Federer won Wimbledon 7-6, 4-6, 7-6, 2-6, 6-2. He tied Bjorn Borg's record for winning Wimbledon for five consecutive years. But since I was rooting for Nadal, I wrote the piece below while watching the game Live, in anticipation of a supposed Nadal win that never materialized.

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Nadal won Wimbledon.

And with it, he served notice that he is the new force to reckon with in Men's Tennis, especially on grass and clay.

He established a record and made history by becoming the only man to win the French Open and Wimbledon in the same year after Bjorn Borg did it 27 years ago.

Nadal stopped Federer from making an even bigger record; tying Bjorn Borg's record for 5 consecutive wins in Wimbledon. The world thought it was impossible for Nadal to beat Federer on grass, but the few of us and all of Spain, cheered him on. And the rest is now part of history.

The match had a divine setting with the 'enormous' presence of past champions all big names with sterling records: Bjorn Borg who holds the most consecutive wins in Wimbledon for 5 years; Jimmy Connors who holds the record of most matches won in Wimbledon; John McEnroe who holds the 4th most matches won; and Boris Becker, the youngest winner in Wimbledon at 17 years old, sitting in the stands.

While the game was on, I was cheering forcefully for Nadal point for point, winner for winner. When Nadal broke Federer's serve to win the second set to even the match at 1 all, I was ecstatic. Then the games resumed. I felt like my chest would burst and my tendons would disengage from my joints at the very tight display of tennis armada from both players. I felt various negative sensations when Federer won the third set 7-6, but came right back again when Nadal broke Federer's serve in the first game of the fourth set. Then I was hopeful again when Nadal broke Federer's serve again in the same set for a Nadal lead 4-1. Nadal then evened the score at 2 sets apiece. The  fifth set started with a tremendous see-saw that had both players slug it out like gladiators trying mightily to win a kingdom. Nadal continued his display of brilliance up to the 2nd set. (When he served for a 3rd set lead, Federer broke him.  THEN IT WAS ALL FEDERER FROM THERE ON.)

There were spectacular plays from both champions. Rally after rally and a display of  magnificent volleys, marvelous and deep groundstrokes. It was tennis at its finest. Yet another classic.

Let me make it clear again. I am not entirely cheering for Nadal the person. I am cheering to have another champion to make Wimbledon and tennis in general to have hard-fought games. It could be anybody. But since Nadal is the it guy at the moment to give Federer this much needed challenge, then Nadal gets all my energies to cheer for. I wrote an earlier post about this.

For his credit, the brilliance of Nadal was seen throughout the match. He challenges the ball and the net like a matador, he never leaves a ball and runs after it like a sprint champion, dives, bends his body and rolls over on court to save a ball like a gymnast and gets the winner done! The man is just awesome with spectacular display of agility, strength and stamina.

But two others were just as triumphant: Nike and Men's Tennis. Nike dressed up both champions, with a custom-made shoes made for Nadal with Rafa inscribed to the back of both shoe. Apart from the obvious fact that both champions played superbly, there is now another champion in Wimbledon other than Federer. The world can now therefore expect a great and equitable match. I said in an earlier post that with Federer hogging the wins consecutively with no real power to match him is boring.

So with Nadal's triumph, Wimbledon and hopefully the other Grand Slams (US and Australia) would now be poised to change for an even bigger greatness. I hope the other player on the ATP would get the message that Federer is not invincible. I hope Nadal opens the door for other players to give anyone a good fight and have varied champions in the other Grand Slams and on the ATP tours.

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ps.

I guess Federer would continue his dominance in Men's tennis. But then Nadal's game has improved tremendously since he is the only player to have led Federer to a five-setter in all of Federer's five time wins in Wimbledon. The rivalry of Federer and Nadal is getting mature and stronger. However, the arena for producing a new champion apart from Federer is still wide open. Nadal and anybody else could still try to challenge the monopoly of Federer. I hope someone comes up in the US Open and in the 2008 ATP Tour.

