i felt bad for roddick at the end cause god knows when or if he will get to the wimbledon finals again, but i was soooo for FEDERER!!!! YES!!! he is just so hellooova good!
@meloroast: I have faith in Andy. We'll see him in another Slam final again. There were lots of people who thought he wasn't going to be here this year.
Shoot - there were people yapping last year who thought Roger wouldn't be here this year. I am glad he's decided he can't just rely on his gifts from God and has to go to the gym like the rest of us. (He said he'd kind of gotten a grip on the fitness issue during clay season.)
I like Roddick but the test of a truly great champion is whether or not you can raise your game and believe in yourself enough to win against the odds. Serena did it in her semi final at match point against her and Roger did it today. Therefore, he deserved to win and not Andy.It seems he and Roger are friends and they, along with Bjorn Borg and Rod Laver were interviewed by the board, where they inscribe the name of all the champions. They ensure that BEFORE the new champion has even left the court, they will see their name up there. At least with an all Williams final, they only have to quickly add the correct initial. Great to see tennis history made in my home town at the end of a superb match. Mind you, I remember seeing Pete Sampras also making tennis history at Wimbledon before his record was broken by Roger today. I wonder if I will live to see Roger's record broken?
I've never liked Roddick until today, when he not only played a great match, he was gracious about it afterward (I hate the on-court interviews, though). I think now I might become a fan. I kept thinking of that scene in "Cinderella Man" while I watched him play, where the fighter who beat (sorry, can't remember his name) Russell Crowe's character at an earlier time turns to his manager and says, "That's not the same guy."
@Sunflowercat: his speech was very gracious and almost won me over until he actually interrupted Federer's speech to say "yeah but you already had five" and then actually did the disgusted head shake.
You know what though? IMO he still gets a pass. It's Wimbledon, very few people - even you - thought you would ever get near a Slam final again, you almost beat Roger, he doesn't even break you until the end of your fifth set ...
I'm not sure I could have been that/i> gracious.
And I know, Wimbledon, sportsmanship, blah blah ...
I have a few words for the AEC this year. "Looks of ladies players" influencing priority of Center Court placement? *snort* Don't jaw on about sportsmanship to me until you can get that one straightened out in your own clubhouse, please. The defending champion goes on Center Court from the QF match on. That is all. Are we done? Thank you.
/ mini-rant
Remember how much hell people gave Roger (see upthread, for example) for crying at the AO.
I was so tense the whole match, from the moment Andy won the first game in the first set I was freaking out. I'm glad Roger pulled through. He's awesome.
@Rooo sez BISH PLZ: True that. I was waiting for Roger to break him at any moment. I figured it'd be a four-set match, but I was surprised at how Andy endured. Normally against Federer, he'd choke.
@podsypoodle: The 2-year old clearly knows the score.
I still have a Rafa-sized hole in my tournament watching - it's been there since RG. I've been trying not to talk about it and bring down the entire board, but ... *sigh*
There are a few more downthread. I was chatting with bluebears about how tennis season always has something lovely to look forward to as long as Roger and Rafa play.
I sort of wish everyone (everyone = broadcasters, CNN, etc) would stop calling Federer the top grand slam winner of all time. He's the top MALE grand slam winner, yes. There are 5 women who have won more grand slam singles titles than him.
Just saying.
Also, utterly and completely heartbroken for Andy. My heart was jumping out of my chest that whole match.
@mwaussie: But men are the only real athletes! Who remembers Steffi Graff anyway? I mean all she ever did was marry Andre Agassi (beloved) and have a few little tennis babies, M I RITE?!
@chancentrate: I cried for Andy. And then Roger had the audacity to say "Well Rafa isn't here" in his "I'm the greatest" interview on the court. I could have smacked him with the racket when he showed off the fifteen on his ass.
I guess I'm in the minority thinking that as magnificently as Andy played, it was not inappropriate for Roger to remember Rafa here. After all, in 7 appearances, he's been the *only* player to take that trophy away from Roger once, no?
@Rooo sez BISH PLZ: Yea, I thought Rafa deserved to be mentioned for his own sake, not because Andy wasn't worthy, and I think that's how Roger meant it.
@Rooo sez BISH PLZ: I realize I am way too late to weigh in on this, but I agree! They pulled that out of him by asking the question. It's on everyone's minds anyway, so it had to be said.
I remember last year at this time everyone was discounting Roger, saying he's had a great career, but he's old, and it's over.
What of it now, McEnroe? Remember when I was shouting at you through the tv that Roger had mono and was still amazing, and you were like it's over, old chap!? Do you have anything you want to say now?
@queenieinmanhattan: I know, right? He was going all ass-gerbil on all three of them. While at the same time trying to get them to discount their entire careers.
@sympathyforthebasementcat: Even John-John interviewed Roger like a gentleman, although he couldn't resist a dig or two at Borg in the later interviews (which I have to admit I personally found kind of funny).
@bluebears: Oh, blue -- thats's what home equipment is for. Roger was making history.
(And really - after last year's magnificence - which was still the Greatest Wimbledon Men's Singles Final of All Time IMO, A-Rod notwithstanding - weren't you at least a little prepared for what today's schedule might be?)
@bluebears: Hee. Come on. There's the aesthetic appreciation part too! Tennis men are some of the most beautiful athletes there are. And they are eloquent in lovely accents. (I'm partial to Rafa in his Castilian and Catalan, but Roger doing his French Open acceptance speeches with that guttural German accent? Droolworthy. You have no idea.)
