In Roger Federer's words: 'It's a dream to be in a Grand Slam final, will try to..'

Two years after his best results at Majors at Roland Garros and Wimbledon 2001, Roger Federer was ready to show his best tennis at the All England Club again. The Swiss won the first ATP title on grass in Halle a few weeks earlier and was ready for more of the same in England, playing on a high level to pass the quarter-final mark at Majors for the first time. In the fourth round, Roger overcame a nasty back injury against Feliciano Lopez, prevailing in straight sets and preserving energy for the next encounters where he also had the upper hand. In the semis, Federer took down another young gun Andy Roddick 7-6, 6-3, 6-3 in an hour and 43 minutes, dominating on both serve and return to advance into the title match for the first time at that level.

With 74 winners and 35 errors, Roger was the ruler on the court, fending off two break chances offered to Andy and repelling a set point in the opening set tie break when the American missed a forehand that would cost him dearly. In sets two and three, Federer grabbed three breaks to control the pace, crossing the finish line and setting the clash against Mark Philippoussis for the biggest trophy of our sport. After the win, Roger said it's a dream to be in a Grand Slam final, hoping to maintain that level and have a chance to fight for the crown.

"I had some great matches in the past, like the one against Marat Safin on clay in Hamburg and some Davis Cup clashes. People sometimes forget about them as they were not in the semi-final or the final but I had some excellent matches in the early rounds. It will not be easy to keep the same level but I have enough time to get ready for the final and prepare both mentally and physically. It's a dream to be in a Grand Slam final. My friends in Switzerland are thrilled for me, so as my family. I will play at home next week and can't wait to see my home fans."



from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/2U8A4p1

No comments