It has
been almost three weeks since Rafael
Nadal and Roger Federer battled so
gallantly and unwaveringly in the final
of Wimbledon. They played a match that
must rank right up there with the best
of all time. At the end of 1999, I wrote
a book entitled, “The Greatest Tennis
Matches of the Twentieth Century”. My
top five men’s matches were as follows:
1) Borg-McEnroe 1980 Wimbledon final; 2)
Don Budge-Baron Gottfried von Cramm
Davis Cup 1937; 3) Ken Rosewall-Rod
Laver, WCT Finals, Dallas, 1972; 4)
Pancho Gonzalez-Charlie Pasarell,
Wimbledon, 1969; 5) Henri Cochet-Bill
Tilden, Wimbledon, 1927.
Assessing the best matches ever nearly
ten years later, I would place
Nadal-Federer in a virtual tie with the
epic Borg-McEnroe 1980 Wimbledon title
round match. The Borg-McEnroe skirmish
turned into a masterpiece between a
baseliner who adapted his game admirably
for the grass, and a singularly gifted
serve-and-volleyer who exhibited supreme
touch on the volley. That match took a
while to warm up into something larger.
McEnroe swarmed all over Borg at the
outset and took the first set 6-1. Borg
fought back sedulously to win the second
7-5, and then took the third relatively
comfortably at 6-3.
When Borg served for the match at 5-4 in
the fourth set, he led 40-15, double
match point. Somehow, McEnroe escaped
and broke back. They moved on to a
tie-break, and McEnroe saved five more
match points in that unimaginable
sequence. Borg saved six set points. The
tennis was the best by far that the
match produced. McEnroe took that
tie-break 18-16 to force a fifth set.
Borg conceded later how much despondency
he felt as he served in the opening game
of that final set. He went down 0-30,
but with typical composure and
resilience, Borg served his way out of
it.
From that juncture on, Borg put on the
serving display of his career, winning
28 of 29 points on his delivery across
the fifth set. But McEnroe’s fighting
spirit kept him in the contest. The
great left-hander held from 0-40 in the
second game of the fifth set. He held on
again from 0-40 at 3-4. But with his
back to the wall once more at 6-7, Borg
would not allow the American to escape.
With a vintage two-handed backhand pass
crosscourt, Borg prevailed 1-6, 7-5,
6-3, 6-7, 8-6.
That match will be cherished for the
almost magical tie-break. And there was
some very high quality stuff played the
rest of the way, particularly in the
third and fifth sets. But Nadal and
Federer waged five sets that always hung
in the balance. On paper, the first two
sets make it seem as if Nadal was in
comfortable control. He took both sets
6-4. But neither was easy by any means.
Nadal had to fend off a break point at
5-4 in the first set as he served it
out. And he had to battle from 1-4 down
in the second, winning five games in a
row for a two set to love lead.
Those were two extraordinary sets, but
the standard of play would only be
elevated over the last three sets.
Federer was down 0-40 at 3-3 in the
third set. Had he been broken there, the
match might well have ended in a
straight set verdict for the Spaniard.
But the Swiss maestro coolly worked his
way out of that corner. The players had
to leave the court for a rain delay with
Nadal ready to serve at 4-5. When they
returned, they played a tie-break to
settle that set, and Federer was
irresistibly good, serving four aces,
not giving up a single point on his
delivery. Federer took that playoff
seven points to five.
In the fourth set, Nadal regained the
initiative in many ways and held on
throughout the set with greater ease
than Federer. In six service games,
Nadal conceded only six points. And then
he seemingly had the match well within
his reach. He was serving with a 5-2
lead, poised to capture the championship
he values above all others. But at 5-2,
he double faulted off the net cord. He
followed with a tentative point, as
Federer forced him into an errant
backhand. Nadal should have--- at the
very least--- reached triple match point
after serving those two points. Instead,
an opportunistic and determined Federer
was back in the tie-break.
