Roger Federer's 2011 Season Review
Posted by Conal on Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Under: Features
My first actual post - I had already written this early this year, but delayed the start of this blog.
HARD COURT SEASON
Federer started 2011 on fire winning the Doha tournament ousting Nikolay Davydenko in the final, 6-3 6-4. In the Australian Open he had a major scare in the 2nd round, facing Gilles Simon who had a winning head to head record with Federer coming into the match. Federer played brilliantly in the first two sets, before Simon upped his performance and began ripping winners from all ends from the court and won the next two sets 6-4 6-4 to force the match into five sets. Federer held his nerve to win the match 6-3 in the last set breaking Simon with an amazing passing shot down the line. Watching the match, I noticed Federer had dropped off his performance late into the 2nd set, managed to finish it off and played too casually in the next two sets. His movement was not good and Simon attacked Fed's 2nd serve to break him 5 times. Federer comfortably won his next three matches, faced Djokovic and lost in a tight match even though it was straight sets. I had criticize Fed as he had blown a 5-2 lead in the 2nd set and simply played too conservative in the first set tiebreak. Dubai was next, Federer blew away all his opponents, up to the final where I had to admit, Djokovic was too strong and beat him 6-3 6-3. It wasn't a too bad start for Federer, but another lost at the hands of Nole again in Indian Wells made me doubt if he could beat Djokovic later on that season. Federer faced his long time nemesis Rafael Nadal in the semis at Miami and got crushed 6-3 6-2. Nadal was in great form and Federer was just giving chances to him to hit winners from anywhere.
CLAY COURT SEASON
I'm not even going to write about the Monte Carlo Masters or Rome, as they are a few of Federer's least successful tournaments as he's never won there in the previous years and lost in the quarters and 3rd Round. In Madrid, Federer had one of his best serving performances and served 25 aces against Lopez in a tight three setter. Roger once again lost Rafa 5-7 1-6 3-6. In the French Open, Federer had not dropped a set coming into a blockbuster semi final against Djokovic, who had an amazing 43 match winning coming into the match. Djokovic was the obvious favourite, having won the clay tournaments Madrid and Rome beating Nadal in both finals. It was one of those matches where Federer played with complete confidence to stay in long rallies, overpower Djokovic and hit winners. He won the first 2 sets 7-6 6-3. Nole fought back 6-3 in the third. At 3-3 30-0 in the fourth set, Federer hit one of the best passing shots of the year - a backhand flick down the line. Djokovic did not lose his concentration and broke Federer to serve for the set at 5-4. Fed broke back with a huge forehand winner to level it 5-5. The set went into a tiebreaker with Federer up 6-3. Djokovic saved 2 match points, but like a boss, Fed fires up an ace to seal victory, end Djokovic's winning streak and to face Rafa in the final. In my opinion, it was one of Fed's best matches of the year, he played aggressively and believed he could win against a player who had beaten the King of Clay twice already a couple of months ago. But he was a different player in the final, his confidence wasn't there and Nadal beat him 7-5 7-6 5-7 6-1.
WIMBLEDON
After a much better performance at Roland Garros, I was convinced Roger might be good enough to win Wimbledon. But he blew a 2 sets to love lead over Tsonga in the quarters which really upset me. He had done nothing wrong in the first two sets, but played too conservative in rallies in the next three sets and Tsonga's serve was rocket. Roger later said he never should of lost that match. It certainly was not a very good ending to his hopeful winning Wimbledon campaign and his worst grand slam tournament for two years in a row.
US OPEN SERIES AND US OPEN
The Rogers Cup in Montreal was an usual one as Djokovic was the only top 4 player left after the third round. Once again Federer and Tsonga faced together with the match going to the latter's favour 7-6 4-6 6-1. Federer failed again to match Tsonga and lost most of the baseline rallies. Roger was crushed by Berdych in Cincinnati, one of his most successful tournaments in recent years. Roger could just not return Berdych's serve effectively and that's what lost him the match. It was Roger's worst season since 2003, as he had still not won a grand slam and had only won 1 title up to the US Open. Great early performances including a thrashing 6-1 6-2 6-0 win over Monaco in the 4th round convinced me Federer would win his 17th slam if he managed to get revenge on Tsonga in the quarters. He did just that and faced Djokovic again in the Semis. It ws their 5th meeting in a row at the US Open and a very heartbreaking match it was - I was so pissed off. The score was 7-6 6-4 3-6 2-6 5-4 40-15 - Fed held two match points, serving and Nole punched a return winner and claimed the match 3 games later. It was a lucky shot and even Novak admitted it. It was similar to last year where Djokovic saved two match points with crushing forehand winners. So for the first time, since 2002, he had failed to win a slam at least once a year.
LAST THREE TOURNAMENTS
Taking a huge break after the US Open, including winning a Davis Cup playoff with Australian, Federer won Basel for the 5th time beating Nishikori 6-1 6-3 in the final. Coming into the BNP Paribas Masters, Nadal had withdrawn in preparation for the WTF and Djokovic had withdraw early from his shoulder injury in the tournament. He cruised through to the final and beat Tsonga 6-1 7-6 for his first Paris Masters title. Federer came into the Barclays World Tour Finals as one of the favourites. He beat Tsonga in a tight match and thrashed Nadal 6-3 6-0 to secure a spot in the semis. He defeated Fish, the last player in his RR group and took apart Ferrer to face Tsonga once again in the final. Federer led 6-3 5-4, serving for the set, but Tsonga fought back and forced the set into a tiebreak. Fed held a match point, but Tsonga with extreme pressure, fired a winner and won the tiebreak. I knew it was going to be very close and at 4-3, Tsonga hit a forehand wide to give Federer the break. Federer served out the match, winning his 70th title and 6th Year-End Championship.
