i wouldn't put Gaudio down as a choker to be honest. he just had no energy left after his previous (exhausting) game. Gaudio needs to improve his fitness. he has a history of cramping as well.
a better example of choking is Rafter against the Android at Wimby, where he had like three set points or something ridiculous like that to go up two sets to none, and he lost all three points and let the Android back into the game. and Pete went on to win his 13th. not THAT is choking.
also Tim Henman. the Farmer is such a major choker that i actually used to call him Choking Boy. he's the only player i ever gave that honor...
but i still don't understand how folks can describe Sushi as a choker. maybe we are using the same word but meaning completely different things. fist of all, not eveyone who loses a match chokes! players lose for all kinds of reasons.
Pat and Cliff described Sushi as experiencing a "major mental meltdown" against Ferreira. i agree. that is how i have always described what happens to him. he melts down both physically and mentally. that is not the same as choking. IMO, he got so damn angry at losing that second set that he was never able to get back on track. he was also quite flat-footed thruout the match bec he had little energy left after his previous matches. Sushi tries to hit the ball hard all the time, on every flipping shot. there is no variation, no change of pace, nothing. just blast, blast, blast. and then he runs out of energy. compound that with his clear mental frustraton and next thing you know, the fat lady was singing.
contrast this with Ferreira who paced himself, often just sliced the ball back, just kept it in play, just developed a groove, until he decided to let loose in the third set knowing that it would be the last so he could afford to use up his energy resources. Agassi is the master of this. that's how you play in a Grand Slam. IMO, Sushi still doesn't get this.
