Unbelievable.
Truly amazing tennis, and exhilarating action. In the gloom at
centre-court, after 5 hours of play and two rain breaks, Rafael Nadal
became the Men's Wimbledon Champion for what will surely be the first
of many times for this amazing athlete. Take nothing away from a true
champion in Roger Federer, however, who was aiming to be the first man to
achieve 6 titles at the All England Lawn Tennis Club in the modern era,
but he was outfought, outplayed, and outbattled by a 22 year old who fears no-one, and doesn't know how to give up.
At two sets up, the unthinkable was on the cards, and Nadal held two
Championship points to beat the great Federer in straight sets in a
Grand Slam final for the second time in 2008. But you can't keep a true
champ down, and Roger showed why he is the current World number 1
by battling into a tie break and saving the match. Taking the fourth
set in another tie-break, it looked like nothing could separate the
two, but at around 9:10pm, the break finally came, with Rafa's
persistence paying off.
All through the tournament, the Spaniard never gave up on a point, and
never let his head go down. He fought for every shot, and in the final,
the
15,000-strong crowd witnessed some of the best tennis ever seen, from
both players. After Federer put his usually phenomenal forehand into
the net at Championship point, Nadal collapsed in tears of joy, and, in
a tribute to Pat Cash
and Goran Ivanisevic, ran to his parents in the family box, then to the
Spanish dignitaries in the Royal Box to celebrate. And celebrate he
should, as he has just beaten possibly the greatest grass-court player
to have lived.
Who will win next year? Already, William Hill is offering odds
on both the
Men's Wimbledon 2009 Outright and
the Ladies
Wimbledon 2009 Outright, and you can also bet
on a Federer v Nadal rematch, for the fourth year in a row |
