Those neutral bastards ruined our 4th of July sports weekend. Saturday, Swiss cyclist and Tour de France rookie Fabian Cancellara took the Prologue podium from Lance Armstrong, nipping him by two seconds in the individual time trial. Sunday, Switzerland's Roger Federer defeated American Andy Roddick to take home the Wimbledon title.
Federer's championship point celebration was remarkably reminiscent of Bjorn Borg's signature move. I suppose there's nobody better for Federer to emulate than Borg, who won Wimbledon five times in a row. Federer says his idol was Pistol Pete Sampras, and I suppose his game and his demeanor reflect both legendary grass court champions. Federer has now won two in a row at the All-England Club. Is Borg's record in jeopardy? Is Sampras's all-time Grand Slam record within reach? The overcast British sky is the limit for the stylish Swiss player.
You had to feel Andy Roddick's frustration in yesterday's match. Roddick came out blazing, serving like a madman and breaking Federer early in the first set, eventually winning the set 6-4. At that point, it looked like Federer was vulnerable. Roddick was pushing all the right buttons, breaking him again in the second set. But Roger broke back, and from the second set through the fourth set, Federer got all the breaks and all the bounces. On the big points, Roddick went for it and barely missed or Federer caught the line, even when he mishit the ball. Roddick's energy did not let up. But if for a split second, his concentration slipped, Federer was there to take advantage. This match really did swing on a handful of crucial points. It may not have gone the distance, but it was a close a tennis match as your likely to see. And this was the finals of Wimbledon. The number one seed versus the number two seed. The two best players in the game today. As finals rarely do, this one lived up to its billing.
Maria Sharapova, the Anti-Kournikova.
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