French Open: Roger Federer, the Söderling victory and a very special forehand
Roger Federer completed his career grand slam at the French Open 2019: The Swiss took advantage of the hour that Rafael Nadal had already left - but still had to overcome some hurdles on the way to victory.
by SID / tennisnet
last edit: Jun 07, 2020, 07:23 am
The forehand that the tennis world remembers did not hit Roger Federer on June 7, 2009. It was already history when the Swiss completed his sporting life's work in the final of the French Open. Without them there would have been no triumph over the Swede Robin Söderling, his 14th in a Grand Slam and the only one in Paris to date.
Flashback: When Roger Federer competed against Tommy Haas for the round of 16, the unbelievable was a day ago. Rafael Nadal, who had ruled Roland Garros and his archrival there for four years, had left; the way for Federer to the long-awaited career grand slam. Theoretically.
Haas grew beyond himself - and Favorit Federer made mistakes after mistakes. Until this forehand in the third sentence, which Haas later succinctly noted: "You just have to take your hat off and say: That's why he's Roger Federer."
Federer: "This blow saved my day"
With his "first good shot in the match" Federer fended off a breakball at the score of 6: 7, 5: 7 and 3: 4 and from then on turned the game. In sets three to five, he only played two games, the forehand from the backhand corner, which was unattainable for Haas to turn the sideline, had changed.
"The blow saved my day," he said later. Maybe he has also changed the light in which his unique career shines today. Tennis idols like Pete Sampras, Boris Becker (both Paris) or Ivan Lendl (Wimbledon) had to live with the flaw of a missing Grand Slam title despite all class. At the wedding of the clay court king Nadal, this could have happened to Federer.
However, the inside-out forehand against Haas paved the way to happiness, but the Paris win was not a sure-fire success. Although there was a three-set win over Gael Monfils in the quarter-finals, Federer had to join forces against Juan Martin del Potro in the semifinals to make up for a 1: 2 set deficit.
In the final on June 7, 2009, he met Robin Söderling, the Nadal conqueror. After the transformed match ball, Federer immediately shed tears in the eyes. He knew that his masterpiece had finally been completed.