Federer def. Tsonga 6-4, 6-1
written: 3:20 a.m. on Friday, Oct. 17, 2008

There was one particular rally in the whole match that I swear I will never, ever forget. It was one of the most amazing points I've seen Roger - or anyone, for that matter - score to date. It was in the first set, on Tsonga's serve, and the score was 15-30. Tsonga, obviously desperate to hold serve, engaged Roger in this nerve-wrecking, heart-stopping rally at the net, involving drop shots and volleys and this Tsonga lob that went deep into the court when Roger was positioned near the net. I thought that was it - Roger wasn't going to get it back.

But he ran back to the baseline, found a comfortable position, and hit it back to Tsonga, who was waiting at the net to return it, then Tsonga hit a volley acutely angled to his left. Once again, I thought that was it - Roger wasn't going to get it back.

But once again, Roger chased down that shot and returned it, just in time to meet Tsonga's racquet. Tsonga returned to Roger's backhand side, and Roger, with a clear, decisive backhand shot, hit it back over the net, wrong-footing Tsonga in the process who was about to run right when Roger's shot landed left.

Utterly. Amazing. And the commentator said, "Brilliant stuff from the World #1."

It's so fucking amazing that it's already up on YouTube! (I promise, this is completely worth your while.)

Have I mentioned Amazing? With that amazing (I need a wider vocab) shot, Roger scored himself two break chances. Tsonga saved the first, but with a double fault, gave the first set to Roger.

But you know what? As far as I'm concerned, Roger earned that break - solely based on that mind-blowing point he won in that rally.

I actually expected more from Tsonga and didn't expect Roger to finish him off so much quicker than Stepanek. But to Tsonga's credit, I actually saw Roger sweat today. I mean, duh, of course he sweats, but it was actually visible today. The last time I saw him sweat was like...during the US Open five-setter against Andreev? He didn't even sweat when he played Murray in the final.

There were a couple of moments during the match in which my heart was almost literally in my throat. Set 1 when Roger faced two break points, then saved them all, then went on to hold; Set 2 when Roger faced two break points immediately after breaking Tsona, then saved them all, then went on to hold.

Tennis is as much as physical game as it is a mental game. It has to be. A player has to win four points to win a game, and he has to win six games to win a set, then he has to win two sets to win a match and three sets to win a grand slam match. A match can drag on for hours and hours, and whatever victories a player scored can be easily erased.

I absolutely love the way Roger stays calm in the face of trouble. Faced with two break points, he looked unperturbed and calmly saved his serve by serving big, serving effectively, not nerving out like Tsonga did and double fault to give his opponent the break. I'm not as nervous as I would be if Roger were a lesser player when he's facing break points, because I know that he has the mental toughness and the mad tennis skillz, not to mention his accumulated experience, to get himself out of trouble.

Tsonga never broke him. Roger broke Tsonga three times. Tsonga is the same player that has defeated two of the three top players in the men's tour: Nadal in the Australian Open semi-final, and Djokovic in the Thailand Open final.

The only top three player he didn't defeat? Roger Federer. But of course; he's Roger Federer, and he's just Just Too Damn Good.

Even when he commits 20 unforced errors.

Seriously, so many times in the match I swore out loud and buried my face in the cushion I was hugging because of Roger's errors. I know he's not perfect, but some errors just cannot be made. And all thanks to the commentators, now I get nervous when his opponents hit to his backhand side...but that decisively crisp, sharp backhand winner in answer to Tsonga's serve dispelled all my fears after that.

Roger Federer is...I have no words. Funny how I started following him because of his looks, and now when watching him play I don't even notice his looks anymore. In fact, I think sometimes he has a bit of the Marlon Brando Godfather thing going on with his mouth which can look rather unpleasant. Of course, I still think he's devastatingly beautiful, but if that's all I like about him, there's no way I'd be writing this entry right now. His tennis takes my breath away; there's just no one even half as good as him right. No one. No one.

OMG CAN'T WAIT TO SEE HIM LIVE IN KL!

before sunrise // before sunset

Previously:
- - Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017
I'm moving. - Sunday, Jul. 11, 2010
In all honesty - Tuesday, Jul. 06, 2010
What I want for my birthday... - Sunday, Jul. 04, 2010
On Roger's behalf. - Friday, Jul. 02, 2010