ROGER FEDERER WINS! THE PARTY’S OVER IN HALLE, GERMANY UNTIL NEXT YEAR

Written by: Staff on 21st June 2015

ROGER FEDERER WINS! THE PARTY'S OVER IN HALLE, GERMANY UNTIL NEXT YEAR

Swiss tennis player Roger Federer celebrates winning against Andreas Seppi from Italy during their final match at the ATP tournament in Halle, Germany 21 June 2015. EPA/MAJA HITIJ |

The Party’s Over in Halle, Germany Until Next Year

By Cheryl Jones

Gerry Weber knew what he was doing when more than twenty years ago he had a cover fashioned for the centre court at the Gerry Weber Open in Halle, Germany. He had witnessed far too many tennis tournaments in a mad scramble, trying to finish scheduled play because rain-delayed matches wouldn’t be completed in time for the players to move on comfortably to the next planned event. The cover isn’t an umbrella, but it resembles a convertible car’s roof – only it’s a lot bigger.

Sunday’s results in Halle proved something else, too. The Weber’s deserve yet more kudos because they knew what they were doing when a few years ago, they asked Roger Federer to sign an exclusivity contract with the GWO for the duration of his professional career. He did, and today, Federer managed to squeak out a win over Italian contender, Andreas Seppi, 7-6, 6-4. The match lasted a comfortable 1 hour and 48 minutes, and even though the lead changed each time the service rotated, there wasn’t any thought that the Swiss player would be faltering on his side of the play. Neither player looked even close to exhausted or actually, even winded after the match. Aside from a short delay after a bit of rain required the roof to be closed, there was no reason for either man to reflect on much of anything except their individual plans of action as they waited for the go-ahead to resume the match.

Italian tennis player Andreas Seppi in action against Swiss tennis player Roger Federer during their final match at the ATP tournament in Halle, Germany 21 June 2015. EPA/MAJA HITIJ

A cloudburst was the only culprit in the match. The roof, which had been open when play began, had revealed the predominantly grey skies that hadn’t spit much rain. The heavens suddenly turned on the waterworks, and more than a sprinkle turned into a steady drizzle. The roof was closed in about a minute and a half. Although it shouldn’t have been a surprise, it did catch the two players’ attention midway through the first set and they scurried to their courtside seats, sans umbrellas. The score was Deuce and 3-3, when the umpire leaped from his perch above the court and halted play. The old song, “Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head” blared over the stadium speakers and each of the contenders sat expectantly in their courtside seats. They smiled, and waited for the sign that all was dry enough for play to continue. No minions were dispatched with dryers or towels to sop up a mess. It took just a few swipes of the Umpire’s hand to test various areas of the court and very quickly, he gave the command for play to resume, and outside, the drops continued to fall. Inside the cozy stadium, all was right with the tennis world in Halle.

Today was Federer’s “ace” day. He split 14 of them between the two sets and Seppi waited for his turn to arrive. He had one in the third game of the first set, but evidently, the rain dampened any hopes for more. In the after match interview Federer spoke of Ivo Karlovic’s ace parade during this and other tournaments this year. He expressed that it was virtually impossible to have a “game plan” that would effectively combat such a performance. That seemed an accurate assessment of the situation. If the Croat’s serve is on, other players may want to count their blessings that he was not performing opposite of them.

Swiss tennis player Roger Federer celebrates winning against Andreas Seppi from Italy during their final match at the ATP tournament in Halle, Germany 21 June 2015. EPA/MAJA HITIJ

Federer held high the eighth trophy he had garnered in Halle and once again smiled for the cameras that will serve as a memory that marks his place in the history of tennis in general and his prowess on the grass courts. He holds a 51-5 match record in Halle where he won titles in 2003, ’04, ’05, ’06, ’08, ’13 and ’14. Now, there is a 2015 win to underscore his classic game that has thrilled the tennis world since his first win here in 2003. (The eight titles he now holds at the Gerry Weber Open surpass the seven he has from Dubai and Wimbledon.)

Federer is approaching his 34th birthday on August 8th. That will be the day where all those candles may find him wishing for yet more tennis records to mark his career. Today, he stood in the center of the 11,500 seat Gerry Weber Stadion and once again he held the trophy that has increased the number of grass court tournaments where he has triumphed.

Earlier this year, in the Australian Open, Seppi sent Federer home in the 3rd round. It is certain that Federer had that memory permanently implanted in the archives of his mind’s eye. The match was nearly a replay of yesterday’s match where the featured player beside Federer was Ivo Karlovic. The score seesawed with each change of serve. The first match was settled in a tie break and the second looked as if it was going that way too, but luckily for the Swiss Maestro, break opportunities kept appearing and finally just before it would have been Federer’s serve, he broke Seppi’s – retained his own and it was all over in a matter of seconds.

Federer will move to London with another win at Halle. In the past, a GWO victory has been a good omen. Time will tell if his winning ways will continue. Wimbledon begins on June 29th and the outcome will be known in the usual fortnight. Roger Federer and all the fans that follow his career will know if the omen will become a fact.

(Raven Klaasen of South Africa and Rajeev Ram of the United States teamed up just a short time ago and already they have proven that their games mesh well. They were Quarterfinalists at Hertogenbosh a week ago. Before that, they reached the final at the Manchester Challenger. Today, in Halle, they defeated Rohan Bopanna of India and Florin Mergea of Romania, 7-6, 6-2 to take the Doubles Trophy away.)

Topics: Andreas Seppi, Atp, Cheryl Jones, Federer, Germany, Gerry Weber Open, Halle, Roger Federer, Sports, Tennis News

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10sBalls_com says:

June 21, 2015 at 2:16 pm

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