ATP tour – Roger Federer decides which was the most important stroke of his career.
In an interview with the magazine “GQ” he mentions the difficult to answer question as the breakball at the French Open 2009 against Tommy Haas.
That year after the early out of Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic, Federer unexpectedly mutated into the top favorite at the Paris Grand Slam tournament on clay, which he had never won before. But in the round of 16 against Tommy Haas the worm was in it. The Swiss were behind 6: 7, 5: 7, 3: 4 and Breakball Haas. On the German’s cross-return, he ran around the backhand and shot his forehand across the court with full risk. And indeed: the ball scratched the line, the breakball was blocked. Then Federer turned the game, later won the French Open against Robin Söderling for the only time and set Pete Sampra’s record of 14 Grand Slam victories.
After that one stroke, the whole swing in the game changed. If the ball had missed the line, it would probably have lost, says Federer.
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