TENNIS ATP FINALS – Il derby rossocrociato tra Roger Federer e Stan Wawrinka è il match del torneo. il N.2 del mondo salva 4 match point prima di vincere 46 75 76 (86) al tie-break del terzo set dopo 2h48 condite da mille emozioni rimontando da 3-5. E’ la sua nona finale al Masters, record di Ivan Lendl eguagliato. Domani lo aspetta Novak Djokovic (Ore 19.00 SKY Sport 1 e 2)

Conferenza Stampa Federer (Inglese)

Conferenza Stampa Wawrinka (Inglese+Francese)

Per molti Paesi, avere un giocatore nella Top 10 mondiale è un sogno che si realizza (chiedete al Giappone di Nishikori) poi esiste la Svizzera: un Paese che fino a 15 anni non aveva ottenuto praticamente nulla dal tennis maschile di alto livello e che in poco più di una settimana ha una semifinale del Masters di Londra tutta rossocrociata tra il N.2 e il N.4 del mondo, più la possibilità di giocarsi il prossimo weekend la sua prima insalatiera a Lille.

E’ questo che rende speciale la seconda semifinale delle ATP Finals: il fatto che Roger Federer e Stan Wawrinka dovranno competere uno contro l’altro prima di difendere la loro bandiera.
Questo non può non avere un impatto sul match di questa sera e non perché i rapporti tra i 2 siano ovviamente splendidi, avendo vinto anche insieme a Pechino un oro olimpico in doppio.
Le eccezionali doti tecniche di entrambi le conosciamo tutti e non sono oggetto di discussione anche se ovviamente Wawrinka sa di aver battuto il Maestro solo in un posto in vita sua: il Country Club di Montecarlo e qui le condizioni sono completamente diverse. Stan però ha lottato con Roger alla pari anche a Wimbledon e i precedenti (14-2) non erano certamente motivo sufficiente per tagliarlo fuori dalla contesa.

Lo “svizzerologo” per eccellenza Claudio Mezzadri non ha esitato però a dare Federer come favorito, non solo del match ma del torneo. Ha però detto che Wawrinka ha tutti i mezzi per batterlo in semifinale: e aveva ragione.

La sfida tra “Svizzera 1” e “Svizzera 2” alle ATP Finals 2014 diventa un match memorabile, Federer vince in modo rocambolesco 7-6 al terzo set dopo aver salvato quattro match point, tre dei quali sul 5-4 quando Wawrinka ha servito per il match.
Una sfida durata 2h48 dopo che per 6 giorni e mezzo non si è mai arrivati alle due ore di gioco. 4-6 7-5 7-6(6) il punteggio finale.

Wawrinka “ha fatto la partita”, come si direbbe nel calcio, producendo tantissimi colpi vincenti (43), ma pagando il prezzo di troppi errori gratuiti (48). Ha iniziato il match in maniera straordinaria salendo 5-2 con doppio break prima di chiuderlo 6-4. Federer invece non  era entrato nel match nel modo giusto soffrendo in maniera  evidente le impressionanti accelerazioni del suo avversario.

Si è rimesso in partita recuperando uno dei due break di ritardo, pronto poi a giocarsela nel secondo set e poi ha approfittato del momento di cedimento di Wawrinka che è puntualmente arrivato quando doveva portare il secondo set al tie-break.  Nel secondo parziale Federer è riuscito a trovare con maggiore facilità la via della rete e questo ha ovviamente portato il match su un piano congeniale al N.2 mondiale.

Il pubblico, finalmente coinvolto come mai in questo torneo,  voleva davvero un terzo set ed è stato accontentato. Ma non potevano immaginare quale serie di emozioni li aspettava: Federer cede il servizio nel primo gioco del terzo,  anche a causa di un over-rule sbagliato da parte dell’arbitro di sedia Cedric Mourier, di cui Federer non si è accorto se non quando ha chiamato lo 0-40.

Federer è apparso a quel punto notevolmente stizzito ed è riuscito a malapena a restare a ruota, sprecando poi due palle break nell’ottavo gioco. Tenuto il servizio nel nono game, il decimo si trasforma presto in un racconto epico: Wawrinka manca uno dei tre match point sbagliando una non impossibile volée di rovescio. Anche gli altri due match point vengono giocati da Wawrinka a rete. Su uno di questi Federer gioca un eccezionale passante di dritto di mezzo volo in lungolinea. Roger alla fine riesce a far suo il game infinito per agguantare la parità sul 5-5

Arrivati al tie-break, Federer sale 5-3 prima di cedere i 3 punti successivi e concedere dunque un quarto match point.  Federer lo annulla con un servizio vincente e sui due punti successivi si inventa due discese a rete da manuale per far suo il match del torneo.

Domani dunque ci sarà la finale più attesa,  quella tra i primi 2 giocatori del mondo, anche se Wawrinka  porterà con sé per qualche tempo le scorie di questa amara sconfitta (per la gioia della squadra francese in ritiro a Bordeaux).

