128 men entered a tennis grand slam tournament, and tonight we crown Roger Federer the 2018 champion. Congratulations!It was a nail biting five-setter where Roger Federer prevailed to claim the 2018 Australian Open.
With each set swinging either way, the momentum of the match was like a swinging pendulum. Roger may have claimed the first set easily, but Marin settled in the second to steal it in the tie-breaker. Partly, I believe Roger’s first serve became stuck under pressure from the power of Cilic’s return. The Croatian showed us that Roger is not invulnerable, taking from him the only two sets that he had to concede all tournament.
Fortunately Roger found momentum and was able to break and win the third set. In the fourth set, momentum was clearly with Cilic and with the breaks in serve, Federer conceded the set outright without any tie-breaker decider.
Finally in the fifth set, Roger found his discipline and managed to create a comfortable lead. Serving out the match, the moment of victory and emotion to be released was temporarily delayed by a Hawkeye appeal, which turned out in his favor anyway – his serve was called in, as Roger has assumed/expected.
There was no collapse to his knees, or great emotional outpouring – not at least until the end of his winner’s speech. Then the tears flowed freely with joy. Here was Roger cementing why he is the Greatest Of All Time.
Congratulations to the Swiss Tennis maestro. That you can still be performing at the top of your game in peak fitness whilst all your peers are all going through various injuries is part of what makes RF20 grand slams all the more significant as a milestone and record. Tonight history was made.
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