2008 is not that bad after all

by

Topspin TJ

Roger Federer has displayed something that one could only dream of. His win against Andy Murray of Scotland in the US Open 2008 proved that he is still dominating the Tennis arena despite losing his No 1 throne.

The legendary Bjorn Borg once said that being no 1 is everything. The new legend Roger Federer disapproves this statement. His attitude and determination are tremendously superb. Even though, with 12 loses which include a bagel at Rolland Garros, a tennis coup d’état at SW19 (yes, it still haunts me) and heavy criticisms made on him throughout this year, yet he never mentally broke down. He is not burned out and there is still a lot of air in this guy!

In my opinion, whether he could break Sampras’s record of 14 Grand Slams is no more important. His record of successes proved that he is the greatest tennis player of all time. I would not go at length explaining on his records, like Federer, I do not need to prove anything.

I am extremely glad that the KING has returned. No one can tell for how long he will be around, for he like us is mortal. However, the forces he had created has reached the level of immortality. On a personel note, his triumphs remind me not to give up on my own personal quest.

Oh, by the way, Federer also won the Olympics Tennis Doubles. Regardless of whatever the event, a gold medal is a Gold Medal.

Federer Menang !!!

The 2008 US Open Champion. King Federer of Switzerland.

Ramadhan, Merdeka dan US Open 08

Assalamualaikum dan salam sejahtera kepada semua pembaca setia diari tenis.

Saudara dan Saudari,

Terlebih dahulu saya ingin mengucapkan selamat menyambut Ramadhan Al-Mubarak, semoga Ramadhan kali ini akan memberi sinar baru kepada seluruh umat Islam. Bersama-samalah kita berusaha untuk mendapat kebaikan dan rahmat Allah di bulan yang penuh berkat ini. Secara peribadi saya amat bersyukur kerana dapat menjalankan ibadah puasa di bulan Ramadhan pada tahun ini. Sering kali saya khuatir akan kemungkinan tidak akan bertemu Ramadhan lagi.

Di kesempatan ini juga saya ingin mengucapkan Selamat Menyambut Kemerdekaan yang ke 51 bagi pembaca blog ini serta seluruh rakyat Malaysia tidak kira dimana jua anda berada. Hatta, sama-samalah kita hayati erti kemerdekaan itu dan mengaplikasikannya kepada kehidupan kita sekarang. Sesungguhnya sambutan hari Kemerdekaan itu sendiri telah memberikan saya sedikit pengalaman peribadi yang tidak akan saya lupakan.

Bagi memenuhi permintaan beberapa pembaca yang meminta saya mengulas sedikit mengenai US Open yang sedang berlangsung sekarang ini. Apa yang saya dapat ulaskan hanyalah, tumpuan terhadap kejohanan ini agak sedikit hambar, ini adalah kerana faktor olimpik yang baru sahaja selesai, kesan dari kekalahan Federer sewaktu di Wimbledon yang masih di rasai (sekurang-kurangnya bagi diri saya) dan juga kesan dari penurunan takhta No.1 oleh Federer yang kini kerusi Raja Tenis itu dimiliki oleh Nadal. Mungkin agak 'bias' ulasan saya pada kali ini, namun, itulah saja yang saya dapat ulaskan.

Sekian,

Wassalam

Topspin TJ

An Unforgetable Night That I Want To Forget

Have you ever felt betrayed?
Have you even gone through a living nightmare?
Have you ever raised your hope when there was almost no hope anymore but only to be dashed later?

Yes, I had gone through all of it. All in one night. Wimbledon 2008, Gentlemen’s Single Final. Mr. R. Federer versus Mr. R. Nadal.

Betrayed because Federer lost in two Slams Finals in less than a month. Gone through a living nightmare seeing Federer down in the first two sets in the Wimbledon Final (and he is the King of grass court), witnessing all the unforced errors and mishits .. yes MISHITS made my living nightmare even worse. Yet, I still have hope in him, and yes he proved it, won the two sets later, but then lost the final set.

