One Had A Blister, The Other Was Simply Blistering!

Roger Federer uses every weapon in his vast arsenal to EXPLOIT EVERY WEAKNESS of his younger opponents. “It is cruel sometimes,” the 35-year-old Swiss noted in his Centre Court interview after punishing Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 in a disappointing Wimbledon final. Federer was referring to the foot blister that hampered the 28-year-old Croat.

- Paul Fein

“I love this tournament. All my dreams came true here as a player.” — Roger Federer

During the 1984 TV campaign debate with Walter Mondale, president Ronald Reagan, then 73 and 17 years older than Mondale, cleverly turned the age issue around, quipping, “I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent’s youth and inexperience.”

Roger Federer, another amiable man of distinction, is not as charitable. Federer uses every weapon in his vast arsenal to exploit every weakness of his younger opponents. “It is cruel sometimes,” the 35-year-old Swiss noted in his Centre Court interview after punishing Marin Cilic 6-3, 6-1, 6-4 in a disappointing Wimbledon final. Federer was referring to the foot blister that hampered the 28-year-old Croat.

TRAILING 6-3, 3-0, Cilic called for the trainer and physician on the changeover. The painful blister had burst and Cilic sat weeping for a couple of minutes before draping a towel over his head. The Wimbledon staff comforted him, but strangely, he received no treatment or medication. “It was really bad luck, but I wanted to give my best and try as much as I could,” Cilic said afterwards. “But it was tough when you are in that situation because you know there is not much chance to win.” Especially against the effortlessly efficient Federer who called Cilic “a hero” for carrying on the good fight against all odds.