Australian Open 2nd semifinal preview: Federer vs Murray - Vengeance beckons

Bill Bryson once said, ‘I mused for a few moments on the question of which was worse, to lead a life so boring that you are easily enchanted, or a life so full of stimulus that you are easily bored!’

If the first semifinal between David Ferrer and Djokovic was a case of the former, where play was so straightforward and boring that anything mildly varying was enchanting, the second semifinal promises to be the latter; a worthy match so full of stimuli that one could easily get bored with minute-long lapses, given that there are two magicians in the midst. It is, after all, the battle of an ageless emperor taking on an adolescent prince who has courted his first maiden.

The past is in the past and needs to be safely tucked away amongst the voluminous tales of history. But alas, in sport and art, the past is the only yardstick; of virtue, deservedness and growth. And so every fresh battle gets more momentous in the shadow of its past. Vengeance is a vice, but not in the realms of sport. The loser who fails to conquer his victor in subsequent encounters fails to achieve growth over his lifetime. He might be a king one day, but the future shall only remember his frailties which he failed to overcome. And that brings us to the 2nd Australian Open semifinal.

ROGER FEDERER [2] vs ANDY MURRAY [3]:

ROGER FEDERER

Time is fleet-footed but it gallops in the land of the kangaroos. Against these swirling waters of change, a sedate swan has stood tall and firm. This is the same arena where the legend once stood in tears after losing a final to his Spanish nemesis, but he returned a year later to lift his 4th title here. He picked his 16th Grand Slam trophy then, and today returns to stay in the hunt for his 18th, although bereft of his once enviable cape of invincibility. He has remained an ageless warrior on the courts although the critics kept opining otherwise.

He may be among the few who dared to walk into a tournament as big as a Grand Slam without playing any warm-up tournament, but he is also the only one who has 17 Grand Slam titles. The one and only, Roger Federer.

It was a smart move in hindsight, considering his aging limbs. The big talk at the beginning of the tournament, of Federer’s minefield of a draw, turned to be a blessing in disguise. A minefield he was given, but a gardener he has become, uprooting the weeds along the way. The added attention only put additional pressure on the potential novices who were then subdued with ease.

Fresh off an extended break, Roger started off with a straight sets rout of the promising Benoit Paire. The next three rounds would be exhilarating we were told, but the king stamped his authority. Nikolay Davydenko, the former world no. 3, was reminded of his present rank. Bernard Tomic, with his youthful exuberance, was gifted his elaborate glittering farewell. Milos Roanic’s gigantic serve was returned with double the efficacy. Three masterclasses from the silent dynamite that silenced the critics!

And for the last vain doubter of his deservedness, he reserved his experience for dismantling a powerhouse in the form of Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. The darkest moment was lit with a backhand return slice, easily the best shot of the tournament.

ANDY MURRAY

Some are gifted but fail to realize their potential, inadequately motivated to chase the crown. And perhaps for every era, there is one such sympathetic prince. Andy Murray is perhaps the Andre Agassi of the present era. At 25, for quite a while, perhaps longer than desired, this protégé was touted to pick his first Slam even as a certain ghost named Fred Perry got restless in his grave. And after four vain attempts, often at the expense of the 17-time legend, he nailed it last year at the US Open, beating Novak Djokovic in a five-set showpiece.

This has perhaps been his easiest route to the semis with no troubling pranksters along. Shielded from the the spotlight on the other two, Murray has silently cruised with clichéd perfection. It’s either because of a listless draw, with just one seeded player in Gilles Simon apart from Hasse, Sousa, Beraknis, and Chardy, or a because of a scorching ruthlessness in his game, that he has yet to lose a set. But now, he has a worthy competitor across the net, and perhaps for the first time in this tournament, a player capable of making him go that extra yard.

Murray comes off an impressive unbeaten streak of 12 matches in Slams with loads of confidence, having figured in the last 3 major finals (inclusive of Olympics) and winning two of them. And more than the statistics, the manner in which he’s achieved them is perhaps a correct indication of his evolution as a player.

TALKING OF THEIR GAME

Federer has been uncharacteristically happy to win off opponent’s errors. His first serve looked a little weak in the quarterfinal, but otherwise has been impressive so far. The forehand has regained its invincibility of the past and the backhand has retained its precision. His limbs seem to have aged but his heart has more than made up for their deficiencies. The only worry for him at the moment, is his inability to convert break points, which Andy will be certainly quite reluctant to gift.

Murray has improved his serve and retained his bludgeoning backhand. His young legs have meant that he leaves very little room for error. There hasn’t emerged anything magical from his game yet, but that’s in part due to the lacklustre draw handed to him. Cometh the hour, and he is one prince perfectly capable to deliver. His success could well depend on how powerfully he attacks Roger’s weak backhand, as Tsonga showed the other night.

HEAD TO HEAD

Few players can boast of a lead over Roger, but Murray can take heart that he belongs to that elite group. Leading 10-9, he goes into the match with a slender lead, although in the Majors, he’s often been decimated clinically by Roger (until the Olympics blowout of course). Their last two encounters, both on hardcourts, have been shared between the two, with the latest in Roger’s bag. It remains to be seen if Roger takes his revenge this time around for the humiliation he was handed on his favourite lawns while chasing his lifetime dream!

It was a tired Roger who turned up that evening, most profess. Will their adoration and belief be justified tomorrow? Only time will tell.

The heart says Federer, the head says Murray. But the eyes will witness the final answer tomorrow.

Indeed, a thrilling vengeance beckons, for after a long, long while, it’s the chased champion who is chasing!

PREDICTION: We couldn’t quite manage to reach the ORACLE, but we believe she thinks it will be Roger in 4 sets. If it goes to 5, then certainly Roger!