(Provided by Tennis World USA)
Pat Cash thought Roger Federer’s SABR shot was “a brilliant idea” and said he absolutely did not agree when John McEnroe labeled it as an unsportsmanlike move. SABR – Sneak Attack by Roger – was a move when Federer would rapidly come a few meters inside the court to intercept a rival’s second service with a half volley.
Once the rival’s service was intercepted and returned by a half volley, Federer would continue his way to the net and then try to finish off the point if it wasn’t already concluded. McEnroe, one of the best in tennis history, wasn’t really a big fan of the SABR.
During one of his conversations with McEnroe, 1987 Wimbledon champion Cash told the American why he didn’t agree with him.
Cash on Federer’s SABR shot: A brilliant idea
“Why not? Why not? It’s part of a serve. I’ve never heard a player go, ‘Oh my God, you served an underarm serve, I wanna complain about that!” It’s an underarm serve.
I mean, I love the Federer thing that he used to come forward and take this half-volley. It’s kind of like what John McEnroe did in our day. Brilliant tactic. Even McEnroe said it’s not sportsmanlike. I said, ‘John, you have a look at some of your old videos.
You are literally six feet inside the baseline, hitting returns. It’s almost the same thing where Roger was. What do you mean it’s not sportsmanlike?’ I thought it’s a brilliant idea. Federer was brilliant at that!” Cash said on the Control the Controllables podcast, per Sportskeeda.
In 2015, Federer was asked about certain tennis community members criticizing his SABR shot. “I haven’t heard much feedback about it from the players, to be honest. I hear it more through the press. I hear some and read some.
For me, if it makes sense to use it in the final, I will. I used it to great effect against [Djokovic] in a tough situation, at 4-1 in the tiebreaker in Cincinnati,” Federer said at the time.
