The Hindu : Federer looks like he's ready to deliver

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jun 26, 2003

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Sport - Tennis

Federer looks like he's ready to deliver

By Nirmal Shekar

Todd Martin makes a backhand return en route to victory over 17th seed Gustavo Kuerten in the second round of the Wimbledon championships on Wednesday. — AFP

London June 25. He has got everything. Yet he has got nothing. He is the man-who'd-be-king who has been struggling to get rid of the frustrating habit of slipping on the steps to the throne each time the vacant seat of glory and pomp beckons.

Roger Federer, 21, and for two full years the most obvious successor to the magnificent throne from which he unseated the greatest Monarch of the Wimbledon lawns — Pete Sampras — in 2001, has found the authority of a Sovereign rather elusive.

One of the most gifted players of his generation and a man who has a coaching manual-made game to succeed on grass, the young Swiss star has time and again failed in the majors, not the least at Wimbledon.

But, watching him over two rounds in the 117th championships, you cannot but wonder if, at last, Federer's big moment has arrived — that, at long last, the big man with the big game may be ready to grab destiny by its neck and make it do his bidding.

There is a quiet determination to his manner, a glint of steel in his eyes, and the sort of one-pointed focus that champions display.

All these were never more evident than when Federer, seeded four, overcame an early scare to outplay Stefan Koubek of Austria 7-5, 6-1, 6-1 to march into the third round.

Turning up flat for the quarterfinals, less than 48 hours after ending the greatest era in Wimbledon history — the Sampras era — two years ago, Federer surprisingly lost to the teenaged Croatian Mario Ancic in the first round last year.

This time, in the absence of Sampras and a few other top class serve and volley masters, Federer knows that his moment has arrived.

And, the way he has gone about his business on court through two rounds, it is clear too that he is hell bent on making it happen.

The 6ft 1in Swiss player who is coached by the former Swedish pro Peter Lundgren has had a wonderful year so far, winning four tournaments, including his first on grass at Halle 10 days ago.

But, then, as Boris Becker pointed out in a newspaper article the other day, nobody remembers you for winning Key Biscayne.

In terms of history, the majors alone matter. And it is here that Federer has struggled to translate his talent into just rewards.

Maybe not for long. When he is playing close to his best, Federer is a delight to watch, especially on grass. There is a fluency to his shotmaking that thrills the purists and his serve is big enough to win him a lot of easy points on grass.

He is more studied and less frenetic now in the application of the overwhelming power he is able to generate on a grass court and Federer carried out a savage and brilliant demolition job today once he had turned things around in the first set.

Sometimes, the all-is-not-well look on his face may suggest that maybe the self-doubts that have plagued his career at the majors are still creating havoc in the subconscious depths of his mind. But, in reality, it is the demeanour of a man who is so wrapped up in his business that he has no inclination to wear his emotions on his sleeve like a Hewitt or an Ivanisevic.

Overall it was a solid performance by Federer today in a match that was interrupted by rain for a little over half an hour late in the second set. He returned superbly and his serve improved remarkably as the match progressed, so much so Koubek was struggling to win a mere point or two on his return games in the second and third sets.

``It's a big change to play on the centre court. It is very special. Koubek is my friend. I know him well and I like him,'' said Federer. As it turned out, it was much more than a friendly fight in the first set. Koubek, a 26-year old left hander who is world ranked 71, hit some lovely return winners and passes to break to 4-2 in the first set.

And in the 10th game, on serve, Federer came within a point of losing the set after breaking Koubek back in the ninth game.

But he rose to that challenge and from there the Swiss star was wonderfully in command.

In fact, from 3-5 in the first set, Federer won 16 of the 18 games played, ending the match with a lovely drive volley that kissed the baseline and flew away.

If there is one weakness in this man, it may be seen in the moments of indecision in the forecourt when, on occasion, he pushes rather than punches his volleys.

But there are not too many players in this draw, other than perhaps Andre Agassi, who can take advantage of this.

Federer will take on the fast rising young American Mardy Fish, a finalist at Nottingham last week, in the next round.

Fish gobbled up his countryman Jan-Michael Gambill 6-4, 6-4, 6-1 like a hungry shark at lunchtime today.

``I know he (Fish) is dangerous. I've got to watch out,'' said Federer. But he refused to look beyond Fish.

"I know I am the top seed left in the top half of the draw. But I can't look too far ahead.''

Srichaphan lives to fight

On court No.2, the Frenchman Olivier Mutis might have looked beyond Paradorn Srichaphan and towards a possible third round match around 2 p.m. Mutis dominated the 12th seeded Tata Open champion through two sets.

But Srichaphan staged a marvellous rally that saw him stave off two matchpoints in the 10th game of the fourth set before winning the seat-edge thriller 4-6, 1-6, 7-6(4), 7-5, 7-5.

After opening up a 4-0 lead in the third set, Srichaphan, who blew hot and cold today, allowed the Frenchman to level at 5-5 but then played a very good tiebreak.

