One of the events of last week while we were in blackout mode was the U.S. Open final between Roger Federer and Juan Martin Del Potro. Del Potro beat Rafael Nadal and Federer in consecutive matches to win the U.S. Open title handing Roger his first loss in New York since 2003. Federer had chances to close out the match but the younger Del Potro had a motor and a hefty forehand. At one point Roger was even reduced to swearing at the official for allowing what he thought was a late challenge.
Another year, another failure to get Federer and Nadal in a Grand Slam finals. This year, it seems injuries have caught up with Nadal. If it is not his knee, it is an abdominal injury. Last year when Nadal could not keep up in the U.S. Open after winning the French, Wimbledon, and an Olympic medal Catfish ruminated as to whether Nadal was tennis' version of D-Wade. The man pushes himself so hard so often that maybe Nadal will use a different approach entering next year's Grand Slam run.
It has been well over a year since one of the greatest matches ever and we have yet to see another Grand Slam final between to two titans of tennis. We may not see another; with Nadal's injuries and Federer approaching 30, perhaps we will not be that lucky. This got me thinking about the greatest tennis rivalry of the previous generation, Sampras-Agassi. While Nadal and Federer have met 7 times for a Grand Slam title compared to Pete and Andre's 5, the latter had the ability to capture the nation because they were Americans and prevalent in the landscape of sports during the 90s and early 2000s. It is unfortunate that no American has risen up to challenge these Nadal or Federer or that they are not as appreciated for their accomplishments because they are not American.
Besides their nationalities, Pete and Andre had everything you could want in a sports rivalry. They had distinctly polar personalities; Andre was always outgoing and loved the attention even after he dropped the "image is everything" label while Pete was more shy and retiring. Pete is arguably the game's best server ever not only because of his power but his accuracy and timing. Andre is just about undisputed in his title of best returner of all-time. Their rivalry began back when they were just kids training to become greats and lasted throughout their careers. Sampras won the most majors and 20-14 over Andre including 4-1 in Slam finals yet Andre had more fans and completed the career slam. Below are the highlights from one of their best matches, the 2001 quarterfinal final which went to four straight tie-breakers while neither man was broken on serve.
Tuesday, September 22
Sometimes You Forget: Andre and Pete
Monday, July 6
Coming Full Circle on ASD, Wimbledon-style
Tomorrow will mark the one-year anniversary of the Amphibious Sports Duo and perhaps it is fitting that the first post on our blog was about the epic 5 set match last year in the Wimbledon final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. I labeled it the "Marathon Match" because the contest went 9-7 into the final set. The final yesterday between Roger and Andy Roddick ended 16-14 in the 5th set. While many did not get the "best match ever" feel yesterday, you could not deny that this was the longest and the biggest test of endurance. There was no rain delay, no fading light, just two men slamming serve after serve at one another.
I will simply say the following about the historical implications. Roger Federer is the greatest by the numbers as Pete Sampras, who was on hand with wife Veronica Vaughn, Bridgett Wilson, put it better than anyone could when asked by John McEnroe who held the title of best ever. It was great to see players from each era standing together; Bjorn Borg, Rod Laver, Sampras, and Roger. There was mutual respect between them all and there seemed to be an understanding that being the best in your era marked your place in history and that any discussion over who is the best ever is a compelling argument, but not one that has a definite answer.
I have been guilty of criticizing Roddick in the past, and also guilty of deferring to his swimsuit model wife and millions of dollars as comfort for him. But as the match progressed and after Andy fell short, I actually felt bad for him. I am not talking in the grand scheme of things, but simply in the sense of a sports' competitor. Andy deserves all the credit in the world for retooling his game and improving on his weaknesses. He stood toe-to-toe with Roger with his groundstrokes yesterday which is something he had not done in his previous Grand Slam losses to Federer. Even Roger had to be surprised by the level of Roddick's play and it is another tribute to Roger took everything Andy had and still came out on top. Roddick had Roger 15-40 in the 5th set but Roger powered serve after serve to get out of the jam. It reminded me of when Sampras used to do that all the time. After that game Roger never let Roddick get close and by the 30th game, Andy could simply not stay at the level he had been playing. Of course Andy will re-live his bad miss on a backhand volley when he had set-point 6-2 in the second set tiebreaker, but he did bounce back from that to force the 5th set which is another credit to his improvement. I do not see how he recovers from this loss anytime soon, but I hope he attacks the game with the vigor and game planning with which he approached his last two matches.
One thing that has remained constant for Roddick is his entertaining interviews before and after matches. On court, fighting back tears, holding his second place trophy like it was a crumpled paper plate he just used to gobble down BBQ, Andy paid respect to Roger and looked over at the royal box and said, "Sorry, Pete, I tried to hold him off." He turned down the clubhouse interview with McEnroe which I think was wise considering the hug he gave a sullen Federer after last year's final. In the press conference, Andy was slumped over, but answered all the questions truthfully and with his usual wit and snark. "I lost," he said. It was that simple.
Monday, June 8
Weekend Recap
I have decided job searching is only as stressful as you allow it to be. Therefore I welcome my oncoming unemplyoment in a little over 3 weeks, it will give me a chance to do some figurative and literal housecleaning. I hope your weekend out there was enjoyable. I can't decide what the highlight for me was, witnessing cookie-tossing at Waffle House at 2:30am, or the girl being carried out An Officer and A Gentleman style from the bar and the EMTs flowing in soon after.
Tiger Woods won a golf tournament yesterday, consider yourself warned. [Rumors and Rants]
I thought this girl winning the Texas state title in Track and Field was impressive, but Catfish was quick to point out, "It's only class A, isn't that the worst division?" [Deadspin]
I get the feeling the Stanley Cup Finals may be over tomorrow night after the way the Wings looked with Datsyuk back. [Yahoo]
Where was the security at Roland Garros on Sunday? [TBL]
Now I just think the Nationals are doing this stuff on purpose. [DC Sports Bog]
Ian Kinsler gets my vote for best player on a good team no one is talking about. [Dallas Morning News]
Southern Miss defeated Florida to advance to the College World Series. The Noles lost too so a win-win this weekend as far as I'm concerned. [CBSSports]
I have a feeling that the Courtney Lee missed lay-up is going to be the most memorable moment from the finals this year. Now where did I put my broom? [Ball Don't Lie]
Saturday, January 31
Rivalry Resumed
In the very first story on this site we discussed the epic Wimbledon final between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal which Nadal won in 5 sets in what some, including John McEnroe call the greatest match of all time. Tonight, or rather this morning at 3:30 AM EST (replay Sunday morning on ESPN) the two will meet again in the finals of another Grand Slam, the Australian Open. Federer can surpass Pete Sampras on the all-time Slam wins list after disposing yet again of a trimmer Andy Roddick. Nadal had to hang on in a marathon 5 set match over Fernando Verdasco. It should be another epic match with 
Nadal not wanting to lose his recent edge over Federer and Roger wanting to show is still the undisputed number 1.
You can see a tale of the tape between the two here.
In other Aussie news, Serena Williams blew through Safina in 59 minutes like a dumptruck to capture her tenth Grand Slam title.
Serena destroys Safina for Aussie Open title, 10th overall Slam [CBSSports]
Tuesday, January 20
The Australian Open: Checking Down Under
Men's tennis has become dormant in the minds of today's sports landscape in America. The loss of popular personalities like McEnroe, Connors, Agassi, and Sampras have contributed but there is also another element that keeps tennis far from the consciousness: winning. The last American to hoist a Grand Slam trophy for the men was Andy Roddick in the U.S. Open 6 years ago. Roddick won his early match easily and has trimmed down in an attempt to get over the hump and claim another Slam title. Roddick, who has been the best men's hope since Agassi left, has finished second in Grand Slam finals to Roger Federer on three occasions. While Roddick has sputtered, other players like Nadal, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray have emerged. Men's tennis is entering its best era in a while because it is the new talent is raising their game while Federer is attempting to hold on and surpass Pete Sampras for the most Grand Slam titles ever. If Roddick or any American could get into the mix, it could make for a great show, similar to the one Federer and Nadal gave us last July. The early rounds have begun in Aussie land with Federer looking sharp even though he is not his customary number 1 seed which belongs to Nadal who also advanced and Roger is not even the favorite, Andy Murray has received that title due to recent success.
Murray favored? Federer scoffs at bookmakers. [SI.com]
Tuesday, September 9
One for the Thumb
Roger Federer had a historic win yesterday giving him five straight U.S. Open titles and bringing him one behind Pete Sampras for all time Grand Slam titles. The outcome was never in doubt as Roger pushed Andy Murray out of the way in three straight sets. Murray looked like a deer in headlights in the first set and then a deer that was frustrated to have been startled by headlights in the second and third. In his post-match speech Federer sounded relieved to again be at the pinnacle of the men’s game but also was insistent on the positive direction the men’s game is headed in.
The Greatness
Roger Federer has now by sheer numbers alone placed himself just under Pete Sampras as the best men’s singles player of all time. The past year has been trying for Federer, losing out in the Australian Open, and then coming down with mono in the spring. Clearly the illness took away from his performance at the French, where he still was able to reach the finals only to be swept aside by Rafael Nadal. This was not an uncommon result for Federer at Roland-Garros, where he has never won. It is the one blemish on his great record, as it was for Sampras. The one card Andre Agassi holds over Sampras and now Federer is that he was able to win the French and complete the career slam. Heading into Wimbledon it was clear that Federer was out to redeem his loss to Nadal. Thankfully they met in the final but Nadal edged Roger in one of the greatest matches ever. At that point people began to ask; what is wrong with Roger? Too many matches? Getting old? (he’s only 27..) Something wrong physically? (the mono?), is he suffering from not having a consistent coach? (he usually trains on his own). In the Olympics Federer bowed out in singles early even though he captured a doubles gold medal. In the U.S. Open, Federer has some struggles earlier, and he let his frustration show on the court. It was rare to see Federer get so bothered on the court by the officials, his play, or certain unlucky bounces. Not until his semi-final match against Novac Djokovic did Federer begin to look his old, dominating self. He found his game, his groove, his stroke. 
The finals seemed a mere formality and when it was over and Federer did his trademark Barrel Roll flop onto center court, he seemed right again. In this Roger deserves tremendous credit, in the same way that Tiger Woods did for coming back from his stretch where he wasn’t winning majors. It is an accomplishment to reach to level of excellence in sport, but a remarkable feat is to recapture that greatness after losing hold of it. It is no wonder that Federer and Woods have struck a friendship with each other and appeared in Gilette commercials along side each other and one other random international sports star. Federer now his sights set on two things for next year: finally win the French, and pass Sampras for all time Slam titles.
The Chronicles of Roddick
Andy Roddick is by no means wallowing in sorrow. He has made enough money to be set for life, he holds a Grand Slam title from 2003, and he will soon be lawfully joined to this. That being said, the American with the most promise failed yet again to produce in his home court Grand Slam. Roddick seems to take everything with a grain of salt; his post-match press conferences are actually very entertaining and he is always good for a humorous quote. He produced one of these quips during the tournament in reference to Novak Djokovic. Alluding to his injury situation, Andy jokingly suggested that Novak was quick to call for the trainer. Seeing that he had mentioned anthrax in his statement, it should have been seen as a light-hearted comment but Djokovic saw it as a shot to his intergrity. The 21 year old Serb then beat Roddick with the whole crowd against him and became overcome with emotion after the match and said some comments that quickly turned to New York crowd against him. Roddick and Djokovic met after the match and apparently have made up. Novak wears his emotions on his sleeve and hopefully he will learn to control that as he matures. His tennis, however, is great in its own right. No matter what Roddick threw at him, he returned it right back. Roddick’s serve was powerful, but inconsistent and in what has often been his downfall, he made somepoor match decisions. By the end of the match Roddick looked overmatched. On a critical point in the fourth set tiebreaker at 5-5 Roddick pounded great groundstroke after great groundstroke, but Novak would not let one by him. Roddick ran out of patience and attempted a backhand slice drop shot. It landed feebly into the net. After the next point, the match was over. Roddick has had some bad exits out of the Slams, but has had some great runs ended by the superior play of his counterparts and in many cases it came in the form of Roger Federer. Roddick can compete at the highest levels of tennis, but he is going to have to adapt and strategize his game in order to take another major title.
The State of the Game
The men’s game has been reduced to the four Grand Slams in the fan’s eyes. Only the most avid fans and Europeans follow all the different tour stops during the year. When the tournaments roll around, especially when there are challengers going after Federer, it is a great sports match to watch, and a change of pace from the other popular sports that are on television. John McEnroe and others have contended that players are forced through too many tournaments in the year and it is wearing the stars of the game down and shortening careers. If an attractive secondary tier of tournaments existed to compliment the Slams, they would possibly get more attention. The top four in tennis (Federer, Nadal, Djokovic, and Murray) provide a solid core of talent for the men’s game but others (especially Americans) need to step up. The other positive about the game is the time efficient and effective replay system in place. The ability for players to quickly challenge a call and see exactly where it lands has been a gigantic leap for fair play and reduction of squabbles over missed calls.
The game has carved its niche into the sports world, but hold is tenuous and only great major tournaments can keep the momentum going. With all the options American fans now have tennis has slipped behind many of the other sports in national attention. Gone are the days of Agassi, Sampras, Connors, and McEnroe. Still there is hope that we can enjoy great matches like the ones we have seen this summer in the coming years and that someone will emerge as the next ambassador to men’s tennis in the United States.
Monday, September 8
Monday Matinee at the Open
Today at 5:00 (EST) Roger Federer looks to right the ship and capture his fifth straight U.S. Open title. In his way stands Andy Murray, a young Scot who impressed the home British crowd at Wimbledon before bowing out to Nadal. But this time, Rafael could not match the intesity of Andy. Murray employed a combination of great serving with a stifling defense of shot returning to do something I thought was not possible: wearing down Nadal. After winning the French, Wimbledon in a 5 set classic, and a Olympic Gold Medal, Nadal's tank seemed to be empty. Murray did the right thing and kept his foot on the gas not letting Rafael rest, even after the match was suspended due to weather on Saturday. Murray finished the job Sunday to set up today's final. Although everyone wanted the Nadal/Federer rematch, the final should be interesting. Interesting if Federer does not play at his top game, which he began doing in the 4th set against Djokovic. We'll take a closer look at the final and the state of men's tennis tomorrow.
