Wimbledon 2010 Day 1: Federer/Falla

No chance of pics for Tashi of Federer’s entrance cos a hotdog beckoned ... Sorry hon – food/Fed? Guess which wins out?

Now – back in the day... when I used to queue with mum when I was a student – she would scamper round watching loads of matches on the outside courts and I would stay put on whatever court we had tix for. As soon as mum knew that Monfils was on 5 she was dead set on going to watch him so once we’d sussed out where the lift was because our seats were up in the gods, she scuttled off – scrunching the A4 e-ticket ... I swear I was convinced we were in for a lost ticket nightmare...

This was the first time to start experimenting with the camera – but sat behind me all the while during serving actions I heard precise motorised clicks – the woman behind had an AMAZING camera that could take rapid pics... note to self – read up MORE on my camera’s capabilities!

She was an American who now lives here but she knew her tennis (makes a change from the generally clueless people who need to have the basics explained!)... we had a good natter over the course of the day about the USO and the MONSTER that is Arthur Ashe court vs Centre here...

Anyway – we’d arrived for a typical Fed challenge screw-up which never ceases to amuse me! Falla was clearly not just going to roll over for Fed but at that stage we all thought it was a foregone conclusion... uh huh...

Falla took a break and although it was chokey as hell – there was a massive roar when Falla took the first set... but – that’s just a glitch, right... Roger is going to PUNISH him...?

There were times when Roger looked all kinds of discombobulated out there – a lot of the time he looked like he was off balance – he’s play a strong game one minute and then totally have a brain fart the next – in the 2nd set the atmosphere was changing in the court ... what was initially “Ok well he let Falla have the first set – normal service will be resumed” to... WHAAA?

On the 2nd set – I think it took Falla 5 attempts to take it – jeez that guy makes watching JJ easy!!!

However – at the end of the 2nd – Falla called for the trainer... – and it was clear Roger was gonna have to do this the hard way...

There was a typical casual-looking-but-genius reverse back hand volley that I thought would be the turning point of the match... Cilla texted me saying that if Falla couldn’t hold at 5-4 in the 3rd it would be all over... and.... Rog took the 3rd.

Our hopes were raised again when Falla started with a break in the 4th set – but failed to serve it out for the match at 5-4. He totally choked the TB away and FINALLY we saw the real Roger in the 5th.

It’s often said... when lower ranked players push the higher ones “they can’t maintain that level of intensity”... Falla had done extraordinarily well... but the TB finished him.

He just looked totally spent, lost and tired.

A lot of the match was spent tsking at Roger’s biggest fan boy in front and some stony faced Rogi fans sat next to me... The fan boy was a lager swilling aggressor who kept demanding why people were clapping and cheering Falla on.

Mind you – I have to say – I have always been a bit meh about Roger and have always said so... and I think it’s because I’ve just seen him stomp over people at Wimbledon (and now RG, lucky me!) and it’s been straightforward straight sets victories. The only time I’ve ever seen him taken the distance has been from the comfort of my sofa!

So this was... a bit of a revelation for me... to see a full match. I am not the biggest Fed fan in terms of his character – I freely admit that. Of course to be the best you have to have a certain sense of arrogance... but Roger’s disdain at times, in the past, for someone who is supposed to be the epitome of an ambassador to the sport is, quite frankly, unforgivable.

This was a match and a half... and there were ironic chuckles at the post match interview when the interviewer was trying to ask him if there were any injuries hampering him... Fed: I’m perfect...

Mmmkay....