I precedenti  tra Federer e Djokovic sono noti: lo svizzero conduce 19-17 avendo vinto l’ultimo confronto diretto a Shanghai, anche se il serbo ha vinto il match più importante dell’anno, la finale di Wimbledon al quinto set.  I due si sono incontrati in finale qui alla O2 Arena,  già due anni fa quando Djokovic si impose in 2 set lottati (7-5 7-6).

Non ci resta che sperare che lo spettacolo di domani (alle 19) sia anche solo lontanamente paragonabile a quello visto stasera.

qui sotto anche se in maniera incongrua anche graficamente, ma tenete presente l’ora tardissima, le due di notte, mettiamo per ora l’intervista in inglese rilasciata da un delusissimo Stan Wawrinka a fine match…subito sotto troverete quella di Federer sempre in inglese con l’auspicio che domani si trovi qualche buon anima i grado di tradurla.Più tardi o in mattinata verranno inseriti gli audio. Chiediamo scusa se l’impaginazione risulterà questa volta difettosa.

R. FEDERER/S. WAWRINKA

4 6, 7 5, 7 6

An interview with:

STAN WAWRINKA

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Both of you desired the victory, but it couldn’t happen. You came to the net too quickly? What is your opinion of those match points?

STAN WAWRINKA: I had to do some choice. For sure that game at the end I was nervous. It was not easy to play from the baseline. He was normally just pushing his slice backhand return. I was like, Okay, I’m going to try to take it, try not to wait for a mistake, try to go for it.

I did it two time on second serve. I did one on first serve. I missed my serve. I wanted to go backhand body because he was really going higher return. He took it the forehand. That’s it. I think I had one easy volley backhand that I put in the net.

You know, match like that, you make some choice, especially when you’re tired, when you’re nervous. Just wanted to go for it and not wait for mistake or whatever, because you know that could give you the match.

Q. Was the difference tonight nerves? Was there anything in your game that you think let you down towards the end?

STAN WAWRINKA: Well, tough match like that, I think there’s only few points that makes the difference. I was playing great tennis. Really happy with the way I was playing.

But I had some big opportunity in the third set. I should have take it, especially serving for the match with two match point. Maybe didn’t serve well enough.

But not much. Not much. You know, when you play Roger, it’s never easy for me, for everybody. He’s been in that situation so many times. For me it was second here in the semifinal. That’s it.

Q. Obviously it was a tense match near the end. At some point late in the third you seemed upset with someone speaking before points. Can you explain what happened there?

STAN WAWRINKA: Not much. Nothing special. Tense match. It’s never easy.

Q. What is your schedule from here? When do you think you’ll be on the clay courts? Will you be practicing some doubles heading into the final?

STAN WAWRINKA: We’ll see. We’ll see how I’m going to feel tomorrow with my body. I played really late yesterday, three set match. Even if wasn’t really physical, it’s always nervous match. So physically you don’t feel the same.

I had a tough one today. So we’ll see. For sure I’m going to take one day off, try to do some treatment, try to rest, maybe going tomorrow to Lille or maybe Monday with Roger and everybody.

Q. Is it tougher in that situation against Roger as opposed to anyone else in the semifinals of the World Tour Finals? Is it particularly something just with him?

STAN WAWRINKA: As I say, it’s always difficult for me not only because he’s the best player ever, he knows how to play. He’s playing really well since the end of the year, a few months more. Because of his game, but also mentally, he’s been there since so many years.

But, yeah, today had lot of chance. Didn’t took them. I was playing well. I was playing good tennis. Happy the way I was trying to push him, trying to be real aggressive, not let him come to the net too much, trying to be the first there.

But sometimes you lost match like that.

Q. You’ve played in the last week Novak and Roger. How do you see the final going?

STAN WAWRINKA: Good question. I don’t know. We’ll see how physically Roger will be tomorrow for sure, because Novak is really strong. Didn’t spend so much energy.

I think tonight was tough match physically and mentally for me, and Roger also. So we’ll see how he’s going to be tomorrow.

If you look just like that, you will put a little bit more Djokovic the favorite. But it’s going to be interesting. We’ll see.

Q. Would you tell us what Roger said to you after the game? It looked like he was very sorry.

STAN WAWRINKA: I’m not sure he’s sorry for me (laughter).

Yeah, not much. Not much. Not much. Just, you know, when you win a match like that, when I had so many opportunity, normally you cannot say so many thing. I just told him, Congratulate, good luck tomorrow. Classic. Nothing special. Sorry.

R. FEDERER/S. WAWRINKA

4 6, 7 5, 7 6

An interview with:

ROGER FEDERER

THE MODERATOR: Questions, please.

