Beijing 2008 James Blake Upsets Roger Federer: Thus far, it has been nothing short of a catastrophic year for the world’s No.1 player, Roger Federer. Just when things were beginning to turn around for the Swiss, coming off a solid victory over Tomas Berdych (Czech Republic), things took a turn for the worse Thursday in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The world’s No. 8 seeded player, and the only American remaining in Beijing 2008, James Blake, pulled off the impossible by defeating Roger Federer in straight sets: 6-4, 7-6 (2).  

Coming into this match, SportsBook.com had Roger Federer as an overwhelming -2,500 betting odds (Money Line) favorite against the huge underdog American, James Blake (+900).

After a rain delay, which lasted nearly 4 hours, Roger Federer’s hopes of winning his first Olympic singles medal came to a crashing end.

The last hope for the USA in Men’s Singles Tennis, James Blake, hadn’t won a single set in 8 straight matches against the Swiss, Roger Federer. Before this match, the soon-to-be world’s No. 2, Federer, had won 31 sets to the American’s 3. However, none of that mattered Thursday as Blake moves on and Federer goes home.

Certainly, with all the events that have transpired through the 2008 season, and now in Beijing 2008, questions regarding Roger Federer’s future will soon begin to linger: is Roger Federer’s career done? Is he playing with an injury he has yet to disclose?

These are questions that perhaps only the great Swiss can answer. Nevertheless, one thing that any tennis historian, or even the average aficionado can answer (love him or hate him) is that he has been a great champion for a long time, and will be acknowledged as so, in many more years to come. Perhaps the passing of the torch did indeed occur in Wimbledon 2008, at the All England Club, against Rafael Nadal. And if so, lucky the ones who were able to witness it...

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