Tommy Robredo has beaten Roger Federer in the last sixteen of the US Open. It was the pair’s eleventh meeting and the Spaniard’s first victory.
The weather, which delayed play by 4 hours and caused the schedule to be changed, seemed not to have merely messed with the schedule but with Federer’s head, too. The Swiss was out of sorts from the get-go, while Robredo was inspired. An upset looked on the cards as Robredo stayed with Roger through the early stages of the set in a match in which, considering Federer’s level the previous rounds, many believed would see the Swiss blow the Spaniard away. The closer the set got though, the more it became apparent that the Swiss was in danger and needed to find some form, and quick, and to separate himself from his hungry opponent.
But Federer was unable to break free from a recently rehabilitated Robredo. The five time US Open champion was only able to convert 2 of 16 break points while his opponent delivered on 4 of 7. One of those came at the business end of the first set when Robredo’s aggression and point construction made the difference between the two competitors. The Spaniard hit his forehand with clarity and purpose to break Federer and take the set.
Not much clarity and purpose was needed in the second and third sets, but Robredo played with it anyway. The Spaniard moved as well as ever but his shots had added bite while his opponent’s were as sorry as attempts toothless baby biting into an apple. The Swiss, who said it himself in his post-match interview, self-destructed, hitting more balls into the net from mid-court in one match than he has done during many of his successful Major campaigns. And his 43 errors did not stop him going for his shots. 45 times he found his mark but at the end of the third set the errors piled on top of of one another. Federer’s muddled mind and play coupled with Robredo’s consistency and heart meant Robredo served for the match at 5-3 in the third set.
The Spaniard did not hesitate. The prospect of a first win over the Greatest player of his generation was a once in a lifetime opportunity he had fought too hard to come back from injury and climb back into the game’s top ranks to let slip. Robredo served out the match with an ease few thought they would ever would see against the likes of Federer, sealing his place in the last eight in New York for the first time in a career that not so long ago many thought was over.
For Federer, it was his second consecutive defeat in a Major before the last eight of a Major. More significantly, the state of his game and his mind raises questions as to whether the current world number 7 is going to add any more slams to his tally or if the rest of his career is going to be one of making up the numbers, and the kind of numbers the 17 times Major Champion likes making.
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