[Tennis] US Open 2008 # 7: Juan Martin!

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Olympic fatigue catching up with Federer and the field

NEW YORK -- Before this U.S. Open, most tennis players played down the Beijing Effect. Typically, they would shrug and say that they are citizens of the world and that travel -- even halfway around the world -- is nothing special.
But midway through the second week, as the unforced errors have mounted, the line at the trainers' table has lengthened and the word "exhausted" has begun to appear regularly in interview transcripts, it is clear that something is at work here.
Call it … the China Syndrome.
On Tuesday, No. 3 seed Novak Djokovic was extended almost beyond his physical limits in a 3-hour, 44-minute, five-set victory over Tommy Robredo. No. 5 seed Nikolay Davydenko wasn't so lucky. He fell to qualifier Gilles Muller -- who did not journey to the Far East - 6-4, 4-6, 6-3, 7-6 (10), a significant upset.
And then there was the case of Roger Federer. Seeded No. 2, Federer had won all nine of his previous sets, but Russia's Igor Andreev nearly took down the four-time defending champion. Federer prevailed 6-7 (5), 7-6 (5), 6-3, 3-6, 6-3. Some 3 hours and 32 minutes after the last match of the day session ended in prime time, at 8:23 p.m. ET, Federer turned to his box, pumped both his fists in unison -- and exulted.
Roger Federer played only his second five-set U.S. Open match since his reign as four-time champion began in 2004.
Federer was uncommonly emotional during the entire match and almost giddy afterward. The tennis was, at times, thrilling. It was also ragged and sloppy. Federer finished with 67 winners and 60 unforced errors. "Down a set and a tiebreak in the second, obviously there's danger written all over that situation," Federer noted. "It was really exciting, not only for the fans. I don't remember if I ever played a five-set match on that [Arthur Ashe] court. I don't usually give myself the opportunity. "It's fun for a change"
All eight of the women's quarterfinalists and four of the seven men (not including the last quarterfinalist yielded from the Andy Roddick-Fernando Gonzalez match), played in Beijing. Twice, No. 2 seed Jelena Jankovic has been extended to three sets. Meanwhile, No. 6 seed Dinara Safina, a pretournament favorite in some eyes, has been the poster child for early-fall fatigue. She was extended to three sets by Timea Bacsinszky (who lost in the first round at Beijing) in the third round, then survived qualifier Anna-Lena Groenefeld in the fourth.
"Honestly, going on the court I didn't expect that I'm going to win because I was just so exhausted," said Safina, who lost to Elena Dementieva in the gold-medal match. "I finish the warm-up and I just said, 'I cannot push myself anymore.'"
On the men's side, where they play best-of-five, instead of the women' best-of-three format, fatigue has played even more of a factor. A number of the men remaining in the tournament have been severely tested by lesser players on their journey to the quarterfinals.
Roddick was forced to scuffle against Ernests Gulbis in the second round, and on Monday young American Sam Querrey challenged No. 1 seed Rafael Nadal. "The Olympics maybe didn't help me right now for this tournament, no?" Nadal said. "Probably I am not in the freshest moment in my life." Safe to say Federer was not at his freshest in the fifth set against Andreev. He fell into a hole, losing the first set in a tiebreaker, and could never seem to break free from the 25-year-old Russian, ranked 21 spots below him.
The match was consolidated when Federer, serving at 4-2, fought off four break points and escaped the six-deuce game when Andreev couldn't handle a fiery serve. "I'm happy with the way I played when the pressure was the highest," Federer said.
Much was made of the choice by Roddick and fellow American Mardy Fish to skip the Olympics. Now that difficult decision looks prescient. Fish faces a depleted Nadal in one quarterfinal and if Roddick beats Gonzalez -- who reached the men's final in Beijing and played a tough match with Jarkko Nieminen -- he'll get Djokovic, who concedes that whoever he plays will be the fitter player.
In the end, Roddick is likely to experience his own version of the China Syndrome. After the Davis Cup semifinals in Spain, he is scheduled to play the China Open -- in Beijing.

