Grass Court Awards

For once, you-know-who wasn't the best grass court player of the year.

**2008 Grass Court Awards*
**TOP PLAYERS**
1. Rafael Nadal/ESP

...it's all over except for the shouting. Well, at least until the U.S. Open.
2. Roger Federer/SUI
...second-best is never enough for Roger. Could he possibly go an entire season without winning a slam?
3. Marat Safin/RUS
...he's alive!! He's alive!!.
4. Daniel Nestor/Nenad Zimonjic, CAN/SRB
...two guys who can seemingly be great doubles player no matter who they're partnering with combine to form a slam-winning Men's Doubles team. Go figure.
5. Rainer Schuettler/GER
...he's alive!! He's alive!! (Is there an echo in here?)
HM- Bob Bryan/USA
...he might only play Men's Doubles with his twin brother Mike, but with his Wimbledon Mixed Doubles title with Sam Stosur he's now claimed five career Mixed grand slam crowns with five different women (Zvonareva, Srebotnik, Azarenka & Navratilova). At SW19, he even defeated Mike and Srebotnik in the Mixed final.

**RISERS**
1. Andy Murray, GBR
2. Stanislas Wawrinka, SUI
3. Nenad Zimonjic, SRB
4. David Ferrer, ESP
5. Feliciano Lopez, ESP
6. Philipp Kohlschreiber, GER
7. Janko Tipsarevic, SRB
8. Robin Soderling, SWE
9. Fernando Verdasco, ESP
10. Ivo Karlovic, CRO
HM- Marcos Baghdatis, CYP & Frank Dancevic, CAN

**FRESH FACES**
1. Marin Cilic, CRO
2. Ernests Gulbis, LAT
3. Jeremy Chardy, FRA
4. Gilles Simon, FRA
5. Chris Guccione, AUS
6. Simone Bolelli, FRA
7. Philipp Petzschner, GER
8. Grigor Dimitrov, BUL (jr.)
9. Henri Kontinen, FIN (jr.)
10. Bernard Tomic, AUS (jr.)
HM- Juan Martin del Potro, ARG & Jesse Levine, USA

**SURPRISES**
1. Chris Eaton, GBR
2. Rainer Schuettler, GER
3. Phlipp Petzschner, GER
4. Ilia Bozoljac, SRB
5. Simon Stadler, GER
HM- Massimo Dell'Acqua, ITA & Prakash Amritraj, IND

**VETERANS**
1. Marat Safin, RUS
2. Daniel Nestor/Nenad Zimonjic, SRB
3. Rainer Schuettler, GER
4. Bob Bryan, USA
5. Arnaud Clement, FRA
HM- Fabrice Santoro, FRA & Stefano Galvani, ITA

**COMEBACKS**
1. Mario Ancic, CRO
2. Marat Safin, RUS
3. Rainer Schuettler, GER
4. Xavier Malisse, BEL
5. Thomas Johansson, SWE
HM- Lleyton Hewitt, AUS

**DOWN**
1. Andy Roddick, USA
2. Novak Djokovic, SRB
3. Richard Gasquet, FRA
4. James Blake, USA
5. Nikolay Davydenko, RUS (you've got to play to win)
HM- Dmitry Tursunov, RUS & Gael Monfils, FRA

**THE CLASSIC**
Wimbledon Final - Nadal def. Federer 6-4/6-4/6-7/6-7/9-7
...a contets that lasts nearly all day long, has history dripping off every shot, and is called "The Greatest Match Ever Played." At least now we know what it takes to make the cover of Sports Illustrated... which means tennis will get another cover in about, umm, how about half past never?

THE SIGN: Nadal defeats Roddick on grass in the London SF, then Djokovic to win the title. He becomes the first man to win the Artois Championships a week after claiming Roland Garros since Ilie Nastase in 1973 and the first Spaniard to win the title in thirty-six years.
THE PROOF: three weeks later, Nadal is the first player to sweep both Roland Garros and Wimbledon in the same season since Bjorn Borg in 1980 and is the first Spanish man to win the title in 42 years.

=COMEBACKS=
Wimbledon 4th Rd. - Murray def. Gasquet
...Murray comes of age with a howling mad comeback from two sets to love down in fading light. Of course, then he was too dead-dog tired -- mentally and physically -- to avoid getting his Scottish butt kicked by Rafa... but, aha, British hope continues to spring eternal.)
Wimbledon 4th Rd. - Ancic d. Verdasco
...also from two sets to love down, 4-1 down in the 4th, and with a 13-11 5th set. Along with Cilic, it's nice to have a Croatian presence back at Wimbledon (especially since Karlovic is apparently going to bomb out in the first few days every year no matter how well he might be playing coming into the tournament).

