Oh My God Oh My God Oh My God!

[Catamount]

Today I watched one of the best, most intense, nail-biting tennis matches ever!

Right now I had to stop dancing around the living room and ‘high-fiving” my son—just because I wanted to share this feeling with more than just the two of us.

Because of influences beyond out control we had to abandon watching the match live around the beginning of the fourth set, when Roger was down: love 15, in the fourth set, and down by two sets to one and looked like he was about to miss out on being in the French Open final when this was the only time in four attempts that Nadal was out of the picture; and this was around 3.30 pm West Coast time!

Can you imagine how hard it was to stop watching?

All I wanted to do was get drunk, stoned and totally out of it and not think of this amazing, lost opportunity for Roger—when somebody whom he had beaten effortlessly for the last five times, might actually snatch a win.
To me and obviously for thousands of people in the Arena wanting the great champion to win his only missing trophy to complete a grand slam and thus crowning him as “the best player ever”, it was difficult to watch.

So …in a way it was good to spend some hours “disconnecting from the match” between that doubtful third game of the fourth and then the final two sets, to put things into the right perspective for me.

So I spent the next four hours working, avoiding all media and just enjoying music

When I finished my work I did some cooking and opened my first beer. Mercifully the phone rang soon after and I found that I would soon be put out of my misery.

Only 20 minutes to go and I’d find out what the fuck happened…to Roger and his dream to catch up to Pete Sampras and win his 14th. Grand Slam.

I can’t stand the way I feel so deeply about any kind sports result—but for those who read my occasional blog and journal know—I am a huge tennis fan—and Roger is my favorite player ever---and it hurts me deeply...whenever he loses.

I have to say that I had to be somewhat tipsy…but to cut a long and tiring story short…he ended up coming back from all that…to break Del Potro in the fourth set winning it at 6-2.

So we celebrated ….thinking that it was all over and that Rog had totally annihilated his opponent, when Del Potro came back.

By the time the score was 3- all, we were back to biting our nails.

Now all our hopes were dashed once more.

The camera kept focusing on people in the audience, who were obviously just as freaked out as we were, holding their faces in their hands and looking most distraught.

I kept thinking how this was one of those freaky years—when anything could happen, after all who would have ever thought that the world would be stunned by witnessing Nadal ousted early --- in the fourth round?

At the time it seemed that this was Roger’s best chance to win this long coveted and elusive trophy…but now it seemed that everybody was a better player than Roger….he couldn’t win---no matter whom he played.

The camera focused on Mr. Federer the elder standing in the wings, waiting for his son to complete this match. His face showed the stress we all felt…but when Roger managed to hold his serve…it lit up like a Xmas tree, and the camera followed him to his seat, where Mirka—Roger’s wife—smiled with relief.

Now--- if only Roger could break in the next game—everything would be OK—so we watched and hoped and prayed and for a while it seemed that he would actually break and win his semi final—but once again, he failed to put us out of our misery ( as easily as we’d hoped)…meaning that he had to hold serve once more in order to win.

If you’re as big a tennis fan as I am—you would have seen Roger lose his first grand slam of the year—the Aussie Open—to Rafa ...and be beaten by several up and coming players in the minor tournaments leading up to this great event.

His chances to win in Paris this time were considered very slight by the tennis media consisting mainly of well-known ex-coaches, really old players, and former champions.
(I do love them all and their chatter—bit loyalty is not their forte).

To me it seemed that they were really never giving Roger his dues and only ever wanted to talk about Nadal, Djokovic and Andy Murray.
(To his credit—Rafa himself has deep respect for Roger and all his accomplishments.)

So personally I was thrilled even more when they dropped out one by one and Roger was the only player of note still standing, and finally –Roger began to get his dues once more.
Bu at the same time--the pressure was back on…and he was once more contending to ‘become the best tennis player ever’.
Nobody was talking about Nadal and the others— it’s just Federer and a Swedish player named Robin Soderling —the one who had beaten Nadal, but had never made it past any third rounds.

All of a sudden the weight of expectations had fallen on his shoulders and how would he now handle it?


