The Thriller on the Centre Court Villa

Sometimes in sports, we sports writers over indulge in grandiloquent adjectives and ambiguous analogies like this sentence.

And at times, we have a habit at dabbling with them at the wrong moments. They make our job more difficult than it seems, and we place distraction on the readers and ourselves instead of focusing intently on what we are seeing with our eyes. We make the job more difficult than it should really be.

Instead of letting what we witness come to our minds, we fall into a trap of creating or, even more perilously, fabricating a reality that isn’t congruent to what actually happened.

In essence, it would do a total disservice to mention an element that had nothing to do with this match. In fact, even the pre-match hype and the post-match breathtaking moments to think about the glory that transpired in front our irises, retinas, and every part of our ontological perspective can’t be tied together to this 2008 Wimbledon gentleman’s final.

That match made those outside factors become irrelevant the moment that fourth set concluded, though the standard of play, coupled with the rising drama of the day, had long ago made it so.

“The thriller on the Centre Court Villa.”

It was a match that was all about itself. And nothing else.

It wasn’t about the talk of a legendary figure’s last defense of his lofty throne at his first and most precious domicile. It wasn’t about the rivalry generated from the determined brilliance of his Spanish counterpart on the other side of the net, trying to get the title precious to his soul. It wasn’t about a sixth title or a first title. A 13th Grand Slam or a 5th one. It wasn’t about whether their previous match would factor in. And it wasn’t even about what else transpired during the first 12 days of the fortnight.

It was about that last day, and with all respect to the mixed doubles final and its participants of the Bryan brothers, Samantha Stosur and Lisa Raymond, this was the final match of this tournament.

A match that was thee match on its own merit.

A duel that will equal the top duels in tennis history, probably establish itself as the greatest final in the sports’ history.

But forget the comparisons to yesteryear. This match is in its own stratosphere, its own assortment of memorable moments cased by two indelible figures. But they weren’t the only ones apart of it, because the weather certainly made sure it factored in with its great gust of wind and tears from the sky. So did those impassioned fans, who went from concerned about the match ending in straight sets to becoming rapped along in a spectacle drama. Only that was possible by both players entering a unique and near unconscious zone titled “Refuse to Lose.”

“Refuse to Lose” is a place for solely the exceptional. It’s more perfect than any worker’s utopia, more defined than just entering “The zone.” It is an area that encompasses an amalgamation of sheer will along with disciplined nerve. It can leave you breathless with how the fight to prevent one’s self can capture the human imagination. And it can capture the human soul.

“Refuse to Lose” came into inception in this match, when Roger Federer was facing a deflating three sets to love defeat in the eyes at 0-40, 3-3 in that third set, at the hands of Rafael Nadal. From that moment on, from that survival in that game to stave off that horrible feeling, to serving that clinching ace on set point to get the epic comeback belief pumping, the Swiss had joined the Spaniard in that realm.

“Refuse to Lose”, a motto both of these men enthuse to everyone tuned into their duel to the utter death. The fourth set hit your sense of euphoria if you were a neutral fan of this match. Once again, instead of harboring on things to compare the events of this match, just the description will only come close to matching the actions that inspired them:

Federer “refusing to lose” by getting out of a 0-30 jam at 3-4. Nadal “refusing to lose” not trying to give him any itch by surrendering any break points in the set. Federer “refusing to lose” his serve to force the set into a tiebreak.

The match, itself, “refusing to lose” its chance at being something to saver forever, because only it knew what was about to unfold.

The second tiebreaker of the match was an 18 point display that seemed to matter more than any other one in history.

Both players, already masters of the defense to offense and vice versa, took it to a level the game’s greats had nothing seen before. The defense to more defense in order to get that precious offense. The defense that turned out to be actual offense. The offense that ended up as the unfortunately as defense.

It was a constant mutation of who would be the puncher, who would be the counterpuncher, and who would play to their roles at the same time perfectly.

They raised the stakes by following their own formats, their own ways. “Refuse to lose” vociferated through their minds. It wavered in Nadal’s head when he was 5-2 up, two points from winning. A double fault, his last of the match, followed by a backhand into the net. The first time you ever saw signs of tension getting to Nadal.

But “refusing to lose” quickly came back to his soul immediately. Down set point, Nadal scrambled enough like always to force Federer to an easy forehand miss. Change sides, six all. Then, he coerced him into another inaccurate forehand.

First championship point.

But “The thriller on the Centre Court Villa” wouldn’t be anything if neither gentleman exited the “Refuse to lose” zone, no matter what they faced. For Federer, he was staring again at the door, trying to get pushed out by Nadal. He controlled his own destiny on the first attempt, an emphatic serve winner.

