15.
It’s Roger Federer with grand slam number 15 at Wimbledon, and history. Fifth set: 16-14. He looked altogether too relaxed, even when we had eaten most of our fingernails. Why do you do this to us? Oh right, he doesn’t know we exist.
A big hand for Andy Roddick, who repeatedly refused to go away. Not bad for a Rick Astley fan, although an inspection of players’ iPods would probably yield far greater embarrassments. A big-serve epic, the final was the opposite of the anticlimax we’d expected. The match was not decided until the very last point, providing a cardiovascular workout for Fed fans.
Dorski: End it now! Do you want Mirka to give birth on Centre Court?
Me: Actually I think he would like it.
I learned from the Guardian that Roger lost his luggage arriving at Heathrow. The perfect excuse to go shopping-mad, but what does he do? He buys replacement clothes at Oxfam. Rog, Rog, Rog, if we didn’t love you we’d hate your guts.
Before the final started I thought I was coming down with a cold, but the matched cured it. True, I drank enough tea for all the Brits still waiting for a local champion after Fred Perry hoisted the trophy in the 30s.
Hey Woody!
Later Roger stated an incontestable fact of life. “Tennis Is Cruel.” Bear that in mind, kids.
Update. With his victory at Wimbledon, Roger Federer has regained the world number one position. This was not one of his artistic triumphs, but we’ll take it. He showed us something his critics have long accused him of not having: guts. Roger was tough today. All hail the King.
And after months of watchful silence, it is time to examine our ranks and punish the turncoats. Yes, you who went over to the other side at the first hint of trouble, who now come crawling back to us.
You fair weather fans. Bandwagon jumpers. Traitors. You will feel our backhand.
Answers to questions you might be asking, unless you wandered onto this site purely by accident >>>
July 6th, 2009 at 13:38
I may have caused that long amazing fifth set. I kept jinxing Brooklyn instead of Roddick. Worked, but I had like a million heart attacks before it did. Must stick to old practices.
July 6th, 2009 at 18:35
The chokes, the wasted breakpoints, the backhand shanks, the short approach shots, the tentative forehand… It was an awful match, but I’m happy Federer managed to get through. His serve saved his ass yesterday.
Second set tiebreak, 6-5, high backhand volley — a moment that will haunt Roddick for quite some time.
July 6th, 2009 at 20:49
Only 3 serves broken between the two players. Match gave me a headache. Was shorter than last year’s final but seemed way longer.
Was that Gavin Rossdale next to Mirka? I haven’t heard the name Nastase in a long while and haven’t seen the face even longer. Looked almost as ancient as Sampras.
July 6th, 2009 at 21:29
i thought roddick’s going to make one of the biggest TSAMBA in tennis but as usual when his service leaves him, his game goes kaput…
lacks the excitement of last year’s final. I guess those who were covering the game were just too polite to fall asleep over this game. it was like, kaboom, ace. kaboom, another ace. kaboom and there goes another ace. roddick’s should be thankful that federer was error-prone that night otherwise the score will not be as close.
i opted to save on my electricity when the score was 7-6 in favor federer, fifth set. by then, i knew that roddick’s serve will eventually fail him. why? federer looks ready for another set or two while roddick appears to be wobbling
July 7th, 2009 at 12:48
Im an RFed fan but I think Andy deserved the win… As vijay said it, Roddick was the better paleyr. But then again, Rog was awaful and yet Andy couldnt capitalize eek
July 7th, 2009 at 23:32
Federer was tentative mostly throughout the match. Andy was right about Roger having a tough time reading his serve for the first time ever. Either player deserved to win, and I would’ve been happy for Andy even if I was rooting for Roger to make history. And I was definitely happy to see Roddick in the finals instead of the other Andy; not because the other Andy has a better head-to-head record vs Roger, but because I can’t stand watching Murray’s passive wait-for-your-opponent-to-make-errors kind of game i.e. inday-inday style in Visayan lingo. As one TV commentator aptly put it: Murray is the best “playoffs player” but falters in the major championships.