The Greatest

idle

You betray your age, Pete; you can't have watched many of these. This was not Federer at his sublime, silky-smooth best. It took him four and a half hours to break Roddick's serve, for starters. Roddick, it seemed to me, did not vary his tactics ONCE when receiving serve in the final set. Just because they made it to 16-14 in the final set does not make it a great final.

But yes, he's the greatest. And hats off to the gallant, but one-dimensional Roddick for matching Federer for stamina.

TrevorsDen

"one of the greatest, and most nerve-wracking, contests in tennis history."

Huh?

I was giving up the will to live it got so boring.

I grow tired of the sanctimonious twaddle talked about so much of modern sport.

Travis Bickle

If ever there was a case for introducing fifth set tie breaks at Wimbledon this was it.

Was Pistol Pete sleeping behind those shades?

Prodicus

Nah. Borg vs Gerulaitis (77) beats it by a mile. Available on DVD btw (treat yourselves) so don't jump to any conclusions, there...

Frank P

Federer was not at his best; Roddick should have beaten him and had several chances to do so, but lost his bottle at crucial moments. Service v service and in the end the most consistent server won - but only just. A very disappointing absence of exciting rallies in such a long match. And Federer's pregnant missus must have thought she would have to give birth to bring an end to a very tedious exchange of mediocre tennis. Roddick will eventually win Wimbledon. He's not short on determination, but lacks finesse at present - though he will improve. If Sampras was to make a comeback, he'd beat either of them. They'll be glad you enjoyed it though Pete.

Chris

Tennis: not quite as boring as Formula 1 or water skiing. There's nothing else to be said for it.

Austin Barry

No, not the greatest. Service winners have destroyed the rally and the game, just as Hawkeye has killed the enjoyable vituperation of a McEnroe or Connors.

Frank O'Connell

I have watched Wimbledon since 1952 and this final is nowhere near the best.Last years was far better.
The steel rackets have changed the game and the money.
In the 1950's the winners always took part in the men's and mixed doubles.
Sedgeman was a great doubles player so was Hoad and Rosewall.
The game was much more enjoyable then they were all rounders.

FRANK O'CONNELL

n 1954 Drobny was the 11th seed and was chasing the world's premier title for the 11th time, at what today would be regarded as the venerable age of 32. Although Drobny was technically still an Egyptian, Lance Tingay wrote in The Daily Telegraph on the morning after the final: "The warmth of Drobny's reception as champion could not have been greater had he been a genial Englishman. In a sense he is - for he has an English wife and lives in Sussex."

Drobny defeated Rosewall 13-11, 4-6, 6-2, 9-7, in a match lasting two hours and 37 minutes, making it, at that time, the longest final in the history of The Championships. Not that it was by any means Drobny's longest match at The All England Club: in 1953, in a third round epic against Budge Patty, Drobny saved six match points before winning 8-6, 16-18, 3-6, 8-6, 12-10. Those 93 games - at a time when there were no chairs for the players to take a 90-second rest at every changeover - lasted four hours 23 minutes.

On his way to his third final, Drobny had beaten the second seed Lew Hoad in the quarter-finals and then Patty again in the semi-finals. Sentiment rather than logic argued for a Drobny victory; many believed that Rosewall would have many more chances to come (three, as it turned out, but he lost them all).

Kevyn Bodman

Not the greatest final.
Too many glaring errors.
But great serving; don't underestimate the skill necessary to serve at that pace and accuracy.

Federer the greatest ever.
15 Grand Slams including a full set.
You can get an idea of the immensity of that achievement by looking at all the great players who didn't get a full set of all 4 Grand Slams.

And two fine players,fine ambassadors for the sport and fine gentlemen contested yesterday's final.

Well done, both.

Kirsty

Probably not a classic, but definitely a great match. You've got to feel for Roddick, it's his best tournament performance for quite a while. Federer will win a few more titles if he stays injury free.

cuffleyburgers

Sorry but this was not such a fantastic match.

Hats off to Roddick whose stamina and courage were astonishing, but he never realy looked like beating Federer who was not playing at his best. Tennis played from the baseline is a dull game, and the dominance of the serve is also dull.

The best tennis of the week was the mens doubles.

And I speak as a great admirer of Federer who is a magnificently talented player and a gentleman.

Simpleton

The final result is slightly perverse when you consider that Roddick won 39 games and Federer only 38.

strapworld

The game of tennis can be a beautiful game, it can be both majestic and brutal.

Well done to Messrs Federer and Ruddick. Both great sportsmen. Both showing how to handle those two imposters!

Now, let us talk seriously.

WHY are the umpires all from Foreign Lands? (That is what it appeared to me!)
especially when they cannot understand our language and reprimanding our player for swearing! when he did not.)

Now the BBC ! WHY does it need a box squashed full of former players to tell us what we are seeing? McInroe and Becker and all should be thanked and not used again.

If anyone had seen the credits, as the coverage finished yesterday, there must have been over twenty commentators shown. (I am afraid the BBC is following the American television people by rushing through the credits)! Why does the BBC need so many?

SKY would do the job better and with fewer commentators, and more likely with just one, possibly two foreigners!

The BBC is far too smug, far too elitist and, I believe, the real reason why tennis is STILL very much an elitist sport.

GIVE WIMBLEDON TO SKY LET THEM SHOW THE BBC HOW TO TELEVISE SPORT PROPERLY AND TO APPEAL AND ATTRACT ALL CLASSES.

Let us learn from the father of the Williams' sisters. GET KIDS FROM THE GHETTO's he said.

Fat chance with the people running this game in this country! Fat chance when 'clubs' have memberships which cost money!, when 'one' has to 'fit in'! to be of the right 'social class'!

We will never win and have many contenders until these false barriers are broken down.

ANYONE FOR TENNIS?

Pete Hoskin

CoffeeHousers: I've added an update above, to clarify a couple of things.

Frank P

Well qualified, Pete! How did my comment break the moderation rules?

Pete Hoskin

Frank: Apologies, I don't know what happened there. Have reapproved the comment, so it should be showing soon.

Oscar

IMO the best men's singles games of this tournament was Roddick v Hewitt. Some fantastic tennis and a great atmosphere. The finals was dull but a worthy effort from Roddick who should have clinched the second set. After that it was pure attrition.

Frank P

Pete

Thanks: I'm glad the umpire over-ruled Hawkeye, I thought it was "in". :-)