Federer served his way to a 6-5 lead,
reaching set point on Nadal’s serve. But
the Spaniard took two points in a row to
reach match point for the first time.
Federer sent out a brilliant wide serve
to Nadal’s forehand in the advantage
court, and the No. 2 seed barely made
contact with the ball. It was 7-7. Nadal
then raced swiftly to his left for an
astonishing forehand passing shot winner
down the line. He was at match point for
the second time, this one on his own
serve.
He sliced his first serve out wide to
the Federer backhand, and the Swiss
chipped a return short near the service
line. Nadal was too cautious, rolling
his forehand approach crosscourt and
closing in, figuring the pressure was on
his adversary to come up with a
brilliant backhand passing shot. Federer
did just that, lacing his backhand down
the line for a clean winner. It was 8-8.
Federer had saved two match points. Two
points later, he wrapped up the set, and
was back to two sets all.
At 2-2 in the fifth set and Federer
serving at deuce, a second rain delay
occurred. I wondered later how Nadal
must have felt as he walked back to the
locker room. Surely, he must have been
asking himself how the match could still
be going on, and wondering why it was
not over. It must have been awfully hard
for him, while Federer was clearly
growing more optimistic. They returned
and proceeded to play some astounding
tennis under the circumstances. The
light was fading rapidly. The pressure
was intense on both sides of the net.
One of these two great men was going to
record a singularly exhilarating
victory, but the other was on his way to
a heartbreaking setback.
At 3-4 in the fifth set, Nadal was break
point down on his serve. Had he lost
that point, Federer would have been
serving for the match. But Nadal crowded
Federer with a stinging first serve into
the body on the forehand side. Federer’s
return was relatively weak, and Nadal
crunched an inside-out forehand that
Federer could only scrape back. Nadal
moved in quickly to put away a bounce
smash. He held on for 4-4. At 4-5, Nadal
served at 30-30, two points away from
defeat. He got his first serve in, came
in on Federer’s backhand, and forced the
five-time defending champion to slice a
lob long off the backhand.
It was soon 5-5, and Federer found
himself 15-40 down . He released an ace
on the first break point, attacked on
the second to force a mishit pass from
Nadal, and held on for 6-5. At 6-6,
Federer was in the danger zone again,
behind 0-30. He cracked an ace down the
T, and eventually held on for 7-6.
That meant that Nadal was serving to
save the match for the third time in the
14th game. He did not blink. He did not
flinch. He refused to surrender. At
6-7,40-30, Nadal tried to put away a
smash. He struck the overhead with all
his might, but Federer displayed
extraordinary touch, slicing a lob off
the backhand down the line, lofting the
ball into the corner. Nadal had to chase
it down, driving his forehand deep to
the Federer backhand. Federer tried to
steer his shot to Nadal’s backhand, but
the Spaniard ran around it and whipped a
forehand inside out for a winner. He was
euphoric. It was 7-7.
Once more, Federer drifted into a
burdensome position. Serving at
7-7,15-40, he came up with yet another
clutch play. He delivered his 25th and
final ace of the contest to save that
break point, then forced Nadal into a
backhand passing shot mistake. Federer
then saved a third break point with a
brilliant service winner. But, down
break point for the fourth time in this
critical game, Federer drove a forehand
approach down the middle but long. At
long last, for the first time since late
in the second set, Nadal had broken
Federer.
Serving for the match with the sky
dramatically dark, Nadal went to match
point for the third time, only to have
Federer pull off yet another spectacular
play under pressure. Nadal hit a good
wide slice serve to the backhand, the
same serve that had worked so well
throughout the battle. But Federer got
over the top of the ball quickly and
surely, driving his backhand crosscourt
and almost out of reach. Nadal had no
chance. At deuce, Nadal caught Federer
off guard with an excellent first serve
deep and wide to the forehand. Federer
missed, and not narrowly.
