This day, I remember Roger painting lines in both boxed like I’ve never seen him do. I mean he was really sharp and never followed any predicatble pattern.

But, you seem to act like it’s all Roddick’s fault. You have to consider many of his peers consider Federer has being the hardest server to read on the tour. Kickers, slices, topspin, twists, flat on lines and corners… All that he never changes much his swing. The ball is always at the same spot, he always goes the same… Like he doesn’t even change his motion at all. When you can notice what have changed, it’s already too late because you have to face an incoming ball. Never tips his opponent. This makes it tremendously hard to play. All you can do is keep guessing and watch the ball.

You said Roddick serve is better than Federer’s. I would hardly conceid Federer’s sevre as being lesser good. On grass and clay, Roddick’s power is merely effective. Speed is useful up to a certain extend and you can read the statistics; on grass and clay, effects and angles prime over power. Get through the numbers and see if you can get percentage of winning points off first and second serves if the ball is returned.

Compare Roddick and Federer and tell me who prepares the play better.

Yes Roddick had problem reading Federer’s serve. Off Federer’s own mouth, he says he sometimes sees all what Roddick is about to serve and sometimes not. If he cannot read it, the game is harder.

If Roddick didn’t played Federer well on his serve, Federer was even worst on Roddick’s. Aces tell me how accurate and disguised the shots were. Rallies won off first serves and second serves tells me how well you used it.

Both players were unable to read each other and were both serving really well. It happened Roddick didn’t adjusted anything and lost, but he yet won two games off Federer’s serve while Federer got only one out at the very end.

It tells me the game could have been lesser close on each side, but yet the game played is now history and Federer was the one able to get the important poitn off. Like he always did and always do.

Anyways, before I watch the answer, I’m going to say Roddick’s backhand slice. Been a while since I watched the match but I recall him netting that shot often. It was almost as though, despite his improved movement, he wasn’t positioning himself well enough to hit the slice properly.

I would say return of serve also but I can’t remember any specific occassions where it was really hurting him/where he gave away unforced errors and Roddick’s return was never his strength anyway…

May be about to be proved wrong though…