FOR A GUY WITH A GOOD EDUCATION, HE'S NOT VERY SMART:
...for quite a few years, Justin Gimelstob was a great radio guest on Washington D.C.'s "Junkies" show, easily coaxed into making "extreme" statements about life on the tour (or, to be specific, life on the tour AND opinions about and "relationships" with the players on the women's tour). One would have thought that becoming a television commentator would have taught him to zip it with the comments that could now get him into trouble. Acknowledging the danger, he did, too... for a while. Recently, he reverted to past form, made a few typically howl-inducing comments about Anna Kournikova for the four hosts, and all hell broke loose from the Tennis Channel to the U.S. Open Series promotional department to World Team Tennis. He'd always talk about how if people actually heard the things he said on the air, he'd get into trouble. Turned out, he was right. And, shockingly, it had nothing to do with the loud hotel room story about former Wimbledon champion Conchita Martinez he "broke" on the same radio show about five years ago. Go figure.

*DIDN'T YOU USED TO BE SOMEONE, MATE?*
Marat Safin (first slam SF since '05 Australian)
Rainer Schuettler (first slam SF since the '03 Australian)
Arnaud Clement (Wimbledon QF is best slam result since '01 Australian)

O JIMBO JIMBO, WHEREFORE ART THOU?: Janko Tipsarevic knocked Andy Roddick out of the 2nd Round of Wimbledon. I guess Brooklyn Decker teaches better groundies than Connors... or something like that. Brad who?

*ALL GOOD THINGS MUST COME TO AN END*
Roger Federer's 65-match grass streak
Roger Federer's 40-match Wimbledon streak
Roger Federer's five-straight Wimbedon titles

Thus, Phase Two commences. First up, an attempt to win a first Olympic medal. Second, trying to claim a fifth consecutive U.S. Open crown to get within one of Pete Sampras' all-time slam record. If only Rafa could have the chance to have something to say about that.

To sleep, perchance to dream.


All for now.

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Wimbledon Final: A Call to Glory in the Fading Light

Something extraordinary has just happened. You can tell by the intensity and rapidity of the flashbulbs in the fading evening light. But what is it?

They are the center of adoring attention. A young Spanish sports warrior with the heart of a lion hoists a golden cup, while a Swiss gentleman with a champion's poise and an artist's skills stands vanquished, just a few few away. What has happened here?

Something remarkable. For on a day that will stand alone in tennis history and the memory of anyone who experienced it, in a match of which its like will never be seen again, Rafael Nadal became the best tennis player in the world.



By defeating five-time defending champion Roger Federer 6-4/6-4/6-7/6-7/9-7 in the longest Gentlemen's final in Wimbledon history, Nadal became the first man to sweep both this tournament and Roland Garros in the same season in twenty-eight years, and with a single win removed the name Federer -- who should soon go down as the winningest grand slam champ of all time -- from his long-held perch atop the subjective list of the best players in the game. The "Big Two" (or "Three," if you count Australian Open champ Novak Djokovic) are still the same, but today there's a new monarch in town. Even if the transition of power isn't "official," King Rafa's reign has most definitely begun.

It's been a remarkable journey over the last three years, as Nadal has gone from being a vision in Federer's rear-view mirror to his equal to his SW19 conqueror over the course of a trilogy of Wimbledon finals. Once considered a clay courter, first and foremost, his 2006 run to the Wimbledon final was startling. At the time, no one believed that he could ever win the title. In 2007, he reached another final, though it's likely that Federer himself entered that match not quite believing that the Spaniard could get the best of him at his most favored tournament. As it turned out, he almost did, coming within a pair of tie-breaks and break points in the 5th set from pulling a monster upset a year ago. By the time this year's Wimbledon rolled around, even if he wasn't the chosen pick of EVERYONE to become the latest champion, that Nadal was indeed working toward an eventual title at the All-England Club was no longer in question.

The final obstacle blocking Nadal's rise to power turned out to be hardly as easy to overcome as it appeared it might be early in the day, but by the time the sun had set on the London skyline, July 6th, 2008 had become a day that we'll longingly look back upon years from now, marveling at the suspense it provided as it slowly unraveled a dramatic tale of a successful quest, as well as set up an intriguing test for a revered and respected champion.

