 "Photo: N/A")
It’s perhaps fitting that it was an American across the net from Roger Federer as he closed in on the ultimate validation of his greatness. Chasing the ghost of Pete Sampras and his 14 Grand Slam trophies on the court the Sampras for so long owned, Federer finally grabbed the mantle of the greatest to ever play with both hands as he lofted his sixth Wimbledon title and 15th Slam.
Andy Roddick, who had already reached the Wimbledon finals twice and lost both times to Federer, completed a hat-trick of finals failures in the most spectacular fashion, playing his part in a five-set thriller (5-7, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5), 3-6, 16-14) which will long echo as one of the greatest games ever to grace the lawn of Centre Court.
With the victory, Federer becomes the sole leader in all-time Grand Slam titles, surpassing Sampras.
“Sorry Pete; I tried to hold him off,” Roddick told Sampras following the marathon match.
Just when it seemed like Roddick’s career was only going to be a four-year stint of fast serves that were clocked at speeds seen never before, topping out in a 2003 U.S. Open championship, the world was able to see what looks to be a contender for years to come.
Roddick is approaching his 27th birthday, but from what we have seen over the past two weeks in London, the Austin native is just getting warmed up.
It was the second marathon final Federer has endured in as many years at the All England Club, presenting the longest fifth set in the tournament’s history as an encore to his incredible five set loss to Rafael Nadal in 2008.
In a role reversal that brings the entire nature of the match into question, Federer out-aced the big serving American, yet couldn’t put him away until the early afternoon gave way to evening. Roddick won every game that he served in the five sets — except for the last one.
But there was more to Roddick in this Wimbledon than just his trademark powerful first serve.
He made Federer put in more work than he ever has in the longest Wimbledon final ever.
Roddick was constantly running back and forth chasing down the ball, making incredible cross court shots that found the sidelines and baselines with regularity.
He used an all-around effort — playing the baseline and coming to the net in his match on Sunday.
Trying to withhold tears, as Federer himself had done after falling to Nadal in the Australian Open final earlier this year during the trophy ceremony, Roddick looked determined to only get better and try his luck in September at the U.S. Open.
The American had his opportunities — the biggest coming in a tie-breaker in the second set.
Up 6-2 in the tie-breaker, Roddick had four chances in which he only needed to win one point which would have given him an almost insurmountable lead.
After Federer won the final six points of the set, it seemed as if Roddick may have already had too much, but he kept fighting.
“You just keep going,” Roddick said. “Looking back it seemslike a lot, but each time it was just a point, and then another one and another one. I guess it added up after a while.”
Roddick kept going for three more sets, with the fifth one lasting thirty games and 95 minutes — about the same length as a standard three-set tennis match.
As he failed multiple times in recent years to get past the first week of a grand slam, some may have written Andy Roddick off as a legitimate contender.
But his performance throughout the entire two weeks in England has ensured us that the low number by his name indicating his seed is no fluke and that Roddick can add his name to a growing list of contenders vying to break the Nadal-Federer strangelhold on the ATP tour.
But for now, the moment belongs to Federer. With his usual grace, the sport’s greatest champion has returned to his rightful place atop the world rankings, brining just one more question about his legacy. How many more titles will he win?
Be the first to comment on this article!