After Andy Murray's dramatic victory last night he is still on course for this year's Wimbledon final. However, he still has some way to go to reach the standard of play set in last year's final by the sport's current Galacticos in what was probably the greatest tennis match of all time.
The greatest tennis match ever? Nadal halts the Fed express
As darkness was descending upon Centre Court the reign of Roger Federer as Wimbledon Champion for the last 5 years was coming to an end but what had occurred over the previous five playing hours of tennis will live long in the memory. This game ebbed and flowed and will go down in history as one of the greatest Wimbledon finals ever. The statistics will read 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7 in Rafael Nadal's favour but that barely tells the story of this sensational match.
They said before that Federer's crown was beginning to waiver before this final, despite an imperious journey to the showpiece event. They said that illness aligned with the parting of ways with his coach over the last twelve months had had a destabilising effect on the boy from Basel. He had lost at both the Australian Open Semi-final and then in last month's French Open Final in demoralising fashion. They said that if he failed to win at Wimbledon it would back up their belief that he was no longer the player he once was. Well the obituary writers on Federer's career can stop scribing, despite his ultimate failure to retain his title.
It was looking as though the doubters would be proved right as Nadal opened up an early 2 set advantage. This was the Spaniard at his absolute best. Time after time he emerged victorious from long rallies with his Swiss opponent either through his own brilliance or an unforced error from Federer, especially from the Champion's forehand which is exactly how Federer lost his serve for the first time in the 4th game of the opening set. Nadal did not look back and seemed to be in a hurry. No doubt hoping to inflict a similar straight sets humiliation on the World number one to the one he inflicted at Roland Garos a few weeks ago. First set Nadal.
Federer showed some initial fightback at the beginning of the 2nd set by taking a 4-1 lead only for Nadal to to come out the stronger, winning 5 games in a row to win the set 6-4, despite a code violation for taking too much time between points. Federer had surprisingly complained prior to the match about Nadal's slowness between points and it seemed as though his words had been read by today's umpire but it ultimately seemed superfluous as Nadal's rhythm continued uninterrupted.
By now Federer's doubters were in full swing. The forehand weakening, the demeanour cowering, the scoreboard depressing for his SW19 following.
Nadal, on the other hand, was feeling more and more at home. Even the shoes scraped Wimbledon's dry surface in a manner more associated with the clay courts he was brought up on back home in Mallorca.
It was beginning to look as though Spain would be able to celebrate their second International sporting success in 7 days.
Roger Federer, though, did not become World Number 1 and have an unbeaten record at Wimbledon stretching back 6 years and 41 games without having character and character is what he showed as the match took a new twist. He won the 3rd set via a tie break with a trademark ace. Game on.
Nadal was bidding to become the first player since the watching Bjorn Borg to win the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year, as well as the first Spaniard to win Wimbledon since Manuel Santana in 1966 but it was starting to appear as though that quest may yet have to wait another year.
If the game had been of an extremely high quality before, it now reached a new plane altogether. So many points were being contested by either player it was difficult at times for the watching public to keep up but they knew they were witnessing something special provided by the planet's 2 best players.
Having won the 3rd set, Federer seemed to have an extra spring in his step but Nadal was giving as good as he was getting. To the purist the 4th set was serving control at its absolute best sending the set towards an inevitable tie break- and what a tie break.
The first 3 points went against serve before Nadal seized initial control, taking a 5-2 lead. Federer fought back to lead 6-5 and have a set point only for Nadal to win the next 2 points to have Championship point. He could not convert. No matter. Another one arrived seconds later as he now led the tie break 8-7 after an amazing passing shot down the line. However, Federer then executed one of the best backhands of his illustrious career to not only save another Championship point but to assist him on his way to taking the tie break 10-8.
The All England Club gasped for breath as we entered a 5th and deciding set. At 2-2 and deuce on the Federer serve the rain entered the fray again, having briefly interrupted the 4th set as well.
The master-class continued from both players. Federer resumed with two aces. Incredible. 3-2.
Surely there has never been a match with so many close line calls. Even Hawk Eye's eyes were beginning to strain.
In this ultimate set Nadal was always serving 2nd giving him an obvious disadvantage as he was constantly serving to save the match, as well as the psychological disappointment of seeing a 2 set lead evaporate before his very eyes.
The next 2 games went with serve. In the 8th game of the set Federer managed to acquire his 13th break point (he had only managed to convert 1 of his previous 12) and it proved to be unlucky. It also proved to be his last.
Time and again Nadal served almost faultlessly under the most immense pressure. His play reaped its reward when he finally managed to break his opponent's serve to take an 8-7 lead. He attained 2 more Championship points as he served knowing he just had to close out the match. Federer saved 1 incredibly but not the 2nd.
This was the 3rd Wimbledon final in a row contested by the 2 giants of today's game. Do not bet against them making it a 4th in 2009.
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