Then, came that forehand past at seven-all from Nadal. That spectacular running forehand effort that went by a stretching Federer. For most, that would have been the end of a match. A resignation of “Just too good today” or “It wasn’t meant to be for me after all” type statements. Most would have certainly left the “Refuse to lose” zone after seeing such a devastating blow hit to them.

Not this man, not this prideful champion, not like this.

Second championship point, Nadal looking for that glorious win, going for that moment with more conviction than at 5-2 and 5-3. A deep forehand with a purposeful charge to the net, playing it like the champion at Wimbledon he wanted to be, just like the man across the net. He denied that moment that Nadal wanted so badly with a one-handed backhand pass for the ages. It couldn’t be struck better, by anyone better.

8-all.

Two points of supreme aggression later, from the one on the cusp of leaving the “Refuse to lose” zone just a minute or so ago, a fifth and deciding set hits us. Hits the television cameras, the phtographers’ lenses, the irises and the retinas of those fortunate to have them properly working. It even hit the endocrine system of the man desperate to keep his coveted position, leading him to take a quick bathroom break before the famous finish unveiled itself to us.

Fifth set of “The thriller on the Centre Court Villa”, begin.

The same themes continued though the first four games, with another rain delay in between. Thoughts of whether this match would be grand enough for one day loomed larger and larger, in similar proportion to the drama it was producing. Both men clinical on serve at the resumption of play, revealing in the all court war of explosion that each inflicted on each other. The fans seemly divided into an imaginary demarcation of being on the side of one “R” or the other “R.” Both sets of supporters, whether it was Federer’s longtime girlfriend Mirka or Nadal’s parents, about as tight as their players’ headbands. It was truly a moment when you felt like holding the hand of maybe even your mortal enemy.

The rain stops, play resumes as the night beckons.

Deuce, 2-all. Federer responses with two serves, Nadal can’t touch either one of them. 3-2, then 3-3, then 4-3.

Then, it seemed like Nadal finally was feeling the effects of being so close but yet so far. He the one now placed in the teetering position, on the edge of the “Refuse to lose” door. 30-40, five points away from a lost that would feel ten times more painful than the final score would show. But like Federer, he doesn’t want to leave this place. Powerful forehand that Federer can’t handle. He holds.

4-4. Then 5-4, then 5-5.

Once again, all of a sudden. Federer is pushed to that exit door. 15-40, Federer facing two break points, Nadal five points away from victory again. His response: Another timely ace, and then a forehand that Nadal can’t control on his backhand. 6-5, pressure back on Nadal.

Just like Federer felt on that backhand past at 7-all in the fourth set tiebreak, most would have been devastated and demoralized losing two break points, losing two match points the way Nadal did. And just like Federer however, he wasn’t ready to leave that “Refuse to lose” zone. 6-6.

Pressure back on Federer, in a 0-30 hold again. He gets out of it with that clinical serve of his, 7-6. Pressure back on Nadal, pressure erased again by him. 7-7

Suddenly, it was getting to that time in the match when destiny would have to help one man usher out the other out of the “Refuse to Lose” zone. It finally had to facilitate in the dirty work of ending something near and dear to our hearts.

It had to make one made the winner, and one the loser.

0-30 down again was Federer, and then two points later, 15-40 position of woe returned. So did him stepping up to the occasion, another ace, and another aggressive dictation with his forehand. Deuce.

Two points later, a second deuce.

And then, destiny and Nadal pushed Federer one step out of the door. It caused one miss on that faithful forehand at deuce, and another one on the sixth break point of the set for Nadal.

8-7 to Nadal, one game away now on his serve, entering the 16th game of the ultimate set.

The match resumes

The forehand long from Nadal to begin the game. 0-15.

The serve and volley out of nowhere. 15-all.

“Refuse to lose.”

Another clutch serve and volley winner, the unexpected of the unexpected in a match where that is the sole measure of standard. 30-15.

Another timely, placid backhand pass from Federer. 30-all.

Nadal forcing play with an intrepid spirit to get a backhand wide from Federer.

Third championship point.

Federer once again, for the umpteenth time in a match that will be remembered for umpteen centuries, shows his intrepid spirit, producing improbable magic with a backhand return followed by several “OH MY GOODNESS” from around the world. Deuce!

He’s not ready to leave.

Does this moment not faze either of them, at all?!

Nadal steps up, somehow broken only one time in this match and still not the winner at a quarter past nine. Three match points gone, and all of them producing not a single choke job from him.

