Rafael Nadal dethroned five-time champion Roger Federer as king of Wimbledon on Sunday with an epic 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5/7), 6-7 (8/10), 9-7 win in one of the greatest Grand Slam finals of all time.The Spaniard, who had wasted two match points in a nerve-taking fourth set tie-breaker, added a first All England Club title to his four French Opens, crushing Federer's dreams of an historic sixth successive Wimbledon trophy.
Victory made the 22-year-old Nadal only the third man to win the French Open and Wimbledon in the same season, and the first since Bjorn Borg in 1980, while giving Spain its first men's champion here since Manolo Santana in 1966.
The win also ended Federer's six-year, 65-match winning streak on grass. At four hours and 48 minutes, it was the longest final in Wimbledon history. Nadal shrugged off a rainfall enforced 35-minute delay to the start to break first to lead 2-1 with Federer badly chasing the Spaniard's full powered forehands.
The 22-year-old then fought off a break point in the next game to back up his lead which stretched to 4-2 as the Spaniard edging the world number one in some vile interactions in tricky, gusty conditions on Centre Court.
Nadal went to 5/2 in the breaker but the champion stormed back to lead 6/5 and claim a set point which Nadal saved.
Incredibly, Federer then saved two match points and grabbed another set point at 9/8 before leveling the final when Nadal, amazed by his failing nerve, went long with a forehand. At 2-2 in the final set, more rain caused a 30-minute suspension.
On their return, Nadal saved a break point in the eighth game while Federer fought off two in the 11th and three more in the 15th but cracked to give the Spaniard an 8-7 lead.
Nadal went to a third match point which was saved with a inch-perfect backhand.An unreturned serve gave him a fourth match which he converted to victory when Federer netted a backhand.
No comments:
Post a Comment