Changing of the Guard

An epic battle. The greatest Wimbledon final ever. The most electric tennis match in years. These are just a sample of the recent praise I have heard about the Nadal-Federer final yesterday. If you missed it, definitely catch the replay on ESPN Classic tonight. Yes, that's what we call an instant classic.

The script was enticing even before a ball was hit. Federer would break the record of five straight Wimbledon titles with a victory. Nadal would match Bjorn Borg's French/Wimbledon combo, which hasn't been replicated in 26 years. The debatable best ever padding his resume, or the young phenom winning his favorite tournament for the first time. It was the only sporting event I can remember being passionately attached without care for the outcome.

Well, these boys certainly didn't disappoint. The first set was all Nadal, but Federer was positioned to draw even in the second before dropping two consecutive service games, and reversing a 4-2 lead to lose 6-4. I wondered if we were headed for a French repeat with Nadal winning in straight sets, but after that nobody would flinch. Two sets without a break, and Federer had to draw even against championship points in two tie breaks. The final set would not finish until a second rain delay pushed the final games into darkness, six hours after the first point. The longest match in Wimbledon history would only draw longer as the fifth set cannot be decided with a tie-breaker. Eventually, Nadal's conditioning seemed to prevail taking the set 9-7. Absolutely amazing!

The crowd held on every shot, and erupted with every winner. Simultaneously chanting Rafa and Roger blended into unbiased encouragement. When the final "out" was called, Rafael fell to his back, and every spectator rose to their feet. An endless standing ovation was celebration or respect, but nobody seemed upset. Roger's father was clapping with a smile as Rafael jumped past him to hug his parents, and Roger's girlfriend gave him a congratulatory pat as he walked past.

As expected, the speeches were humble and respectful of the opponent. These two are clearly class acts and phenomenal for the game. The only questions outstanding for me are: Is this the greatest rivalry in the history of tennis? Is Federer the best to ever play? Will Nadal be able to consistently perform at this level to overtake Federer and secure his place as the greatest ever? Or, will Roger fight back from consecutive major losses to reestablish his dominance? The debate is exciting, and the US Open should be phenomenal.

For All in Perspective, this is Clarke Michalak reporting. God bless, and good night.