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Roger Federer has just won his fifth consecutive US Open title (and 13th slam), beating Andy Murray 6-2, 7-5, 6-2.  I love New York. Something has returned to Roger’s game: the regal disdain. Good night, I’m going to sleep.Â
*****
The Brits are very hard on Andy Murray. He’s a more exciting player than their beloved Tim Henman, but they haven’t quite taken to him. They make fun of his hair, his clothes, his hygiene for crying out loud. What’ll they mock next, his teeth? Live-blogging the semis, a journalist noted that if it had been a fashion show, Rafa would already have won. During the final a TV presenter noted that Murray’s socks and shoes were dirty, unlike Federer’s. What the frak? News coverage actually noted how neat and clean-shaven Roger—an endorser of razors!—was next to scruffy Andy.
But The Fed is a neat freak. His clothes always fit perfectly. At Wimbledon, he hangs his jacket on the back of a chair to prevent creases. I am convinced that his difficulties at the French Open have to do with the fact that the red clay gets on his shoes and socks. The Fed does not like to get dirty. (In contrast Rafa Nadal doesn’t mind getting dirty, but he has some tics that border on obsessive-compulsive behavior. The way he lines up his water bottles so the labels are all facing one direction. The way he always goes to the ballboy with the towel between points. The way he adjusts his wedgie before he serves. Hey, it works for him.)
Lucky Number 13 in Emotional Weather Report, Friday in the Star. (My column now appears Fridays and Sundays. Sundays it’s in the technology section.)Â
September 9th, 2008 at 10:37
The entire match was anti-climactic. I was just waiting to see Roger’s reaction after the inevitable win. While somewhere in Serbia, Djoker’s parents are eating crow.
September 9th, 2008 at 12:13
Woohoo!!! Hail King Federer!!!
September 9th, 2008 at 13:11
The Fed rules!
September 9th, 2008 at 18:40
I should never watch him play in grand slams ever again. When I do, he loses. When I don’t, he wins.
2009 GS moratorium on me activated! Roger, swing it baby! Swing it!
September 10th, 2008 at 09:11
The Fed still has it.
The Wimbledon match still the match to beat though. Fed and Nadal. kings of the court.
and the Jesters are Andy Murray and the Djoker.
September 13th, 2008 at 15:10
Even if Murray lost in the USO, I think he still earned a lot of fans for beating Nadal and for accepting his defeat graciously by acknowledging Fed’s greatness and his own need to improve his tennis if he wanted to win “one of these things”. But I agree that he will benefit from a little makeover.
(By the way, the photo of “Andy” in your column yesterday was not that of Murray’s but of Roddick’s.)