SR V: To boldly go where no room has gone before

Hi guys.

I watched the final until now in the living room, I didn't feel like entering here and commenting.

But now that it's over...

One word: sucky.

Suckiest tennis final I have seen in my life. Sure, I don't wanna deny the emotion (but I don't think I've sweat more than Rob ) or the spectacular. But it was the bad side of spectacular. This is the face of tennis relying on pounding and unreturnable gaming. It was like watching penalties, especially in the monstruous, yet nervewrecking decider.

The suckiest of all was the champion itself. If this final isn't proof that Roger, in the last two years, reduced his gaming only to serving like a cannonball and pushing the precise part of his (understandably unique) play instead of elegance and brilliant tactic, I don't know what it is. We all expected Roddick to rely heavily on serve until flopping (which he did), but that man eventually improved all his weak spots beyond expectation. Federer already had those spots perfected, and yet, except serving, his game was completely redundant, robotic, at least from the fourth set onward.

This game brought me in a dillema, because I never questioned tennis' stunningness until I saw this final. If it would have gone down to straight sets, I would have acknowledged Federer's clear domination. If it would have gone down to 3-1, I would have acknowledged Federer's determination. But the way it ended, the champion's game was lousy and a final with almost every game won with the ace-serving sleeve-card by these two players is not tennis for me.

I end up having the utmost admiration for Andy Roddick, who's mostly a crap of a player, but today extended all his capabilities beyond 100%. With rare and unstable exceptions, Federer's (style of) winners were standard and boring. Roddick pushed his backhand, his slices, his rallies beyond the primitive state pre-Wimbledon 2009, which is the only remarkable thing out of this match. Sure, he missed some of them, because he's simply not able to master them. He didn't change into SuperRoddick, and yet it was his best performance ever. I never thought I'd see someday Roddick with different eyes, but here it happened, and it won't have its repeat ever again.

Roddick would have deserved the crown. Federer ended up as the type of champion who sucks. His elegance and virtuosity are history. 

Rant over!

Ricochet wrote: Hi guys. I watched the final until now in the living room, I didn't feel like entering here and commenting. But now that it's over... One word: sucky. Suckiest tennis final I have seen in my life. Sure, I don't wanna deny the emotion (but I don't think I've sweat more than Rob ) or the spectacular. But it was the bad side of spectacular. This is the face of tennis relying on pounding and unreturnable gaming. It was like watching penalties, especially in the monstruous, yet nervewrecking decider. The suckiest of all was the champion itself. If this final isn't proof that Roger, in the last two years, reduced his gaming only to serving like a cannonball and pushing the precise part of his (understandably unique) play instead of elegance and brilliant tactic, I don't know what it is. We all expected Roddick to rely heavily on serve until flopping (which he did), but that man eventually improved all his weak spots beyond expectation. Federer already had those spots perfected, and yet, except serving, his game was completely redundant, robotic, at least from the fourth set onward. This game brought me in a dillema, because I never questioned tennis' stunningness until I saw this final. If it would have gone down to straight sets, I would have acknowledged Federer's clear domination. If it would have gone down to 3-1, I would have acknowledged Federer's determination. But the way it ended, the champion's game was lousy and a final with almost every game won with the ace-serving sleeve-card by these two players is not tennis for me. I end up having the utmost admiration for Andy Roddick, who's mostly a crap of a player, but today extended all his capabilities beyond 100%. With rare and unstable exceptions, Federer's (style of) winners were standard and boring. Roddick pushed his backhand, his slices, his rallies beyond the primitive state pre-Wimbledon 2009, which is the only remarkable thing out of this match. Sure, he missed some of them, because he's simply not able to master them. He didn't change into SuperRoddick, and yet it was his best performance ever. I never thought I'd see someday Roddick with different eyes, but here it happened, and it won't have its repeat ever again. Roddick would have deserved the crown. Federer ended up as the type of champion who sucks. His elegance and virtuosity are history.  Rant over!

I am incapable of sweating. I see what you mean, certainly (though I don't really have anything to compare it to), there wasn't a lot of grace or impressiveness from Federer - the occasional very smooth shot, and Roddick played extremely well.

I agree, Rico.

Now I wonder what Murray vs. Federer would have been like... to be fair, I think Murray's serve would have let him down in this final.

However, at least we may have got a more exciting game.  One thing Murray has, is amazing ground strokes and a superb backhand.  He can hit winners from almost anywhere on his day.

Well he got to the US final.

And he's beaten Fed and Rafa before.  So yes, I think we'll see him win a Slam eventually.  He needs to concentrate on his 1st and 2nd serves though.  Especially the latter.  It's too weak.

Alex will completely disagree with you, Rico.  He'll also disown you.

No quiz, btw?

Ricochet wrote: No quiz, btw?

I know he's been busy this week (his family's moving sometime this summer and he's helping get everything organized) and he hasn't mentioned anything about it to me lately. So either it'll be sometime this week or he'll make up for it with 2 quizzes later. At least that's what I would guess.

Final Wimbledon report from me

Clean grades
A+ for Serena Williams
A- for Tommy Haas (offering some of the most pleasant tennis, but making a too shy semifinal)
A- for Venus Williams
B for Andy Murray ('nuff said; I'd give him a C actually for not playing at the max the whole tournament) and for Elena Dementieva
B- for Dinara Safina
E for Jelena Jankovic
F for my sport channel that broadcasted the tournament (hey, what do you know? the same grade as last year!)

Variable grades
A for Roger achieving 15th Slam, but C for achieving it this way
A for Roddick improving his game, but B overall
C for the gentlemen's epic yet mediocre final itself

New roof usage: unimpressive


Best match of the tournament: S. Williams - E. Dementieva
"Veteran Award": Lleyton Hewitt
"Thanks for Stopping By" Award: Marat Safin (lost in 1st Round)
The "Next Marat Safin" Award: James Blake (zzz in 1st Round)
Upcoming Star: Sabine Lisicki
The "I lost at Wimbledon in the 2nd round and all I got was this lousy badge" uhm...badge: Juan Martin Del Potro


Come to think of it, with some exceptions (like Wawrinka), the rest of results and performances are a bit forgettable.


Edited by Ricochet - July 05 2009 at 15:16

Ricochet wrote: Final Wimbledon report from me Clean grades A+ for Serena Williams A- for Tommy Haas (offering some of the most pleasant tennis, but making a too shy semifinal) A- for Venus Williams B for Andy Murray ('nuff said; I'd give him a C actually for not playing at the max the whole tournament) and for Elena Dementieva B- for Dinara Safina E for Jelena Jankovic F for my sport channel that broadcasted the tournament (hey, what do you know? the same grade as last year!) Variable grades A for Roger achieving 15th Slam, but C for achieving it this way A for Roddick improving his game, but B overall C for the gentlemen's epic yet mediocre final itself New roof usage: unimpressive Best match of the tournament: S. Williams - E. Dementieva "Veteran Award": Lleyton Hewitt "Thanks for Stopping By" Award: Marat Safin (lost in 1st Round) The "Next Marat Safin" Award: James Blake (zzz in 1st Round) Upcoming Star: Sabine Lisicki The "I lost at Wimbledon in the 2nd round and all I got was this lousy badge" uhm...badge: Juan Martin Del Potro Come to think of it, with some exceptions (like Wawrinka), the rest of results and performances are a bit forgettable.

Nothing for Oudin, who had to qualify and got the 4th round?

Besides, Tangerine Dream are nothing but repetitive and snoozeworthy.  You should therefore not be complaining at something that isn't remotely repetitive.