Tennis – Nadal Wins Mens Finals: Rains on Federer’s Reign
Posted by Paulette on July 6, 2008
Damn — what a 4 hour 48 minute marathon!!! During the match neither men looked tired, they looked fresh throughout!
Rafael Nadal ended Roger Federer’s five-year reign at Wimbledon surviving three rain delays in winning a riveting five-set marathon to claim his first title at the All England Club. He won 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7.
Nadal becomes the first man since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win the French Open and Wimbledon in the same season.
Federer and Nadal battled into the fifth set at the Wimbledon men’s final before a second rain delay halted play.
Federer fought off two championship points to win a fourth-set tiebreaker 10-8 and force the final set, which was tied at 2 when play stopped.
Nadal won the first two sets, but Roger Federer returned from a rain delay to win the third in the men’s Wimbledon final Sunday at the All England Club.
Nadal, ranked second in the world, won the first two sets 6-4, 6-4 in a bid for his first Wimbledon crown. But Federer closed out the third set by winning a tiebreaker 7-5 after a rain delay of 1 hour, 25 minutes.
The matchup is the third straight in the tournament between the Spaniard and world No. 1 Federer who was seeking his sixth consecutive title in the grass-court Grand Slam.
Nadal is the first Spaniard to win Wimbledon since Manolo Santana in 1966.
Paulette
Erik said
What an epic five set match by the two titans of tennis. My eyes were glued to this marathon for 4 hours and 48 minutes! This was the greatest and perhaps the best quality tennis I have ever witnessed in any tournament. Congrats to Nadal for taking down the great Federer.
Paulette said
Erik — I had plans with friends but cancelled because the match was a ‘must watch’. What athletes they both are. What strength and stamina! Excellent, excellent tennis!!!