Venus Williams won the women’s tournament this year. It’s her fifth in eight years. It was also the third time she played against her sister Serena in the Wimbledon Finals, but the first time she has beaten her on the famed grass courts. Marcia and I watched the first set, and the beginning of the second, but had errands to run on Saturday.
I have always liked Venus, and I am glad to see that she won again.
As for the men’s side … WOW!! Rafael Nadal beat five-time defending Wimbledon champ Roger Federer in what had to be one of the best men’s games I have ever watched. And boy did it take a long time. Rafa won 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7. With two rain delays, it was nearly too dark to finish the match yesterday. It finally ended between 9:00 and 9:30 PM London time.
Rafa was very impressive, even losing two championship points in the fourth set tiebreaker, but kept his head in the match, and wouldn’t give up. His serve was only broken once, and that was early in the second set where he broke back twice to take a two set lead.
Federer just wouldn’t relinquish his crown that easily though. It was truly amazing to watch these two guys. Hopefully they will continue this rivalry for a few more years, and hopefully Federer will be able to turn the tables on Rafa in Paris like was done to him in London.
Rafa now has proven that he just isn’t a clay court specialist, though three trips to the Finals at Wimbledon were enough for me. He also turned a feat that Bjorn Borg was the last to do, in 1980, by winning both the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year. The two events take place a month apart from each other.
July 7th, 2008 at 5:55 am
And don’t forget, Venus and Serena also won the doubles!
That match last night was the best final I’ve watched since Boris Becker won his first Wimbledon at 17 years of age in 1985.
July 7th, 2008 at 5:56 am
I meant to say, I honestly don’t believe that Federer will ever beat Nadal on clay. A few years ago maybe, but not now.
July 7th, 2008 at 7:40 am
I agree with you, Karen. John McEnroe, who does the analyst job for the US broadcast, said that Nadal’s grass game has greatly improved now to the point (before he won) that he can compete with Federer. However, Federer’s clay game is still a long way behind Nadal’s.
I also forgot to mention that both showed great class after the match. As intense of a rivalry this is turning into, they both still respect each other so much that it is great on so many levels. It’s tough to root against either one.
And yes, kudos to the Williams sisters for winning the ladies’ doubles. Do you know that they have never lost a doubles match at Wimbledon? Every year that they participated together and didn’t win was because they pulled out due to injury. Very impressive. That means that Venus has only lost (approx.) five to six matches over the course of (probably) 100 at Wimbledon, and two of them were to her sister in the Finals no less. Even more impressive. (Though Martina Navratilova’s record is even more impressive then that.)
July 7th, 2008 at 2:35 pm
One of the best matches I have ever seen played at Wimbledon, if not the best. (I just can’t call this THE BEST match because of 2001Wimbledon , when Goran Ivanisevic finally won)
What quality yesterday between Federer and Nadal. I like them both, however I am happy that Rafa won. With his hard work he put into strengthening his grass game, he deserves the title.
These two bring out the best in each other. Perhaps the best rivalry ever in tennis.