And that's just a small sample.
I'm afraid you're on your own for Safin pictures. If I post any the thread might spontaneously combust.
16 games to 14 in the fifth set. Insanity. The entire fiber of my being would've dissolved trying to play that one set, let alone the four previous sets. I would've quite simply dropped dead on the floor. Dead I tells ya!
@pond-side-over: I don't know how they did it. Neither one of them even looked winded. At least year Rafa had the grace to look a little tired at the end before climbing all over the pressbox.
@wordinedgewise: I'm back to hating Roger. I warmed to him for two years, but that's all over. All the "Fifteen!" shit just pushed me over the edge. You couldn't break Andy until the last fucking point!
@sympathyforthebasementcat: I love Roger but I was rooting for Roddick by the end - his tenacity was amazing. Poor guy. My mum was primarily worried that Mirka was going into labour in the final set.
@DexterHaven: Seeing how tumultuous Roddick's career has been these past few years, this was a victory for him. He was there, and he played the best match I've ever seen him play. This was a historic match and he'll be remembered as a worthy competitor.
@Alys Brangwin knows who's bad: Middle one does nothing for me. That's a great pic of Andy. Is it from 6 years ago when he won his only grand slam title?*
*I really do like Andy, just can't resist a little shit talk
@sympathyforthebasementcat: I'm so torn. I have been a Roger-Rafa girl for years, rolling my eyes whenever they put a mic in front of Andy's face. Now I'm going to have to wear red, white, gold and blue for the USO. I need Tim Gunn -- I think he's the only one who'll be able to make that work.
Andy, thank you for a precious 4th of July holiday.
Kisses,
Rooo (your American fan who you know also loves Roger and Rafa because you saw what I wore last year and because I had good seats at your practice and good ears I remember what you had to say about it :D)
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Shoot - there were people yapping last year who thought Roger wouldn't be here this year. I am glad he's decided he can't just rely on his gifts from God and has to go to the gym like the rest of us. (He said he'd kind of gotten a grip on the fitness issue during clay season.)
RROOOOOOOOGGGGGGEEEEEEERRRRRRRRRR...!!!!
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And still hilarious. "Sorry, Pete, I tried to hold him off ..." LOL.
*waves flag*
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classy until almost the very end....
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You know what though? IMO he still gets a pass. It's Wimbledon, very few people - even you - thought you would ever get near a Slam final again, you almost beat Roger, he doesn't even break you until the end of your fifth set ...
I'm not sure I could have been that/i> gracious.
And I know, Wimbledon, sportsmanship, blah blah ...
I have a few words for the AEC this year. "Looks of ladies players" influencing priority of Center Court placement? *snort* Don't jaw on about sportsmanship to me until you can get that one straightened out in your own clubhouse, please. The defending champion goes on Center Court from the QF match on. That is all. Are we done? Thank you.
/ mini-rant
Remember how much hell people gave Roger (see upthread, for example) for crying at the AO.
In conclusion: pass. A big one.
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Like Roger - maybe it's time to get a bigger plane. :D
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Congratulations, Andy, for your genius performance in your final.
Congratulations, Venus, for your performance in your final and your 4th doubles championship.
Congratulations, Serena, for your doubles championship and your 3rd ladies singles' championship.
We love you.
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I still have a Rafa-sized hole in my tournament watching - it's been there since RG. I've been trying not to talk about it and bring down the entire board, but ... *sigh*
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There are a few more downthread. I was chatting with bluebears about how tennis season always has something lovely to look forward to as long as Roger and Rafa play.
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Well you came
And you played without breaking
In a glorious match
Oh Andy
Well you served
And stopped Roger for some time
But bad luck came your way
Oh Andy
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Just saying.
Also, utterly and completely heartbroken for Andy. My heart was jumping out of my chest that whole match.
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@Alys Brangwin knows who's bad: When he said that about Rafa, I honestly wanted to punch him in the face.
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I guess I'm in the minority thinking that as magnificently as Andy played, it was not inappropriate for Roger to remember Rafa here. After all, in 7 appearances, he's been the *only* player to take that trophy away from Roger once, no?
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Obvi. :D
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What of it now, McEnroe? Remember when I was shouting at you through the tv that Roger had mono and was still amazing, and you were like it's over, old chap!? Do you have anything you want to say now?
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(And really - after last year's magnificence - which was still the Greatest Wimbledon Men's Singles Final of All Time IMO, A-Rod notwithstanding - weren't you at least a little prepared for what today's schedule might be?)
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And that's just a small sample.
I'm afraid you're on your own for Safin pictures. If I post any the thread might spontaneously combust.
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[URL=http://img222.imageshack.us/i/maratsafinun7.jpg/][IMG][img222.imageshack.us]][/URL] [URL=http://g.imageshack.us/img222/maratsafinun7.jpg/1/][IMG][img222.imageshack.us]][/URL]
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Did you think the thread was immune to the Marat Effect?
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*I really do like Andy, just can't resist a little shit talk
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Andy, thank you for a precious 4th of July holiday.
Kisses,
Rooo (your American fan who you know also loves Roger and Rafa because you saw what I wore last year and because I had good seats at your practice and good ears I remember what you had to say about it :D)
07/05/09
"Middle one ...?"
That is the RAFANATOR.
Don't hate. Appreciate.
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