The most important tournament of his career?

There's been a lot of talk lately about the "slump" or "downward spiral" or however you want to describe it of Roger Federer. And make no mistake about it, there is something going on. The bad thing about this is that the timing couldn't be worse.

Every day, it seems, there are more young players nipping at R-Fed's heels, and after seeing him struggle with Pete Sampras (even though, to me, it looked like he wasn't going all-out), then losing to Mardy Fish (Mardy Fish!), why wouldn't they be? I don't think Federer's really done, by any means, but I think he's definitely off track from doing things of historic proportions, which it seemed like a couple of years ago was going to be the case.

Continued at Tennis Talk, Anyone?

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