Groth to take his chances against Federer
With recent first-hand knowledge, Marinko Matosevic says Sam Groth better prepare for Roger Federer as an experience like no other.
New York, NY, USA, 28 August 2014 | AAP
With recent first-hand knowledge, Marinko Matosevic says Sam Groth better prepare for Roger Federer as an experience like no other.
Groth will take on Federer in the second round of the US Open on Friday in the biggest match of his life, two days after the 17-time Grand Slam champion ended his countryman’s hopes at the New York major.
“He basically runs tennis, let’s be honest,” Matosevic said after being ousted in straight sets by Federer at Flushing Meadows.
“If he’s at a tournament, in the locker room – all eyes are on him when he’s walking through. He definitely has an aura around him. I feel like he floats around a bit. He’s floating on air.”
On court, Matosevic said Federer was almost impossible to beat.
“To play him, his serve is so under-rated, you don’t know where it’s going,” Matosvevic said.
“Then he’s got an amazing forehand. He’s an unbelievable mover, great feel. I mean, his only weakness is his backhand. It’s only because he’s one-handed.”
Matosevic gives Groth a fighting chance but believes his only hope of troubling the Swiss ace is with his supersonic serve and somehow staying in the contest.
“Sam’s got the fastest serve of all-time, so he should be able to hold a few more times than I did,” Matosevic said.
“But, I don’t know, Roger seems to play big serves pretty well.
“I mean, it’s two human beings playing out there so I think Sam should just go for it and see what happens.”
That’s exactly what Groth plans to do.
“I stay with a lot of guys because of my serve,” the 26-year-old Groth said.
“Marinko has obviously been playing really well over the past few years. He has established himself inside the top 100 mark.
“(But) sometimes Federer can be the sort of guy (where) he is not going to be a (Rafael) Nadal, who is going to smash you on every single point.
“I don’t know how to phrase it. It is not easier to hang with him, but he definitely comes up with the goods when it is clutch.”
A lover of tennis history and having learnt his craft under the coaching of two Australians, Federer said he was looking forward to facing Groth.
“He seems to play a lot of serve and volley, which is great to see,” Federer said.
“It’s like in the old times when the Aussies served and volleyed all time.”