It was 9:16 in the evening. Nadal was at
match point for the fourth time. Federer
got a midcourt ball on his forehand and
tried to drive it crosscourt. His shot
landed in the net. The record breaking
four hour, 48 minute men’s final was
over. Nadal had won 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5),
6-7 (8), 9-7. For the first time since
Borg had done it in 1980, a man had won
the French Open and Wimbledon in the
same year.
Remarkably, Nadal had lost his serve
only once in five long sets. He had
fought off 12 of 13 break points Federer
had against him. He had tenaciously
stood his ground after Federer had
willfully worked his way back into the
match. Nadal had prevented Federer from
becoming the first modern man to win at
the All England Club six years in a row.
And he had achieved his win in a match
which historians will always hold in the
highest regard.
Borg and McEnroe provided a better
contrast in styles, with McEnroe
attacking at every opportunity and
pitting his superior skill at the net
against Borg’s outstanding baseline
skills, with Borg making certain to get
in behind his first serve skillfully,
forcing McEnroe into countless errors on
backhand returns and passing shots. That
was a match I thought I would never see
surpassed. Now I am not so sure.
I have to say,though, that I don’t
hesitate to put Nadal-Federer above
Budge-Von Cramm, Laver-Rosewall and
Pasarell-Gonzalez. Laver and Rosewall
were all time great players who had
waged one of the longest rivalries on
record first in the wilderness of
professional tennis and then on into the
“Open Era”. But they were past their
primes when they met in Dallas---
especially Laver. Budge, believed by
authorities in his day to be the
greatest player of that era, always
recalled his duel with Von Cramm as his
greatest. Budge came from two sets down
and 1-4 in the fifth set to win. But it
was not a Challenge Round Davis Cup
contest and Von Cramm was not Fred Perry
or Jack Kramer. And Gonzalez’s win over
Pasarell (22-24,1-6, 16-14,6-3,11-9) was
a first round match. It was a phenomenal
victory for the 41-year-old former world
champion, but Pasarell was not an all
time great.
Here at Wimbledon in 2008 were the two
best players in the world, at the peak
of their powers, meeting for the third
consecutive year in the final of the
world’s premier tennis tournament.
Furthermore, Nadal had toppled Federer
in the 2006-2008 French Open finals. So
the situation was unprecedented. These
two men were meeting for the sixth time
in a three year stretch in a major
final. And all through the afternoon,
through the rain delays, through the
shifts in momentum, across the long
hours, they pushed themselves to their
absolute limits. The outcome was in
doubt until Federer’s last forehand
found the net.
I still have not completely made up my
mind whether or not Nadal-Federer 2008
tops Borg-McEnroe 1980. But I do know
this: I don’t expect to see a better
tennis match in my lifetime.
I have a
feeling
this
Wimbledon
is going
to be
the best
we have
had in a
very
long
time.
Among
the men,
there
are
three
chief
candidates
who
could
walk
away
with the
top
honor,
and a
fourth
who has
a
serious
chance
to take
the
title.
Clearly,
the “Big
Three”
of Roger
Federer,
Rafael
Nadal
and
Novak
Djokovic
are all
primed
for the
occasion.
Nadal
has won
five of
his last
six
tournaments,
sweeping
through
the
field on
the clay
at
Roland
Garros
and then
stepping
out onto
the
grass at
Queen’s
Club to
win the
tournament
in
London.
He must
like his
chances.
But
Federer
has won
59
matches
in a row
on
grass,
and is
in
pursuit
of a
modern
record
of six
championships
in a row
at the
All
England
Club. He
is a
deeply
prideful
man who
will
want to
reassert
his
supremacy
after
losing
straight
set
matches
to
Djokovic
in the
semifinals
of the
Australian
and to
Nadal in
Paris.
Djokovic
now
approaches
every
tournament
he
enters
believing
he can
and
probably
should
win it.
He has
been a
semifinalist
or
better
in every
major
since
Roland
Garros
in 2007.
