Courier: U.S. Open critical for Federer

Ascendancy and artistry collided to create a classic on Centre Court when Rafael Nadal dethroned five-time defending champion Roger Federer 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-7(8), 9-7 triumph in Sunday's epic Wimbledon final that spanned four hours, 48 minutes.

It was the second straight Grand Slam championship for Nadal, who hit his way into history as the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to sweep Roland Garros and Wimbledon in succession, snapping Federer's 40-match Wimbledon winning streak in the process.

In their ongoing rivalry, a resolute Nadal delivered the definitive word against the master of improvisation. Jim Courier offered both astute analysis of the final and a projection on the future courts of the Nadal-Federer rivarly on PBS' Charlie Rose Show on Wednesday night. To view a a replay of Rose's interview with Courier, please click this Charlie Rose.com link then click Wednesday, July 9. Courier attributed Nadal's victory to both the technical and tactical adjustments he's made since the 2007 Wimbledon final, which Federer won in five sets.

"Rafa is serving more effectively and I also love the intelligence he showed," Courier told Rose. "In the French Open final he served almost exclusively to the backhand, but on grass he mixed it up. He was serving into the body and out to the forehand and that was exceptionally effective becasue Federer was not expecting it. Roger hit some shots that I cam out of my chair watching. Federer was defending his life in the fourth-set tiebreaker and effectively ad-libs this shot that was a needle through the haystack: you couldn't hit a better shot than Federer hit — and that was just to stay alive. These guys forced the best in each other."

Though Federer has retained a 545-point lead in the rankings, Courier contends opponents don't need to consult the computer to identify the true World No. 1 — Nadal. If Federer is to hold on to the year-end ranking the four-time U.S. Open champion must successfully defend Flushing Meadows.

"I think that's where all signs point to for Federer," Courier told Rose. "Let's be clear: if he wants to retain the No. 1 ranking then he will have to do something special (at the U.S. Open). Nadal has won two majors (this season) and in the players' minds Nadal is No. 1 now even though the computer doesn't say it. Nadal is No. 1 now regardless of what the computer says."

The prospect of a third straight Federer-Nadal major final would be historic in harkening back to 1962 when Rod Laver swept his first Grand Slam beating fellow Aussie Roy Emerson in the Australian, French and U.S. finals (Laver beat Marty Mulligan in the '62 Wimbledon final). Courier says Federer's response in New York will reveal much about his resilience in the face of the hard-charging World No. 2.

"This is a critical time for Federer," Courier told Rose. "He's been No. 1 for four years and now he might have to start looking at his career through a different lens. Now, we're going to be learning a lot about him these next six months. We're gonna now learn a lot about Federer and his competitive character as we roll forward these next six months; this is a critical period...We never doubted Borg (and then) Borg finally lost his Wimbledon title to McEnroe and three months later McEnroe beat him in the U.S. Open final and we never saw Borg again."

Though Nadal has only surpassed the U.S. Open fourth round once in five career appearances — losing to Mikhail Youzhny in the 2006 quarterfinals — Courier stakes the five-time Grand Slam champion as merely a slight underdog to Federer.

"It's on: Federer going for a fifth straight U.S. Open and Nadal has not yet impressed on hard courts at majors," Courier told Rose. "Nadal's got a lot of room for improvement on a hard court and the same growth he's shown on grass I think we're gonna see on hard courts — if his body can take it. Is till think Federer is the favorite at the U.S. Open, but I think its 51-49 (in Federer's favor)."

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