Gonzalez Rocks Roger, Snaps Losing Streak
© Getty Images Fernando Gonzalez ended almost four years of torment against Roger Federer at Tennis Masters Cup Monday night, snapping a 10-match career losing streak against the World No. 1 with a 3-6, 7-6(1), 7-5 victory.
Energized by a rout of Federer in an explosive second-set tie-break, Gonzalez claimed his first win in 11 career meetings with Federer in their first match-up since Federer's straight-sets win in January's Australian Open.
Perhaps emoldened by David Nalbandian's use of aggression in his back-to-back ATP Masters Series wins over Federer in Madrid and Paris, Gonzalez unleashed the full force of his mighty groundsroke weaponry as he took the fight to Federer. The Swiss did win the first set after breaking Gonzalez's opening service game and had dropped just nine points on his own serve heading into the second-set tie-break. But that's when Gonzalez turned the match on its head.
Gonzalez began the tie-break with a big ace down the 'T', much to the delight of Chinese fans, who roared their approval. After claiming a mini-break to go ahead 2-0, the Chilean then produced a piece of magic to bust open the tie-break. Allowing the ball to bounce inside the service line, Federer rocketed a smash directly at Gonzalez, who was postioned behind the baseline in the center of the court. He reflexed back a forehand lob over the head of Federer, who chased it down, but was unable to slingshot the ball back into play. Gonzalez raced to a 6-0 lead and evetually closed out the tie-break 7-1.
Federer faced his first break points in the third game of the third set when he fought back from 15/40 to hold serve. He also saved one break point in his next service game. Gonzalez struck the decisive blow at 5-5 on Federer's serve. He crushed a massive crosscourt forehand winner that eluded the outstretched Federer and followed up by dancing around a second serve to blast a clean off forehand winner that painted the line to go ahead 15/40. Another huge forehand on the next point set up a put-away volley clinched the decisive break.
For Federer, who lost to Nalbandian in the third round of the BNP Paribas Masters in Paris, it was the first time since 2003 that he had been defeated in consecutive matches. (In May 2003 he lost to Mark Philippoussis in the third round of Hamburg and to Luis Hornia in the first round at Roland Garros. He was ranked No. 5 at the time.)
It was just Federer's third loss in 25 Tennis Masters Cup matches.
Gonzalez said: "It feels good. After 10 times, it's my turn now... Now that I beat him, the group is very close because I still have two matches really hard to play, and nobody knows what is going to happen.
"The first five games he plays like a real No. 1, more than No. 1. I was feeling really bad on the court. But after he went down a little bit and my level went up. So I think the key of the match was my serve and don't be scared to go for my shots... I play like three unbelievable points to broke him in 5-all in the third...
"I think my best match of ever was in the Australian Open against Tommy Haas in the semifinals... But today I play really good. I mean, the last two games were in the top of my level."
"I think [Roger] say that I kill him with my backhand because he didn't expect that. He expect I'm going to do that with my forehand. Today I was hitting really good my backhand. I know I surprise him a lot with down the line, try to keep the cross one." Federer said: "It's a tough loss because I thought actually I played pretty good. To start off the round robin matches with a loss is something I haven't always had to deal with, because usually you lose and you leave. But it okay. Maybe it's the only loss you can have during a season and come back and win a tournament. I hope I can play well in the next two matches.
"The tie-breaker started bad. I lost that one point I never should have lost to go down 3-0. But he played a good tiebreaker... I couldn't do much more on my break points in the third set.
"In some ways I have regrets, and in some ways I don't because I just thought it was ridiculous what kind of shots he came up with. But you've got to give him credit for that. So to not have been broken through all the way to the end is very tough to then lose a serve. But he did well to hang in there, that's for sure.
"The backhand, that's what killed me today. He drilled some in the corner, which normally he would never make, and he was going crosscourt all the time. And then on the most crucial shots he hit those where he really needed them."
"I couldn't play that aggressive anymore in the second and third set because of his serving. That's usually what matters most with his game. I think he doesn't know that sometimes, but he really starts to hit the lines much better and he gets much more free points. Obviously, once he starts drilling with the forehand it's hard to get, you know, the upper hand again." Monday: Roddick Makes Impressive Start; Rolls Davydenko
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