They all resulted from the guts and glory of the man on the other side of the net. Any other person would have said “This isn’t my day, it just can’t be.” But this man from Mallorca, along with this man from Gstaad, takes full residence in the “Refuse to Lose” zone.

Ball toss in the air, and two strokes after seeing another backhand go past him on a match point, Nadal had forced a fourth one. “Refuse to lose” now transformed into something different, because at this stage, no one was a “loser.” Nadal step up again, bouncing the ball with no more threats of a time violation from Pascual Maria, waiting patiently for the final cries from the fans of whomever they backed.

First serve in.

Forehand return from Federer.

Backhand cross court from Nadal.

Then, on the fourth stroke of the 413th point of this masterpiece, Roger Federer didn’t leave the “Refuse to Lose” zone, even if he hit a backhand in the net to suffer the lost of his throne at his most valued home.

Instead, Rafael Nadal entered the “I Won” zone.

Down in relief, stretched out on the ground he was after four hours and 48 minutes of tennis that was more than about tennis. It was about the brilliance of the genre we call sports. The flash bulbs were in total effect for photos, whether digital or other, will hopefully never be deleted from our minds or our cardiac muscle.

There’s no need for direct quotes or psycho-analyzing to see how happy and elated Nadal and his camp is and will be feeling. There’s no need to do the same to look into how dejected and sad Federer and his camp is and will be feeling. That’s for another time, another piece.

Because “The thriller on the Centre Court Villa” speaks only about itself. And it has every selfish right in the world to do as so.

Knowing Your Place

Serena Williams thought she was going to out tough her sister again. The 2002 and 2003 champion of Wimbledon figured once the final with Venus was an actual reality that she was going to follow the same script and hector her older sibling off the court.

And could you blame her for not using the same strategy? It’s the Serena way, and if you thought that was always going to be a little tempered down because Venus Williams was across the net, just like Bill Simmons you haven’t been watching tennis for the last decade.

It was working just like it did the last five finals that they have played for a Grand Slam title, a reason coming into the match why Serena had eight Grand Slams, all the majors, and why Venus had six. The first two games were thro dominations, making Venus play for putting in second serves and delivering serves like did against Agnieska Radwanska and Jie Zheng.

Already up 2-0, imposing her will yet again.

Then a moment happened in the match that may swing the battles that these two sisters may have in the future back into the hands of the elder. It wasn’t the sole reason for why the four time champion became a five time winner instead of the second time titlist becoming a third. But it was the paradigm for the 7-5, 6-4 result not going the way of the younger sister.

Because when Serena tried to hit a backhand passing shot right at Venus to try and force deuce in a third game that was a must hold for the title holder, there were no signs of faltering from the one coincidently sharing the same name as the titled trophy. Instead of dumping it into the night and submitting to Serena’s at times intimidating will, all Venus did was hold her ground and deftly volley a double hander right across the net. On the scoreboard, simply by making the best statement she could make at that instance.

No signs of early capitulating, no signs of mental fragility against Serena this time around, no matter how hard she tried to induce it. Venus Williams showed to her 26 year old sibling that today was going to be different.

And at match’s end, it certainly was.

“I hung in there and managed to get the break back,” said the now seven time Grand Slam champion to Mary Carillo after the match. “It was all about the serve and who was going to be able to return more serves, so I tried to focus on that.”

Oh did she indeed focus closely on that critical aspect of the match. After that first game of the match, where she paid the price for missing her first serve, Venus bucked down deep whenever she had to hit her second delivery. It was either feast or be famine, because she knew anything short of top quality was going to be belted by Serena. Somehow though, the aura of Centre Court and this tournament make her second serve (and forehand) go from self-destruction shots to critical constituents in her title pursuits. Her seemingly indefensible slice delivery out wide has been a staple of her legacy at SW 19. But it plays second fiddle to the one that’s near and dear to her heart.

“The body is my favorite here,” said Venus in the press conference. “I’m hitting it with a lot of pace, too.” And in a statement that you would expect more from her finals’ counterpart, Venus left one that truly represented how not only her confidence in her punishing serve, but how she wanted to win this title, even against her sister.

“ You can’t defend it.”

Serena’s response to that integral part of her sister’s game plan?

“I think that was her tactic, to serve every ball into the body,” she said. “I’m glad she did it, because next time I know what to expect.”

You had to chuckle at that response from Serena Williams there. As with Venus’ description of how effective her body serve was, that soundbite from Serena is evidence of how annoyed she was with not winning the title. It may serve as even more motivation for her than her three defeats to Justine Henin last year or her two wrong decisions to a then 17 year old Maria Sharapova in 2004. In fact, it may drive the still eight time Grand Slam champion more than even losing to Venus earlier in her career like she did.

