ROGER FEDERER LOSES IN PARIS, HE IS OUT OF THE FRENCH OPEN 2014! HOPE ABIDES AS HE MOVES ON TO THE HALLE TO THE GERRY WEBER TO DEFEND HIS TITLE. BY CHERYL JONES

Written by: Staff on 1st June 2014

French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros

ROGER FEDERER LOSES IN PARIS, HE IS OUT OF THE FRENCH OPEN 2014! HOPE ABIDES AS HE MOVES ON TO THE HALLE TO THE GERRY WEBER TO DEFEND HIS TITLE. BY CHERYL JONES

epa04235105 Roger Federer of Switzerland returns to Ernests Gulbis of Latvia in their fourth round match during the French Open tennis tournament at Roland Garros in Paris, France, 01 June 2014. EPA/CAROLINE BLUMBERG |

Is it the end of an era? The signs are becoming more evident, but only time will tell just how the “Age of Roger Federer” will fit into the scheme of things that are always in flux within the professional tennis world. There are always hopefuls as well as stalwarts that share the spotlight, until one becomes the other and then that other is gone.

Federer bowed out gracefully from Roland Garros today, losing to Ernests Gulbis, 6-7, 7-6, 6-2, 4-6, 6-3. Gulbis is a Latvian who brings attitude to all his matches, but today he seemed to have added “surly” to his repetoir, as he loomed large across the court from, in my humble opinion, the greatest tennis player of the twenty-first century. The match wasn’t pretty. There was a lackluster Federer attempting to bring some “vigor” into his game, but it just wasn’t happening. In the past, that was a rarity, especially in a major. Now, it happens far too often. He loves tennis and it has always loved him. Now, it looks as if the tide is turning and that sooner, rather than later, he will decide to move on to a new chapter in his life.

Granted it is only a little more than a decade into the new century, but someone like Federer comes along so seldom that it is doubtful that anyone will be able to fill the void that will be left when he moves away from professional tennis and on to greener pastures.

Pastures are the reality for the Swiss maestro, in a concrete way. (Perhaps sod might be a better word to use, but for the moment, the reality is tangible in a concrete kind of way.) He will soon be heading to Halle. It is that tournament, tucked away in the German forest and it is the real field of dreams.

Gerry Weber’s dream in 1992 was a place in the countryside without the hustle and bustle of a city. He crafted a tournament that would outshine the rest. His dream had a magical addendum that occurred to him when he realized that even in Germany, there would be rain during the last weeks of spring and after the first year where indeed it did rain, he asked for a roof that would protect the center court, but more than that it would allow the play to continue no matter what the weather gods would bring. It seemed impossible at first examination, but reality stepped in and it all worked. Halle has become a major stop on the tennis express that leads from Paris to London. Rafael Nadal often makes it a stopover, along with a long list of A-list men professionals.

Federer has signed a contract that will have him appear there as long as he remains in the mix of professional men’s tennis. He spoke of looking forward to playing on the lawns on Sunday, which are a preparation for Wimbledon, where most tennis aficionados believe is his best bet for another major tournament title. After today’s debacle, he said, “Clearly first the focus is on Halle, try to defend my title there. It’s nice going back to a place where I have to defend something. Hasn’t been like this for a while, so that’s something I’m looking forward to. Yeah, I think when I’m healthy, like I have been now for the last six to nine months, I think clearly I can also decide the outcome of the matches more than I could last year. So I’m very excited about my chances for Wimbledon now this time.”

Editors Note: Sorry this photo is from Instagram. We don’t know who captured this magical moment. But. The look on the ball girls face is funny. BUT is Roger solid in His “core”? He doesn’t look it?

He will gather up his burgeoning family and make a getaway from Paris and land in Halle; stay at the lovely Sports Parc where tennis is the name of his game and luxury is always a matter of course. He has said repeatedly that he isn’t ready to retire, but with a lackluster performance here today, it may be time to take another look at where he wants to go and how he will get there, in an honest and clearheaded way. Halle begins June 9th and that’s next Monday. He will have a better idea of where he will go from there, but after that stop will be Wimbledon.

It seems as if there was a bit of tomfoolery in today’s match and although it appeared to be obstructionist to me, Federer played it down and offered commentary that was kind and far too forgiving. Gulbis took a bathroom break at a critical time in the second set and then later a medical break late in the match. Through it all, he looked fine and was performing quite well, but rules are rules and Gulbis was able to utilize the delays to his advantage.

When asked about the breaks after the match, Federer said, “Well, is three, five, seven minutes really that much of a problem?” Apparently, it was a problem, because he came in on the short end of the score. He went on, “Clearly you can interpret it in so many ways and I think, you know, you’re not allowed to go to the toilet anymore during the set. I came through my career in the beginning where everybody used to take a toilet break at 5-4 when you’re serving for the match.” Now that can’t happen, but other tactics have been abused to create an interruption that really seemed to have made a difference today. He reminded the press that it is completely legitimate to call a doctor for an injury and who’s to say that an injury was or wasn’t a reality?

When Roger Federer does decide to make his move and retire there will be much more than tennis that he will be remembered for. Most of all, it will be his class. It is an attribute that is worth more mere money. It’s something that will never have to be retired.

Following all of that is a tough act. Maria Sharapova (the Russian that seems like an American), managed to be down 3-6 in the first set with Samantha Stosur and pull it out to move on to the quarterfinals, and finish up the rest of the set 6-4, 6-0. She must feel that she has an excellent chance to take home the championship once again, especially with Serena Williams having been vanquished in the second round.

And, as always, with everything in this life – time will have an answer.

Topics: Cheryl Jones, Ernests Gulbis, French Open, Paris, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Roland Garros, Tennis, Tennis News

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June 1, 2014 at 3:41 pm

ROGER FEDERER LOSES IN PARIS, HE IS OUT OF THE FRENCH OPEN 2014! HOPE ABIDES AS HE MOVES ON TO THE… – http://t.co/78GONyaKFm @rogerfederer