Points won by each set: | 34-33, 32-30, 42-44, 43-41, 58-53 |
Points won directly behind the serve:
25 % Nadal – 55 of 218
34 % Federer – 68 of 195
It’s pretty safe to call this final “the best match of the first decade of the 21st Century”. Just after the final people were comparing this 5-setter to the Wimbledon 1980 final (arguably the greatest match of the 80s, yet belonging more to the 70s from a technological point of view) when Borg defeated McEnroe in a long 5th set having – like Nadal – squandered match points to win in four… Their third straight Wimbledon final, and Nadal finally triumphs drawing conclusions on two previous defeats on the same court (two tie-breaks in each of those three finals) having huge self-confidence after demolishing Federer in the French Open final a month before. Federer [1] saved a triple break point at 3-all in the 3rd set, he was *4:5 (0/30) in the 4th set; in the ensuing tie-break, which he won 10/8, saved two match points – the second one with a brilliant backhand passing-shot. In the deciding set, Nadal [2] saved a mini-match point at 3:4 with an overhead, in the 10th game he was two points away from losing the final. The Spaniard played 2 out of his 4 volley-winners in the last game of the championships (in near darkness; finished at 9:16 pm), he admitted he barely saw the ball in the last few points, and confirmed it’s his greatest victory… Federer’s first loss on grass after 65 wins in a row – record on that surface. “It’s rough on me now, obviously, you know, to lose the biggest tournament in the world over maybe a bit of light,” he said. If there had been 8-all in the decider, the match would have been suspended for another day.
Nadal’s route to his 29th title (100th main-level event):
1 Andreas Beck 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(0)
2 Ernests Gulbis 5-7, 6-2, 7-6(2), 6-3
3 Nicolas Kiefer 7-6(3), 6-2, 6-3
4 Mikhail Youzhny 6-3, 6-3, 6-1
Q Andy Murray 6-3, 6-2, 6-4
S Rainer Schuettler 6-1, 7-6(3), 6-4
W Roger Federer 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-7(8), 9-7
Federer was two points away from equalling Borg’s record of the most consecutive wins at Wimbledon. The Swede won 41 matches in the years 1976-80 when collected five straight titles before losing a final. Federer also won five straight titles (2003-07) before losing a final, but as opposed to Borg, Federer got a walkover during his streak (from Haas in the fourth round of 2007)
Points won by each set: | 34-33, 32-30, 42-44, 43-41, 58-53 |
Points won directly behind the serve:
25 % Nadal – 55 of 218
34 % Federer – 68 of 195
It’s pretty safe to call this final “the best match of the first decade of the 21st Century”. Just after the final people were comparing this 5-setter to the Wimbledon 1980 final (arguably the greatest match of the 80s, yet belonging more to the 70s from a technological point of view) when Borg defeated McEnroe in a long 5th set having – like Nadal – squandered match points to win in four… Their third straight Wimbledon final, and Nadal finally triumphs drawing conclusions on two previous defeats on the same court (two tie-breaks in each of those three finals) having huge self-confidence after demolishing Federer in the French Open final a month before. Federer [1] saved a triple break point at 3-all in the 3rd set, he was *4:5 (0/30) in the 4th set; in the ensuing tie-break, which he won 10/8, saved two match points – the second one with a brilliant backhand passing-shot. In the deciding set, Nadal [2] saved a mini-match point at 3:4 with an overhead, in the 10th game he was two points away from losing the final. The Spaniard played 2 out of his 4 volley-winners in the last game of the championships (in near darkness; finished at 9:16 pm), he admitted he barely saw the ball in the last few points, and confirmed it’s his greatest victory… Federer’s first loss on grass after 65 wins in a row – record on that surface. “It’s rough on me now, obviously, you know, to lose the biggest tournament in the world over maybe a bit of light,” he said. If there had been 8-all in the decider, the match would have been suspended for another day.
Nadal’s route to his 29th title (100th main-level event):
1 Andreas Beck 6-4, 6-4, 7-6(0)
2 Ernests Gulbis 5-7, 6-2, 7-6(2), 6-3
3 Nicolas Kiefer 7-6(3), 6-2, 6-3
4 Mikhail Youzhny 6-3, 6-3, 6-1
Q Andy Murray 6-3, 6-2, 6-4
S Rainer Schuettler 6-1, 7-6(3), 6-4
W Roger Federer 6-4, 6-4, 6-7(5), 6-7(8), 9-7
Serve & volley: Nadal 1/1, Federer 4/12
Federer was two points away from equalling Borg’s record of the most consecutive wins at Wimbledon. The Swede won 41 matches in the years 1976-80 when collected five straight titles before losing a final. Federer also won five straight titles (2003-07) before losing a final, but as opposed to Borg, Federer got a walkover during his streak (from Haas in the fourth round of 2007)