Veni vidi vici

Wimbledon (Photo credit: paulafunnell)

Roger the Conqueror

Roger Federer has defeated Andy Murray in the Wimbledon Men’s Final by 3 sets to 1. It was not the classic many wished or expected , and it not give Britain the Champion her people wanted.

Andy Murray started valiantly. Roger Federer started nervously.

Andy Murray’s defeat has extended the decades of hurt, briefly numbed by his ascendancy to the Final. He will be remembered as the only Brit to have punctured a hole , albeit slightly in the ever-ballooning decades of pain. Andy Murray had his moments, especially when in the second set he appeared to be taking the set and so probably ‘whitewash’ the Swiss. However, that did not happen in the end. Even the ghosts of Wimbledon past, the wishes and  fervour of the whole nation stretching  from the  Shetlands to the Land’s End. He valiantly attempted to win against Federer; one of the most exciting players of his generation. All his attempts were to no avail.

Federer fought gallantly. He came to Wimbledon to win the title that had so alluded him for 2 summers, that most people thought he was on the wane. And maybe there for the taking! Having knocked out his nemesis, Novak Djokovic in the semis, surely Federer must have felt this could be the year in his pursuit of moving further away from Pete Sampras’s  haul of Grand Slams. Federer has got 4 more Grand Slams now compared to second-placed Sampras. What an achievement. The elimination of Novak, must surely also have given Andy a glimmer of hope. Perhaps, just  maybe…Federer did not play well in the first set, perhaps overwhelmed by the emotions and spirits pervading the Centre Court. He saw hope in the eyes of all the Brits. Perhaps read it in the papers, heard it in the news too. But he came to win. To conquer. The  moment he broke serve in the third set, he was just unstoppable. Andy Murray fought hard. Tried his best. Though it was not good enough.

The nation’s hopes that had been  lifted to statropheric heights were sent crashing down to earth in the fourth set when despite Andy Murray’s determination Federer kept nicking the points. The pain was etched on the fans’ faces , some were evidently crying. Murray’s mother and girlfriend’s tears  showed how hurting this defeat was.  They were micro representation of the tears streaming down the faces of all those who had so desperately wanted Andy Murray to win. The only happy folk in the land were the Bookies,who avoided a stonking defeat from the punters if Andy Murray had won! Andy Murray, one must add  did remarkably well this year. No one really expected him to shine this far. He did and deserves the plaudits he gets. He may not be too far from winning a Grand Slam. But then again, this maybe as good as it gets. Who knows. He is still a great tennis player and that is why he is in the top 5 in the world. He is the best tennis player from the United Kingdom, and has been the only player for some time now that  the country realistically expects to at least win one Grand Slam. Tim Henman never went this far, was not as good either.Yet he had a Hill named after him!

The nation dearly wanted a British Champion. Roger Federer was the party-pooper. Andy Murray will surely come back stronger for the experience.

The day though belongs to the conqueror. He came to win, he saw the hopes, wishes, the pain, and the headlines proclaiming the British Champion was nigh. He defeated all before him. He defeated all the dreams and aspirations of a nation. He conquered.

Federer was magnanimous in victory. Andy Murray was gracious in defeat. Federer is no schadenfreude. He is a born winner. A remarkable sportsman. He is again the World Number 1, and it will be interesting to see how Rafa Nadal, Novak  Djokovic and Andy Murray  respond.