Federer braced for comeback kid

ArticleData Array ( [Article] => Array ( [article_id] => 1044577 [headline] => Federer braced for comeback kid [abstract] => Roger Federer will attempt to write a new chapter in tennis history on Sunday when he targets a record 15th Grand Slam title by beating Wimbledon comeback kid Andy Roddick. [keywords] => wimbledon, tennis [content] =>

Roger Federer will attempt to write a new chapter in tennis history on Sunday when he targets a record 15th Grand Slam title by beating Wimbledon comeback kid Andy Roddick.
  
Five-time champion Federer is playing in a seventh straight Wimbledon final, and a record 20th Grand Slam title match, where victory will take him past Pete Sampras's mark of 14 majors he equalled with his French Open win in June.
  
Roddick, desperate for a second major to add to his 2003 US Open title, has been here before, losing the 2004 and 2005 All England Club finals to Federer.
  
"I'm very proud of all the records I've achieved, because I never thought I would be that successful as a kid," said Federer, who lost his five-year grip on the title to Rafael Nadal here last year.
  
"I would have been happy winning a couple tournaments and maybe collecting Wimbledon, achieving the dream scenario.
  
"It's quite staggering. Having so many things going for me now again, it's fantastic."
  
The form book favours Federer, who has won a staggering 18 of his 20 match-ups with Roddick.

Roddick rejuvanated

But having seen off Tommy Haas in straight sets to reach the final, Federer is aware of the danger posed by a rejuvenated Roddick, who ended Andy Murray's bid to become Britain's first men's Wimbledon champion in 73 years.
  
The 26-year-old American's four-set, semi-final win put him into a first Grand Slam final in three years and it was achieved with a clever mix of trademark big serves, fierce groundstrokes and a composed performance at the net.
  
Federer is aware of Roddick's gifts.
  
"I've played him 20 times, so I've had plenty of time to study his game, to understand his game," he said.
  
"He's always played me also quite differently every single time I've played him. In the beginning of his career, I remember back in 2003, he was sometimes standing way back on the return.
  
"But then I played him one year and he chipped and charged a lot, and came to the net a lot. I've also played him when he's serve and volleyed first and second serve almost.
  
"I've had many different looks against Roddick. I enjoy how he leaves everything out on the court. I can only marvel at how incredible his serve is. I like playing against him, not only just because of the record."

Veteran coach praised

Roddick, whom many people had written off as a serious force in the dominant age of Federer and Nadal, believes his decision to hire veteran coach Larry Stefanki has paid dividends.
  
"He's certainly is well-studied. He kind of picks the right times to discuss stuff. It's not always the same, it doesn't feel monotonous. It's not always the same time that he picks and chooses to talk about an upcoming match," said the American.
  
"I certainly got the sense that he believed that we could get back to this point. That was large."
  
But Roddick also admits that there was a stage last year when he thought he would never make another Grand Slam final.
  
He was at his lowest ebb after suffering his earliest exit here in 2008 when he was beaten in the second round by Janko Tipsarevic, a defeat which forced him to question his future at the highest level.
  
But after discussing his future with wife Brooklyn Decker, Roddick decided to carry on and seek improvements in 2009.
  
"Last year after I played here, that was a hard, hard couple of weeks," said Roddick.
  
"Brook and I had a lot of talks on if I still thought I could play and at least be towards the top of the game. I definitely openly questioned it at that point.
  
"So this off-season, we said if you're not going to be up there, let's at least not wonder. Let's prepare yourself and give yourself every opportunity.
  
"I did work real hard and have been committed from everything to diet to sleep to everything. I certainly gave myself every opportunity to succeed."
 

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Sisters Serena and Venus Williams will meet in the Wimbledon final for the fourth time after a rollercoaster day which witnessed epic drama as well as a farcical no-contest.

Serena reached her fifth final with a 6-7 (4/7), 7-5, 8-6 win over Elena Dementieva where she saved a match point in the longest women's semi-final in the tournament's history.

The American second seed's two hour 49 minute victory went a long way to restoring some desperately-needed credibility to the women's game.

But Russian top seed and world number one Dinara Safina then suffered a spectacular Centre Court meltdown when five-time champion Venus coasted to an embarrassing 6-1, 6-0 victory in just 51 minutes.

It was the most one-sided women's semi-final in 40 years with Safina guilty of 16 unforced errors compared to one for the champion.

Venus, who beat Serena in the 2008 final, will be playing in her eighth Wimbledon title match.

"It's my eighth final here and it's a dream to be able to have the opportunity to hold the trophy again" said Venus.

Venus 'too good' on grass

"Dinara is a talented player but I have more experience on Centre Court and that helped a lot. It's so exciting to play Serena again, that will be the hard part."

The defeat for the Russian top seed will raise more questions over her status as the world's top player especially when she has still to win a Grand Slam title.

The Williams sisters have 17 majors between them.

"Venus is just too good on grass," admitted Safina who will remain the world number one regardless of the outcome of Saturday's final. 

"This is not my favourite surface. It's disappointing to finish in less than one hour and win only one game.

"She gave me a good lesson today but we only play two tournaments a year on grass. I tried to go for my shots and I like to build points. She can hit winners straightaway."

Two-time champion Serena praised Dementieva who fell in the semi-finals for the second successive year.

Match point missed

"It was really tough. Elena has been playing so well," said Serena, who saved match point at 4-5 in the final set.

"At match point I just thought it's my serve, just stay calm and think positive."

Olympic champion Dementieva was left to regret her missed match point.

With Williams approaching the net, the Russian went cross-court, rather than down the line, and the American gleefully accepted her opportunity with a simple saving backhand.

"That's my only regret. I should have taken more of a risk by going down the line," said the 27-year-old Dementieva.

Dementieva defied predictions of a one-sided encounter by breaking the American in the first game although Williams hit straight back.

The Russian bravely fought off three break points in the eighth game before going on to dominate the tie-break despite a nervous double fault on the first of three set points.

Fifth final for Serena Williams

Williams, stung by the Russian's all-out assault, broke straightaway in the second set and was quickly 2-0 ahead. But Dementieva refused to yield and broke back to love in the sixth game for 3-3.

Williams, bidding to reach a fifth Wimbledon final, fought off two break points in the eighth game, but nipped ahead on a break to 6-5 when the American successfully challenged a ball which had been called good by the linesman.

Dementieva wasted four break points in the 12th game and was made to pay when Williams sent down a 12th ace to level the contest.

The Russian blonde broke a weary-looking Williams to lead 3-1 in the decider, but handed the advantage straight back with a tense service game.

Williams, with the experience of having won 10 Grand Slam titles in her career, saved a match point in the 10th game with a backhand volley.

The 2002 and 2003 champion capitalised on her escape by breaking to lead 7-6 and took the match when Dementieva pushed a return wide.

 

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