In the nightmare theater – that's the classification of Roger Federer Wimbeldon-Aus – tennis – sport

Runners fight side by side, boxers grab fists, skiers one after another and against the clock. Tennis, however, is a remote duel, the outcome of which is uncertain until the last hit, until the last point. In this unpredictability are both beauty and cruelty. And it is sometimes difficult to know why a player is the winner and the other the loser.

Roger Federer wins the first set against South African Kevin Anderson in the Wimbledon quarter-final after 26 minutes.

32, ATP 8) with 6: 2. After 2:17, he has a match ball. Boris Becker says: "Roger is unique, his game, his personality, his environment, his playing is like a treasure, and when you see him playing, something special happens." Something special happens.

It's hard to find explanations for this defeat

Roger Federer loses. With 6: 2, 7: 6, 5: 7, 4: 6, 11:13. After 4:14 hours. Only for the fifth time in his career, having won the first two sets for himself. Against an opponent, he never had to bet against him in four matches. Although he gained five more points (195: 190) than Anderson. And that's what it must be after such an eye-level duel: it's hard to explain what made the difference. Why Federer did not win in three sets. And why he never had to find answers to the question of why he was leaving as a loser. Still, he tried when he said, "There are a lot of little dots here and there that make a big difference."

This achievement is really not new in the sport, many people reject the This is a banal phrase, and yet nowhere is it more plausible than in tennis, where no shot, no ball, no situation is comparable to the other. There is no clock that saves you No half-time break No gong No dead time No teammate who eradicates mistakes No clock can save you "When it's over "It's pressure, tennis is the toughest sport," said Tommy Haas, a friend of Federer, who had played against Anderson in the hours leading up to the quarter-finals. "You have to find your own way to win. "Federer does not find it this time." At one point, I could not surprise him anymore, it's disappointing, but it happens. really felt good, "says Federer.

"An average day I do not deserve the win"

Federer vehemently opposed the view that he had played badly. "It was just an average day that I hoped to be able to cross one way or another. "He obviously had trouble finding explanations about what had gone wrong in the last three sentences. that he could have done differently or better. Neither mentally nor physically he was feeling tired. "Even at 10:10 in the fifth set, I was not worried." If he regrets something, then he failed to ask Anderson anything out of the ordinary. "I did not deserve the win," said Federer, who seemed disappointed, but not very fuzzy, baffled, or shattered. , as it was generally the case when he had lost to Wimbledon.

In a way, the realization that he is incredible to see how rarely days like this in his career had been so far. He triumphed eight times at Wimbledon, now Court 1, where he played for the first time in three years, became the scene of his nightmares.

No Debate

But the defeat against Anderson lacks the dramatic, ultimate epic you suspect behind the naked figures. Ten years ago, when he lost to Nadal in the final after five consecutive wins, the question was raised whether this could be the end of his era. This debate has long since disappeared. Today, no one doubts that Federer can still win here. The goal is to be here in a year, "said Basel bidder.

Even after 20 years in professional sports Federer does nothing better than Federer said, even if he in his life only played at Wimbledon, he would be satisfied with his career.The fact that he still plays with 37, has nothing to do with his great rival Rafael Nadal, who is in the semi-finals and Sunday could win his 18th Grand Slam Title: Federer plays tennis because nothing fascinates him more than this remote duel "What you do best in life, you do not want to give up," is his motto. Is the tennis. "Of course, the victories are the driving force, but not only.It's love of the game .And at this change also the defeat against Anderson nothing.In its history, it's just a side note. No more.