Regardless of that fighting spirit, her tactics against her sister may need to be slightly altered. No more can she just simply rely on being tougher and outslugging her sister into submission. Normally against any other opponent, Serena would have tried to hit a cross court passing shot against Venus in that third game. But she tried to test her sister with an emphatic shot right at her, only to get burn by a volley that gave Venus the crucial point to just get a game. That costly decision was more of a staple for her defeat than the number of missed break point opportunities or her second fiddle status in the long rallies of the match. Her movement, through still good, was no where on the level of her sister’s.

And that played a huge factor in the all important transition game, where the best passing shot she could come up with against Venus was on break point in the fifth game of the first set. Unfortunately, even that cheeky backhand flick did not cause a Venus’ volley into the net. Instead, it produced a crisp winner that serve as one of the 11 break point opportunities the world number six failed to convert. Most importantly though, because the number of missed break points is so misleading, is the number of games in which she had a break point on serve that she didn’t win. In the four game on her opponent’s serve where she had break points, Serena only broke in two of them. And that second one came at the hands of Venus’ slipping on the court in the third game of what proved to be the final set.

Other than that, Serena was at the mercy of her sister’s bombing serve, especially when she was apart of Venus resetting her 129 mph record. Despite trying to stay as calm as possible out on the court (she grunted less than she did in the latter stages of the first set) with a few nice forehands and approach shots, she lost the precision that she had on serve throughout the tournament, especially in the last two matches she played. And with that, her frustration failed to wane, a massive obverse to the consistent serenity that Venus shows anywhere on any court at any time.

It was that placidness that maybe was the reason why Venus couldn’t take the title at Wimbledon against her sister in the past, why she lost five consecutive times in the big matches, in the big moments, against her. With that, she was determined to over come those past demons without changing a simple thing.

“Obviously I wanted to try and improve the record, and I didn’t want the same trend to keep happening and then be like 6-1,” she said. “So I climbed a tiny little notch up, so it’s 2-5. Still behind, but I’m working on it.”

While she goes ahead and works on that, there is no need for her to be more diligent than she needs to at Wimbledon. Five titles, two behind Martina Navitalova and four behind Steffi Graf, today sealed her status as one of the greatest grass courters of all time, if it wasn’t already sealed. And really, even at Graf’s best, could you really see her mustering up enough magic to beat Venus? Even her staunchest supporters, and Andre Agassi, would be considered irrational if they didn’t think that Venus would still own her.

Serena thought she was going to owe her sister again through her own one-way traffic approach, but was certainly abashed after the match as was dejected. She now has only five defeats this year (six if you count her withdraw to Alize Cornet at the Italian Open), but three of them now have come at the worst possible of times. She was the best player the first eight days of this year’s Australian Open, only to play a horror of a match against Jelena Jankovic in the quarterfinals (and receiving probably an imaginative letter from Maria Sharapova thinking her so for that). With Justine Henin’s shocking retirement, she looked to be in prime position to win her second French Open, only to be plagued a myriad of blown easy shots and power driven out of Roland Garros by Katrina Srebotnik.

And now, with those two defeats, she was desperate to end her Grand Slam drought by ending her Wimbledon one simultaneously. She displayed that form coming into the final, and everyone favored that her gameplan that had work against Venus in the past was going to be the difference in the match favoring her.

Instead, a look of sullenness and regret took the place of the happiness that she saw against Venus in 2002 and 2003. All the hard work that she put in wasn’t good to defeat the assiduous attitude that her sister also displayed throughout the year. “We both worked really hard this year,” said Venus. “And I think the results showed here, both in the singles and doubles.”

For Serena in the singles however, it wasn’t the result that she wanted.

“I just lost my rhythm and then I just made a lot of errors,” said the downtrodden figure. “I just couldn’t get the balls in, nothing I was doing was seeming to work.”

Including most importantly that game plan of hers. A game plan that Venus Williams doesn’t take from anyone, including her sister. And she may not take it anymore.

Euro 2008 Final Review: Just in the Nick of Time

Fernando Torres’ entire tournament was the embodiment of his country’s history from the last time they won the European Championships to their successful triumph in Vienna. Heavy expectations growing into a major competition only to bitterly disappoint.