In the fourth, Mutis, playing in his first Wimbledon — he is more used to the Challenger circuit where he won four titles last year — found the early break and serving for the match in the 10th game, he was up 40-15.

But the amiable Thai looked adversity in the face and came through in style, playing a superb crosscourt forehand and following it up with a drop shot on the second matchpoint.

Finally, Srichaphan broke Mutis's serve in the 12th game of the decider before raising his arms in triumph and then walking across to the bottom tier of the stands to hug his mother Ubon.

On the No.1 court, the ageing, greying American Todd Martin, a two-time semifinalist playing his 11th Wimbledon, got past the three-time French Open champion Gustavo Kuerten 7-6, 6-4, 6-4 while on an outside court, the precocious talent of Rafael Nadal, a 17-year-old Spaniard, accounted for the British wild card Lee Childs 6-2, 6-4, 6-3.

Rafael is no Boris Becker. But we are going to hear a lot about him in the years to come.

The boy is good, very good actually.

In the women's championship, two-time winner Venus Williams, seeded four, breezed past Katarina Srebotnik of Slovenia 6-4, 6-1 in the second round.

Once she found her range midway in the first set, Venus was unstoppable and in an orbit of her own.

Elsewhere, Paola Suarez of Argentina got past the 12th seeded Magdalena Maleeva of Bulgaria 2-6, 6-2, 6-3.

The results:

Men's singles (second round): Mardy Fish (U.S.) bt Jan-Michael Gambill (U.S.) 6-4, 6-4, 6-1; 4-Roger Federer (Sui) bt Stefan Koubek (Aut) 7-5, 6-1, 6-1; 9-Rainer Schuettler (Ger) bt Fabrice Santoro (Fra) 6-2, 6-3, 6-3; Todd Martin (U.S.) bt 17-Gustavo Kuerten (Bra) 7-6 (4), 6-4, 6-4; Rafael Nadal (Esp) bt Lee Childs (G.Br) 6-2, 6-4, 6-3. Paradorn Srichaphan (Tha) bt Olivier Mutis (Fra) 4-6, 1-6, 7-6(4), 7-5, 7-5.

First round: Frederic Niemeyer (Can) bt 22-Felix Mantilla (Esp) 6-4, 7-6 (6), 4-6, 7-6 (3); 30-Jarkko Nieminen (Fin) bt Fernando Verdasco (Esp) 6-7 (8), 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 6-3; Wesley Moodie (RSA) bt Marc Rosset (Sui) 6-4, 6-4, 6-4; Nicolas Escude (Fra) bt Konstantinos Economidis (Gre) 7-6 (7), 6-4, 7-6(5); Lars Burgsmuller (Ger) bt Albert Montanes (SPA) 6-3 7-6 (7/5) 4-6 6-2; Raemon Sluiter (Ned) bt 20-Yevgeny Kafelnikov (Rus) 7-5, 3-6, 2-6, 6-2, 6-3; Wayne Arthurs (Aus) bt Alberto Martin (Esp) 7-6 (3), 6-1, 7-6(4).

Takao Suzuki (Jap) bt Dick Norman (Bel) 7-6(8), 6-4, 7-6(3); Sargis Sargsian (Arm) bt Alex Bogdanovic (Bri) 6-1, 6-3, 6-2; Stefano Galvani, (Ita) bt Julien Boutter (Fra) 6-3, 2-6, 1-6, 6-2, 8-6; Alexander Popp (Ger) bt Hicham Arazi (Mor) 6-4, 7-6(5), 6-3.

Women's singles: second round: Iroda Tulyaganova (Uzb) bt Perta Mandula (Hun) 6-3, 6-4; Paola Suarez (Arg) bt 12-Magdalena Maleeva (Bul) 2-6, 6-2, 6-3; 13-Ai Sugiyama (Jap) bt Eva Fislova (Svk) 6-1, 6-7 (6), 7-5; Maja Matevzic (Slv) bt 24-Magui Serna (Esp) 4-6, 6-3, 6-4.

First round: Barbara Schett (Aut) bt Marta Marrero (Esp) 6-1, 6-2; Marlene Weingartner (Ger) bt Jane O'Donoghue (G.Br) 6-4, 6-2; Yoon Jeong Cho (Kor) bt Cristina Torrens Valero (Esp) 7-5, 1-6, 9-7; 21- Elena Bovina (Rus) bt Saori Obata (Jap) 7-6 (5), 2-6, 8-6; Flavia Pennetta (Ita) bt Corina Morariu (U.S.) 6-3, 6-2.

3-Justine Henin-Hardenne (Bel) bt Julia Vakulenko (Ukr) 7-5, 6-1; 18-Conchita Martinez (Esp) bt Milagros Sequera (Ven) 5-7, 7-5, 6-1; Mary Pierce (Fra) bt Ansley Cargill (U.S.) 6-0, 6-0.

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