Lightening does strike twice! Roger Federer repeated last year’s “greatest shot” on Monday night in Arthur Ashe stadium during his first round match vs. Argentine journeyman Brian Dabul.
Here’s Roger’s tweener, 2010 style (watch quick, before it’s inevitably taken down by tennis youtube police):
The shot’s great, and these reactions are almost as good:
Paul Annacone’s congratulating himself: “Sweeeet gig!”
Federer ended up losing that game but still winning the match in a relatively straightforward straight sets: 6-1, 6-4, 6-2.
Federer’s reaction, in the pressroom:
Q. Is this year’s shot better than last year’s between‑the‑legs one?
ROGER FEDERER: What do you think?
Q. This one.
ROGER FEDERER: You think this one was better? I don’t know. I would have to compare. Obviously the importance of last year’s was probably a little bit more important just because I think it was Love‑30 to go Love‑40, two points away from the match, and it was a semifinal. So obviously that has a little bit of an impact, too.
But maybe in terms of difficulty maybe this one was harder, because I had the feeling I had to run a longer distance and I was further back somehow, I felt. I had to really give the last big push at the end. I didn’t have time to set it up. So I felt like this one was incredible again. I turned around and couldn’t believe the shot landed in the corner.
So ovation was fantastic. Crowds went wild. Yeah, you could see on my reaction I couldn’t believe it.
Oh, and take note fun police – Roger loves the youtube compilations!
Q. You make a ranking in your career of all your best shots?
ROGER FEDERER: Best shots? No. I know on YouTube there are guys that are putting together best shots of me. I guess you can do that after a 10‑year career. I’ve gone there myself to see them, you know, because some of them have been forgotten, you know, because it was a second round, I don’t know, 3‑All or 40‑Love point in an ATP event somewhere.Then those guys on the net, they find that stuff. That’s fantastic that they put it all together.
In other Day One action, the men’s draw remained relatively upset free. Paul Henri-Mathieu scored a reprieve from the Tennis Gods, actually winning a tight five setter vs. Lleyton Hewitt. Fifth seed Robin Soderling is probably plenty upset that he needed five sets to overcome Austrian qualifier Andreas Haider-Maurer. I was upset that Fernando Gonzalez retired and that American everyman Robby Kendrick failed yet again to score that first round upset. He managed to take Gael Monfils to five, and was upset, himself, when the Frenchman appeared to get away with touching a ball right before it landed out. Monfils said he wasn’t upset by the partisan crowds:
Q. Do you enjoy the atmosphere? The fans are chanting, USA.
GAËL MONFILS: Oh, yeah. I love USA, so for me doesn’t matter. I can share with them because I love the USA. For me it was more distraction, was more to relax and enjoy a bit, maybe to think about something else. So for me, it was great.
On the women’s side, Kim Clijsters, Venus Williams and all the rest of the players with numbers next to their names will proceed into the second round. Fan favorites Ana Ivanovic and Melanie Oudin also won. It was a little melancholy to see Dinara Safina go out in straights, but at least it was to fellow heart breaker Daniela Hantuchova.
Here’s heart warmer Francesca Schiavone charming the press room after sailing through her first round match 6-1, 6-0:
Q. Do you think people were attracted to you, to your game, because you took such risks, in the final, especially?
FRANCESCA SCHIAVONE: I think they attract — I attract them because I’m beautiful. (Laughter.) No, you have to ask to them why they come to watch me, but I’m really happy. And today when I see the stadium not full but with many people, I was really, really happy.
Oh, and because I was just debating about this over the phone tonight. . .(Via The Canadian Press)
Kim Clijsters said she saw Serena Williams’ foot lacerations and “it’s not something that she’s making up or that it’s a small cut or anything.”
See! Told you, mom.
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