Federer makes Grand Slam history with epic Wimbledon triumph
Roger Federer made history on Sunday when he defeated brave Andy
Roddick 5-7, 7-6 (8/6), 7-6 (7/5), 3-6, 16-14 to win a sixth Wimbledon
title and claim a record 15th Grand Slam crown in a classic final.
But the Swiss second seed was given a huge fright by the American
sixth seed who led by a set, had four set points in the second and
didn't drop serve until the final, heartbreaking game of the match.
In an extraordinary conclusion, the last set was the longest ever
played in a men's Wimbledon final.
Federer, 27, now has six Wimbledon titles, five US Opens, three
Australian Opens and a French Open trophy, and has surpassed Pete
Sampras's mark of 14 majors. He will also reclaim his world number one
spot from Rafael Nadal, who beat him in a five-set final here last year,
on Monday.
Sampras, and fellow greats Rod Laver and Bjorn Borg were on hand to
watch Federer's bid for history, as were Hollywood giants Woody Allen
and Russell Crowe, such was the attraction of the Centre Court
blockbuster.
Federer, in a record seventh straight Wimbledon final and 20th Grand
Slam title match, saw Roddick save four break points in the 11th game of
the opening set and he immediately paid a heavy price.
The Swiss went wide with a crosscourt drive, which put him set point
down, and then repeated the error to hand the American the opener 7-5.
Roddick, whose only Grand Slam title came at the 2003 US Open, lost the
2004 and 2005 finals here to Federer, just two of his 18 defeats in 20
career meetings with the world number two.
But on Sunday he wisely adopted the same game plan he employed in his
semi-final win over Britain's Andy Murray, a powerful mix of trademark
big groundstrokes punctuated by regular visits to the net.
Serve again dominated the second set before Roddick stretched to a
6/2 lead, and four set points, in the tiebreaker but Federer fought back
and levelled the final when the American unleashed a wild backhand.
LONDON, Sunday AFP |