Wimbledon 2009: Andy Roddick stopped believing he could win the crucial points

05 July 2009 21:14
Federer would not have come back from two sets down. But at that crucial moment, Roddick stopped believing. It is the few grains of doubt, or just not being comfortable in that situation, which makes all of the difference. [LNB]The same can be said of the fifth set. The decider in a grand slam final is not about what your coach has told you, but about instinct and emotion. Both men put themselves on the line, but when you are so close to what you have worked your whole life towards, you can get second thoughts – almost like cold feet. [LNB] Related ArticlesFederer wins WimbledonMen's singles finalFederer v Roddick: key momentsFederer's 15 grand slamsFederer: what they say...'Be patient with Murray'Roddick was one point away from serving for his first Wimbledon title in that last set, but he couldn't take it. Federer only needed one championship point, which tells you everything. He only broke Roddick's serve in the last game of the match. That is percentage tennis. [LNB]Roddick had played exceptionally well. It was not only his serve – that's where it starts, of course, but once the ball was in play he was the aggressor, controlling the points from the baseline, coming to the net, going for the lines. It was Roddick who dictated the tempo, and I was surprised – as I believe Federer was – that he could keep it up so consistently. [LNB]As it was, Federer won because of who he is. Because he is the greatest tennis player of all time, because he is the six-time Wimbledon champion, a 15-time grand slam winner. He has been so dominant over the last six years that he had the experience and character to stand there as Roddick came forward and attacked, and even though he was not having his best day, Federer knew he would make it hard for Roddick to win. That is the quality that he has. [LNB]I hear that after he had showered up he changed into a T-shirt claiming that there is no finishing line. It is a good message, because the danger for Roger is running out of motivation. [LNB]He is not just part of history; he is driven by history. He needs a new goal, but I don't know what that might be. At this point, 16 grand slams is the same as 15. He has to think about what is next. [LNB]That, for me, is the slam, even if it is not in the calendar year. He will surely be thinking about winning the US Open and the Australian so that he has all four in a row, all four trophies in his possession at one time. It is something very few people have achieved. [LNB]Of course, he also has the birth of his child to look forward to. Being a father is the greatest experience that any man can have – even better than winning Wimbledon. And far from being a distraction, I believe it is going to add another level of quality to Roger's tennis. [LNB]The life of a tennis player – travelling from tournament to tournament – gets very boring and lonely at times, and after you have done it for over a decade it becomes repetitive. Having a child gives you another incentive, a new zest for life. [LNB]When I had Noah, my first child, I took a 'baby break', as I called it. I took two months off, and I came back stronger, and had two or three of my best years of tennis, and won the Australian Open two years later. The birth of my son gave me a new energy that I may have been lacking before, because I was a proud dad and wanted to show Noah a tournament trophy. The same will be true for Roger. [LNB] 

Source: Telegraph