23:28
durgaprasad
Five-time champ Federer clubs Monaco
Monday, September 5, 2011
The clock was nearly midnight when Roger Federer and Juan Monaco took to the court for their fourth-round match on Monday night (which was actually early Tuesday morning), and it appeared Federer was in a hurry to call it a night already.
After having to wait for not only the extended day session matches to finish, but also the marathon women’s match preceding, the No. 3 seed took care of business quickly like a man on a mission, trying also to beat the rain that started to drizzle early in the third set.
When all was said and done, the Swiss champ managed to beat the rain, dropping only three games in a 6-1, 6-2, 6-0 clinic that sets up a clash with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarterfinals.
Even with the late start, the match still was not the latest to complete in US Open history. That record belongs to Mikael Pernfors and Mats Wilander, who finished their second round match in 1993 at 2:26 a.m.
Federer said the late match time delays aren't unusual in his line of work, but he's learned how to cope with them from past experiences, and he seemed to handle the waiting game pretty well.
“It's crazy how our schedules change all the time. As tennis players, it makes it extremely difficult to be on your A game every single day,” he said. “Something happens tonight, you see the women's match, you warm up several times, you wait, maybe have to eat something, you relax again. Your body is also jumping out of your skin because you want to go, then you're held back again. It's tough. But I played really well, crisp, nice. I felt fantastic. The crowd helped me a lot in this regard.”
It took just 12 minutes for the world No. 3 to sprint to a 5-0 lead, leaving Monaco stunned and wondering what hit him. The five-time US Open champion played fast and loose, firing aces and winners at will against a scrambling Monaco. Six minutes later, he held at love to take the first set.
After a quick break of the Argentine’s serve to start the second set, Federer served up four aces in a row in 51 seconds to steal a 2-0 lead. Monaco held his own for a few games, but at 4-2, Federer took another break and served out the second for a two-set lead in 37 minutes.
Monaco’s frustrations grew in the third set, committing unforced errors and ending up on the receiving end of Federer’s unforgiving backhand. Monaco did his best to combat the Swiss attack, but with three quick breaks of serve, Federer repeated the first set with a 5-0 lead and served out the match to advance.
Looking ahead to his next contest, Federer said he is looking forward to his match against Tsonga. Fans are sure to see an interesting match, as the Frenchman has beaten Federer twice this year, including at Wimbledon.
“He’s a tough player and I’ve had some really good matches against him," Federer said. "It’s always crazy up and down, just like his match today against Mardy Fish. He’s an exciting player to play against, and I’m looking forward to it. He's definitely on a good streak. I hope I can stop him this time.”
After having to wait for not only the extended day session matches to finish, but also the marathon women’s match preceding, the No. 3 seed took care of business quickly like a man on a mission, trying also to beat the rain that started to drizzle early in the third set.
When all was said and done, the Swiss champ managed to beat the rain, dropping only three games in a 6-1, 6-2, 6-0 clinic that sets up a clash with Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the quarterfinals.
Even with the late start, the match still was not the latest to complete in US Open history. That record belongs to Mikael Pernfors and Mats Wilander, who finished their second round match in 1993 at 2:26 a.m.
Federer said the late match time delays aren't unusual in his line of work, but he's learned how to cope with them from past experiences, and he seemed to handle the waiting game pretty well.
“It's crazy how our schedules change all the time. As tennis players, it makes it extremely difficult to be on your A game every single day,” he said. “Something happens tonight, you see the women's match, you warm up several times, you wait, maybe have to eat something, you relax again. Your body is also jumping out of your skin because you want to go, then you're held back again. It's tough. But I played really well, crisp, nice. I felt fantastic. The crowd helped me a lot in this regard.”
It took just 12 minutes for the world No. 3 to sprint to a 5-0 lead, leaving Monaco stunned and wondering what hit him. The five-time US Open champion played fast and loose, firing aces and winners at will against a scrambling Monaco. Six minutes later, he held at love to take the first set.
After a quick break of the Argentine’s serve to start the second set, Federer served up four aces in a row in 51 seconds to steal a 2-0 lead. Monaco held his own for a few games, but at 4-2, Federer took another break and served out the second for a two-set lead in 37 minutes.
Monaco’s frustrations grew in the third set, committing unforced errors and ending up on the receiving end of Federer’s unforgiving backhand. Monaco did his best to combat the Swiss attack, but with three quick breaks of serve, Federer repeated the first set with a 5-0 lead and served out the match to advance.
Looking ahead to his next contest, Federer said he is looking forward to his match against Tsonga. Fans are sure to see an interesting match, as the Frenchman has beaten Federer twice this year, including at Wimbledon.
“He’s a tough player and I’ve had some really good matches against him," Federer said. "It’s always crazy up and down, just like his match today against Mardy Fish. He’s an exciting player to play against, and I’m looking forward to it. He's definitely on a good streak. I hope I can stop him this time.”
Match Facts
- The match lasted an hour and 20 minutes.
- Federer hit 42 winners to Monaco's 4.
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| Roger Federer SUI (3) |  | 6 | 6 | 6 | |||||||||||||||
| Juan Monaco ARG | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
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