Thursday, September 6, 2012

Belated Finish of Yesterday's Post

(Flushing Meadows) .... the reason I continue to watch the US Open inspite of the irritating suspended plays due to the rain. I was about to say I'll grudgingly continue to watch the US Open. Do not adjust your screen. Here's why, up until now, the reason my secretary canceled all my appointments so I could follow the US Open on tv is that the great Roger Federer appears to be in the mood to play, this by his early rounds. Usually, he falls asleep in the middle of a match even a semi-final match or a final and the rest is history. You snooze you lose and in that aspect Federer does not set the alarm, even on his Rolex. He's the spokesman for Rolex. That's what I meant. I don't know if this sleepwalking gig is happening becuz of his age. Or because he started a family and his mind is focused more on family matters than on the bouncing ball. All the other top ranked male players are not papa's at least in an official capacity. By now, the Great One should have amassed 20 grand slam wins, instead of the 17. Whenever Federer loses to a lower ranked player, the press encapsulates the phenomena with a, "So and so won in so many sets over the Great Roger Federer." No other active player receives the invocation in the wake of a defeat, not even Serena William on the women's side after she's upset by unlikely opponent.

After watching video replays of a match he lost, Federer himself admits that he is astonished how letargic he appeared to have been playing even though on the inside he felt he was playing full speed. This may be due to his unique metabolism going rogue on him. You will never see him huffing and puffing even at the end of a grueling five hour match. It's almost super human. During the early rounds of the US Open played in 90 degree temperatures Federer's shirt was soaked but his breathing was as if he was reclined on a couch. But so it went in his scheduled match on Monday, Federer's opponent called in sick and Federer won by default without a single serve. Thus, did a well rested Federer annilhilate his opponent in today's match (Wed) as the trend seem to preordain? Remember he had won Wimbledon, the previous major, and at least by all indications in early round play seemed to be surely on his way to another major win. His quarter finals and semi finals seemed at this stage all but a formality. The reality is that Federer could not start his engine. He hit so many foul balls and so off that the audience thought he was hitting them soveniers to be autographed after the match, and this was on spectacularly easy returns shots. It was inexplicably incredible. Your first thought was that perhaps his racket was malfunctioning. The sheer number of mis-hits that Federer strung together was stunning made you suspect an imposter was playing in his place. If this had been a soccer match the crowd would have stormed onto the field and strung Federer up. Well, that's how I felt about it. Now no more Federer in the US Open. No more me watching the tournament. Novak Djokovic is already the winner.

4 comments:

blournalist said...

He wasn't playing like his usual self. He could've won if he had been more Federer-er.

Love that joke. Sorry.

Kay said...

Oh dear, Ron. I tried to learn how to play tennis when I had a bit of energy in me about 40 years ago. I have no idea which end of the racket is up these days. Sorry you're feeling a bit of frustration here.

RONW said...

blournalist- but how very true of the Great One, between me and you, he's really starting to piss me off big time, but I suspect he's playing with his kids too late into the night which he brings with him on tour. (I'll get back on your other comment, have much to say).

Kay- those days the strings were cat gut. Art should take it up. I think he'll do well. It'll balance his lateral movements from running. I think the pelvic.

Kay said...

Actually, Art used to play tennis a LOT when he was younger. Now he just runs.