And the
fourth
man who
must be
mentioned
as a
potential
champion
is Andy
Roddick,
the
runner-up
to
Federer
in 2003
and
2004.
Roddick
has
beaten
Federer,
Nadal
and
Djokovic
this
season,
and he
is
always a
big
threat
on the
lawns.
Let’s
look at
the
draw.
Federer
will
open
against
Dominik
Hrbaty,
a
30-year-old
who is
currently
ranked
No. 272
in the
world.
He is
past his
prime.
Hrbaty
has a
2-0
record
against
Federer
(including
a win
over the
Swiss in
2004 at
Cincinnati),
but this
time
around
he will
not
worry
Federer
that
much and
the
Swiss
will
prevail
in
straight
sets.
Federer
should
face the
streaky
yet
dangerous
Robin
Soderling,
the big
hitting
Swede,
in the
second
round,
and
might
well
lose a
set in
that
contest.
But
Soderling
will not
have the
consistency
on serve
or off
the
ground
to
threaten
Federer
too
long.
The
world
No. 1
could
well
take on
Gael
Monfils
in the
third
round,
Monfils
pushed
Federer
hard in
a four
set
contest
at
Roland
Garros
in the
semifinals,
but his
court
positioning
will be
a
problem
if they
meet on
the
grass.
Federer
in
straight
sets.
In the
round of
16,
Federer
figures
to play
either
Lleyton
Hewitt
or
Fernando
Gonzalez.
He will
handle
either
of them
in three
or
possibly
four
sets,
and that
would
take him
into a
quarterfinal
with
either
Tomas
Berdych
or David
Ferrer.
Berdych
would
pose a
larger
threat,
but
Federer
would be
more
than
ready by
then to
handle
the
assignment.
He will
inevitably
march
into the
semifinals
in a
confident
frame of
mind.
Waiting
for him
there
will be
Djokovic,
who has
been
talking
big
coming
into the
tournament.
Djokovic
could
meet
Marat
Safin in
the
second
round
but this
year has
been
distressing
for the
two-time
former
Grand
Slam
tournament
champion.
Djokovic
would
win that
battle
in four
sets. In
the
round of
16, he
should
confront
the
vastly
improved
Stanislas
Wawrinka,
the No.
13 seed.
They met
in the
final of
the
Italian
Open on
clay,
with
Djokovic
battling
from
behind
to win
in three
sets.
Djokovic
could
have
some
problems
with
Wawrinka
again,
but he
would
prevail
in four
sets.
In the
quarterfinals,
a number
of men
could
take on
Djokovic.
The
game’s
most
daunting
server,
Ivo
Karlovic,
should
play
2006
Wimbledon
semifinalist
Marcos
Baghdatis.
I give
that one
to
Karlovic
in five
sets.
Meanwhile,
No. 7
seed
David
Nalbandian
should
play the
left-handed
serve-and-volleyer
Feliciano
Lopez in
the
third
round.
Nalbandian---
always
enigmatic---
would
probably
get
through
that one
in four
difficult
sets,
and
would
then
meet
Karlovic
in the
round of
16.
Probably
against
my
better
judgment,
I will
pick
Nalbandian
to stop
Karlovic
in four
sets,
which
would
give him
the
right to
face
Djokovic
in the
quarters.
When
they met
in the
semifinals
at
Queen’s,
Djokovic
granted
Nalbandian
one game
in two
sets.
This
time, it
would be
more
competitive
but
Djokovic
would
still be
victorious
in
straight
sets.
That
would
give us
the
semifinal
everyone
wants to
see:
Djokovic
vs.
Federer.
They
have met
only
once
since
Djokovic
upset
Federer
in the
semifinals
of the
Australian
Open--that
was on
the clay
in Monte
Carlo.
After
losing
the
first
set and
trailing
by a
service
break in
the
second,
Djokovic
retired,
claiming
dizziness
as his
reason
for
quitting.
