(Tennis Masters Cup 2008) Federer def. Stepanek 7-6(4), 6-4
written: 10:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2008

My cries usually go unanswered. But tonight, Stepanek decided to listen to me and hit a second service fault at Federer's match point, and thus giving him the match.

Radek Stepanek, I hate your on-court antics almost as much as I hate Rafael Nadal's. I hate your irritating smugness at hitting some random cross-court winner that Roger does all the time, I hate your stupid hand-rolling motions and ridiculous-looking backward-skipping. But tonight, I love you from the bottom of my heart.

Thank you for cutting the match short and letting Roger win it easy. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for ending it before 10 PM like I predicted. Thank you, truly thank you, for your double fault.

***

Shit! I just read that Roger had a stomach upset yesterday. Oh my god! He just can't catch a break, can he? First glandular fever, then his wonky back, and now that his back is okay, he had to suffer a stomach upset. It must be the food in Shanghai. Poor Roger.

How he manages to get on court at all with his health issues completely escapes me. How he managed to win Stepanek in straight sets is just...it's practically a miracle. Credit where credit's due: Stepanek is quite an excellent serve-and-volleyer. He's quite an excellent volleyer, period. He managed to wrong-foot Roger a few times and made Roger work for his win, not to mention breaking Roger back in the first set, then breaking Roger while he was serving for the match. (Then again, the first two points of the first break was given away by Roger's errors, so...hmm.)

Still, I was quite afraid Roger might lose this one. He didn't look very into the match at all and missed shots that he usually makes (though no missed overhead smash debacle tonight, thankfully!). He also looked rather glum and down. When he put on his cap immediately after the match, I was already a bit suspicious 'cause he never does that. When he signed the camera after his win and didn't wave and smile, I was even more suspicious. Even the match before he pulled out of Paris due to his back, he still waved and smiled, but not tonight. So now knowing that he was/is sick, well, it makes more sense.

I really really really hope he recovers by Friday to win Murray in straight sets. He said he wouldn't have been able to play yesterday (OMG thank goodness yesterday was the Gold Group matches!) and that he didn't train, and only practiced today for 10 minutes or something. OMG, seriously. I thought he played quite a bit better tonight than against Gilles Simon, especially the fact that he made many of his first serves, and it didn't even occur to me that his health was off.

OMG ROGER FEDERER IS A GENIUS. He has to win it all, just to shut all the "OMG ANDY MURRAY IS THE SECOND COMING" idiots up once and for all. Whoever's betting on Murray to win over Federer is just plain retarded. And if Roger wins despite his crappy health, well...I will start a Federerism religion and declare myself Spiritual Leader!

Having said that, I don't think I can take the stress of watching the Murray match on Friday so I think I might give it a pass. Then again, even if I'm not in front of the TV, I'd have the live scores opened anyway.

Whatever it is, I hope Murray faces Djokovic in the semi (we all know who I'd be rooting for!) so that he can lose. I don't think I've watched a Muray/Djokovic match-up anyway so that should be interesting.

Right, I need to do my paper. I love my Roger! I'm like, so totally a FederFan for life!!!!111!one!!omg!

***

In other TMC news, what the fuck Gilles Simon, losing to Andy Murray so tragically?! The second set was just...sad. But you're still much, much prettier than Murray, and the majority of the ATP players. I want to be your girlfriend.

Tsonga's out of the tournament after losing to Del Potro in two tie-breaks. Yay Del Potro! I was totally rooting for him.

My darling Djoker bounced back from a 0-6 second set to beat Davydenko in a match that really could've gone either. Yay Djoker! Davydenko's actually rather good-looking. He looks like a less austere version of Vladimir Putin. And he plays good tennis, too. Too bad he lost control of his serve in the third set and gave it to Djoker. Yay Djoker!

Okay I'm done.

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