Federer narrowly avoided an upset by Falla today to come back (5-7, 4-6, 6-4, 7-6 [1], 6-0). For the first four sets, Falla was really eating Fed's second serve alive and neutralizing him on the baseline. Falla was clearly playing the best match of his life, taking the ball early and moving forward. The momentum started changed when Fed saved a triple break point in the third set at 4-all. The first break point was saved when Falla sent a forehand long. The next two break point saves were set up by Fed's chip shot: Fed passed Falla with a backhand CC and then Falla put a makeable FH volley into the net. Strategically when Fed started to use the drop shot more, he began to establish control of the match. In the later stages of the match, Fed's movement was crisper than Falla's, and Falla started to make more unforced errors.
Despite Fed's excellent shotmaking, he knew he had to gut it out.
I definitely got very lucky out there today. I've lost many matches this year I should have won. This is one I should have lost.
Obviously if Falla had executed on a few points, the story could have been like this.
No matter what, I think Federer has to recognize that more and more guys are trying to attack his second serve. Sure, improving the serve is always a good thing (and I speak from experience because my best stroke is my serve). But one way to the counteract this pressure is to pressure your opponent's serve back. This is what Andre Agassi was so great at: hitting the serve on the rise, and hitting forceful service returns. Fed's strategy of block returns and chip returns is predicated on trying to reset the point to neutral, not grabbing the point. To this fan's eyes, it has become less and less effective as guys know that's what Fed does and have become better at stepping into those kinds of returns to take control of the point. Fed surely recognizes that he needs to improve on something if he hopes to enjoy the evening of his career, and this is the most glaring weakness in his game.
For post match interviews: see Federer and Falla.
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