Roger Federer's meltdown on live T.V.: I don't give a sh-t what you say'

Roger Federer doesn't lose very often, and when he does, he only loses to Rafael Nadal. Not so much at this year's US Open, where Federer was defeated by Argentine Juan Martin del Potro in the final. Roger not only lost the game, he lost his US Open winning streak, having to settle with a five-year winning streak rather than a six-year streak. Afterwards, Federer was ever the gentleman, saying Five was great, four was great, too. Six would have been a dream, too, can't have them all...I'm not too disappointed just because I thought I played another wonderful tournament. I had chances today to win but couldn't take them. It was unfortunate.'

I think Roger was obliquely referencing an incident that happened during the game, where he basically bitched out the umpire in a more contained Serena Williams-esque outburst on live television. It came when Federer thought Martin del Potro took too long to challenge - he berated the umpire, You have two seconds. He took 10 seconds. He does it all the time... You can't allow that stuff to happen. Don't you have any rules in there?' When the umpire told him to be quiet, Federer snapped, Don't tell me to be quiet, OK... When I want to talk, I talk. I don't give a sh-t what you say.' Diva!

NEW YORK ' Juan Martin del Potro dethroned five-time defending champion Roger Federer 3-6, 7-6 (7/5), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4), 6-2 to capture the US Open on Monday, ending an era to win in his first Grand Slam final.

Firing consistent winners, the 1.98m Argentine giant kept the pressure upon the player many hail as the greatest in tennis history, one he had never beaten in six prior attempts, and won a shocker after four hours and six minutes.

'A dream came true,' said a tearful Del Potro. 'I don't have words to explain how I feel.'
The shocker made Del Potro only the second South American to win the US Open men's crown, after countryman Guillermo Vilas in 1977, and denied Swiss world number one Federer a 16th career Slam crown.

Sixth seed Del Potro, who turns 21 next week, snapped Federer's 41-match unbeaten streak on the Flushing Meadows hardcourts to win 1.85 million dollars and destroyed the Swiss superstar's aura of US Open invincibility.

'I would like to congratulate Juan Martin on an unbelievable tournament. I had a great one but he was the best,' Federer said. 'I would have never believed I could win five in a row here. It has been an amazing run for me.'

Federer's 11th double fault gave Del Potro another chance and he made the most of it, winning when Federer sent a forehand over the baseline.

Del Potro fell to the court on his back and began to cry.

Federer lost his cool as well as his crown, the usually mild-mannered master shotmaker cursing at umpire Jake Garner during a third-set changeover for being told to be quiet.

Federer was two points from taking the second set in the 10th game before Del Potro fought back to break and went on to win the tie-break to level the match.

Del Potro and Federer exchanged breaks in the seventh and eighth games of the third set before Federer held to 5-4 after a failed Del Potro challenge that came far too late for the Swiss star's liking.

'You have two seconds. He took 10 seconds. He does it all the time,' Federer told Garner as he took a seat on a changeover. 'You can't allow that stuff to happen. Don't you have any rules in there?'

When Garner asked Federer to be quiet, the superstar erupted.

'Don't tell me to be quiet, OK,' Federer said. 'When I want to talk, I talk. I don't give a sh-t what you say.'

[From AFP]

Well, it was no I swear to God, I'm gonna take this f-cking ball and shove it down your f-cking throat.' But Federer's cool, gentlemanly Swiss exterior was definitely rattled. And the networks who covered the exchange live will probably have to pay fines for airing the word sh-t'. What's in the water at the US Open?

Here are photos of celebrities at the final of the US Open including Justin Timberlake, Charlize Theron, Gwen Stefani, Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen, Ed Westwick, Djimon Hounsou, Bruce Willis, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Constantine Maroulis taking a cell phone picture with Tony Bennett. Credit: WENN.com