Incredible Stuff

The last two Wimbledon finals have truly been classic matches. While both involved Roger Federer and both went 5 sets, they could not have been different. What made last year's final so great was its sheer emotion. The ups and downs of the match were overly-dramatic. A 2-set lead, giving away to a giant comeback, only to lead to another switch of momentum. It was a 5 set match that took the viewer through three signifcant changes, all while watching the two best players of a generation play their hearts out. It has been called the greatest match ever played, not just by me, but by columnists and writers as well. To think that their level of physical and mental stamina could be matched the following year would have been unthinkable.

Well not only was their stamina matched, it was exceeded. The 2008 final had major sways in momentum, displaying the sheer fight within the players. The 2009 final was simply an unrelenting slug-fest. The unflinching nature of today's match is something I have never witnessed in tennis. A total of 3 games were broken between the two players. So in a span of a 5-set, 77 game match, only twice until the end was the server not in control. It would have been boring tennis if it weren't for the sheer quality of the service games. Roddick was serving at 140+ mph with a 70% rate. Federer ended up with a staggering 50 aces. On top of those unbelieveable serving statistics, both of them averaged about a 1/2 an unforced error per game. Those stats alone prove that the level of tennis was something rarely seen. And that fifth set! 30 Games in the set alone?! That's an incredible display of stamina, something it had in common with the 2008 final.

But Federer came out on top, much like he has so many times in the past. His record 15 Majors is even more proof of his GOAT status. Even with that, the story of the day was the resurgence of Andy Roddick. Anyone watching the match would come to the conclusion that he outplayed the eventual champ. Like noted, his serve was historic. Along with that, his backhand was dominant and he made very few mistakes. His new style of play is the culmination of potential that Roddick has possessed for almost a decade now. His mental makeup seems to have made the final leap. He was calm, cool, collected, and clutch throughout the match. Whenever he needed a big point he seemingly willed himself to a monster serve or great volley. But Federer is as crafty of a player as there has ever been. Even with being outplayed, he won two tie-breaks and the final break chance of the match. His victory really doesn't take anything away from his opponent though.

Hopefully this Roddick 'breakthrough' is not an abberation. I would love to see a three-way battle for supremacy on the grass and hardcourts for a year or two. With the healthy return of Nadal, the US Open is poised to be the most compelling tournament in recent memory. Federer is certainly at the top of his game. Nadal is the rightful #1, with recent success against Federer on the hard court. And hopefully Andy Roddick will be there to disrupt the dominance of both of them. Here's to that thought.....