After having the match's start delayed by rain, the first two sets of the match turned on what will go down as the missed opportunities -- of which Nadal would offer few -- that Federer will never forget. In the opening set, he played one bad early game. It resulted in a break that he was never able to recoup, even after carving out a break chance with Nadal serving at 5-4. In the 2nd, Federer was serving at 4-2 after what turned out to be his only break of Nadal's serve, but he couldn't hold his advantage. Nadal hustled for back-to-back service breaks of his own to take a 5-4 lead, then hold off another Federer break opportunity to serve out the set. Down two sets to love, Federer had only his second meeting against Nadal in Miami in 2005 (where he'd come from 0-2 sets down to win in Nadal's first hint of what was yet to come) from which to draw encouragement, but it didn't seem to matter. Errors prevented him from converting break chances at 3-2 in the 3rd, and he barely scraped by by saving three break points on his own serve soon afterward. But then, at 5-4, the rain returned, and Nadal's silent palace coup became a bloody, epic struggle.

In a match with several distinct divisions, largely brought about because of rain delays that were as necessary for us to catch our breaths as they were for the players to reorganize their thoughts and right themselves in order to produce a legendary match, the one constant aspect of every moment was the history that dripped from each shot. Every break point felt monumental. Every held serve was a chance for the server's backers to breath a little easier for a minute or two. With Federer trying to outpace the in-attendance Bjorn Borg's shared mark of five straight Open era titles, and Nadal attempting to match the Swede's 1980 sweep of slam titles in Paris and London, the normal weight given to each important moment in a Wimbledon final was increased exponentially the deeper into the night the two men played. The possibility of an all-time great being replaced at the top of the sport by what could possibly be another all-time great in a discernible changing-of-the-guard moment has a way of producing such edge-of-your-seat tension.

With Federer fighting to overcome the imps and naysayers that have dogged even the greatest in the history of the game (there's a reason no one has won six straight titles since Wimbledon champions ceased being automatically placed in the final the next year), the man who will likely one day soon be the sport's all-time slam champion would not go down without a fight -- the depth and size of which turned out to be even bigger than anyone had ever realized despite his longstanding brilliance, an understandable occurrence since there'd never really been reason for it be unveiled before this July day of his twenty-sixth year. Meanwhile, as Nadal stood on the brink of an accomplishment that would secure him a measure of tennis immortality at just age 22, the ghosts of Centre Court and Mother Nature seemed to be brainstorming for new ways to conspire against him.

But the Spaniard stared down them all.

After nearly ninety minutes of weather-related down time, Federer returned with a renewed focus and game plan. By moving forward into the court and ramping up his serve and forehand (especially the inside-out variety), Federer managed to keep pace with Nadal, who continued to run down seemingly impossible-to-reach balls and firing back shots with equal power from both wings. Federer won a 3rd set tie-break to stay alive, and forced another in the 4th after neither man could break the other's serve during the entire stanza. Up 5-2 in the tie-break, Nadal suddenly tightened up. He double-faulted and lost two points on serve, causing him to momentarily consider an uncharacteristic slamming of his racket on the ground. When Federer saved two championship points at 7-6 and 8-7, then forced a 5th set by winning 10-8, it looked as if he might be able to maintain his Wimbledon dominance, after all. He might have, too, had the rain not returned yet again.

After seizing control of the deciding set in the final a year ago, Federer could never do so this time around. A twenty-four minute rain delay at 2-2 seemed to re-focus Nadal on the task at hand. He prevented Federer from getting his second break of the match when he had a shot at 4-3, firing a 124 mph serve and smashing an overhead. As the clocked ticked to and past nine o'clock in the evening, Federer would serve first, barely holding with clutch serves and rescuing games in which Nadal took early leads (Nadal had two break points at 5-5, and led 30/0 at 6-6). The Spaniard never cracked, but Federer finally did under Nadal's intense pressure, which often caused the defending champion to hit two or three "winners" in a point in order to actually claim it.

At 7-7, after going down 15/40, Federer saved three break points but, when a forehand sailed long on the fourth, Nadal finally got the chance to serve for the match. This time, he didn't succumb to the pressure of the moment or Federer. After Federer saved a third match point, the relentless Nadal created yet another opportunity to claim the championship. When Federer hit a forehand return into the net, the match was finally over at 9:15 pm, more than six hours after it had been scheduled to begin, and after four hours and forty-eight minutes of action.

King Rafa had been born on Centre Court.



Nadal earned his ascension to the throne by dueling with Federer in the greatest, most important slam final in recent memory and smiting the graceful gentleman beast with a combination of grit, style and humility befitting a player capable of being compared in every way to the player who has won the awe-inspiring and complete respect of every living great who's ever seen him strike a ball within the confines of a tennis court.

