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(Tennis Masters Cup 2008) Simon def. Federer 4-6, 6-4, 6-3
written: 10:33 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 10, 2008

I only caught half the match 'cause I had to go for tennis. When I had to leave, Roger was down 15-40 on his serve in the second set after spectacularly and unbelievably missing an overhead smash that smashed right into the net and a would-have-been easy volley. Then...well, I had a bad feeling throughout tennis and was hoping I'd come home and be proven wrong but nope, he lost. I couldn't get that missed overhead out of my head. In the first place, you rarely see pros missing overhead smashes. Sometimes they're not well-executed, but to be smashed straight into the net? That's kind of unheard of. To make matters worse, it was Roger Federer that missed the overhead. Oh my god.

Oh well, at least I didn't have to watch him lose. The first set was pretty well-played, but the second wasn't. He broke Simon, got broken right back, couldn't break him back, and was down 15-40 after those two missed shots. His first serve was pretty tragic from what I watched. Apparently he was serving at like 42% in the first set which is just. damn. sad. Maybe it's his back. But maybe he just didn't serve very well.

Argh I'm depressed. He can still make the semi if he wins his next two matches, but I really wanted him to beat Simon. I do adore Gilles Simon and find him very compelling to watch, but for fuck's sake, he's no Roger Federer. And he defeated Roger in Toronto earlier this year. I was hoping Roger would treat his round robin grouping as a chance to take revenge on all the players that he lost to in the season. But that, sadly, isn't to be.

Have I mentioned I'm depressed? I hate it when things don't go his way. It's ridiculous.

*

I'm too tired to talk about anything else right now.

*

ETA at 11.40 p.m.:

Roger's stats: "50 errors.. 51% first serves and 3 aces"

I don't think he's making it to the semi-final and that makes me sick. You just don't get past the top players of the men's tour serving at 51% and making 50 errors. And missing an overhead smash (I still can't get it out of my head). He has to get past Roddick and Murray next, which...history is on his side with regard to Roddick, but the few Roddick matches of his I've watched, he seemed like a completely different player. 2005 Wimbledon final - 3 unforced errors in the first set, and just overall such a crisp, tight, controlled and winning game that Roddick had no chance at all. And Murray? The Madrid loss still haunts me, and there's just NO WAY Roger would ever beat him if he doesn't get his first serve to work. Sure, Roger has a powerful second serve, but I'd rather he doesn't take his chances and score cheap points with his first serve whenever he can. And since Murray isn't one to make cheap errors, it means Roger will have to produce the winner. When he's playing crap, he's more likely to produce the error.

You know, if his back wasn't fully recovered, I'd rather he didn't take part at all. Pull a Nadal for once. Sure, he's above that - above calling a trainer mid-match, above retiring halfway through a match, above using time-wasting tactics to let the tide swing in his favour. But it's just so unfair that he has to play with (presumably) a screwy back while other players are playing at (presumably) 100%. Have I mentioned how he sprained his ankle once during a match years ago but insisted on finishing the match anyway, playing with the sprained ankle, because "Roger Federer doesn't retire"? I admire his principles and great sportsmanship, but oh my god, it pains me so much when something like today happens. It's just freaking depressing.

Ugh, I hate how emotionally invested I am in him. When he loses, I feel like I lost, too. This really, really sucks.

Today was just a shit day in general. A day simply cannot be good if Roger Federer loses a match. Sigh.

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