U.S. Open 2010: Will Roger Federer Ever Pluck That No. 1 Apple Again?

By
at Internationaled.org

Published: August 28, 2010

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There was a time—and not so long ago—when Roger Federer seemed to be hewn from a different substance than mere mortals.

His body seemed untouched by stress, injury, and fatigue. His resolve seemed impervious to challenge, self-doubt, or pain. His position as king of the castle, fending off all assaults, seemed impenetrable.

Records that had once seemed insurmountable were picked like apples from a tree; each more sweet than the last.

Only a year ago, Federer bit deep into the honeyed flesh of not one but two particularly golden fruits: his first French Open title and his sixth Wimbledon crown. After almost 12 months as No. 2, he took back the top ranking from an injured Rafael Nadal, and stayed there until—well, until this summer.

It was on the cards that Nadal would reclaim the top prize. His record on clay is unassailable, and he powered through the spring’s Masters and the French Open with consummate ease. Even the hard clay of Madrid—and Federer with it—succumbed to the Spaniard.

Although there were few raised eyebrows at Nadal’s French victory, there were several at Federer’s unexpected exit in the quarterfinals to the man he’d routed in the 2009 final, Robin Soderling. It also drew a line under a particularly special record: the first time he’d failed to reach a Grand Slam semifinal since 2004.

 

But it was not until Wimbledon that the hand of time seemed, at last, to reach its dark fingers toward Federer.

The scene of the regicide—for that is how it felt—was Centre Court where he fell in four sets to Tomas Berdych. It was the first time he’d failed to reach the Wimbledon final since 2002. More shocking, though, was that he fell, for a second time, in the quarterfinals.

The ripples from Federer’s two Grand Slam losses had other consequences.

He needed onl...
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Tennis

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