The men’s final was one day late due to Hanna, but Roger Federer was right on time.
The Swiss Maestro is back on his historical track of being remembered forever as the greatest of all-time. Two more to go now for Federer to stand alone in tennis history.
Pete Sampras should worry once again. Federer captured his fifth straight U.S. Open title and his 13th Grand Slam title early last night, dominating Briton Andy Murray 6-2, 7-5, 6-2, at Arthur Ashe Stadium, punctuated by a champagne celebration in the locker room afterward with his family and friends.
Federer won championship point by putting away his third overhead smash attempt. It was fitting because the second-seeded Federer spent the Flushing fortnight smashing his critics as he gets ready to smash Sampras’s all-time mark, closing to within one of Pistol Pete’s 14.
After winning match point, Federer dropped to his knees and rolled onto his back. When he rose and lifted his arms to the stadium, the crowd let out one of its loudest roars in years.
“One thing’s for sure, I’m not going to stop at 13. That would be terrible,” Federer cracked to the crowd after the one-hour, 51-minute rout.
Afterward, he spent more than an hour in the locker room with his mother and father, girlfriend Mirka, his agent Tony Godsick, friends from Switzerland and his Swiss Davis Cup captain Severin Luthi, who gave Federer a Dom Perignon champagne bath.
Federer didn’t speak to the press until 90 minutes after the match.
“I’ve gotten [into] the habit of if I win a slam, I want to enjoy it first with all my friends and family,” Federer said. “I give myself a chance to soak up the great moment and enjoy it with them [with] a glass of champagne.”
They celebrated Federer becoming the first player since Bill Tilden in 1924 to win five straight U.S. titles and first in the Open era. He also became the first player to ever win five straight Wimbledons and five straight Opens. Not bad for a No. 2 seed.
“To come back after losing the No. 1 rank, this is the best scenario ever,” Federer said. “I felt I was invincible for a while [today]. That’s how you want to finish a tournament. I didn’t feel under pressure to prove myself, but it does feel sweet.”
As his father, Robert Federer, emerged from the bubbly locker room, he told a small group of reporters: “After the French, you wrote Federer is gone, au revoir. He’ll never win a Grand Slam again. He proved the opposite way today.”
And he proved No. 1 Rafael Nadal should never have been considered a favorite here at a tournament he had never been past the quarterfinals.
Federer looked like he’d close the match out with a shutout, racing to a 5-0 lead, with Murray winning just three points. At one point, Federer strung together 14 straight points in the final set.
It was only 2½ weeks ago when John McEnroe cast doubt on whether Federer would top Sampras’s record after he lost to Nadal in the French and Wimbledon finals.
Now Federer is in strong position to set the men’s record at next year’s Open. Talk about redemption. In fact, free of mononucleosis and full of motivation in 2009, Federer could come to Flushing next August as the record-holder.
Fresh as a daisy from an extra day’s rest, Federer was a monster in the first set. He served two aces to start the match, holding his first game at love, and broke Murray twice, winning it in 27 flawless minutes. He controlled most of the points, throwing Murray off balance with his array of backhand spins, then crushing his forehand, overpowering the sixth-seeded Murray making his Grand Slam Final debut.
The second set was a battle and Murray almost went up a break but played an out ball on break point, failing to stop the point to challenge. Murray said on the court Federer was the best of all-time. Few could disagree.
Rarely has there been such a complete, great champion as Federer, as terrific off the court as on. The Flushing fans embraced him more than ever before this fortnight, starting with their huge ovation during the 40th anniversary opening-night ceremony and it carried through. They have good taste.