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Op woensdag 3 september 2008 04:00 schreef Tim86 het volgende:
6-2 rod. Heb hem nog nooit zo goed zien spelen denk ik. 11winners en 3 ue. Gonzo wel erg matig. Meer backhand dan forehanwinners lol

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Op woensdag 3 september 2008 04:31 schreef Ambrosius het volgende:
Roddick speelt idd erg sterk. Na een uur spelen 6-2 6-4 .

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Op woensdag 3 september 2008 10:37 schreef Colplay het volgende:
Roddick is misschien zelfs wel de grote favoriet om het toernooi te winnen. Hij speelt goed en is veel fitter dan de rest.

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Op woensdag 3 september 2008 10:37 schreef Colplay het volgende:
Roddick is misschien zelfs wel de grote favoriet om het toernooi te winnen. Hij speelt goed en is veel fitter dan de rest.

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Op woensdag 3 september 2008 10:54 schreef kleinzusje het volgende:

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Norrage: Ben het niet met je eens. Vind hem juist beter dan alleen een Acert. En hij groeit tegen goede spelers !

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Op woensdag 3 september 2008 11:18 schreef kleinzusje het volgende:
Wopppppppppppeeeerrrrrrrrrr help !

Andy Roddick's Hilarious Djokovic Impression

Wat een held is het toch

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Op woensdag 3 september 2008 10:48 schreef Norrage het volgende:

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Ja, ik ben er ook een beetje bang voor..Ik hoop op de andere Andy...Maar Roddick ziet er goed uit inderdaad....Maar ja, Gonzo speelde wel echt heeeeeeeeeeeel erg slecht...jezus, net even die herhaling aan het kijken...

En wat ik niet snap aan Roddick...Vroeger was ik echt zo ontzettend fan. Hij speelde alles of niets, blies elke tegenstand van de baan met waanzinnige setstanden, sloeg tientallen winners per wedstrijd...En nu...het is een beetje service beuken, wat slicen en maar laf zo min mogelijk fouten maken....Ik snap echt niet waarom zo'n ommekeer er is gekomen :/

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Op woensdag 3 september 2008 11:32 schreef TubewayDigital het volgende:

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balletjes terug brengen is tegenwoordig het spel wat op de tour gespeeld wordt. Kijk naar Murray, djoko, rafa

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Op woensdag 3 september 2008 11:24 schreef TubewayDigital het volgende:
links naar de streams ontbreken in de OP

( heb ze niet in de wiki gezet, durf ik niet aan te komen )

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Op woensdag 3 september 2008 11:39 schreef kleinzusje het volgende:

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Asje !

Streams:
rojadirecta
myp2p.eu
streams zonder download
Spaanse streams

_{( heb ze niet in de wiki gezet, durf ik niet aan te komen )}

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Op woensdag 3 september 2008 11:25 schreef TheGeneral het volgende:

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Haha

Humor is iets waar we Roddick niet van kunnen beschuldigen dat het minder is geworden.

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Ik moet me goed voelen dat ik nu tegen Djokovic mag aantreden, want hij heeft volgens mij nu zo'n zestien blessures.

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Q. When asked about his injuries today, mentioning the right ankle as opposed to the left ankle, the other day..

ANDY RODDICK: Isn't it both of them? And a back and a hip?

Q. And when he said there are too many to count.

ANDY RODDICK: And a cramp.

Q. Do you get the sense right now that he is...

ANDY RODDICK: Bird flu.

Q. Lot of things. Beijing hangover.

ANDY RODDICK: Yeah.

Q. He's got pretty long list of illness.

ANDY RODDICK: Anthrax. SARS. Common cough and cold.

Q. Got a lot of things going on with him.

ANDY RODDICK: Sure.

Q. Do you think he's bluffing?

ANDY RODDICK: No, I mean, I'm sure ‑‑