It is Wimbledon season once again and I dread to see these two weeks end like how it had been ending four years in a row: Federer winning it with neither a bang or a whimper. Just plain old-fashioned winning. Federer's consistency is boring. Not because he does not play great, becuase he does, but due to lack of consistent fierce threat on grass. 

Ho-hum.

As of this writing, the Live game is between Andy Roddick and the Thai Danai Udomchoke. If the Thai is any sterner like his compatriot at the greens, Tiger, I'd be rooting for him, I being Asian and a fan of any rising Asian athlete. But since I know that he's just one fodder, for the current greats like Roddick to reach the latter matches, I'd rather root for Roddick - for very good measure: I want Roddick to provide that grass master Federer some consistent competition. And so do I want the Spaniard Nadal and the Russian Safin to give the same. Phillippousis, the other big-serving figure at the current tour would not be a shoo-in to give this Federer the much needed threat. Where is he, anyway?

Sure, if  Federer wins this year, he will match Bjorn Borg's record five consecutive titles in Wimbledon and would catch up to Sampras' record seven wins on the same Club.

But there is a court of difference in the wins of Federer compared to the wins of Sampras and Borg. The two latter champions had very consistent threats to their crowns. Borg had Nastase, Connors & McEnroe. Sampras had The Goran Ivanisevic, Courier, Becker, Agassi and Rafter. These competitors had given either Sampras and Borg hard times in other surfaces and had one their own Grand Slams too.

And who does Federer have? Philippoussis, Roddick and Nadal.

Now I am not saying that Philippoussis, Roddick and Nadal are weenies. They have their share of winning Grand Slams, well, except for the inconsistent and the injury-hounded Phillippousis who could be the next greatest tennis player not to have won any Grand Slam, if he isn't already. It's just that Roddick is also playing inconsistently after winning his only Grand Slam title in Flushing Meadows. But with Jimmy Connors as new coach, he is expected to show some fierce consistency to beat Federer.

And Nadal? For those who just came back from Eris, he is just trying his sprints and volleys in surfaces other than Roland Garros' clay where he lords it over Federer in lifetime matches. Nadal was runner-up to Federer last year in Wimbledon after his first finals there. So Nadal is expected to wind up standing in the other half of the draw in this year's Wimbledon to have a rematch of last year's finals, and hopefully Nadal to show some fierce Federer-beatings to provide the world with some gruesome matches in grass we deserve to see.

Another possible Federer-slayer is Marat Safin, who equals Federer in volleys but even better in serves, but I don't the hey know what's keeping Safin for keeping consistency in making winners instead of unforced errors to finally win matches over Federer. Ah yes, Federer is way too consistent. But Safin is still expected to give Federer some beatings.

Like millions of fans worldwide, I too have my two-cent's worth of acidic issues to tackle. I fiercely want to see some spectacular action from other players other than Federer to give Wimbledon a much needed fire lest it falls down into boredom and ignominy.

Again, this is not to say that I am pulling down Roger Federer. No. What I want is for the other players to give him great tennis so his wins would be worth it. A lot of people, including myself say that Federer's win is like a walk in the park for lack of better opponents. Or worse, that Federer's budding legend is undeserved. This is my point in saying that his wins is nowhere near like the wins of the two other Wimbledon legends Sampras and Borg. I want Federer to really deserve his wins and to really be considered a true Wimbledon legend.

The last truly legendary match ever fought in Wimbledon was in 2001 when Goran Ivanisevic won over Patrick Rafter in the greatest five-sets I have ever seen in Wimbledon.

The finals, years after that were a ho-hum.

I know that there are millions of other nuts like me around the world who have this simultaneous desire and grunt to let either Nadal or Roddick or Safin give a good fight this year so that if ever Federer wins, it will be truly deserved. I know that our collective desires and grunts will cross oceans to reach those who are concerned and possible propel either Nadal, Roddick or Safin to win over Federer. By God, we need a real classic match to be considered truly legendary. We are so hungry for that. This way, there is some real battle before this Wimbledon ends and something to look forward to when the US Open comes and beyond.