For “El Nino”, in all honesty, the harsh treatment that he ridiculously got from some in the press, whether they were his countrymen or not, was so bad it made TMZ.com a reputable news source. They acted like he blew had legitimate chance after chance constantly, creating a narrative for some who may not have watched the tournament thoroughly (to each his own I guess) to assume that he was blowing it again for the “Rojo y Armarillo.”

With the roles reversed, it was David Villa who became the star man instead of the Liverpool forward, and you know there were some fools who thought literally that he should have been dropped for Cesc Fabregas in the starting lineup. Of course, with Villa out for the final against Germany, Luis Aragones didn’t even have to think about any such stupidity, and most importantly, Torres wasn’t fazed at all. The striker is accustomed to this, because he has been a polarizing figure ever since his emergence on the world since in 2003:

Pegged to be a superstar at Euro 2004 at the age of 20, only to engulf himself as part of the latest disappointment team for the Spanish.

Never ascending to the consistency of a world class 20 goal scorer like many thought he would be when he was Atletico Madrid and nothing less.

Failing to take the next level again along with his country two years ago at the World Cup in Germany.

And being already labeled as a bust and a terrible signing when Rafa Benitiez looked to everyone to have overpaid for him last summer, when Torres didn’t even step onto to the Anfield pitch. In four years Torres has felt his share of criticism. Whether some were wanted and some undeserved, the man had eviscerated all those talks about not being a world class forward in the Barclays Premier League this recent season.

Once again, his credentials were being placed under the microscope internationally after failing to register any goals going into the final. Was he too tired for the longest season of his domestic career? Was he not a step slow in making the runs that would get him quality service from Xavi or Andres Iniesta? Was he unlucky to not be in the spots that his partner Villa placed himself in the tournament? Was he feeling the pressure?

Sadly, there were enough voices asking this question. The one that told the real story instead of idiotic near-jerk reactions where you thought some writers needed to start breathing because oxygen couldn’t have been going in their heads with their irrational statements.

Was the press not focusing on all the other unselfish things that he was doing on the field?

No one talked about Torres giving space to Villa to exploit the Russians in their convincing opening match win. No one gave him credit for his intense work rate and effort against the impervious Italians, focusing more on him getting subbed out than his commendable on the field performance. And no one wanted to give him any credit for his diligence in the rematch against Guus Hiddink’s side. Fernando Torres was not coming through they said, through Spain was scoring two goals a match. But since he didn’t score the goals, I guess that means he wasn’t doing a damn thing, right?

Well for those foolish doubters, Torres certainly got the last laugh. His winning goal in the 33rd minute passed the terrifically offensive but just decent defending fullback Philip Lahm to toe poke one past Jens Lehmann quieted all the doubters of both him and the nation he plays for. It was a feeling of utter satisfaction for his man and his state, ending a 44 year drought of being labeled soccer’s undisputed underachievers with their 1-0 win over Germany.

Enthralled with his forwards performance, the tough minded Luis Aragones showed signs of light-hearted rapture coincided with his team and his nation’s jubilation. Highlighted in his happiness was the approbation he gave to Torres.

“Fernando is a great player for Liverpool and for our team and he can go anywhere because he has really extraordinary speed and he knows how to dribble,” said Aragones after being lifted up and down by his players after the match. “We always tell him he's a player who is so young that he can learn to do everything and there is no doubt he can be one of the best players in the world.”

For Spain, of course there were plenty of other heroes by Torres. Xavi, who seems will finally get the recognition he deserves as of the best midfielders in the sport instead of just being “underrated”, was named the player of the tournament. But it could be argued that he wasn’t the most influential middle man for this loaded Armada.

Cesc Fabregas was arguably the most critical man in this team’s side, handling Aragones’ decision of starting on the bench while Xavi’s partner was Marcos Senna with tremendous professionalism about. He knew he would get his chance to shine, and he definitely showed why he’s just as good as his Barcelona counterpart. Senna has created the argument that he and not Javier Mascherano is the best holding midfielder in the world right now with his top shelf performances. If the Villarreal man is challenging Mascherano, than Iker Castillas is threatening Gigi Buffon heavily on Earth’s premiere goalkeeper front. And Carlos Puyol proved all the doubters of his age wrong by putting in a Fabio Cannavaro type effort in this tournament.

All of them were able to place their staple on Euro 2008 from the get-go, covering any frailties that Torres may have had coming into the final. But when they were no longer able to shield him from their impressive three weeks, El Nino stormed in just in time to be at the center of the party.

“I am happy because my job is to score goals and I have done my job tonight,” said the forward in total felicitation. “But this was a victory for the unity of the group - it doesn't often happen that a group gets along so well. “

Then again, maybe he was at the center of the party from the get go.