Federer claims Wimbledon 2012

Federer’s on court movements have been compared to ballet by many.
© Mohan Mali

If Novak Djokovic was huffing and puffing on Friday, Andy Murray was seen tumbling down on his head, in a yoga like pose on Sunday.

While this was going on, a guy named Roger Federer from Switzerland, was performing a superb ballet, on a grass turf across the net.

Murray was made to deal with 34 different spins, 57 different bounces, 147 different lengths and speeds of a tennis ball in one single tennis match. The variety and ferocity was simply too much for Murray to handle. The final produced some of the best grass court tennis.

My heart goes out to Murray, who cares so much for the sport of tennis. Murray tried everything that was legal and available to him. He was very emotional but gracious and generous to his fans and Federer, in the post match interview.

Jim Courier once commented, if you want to beat Federer;  just make him play some mundane tennis, like… forehand to forehand rallies and simply bore him. Do not challenge him with your skills.

Murray was not listening and decided to break Federer in his very first service game of the match. That is a bit too soon to stir up and wake up the genius in a guy like Federer.

At times in the past, Federer has been guilty of leaving it too late to bring his A game to the court. This time Murray took care of that problem, for Federer.

Talk soon.

Vintage Federer in Wimbledon Final 2012

Roger Federer, earlier.  ©Mohan Mali. (photo not taken at Wimbledon)

This is one time I enjoyed being proven wrong.

Considering the way Federer has played against Djokovic and Nadal in the recent past, I had given Federer no chance of coming through the semifinals of this Wimbledon. I was expecting Djokovic to defeat Federer in 4 close sets.

On the contrary, what millions of tennis fans watched world over on Friday, was vintage Federer at his best.  Silent and calm Federer, had Djokovic, the present world No 1;  huffing, puffing and grunting at the other end.  Apart from some time in the second set, where balls started flying past Federer’s forehand. But in the end Federer served for the match and prevailed, under the roof at  Wimbledon.

The reason I did not choose  Federer over Djokovic is,  in my opinion guys like Nadal and Djokovic are  prepared to get dirty on a tennis court. On the other hand Federer  makes sure the number of strands of hair, over his Nike head band are the same, after every long rally. Except Mirka, no one knows how much time Federer spends in front of the mirror every day. The man is all about style and even more about  substance.

Federer plays Murray on Sunday in The Wimbledon final. Once bitten, I am staying away from making predictions again. Instead, I am looking forward  to watching Federer, the poetry in motion (not my superlative) against Murray, the counter-puncher (again not my description) in the Wimbledon Final on Sunday. Good luck to everyone.