Federer Wins Epic Wimbledon Battle And Secures Record 15th Slam

A Battle for the Ages

No one saw it coming - with Nadal out of the picture, everyone thought Roger Federer would be on cruise control to secure his 15th grand slam on the lawns of Wimbledon, 2009. His 15th Grand Slam would give him the most of any player in the ATP, beating Pete Sampras' previous record of 14. But whew - it was closer than anyone expected.

Roddick v.2

In an epic final - where Roddick served a record 55 aces but still managed to lose the match - was one of the longest in Wimbledon history. The final score was 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 16-14. Andy has one of the best tiebreak records in the ATP, so when he won the first set with a break of serve and went up 6-2 in the second set tiebreaker, Sampras must have breathed a sigh of relief (he flew to England at the last minute, at the request of many who wanted him to be present during this potentially historic moment).

Roddick - Up 6-2 in the Second Set Breaker

But it wouldn't be - pulled out wide by an inside forehand Federer looked like he would lose the battle at 6-3, on Roddick's serve, when at the last minute he picked up the ball from his shoelaces and with a flick of the wrist spun a low crosscourt stopspin pass past Roddick and into the deep corner of the court. The crowd went ballistic - they were ready to erupt as Roger was about to go down 2 sets. But he didn't. Federer easily won his two service points, bringing the score to a nerve-wracking 6-5. This would give Roddick his third set point on his own serve. And anyone that knows Andy knows he can usually finish a point, especially a tie break point, on his serve. Of course, the outcome depends heavily on who's on the other side of the net.

The High Backhand Flop that Loses A-Rod the Set

After a short baseline rally Roddick blisters a backhand down the line (a shot that, thanks in no small part to coach Stefanki, helped him on many occasions, and almost let him to the Championship), Federer leaps out wide and sends a high short ball to Roddick's backhand side. In any other situation, Roddick would have made this shot - facing a wide open court, all he needed to do was drop the ball into the court. But his nerves got the best of him, and as he flew through the air flailing his racket he made contact with a ball that would go sailing completely into left field. A dejected Andy would go on to lose the set, but not the match (at least not right away). 

A Fifth Set for the Ages: Federer Wins, 16-14

In a grueling serving frenzy, the two battle it out in the final set, but finally the Swiss takes the upper hand, securing history and locking out his American competitor for the fourth time in a Wimbledon final (Roddick is now 0-4 in Wimbledon finals).

Roger Federer: The Greatest Player of All Time

Roger has his 15th major now, is considered by most, including Pistol Pete (Sampras) to be the best player of all time. Winning the French Open this year as well helped him complete his Career Grand Slam (winning all for Majors - the Australian Open, the French Open (Roland Garros), Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open).

Nadal in the Rearview Mirror 

No one would have thought, back in Spring as Federer smashed a racket (for the first time anyone can remember) in frustration, that he would go on to:

1. Win the French Open and complete his Career Grand Slam
2. Win Wimbledon again
3. Retake the #1 ranking

If anything, people (including us), thought his reign of dominance had come to an end. But in steps Nadal's knee injury. Which brings us to our next question - will Nadal pose a threat to Federer at the Open? Submit your opinion in our poll.