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| 06 Jul 2003 | |
| Day Thirteen: Federer Express Delivers the Goods |
The tears on Roger Federer’s face flowed like a fast moving
river. He was sobbing with joy, relief, excitement and every other happy
emotion because he had won the greatest championship tennis has to offer.
Roger Federer is the new Wimbledon champion. Like every tennis player he
dared to dream that one day he was win on the world’s most famous tennis
court and that dream turned into reality.
After two hours and 56 minutes, Federer defeated Mark Philippoussis 76 62
76 and in one fell swoop silenced all those who doubted that he could do
it.
"I was joking as a boy that I was going to win this cup and now I have it.
I’m just so happy," said Federer, who was close to pulling out when he hurt
his back in the fourth round against Feliciano Lopez.
"I never thought it would be possible to win a Grand Slam - I think I
played the best two matches in my life in the semis and the final. Somehow
I came through. My back and my game got better and here I am and I don’t
know how I did it.
"You know I am sitting down in my chair when the match
had finished and then you see the trophy and it’s so beautiful. Gold. You
hold it. It’s something you’ve always dreamed of. I have enjoyed these two
weeks so much. It’s great."
The final began with tennis that was sensational from both players. The
standard was incredibly high and it was very evident if this sort of
closeness continued then it would be a point here or there that would
separate them. Neither player was giving an inch in the first set and they
went to the tiebreak.
Still there was nothing to divide them. The first two points were an
exchange of mini breaks. Federer led 5/4 and then it happened.
Philippoussis hit a double fault. Federer had two set points. The
Australian saved one but on the second Federer sent a ball down the line
and Philippoussis unfortunately used poor judgement and ran around his
backhand. The forehand he hit cross court went wide and the first set was
in Swiss hands.
In the second set Federer played with the precision of a Swiss watch and he
won it with an ace. The third set went with serve but Federer was soaring
with his returns. Philippoussis was not moving as well as in the first set
and he just could not get a look in on the Federer serve. Incredibly he did
not hold a break point in the entire match. In the tiebreak Federer was
lethal. He could see the finishing line and he just went for it, buckling
at the knees when the Australian netted the third match point.
"I’ve cried a few times on big occasions, at the first moment I didn’t
think I would but then I couldn’t keep it in," said Federer.
"This tournament means so much to me and I’ve had great experiences like the ’98 junior victory, then 2001 when I beat Sampras and now this. This is
something for me that I cannot understand yet. It’s too good."
The agony and the ecstasy was evident for everyone to see. The most
difficult part for the runner-up is to remain on court while the winner
holds the trophy. Philippoussis was brave and he can definitely take
positives away from these two weeks. He has let tennis know that he is back
on the world stage. His drive, determination and hunger have to be
commended and while he cannot see that now, he will later and he will be
proud of what he achieved.
"Roger was too good and I congratulate him, this was his day," said
Philippoussis.
"It’s been a long trip back and this is the beginning and we
have a lot to go."
Understandably Philippoussis was red eyed because of all he had done to get
to this stage, but when you run into a guy playing the way Federer, there
is not much that can be done.
"My first serve percentage wasn’t that high and I wasn’t returning as well
as I wanted to," he added.
"That first set was definitely big. I think whoever won that first set was gonna go on a roll and was gonna get a lot more confident. Obviously the other person would be a lot more down. It definitely gets the momentum going. That’s what happened after the first set."
He found the whole Wimbledon experience to be something that will help him
in the future. He cites Goran Ivanisevic as a bit of inspiration because he
had been in three finals. Philippoussis says he is "never gonna give up and
I’m definitely going to hold that trophy up before I retire".
He says reaching a Wimbledon final will only make him hungrier and more
pumped. He will take some time off before getting stuck into the fitness
regimen for the North American swing of the tour and then the US Open.
"It’s not easy sitting back and looking at your opponent holding up the cup
and the trophy, so it’s definitely made me more determined," said
Philippoussis.
Federer says he dedicates this victory to all those who have worked with
his and who in any small way have helped his career. He mentioned his late
coach Australian Peter Carter who was so tragically killed in a car crash
last August in South Africa. He believed that Peter would have been
watching from somewhere.
So Roger Federer is the new Wimbledon Champion and the first man form his
country to do it.
The women’s doubles title was won by Kim Clijsters and Ai Sugiyama 64 64
over top seeds Virginia Ruano Pascual and Paola Suarez. The mixed doubles
title went to Leander Paes and Martina Navratilova 63 63 over Andy Ram and
Anastasia Rodionova. This was Navratilova’s 20th title at Wimbledon which
equals the record held by Billie Jean King.
Navratilova is also the oldest woman to win a Wimbledon title. She was already the oldest woman to win a Grand Slam title after she and Paes won the mixed in Australia earlier this year, so she betters her record in that respect as well, winning this title aged 46 years and 8 months.
For complete coverage, please visit the Official Website at www.wimbledon.org.
The Junior Tournament is now complete. Please visit www.itfjuniors.com for daily wrap-ups and the latest pictures.
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