HARD COURT SEASON
Federer started 2011 on fire winning the Doha tournament ousting Nikolay Davydenko in the final, 6-3 6-4. In the Australian Open he had a major scare in the 2nd round, facing Gilles Simon who had a winning head to head record with Federer coming into the match. Federer played brilliantly in the first two sets, before Simon upped his performance and began ripping winners from all ends from the court and won the next two sets 6-4 6-4 to force the match into five sets. Federer held his nerve to win the match 6-3 in the last set breaking Simon with an amazing passing shot down the line. Watching the match, I noticed Federer had dropped off his performance late into the 2nd set, managed to finish it off and played too casually in the next two sets. His movement was not good and Simon attacked Fed's 2nd serve to break him 5 times. Federer comfortably won his next three matches, faced Djokovic and lost in a tight match even though it was straight sets. I had criticize Fed as he had blown a 5-2 lead in the 2nd set and simply played too conservative in the first set tiebreak. Dubai was next, Federer blew away all his opponents, up to the final where I had to admit, Djokovic was too strong and beat him 6-3 6-3. It wasn't a too bad start for Federer, but another lost at the hands of Nole again in Indian Wells made me doubt if he could beat Djokovic later on that season. Federer faced his long time nemesis Rafael Nadal in the semis at Miami and got crushed 6-3 6-2. Nadal was in great form and Federer was just giving chances to him to hit winners from anywhere.
CLAY COURT SEASON
I'm not even going to write about the Monte Carlo Masters or Rome, as they are a few of Federer's least successful tournaments as he's never won there in the previous years and lost in the quarters and 3rd Round. In Madrid, Federer had one of his best serving performances and served 25 aces against Lopez in a tight three setter. Roger once again lost Rafa 5-7 1-6 3-6. In the French Open, Federer had not dropped a set coming into a blockbuster semi final against Djokovic, who had an amazing 43 match winning coming into the match. Djokovic was the obvious favourite, having won the clay tournaments Madrid and Rome beating Nadal in both finals. It was one of those matches where Federer played with complete confidence to stay in long rallies, overpower Djokovic and hit winners. He won the first 2 sets 7-6 6-3. Nole fought back 6-3 in the third. At 3-3 30-0 in the fourth set, Federer hit one of the best passing shots of the year - a backhand flick down the line. Djokovic did not lose his concentration and broke Federer to serve for the set at 5-4. Fed broke back with a huge forehand winner to level it 5-5. The set went into a tiebreaker with Federer up 6-3. Djokovic saved 2 match points, but like a boss, Fed fires up an ace to seal victory, end Djokovic's winning streak and to face Rafa in the final. In my opinion, it was one of Fed's best matches of the year, he played aggressively and believed he could win against a player who had beaten the King of Clay twice already a couple of months ago. But he was a different player in the final, his confidence wasn't there and Nadal beat him 7-5 7-6 5-7 6-1.
WIMBLEDON
After a much better performance at Roland Garros, I was convinced Roger might be good enough to win Wimbledon. But he blew a 2 sets to love lead over Tsonga in the quarters which really upset me. He had done nothing wrong in the first two sets, but played too conservative in rallies in the next three sets and Tsonga's serve was rocket. Roger later said he never should of lost that match. It certainly was not a very good ending to his hopeful winning Wimbledon campaign and his worst grand slam tournament for two years in a row.
US OPEN SERIES AND US OPEN
The Rogers Cup in Montreal was an usual one as Djokovic was the only top 4 player left after the third round. Once again Federer and Tsonga faced together with the match going to the latter's favour 7-6 4-6 6-1. Federer failed again to match Tsonga and lost most of the baseline rallies. Roger was crushed by Berdych in Cincinnati, one of his most successful tournaments in recent years. Roger could just not return Berdych's serve effectively and that's what lost him the match. It was Roger's worst season since 2003, as he had still not won a grand slam and had only won 1 title up to the US Open. Great early performances including a thrashing 6-1 6-2 6-0 win over Monaco in the 4th round convinced me Federer would win his 17th slam if he managed to get revenge on Tsonga in the quarters. He did just that and faced Djokovic again in the Semis. It ws their 5th meeting in a row at the US Open and a very heartbreaking match it was - I was so pissed off. The score was 7-6 6-4 3-6 2-6 5-4 40-15 - Fed held two match points, serving and Nole punched a return winner and claimed the match 3 games later. It was a lucky shot and even Novak admitted it. It was similar to last year where Djokovic saved two match points with crushing forehand winners. So for the first time, since 2002, he had failed to win a slam at least once a year.
LAST THREE TOURNAMENTS
Taking a huge break after the US Open, including winning a Davis Cup playoff with Australian, Federer won Basel for the 5th time beating Nishikori 6-1 6-3 in the final. Coming into the BNP Paribas Masters, Nadal had withdrawn in preparation for the WTF and Djokovic had withdraw early from his shoulder injury in the tournament. He cruised through to the final and beat Tsonga 6-1 7-6 for his first Paris Masters title. Federer came into the Barclays World Tour Finals as one of the favourites. He beat Tsonga in a tight match and thrashed Nadal 6-3 6-0 to secure a spot in the semis. He defeated Fish, the last player in his RR group and took apart Ferrer to face Tsonga once again in the final. Federer led 6-3 5-4, serving for the set, but Tsonga fought back and forced the set into a tiebreak. Fed held a match point, but Tsonga with extreme pressure, fired a winner and won the tiebreak. I knew it was going to be very close and at 4-3, Tsonga hit a forehand wide to give Federer the break. Federer served out the match, winning his 70th title and 6th Year-End Championship.
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