsonga goes. What now... Federer vs I-have-the-strongest-forehand-in-the-world now? :(

Anonymous said...

Suresh,

I hope you were pulling my leg. Nevertheless, I'll check that out the next time I watch her. She'll definitely be a big player soon.

Anonymous said...

And the FIT young athletic wins. Sigh @ Federer.

Anonymous said...

*athlete, I mean.

Suresh ET said...

nah, fitness had nothing to do with. I mean, Federer is as fit a player's ever going to get. It's his unforced errors -- which have become quite characteristic of his game over the the last two, three years. Yesterday, though, it was his first serve. Federer cannot save his ass against good players if he doesn't get his first serves in.

As he said in the interview, fifth set is always anybody's. It's what happens right then. I just hate how Nadal (and Murray) have gotten to him. However, I'm glad that Nadal isn't quite invincible. Guys like Verdasco bring so much hope. I don't care if Federer doesn't win another Grand Slam, I just don't want Rafa to win too many.

Anonymous said...

I didn't watch the match, so won't comment on it. Federer's game is doomed to have lots of unforced errors, so will anyone's when they play a high risk game. Federer was in fine touch during 2002-2006 and he got away with it. He may win an odd grand slam or two, but the game has moved beyond Federer.

True, he does beat some of those young guns like Del Potro with ease, because that will be only until Del Potro figures how to deal with Federer's slice. And Murray and Nadal have better plans than Federer, something he didn't have to deal with (apart from Nalbandian) during his era.

Tennis is now a game of two handed backhanders. Gasquet may be the last person to carry the great legacy of the one handed backhand .

Anonymous said...

Oh, no, I didn't mean Nadal was fitter than Federer, though he probably is. I only said it to describe Nadal. I mean, everybody was busy talking about how Nadal'd struggle if the match lasts longer than 3 hours, and there he was happily running around.
And like you said, I don't want Nadal to win any slams too. Also, I want Federer to win all the slams. I agree about your point about his abysmal first serve. In the second set, his 1st serve percentage was what, some 30 odd percentage? That's totally unacceptable. My sister, who hardly follows tennis, watched it and said, "So, is he ever going to serve right?" and that says it for me. As for Verdasco, from the little I've seen of him, he only reminds me of Nadal. So, that isn't too hopeful for me. Hopefully, Federer will regain his touch. Hopefully.
I hate these two-handed backhanders. They look hardly as majestic as one-handed backhanders too. That's one of the reasons I chose Sampras over Agassi, Federer over Nadal, though there're countless other reasons. To see him break down was one of the saddest things ever. Now, I've to put up with everybody mocking him. Darn.

Anonymous said...

Sudhir,

In a couple of years time, you'll be forced to cheer for Gasquet. I don't see anyone else in the challengers having a superb one handed backhand.

Basically, we'll see more of Djokovic clones in the future. Nadal is special in a way because he's clearly gifted with a superior wrist. I am surprised how much spin he puts on the ball. Reminds me of a player used to watch "Alberto Berasategui" long time back. He was crazier than Nadal.

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