So, after the most extraordinary Wimbledon final, what more can be said. The hoary cliche that Roger Federer wanted to win Wimbledon more than Andy Roddick, cannot be true. Both wanted the trophy for different but no less compelling reasons: Federer to confirm his place rightly at the pinnacle of sport; and Roddick to prove that his 2003 US Open was not a lucky break and as afirmation that the reinvention of his game over the last 12 months, including belatedly learning to volley was justified. The look on both faces as the match went into the fifth set was nothing than absolute determination to win. No, it was a case of Federer being able to hold on just a tiny bit longer than Roddick. That’s all.
The most extraordinary fact of the final was that Roddick’s serve was broken only once. Once. And that one time, it counted. With a tie-breaker allowed in the fifth set, had this been the US open who knows how it would have turned out.
How do you console Andy Roddick? Your time will come? Nadal is younger and Federer is only one year older. You were nearly there? So what! Nearly there does not cut it for elite athletes. They play to win. It seems to me the only way forward for Roddick is to poison Federer and Nadal.
Baker
