Federer makes major statement
NEW YORK - So I'm sitting here, munching my crow burger, washing it down with stale coffee.
A guy from Switzerland, who owns a cow named Juliette, and also, for years, was used to cowing foes, is back at that business, silencing the doubters like me. We are delighted - at least I am - to eat crow (I'm told either sautéed or roasted is preferable), and bear witness that Roger Federer is yet capable of divine acts with a tennis racket.
Saving the best for last during a painful season in which he lost a dozen times to lesser beings, won only two so-so tournaments, certainly appeared to have lost a step and strict control of his serve and forehand, Federer wowed a full house at Ashe Stadium last night. And, yes, he had again cowed seven troublesome guys along the major route to continue as the US Open champion. En route to five straight titles, he has left Lleyton Hewitt, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, Novak Djokovic, and now Andy Murray tattooed with his tire tracks.
Regardless of the stumbles and disappointments, any time you have a US Open on your résumé, it's a splendid campaign.
Oh yes, the foe last night was a punching bag (though a very promising one), the great bright hope of Great Britain, 21-year-old Andy Murray, saboteur of No. 1 Rafa Nadal in the semis. Murray was in the final for a few minutes when he broke the Federer serve in the third game of the second set, and stayed even to 5-5.
But then Federer fell on the Scotsman like the Bridge over the River Doon, and once again Englishman Fred Perry probably grumbled in his grave. Perry, the last Brit to win majors - Wimbledon and the US, in 1936 - hoped he'd have a successor. But no dice yet again.
Hyperaggressive from the opening moments, his confidence flowing again like high-test, Federer Scotch-taped Murray into submission, 6-2, 7-5, 6-2, in an hour and 51 minutes. Serena Williams labored longer, needing 2 hours 4 minutes to subdue Jelena Jankovic for the other singles title Sunday. Looks like the men are lucky to get equal prize money, which happened to be $1.5 million.
New worlds to conquer for Roger? Yes, now he's chasing three guys. One is the Spaniard Nadal, who stole his No. 1 diadem. Another, who decided to take early retirement, Pete Sampras, dangles his record 14 singles majors above Roger's 13. And the third, no longer with us, Philadelphian Big Bill Tilden, won a record six successive US crowns, 1920--25.
Federer admitted that the loss of the epic Wimbledon final and No. 1 to Nadal "saddened" him. He said the Olympic gold medal in doubles, with Stanislas Wawrinka, pepped him up before arriving here. Of course, doubles sharpens volleying, which more players should realize. His volleying was greatly improved.
Opening the match as he did the semi over Djokovic, Federer went for that delicious T-bone, a winning serve down the middle, and he was off to the races at a high clip, never trailing. He threw himself into forehands that became vicious, and he was quick to advance on the court, pressuring the Scot, who has raised himself to No. 4.
Considering his situation, Murray didn't do badly. Because of that interrupting shrew, Tropical Storm Hanna, he had to play three straight days, two against Nadal before being thrown to a well-rested wolf.
It was the kid's initial major final, surrounded by 23,763 folks mostly in the wolf's corner.
But this was Federer, the artist as well as the hungry wolf. He ran the scales, all 88 keys in showing off fortissimo and pianissimo, maddening spins and thundering knockout punches. Maybe Federer did the British press corps of a couple dozen a favor - assuring them of making early deadlines.
Federer has won 34 straight matches in Flushing, only two threatening him in five sets: Agassi four years ago in a quarterfinal and the Russian Igor Andreev in this year's fourth round (his brutal topspin forehand was a definite problem). "Getting past Andreev was the tough one," said Federer.
I should have heeded one of my muses, the astute Jack Kramer, champion in 1946 and '47. Kramer believes that great male champions peak around age 30 (Rod Laver's second Grand Slam was accomplished at 31 in 1969).
Federer is 27, acts eager, and feels reprieved to grab one major after being bombed at the French and edged at Wimbledon by Nadal. "Why should I stop at 13?" he said joyfully.
Bar the doors, Sampras. Federer has found that lost step somewhere, pulled his forehand and serve out of a forgotten closet.
No more doubts. For a while. But I have learned that crow is best with red wine. 