So would Roger now have the goods to beat Del Potro?

Can he?

Yes he can! Yes he did— –and yes he did! Did I say he won?

Somehow he just morphed back into his best version of himself and came up with some amazing shots just when he needed it the most, and finished strong.

Del Potro even seemed happy for Roger to win, and being only 20 years old, he’ll have many more chances to win his own trophies.

So now to wait until Sunday…can I wait?
Yes I can, because I have to…but it’s hard!

[Fleshdancer]

1. Awesome!

I honestly don't play tennis or know much about it, but I'll support any sport that uses the word "love" in its scoring system. Anyhoo, your post sounded just as happy and energetic as other sports related celebration threads and I support that feeling of awesomeness 100%

:D

This Roger person seems to be doing well. Go Roger! :woohoo:

[Catamount]

3. Thanks Fleshdance...

I had to take some time off politics...two full weeks of tennis and so far it's been very unpredictable and totally absorbing.
I'm glad my joy translated to you!
:toast:

[Fleshdancer]

5. It truly did

Like I said, I honestly don't know much about the sport, but at least I know now who I want to cheer for. If this gets me more interested, then I'm all for it. :)

[ZRB]

2. I was so sure Roger was finished...

And so glad to be wrong. One more to go Rog! Woo, what a match!

[Catamount]

4. Was awfully close wasn't it?

[tigereye]

6. yay! I've been watching the French Open off and on for a few weeks, and it's

been a lot of fun to watch the matches while I was writing work stuff.

It's been so exciting! Glad to hear he did well over time, there have been some stellar matches - like Serena and Kunetzova, and the match with Soderling and Rafa and the other gu from Spain.


:hi:

[Steely_Dan]

7. I Am Also...

a big tennis fan. For those that do not follow the game or the personalities, I can see where it might not be a big attraction. However, the French Open is only one of four Grand Slams and finishing as the champion is a BIG deal.

What was even more amazing about Roger's victory was that he had the hardest road to the semis. For him to be able to come back after the kind of two weeks he had there made the victory even more amazing. Even in victory, Roger appeared somewhat tired and missing some of the great creativity that I've always admired him for.

For those who love Roger and believe he is on his way to becoming "the greatest" player of all time, I would caution you that Sunday may not (IMHO) turn out well for him. Soderling is an amazing player and may have a chance to take Roger to the woodshed. Believe me, I'm all for Roger winning. However, Soderling brings something to the game that I have not seen in a long while. The last time I saw a stroke like Soderling's was way back with Miloslav Mecir. Mecir had the ability to keep the ball on the racquet seemingly forever. This was particularly true of his two-handed backhand. This allowed him to disguise where the shot was going while adding incredible power. For me, Soderling has a very similar style. He has a huge backswing (which most pros do not recommend). However, he has found a way to make the big backswing work. He is amazingly consistent with that swing...even though he shouldn't be. The ball stays on his racquet for a very long time (like Mecir) and this makes his power deceptive.

Check out Mecir here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3QcSnEsoMB0 and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2bzlj4ypvw&feature=related

I hate to go on about Mecir. However, in my humble opinion, Mecir was the most graceful tennis player of all time. He made it look easy. If it hadn't been for his back issues the "Big Cat" would have dominated professional tennis for many years.

Soderling may be taking a page from Mr. Mecir...who is probably fishing right now.

-P

[DeepBlueC]

8. I felt as though I were there!

Great post. :applause:

[Steely_Dan]

9. Well...It Looks Like Roger Will...

win the French. I couldn't be happier to be so wrong. Soderling was overwhelmed by the occasion, which is understandable. Now, can Roger be called the greatest player of all time? He is serving for tennis history.

15-15
30-15
30-30
30-40 (Break Point-Soderling))
Deuce (Unforced Error - Soderling)
Championship Point
Roger wins it!!!

Congrats Roger...One of the greatest tennis players of all time.

-P

Just how graceful was Soderling in his loss? Well done. We will see more of him.

And Roger...This meant so much to him.

-P