Posted by James Martin, TENNIS.com
Roger Federer is playing against the clock. Not the kind that measures the time it takes between points (thankfully for fans, Federer is quite efficient in that regard), but the kind that measures the time he has left to realistically win the French Open, complete the career Grand Slam and be anointed the GOAT -- Greatest of All Time.
How much time does Federer have left? Put it this way: He just reached the semifinals for the third year in a row, but he turns 27 in August. The French Open is a young man's event. Fresh legs, boundless energy, it favors players like three-time defending champion Rafael Nadal, who's all of 22. Put another way: Federer's last real shot at bagging Roland Garros is right now. This weekend. That's right, you heard it here first.
The world No. 1 may never get an easier road to the final. Sam Querrey, Albert Montanes, Mario Ancic and Julien Benneteau were his early-round opponents. By luck of the draw, Federer has steered clear of any significant, dangerous clay-court floaters.
His quarterfinal opponent on Wednesday, Fernando Gonzalez, was the first seeded player (at No. 24) that Federer has faced. Gonzo's a big hitter but an erratic one, too, and after adjusting to his pace Federer easily dispatched him in four sets.
And you get the feeling that Federer isn't exactly worried about facing Gael Monfils in the semifinals. Federer is 3-0 against the young Frenchman.
Of course, the best bit of fortune for Federer happened with the flip of a coin, which decided which half of the draw the No. 3 seed, Novak Djokovic, would be placed. Instead of having to face his two main rivals, who've gotten the better of Federer lately, back-to-back, in the semifinals and final, Federer has to get through just one of them. Who would you rather play: Monfils or Djokovic, and then, inevitably, Nadal?
Since Federer hasn't been pushed much this tournament -- he's lost two sets and cruised through the others -- and if, as expected, he has an easy time in the semifinals, Federer will be fresh and fired up for the trophy match. Nadal and Djokovic, on the other hand, will run each other into the ground during their semifinal.
It's all set up perfectly for Federer. No disrespect to his other opponents, but things couldn't be breaking better for him. Will Federer ever get a better draw again, without the dangerous floaters and with his two biggest threats canceling each other out in the semifinals?
But Federer, if not at his peak, is just past it. While the French Open has crowned a few elder statesmen as champions, like a 29-year-old Andre Agassi in 1999 and a 27-year-old Thomas Muster in 1995, the rest of the titlist over the last decade have all been under 27, with most, like Gustavo Kuerten, Carlos Moya and Juan Carlos Ferrer, closer to 20.
Time is running out, no question about it. Federer will never have a better opportunity to become the GOAT than he does right now. But win or lose, he should at least send a box of Swiss chocolates to whoever tossed that coin during the draw ceremony.