This
time,
the two
great
players
would
stage a
fantastic
match. I
would
not
expect
many
service
breaks
as two
of the
best in
the
business
protect
their
deliveries
stubbornly.
I would
look for
at least
two
tie-breaks
and
possibly
more. In
the end,
Federer’s
capacity
to come
forward
and
volley
with
finality
will
make the
slim
difference
in the
outcome.
Djokovic
will
counter
with
some
stupendous
backhand
passing
shots,
and some
impressive
attacking
as his
own. But
Federer
will win
6-7,
7-5,
7-6,
5-7, 6-4
in a
five set
contest
of the
highest
order.
Nadal
may have
a few
anxious
moments
in the
early
rounds,
but he
will be
ready.
Ernest
Gulbis,
so
admirable
in
reaching
the
French
Open
quarterfinals,
could
take on
Nadal in
the
second
round,
but
Nadal
would
get
through
that one
in three
or
possibly
four
sets. In
the
round of
16, the
No. 16
seed
Radek
Stepanek
could
well
meet
Nadal.
His
attacking
tactics
will
keep the
Spaniard
off
balance
sporadically,
but
Nadal
would
advance
in four
sets for
a place
in the
quarterfinals.
I have a
hard
time
guessing
who will
face
Nadal in
that
round.
The No.
8 seed
Richard
Gasquet
has a
first
round
duel
with the
big
serving
Mardy
Fish in
the
first
round.
That one
has
upset
written
all over
it. Fish
is
comfortable
and
confident
on the
grass.
He will
have to
shake
off the
effects
of some
sparkling backhand
passing
shots
from the
flamboyant
Frenchman,
but I
see Fish
winning
that
match in
four
sets,
and
moving
on to a
fourth
round
meeting
with No.
12 seed
Andy
Murray.
That
would be
a
beauty,
with
Murray
mixing
things
up off
the
ground
and
returning
skillfully.
Murray
beats
Fish in
five
sets,
but
can’t
cope
with the
physicality
of
Nadal.
He will
make it
reasonably
close,
but
Nadal
comes
through
in four.
I expect
Roddick
to be
the man
Nadal
confronts
in the
semifinals.
Roddick
should
square
off
against
Davis
Cup
teammate
James
Blake in
the
round of
16.
Roddick
will
serve to
well on
that
court
and
defeat
Blake in
four
sets. In
the
quarters,
the
seedings
tell us
the
American
will
play No.
4 seed
Nikolay
Davydenko.
But
Davydenko
has been
less
than
stellar
as of
late. My
guess is
that
Roddick
will
play
either
Paul-Henri
Mathieu
or Ivan
Ljubicic
in the
quarters.
Either
way,
Roddick
moves
through
with a
four set
win.
Roddick
was not
at his
best
when he
played a
top of
the line
and
commanding
Nadal in
the
semifinals
at
Queen’s,
and
Nadal
took
that one
7-5,
6-4. I
envision
Roddick
playing
to a
higher
level at
Wimbledon,
and
making
more of
a go of
it. But,
in the
end,
Nadal’s
left-handed
slice
serve in
the
advantage
court
and his
persistent
returning
and
passing
will
give
Roddick
fits.
Nadal in
four
sets.
So the
stage
would be
set for
a third
consecutive
Nadal-Federer
final.
Two
years
ago,
Federer
was too
good,
winning
6-0,
7-6,
6-7,
6-3.
Nadal
served
for the
second
set and
had a
3-1 lead
in the
second
set
tie-break
but did
not
exploit
those
crucial
openings.
Federer
was just
too good
on the
grass.
Last
year,
Federer
stopped
Nadal
7-6 (7),
4-6, 7-6
(3),
2-6, 6-2
in a
classic
showdown.
Nadal
lost his
opening
service
game of
the
match
and was
not
broken
again
until
the
middle
of the
fifth
set.
Federer
saved
himself
with two
clutch
tie-break
performances,
and then
held on
gamely
from
15-40 at
1-1 and
2-2 in
the
fifth
set. Had
Nadal
converted
in
either
of those
critical
situations,
he
probably
would
have
been the
champion.