Hmmm... now that I think about it, scratch what I said about looking back on this date and marveling. Who needs the future? We can marvel at this match right now.

It'd be hard to believe that anything that these two could ever produce together could duplicate what happened in this match. With so much at stake, under such unique and trying circumstances at what is rightfully seen as the most grand cathedral that the sport has to offer, what could possibly top it? What could happen between Federer and Nadal after today that would raise the stakes even more than they were at this moment in time?

Oh, pray we find out.



=SECOND THOUGHTS=
Even with all the memories this match provided, maybe the one I'll hold onto the longest is what happened after it was over. The flashing light that surrounded Nadal and Federer, reflecting dazzlingly off their well-earned hardware while the dark was beginning to envelop everything else on Centre Court, was a sight of great beauty.

And the fact is that we'll never see this sight again.

With the arrival of a retractable roof next year, never again will the weather wreak havoc on a Singles final like it did (ultimately) so wonderfully with this one. While the drama and length of this match may one day be met or exceeded (as difficult as it is for that to be believed right now), it'll never be drawn out over the course of an entire day, with momentum changing due to the whims of storm clouds and well-timed showers. Instead, it'll end on schedule, during the day.

It's actually sort of... sad. Or not.

The roof is a great thing, but for a brief moment it's easy to mourn the passing of the era in which something like the sight we witnessed today is possible.

But I'm sure the first rain delay at Wimbledon '09 will take care of that moment of insanity.

=WHAT NEXT?=
Of course, what this match and all the reverberations that ultimately ring out from it over the remainder of '08 and beyond, will mean will depend on what happens next. Already, Federer and Nadal have met in fourteen tournament finals (fifth all-time), and six times in the deciding matches of grand slams (more than any other duo). Their friendly but fierce rivalry has already produced an impressive collection of achievements that have been elusive for even the most compelling adversaries the men's game has been able to produce in it's long history.

But if we've learned anything over the years, it's that we should never just assume that great rivalries will continue to produce great moments. Sometimes, they simply fade away. For all kinds of reasons, it may never be as good as this again.

Borg's legend hung over this match like a specter, and he could surely appreciate the drama of it all from a different perspective, having lived through a similar experience from Federer's vantage point against a young John McEnroe in 1980, when he barely held off the charging American in the "other" epic Wimbledon final of the last thirty years, and 1981, when he was finally forced to bow to Johnny Mac's abilities. Borg walked away from the sport months later, an act which Federer isn't likely to replicate.

Whatever comes next, though, will forever be bound to what just happened at Centre Court. It will either signal the ultimate rise of Nadal the Great as he fully eclipses Federer, or it will kick-start the next great chapter of Federer's career, as he battles to discover a way to find an answer to the man who took everything King Roger had to offer on the playing field he holds most dear... and still managed to defeat him.

Federer, version 2.0, will no longer have the aura of invincibility that the original did. That era ended the moment that Nadal lay spread eagle on his back on the worn lawn behind the baseline today, celebrating his accomplishing of the unthinkable that two years ago seemed an impossibility but had since, with each passing month, started to resemble something of a fait accompli. Federer can become a great champion again, maybe even before the arrival of fall (he's the four-time defending champ at the U.S. Open, remember), and even the "greatest ever." But even as he would, the question, "What About Rafa?," would be part of the conversation.

While Nadal still has one more hurdle to clear by claiming a hard court slam in New York or Melbourne, Federer's next move might be even more intriguing. Everyone wondered how he'd respond to his thorough destruction in Paris. We found out -- he didn't back down from Nadal's challenge, even if he didn't prevail against it. But the lingering effect of giving his all on his favorite battleground, and it still not being enough, will be something to watch. He admitted after the final that this loss "hurt."

He's never been in this place before.

The post-Wimbledon '08 phase of Federer's career, when he is not just no longer the unquestioned #1 player but generally considered #2 (until further notice, at least), will allow him to recast himself in the role of an avenger. If this match is any indication of what lengths he's willing to go to to reclaim his throne, Federer likely has some more surprises up the sleeve of that cardigan he took to wearing when he walked onto the court at this Wimbledon.

We'll soon see what he's made of... again.

As for Rafa, we already know what he's made of: whatever magical combination is it that produces the best tennis player on the planet.



