(Roland Garros 2009) Federer d. Acasuso 7-6, 5-7, 7-6, 6-2
written: 8:04 p.m. on Thursday, May. 28, 2009

OMG OMG OMG.

THAT WAS THE MOST EXCITING THING I'VE SEEN IN THE TOURNAMENT SO FAR. I WAS SO SCARED I ALMOST DIED.

ROGER COME ON WIN THE NEXT TWO SETS WITH EASE PLEASE. I NEED TO SHOWER.

GO ROGER GO!

**

8.58 p.m.:

OMG he just lost the second set.

It's not a Grand Slam if Roger doesn't give his fans collective heart attacks.

Except...his five-set foray is supposed to be in the 3rd/4th round, not the damn second!!!!!

I came back from tennis in time to watch this match and I haven't showered and I'm waiting for him to win so that I can shower, and I can't record the match 'cause I'm out of space on my DVR, so yeah, ROGER HAS TO WIN THE NEXT TWO SETS BECAUSE I WANT TO SHOWER DAMMIT.

DAMMIT.

UGH.

**

9.17 p.m.:

Shit. Third set is a nightmare. Roger's down two breaks. 1-4. Fuck.

This is going to go the distance. I was joking about the five-set foray you know. Dammit. I'm sticky and gross. I wanna shower.

Bleah.

**

9.26 p.m.:

Had three break points. Couldn't break.

2-5 now, Acasuso serving for the set.

Fuck what is this shit?!

UGH PISSED TIRED STICKY WANT TO SHOWER BUT CAN'T 'CAUSE I HAVE TO WATCH ALL HIS MATCHES. DAMMIT.

**

9.34 p.m.:

Roger gets back one break of serve and plays a love game. 4-5.

OMG. Can't stand this.

Can't.

**

9.53 p.m.:

YES HE WON THE THIRD SET IN A TIE-BREAK.

DOWN 2-5. BROKE BACK TWICE. WON IN A TIE-BREAK.

I LOVE ROGER SO MUCH RIGHT NOW.

ONE MORE SET! ONE MORE SET, AND I CAN FINALLY BLOODY SHOWER!

**

Now ROGER'S up a double-break and you can bet he's not gonna lose this lead.

Got the second break with a gorgeous forehand winner. Also pushed Acasuso's service game to deuce when Roger answered Acasuso's drop shot with an even better one of his own.

HAHAHA ACASUSO DROP SHOT FAIL.

**

10.29 p.m.:

AND. HE. WINS.

6-2 in the last set.

Despite the nightmarish third set when he was down two breaks, I wasn't genuinely worried. The Australian Open five-setter with Tomas Berdych taught me well: these lower-ranked guys who come out with all guns firing against the top guys are unlikely to sustain that level of play over five sets. This is why they can't win against the top guys in Grand Slams: they're good, no doubt, but not good enough. And sometimes, the mental aspect of the game comes into play too: the thought of serving out a set something against someone like Federer is nerve-wrecking, and perhaps you start to worry about how he's going to be all over your ass in your service game, and once doubt creeps in you lose your focus, you shank a few shots, and before you know it, you've lost the break, got broken back, and a few more games and a tie-break later, you've lost the set.

Too bad for Acasuso. He did outplay Roger in the second set and the first half of the third set, and he IS kind of hot. But too bad for him. Roger has to win. The only person who can beat Roger at the French Open is Rafael Nadal, and so Roger has to win.

Sorry haters, the King isn't going anywhere. Although he played a crappy first two and a half sets, he's still here to stay. He's still in contention. And the third set almost killed me (though definitely not as much as the crazy Berdych match) but I kept watching anyway, and when he got that first break back I was all, "Whatever, still got one more break to get back." I don't even remember how it went down, really. It was just...oh my god, totally amazing how he fights back from these situations to win.

Of course, he shouldn't even have been in that situation to begin with. Maybe he underestimated the opponent and was too relaxed going into the match (I know I was; I thought Acasuso was just another necessary barrier to the final to gently kick aside), I don't know. But wow, watching him get broken twice in the third set was like...let's just say I never want to see that again. Especially not by someone not ranked in the top 4.

Okay I can finally bloody shower. I'm so sticky and gross, I could die. Thanks Roger. Thanks a lot. I wonder when his next match is. I can't wait!

*

ETA:

Forgot to say this: ROGER'S DROP SHOTS ARE GORGEOUS. Was bummed he missed two in a row but he soon broke that streak. He's awesome. I love his drop shots. LOVE.

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