Federer
served
remarkably
well
down the
stretch.
This
year,
Nadal
will
believe
more
fully in
himself.
He is
playing
at a
considerably
higher
level.
Federer
will
compete
with
quiet
fury and
will do
everything
in his
power to
retain
his
crown.
But I
think
Nadal’s
6-1,
6-3, 6-0
triumph
over
Federer
in the
French
Open
final
will
have
carry
over
implications.
That was
on clay
and this
one will
be on
grass,
but
Nadal
will
still be
terribly
difficult
for
Federer
to
contain.
Nadal
will
become
the
first
man
since
Bjorn
Borg in
1980 to
rule at
Roland
Garros
and
Wimbledon
in the
same
year,
winning
7-6(4),7-5,
4-6, 6-4
in first
rate
final.
And what
of the
women?
Top
seeded
Ana
Ivanovic,
fresh
from
winning
her
first
major at
the
French
Open,
will be
eager to
establish
her
authority
on the
grass as
well.
Ivanovic
should
advance
with
relative
ease
through
the top
quarter
of the
draw.
She is
due to
meet
Anna
Chakvetadze---
the No.
8
seed---
in the
quarters,
but
might
end up
facing
No. 12
seed
Patty
Schnyder.
I see
Ivanovic
moving
on
comfortably
into the
semifinals,
but that
will be
the end
of her
journey.
Serena
Williams---
the
two-time
former
Wimbledon
champion---
has an
excellent
draw. I
believe
Serena---
the No.
6 seed--
will
have a
stern
test
with No.
4
Svetlana
Kuznetsova
in the
last
eight,
but will
win
7-5,7-6(4).
Then
Williams
would
play
Ivanovic
in the
semifinals.
Off the
ground,
Ivanovic
will
hold her
own with
Serena
in some
fiercely
contested
rallies.
But
Serena’s
serve
will
pull her
through
in three
sets for
a place
in the
final.
On the
bottom
half of
the
draw,
look for
No. 2
seed
Jelena
Jankovic
to have
a
quarterfinal
clash
with No.
7 seed
Venus
Williams,
the
defending
champion.
They
never
fail to
provide
us with
a
fascinating
contrast
in
styles,
and
Venus
would
come at
Jankovic
full
force.
Jankovic
will
answer
by
displaying
her
superb
ball
control
and
strategic
acumen.
It will
go down
to the
wire,
much
like
their
U.S.
Open
quarterfinal
last
year.
Venus
won that
one in a
final
set
tie-break.
This
time
around,
Jankovic
will
come
through
in a
similarly
close
contest.
Maria
Sharapova
and
Elena
Dementieva
could
well be
on a
collision
course,
likely
to run
into
each
other in
the
quarterfinals.
The No.
3 seed
Sharapova---
who
started
the year
in such
style by
winning
the
Australian
Open---
will be
eager to
capture
a second
Wimbledon
title
and
happy to
be back
on the
grass.
Sharapova
will
defeat
Dementieva
in
straight
sets,
setting
up a
semifinal
appointment
with
Jankovic.
Jankovic
will
give
that
match
her all,
but
Sharapova
will
serve
her off
the
court in
the end
and win
in
straight
sets.
So that
would
give us
a
Sharapova-Serena
Williams
final. I
have
little
doubt
about
the
outcome
of that
match.
Serena
will
return
more
persuasively.
She will
exploit
her
superior
mobility.
She will
serve
better
than
Sharapova,
which is
no mean
feat.
Serena
Williams
will a
ninth
Grand
Slam
tournament
title,
overcoming
Sharapova
6-4, 7-5
in a
well
played
final.
That is
how I
see it.
Rafael
Nadal
takes
the
men’s
crown.
Serena
Williams
is the
women’s
champion.
And all
of us
witness
a
tournament
we will
not soon
forget.