*MEN'S FINAL*
#2 Rafael Nadal/ESP def. #1 Roger Federer/SUI 6-4/6-4/6-7/6-7/9-7

*MEN'S DOUBLES FINAL*
#2 Daniel Nestor/Nenad Zimonjic (CAN/SRB) def. #8 Jonas Bjorkman/Kevin Ullyett (SWE/ZIM) 7-6/6-7/6-3/6-3

*MIXED DOUBLES FINAL*
Samantha Stosur/Bob Bryan (AUS/USA) def. #1 Katarina Srebotnik/Mike Bryan (SLO/USA) 7-5/6-4

*BOYS FINAL*
#9 Grigor Dmitrov/BUL def. Henri Kontinen/FIN 7-5/6-3

*BOYS DOUBLES FINAL*
Hsieh Cheng-Peng/Yang Tsung-Hua(TPE/TPE) def. #3 Matt Reid/Bernard Tomic (AUS/AUS) 6-4/2-6/12-10



*LONG WIMBLEDON FINALS*
4:48...Nadal def. Federer. 2008
4:16...Connors def. McEnroe, 1982
3:56...Borg def. McEnroe, 1980

*MOST GRAND SLAM FINAL MEETINGS - MEN*
6...Federer vs. Nadal
5...Agassi vs. Sampras
5...Lendl vs. Wilander
4...Borg vs. Connors
4...Borg vs. McEnroe

*LONG ATP GRASS WINNING STREAKS*
65...Roger Federer, 2003-08
41...Bjorn Borg, 1976-81
23...John McEnroe, 1980-82
23...Pete Sampras, 1994-96
23...Pete Sampras, 1998-00

*MOST ATP FINAL MEETINGS*
20...Lendl vs. McEnroe
16...Agassi vs. Sampras
16...Becker vs. Edberg
15...Connors vs. McEnroe
14...Federer vs. Nadal



All for now.

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BACKSPIN TIME CAPSULE: 1990 Wimbledon

Before Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal made headlines for stringing together a trilogy of grand slam finals at a single event over a three-year period in Paris (and could do it again in London), Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker did it first at Wimbledon from 1988-90.

Masters of the grass court surface, they were often times a case of polar opposites in many ways: Edberg, the characteristically serene Swede who was a fluid serve and volley expert who'd taken to living in London, and Becker, the power-serving, emotionally-charged red-headed West German known to throw his body around the court and enjoy the European nightlife.

But Wimbledon was where their two sometimes-divergent paths met to great effect. In a six-year period between 1985-90, the brief span between the dominant SW19 eras of Bjorn Borg/John McEnroe and Pete Sampras, the pair won five titles and met each other in those three final matches, the third of which came in 1990, when they battled in a five-set classic where each momentum swing was massive and full... and the final reversal in the match's concluding games determined the champion.

Let's crack open the time capsule door and experience a blast from the past, as I saw it back in July 1990...



"The Third is a Tale of Three Matches" (July 1990)

Stefan Edberg vs. Boris Becker.

1988. 1989. 1990.

This is starting to get stale, right? It has to, doesn't it? The same two men playing in the Wimbledon Gentlemen's final for three years running is bound to get repetitious, isn't it? Wrong. In fact, it is turning out that the opposite is the real fact -- and one of the all-time rivalries (ala Borg-McEnroe and Evert-Navratilova) is materializing right before our eyes.


Sometimes It Matters Who's on the Other Side of the Net

Edberg, 24, the silent Swede once again slipped through this fortnight while causing a remarkably small amount of noise. Of course, with most of the media attention being paid to Becker and the mission of Ivan Lendl to win his first Wimbledon it was a little easier than usual to accomplish his usual feat. Edberg admits that he is "quite a calm person," but that's like Donald Trump saying he's in a little financial trouble. This man has won an Olympic Medal (a singles Bronze in Seoul in 1988, after winning the '84 demonstration event in L.A. that preceded tennis' re-introduction as an Olympic medal sport), a junior Grand Slam in 1983, and has been ranked in the Top 5 for years, but he is still not nearly as well known as Becker, Lendl or even Andre Agassi.

The Londonite went into this tournament not playing his best (a 1st Round loss in the French Open) and a loser of three grand slam finals in a row ('89 French, '89 Wimbledon and '90 Australian), but by the end of the two weeks he was crushing Lendl and starting to show "the look." This is, of course, the best way to describe Edberg when he goes into his zone of immortality and plays better than anyone could ever be expected to play, when his opponent is as helpless as an ant, and when every shot seems to find a line or an angle to work to Edberg's advantage. Sure, other players can dominate opponents. But Edberg can make them invisible, and when he is "on" no one, and I mean no one, can beat him. For much of the afternoon of this Sunday in July, he was IN that zone. Guess what? He won, 6-2/6-2/3-6/3-6/6-4 over Becker -- though it was a tale of two matches, or maybe even three.

