"I’m still shocked by some of the things he did" - James Blake on Roger Federer's greatness
Tennis superstar Roger Federer has been revered and acclaimed throughout the years for the way he makes the game look so easy. Often described as a magician wielding a racquet, Federer has been praised by his peers for producing some of the most jaw-dropping moments in the history of the sport.
One such person who has recently praised the Swiss maestro is former ATP player James Blake. The American took to Twitter to comment on a video of Federer producing incredible drop shots at the US Open, leaving his opponents completely bewildered and caught off-guard.
Responding to a fan's comment on the post saying that the American looked shocked to be on the receiving end of one of the 20-time Grand Slam champion's lethal drop shots, Blake confirmed that it was indeed the case.
The former World No. 4 went on to add that his shock was not reserved for just that particular shot, but for many other remarkable moments Federer has produced over the course of his extraordinary career as well.
"I’m still shocked by some of the things he did," Blake wrote.
@fed89erer @fedrermoment @usopen I’m still shocked by some of the things he did
James Blake has often been on the wrong end of such artistry from the 40-year-old, as the American has only won once in their 11 encounters on the court. The most iconic meeting between the duo came in China during the 2006 Tennis Masters Cup (now called the ATP World Tour Finals).
Roger Federer produced some of the most attacking bits of tennis the sport has ever seen on the night, as his single-handed backhand absolutely cut through James Blake like a hot knife through butter.
@usopen😎
🎥 @usopen https://t.co/gNj6DkYHry
Roger Federer's dominance at the US Open
Flushing Meadows in New York has been one of the happier hunting grounds for Roger Federer. At the US Open, Federer has won three finals in straight sets: 2004, 2007 and 2008, against Lleyton Hewitt, Novak Djokovic and Andy Murray, respectively.
In the other two finals that he has won in New York, Federer dropped only one set in each match. Incredibly, the Swiss maestro won the US Open title five times on the trot between 2004 and 2008, a testament to the 20-time Grand Slam champion's dominance on the hardcourts during that time.
Roger Federer still the only player in tennis history to win 5 consecutive Titles at 2 different majors
Wimbledon: 2003-2007
Us Open: 2004-2008
He reached the Wimbledon Final in 2008 (40 consecutive wins)
He reached the US Open Final in 2009 (40 consecutive wins)
However, he has not won the US Open since 2008, and has lost a couple of finals to the likes of Novak Djokovic and Juan Martin del Potro. Most infamously, Federer squandered match points against Djokovic in the semifinals of the US Open in 2010 and 2011, and hasn't reached the final since 2015 at Flushing Meadows.