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**Pharmaciest** · 12-12-2008, 05:12 PM

2008 best matches - Part 2: Andy Roddick vs. Philipp Kohlschreiber

TennisTalk, throughout the off-season, will recap the ATP's best matches in 2008. Part 2 features another Australian Open classic, this time a high-quality encounter between Andy Roddick and Philipp Kohlschreiber.

In terms of quality, the third-round clash featuring Andy Roddick and Philipp Kohlschreber was second to none at the 2008 Australian Open. It might not be remembered like the two other Aussie Open epics because it didn't end at 4:33 in the morning (like Marcos Baghdatis vs. Lleyton Hewitt) and it didn't involve the No. 1 player in the world (Roger Federer, at the time he played Janko Tipsarevic).

Other than that, this one was off the chart.

Literally. Kohlschreiber finished with an absolutely ridiculous 104 winners in his incredible 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (11-9), 6-7 (3-7), 8-6 victory over Roddick that ended after 2 AM the next morning following three hours and 50 minutes of slugfest tennis.

Normally when one plays with the reckless abandon necessary to produce those kinds of shocking winner totals, a host of unforced errors go along with the spectacular moments. Not so for the German. Kohlschreiber committed a mere 33 unforced errors. For those who are counting (and you might want to, since these numbers are nothing short of legendary), that's a mind-boggling 73 more winners than errors.

Kohlschreiber was so good that he made Roddick's stats look merely pedestrian on a day when they normally would have been headline-makers. The American struck 79 winners and fired 42 aces, his best effort ever in the ace department.

"The whole match, the whole game for me was perfect, I think, today," said Kohlschreiber.

"I took his best stuff for five sets and I thought I was going to get him to break or to fold," Roddick explained. "I thought if I kept it on him long enough that that would happen.

"When you decide to be a pro athlete, you're going to have ups, you're going to have downs, you're going to have extreme highs and extreme lows. That's just the nature of the beast," added Roddick, who--five years ago--was on the winning end of one of the most amazing matches in Australian Open history. His 21-19 thriller over Younes El Aynaoui in the 2003 quarterfinals will get some well-deserved recognition of its own around here as the 2009 Aussie Open draws nearer. For now, it's all about Kohlschreiber-Roddick.

"This was an all-out battle," gushed ESPN analyst Luke Jensen. "We didn't see just one player in the zone -- they were both there. Roddick never once in this match decided to take the conservative route. He was throwing screamers at Kohlschreiber, but it wasn't enough. Roddick did not lose this match. Kohlschreiber beat him.

"I don't remember if I have ever seen two guys play so flawlessly."

Could anyone disagree?

http://tennistalk.com/en/news/200811..._Kohlschreiber

12-12-2008, 05:12 PM	#1
Pharmaciest Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 426 Senior Member	L Jensen - Have 2 Guys Ever Played So Flawlessly? 2008 best matches - Part 2: Andy Roddick vs. Philipp Kohlschreiber TennisTalk, throughout the off-season, will recap the ATP's best matches in 2008. Part 2 features another Australian Open classic, this time a high-quality encounter between Andy Roddick and Philipp Kohlschreiber. In terms of quality, the third-round clash featuring Andy Roddick and Philipp Kohlschreber was second to none at the 2008 Australian Open. It might not be remembered like the two other Aussie Open epics because it didn't end at 4:33 in the morning (like Marcos Baghdatis vs. Lleyton Hewitt) and it didn't involve the No. 1 player in the world (Roger Federer, at the time he played Janko Tipsarevic). Other than that, this one was off the chart. Literally. Kohlschreiber finished with an absolutely ridiculous 104 winners in his incredible 6-4, 3-6, 7-6 (11-9), 6-7 (3-7), 8-6 victory over Roddick that ended after 2 AM the next morning following three hours and 50 minutes of slugfest tennis. Normally when one plays with the reckless abandon necessary to produce those kinds of shocking winner totals, a host of unforced errors go along with the spectacular moments. Not so for the German. Kohlschreiber committed a mere 33 unforced errors. For those who are counting (and you might want to, since these numbers are nothing short of legendary), that's a mind-boggling 73 more winners than errors. Kohlschreiber was so good that he made Roddick's stats look merely pedestrian on a day when they normally would have been headline-makers. The American struck 79 winners and fired 42 aces, his best effort ever in the ace department. "The whole match, the whole game for me was perfect, I think, today," said Kohlschreiber. "I took his best stuff for five sets and I thought I was going to get him to break or to fold," Roddick explained. "I thought if I kept it on him long enough that that would happen. "When you decide to be a pro athlete, you're going to have ups, you're going to have downs, you're going to have extreme highs and extreme lows. That's just the nature of the beast," added Roddick, who--five years ago--was on the winning end of one of the most amazing matches in Australian Open history. His 21-19 thriller over Younes El Aynaoui in the 2003 quarterfinals will get some well-deserved recognition of its own around here as the 2009 Aussie Open draws nearer. For now, it's all about Kohlschreiber-Roddick. "This was an all-out battle," gushed ESPN analyst Luke Jensen. "We didn't see just one player in the zone -- they were both there. Roddick never once in this match decided to take the conservative route. He was throwing screamers at Kohlschreiber, but it wasn't enough. Roddick did not lose this match. Kohlschreiber beat him. "I don't remember if I have ever seen two guys play so flawlessly." Could anyone disagree? http://tennistalk.com/en/news/200811..._Kohlschreiber
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