Becker, 22, came into this final with a tough tournament behind him and a hard-fought semifinal match with 18-year old Goran Ivanisevic still fresh in his mind and body. This was the West German's fifth Wimbledon final appearance in the last six years, having won three times and lost once (defeating Edberg in '89, after having lost to him in '88).

Becker has the potential to be the best Wimbledon champion ever when one considers he is still not yet 23 years old, but he's had some problems off the court in the past with the German press and his free lifestyle (which probably played a role in his '87 2nd Round defeat by Peter Doohan). Whether that will play a role in the future is not known, but it should be noted that East German figure skater Katarina Witt was present in the Friends Box for this match -- something which could certainly bring even closer scrutiny if it turns out that they are more than just friends. But even with all the attention that Becker attracts in West Germany (even as he lives outside the country), he was still the second story on the sports pages there this day. You see, West Germany defeated Argentina for the World Cup title in Rome -- and that's more important than even a fourth Wimbledon title for Becker would have been. Right? Well, I guess if they think so.

The day before the final, Becker said that the winner of the match would be the one who gets "out of bed in a better frame of mind." These two men are that close on the dirt with their dominating games of serve and volley (Edberg) and, well, mostly serve (Becker). This tale of three matches was to be one of the most memorable in some time.

The 1st set was, at best, what it would look like if Edberg went up against you or me. The only thing was that Becker has won three Wimbledon titles and is one of the best grass court players ever. The Swede showed "the look" and crushed a seemingly tired and disinterested Becker in 29 minutes for a 6-2 advantage.

The 2nd set was just a continuation of the clinic, as Edberg hit conceivably every line and net cord shot known to man and crushed every other shot with superb volleys at the net. He won fifteen consecutive points on his serve and displayed the same "human backboard" juggernaut form that he did in the 1988 final. Edberg won 6-2 again, in just 27 minutes, as Becker scored just ten total points. But one of those points, a net cord winner, came near the end of the set and would set the tone for the next portion of the match.

Act II began with Becker not even trying to chase down an Edberg lob which was imminently reachable. That may have been the straw that broke the proverbial camel's back, because from that point on Becker was the '89 champ once again rather than the helpless amateur he had earlier appeared to be. A string of stinging backhand return winners started the snowball down the hill. Becker began to correct his game with shorter backswings and ran away with the set 6-3 while holding a 22-8 advantage in winners.

The 4th set was a virtual photocopy of the 3rd. Becker had effectively changed the tone of the match and totally reversed the momentum to his favor. One wondered whether the two had switched clothes when we weren't looking right after the 2nd set. A confident Becker once again won 6-3 and looked to be well on his way to becoming the first champion since Henri Cochet in 1927 to come back in the final after being down two sets to love.

Act III set up a fitting final battle in this showdown, as both players went at it with all that they had left. But Edberg, possibly trying too hard to blow away Becker, had a number of double faults to give the West German what appeared an insurmountable 3-1 lead. But the Swede got an unexpected break and "the look" was back for a final reprise. Tied 4-4, a costly Becker error on an easy shot off an Edberg lob attempt at the net turned the tide of emotion one last time.

Yes, EMOTION.

I know it's not a word generally associated with Edberg unless it's preceded by "the lack of," but that wasn't the case this time around. In the last two games, the silent Swede made noise and pumped ala Jimmy Connors (and Becker himself) all the way until the end when the West German hit a return long and gave Edberg the set and the match at 6-4.



Edberg launched a ball into the stands in ecstasy (and later threw two shirts to the crowd in an unforeseeable and probably one-of-a-kind Edberg display). The hug from Becker after the match only gave us one more indication that these two bring out the best in one another like no two other male stars around.

A look at this new matchup for the ages makes expectations only grow. Becker and Edberg are just 22 and 24, respectively, and will in time fight for #1 (they rank #2 and #3 now) between one another once Lendl leaves the game, and maybe before since Edberg WILL be #1 if he wins the U.S. Open in September. Becker, who is virtually unbeatable on Centre Court is now 22-2 there... and guess who beat him those two times.

These two men, between them, have won five of the last six Wimbledon titles and have now faced each other in a trilogy of Centre Court matches from 1988-90. Am I crazy, or is there a terrific feeling of the beginning of something very special going on here?

=1990 NOTES=
...Ivan Lendl, #1 in the world, skipped the French Open and his grass court game peaked the weekend BEFORE Wimbledon began. Will he ever win there?

