Tomic Holds His Own Against Federer in Defeat Roger Federer's straight set win over Bernard Tomic was filled with long stretches of inspired play from both players. Unlike Rafael Nadal's drubbing of his countryman Feliciano Lopez, which looked like a foregone conclusion early in the first set, the Federer-Tomic match had tense moments throughout, as Federer had to play at his sublime best to beat the rapidly improving Tomic. Federer's tactical variety flummoxed the young Aussie, who, at 19, is already a master tactician. Tomic's genius lies in his ability to out-think his opponent, to hit shots that disrupt rhythm and decision-making ability and to anticipate how and where his opponent is going to hit the ball. He seems to gather information on who he is playing, then get inside the player's head and break him down with guile, creativity and uncanny anticipation. Federer stayed one step ahead of Tomic throughout the match, making subtle adjustments in his shot selection to keep Tomic off-balance. Federer would play a long, grinding rally one point, then attack and play a shorter point the next. He defended when Tomic attacked, chipping his backhand once or twice, then lacing into a backhand topspin down-the-line winner to stun Tomic. In his news conference after the match, Tomic described the feeling of seeing his best shots come back for a Federer winner. "The harder I hit, the ball comes back in a different corner and ends up always being a winner," he said. It's very strange. Never did experience that. Although Federer served impressively, with 13 aces and countless service placements, it was his return game that showed his remarkable variety. One way to understand tennis is to think of a player as having a serve game, and a return game. Federer's service game is about holding serve with a combination of superbly placed first serves that set up his brilliant forehand. But on the return game against Tomic, Federer kept him guessing with a stunning display of different kinds of returns. At times, Federer merely blocked the ball back deep, getting into the point with an efficient, neutralizing chip. He also hit over the ball with a compact backswing in an attempt to get on offense early in the point. But on second serves, Federer kept Tomic guessing. He swooped in for several chip and charges, and in the ad court he ran around his backhand to unload on a huge inside-out forehand. He seemed to sense, throughout the match, exactly when to introduce a tactical change to stay one step of Tomic. Federer's movement was a marvel of efficiency. He never appears to labor excessively, and at times his court coverage looks effortless. We have grown accustomed to Federer making astonishing shots with an ease and grace that take your breath away. One such moment came early in the third set, when Tomic hit a well-disguised backhand topspin lob crosscourt over Federer's backhand side. Federer turned, then ascended in a balletic leap to hit a backhand overhead at full stretch for a winner. It called to mind David Foster Wallace's article "Federer as Religious Experience." For Tomic, there is perhaps some small consolation that Federer's approach to the match indicated a deep knowledge of - and a deep respect for - Tomic's game. Tomic has said that he modeled his slice backhand on Federer, having grown up watching him play. Look for Tomic to learn many valuable lessons from this match. Like Federer, he studies the game and comes up with original, inventive solutions, and he has the temperament to one day become a Grand Slam winner himself.