I have been a fan of Roger Federer more than a year now. I cannot comment on the technicalities of his games, but somehow the word ‘cool’ does reflect his style and attitude on court. Obviously, I do not know him personally (the closest that I got with Roger was when he came to Kuala Lumpur in 2007, I was about less than 5 meters from him).The main thing I like about him is that he is equalizing and breaking records. 2008 was supposed to be the year Federer would break or at least equalize Pete Sampras’s Most Grand Slam Title Won record (14 Grand Slams). The mother of all tennis’s records. No chance for that now.

I have been following closely Federer’s route to the final. All the games he received praises as he did not drop a set. I am truly excited as Federer was shutting off what the critics had said about him prior to Wimbledon.

The main criticism was that Federer was vulnerable. In my opinon, yes and no. NO because Federer should not be labeled as vulnerable since he did get into the semifinal in Australian Open 08 and the finals in both the French Open and Wimbledon. YES he was vulnerable but only to Nadal. What happen to all the flawless tennis he showed in the last fortnight?

However, he was not himself in the finals. At times, I have a feeling that he was not just playing for the trophy but more importantly for his pride.

Nadal was a better player that night. The muscular leftie Spaniard with a cool looking racket. The best example of great stamina and spirit. A true example of ‘it aint’ over till the fat lady sings’. A well deserved champion. As much as I had to painfully digest over what has happened, I have to respect Nadal for his spectacular performance.

I was expecting a piece of history been made, Federer marking new record in Wimbledon, but alas, a different history was made. The changing of guards.

What happened in the wee hours of Monday the 7th July has happened before in tennis’s history. It has happened to Bjorn Borg in 1981 and Pete Sampras in 2001, now it’s Federer’s time.

The match will be a classic match. Fans will talk about it for many years to come. For me, I will do my best to refrain from reading, discussing or even having thoughts about it. As it is simply too painful.

Could it have been the second delayed due to rain that made Federer lost his concentration on the final set? Arghhhh stop it. Enough is enough.

By

Topspin TJ

Talk to the shoe, cause the face is not talking ...

Federer's new Wimbledon 2008 sneaker logo

Please read this article form ESPN, basically what's Roger trying to say is ... DJOKOVIC .. SHUT UP !!!

Ulasan Pra Wimbledon 2008

Wimbledon edisi 2008 kali ini bakal memberi lebih tumpuan kepada Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal dan Novok Djokovic. Federer yang masih belum lagi memenangi sebarang kejuaraan Grand Slam pada tahun ini sudah pastinya agak terdesak untuk memenangi kejuaraan Wimbledon, ini adalah untuk memastikan beliau terus mendahului kedudukan ranking ATP sebagai pemain no. 1 serta mencipta rekod baru sebagai pemain pertama di dalam era kejuaraan terbuka yang memenangi kejuaraan Wimbledon 6 kali berturut-turut.

Rafael Nadal akan terus memburu untuk mendapat tempat di perlawanan akhir dan menjadi juara pada kali ini setalah 2 tahun sebelum ini tewas di tangan Federer pada pusingan akhir. Kejayaan beliau di Kejohanan Artois baru-baru ini adalah petanda awal yang menunjukkan beliau semakin selesa bermain di permukaan padang (rumput) dan ini tentulah memberi lebih tekanan kepada Federer. Novak Djokovic bintang tenis dari Serbia yang mula mencipta nama pada 2007 serta juara Terbuka Australia 2008 dilihat begitu yakin untuk merubuhkan dominasi Federer di Wimbledon. Beliau dilihat agak vokal didalam memberikan pendapat mengenai peluangnya didalam Wimbledon kali ini serta komen-komennya terhadap Federer. Bagi edisi Wimbledon 2008, Djokovic dijangka akan bertemu dengar Federer di peringkat separuh akhir.

Kesimpulannya, Nadal dan Djokovic adalah di dalam kedudukan yang baik untuk menduduki ranking ATP no. 1 sekiranya mereka menjuarai Wimbledon pada kali ini. Namun, sudah pastinya Federer tidak akan memberi takhta no. 1 yang didudukinya semenjak Februari 2004 dengan begitu mudah.

Oleh,

'Topspin' TJ

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