July 5,2009

A beautiful sunday...Obviously everyone knows the significance of this day i think..anyways i wanted my first article to reinforce some positive senses...so i decided to relive this day(this evening rather)..

A warm London afternoon..(I havent been to London though :D)..the time was 6 30pm in my watch...i tuned into star sports with the stupid set top box i have got(i mean these cable guys in my city...they dont give you good stuff for the money they charge...dish should be better)..I(rather we)havent installed a DTH service coz it looks like going back to the good old days of the antenna and the dish(just kiddin)..the players were warming up..London SW19 was also warming up..

The American had won the toss and had decided to serve first up(good decision really...i mean he is a BIG server)..the stats of the players was put up(thanks to the Rolex guys who keep advertising in every other stat being put up)...The American's stat had read...best results..SF in aus open..QF in French open..Runner up in Wimbledon...Won US open 2003...No 1 ranking from 11/03 to 02/04...not bad really...then the stat shifts to the other side of the court...a 6'1" well known guy is warming his heavy serve...best results...Won aus open,french open,wimbledon,us open....No 1 from 02/04 to 08/08...OMG...thats some stat right(well...i really do think these stats dont matter...the guy overwhelms all these with just his backhand)..

Tragically the defending champion had not turned up(to the tournament itself :(..)...Not expected..yes....but anyway it was a blessing in disguise for the 6'1" guy..(i never liked the "physicality" of that defending champion's game)..And this year a kind of "roof" had been added to the center court(which was good coz it did away with rain....the 5 hrs and something final last year was played for like 7-8 hours just coz of the two massive rain delays)..So something new..something exciting..

The television camera whirls around covering some of the VIPs present...In the royal box were a swede guy who won 11 majors...an australian in his 70s considered a legend..and surprise surprise..an unexpected american coming to the center court for the first time in 7 yrs..the camera swings further..a hollywood director in his 70s(known for rom-coms),an australian gladiatorial actor, a manager of an epl team,and so on...the list even included an indian cricket legend..but the cameraman was not an indian(this is one bad thing about india...ask australians about indians :D)..

And so the "final" began..the American served fiercely..Fantastic serving really...his forehand also looked great...and surprisingly he was pulling off his dogged backhand and his reluctant volley well..and exceptionally the guy on the opposite side of the court was not his best(seriously you should compare his semi final game against an in-form german...that was the 6'1" guy at his best)...so this "champion" guy(lets refer the 6'1" guy as the champion from now on...saves me time pressing the shift button :P)is scrappy..but his serve is going well..his forehand ok..his backhand not so good..his volley...bad...his slice doing better everytime(i mean this blog is not enough to incl all the shots this guy has)..and i blink and the scoreline is 6-5 in the first set with the American his nose in front..

Our champion serves not-so-well...commits a few unforced errors and in a flash the first set goes off with a whimper...scoreline..american 7-5..(before the match i thought it would be a three setter with the champion winning...both the parts of the previous sentence cant become true...but the former had the definite chance)..

Second set goes by...the american serves well and deep especially in crucial points..he did save a couple of break points in the first set..was not doing that now though...his serve was strong enough to give him strong holds(is that supposed to be a pun??)...i blink again...it goes to a tie break...now i restrain myself from watching the match for a few mins coz of the work i had(i neednt tell you what work i had :P)...i returned...champion trailing 2-6...OMG(again)...the possibility of a three setter really loomed large...then the champion knocks me out(literally)...rips off 6 points in a row to take the second set(sheer genius plus a little luck as the american missed an easy volley)...so one set all..

This game was really going fast...i breathed a bit relaxedly and now its the second tie break of the match..oops...why are the points so short(i keep telling myself its grass so its short...i e the points)...the champion shows champion stuff(its ok if i keep repeating the word..its my blog anyway :D)and pulls of the tie break 7-5(not much fuss in this set really)..

the fourth set...smooth sailing for both warriors till the fifth game...the champion stutters in serve and the american elegantly takes the break...wonderful game plan from the american really...superb forehand...then serves strongly the rest of his three service games in the set to take it 6-3...2 set all...the game even stevens now(i never expected this game...even in my wildest dreams to go to a five setter...i hope nobody fixed the match before :))..

Fifth set..no tie break..the champion regaining some touch...the american unyielding under pressure...the american had to serve behind through out this set(bad luck this for him..that adds to the pressure)...the set meanders real fast to 5-4 with the champion leading...from here starts the real match actually...coz the american has to serve to stay in the match as long as he doesnt break the champion's serve...this is bad stuff...he will be under pressure always...

the score 9-9..15-40...oops..the champion is down two break points..i made myself immobile(i e i didnt change my position fearin the champion might lose the coming points...kinda superstition yes)..but the champion serves magnificiantly to hold at 10-9(from now on i decided to sit in the same posture for all of his service games...it worked at the end really :D)...

each serving really well...the american was superb...he played all the crucial points brilliantly...there was a dark force creeping across the center court though...it was proceeding towards a fine evening with the sun beginning his set..as the sun's decline increased the shadow of the center court's octagonal roof increased...the shadow began invading the court slowly...the shadow does play a crucial role as its tough to spot the ball coming out of it..

13-13...the champion was standing on the dangerous side of the court...he was standing opposite the shadow...but luck favors the destined..a cloud covered off the departing sun leaving the same level of brightness through out the court...he held off successfully(14-13)...the clouds passed when the american served...he held off without difficulty(14-14)..

the champion was standing behind the shadows..the favorable side of the court..the american showed some trouble in seeing the ball coming out from the shadows...15-14...the american served well...but his forehand was mistimed a couple of times...and before he realised...match point for the champion...two magnificient first serves...advantage american..the champion was running out of time to break the american..it was his best chance to win the match...good serve...good block..bad forehand...an encore...match point again!!!!!

decent serve...superb return..the ball coming out of the shadows..the american doesnt detect the ball in time..swings the raquet..top edges...the ball goes past the line on the other baseline...out...the champion jumps for joy...a fairy tale win...the american was broken for the first time in the match(he had held 37 straight service games)..and ironically he lost the match..handshakes around..and a huge cheer from the crowd(they got more than their money's worth)..

presentation...the american salutes the great american in the royal box admitting that he tried his best to win...the champion says it was a crazy match...not playin his biggest rival was not a problem...and pays tribute to the legends...

and so ends a fine sunday evening...i look at my watch..11 in the night...nice experience it was...

i am sure many of you would have felt the same kind of joy..many the kind of agony the american experienced..its all "part of the plan"..

i didnt incl any photos of the famous day...coz u would have seen them all...if u havent...google wimbledon'09..

so adieu to a great match of tennis...see you all soon with another exhilarating experience...hope you enjoyed your memories along with mine(i hope this doesnt sound like a tv commentator):P................

cheers,