The Hindu : Sport : Roger Federer functions in a parallel universe, outplays Andy Roddick

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 26, 2007
ePaper

Sport

Sport

Roger Federer functions in a parallel universe, outplays Andy Roddick

Nirmal Shekar

Maria Sharapova to meet Serena Williams in the final

Melbourne: Trying to solve the Roger Federer puzzle on a tennis court is a bit like trying to master the String Theory in Quantum Physics. The closer you think you are to a solution, the farther you are from it. As a great scientist said, if you think you have understood string theory, you have not understood string theory.

If Andy Roddick thought, the other night, that he had narrowed the gap and was edging close to conquering the Lord and Master of Planet Tennis, then the American found out tonight at the Rod Laver Arena that it was all a grand illusion, no more, no less.

Trying to get too close to the great man can be an experience ranging from anything between the mere unpleasant to the downright fatal.

The legendary Jimmy Connors might have thoughtfully equipped the young man under his care with a new pair of wings to take flight. But Roddick, Icarus-like, made the mistake of soaring too high for his own good.

In the event, it was a ritual public humiliation for a man — Roddick — who is probably playing the finest tennis of his career. Wings clipped, flailing about hopelessly, the sixth-seeded American crash landed, beaten 6-4, 6-0, 6-2 by the world champion in the semifinals of the Australian Open tennis championship, on Thursday.

Then again, in a strange sort of way, the puzzle might have been solved tonight; for there was the merest hint of an answer to the question, "How is the Roger Federer phenomenon possible in a human, all-too-human, world?"

The man functions in a parallel universe that is somehow visible to us against all laws of physics. Only, a twisted many-worlds interpretation can help us make some sense of the man's genius and where it has left men's tennis.

On the other hand, there is an easier solution. We humans have long had an innate capacity to deify what we don't understand. Now, we can begin to worship at the racquet head of the great man.

Roddick suggested that this was another day, a day when he'd stand up to the master. He broke back to 2-2 and then went 4-3 ahead in the first set.

That's when the maestro's clinic began. Federer won 11 games in a row against one of the biggest servers the game has known.

Stripped of his sense of self-worth, shaking his head in disbelief in a state of near-delirium, Roddick merely went through the motions like a stone-age warrior fighting a jet age soldier.

Sport is often unfair; but it has never been quite as unfair to quite as many as in the Roger Federer era. This is cruelty. But, then, without the cruelty where would the beauty be?

"It's unreal," said Federer when asked by Jim Courier on court how he managed to play at this level. "I don't know what to say," said the man who tied Jack Crawford's 1934 record by making his seventh consecutive Grand Slam final.

I would call it the Perfect Match. But that is risky. For, this man has it in him to make perfection look that much more perfect the next time around!

Serena sizzles

Earlier in the day, Serena Williams stretched her dream run to within a match victory of becoming the first unseeded winner of the women's title in the Open Era here since Chris O'Neill (1978), who won at a time when the top players chose to go on holiday during the Australian Open. The former world champion overcame yet another talented teenager — Nicole Vaidisova of the Czech Republic — 7-6(5), 6-4 to go through to the final.

There were allegations that a member of Serena's entourage used his watch face to direct glare from the sunlight to Vaidisova's eyes but the Czech teenager brushed them aside saying, "I didn't notice anything." Serena herself laughed at the controversy. "Ha, ha, ha. That is the most outrageous thing I have ever heard. As if anyone would do that on purpose. That's so funny," she said.

Vaidisova, seeded 10, aged 17 and a woman who'd give Maria Sharapova a pretty decent run for her endorsement millions should she win a Grand Slam event and get anywhere near the top, had her opportunities in the match and might have denied the 25-year old former champion if she had the benefit of greater experience.

"She played some incredible points on match points. Reminded me a little bit of myself," said Serena.

Looking forward to the final, her 10th in Grand Slam championships and third here, Serena said, "It's awesome. I have nothing to lose."

Her final opponent, Sharapova, may have a lot to lose. The top seed raced passed a strangely subdued and error-prone Kim Clijsters 6-4, 6-2 in an hour and 23 minutes to advance to her first ever final here.

Although Clijsters started well, Sharapova won five straight games from 4-4 in the first set and, as a contest, the match — the last here for a soon-to-retire Clijsters here — was over.

"Of course I am going to miss it. I have always had fun in Australia," said the woman who has been adopted in this country as Aussie Kim. "Maybe in a few years' time I will be in the stands here with some kids and stuff."

Sharapova and Serena are 2-2 in head to head contests. The last time they met, in the semifinals here two years ago, Serena won 8-6 in the third but Sharapova has come a long way since then.

Roy & Donald in final

India's Rupesh Roy and his Australian partner Stephen Donald, seeded eight, eased into the final of the boys' doubles championship with a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Cho Soong-Jae and Lim Yong-Kyo of Korea in an hour and five minutes.

Donald and Roy were untroubled for the most part as they combined superbly and returned serves much better than the Korean pair. The Indo-Australian duo won a significant 45 per cent of the points receiving (25 of 56).

Although they were twice broken, Donald and Roy broke the Koreans four times in the match Donald and Roy will play Graeme Dyce of Britain and Harri Heliovaara of Finland in the final. Dyce and Heliovaara outplayed Mateusz Kecki and Austin Krajicek of the United States 6-0, 6-2 in the other semifinal.

The third-seeded pair of Leander Paes and Samantha Stosur crashed out of the mixed doubles event with a 7-6(4), 6-1 loss to Daniel Nestor and Elena Likhovtseva

IMPORTANT RESULTS

Men (semifinals): 1-Roger Federer (Sui) bt 6-Andy Roddick (U.S.) 6-4, 6-0, 6-2.

Women (semifinals): Serena Williams (U.S.) bt 10-Nicole Vaidisova (Cze) 7-6(5), 6-4; 1-Maria Sharapova (Rus) bt 4-Kim Clijsters (Bel) 6-4, 6-2.

Mixed doubles (quarterfinals): Daniel Nestor (Can) & Elena Likhovtseva (Rus) bt 3-Leander Paes (Ind) & Samantha Stosur (Aus) 7-6(4), 6-1.

Boys doubles (semifinals): 8-Rupesh Roy (Ind) & Stephen Donald (Aus) bt Cho Soong-jae & Lim Yong-kyo (South Korea) 6-3, 6-4.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport