Kryptonite or a red sun
Roger Federer’s fans need to start rooting for him again. He’s been in a slump lately: since March he’s lost to Guillermo Canas twice, Rafael Nadal twice—including the Battle of the Surfaces, an exhibition match on a court that was half-grass and half clay [They should play in Manila, where a single court can have several types of surfaces: shell (Who else plays on shell?), dirt (where the shell is cracked), grass (growing out of the dirt), and mud (when it rains)], and most recently, to Filippo Volandri at the Rome Masters. That’s as many losses as he usually sustains in a whole year.
What’s the problem? Dissatisfaction with his coach (He recently parted ways with Tony Roche)? Too many Vogue layouts? Ennui? He’s not losing interest, is he? This is the worst patch he’s been in since 2004. I don’t think it’s a major worry but Roland Garros starts soon, and it has the added burden of history.
That last loss was particularly distressing, not only because Volandri is ranked 53rd in the world, but because it was all over in two sets in 78 minutes. The Fed can usually turn these things around by lifting his game just a little, but on this occasion he seemed listless and his shots had no conviction. This is according to news reports—I didn’t watch the match because I’ve gotten so used to Federer winning(and all those greatest-player-ever articles) that I felt no need to cheer him on. A player wins and loses on his own, but it’s the fans who help create the atmosphere of belief that makes victory possible. Roger Federer needs us after all. Where did I put those streamers?
Answers to questions you might be asking, unless you wandered onto this site purely by accident >>>
May 17th, 2007 at 12:04
Yup, tough times for Federer fans. But I’m still standing up, still getting counted. I’m waving my virtual streamer! You can never take away his genius!
May 17th, 2007 at 18:04
same here. maybe i just got used to seeing the fed win all the time. but now that he lost to someone out of the top 50 in Rome, my goodness, what’s happening to him?! he needs the french open to vindicate his losses to nadal!
May 18th, 2007 at 15:00
I’m another Federer fan, and as much as I can admit that Nadal is really good and is now the clear frontrunner for Roland Garros 2007, I’m still rooting for The Fed. He’s the second best clay court player still, I guess. He just needs to regroup fast – Paris starts in a week.