A bit early I know, but I wondered what people thought about this match?

Gonzo's had a harder draw for sure - every single round he's had a tough opponent. For me, his five setter with Del Potro seemed to set him alight because he's been incredible since. In all honesty I think the Chilean's played better tennis than Federer throughout the week, and that includes the Roddick match.

If Gonzalez can maintain this level against Federer, he has every chance of winning. Unfortunately I see him getting a bit subdued as time goes by and he isn't dominating like he did against his previous opponents, and his level will drop slightly. This will enable Federer to secure a relatively simple straight sets victory, after a tough opening set, just like every other match they've played.

However if Gonzo can somehow forget who it is he's playing and keep his momentum throughout the match, I give him every chance of succeeding. It's a huge 'if' and one that I really can't see being fulfilled, but come on Fena - prove me wrong.

I think he may just surprise us!
I'm sure his coach has a great game plan in hand. And I hope to hell it works 'coz I'm sick of Federer winning everything in sight.

I think it'll once again come down to winning the first set for Gonzo to have any chance of beating Federer. Look at what happened in the Madrid final. Gonzo thumped Berdych (who had beaten Nadal) in the semis and we all thought he would take out Federer. But after the first set which Fed squaked 7-5, it was a breadstick and a bagel.

Gonzo should take inspiration from Serena yesterday and didn't let Maria get a chance into any points. The ESPN commentator Mary Corillo said repeatedly during the Roddcik match that "IF Federer has to lose, it'll take two players, Federer playing terrible and Roddick playing out of his skin".

I hope it'll be the case in the final and Gonzo can win his first deserved slam. Am going with Gonzo 7-5, 2-6, 7-5, 7-6.

wise gives us an insigth and tell how would sampras play against Gonzo and off course triple bagle him, please wise maybe federer read your post and you could help him :phew:

I can see this going one of two ways

1 - Fed in 3 total whitewash as Gonzo freezes

2 - Gonzo taking match to him and winning on tie-breaks

of course, I'm only good at predicting matches the day afterwards as Dinky Jo will no doubt tell you :huh:

I'm going with this

Gonzo already matched his unforced error count from the semi-final... que sorpresa.

Both held serve alright so far, 2-1 to Federer.

Fantastic drop shot from Gonzo on his way to holding after a pair of deuces.

Shaping up well so far.

First sign of pressure on the Fed serve. A couple of deuces but he comes through without coughing up a break point. 4-3.

Gonzo plays two awful shots to go down 0-30 but redeems himself by storming to take the game.

4-4.

Gonzo breaks and will serve for the opening set!

In all fairness Federer's not really got into gear yet. The wind's hampering both players.

Indeed, both players under 50% on their first serve thus far.

Missed the actual break point there but did see the outrageous net-cord that got Gonzo to deuce.

Fed Breaks back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

... and from 40-15 and two set points up Gonzo chokes. Utterly pathetic.

5-5.

Oh dear, gonzo really could have done without blowing those set points. :doh:

That said, his forehand winner inthe first point of the next game was a real ripper.

choker!!!

TIE BREAK!

:D :D

LETS GO GONZO LETS GO!

No choking there. Some great play on the big points and a rifled backhand down the line to take us into a breaker. What a shot :clap:

aghhh!!!

stop it Fed!

:phew: If Gonzo had lost that game, I'd have gone back to bed.

Again he went 40-15 up, at which point there was a terrible line call against him. Inexplicably the Chilean didn't challenge it and ended up having to save 4 set points, which he did with the help of some pretty dreadful returning from Federer.

Fed shows Gonzo how it's done and gets the over-rule on the first point of the tie-break. He then takes the point. 1-0 on serve.

Now 3-0, Gonzalez mishits a forehand with an empty court ahead of him. 2 mini-breaks up. Game set and match?

LMAO, Gonzo hits one off the frame and into orbit.

That one joins Chris Waddle's penalty from Italia '90 in the ether.

The Fedster takes the first Set!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

:yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: :clap: :clap: :clap:

What a ripper from Fed to wrap up the set.

Damnit, listening to the Oz Open radio to asve myself from the French comentary is ruining my vocabulary :yikes:

Brilliant stuff from Fed there, finally I can relax a little!

I might start calling him Fed-no-erer

Credit to Gonzo, he played really well in that set, but lets see how he reacts to the set back. A possible problem though as he calls the trainer.

Fed takes the tie-break 7-2.

Generally he was the better player in the tie-break, but at 1-0 down, Gonzo shanked a sitter forehand when the court was empty.

Gonzalez calls the trainer - apparently a neck problem?

I'm going back to bed. Just as I predicted, Gonzalez choked when he had a chance to grab the upper hand. Federer wasn't even playing well then, so it goes without saying that the match is over now.

Hope the next two sets are more exciting and less of a formality than I expect, for those still watching :ok:

Oh Great Gonzo get injured!


At lease Federer can win his last Oz open title with a walkover!, until Murray takes over nest year!

roflmao roflmao

Fernando played some good tennis in this set.He is gonna rue those 2 set points he had though.

I'm hoping fed can finish it off in 3 so i can get some sleep after. :D

Gonzo :cry:

Oh no!!! :yikes:

Set timer to record bbci.. and forgot that it was on bbc2! :yikes: Daftie...! roflmao

Ah well.. managed to catch the last part of the set... good tie break by Fed :ok:

Both playing well it seems.. but a concern for Gonzo with neck??

Cmon Rog.

Lets see a 6-0 B)

Well judging by his serving, Gonzo can't be having too much trouble with his neck.

He holds for the first game of the set

Nice to see an effective use of S&V from fed there

Both men hold their opening service games of the 2nd set

A Murray V Henman final would have been better!

:P :P

Yea ......lets see them try to reach a grandlsam final first roflmao



Nice hold by Gonzales ......

Gonzo holds to love thanks to an awesome forehand its 2-1

Fed matches Gonzo's love hold with one of his own.

... and Gonzo gets another love hold

service games are straight-forward this set

Gonzo holds to love again