Top seed Roger Federer was sent crashing out of the Olympic Games yesterday when US No. 1 James Blake pulled off a shock 6-4, 7-6 (7/2) quarter-final victory.
Federer, who is enduring the worst season of his career, was broken when serving for the first set and crushed in the second-set tie-break, ending his bid for a first Olympic medal.
It was Federer’s third defeat in six matches since losing his five-year Wimbledon crown. The 27-year-old Swiss is also set to be supplanted by Rafael Nadal on Monday after four-and-a-half years as world No. 1.
PHOTO: CNA
Blake, wearing a red headband to go with his white shirt and blue shorts, started with grim intent and Federer needed a service winner to stave off a break point in game eight.
The US player earned another chance at 5-4 when Federer went long after a pulsating rally. The Swiss then produced an incredible leaping backhand from behind the baseline but dunked his next shot into the net to go a set down.
Federer lacked his usual aggression, looking content to rally and misfiring with the serve and forehand. Blake capitalized by forcing three break points in game two of the second set, going ahead when Federer put a backhand long.
The scare seemed to spark Federer into action and he broke back at 1-3 when Blake swiped a backhand into the tramlines.
Boos erupted when a camera-toting spectator started snapping Federer while he was serving at 3-4, earning sharp words from the Swiss and a rebuke from the chair umpire.
As tension mounted, Federer held off Blake in two service games to force the tie-break. But the aggressive Blake, pummeling the Swiss with his big forehand, raced to a 4-1 lead.
He put away his first match point when Federer’s service return went long, dropping to his knees and screaming in delight.
Blake had lost all eight of their previous matches, winning only one set in five years of trying.
Taiwan’s third-seeded “golden pair” of Chan Yung-jan (詹詠然) and Chuang Chia-jung (莊佳容) on Wednesday night lost to the Italian team of Flavia Pennetta and Francesca Schiavone 6-7, 6-1, 6-8 in a grueling game that lasted two hours and 54 minutes. The defeat ended Chan and Chuang’s Olympic run.
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