In news that came as a surprise only to the vanquished, Your Mum’s favourite tennis player because, ‘ugh, isn’t he just lovely and so talented’, Roger Federer, has ended the ten match winning streak of Tennis Australia’s enfant terrible, Bernard Tomic, in a straight sets victory overnight on Rod Laver Arena.
After what is being considered a deceptively one-sided scoreline belying Tomic’s considerable skill against the world number two and seventeen-time grand slam champ – 6-4, 7-6 (7-5), 6-1 – Switzerland’s balletic sporting equivalent of Gotye customarily commended his opponent’s considerable potential in the customary post-match press conference, praising the 20-year-old’s “power and… good serve. He moves the ball around and did a great job tonight.
He’ll be tough to beat in the future that’s for sure… You would definitely expect him to rise in the rankings, get better draws as we go forward, plays more consistent, gets more confident.”
It was a sentiment with which Tomic wholeheartedly agreed:
“It’s just a matter of time when I get up to the big group of boys in the top ten. I’ve got to believe and do the things that I was doing the last few weeks [after winning his maiden ATP tour title]. I know I’m going to be there with this attitude.”
Tomic also noted that because he’s just the nicest, Federer is always one to hand out helpful words of encouragement:
“He said, ‘Keep going, you improved’. Every time I played him, he mentions it, ‘Well done, Bernie, keep going, keep improving’, which is a good thing, hearing that from somebody like him.“
Aside: here is a gross picture of gross celebrity cosmetic enhancement endorsement, Shane Warne and Liz “Fuck Off” Hurley sucking face at the same match. Ha ha, gross.
Meanwhile, in the same press conference Federer was also asked to weigh in on how Lance Armstrong’s admission that he took performance enhancing drugs affects other professional athletes.
“What a sad story. Obviously he’s hurt his sport in a big way, even though he helped it in the beginning. But now the burden they live under, all other sports maybe as well.“
When asked if he could be bothered watching Oprah’s twenty minute two hour interview with Armstrong, Federer neatly surmised the feelings of Everyone when he said, “I guess all I needed to see was the first few minutes and then I knew what was the deal, and the rest I don’t really care.”
A scholar and a gentleman.
Photos: Paul Crock and Cameron Spencer via Getty
