Roger Federer beats Gaël Monfils in Madrid and claims 1,200th win
May 9, 2019 23:41:39 GMT
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Post by Carl LaFong on May 9, 2019 23:41:39 GMT
www.theguardian.com/sport/2019/may/09/roger-federer-beats-gael-monfils-1200th-win-madrid
Roger Federer, as only he would dare to do, serve-volleyed on a second serve to save one of two match points and then went on to claim the 1,200th win of his career but there were moments here at the Madrid Open when the intangible magic of Gaël Monfils threatened to ruin his return to clay this week after an absence of nearly three years.
Federer losing a tennis match once had the bar-emptying resonance of “Bradman Out” on newspaper posters outside cricket grounds many decades ago and, while the days of preordained dominance might be dwindling for the Swiss, his fans still expect him to win every time he steps on a court, no matter what the surface. For the last half-hour of a thrilling last-16 encounter, they held their collective breath.
Victory looked to be slipping from his grasp when Monfils raced to 3-0 in the third set and Federer threw a rare strop, complaining about the late-afternoon shadow cast by the partly withdrawn roof. Monfils cared not a jot, stretching the lead to 4-1. But Federer was magnificent when it mattered.
Nevertheless, beating the unpredictable Frenchman 6-0, 4-6, 7-6 (3) in two hours, having won the first set in 18 minutes, raises some obvious questions. Is his focus what it was? Can his 37-year-old legs carry him through a fortnight of five-setters on the slower, muscle-draining clay of Roland Garros, which starts on 26 May? Even he will be unsure.
Federer will learn much about the state of his game when he faces a more conventional challenge in the quarter-finals on Friday against the world No 5, Dominic Thiem, 12 years his junior, who looked in excellent touch beating Fabio Fognini in two sets over 90 minutes.
Federer said courtside: “Gaël did a nice job of not being frustrated after losing the first set, as he did the day before [dropping the opener to Marton Fucsovics 6-1]. I had a tough run of losing five games in a row, but I hung in there after I saved match point serve-volleying on second serve. Gaël helped me out with a few double faults [seven]. I’m very, very pleased.” And relieved.
Roger Federer, as only he would dare to do, serve-volleyed on a second serve to save one of two match points and then went on to claim the 1,200th win of his career but there were moments here at the Madrid Open when the intangible magic of Gaël Monfils threatened to ruin his return to clay this week after an absence of nearly three years.
Federer losing a tennis match once had the bar-emptying resonance of “Bradman Out” on newspaper posters outside cricket grounds many decades ago and, while the days of preordained dominance might be dwindling for the Swiss, his fans still expect him to win every time he steps on a court, no matter what the surface. For the last half-hour of a thrilling last-16 encounter, they held their collective breath.
Victory looked to be slipping from his grasp when Monfils raced to 3-0 in the third set and Federer threw a rare strop, complaining about the late-afternoon shadow cast by the partly withdrawn roof. Monfils cared not a jot, stretching the lead to 4-1. But Federer was magnificent when it mattered.
Nevertheless, beating the unpredictable Frenchman 6-0, 4-6, 7-6 (3) in two hours, having won the first set in 18 minutes, raises some obvious questions. Is his focus what it was? Can his 37-year-old legs carry him through a fortnight of five-setters on the slower, muscle-draining clay of Roland Garros, which starts on 26 May? Even he will be unsure.
Federer will learn much about the state of his game when he faces a more conventional challenge in the quarter-finals on Friday against the world No 5, Dominic Thiem, 12 years his junior, who looked in excellent touch beating Fabio Fognini in two sets over 90 minutes.
Federer said courtside: “Gaël did a nice job of not being frustrated after losing the first set, as he did the day before [dropping the opener to Marton Fucsovics 6-1]. I had a tough run of losing five games in a row, but I hung in there after I saved match point serve-volleying on second serve. Gaël helped me out with a few double faults [seven]. I’m very, very pleased.” And relieved.
