4 posts tagged “federer”

Wimbledon 08, British Grass by kgott

White jacket, Roger Federer, Wimbledon

Eleven slams, tied for 3rd with Laver and Borg on the all time list behind Pete's 14. Look out Pete. Ties Borg at 5 Wimbledons, behind Pete's 7. Look out Pete. Nadal can hold his head high, amazing tournament.

The great thing about the live feed on the computer for wimbledon is getting the between points banter when the ads are normally on. federer went off on the umpire after a review went nadal's way in game at the beginning of the 4th set. 

This is one of the best finals in years, Nadal and Federer playing tennis like they were two aliens beamed down to earth from the special tennis planet. Making courtside greats like Borg, Becker, Connors, McEnroe shake their heads and wonder with shots and points and games that defy normal gravity. Nadal with a bit of the old Newcomb sneer mixed in with the Moya strut in his 5th Slam Final at age 21.

Newk

Stefan Edberg, Wimbledon

Federer gunning for Slam #11 and 5th Wimbledon in a row. My favorite single sporting event of the year. I've been watching since I was knee high to a drop volley. Borg smiles on camera. I worshiped him like a god in my youth. The collage of Sports Illustrated Wimbledon winning Borg covers that hung in my bedroom for years was my altar. On his knees, the beard, the skyward look, hand clasped, teeny tiny little wooden racquet by his side on the hallowed grass. The cool Swedish demeanor.

Remembering so many spots where I've watched final matches. Becker Edberg 90 in a youth hostel room in Singapore with my friend Johan who grew up near Edberg in northern Sweden. Johan told me the Edberg family garage door needed replacing regularly in Stefan's younger years from taking such a beating day and night as a tennis backboard. Boom Boom blasting and rolling and tumbling to victory unseeded at age 17.

Oh good lord. A third set tiebreak.

How are they hitting shots like this? Incredible line painting and inside out angles and long points. There was vaguely some talk about power tennis a few years ago and Wimbledon especially getting boring, but this is not the situation any more. The first great rivalry since Agassi Sampras in my mind.

Andre beating Goran, after a nice swim in the Atlantic Ocean near Nags Head, NC in a final in the Nineties. Sampras crushing everything while magically shape shifting to appear wherevere the ball was to dismay everyone in his path save one blip for 8 years and 7 titles. Gotta get there someday.