15-LOVE-FEDERER

Tennis is a cruel sport. Star tennis writer Jon Wierthem was right. Isn't it ironic that in a match that lasted four hours and 16 minutes, despite Roddick holding his serve wonderfully for most of the match, serving from behind all throughout the fifth and penultimate set, the one time he lost his serve was that final game that handed Roger Federer the Championships? For most part of the match, Roddick was the better player, yet a few points here and there turned around the match and gave us the result of a lifetime. True, Roddick had four set points in the second set tie-breaker when he led 6-2, but Fed came back to win it and level the match at one set a piece. Tennis is a cruel sport when after four hours and 16 minutes, only one of the two players has to emerge a winner and the other a loser. And sorry, the cliche 'there are no losers' don't make things any better, okay? Try telling that Andy Roddick!

But Roddick is back as a better player than he was five years back when he made it to a couple of Wimbledon finals and won his first and till-date only Grand Slam at Flushing Meadows. He has fixed his mind and his temperament. It only goes to show that the best way to get anywhere near Federer when the guy is playing great tennis is to get inside his mind. Look at Nadal. Today, Roddick came so close...

All said and done, Roger Federer has come back remarkably in 2009. Who would have thought that after breaking down and absolutely inconsolable losing this year's Australian Open to his chief rival Rafael Nadal and then later going in this year's French Open, the Fed would not only win his first French Open and complete a career Grand Slam, but would also soon follow it up with a Wimbledon title, surpassing Pete Sampras' record of 14-Grand Slam titles. To top it all now, the guy is going to be a Dad. Whether or not his priorities will change or not, only time will tell. For now, RF intends to continue to play tennis. Great for the game and his fans.