By Cheryl Jones
Roger Federer won his tenth title in Halle this afternoon. The inaugural Noventi Open crowned its first singles winner. I have seen every one of his victories. I’ve seen his two losses in the final showdown, as well. (In 2012, German, Tommy Haas came out on top. Last year, Borna Coric defeated him in a tight match.) His first win was in 2003. He has won nine more. He became a professional in 1998, and to quote Sonny Bono, “the beat goes on” – especially for Federer.
Today was Federer’s big day in the sun. Belgian, David Goffin began the match with a valiant effort to try and dethrone the all-time champ. After Goffin lost the first set in a Tie-Break his confidence seemed to wane. The fifty-three minute first set was merely a speed bump in the on-ramp to Federer’s highway toward his especially successful run here in Halle. The second set took thirty minutes to complete. After several double-faults by Goffin, Federer’s tenth win was in the history books.
After the match, I asked him about the surface of the courts that to me appeared to be the best of the nineteen finals I have witnessed here in Halle. He was very thoughtful in his response and said that clearly the Belgian had out played him in the first ten games. The rhythm of the game had been swayed by the Tie-Break, or so it seemed. It was a pleasure to watch the two players move freely around a court that had predictable bounces and rallies that weren’t cut short by bad rebounds that often happen on grass.
Goffin began with a valiant effort to dethrone Halle’s long-standing champ. The match was quick. An hour and twenty-three minutes had ticked away on the courtside clock when it was all over but the shouting.
A very partisan crowd went ballistic, leaping to their feet as one. It was a beautiful day and the match was begun soon after one-o’clock. The sky was blue, and the retractable roof had stayed open most of the time during the week-long tournament. There were no rain delays. I am sure the players appreciated the pause free schedule. (I have always wondered just how relaxed anyone could be waiting and waiting and waiting some more, for the words that begin play after a rain delay. Listening to a favourite CD must even lose its calming ability after the tenth loop.)
On paper the match appeared to show an evenly matched pair of competitors. Before the final, Federer had twenty-six aces and Goffin had twenty-eight. (After the match, each of them had tallied 7 more.) Most every other statistic seemed to favour Federer. But then again, in the long run, Federer held up the winner’s trophy. The crowd was happy, and it showed by their patient wait for the presentation after the match.
My fellow University of Oregon alum, Phil Knight saw something special in a kid from Switzerland in 1994. He signed him to a contract that included footwear and apparel. He wore the Nike brand until March of 2018. He then moved to a Japanese corporation’s clothing, but stuck with Nike shoes, sans contract. His deal with Uniqlo is dazzling – thirty million dollars a year. It may seem excessive, but with an athlete the calibre of Federer, it may be a bargain. He is listed as one of the highest earning athletes in the world – a wonderful representative for the sport of tennis.
Lest one believe that Goffin went away with only a whimper. That was not the case. He did perform exceptionally well in the first set, but as he said, “I didn’t miss a lot. I made him run. I was really aggressive. I was serving great, but Roger is there.” Yes, he was. Then a couple of double faults appeared in Goffin’s column and voila, the match was in the bag for the Swiss man who has wowed the tennis world since his first win here in 2003. Back then, he moved on to Wimbledon where he started a precedent in London with a win at Wimbledon that year, too.
Goffin praised his opponent on many occasions in his after match interview. He said that, “I think the way he is playing now he wants to play more aggressive, his serve is even better than before and then he tries to go to the net to be aggressive to cut the point as soon as he can. And, then in two or three shots, he is still very fast, very explosive, great footwork. So, he’s still in good shape.”
I agree. Wimbledon, Watch out for Roger Federer. He may be nearing thirty-eight, but from what I saw today, he still has it!
