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Evans Report: Nadal, Federer make history
by Richard Evans, Tennis Week, Special to FOXSports.com
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His staggering victory over five-time champion Roger Federer on Sunday here at Wimbledon — defeating the gallant Swiss 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (8), 9-7 in a four-hour, 48-minute classic — somehow managed to surpass the drama and excellence of their great battle 12 months before that ended with Federer claiming the decisive set.
Nadal had missed two match points in the fourth set tiebreak as Federer resolutely refused to hand over his crown. The 22-year-old Spaniard not only had to endure rain delays but the frightening sight of the Swiss hitting his forehand better and better as the match went on. But, true to his nature, Nadal treated every point as match point and ran and ran and ran. The impossible gets became commonplace, and the crowd roared their approval at the feast of great tennis laid out before them.
After he had won it on his fourth match point, Nadal fell to the turf and there were tears of joy in his eyes as he clasped Federer at the net. He was fulsome in his praise of the defeated champion.
"He has won five times and is best player of all history," Nadal said on court. "He acts excellent when he wins or when he loses and is very good for the tennis."
There will be no arguments there. For Federer it was tough to talk.
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Analysis:
- Cronin: Nadal makes case for No. 1
- Pierce: Federer shows his mettle
- Cronin: Venus, Serena at their best
Others:
- Draws: Men's singles | Women's singles
- PHOTOS: Men's final | Women's final | Men's SF | Women's SF | Men's QF
- Results: Men Women | Ranks | Schedule
Partners:
"I tried everything," he smiled. "It just got a little late and everything. But Rafa's a deserving champion. It's just my bad luck to play the worst opponent on the best court. But it's been a joy to play here as always and I'll be back next year."
Cue for more cheers. And then it really was dark. Only the flash bulbs lit up the memorable scene as the Spaniards began celebrating their second major sporting triumph of the summer. The soccer team had won a major championship (Euro 2008) for the first time in 42 years. Now Nadal had won Wimbledon 42 years after Manolo Santana — present at Centre Court on Sunday — had changed the face of tennis in Spain with his victory in 1966.
From the beginning, this was a match to remember.
Having held serve in the first game with an ace and no hint of trouble, the early service break by Nadal in the third game came as a shock to the Federer camp. But that's what happens when you are playing Nadal. Blink, and it's gone.
It was both meritorious and troubling that Federer came so close to breaking back immediately, yet failed. The rallies were starting to sweep across the famous grass as both players tested their ability to create angles out of nothing and when Federer ended one by forcing Nadal into hitting a forehand long, the Swiss had break point. But, in manner that would be seriously troubling to Federer as the match wore on, he mishit the service return and the chance was gone.
It was obvious that missed opportunities were going to cost Federer dearly, and sure enough, he dropped the first set for only the second time in all his Wimbledon finals — the first being against Andy Roddick in 2004. For a while it seemed that the second set would be his because he produced a superb forehand cross-court winner to forge ahead 2-0 and then held with confidence to make it 3-0.
But, despite the cool winds and threatening clouds, Nadal celebrated little flashes of sunshine by turning up the heat and, in the seventh game, he broke back as the power of his backhand drive forced Federer to put his volley long. Immediately the whole balance of the match shifted and the world's No. 1 player missed yet another chance to redress that balance when he failed to clear the net on yet another break point. Soon Nadal's agility and speed had earned him the second set by the identical score of 6-4.
The match seemed lost when Federer went 0-40 down on his serve at 3-4 in the third, but just as he did when facing this same opponent in the final 12 months ago, Federer produced the goods on his first serve just when he most needed. Two huge first serves enabled him to hold on, and then at 5-4 on serve to the Swiss, it rained.
When play resumed, Federer won the third set tiebreak with a champion's courage. He must have realized during the rain break that his only chance of holding on to his crown was to go for broke and let loose his magnificent forehand. And it was that shot, at 3-2, which enabled him to grab the mini-break when he jumped all over a Nadal second serve. He took the next point, too, with another withering forehand winner, and an ace cleaned it up for 7-5. The crown had wobbled, but it had not fallen off the champion's head.
Then, as if we had not had enough entertainment for a rainy day, the drama reached new heights as the fourth set went to a tiebreak, too, and Nadal came agonizingly close to the realization of a dream. The first three points went against serve, leaving Nadal up, 2-1. Soon after, when Federer hit a forehand wide, the champion was down, 5-2. But nerves suddenly clutched at the Spanish serve and up came a double. Then the challenger hit a forehand wide.
With a big first serve, Federer found himself at set point, 6-5. Yet another great, leg stretching rally ensued and Federer's forehand erred — and again on the next point and suddenly Nadal was on the brink.
Match point.
So Federer did what champions do and came up with a big first serve that landed on the line. Nadal challenged to no avail.
Then we were treated to the best shot of the match — an absolute screamer of a backhand line pass from Nadal. Federer was covering that line. It made no difference. It passed him like a bullet. So, match point for the second time to Nadal. Federer's answer? A terrific forehand that only had about six more inches to play with than Nadal's backhand. 8-8.
Pumped, the Swiss promptly came up with a near repeat. Another forehand winner and Federer had set point. A Nadal miss on the forehand, and he had the set — back from the dead, the crowd in turmoil and the match entering the history books. Already it was heading for a longer duration than last year's epic five setter, and we were not done yet.
At the start of the fifth, the crowd was in full voice. Some chanting "Roger, Roger!" Some chanting "Rafa, Rafa!" There was respect and support for both these great players, and didn't they deserve it.
Another rain break came at deuce with the fifth set at 2-2. It wasn't nearly as long as the first, but it could still have broken a player's concentration. Not Federer's. He returned to the court and immediately hit two aces.
Federer saved two break points against him at 5-5 — once again an ace came to his rescue — but despite coming up with yet another ace when he was down, 15-40, at 7-7, it was not enough. The Federer forehand finally cracked and Nadal was serving for the match. The time was 9:10 p.m. Seeing the ball in the wind must have been an almost impossible task, but still, they went at it. Nadal reached his third match point, but Federer's answer was to hit a glorious cross-court winner off the service return.
It was the last winning shot of a great champion. Three points later, he put a forehand into the net, and a five-year reign was over.
In the Royal Box, Bjorn Borg smiled a little smile. His record may have been equaled — but not broken.
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