Q. Tennis sometimes is cruel. But this was a big fight between two colleagues. Four match points. It was a miracle, one of your miracles?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, I thought it was a very exciting match, to say the least. I think the crowd got really into it. I mean, I really didn’t think I was going to turn it around anymore because Stan looked very good for a long time, was able to win the second set somehow by hanging around.

Then in the third, you know, I think he played very well. Maybe a serve let him go a little bit when he needed it the most.

You know, I mean, I clearly got lucky tonight. There’s no doubt about that. But you’ve got to keep believing that maybe there is a slight, you know, chance that you are going to be able to turn it around somehow. It happened today.

I’m very pleased. It’s very hard, obviously, against Stan. It’s been a long season for both of us. I’m happy we’re able to play such a good match. Maybe not always the best quality, but still I was very impressed by his shot making again, his capabilities of playing forward, just keep on going. I think if he would have served a little bit better today he would have won probably.

Q. Novak said he’s physically exhausted. How hard is it mentally for you to keep your cool in this phase of the season?

ROGER FEDERER: Well, I mean, today it was a shot here or there. But it wasn’t in my control anymore at the very end. I’m actually pretty good. Even though today I was like the first day it would be good to see the sun again to be outdoors more often, I’m locked indoors now. It starts to be a bit long now. I know it’s only going to be another nine, ten days now before I’m on vacation.

It’s cool. I can handle it. The season’s been long for all of us, there’s no doubt. But I think Stan and myself left everything out on the court today.

Q. It was a tough match, and of course it’s very late now. How are you going to recover for the match tomorrow?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, I’m going to try to get back as quick as possible, try to recover, stretching, massage, sleep, eat. Do all those things fast. The problem is it’s a bit of a drive home. So it takes a while. It’s not like it’s five minutes away like in other places. Going to lose some time there.

But the match is 6:00 p.m. tomorrow, which is good it’s not earlier than that, so at least it gives me the chance to sleep in in the morning.

Q. Looking ahead to playing Novak. The last time was just a few weeks ago in Shanghai. You played an exceptional match there. What are your thoughts going into this one tomorrow night?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I mean, I think it’s going to be different. Conditions are definitely different here. Balls are different. Surface is a bit, I don’t know, maybe slower. I’m not sure. It just plays different. Feels different.

I think the balls have the most to do with it. I think we might see a bit different rallies, not so easy just to go big. But obviously I got to be confident, you know, moving forward. I got to be there to challenge him and make him hit one good shot after another.

I hope I can, you know, maybe play a little better than I played today potentially because I did feel the heat from Stan. It was tough for me to get really free flowing because he had the lead early, so I was running after the lead the whole time, which was tough for me.

But I’m looking forward to the match. I hope it’s going to be a good one.

Q. You have quite a rivalry with Novak. Your coaches had quite a rivalry back in their day. How would you compare the two rivalries?

ROGER FEDERER: Different. You know, I don’t know. Yeah, I mean, they played somewhat similar, I guess. Serve and volley. We don’t really have that. Me with the one handed backhand, him with the double handed. It’s a totally different matchup, I guess.

Yeah, that’s about it. I don’t know what to tell you. It’s too late for me and it’s too much thinking at this point, to be quite honest (smiling).

They were my heroes. That’s all I can tell you. You know that.

Q. Saving match points today, you saved them against Monfils, against Mayer. How can you compare those comebacks? Was this less lucky than the other two?

ROGER FEDERER: This was maybe luckier than Monfils because Stan served three times and whereas Monfils served twice. Mayer, I was crazy lucky there. So maybe that was the most luck overall because I was out of the point and he had it.

But this is obviously huge in the semifinals of the World Tour Finals. It’s very big. Clearly it’s not the way you want to win. But I still kept my cool and tried to hang around. I got myself back into it.

I was frustrated being down in the third. But, yeah, it was definitely a lucky escape tonight again.

Q. What was going on between you and the umpire at the beginning of the third set? Did you not hear the overrule and the score until Love 40? Do you feel he should have told you more clearly what was going on?

ROGER FEDERER: Yeah, I don’t know. I mean, I was right there on top of the bounce. I thought, Oh, it was going to go in. Net cord, maybe out. I thought it was out.

I heard something, but I wasn’t sure. I looked at him. There’s nothing. Then I checked out Stan, if he was going to challenge. There was nothing. So then I heard, Breakpoint, Love 40. I was like, Hold on, it’s 15 30. I would

have played my points totally different than 15 Love, so forth.

Yeah, I couldn’t believe it that he wouldn’t ask me more clearly because it was clearly a very close call. I still don’t know if it was in or out.

I just don’t quite understand how he cannot be louder. At Love 15, if he tells the score, it would probably be too late anyway. He would have said, Oh, yeah, now you got to challenge, you smart guy. I would have lost it there anyway.

But in the moment, just to assume, you know, I think is not good enough, to be quite honest. I’m not blaming him. But I remember hearing something, but not loud enough for me that it was actually an overrule, I guess. That’s how it went for me.