Epic Wimbledon Final Showcases Tennis at its Finest

For nearly five hours, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer threw everything they had at each other, delighting the crowd at Centre Court with their amazing play in their third consecutive Wimbledon final against each other. During a rainy championship Sunday, the top two players in the world lifted the sport of tennis to new heights, putting on a remarkable display that will be remembered forever. In what is already being considered the best tennis match of all time, Nadal performed the impossible and ended Federer’s five year, 40-match win streak at Wimbledon with a riveting 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7 victory minutes before the match was to be suspended because of darkness. This epic match was historic in more ways than one and could finally signal the imminent end of Federer’s long, long streak at #1. Even though Nadal walked away with the trophy, and Federer had to deal with consolation prizes, the real winner from this match was the sport itself.

During the height of Federer’s reign at the top, critics bashed tennis as being too predictable. The Swiss master was dominating each tournament, with Nadal providing a little resistance during the month-long court clay season. This sentiment was most powerful in London where Federer’s smooth game translated perfectly to the grass. After taking down the legendary Pete Sampras as an erratic 19-year old, Federer began a four and half year stretch where he won 12 out of 18 Grand Slam titles without breaking a sweat. By the time he was 25, people were calling Federer the greatest of all-time. Meanwhile, the rest of the men’s field was criticized for their lack of competition. At Wimbledon, Federer would become only second man to ever win five straight titles from 2003-07, losing only seven sets in the process.

In his bid to win a an Open Era record sixth straight title, Federer ran into a raging bull from Spain that would not let his foot off the gas pedal. Nadal has gotten closer and closer to catching Roger on grass, but climbing to the top of the mountain proved to be incomprehensibly difficult. Throughout the tournament, there were hints that this would finally be Nadal’s time, and in the early stages of his final, it appeared to be true. Rafa jumped out to a two sets lead, shocking the champion with his all-around game. Rarely does a champion of Federer’s look lost, but Nadal has successfully frustrated his opponent, shutting down his opportunities with exquisite on both wings from everywhere on the court.

Then, with Nadal poised to shut the door on an emphatic title, London’s patented rains came and completely altered the dynamic of the day. With victory in view at 4-5 in the third set, an 81-minute rain delay gave the champion some much-needed time to reassess his position. Facing elimination in a third set tiebreak, Federer finally showed some heart and extended the match, finally finding a glimmer of hope on the dreary afternoon.

After another set of high quality action full of jaw dropping winners by both players from every angle imaginable, a second straight tiebreaker was needed to decide the set. It was at this point that the match went from deeply entertaining to historically epic. Nadal jumped out to a 5-2 lead in the tiebreak and was in prime position to close the deal in four. Federer responded by saving two championship points and showing the grit under pressure that has enabled him to become the great champion that he is. He would win eight of the last 11 points to secure an exhilarating 10-8 victory in the tiebreak that brought the usually subdued fans to their feet.

In the deciding set with no tiebreaker to look forward to, it was a sheer battle of who would wilt under the pressure first. After another half hour rain delay at 2-2 in the fifth, Nadal was able to regain his composure, like Federer did earlier, and played much better from their on out. He would put pressure on Federer’s serve down the stretch, earning a decisive break to get to 8-7. Serving for the match, the Spaniard remained as tough as ever, finally ending the madness on his fourth championship point. Many compliment Federer for his rugged serve, but it was Nadal’s that was more solid, even if he had 20 less aces than his opponent. Nadal only lost his serve once throughout the course of the marathon, fending off 11 other break points over the course of the match. Meanwhile, Nadal broke Federer on four occasions, including the pivotal one late in the fifth.

Federer, a graceful athlete in defeat, described this as his most painful defeat ever, but he was lucky to last as long as he did. Not many could have withstood the tenacious game of Nadal and persevered to make it to a fifth set. His wonderful escape in the fourth set will be a thing of legend, a bittersweet consolation prize if there ever was one.

Nadal’s magical victory makes him the first player in 28 years to win the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back, easily the most difficult transition in the game. It also puts him in position to capture the #1 ranking that he has long coveted for. For the last 154 weeks, Nadal has stared up at Federer in the rankings. With his Wimbledon victory, he inches ever closer.