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After his semifinal in London, Roger Federer said something like this: I'm in my 100th final and I can still walk.
He can also still remain composed after tightening up when serving for history.
Jo-Wilfried Tsonga comported himself well, but allowing a man to hold serve who's only serving at 33% is something Tsonga might have a nightmare or two about in the coming weeks.
That was Federer's woeful serve stat in his opening service games of the final set. Momentarily demoralized by failing to close out the match in two sets, he appeared sluggish. Almost disinterested. Facing 0-30 on serve in one of those games, it would have been easy to blink. But the Frenchman simply didn't make Federer pay. After all, missing first serves is what got Federer in trouble the first time he served for the match. But this time, Tsonga didn't pounce. Passive play and an error here, then there, allowed Federer to get to game point in that crucial passage. Once the Swiss held serve, the escape was complete. Serving out the match half a set later was a cinch.
It was champion vs. challenger. The challenger has the game to beat the champion, but he's never been able to do so in a final.
Still, I enjoy this match-up. Tsonga, who possesses multiple weapons and exhibits as much touch and court sense as anyone playing the game, forces Federer to bring all his tricks to bear.
The final regular-season match for the men lived up to the occasion. Here's hoping Tsonga can cross the line and become a champion in 2012.
As for Federer, well, he just finished the worst season of his career since 2002 and he's still breaking records.
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