And you thought last year's Wimbledon final was exciting?
A year removed from one of the most dramatic losses of his career, Roger Federer redeemed himself Sunday on Centre Court, staving off resilient American Andy Roddick 5-7, 7-6 (8-6), 7-6 (7-5), 3-6, 16-14 in the longest Grand Slam final in history.
The 77 games topped the 71 games played in the 1927 Australian Open, and the 30-game fifth set was the longest fifth set in history, eclipsing the 20 games played at the 1927 French Open final.
Roddick stood between Federer and a record 15th Grand Slam title, and he delayed the crowning achievement as long as he could with his booming serves, masterful shot-making and sheer will. Like two prizefighters, the former world No. 1s duked it out for four 4 hours 16 minutes. The fifth set stretched 95 minutes before Roddick blinked. He hit an errant forehand, sealing the win for Federer.
It was Federer's sixth Wimbledon title (the third at Roddick's expense), and on Monday he will reclaim the No. 1 world ranking from Rafael Nadal, who took it from him last summer after beating him in a Wimbledon final that ended with a 9-7 fifth set as darkness set in. At the time, fans thought they wouldn't see another match like that for many years.
They were wrong.
Even before the first ball was struck, there was a sense something big was about to happen. Pete Sampras, whose record Federer broke, had not been to the All England Lawn Tennis Club since he last played here in 2002, and he took an overnight flight from Los Angeles for a front-row seat. Beside him were legends Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg.
Elsewhere in the audience: Henry Kissinger, Woody Allen and Russell Crowe.
As the two finalists walked onto the court, their contrast in styles was striking. Federer wore a white blazer and white slacks with gold trim. Roddick wore a nondescript tennis shirt and shorts, a ball cap and a blue rubber bracelet. Federer took a long stare at the champions' board. Roddick stared straight ahead.
RODDICK IS GAME
Roddick was the heavy underdog, but it was clear right away that he was undaunted by the occasion. He had lost back-to-back Wimbledon finals to Federer in 2004 and 2005, and he wanted this one desperately. Roddick, 26, has won only one Grand Slam title -- the 2003 U.S. Open -- and he was determined to prove he is not a one-hit wonder.
In the opening game, he launched serves of 135 mph, 136 mph and 137 mph. He saved four break points to take a 6-5 lead in the first set and broke Federer the next game to take a one-set lead.
The American had four chances to win the second set in the tiebreaker, but he failed to capitalize. The most glaring error was a high backhand volley on the fourth set point that sailed sideways off the frame of his racket. It is a shot that might give Roddick nightmares for quite a while.
''There was a pretty significant wind behind [Federer] on that side, and it was gusting pretty good at that time,'' Roddick said. ``When he first hit it, I thought I wasn't going to play it. Last minute, it looked like it started dropping. I couldn't get my racket around it. I don't know if it would have dropped or not.''
In the past, he would have imploded at that moment, would have let that shanked volley creep into his mind well into the next set. But this is a new-and-improved Roddick, a calmer, more thoughtful Roddick on and off the court.
''At that point, there's two options: You lay down, or you keep going,'' he said. ``The second option sounded better to me.''
Roddick gave Federer all he could handle, but Federer never cracked. He served a career-high 50 aces to Roddick's 27, and he had 107 winners compared with 38 unforced errors. In the end, he was just a little better.
THE DUST SETTLES
That the match was thrilling for fans made the loss no less painful for Roddick. He sat slumped in his courtside chair as the crowd, feeling his pain, chanted his name. He was near tears, but still did his on-court interview.
''I just want to say congratulations to Roger. He's a true champion and deserves everything he gets,'' Roddick said. ``I tried. Sorry, Pete. I tried to hold him off. It was a pleasure playing here [Sunday] in front of champions like Manolo [Santana], [Bjorn] Borg, Rod Laver, Pete.''
After pausing to compose himself, Roddick continued to say: ``I still hope one day my name will be up there with theirs as a champion of this tournament.''
Federer, meanwhile, was jubilant. The expectant father cradled his trophy like a newborn baby.
''That was a crazy match with an unbelievable ending, and my head is still spinning,'' Federer said, wearing a custom-made jacket with a gold No. 15 emblazoned on the back. ``I'm happy I broke the record here, because this is always the tournament that's meant the most to me. Andy played unbelievable. Sports is cruel sometimes.''
With the 15th Grand Slam title, Federer will be considered by many to be the best player of all time. Sampras said, ''In my book, he is.'' Laver called Federer ``the greatest player of his era.''
Federer said he was humbled seeing all the former greats watching him from the Royal Box. When Sampras and his wife arrived fashionably late after the third game, Federer gave him a nod.
''I know how much the record meant to Pete, and I know how much it means to me, and in a way I still feel like we share it because he's such a wonderful champion,'' Federer said. ``It's nice that he is showing appreciation for what I'm doing.''
Underneath Federer's jacket was a T-shirt that read: ``There is no finish line. Far from done.''
Not the words Roddick wants to hear. source>>>
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