...Andre Agassi, 20, skipped Wimbledon once again (he hasn't played since a 1987 1st Round loss to Henri Leconte). I guess he was too busy washing one of his cars.

...John McEnroe, playing extensively for the first time since his ejection from and suspension after the Australian in January, lost his 1st Round match to Derrick Rostagno. One year after making the semis, it looks as if the Mac will never be back.

...Goran Ivanisevic, 18, from Split, Yugoslavia had the true breakthrough of the fortnight. A friend of Monica Seles, he became the first Yugoslav to reach the semis since Slobodan Zivojinovic in 1986. The lanky (6-feet-4, 161 lbs.) new star was ranked #954 in 1987, #371 in 1988, came into this Wimbledon at #38 and will surely climb higher if he can continue his recent superb play (he also reached the QF at the '90 French and the '89 Australian).

Ivansevic's "ties" to Becker and McEnroe make him one interesting character. His monster serve (105 aces in the tourney, and 28 vs. Kevin Curren) is reminiscent of a young Becker (who readily admits as much), as was the interest two years ago by Becker manager Ion Tiriac in becoming Ivanisevic's manager (Goran's family said no). But even more telling is his performances against the West German himself. The Yugoslav defeated Becker ten days before the French in an exhibition, in the 1st Round of the French, and nearly upset him at Wimbledon in the semifinal before a crucial game slipped from his grasp (it would have given him a two sets to love lead) and Becker's experience took control of the match. As for McEnroe, his legacy is his temper (which doesn't appear to be that evident these days in Goran, at least not as much as it used to be). The 18-year old was at one time suspended by the Yugoslavian Tennis Federation for spitting on an umpire. Mac would be proud. The American himself was almost the focus of his wrath when Mac accidentally left the grounds after his 1st Round loss with some of Ivanisevic's rackets. The new star said he was angry for a while, until the rackets were sent back the next day. Oh, well.

The future looks bright for this one. We could be seeing the man who will challenge Becker and Edberg in future Wimbledon finals.

Goodbye departed Standing Room Only, bomb scares, the grunting "fiasco" and the pied wagtails of Centre Court. Until next time, that is.



*THREE STRAIGHT SLAM FINALS - OPEN ERA*
Edberg vs. Becker, Wimbledon 1988-90
Nadal vs. Federer, Roland Garros 2006-08
-
NOTE: Federer/Nadal could face each other in final for third straight Wimbledon, 2006-08

*MOST ATP FINAL MEETINGS*
20...Lendl vs. McEnroe
16...Agassi vs. Sampras
16...BECKER vs. EDBERG
15...Connors vs. McEnroe
13...Federer vs. Nadal#
13...Becker vs. Lendl
--
#- post-Roland Garros '08



The hoped-for continuation of this great Wimbledon rivalry never materialized. Surprisingly, 1990 was Edberg's last appearance in a Wimbledon final (he reached the SF in 1991 and '93), and Becker never won Wimbledon title #4, though he was runner-up again in '91 (to Michael Stich) and '95 (Sampras).

Edberg knocked Lendl out of the #1 position in August of 1990, then was replaced himself by Becker in January '91 after the German (East and West Germany had officially reunited in October '90) won the Australian Open. The pair traded the top ranking back and forth throughout that season. Edberg ultimately held the #1 spot for 72 weeks in his career, while Becker never seemed interested in maintaining the top ranking after he'd reached his stated goal of getting there (he only held the spot for 12 weeks in his career).

Edberg and Becker met 35 times in their careers, with Becker notching 25 victories, including nine of the final ten meetings that occurred after the '90 Wimbledon final (he was forced to retire from the one match he lost). They met three times in Davis Cup finals in their careers, with West Germany winning twice and Becker going 3-0 against Edberg in singles during those ties. Their final meeting came on the grass at Queen's Club in '96, with Becker winning 6-4/7-6.

That I would say "even Andre Agassi" hints at his "style over substance" persona at the time. In 1990, he had yet to win a slam and was making a habit of tanking an occasional match and finding an excuse to avoid the All-England Club and its all-white attire policy (he being of the denim shorts and day-glow bicycle pants not long before). After losing in three straight slam finals in 1990-91, he finally won his first major title in '92... at, of all places, Wimbledon. Not long afterward, Agassi's remarkable re-making of his career and reputation began. In the end, he won eight slams and in 1999 became the fifth man to complete a career Grand Slam by winning all four slam events at least once. He married Steffi Graf, had two children, became known for his off-the-court charitable work with kids... and still managed to reach the U.S. Open final in 2005 at age 35. He retired in 2006 as possibly the most respected player and person in the sport. Go figure.

