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Rafael Nadal became a true giant of tennis last night as he won the Wimbledon singles title for the first time with an extraordinary five-set victory over Roger Federer that lasted nearly five hours.
The Spaniard defeated the five-time champion 6-4, 6-4, 6-7, 6-7, 9-7 in the longest singles final in the history of the All England Club. The match finished at 9.15pm after rain interruptions and no one in the grounds could remember seeing anything like it.
Nadal became only the third man in history and the first since Bjorn Borg in 1980 to win the French Open and Wimbledon in succession and ended Federer’s chances of beating Borg’s record of five successive Wimbledon singles titles.
Federer, who called it his hardest loss by far, had hoped that Nadal might succumb to the pressure. “I thought maybe he was feeling it a lot, for the first time in his life,” the 26-year-old said, as he sought to be the first player since 1927 to win this grand title from two sets to love down. But his opponent would not hear of it.
Nadal had won the French Open for the fourth consecutive time a month earlier, having trounced Federer for the loss of only four games, and we wondered if he had done permanent damage to the world No 1’s psyche. When the 22-year-old strode to the first two sets, it appeared as if he might make humiliatingly short work of a player acknowledged as the finest grass-court practician in the world. But this is Federer’s fiefdom. Chasing his thirteenth grand-slam title, having not lost in 65 matches on the surface, he would not go down without a fight.
What a comeback he produced. When the rains came for the second time at 2-2 and deuce in the final set, we wondered whether we might have a resumption on Monday. That would have been a crushing blow after such a Sunday. It was, thankfully, not to be.
Nadal never gave up believing that he would become the first Spaniard since Manuel Santana, proudly perched in the front row of the Royal Box, to win this title. “I had won the first two sets, I was playing really well, I had all the time a positive attitude,” Nadal said. “It is amazing what has happened today, difficult to describe. When I was a kid I would dream about winning Wimbledon one day and now it has happened.
“It is the most emotional of my victories, but I don’t want to compare what is more important. In the final set I was just trying to focus on my serve. I had played two awful points in the fourth-set tie-break, two really awful points, but this is the Wimbledon final. You do not stop trying to win.”
Nadal has no time to luxuriate in history-making. He is on a plane at 9 this morning to play in the Mercedes Cup clay-court tournament in Stuttgart. The new champion is relentless.
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It does showin the final, by how federer came back from near humiliation, and towards the end he had the championship within his grasp. Yes Nadal is great but jsut watch next year and federer's revenge, but until then watch him win the olympics and the US open too, to cement him as the greatest ever
joe, Derby, England
this is so cool!!!
Nadal has did it. I truly believe in him that he will always do good. keep it up honey. love you so much. Tennis is always alive.
never dies. Vamos Rafa.
te quiero mucho :)
mehwish, chicago, USA
Rafa-Roger final 2008. The greatest Wimbledon final ever.
Beats even Rafa-Roger final of 2007.
Can't wait for Wimbly 2009 and Roger's revenge (!) :).
Marc B., London, UK
Mr. Berry, about "spanish sport reputation for doping", let me remind you that a spanish doctor doesn´t represent a whole national sport, (besides, customers came from many countries).
Mr Berry, remember Dr Harold Shipman ¿was he a portrait of the british medical profession? I´m sure he wasn´t.
Manuel Caridad, Madrid, Spain
Football comentators feel sorry for players if they have to play for 2 hours and there are 11 of them on the pitch. Get out there and play for nearly 5 hours on your own, still be gentlemen, no abuse or spitting and still enthrall the nation. This is TRUE SPORT and dedication. Well Done Wimbledon!
DR, Bristol, England
It was THE most extraordinary final. Nadal was deserving in his victory but my heart goes out to Federer. Surely THE most consummate professional, gentelman, graceful player & gorgeous man thing we have EVER seen? Roll on 2009 and another Federer victory
Sarah G, London,
An absolute epic of a match and certainly the best game of tennis I have been privileged to watch. I take my hat off to both players for such a memorable match. It makes you wonder how on earth it's equitable that the equivalent prize money was won by Venus Williams - that's a joke!!
Roger, Lanteglos, England
I have no words, simply is the best tennis match I hv ever seen
emotional, epic, it put my skin like a hen. Two gladiators fightting against elements (rain, wind), it´s the triumph of superation. Superb match which will remain in our memory
for ever.
Congratulations Rafa you are " un crack".
Fernando, Melilla, Spain
Is Mr Berry referring to the tight doping controls in athletics that helped catch Linford Christie and Dwain Chambers? One can't help but detect a slight tinge of malicious envy in Mr Berry's veiled accusations. Worth also noting, the biggest names implicated in Operacion Puerto were non-Spanish.
Stewart, Beijing, China
An incredible final, and I don't think Federer can exactly be called the loser after that performance. Both of these young gentlemen have won hearts with their sheer talent, charisma, good manners, respectful sportsmanship and warm hearts. They are a credit to their sport - Murray, take note.
Eleanor, Derbyshire,
For Martin Berry. Please, Why do you accuse to the Spanish' people? I just say you one thing: Viva España, gracias Nadal
David, Valladolid, Spain
two stops due to light rain......come on, it's the most important championship in the world!!!
it's a really shame, considering that those interruptions had for sure influenved the match.
nevertheless, I was stuck to the telly for the ventire 5 sets.
edoardo chioni, rome, italy
Can someone tell me what system of anti-doping controls are applied in tennis. Are they as stringent as those in sports like athletics or cycling? Given the reputation of Spanish sport for doping (Operation Puerto, 200 blood bags still unidentified), I remain to be convinced everyone's clean.
Martin Berry, Surrey, England
In nearly forty years of watching Wimbledon, I have never seen a greater game, played by two of the finest sportsmen in the world (in every sense of the word). The only shame was that someone had to lose ! Congratulations to both for a final that will live in all tennis lovers' memory.
Kate, Worcester, UK
Federer has proved that he's still around. Congratulations to both!!!
Wim, Brugge, Belgium
That final scaled new heights for me. The sheer resolve of both men and the refusal to accept the grim adversity of their situations at various points in the match was utterly inspirational. I felt physically sick with nerves by the end - surely a once in a lifetime epic that can never be repeated.
Nick, west London, UK
Nadal serves a yard from the net? Looking at your picture caption it's no surprise he won, although that's an ususual service action.
stephen, wellington, new zealand
I have no words, I used them all screaming my lungs out on Centre Court earlier today - simply epic.
Sarah, High Wycombe, UK
The greatest game of tennis I have ever seen.. Well done to both for an extraordinary performance, some of the shots were out of this world. I am glad that Nadal won in the end, he had it in his grasp earlier in the game but Roger to his credit never gave up....
richard, ny, usa