The Sneak Attack by Roger, also known as SABR is one of the new maneuvers introduced in the game of tennis back in 2015. This move was featured by Roger Federer during one of his matches. He moved up the court during the second serve of the opponent in an attempt to throw his opponent off guard. This bold charge easily waved the stadium during its first appearance in Roger Federer’s match with Wawrinka. However, the amount of amazement for this bold move was easily replaced with controversies and intimidation allegations towards Federer.
The Controversial Sneak Attack
The SABR easily became controversial because it was seen as a sneak attack by many. Questions on whether this move is legal or not were easily raised. During the first debut of this move in a professional tennis match, Federer’s opponent never knew if a sneak attack was on during game play. This easily put Federer’s opponent off balance. Some saw this move as disrespectful, opposite to what Federer believed. Roger Federer rose to fame due to this famous sneak attack and was even awarded as the oldest number 1 tennis player in history back in 2018. Becker and Djovic were also included among Federer’s contemporaries, who had a firsthand experience of Federer’s “sneaky attack.”
A Surprise Move From A Tennis Top Ranking Athlete
There is plenty of controversy that surrounds the SABR offence move. Federer was highly criticized for this “new tactic” in professional tennis. Some saw the move as a stunt from a number 1 world player. It was deemed by others as crass and an insult. Others even perceived this offensive tactic as Federer’s attempt to intimidate his opponent. However, some tennis game analysts see this equivalent to Rafael Nadal’s too much use of top spin or Ivo Karlovic’s intense serves. Players can petition against the SABR as well as the other players top intimidating offensive tactics. Federer used the move several times in his three set win over Wawrinka. The move, when executed properly, achieving the desired results, can be indeed rattling for any opponent.