Who Says Mens Tennis is Boring?

It seems like only a few weeks ago (well it literally was only about three weeks ago) that everyone was talking about Roger Federer and the fact that he finally managed to win the French Open; the one tournament that had evaded his grasp for so long. With that victory, he joined a group of only six other men who have managed the career Grand Slam (which means winning all four majors) in the span of their tennis playing careers. That in and of itself could be considered a major accomplishment but Federer was apparently not content to rest upon his laurels and thus broke yet another record by winning a record breaking 15th major victory. His match at the 2008 Wimbledon final against friend and rival Rafael Nadal was one that will long be remembered but I think it will be this final that will exemplify Roger Federer.

I began watching the match and knew that it would be a good one given the fact that the first set went to a tie breaker. For a long time I had always thought that Federer's opponent for the final, American Andy Roddick, was a little bit impatient. I remember seeing matches where I could see the impatience building in him until such a time that it would literally cause him to explode and begin messing up his own game. But the Roddick that played with Federer yesterday was a completely different man. He was sharp and focused and gave Federer a true run for his money. Put aside was the fact that Federer's win-loss record against Roddick was 18-2, Roddick wasn't going down without a fight and neither was Roger. By the mid point of the second set though that outcome was in doubt.

I couldn't believe that two hours into the match we had only completed barely two sets. From then on Federer began his fight back. Holding off Roddick to force tie-breakers in both the second and third sets, Federer appeared to be gaining ground and returning to form. And admittedly, I have to say that I was happy to see Roddick showing more than enough signs of having matured as a player to see that he wasn't getting impatient. Frustrated perhaps but certainly not aggravated or impatient as he would have in years past. So much so that I was taken by surprise (as I'm sure many were) that he took the fourth set so easily to set up the decisive and deciding fifth set. Those of us who saw last year's final know that there is no tie-breaker in the fifth set at Wimbledon and the game will continue until there is a clear two game advantage in the final set. Last year that meant a total of 16 games being played which ended with Nadal winning 9-7.

This year was to be no different. With the speed the previous sets had been played, it didn't appear that the final set would last long enough to touch the record setting duration of the match played at the final last year. I was wrong. Although the duration record wasn't broken again, I think the final set was what typefied and exemplified the whole match. Two players, so evenly matched and so equally driven to win played their hearts out. It wasn't the safe 'you-volley-I-volley' type tennis either. It was played with the same intensity as the early sets and made for some very, very entertaining tennis. In the end, Federer managed to hold on a little longer in the 30 games they played for the final set.

And although some would claim that Federer has won enough with his five previous victories at Wimbledon (as Roddick so rightfully pointed out during Federer's speech) it is nonetheless commendable that he managed to fight back and win. Some have said that it would have been a different scenario if Nadal had not lost at the French this year or if he hadn't withdrawn from Wimbledon before it began but be that as it may, luck plays a factor as well and it's quite clear that luck was on Federer's side. Maybe some would say that he didn't 'deserve' to win but I think he proved that he did by playing with his heart and his head and making sure that he didn't lose either in his quest to win. Maybe he'll keep quiet during the US Open in a few weeks in New York though I doubt it. Though he's broken records already I don't think he'll be content to kick back and relax. Like the names he took as inspirations during interviews, Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan and Michael Schumacher. Each was or is a pinnacle in their respective sport and didn't give up until they were ready to. I'm sure Federer will be the same way.