Front242 said:
Didn't think there was anything wrong with his tactics in set 5. After all he was up 3-1. It was simply a case of Roger playing amazing and making an unreal comeback. Even then, it took a monumental effort from Roger to get back level and even more so to pull ahead 5-3 with that unreal backhand.
He served sh1t in the fifth set. He finished the fourth set serving strongly, dominantly, and he lost this attitude completely on his serve in the fifth. Look at the basic forehand he fluffed at 1-0, 15-0. His radical loss of aggression in the next two points, dropping balls tentatively short. His sluggish movement throughout. Leaden footwork, lazily stretching for forehands that he'd usually hunt down and smack into the corner, dropping the ball short. 3-2, 30-all, a huge forehand shank. When he was behind in games, he was combative, sturdy, dictating rallies - back to deuce - then ad-Rafa, a shanked midcourt forehand that clipped the tape and went out.
I'm not denying Federer's good play, but Rafa in the fifth was a player who was scraping the dregs of the cup, and rather it being an exercise of Federer dazzling him into submission, we actually saw a player who was half-tank, but still having chances - great chances - to get close to victory, while serving atrociously. At 3-4, 0-30, a weak DF, to allow 3 bp's, then 3 assertive points from Rafa to deuce. A great rally victory by Federer brought another BP, which Rafa served away down the centre.
More great play by Federer which left me semi-aghast at his almost deranged physicality for a man of his years. Even at 5-3, through a combo of Rafa aggression, and some poor nervous play by Federer, Rafa brought up 2 bp's. Ace, then Rafa playing conservatively - understandable this time. Federer stumbled through his service game - which was understandable on his part. It was a patchy set of tennis, but the Rafa who held convincingly to win the fourth was gone. Instead we got a player who was running on fumes, and still getting very close to victory...
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