'We shouldn't question Roger Federer's Wimbledon 2019 final decisions,' says Simon

In his last Major final so far, Roger Federer wasted two match points versus Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon 2019, missing a massive opportunity to win the 21st Major crown and stay in front of Rafael Nadal. Roger didn't play well during those two points on his serve that could have propelled him through, paying the ultimate price and losing the match 7-6-, 1-6, 7-6, 4-6, 13-12 after four hours and 57 minutes! Speaking about the match, Gilles Simon said that we shouldn't question Roger's decision during those match points, reminding us that the Swiss knows what he is doing in notable finals, playing many of those throughout his career. The Swiss won 14 points more than the Serb, scored four more breaks, had 40 winners more, two match points and two break chances at 11-11 in the decider up for grabs, squandering all that and allowing Djokovic to steal the crown in the longest Wimbledon final ever.

The Serb gave his best to stay in contention, repelling those two match points on the return at 7-8 in the fifth set and producing the steel nerves in all three tie breaks to grab the 16th Major title. Two hours and 15 minutes since the beginning of the clash, Novak was yet to earn a break chance, still leading two sets to one. In the first set tie break, Federer led 5-3 before dropping four straight points to hand it to Djokovic, who didn't have to do much in those 12 points, hitting no winners or errors and allowing Roger to make mistakes and ruin everything he was building in the last 55 minutes. The Swiss quickly left this setback behind him, storming over Djokovic to grab the second set 6-1, standing as the better player in the third as well but wasting a break chance that installed the second tie break. Novak clinched it 7-4 after Roger's six errors, four in an unforced area from the backhand wing that cost him a slow start and the better finish.

Gilles Simon shared his thoughts about the famous Wimbledon 2019 final.

After all kinds of drama in the deciding set and survived games 16 and 23, Novak was the favorite in the crucial tie break that he claimed 7-3 to wrap up the title and one of his most extraordinary victories ever. Overall, Federer hit the last ball in 29 out of 33 points in all three tie breaks combined, leaving Novak on three winners and one forced error! On the other hand, the eight-time champion added six service winners and five from the court while destroying all that with massive 13 unforced mistakes and five that Novak forced. Just like in the rest of the encounter, tie breaks were on Roger's racquet, but he failed to deliver his best tennis when it mattered the most, spraying 17 errors more than the constant Serb and finding himself on the losing side.

"I heard it so many times, 'Why didn't he serve and volley against Novak when he had his two match points?' We're not going to start questioning Federer's choices in the crucial moments, are we? If anyone knows, it's him… Federer doesn't question it. He played his game, and he's won a lot of Slams by doing this," Gilles Simon said.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3iJX48K