Lendl, who once said he didn't like Wimbledon because he was allergic to grass (then was photographed playing golf soon afterward), never did win Wimbledon. But give credit to the Czech for never giving up trying, as he reached two finals (1986-87) and five SF. He's now something of a forgotten all-time great. He won eight slams, reached an amazing nineteen slam finals (including eight straight U.S. Opens), and was ranked #1 for 270 weeks. Ultimately, though, his stern on-court persona in the lively Connors/McEnroe era "earned/saddled" him with the Sports Illustrated-given title of "The Champion That Nobody Cares About."



McEnroe would reach the SF of the U.S. Open later in the summer of '90, but was never the force again that he'd been in the early 1980's. His final Wimbledon singles glory came when he reached the SF in 1992, losing to eventual champion Agassi.

Ivanisevic turned out to be one of the most entertaining players in tennis over the next decade. He appeared in four Wimbledon finals, but fell victim to both Agassi ('92) and Sampras ('94 & '98), losing to both in a pair of five-set finals. But not giving up on his Wimbledon dream, Ivanisevic stuck around. After needing a wild card to get into the '01 draw, he finally won his SW19 crown in another five-setter (9-7 in the 5th) against Patrick Rafter in a rare Monday final that was delayed because of rain. His mission complete, and after a raucous celebration back home, the Croat was never a factor in a slam again and retired two years later. But we'll always have that hilarious "Two Goran's" interview he conducted with himself for NBC's coverage back in '01.

Becker had burst onto the tennis scene as an unseeded 17-year old in just his second Wimbledon in 1985 (he'd retired with an injury the year before), when he used his thundering serves and belly-flopping play at the net to win over crowds and fans (including a certain Backspinner) while stunning his opponents. Quite unlike many brash young athletes, though, Becker always seemed to have a thoughtful and philosophical attitude. As a teen, he expressed his aversion to the "Boom-Boom" moniker given to him in the press due to his powerful serve, disliking the German war-time connotations it summoned.

Becker defended his SW19 title in 1986, and reached the final six times in seven years from 1985-91 (and seven times in his career). He won six slams in ten appearances in finals (his last crown came at the '96 Australian), and won Olympic Gold in doubles with Stich in '92. He ranks tenth all-time in career ATP titles (49) and, after having "retired" in 1997, returned for one final fling at Wimbledon in '99, where he lost in the Round of 16 at age 31.

Edberg won back-to-back U.S. Open titles in 1991-92, and was the Australian runner-up in 1992-93 following the '90 Wimbledon. He won 41 career titles (13th), including six slams in eleven slam final appearances. With over 800 match wins, he ranks sixth all-time in ATP history, and is fifth in total career matches played. A Top 10 player every year from 1985-94, he retired in 1996.

Neither Becker nor Edberg ever won Roland Garros, though. Edberg reached the 1989 final, while Becker's best results were three semifinals.

The Wimbledon image of the indomitable-but-silent Swede has since been eclipsed by the exploits of both Sampras and Federer in recent years (that paragraph from '90 about Edberg's "zone of immortality" could easily be applied to Federer these days). In fact, his mastery is almost lost to history, it seems -- he's not even the most memorable Swedish champ at Wimbledon, thanks to Borg's continually strong legacy.

We rarely see Edberg anymore, or hear his name. It's a shame, really. The same fate will likely befall the female Wimbledon champion whose classic serve-and-volley fluidity is most reminiscent of Edberg's -- Amelie Mauresmo. I can remember times when Edberg would so dominate Wimbledon opponents with in-point grace that whole games seemed to fly by with hardly a sound being made on the court, what with his picture-perfect court positioning at the net and his exquisitely-angled volleys producing such clean winners he made things look almost too easy... even more so than Federer, sometimes.

Becker continued to have battles with the overzealous German press, and was the subject of several headline-grabbing stories about his personal life, including a salacious paternity suit and tax evasion case. But Boris perseveres. You still occasionally hear him doing tennis commentary work, and just this week during American TV coverage of Wimbledon he starred in ads hyping his involvement with an internet poker site (his "new game"). Thus, the always-charismatic Becker Train moves forever forward. As it should.

All for now.



NEXT UP: 1991 U.S. Open - Connors' Magical Trip to New York
PREVIOUS TIME CAPSULES: 1987 Roland Garros (Graf), 1990 Wimbledon (Navratilova)

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