The Wimbledon finals this year has been AMAZING. Just amazing. After a delayed start (It's London), the game keeps getting better... From a rather one sided start showing the world a rather uncommonly nervous Roger Federer, to the continued dominance of Rafael Nadal, to a wonderful, uncharacteristic display of oure grit from FedEx, to the heartstopping tie breaks, and now the seemingly surreal 5th set... This has been perhaps the most exciting tennis match I can remember.
That includes highlughts of Borg-McEnroe, Sampras-Agassi, the odd Safin magic and every last 4 match in this millenium. But nothing, I assure you, comes close to this.
Maybe Its the stage, the players, and their unfathomable equation between them - a wonder kid who keeps getting better and a genius who learned the ropes from the legends of the past generation before becoming the beacon of this one. And wow oh wow, the stage, the biggest stage of them all, Men's Singles at Wimbledon.
The highlight of their rivalry, i believe, is actually the dynamic bullfighter... Remember that the aforementioned rivalries reached their peak when the players themselves did. This one is unique in that Roger Federer, genius he may be, is actually on the downslide, the mind and body no longer housing the immaculate and calculating enigma that was everything swiss, chocolate and smooth. While Rafael Nadal, a pitbull, a streetfighter by title and probably Leanardo da Vinci's dream test subject, is improving, learning and relearning in leaps and bounds with every passing match.
Speaking of leaps and bounds, remember his first Wimbledon final, when he came out so charged up he actually bounded across centre court for a warm up, only for the cool on federer to washout the first set? Oh does life ever come a full circle... tonight it may well have been the champion bounding across the court, chasing each ball only to miss-hit it by an agonizing millimeter.
Talk about putting a damp cloth on things... just when i was getting into it, the clouds open up. Life can be so unfair, but maybe its just as well, some much needed rest for these frayed nerves. Oh well, one can only wax so much eloquence without anything to eloquent about... time to sign out...
Oh, and after an entire post without bias, i just couldnt resist,
To Roger Federer, Wimbledon Champion of 2008.
Lets just hope i neednt eat anything more for breakfast than oats...
Update: Blah! (Chokes)
