Roger Federer Reveals How He Beat Rafael Nadal at Wimbledon Championships 2019

Roger Federer takes on a 3-1 lead against Rafael Nadal in the head to head tally on the grass courts of Wimbledon after the semifinal match win. It kept the tennis followers glued to the Centre Court while the most iconic rivalries of the sporting world were in action. The Swiss shared about his game plan which he executed against his adversary.

“I was able to stick to my game plan, stay aggressive, stay offensive,” Roger Federer said. “I guess I also started to serve a bit better maybe after that second set. I think I won a lot of the important points in the third and fourth sets. There were some brutal rallies in key moments that went my way. I think those might have made the difference today.”

37-year-old, Roger Federer did an amazing job during the long rallies against Rafa and he could control most of the shots with perfection. “Possibly. I mean, look, winning long rallies is always a nice feeling. At the same time, there were so few of them when you’re going deep in a rally like this. Plus they were also played on a very high level in terms of speed and power and spin and everything,” he said.

“It’s not just hitting cross-court balls to one another. You have some other opponents that produce that more for you. More of a waiting game. This is different. Almost every shot we’re trying to win the point.” Both, Roger and Rafa, know each other’s game plan inside out, and he later elaborated upon how is it to play against the Spaniard.

“It’s the same as going into a Rafa match. I think the moment you’ve played somebody probably more than 15 times, you know, especially in recent years also a few times, there’s not that much more left out there. Especially you know where the players go when it really matters, how much can you still surprise somebody,” Roger Federer continued.

Federer’s revamped single hand backhand and picking up the balls quickly after their bounce, have been the major factors behind all his recent victories against Rafael Nadal, and once again those parameters bolstered his win over his age-old rival.

“Maybe also when I connected with the backhand down the line, maybe was I secretly guessing he was also going to my backhand? Maybe. I was just able to come around it enough to keep it deep and long. Next thing you know, you win the point,” he added.

Philosopher of tennis, Roger Federer highlighted the fact that the match is not completely in player’s control, it takes planning to execute the tactics and sometimes even they go haywire.

“Those are things you just can’t control. I know you guys think that we control everything. We don’t. Some balls just fly in and some don’t. Good things happen when you try to do the right thing. Bad things happen when you doubt yourself,” Roger Federer mentioned.

Rafa fed him a baguette in the second set and Roger Federer revealed what went wrong. “I think the second set got tougher with the sun coming through on the Royal Box end. So I got broken there. Also did a little bit against the wind on the other side. Rafa was in the zone there. Maybe also I didn’t serve as well. You know, it was a close match and he was able to take charge after I had a couple of chances early on in that second set, so that was tough.”

Roger Federer also mentioned that this match would now join the list of his all-time favourite battles. “Definitely going to go down as one of my favorite matches to look back at, again, because it’s Rafa, it’s at Wimbledon, the crowds were into it, great weather,” the World Number three said.

Towards the end of the match, Rafa’s warrior-like skills were peaking and the Spaniard also saved a few match points while battling to stay in the semifinals of Wimbledon 2019.

“Yeah, I mean, obviously extremely high. It’s always very, very cool to play against Rafa here, especially haven’t played in so long. It lived up to the hype, especially from coming out of the gates, we were both playing very well. Then the climax at the end with the crazy last game, some tough rallies there. I mean, I don’t know. It had everything in the end, which was great, I guess. I’m just relieved it’s all over at this point,” Roger Federer added.

Eight-time Wimbledon champion, Roger Federer will face Novak Djokovic in the finals of Wimbledon Championships 2019.