Roger Federer Frustrates Andy Roddick's Best Efforts in 2007 U.S. Open Quarterfinal

For the first two sets Andy Roddick could not have played better. He could not have done more to try to beat Roger Federer. After throwing every shot in his arsenal at Federer what did Roddick have to show for it? A three set to none loss in the quarterfinals of the 2007 U.S. Open 7-6, 7-6, 6-2.

Roger Federer showed yet again why he is the best player in the world. He continues to rise to the occasion at the Grand Slams when the chips are down. Every time that Roddick had an opening, Federer simply shut the door.

The quality of tennis displayed was amazing, with winner after winner, and relatively few errors. Each player had high first serve percentages and lots of aces. The rallies were long and full of tremendous shot making.

Yet when you looked closely at the match there was something that set each player apart. Roddick seemed forced into trying to make something happen on every point. There was perceivable effort with every shot as he raced around the court and blasted his forehand. On the flip side Federer's play was also powerful, but as usual it seemed nearly effortless. He often controlled the center of the court forcing Roddick on the move and throwing him off balance.

In the third set the Andy Roddick finally cracked. He seemed to realize that nothing he could do was going to derail Federer from a trip to the semi-finals of the U.S. Open. He finished out the match no doubt wondering if he will ever beat Federer again. Roger Federer is simply the better player and possibly the most dominate athlete of any sport in the world.

Many people consider there to be a rivalry between Roger Federer and Andy Roddick. If the rivalry ever really existed, it died long ago. Roger's lone rival is Raphael Nadal, and Nadal only has Federer's number on clay. With the recent injury problems of Nadal, one might wonder if that elusive French Open title may be in Roger's future.