Roland Garros 2015: Roger Federer - Stan Wawrinka
So Federer lost out to Stan "the man" Wawrinka. Now there happened something very, very significant in the tie breaker of the third set, that nobody seemed to pick up.
One thing that happened last year at the ATP finals, is that Federer's wife called Stan a "Cry Baby", after he was complaining that she was heckling him when Federer was serving. You can read this article here.
So anyway, that is the set up for this match.
Now Stan played an amazing game, hands down, and he probably deserved the win, but it's tennis, and you've only won after you win *all* the points, so you never know.
Now what happened at 4-3 in the tie-break, with Roger serving, as I remember, please correct me when I'm wrong, Stan hit this bal to Roger's court on the line, but the ball get's called out. Now I do not remember if Roger could have gotten the ball, but the fact is that he stopped playing. The referee came of his chair, I think on Stan's request, and he calls the ball in. Now this is all ready a blow to Roger, who still thinks they will now replay the point. When suddenly the ref calls it 5-3 for Stan.
Now I did not understand that Roger did not complain more. Perhaps it was what happened with his wife in the past, and he just got tired, and gave the point to his friend, or he is just not so eager anymore, but the 'old' Roger would have complaint till he was blue in the face. Very strange he conceded the break point.
And Stan just said, "No, it's my point", as in, "You would have never returned my ball, Roger."
As he all ready had the referee on his side it was a mood point, but the fact that he said something to that extent proofs to me that he in fact felt guilty for not just conceding and replay the point. Stan could have simply told the referee, "We will replay the point", as a gentleman would have done.
So off course from Stan it was very 'unsportsman' like, not at all how a gentleman should behave, especially against such a gentleman as Roger Federer. Now don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of Nadal, not Federer (not that I am not a fan of Roger Federer, as Nadal pointed out, he is the greatest tennis player of his time, and arguably the greatest tennis player ever lived, and even if Nadal manages to break his record, the seeming effortlessness, and sheer skill that Roger Federer exudes is simply inimitable). And I also feel that Roger's wife was way out of line in the past games, still I felt Roger did not deserve this, he could have won the tie-breaker, and turned the match around. And Stan off course knew this all to well, and was simply scared to actually let faith decide.
As it happened, it became 5-3 for Stan, instead of 4-4, and. Then Stan simply served out the match, it became 6-3, Federer brought it back to 6-4, and Stan won 7-4.
Anyway I wish him well, but I sure hope Tsonga will finish him off in the semi's.
So what do you think? I just wanted to share this pivotal moment in the Stan-Roger game, and felt Roger was short changed, he probably would have lost anyway, but he would have wore Stan down, way down. Alas, so it stands, life goes on, perhaps it's Rogers karma for all the good calls he had on his side, now he has a bad call on his side to equal things out. But I expected more from Stan Wawrinka... He kind of lost his 'Swiss' cool, and most likely the past incidences play a big part in that.
Last but not least I must recommend Roger Federer for taking a long time to talk to Stan after the incident at the ATP finals, and then loosing the final (perhaps because of his lenghty talks the day before), but then winning the World cup of tennis, the Davis cup. Congrats to both.
One thing that happened last year at the ATP finals, is that Federer's wife called Stan a "Cry Baby", after he was complaining that she was heckling him when Federer was serving. You can read this article here.
So anyway, that is the set up for this match.
Now Stan played an amazing game, hands down, and he probably deserved the win, but it's tennis, and you've only won after you win *all* the points, so you never know.
Now what happened at 4-3 in the tie-break, with Roger serving, as I remember, please correct me when I'm wrong, Stan hit this bal to Roger's court on the line, but the ball get's called out. Now I do not remember if Roger could have gotten the ball, but the fact is that he stopped playing. The referee came of his chair, I think on Stan's request, and he calls the ball in. Now this is all ready a blow to Roger, who still thinks they will now replay the point. When suddenly the ref calls it 5-3 for Stan.
Now I did not understand that Roger did not complain more. Perhaps it was what happened with his wife in the past, and he just got tired, and gave the point to his friend, or he is just not so eager anymore, but the 'old' Roger would have complaint till he was blue in the face. Very strange he conceded the break point.
And Stan just said, "No, it's my point", as in, "You would have never returned my ball, Roger."
As he all ready had the referee on his side it was a mood point, but the fact that he said something to that extent proofs to me that he in fact felt guilty for not just conceding and replay the point. Stan could have simply told the referee, "We will replay the point", as a gentleman would have done.
So off course from Stan it was very 'unsportsman' like, not at all how a gentleman should behave, especially against such a gentleman as Roger Federer. Now don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of Nadal, not Federer (not that I am not a fan of Roger Federer, as Nadal pointed out, he is the greatest tennis player of his time, and arguably the greatest tennis player ever lived, and even if Nadal manages to break his record, the seeming effortlessness, and sheer skill that Roger Federer exudes is simply inimitable). And I also feel that Roger's wife was way out of line in the past games, still I felt Roger did not deserve this, he could have won the tie-breaker, and turned the match around. And Stan off course knew this all to well, and was simply scared to actually let faith decide.
As it happened, it became 5-3 for Stan, instead of 4-4, and. Then Stan simply served out the match, it became 6-3, Federer brought it back to 6-4, and Stan won 7-4.
Anyway I wish him well, but I sure hope Tsonga will finish him off in the semi's.
So what do you think? I just wanted to share this pivotal moment in the Stan-Roger game, and felt Roger was short changed, he probably would have lost anyway, but he would have wore Stan down, way down. Alas, so it stands, life goes on, perhaps it's Rogers karma for all the good calls he had on his side, now he has a bad call on his side to equal things out. But I expected more from Stan Wawrinka... He kind of lost his 'Swiss' cool, and most likely the past incidences play a big part in that.
Last but not least I must recommend Roger Federer for taking a long time to talk to Stan after the incident at the ATP finals, and then loosing the final (perhaps because of his lenghty talks the day before), but then winning the World cup of tennis, the Davis cup. Congrats to both.
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