Just when we were announcing the end of his era, Roger Federer is showing he has plenty of sparks left in him, coming from behind to overcome Juan Martin del Potro in a winner-takes-it-all match at the ATP Championships in London. The victory secured his spot in the last four, where he'll go head-to-head with nemesis and world No.1, Rafael Nadal.
Following a disastrous season that saw his slip to No.8 in the world rankings, the Swiss caught fire just in time for the prestigious Season-Ending Championships, showing his rivals he is not done yet, that he is ready, both mentally and physically to give it one more fight. While his poor form, the back issues, and the mental tribulations have prevented him from playing his best for most of the season, Roger seems to have put all that behind him as he is laying the foundations for what he hopes will be a stellar comeback season next year.
Although he was yet to qualify for the final tournament of 2013, Federer took a long break after his shocking loss to Tommy Robredo at the US Open, skipping the Asian swing. In this time span he parted ways with long-time coach Paul Annacone, opting to go solo for the time being. The risky strategy paid off and he came back energized and more focused. Well rested and clear-headed he got to play some great, consistent tennis in the last three tournaments he entered. It all started in his hometown, in Basel, where he made it all the way to the final, dispatching young guns Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov and Canadian Vasek Pospisil along the way. Even though he lost a nail-biting contest against del Potro, the result helped boost his confidence. Next week in Paris, he gained revenge on the Argentinean, overcoming him to reach the semis. He even had Novak Djokovic on the ropes for a set and a half, but unfortunately was unable to close out what would have been a magnificent triumph.
Having qualified for London the week before, Roger took full advantage of the opportunity. Although he lost another thriller against Djokovic, he beat both Richard Gasquet and del Potro to secure his place in the last four. The win against del Potro excited me the most because of fight back he was able to produce. Having gone 1-5 down in the opener, he responded in still holding two chances to level at 5. The Argentinean won the set eventually, but the momentum shifted in Federer’s favour. Although he was down a break in both sets, the confident Swiss managed to recover the deficit every time, serving out a superb 4-6,7-6,7-5 victory. The most important highlight of this match was Roger’s mental strength. The way he found his way out of the rabbit hole was reminiscent of the old day, of the days when the invincible Federer used to rule the world. Another positive was the fact that he took his chances, sealing the deal on his first match point by serving an ace. This is something that he failed to do this season, so again great progress here. He desperately needs to play smart on the big points if he wants to advance further in the tournament.
A win over Nadal might seem impossible, but with the right tactic and a great deal of self-belief, Federer can deny the Spaniard’s perfect ending to 2013. If the Swiss gets a sublime day at work, we might be in for a surprise, else Nadal will probably crush him. So set caution to the wind Roger, don’t blink, don’t doubt it, just play your best and beat Rafa! #letswinthis Federer!
Either way, it’s good to see Roger in this more competitive mode. Following the good results he’s had this past month, he set himself nicely for what could be a magnificent 2014.
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| Federer seems to have recaptured his winning momentum at the ATP Championships in London where he beat Richard Gasquet and Juan Martin del Potro to secure his place in the semifinals. He goes on to face nemesis Rafael Nadal next. |
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