Federer's passion play nets title

Published on Monday 7 July 2003 01:00

ROGER FEDERER sank to his knees Bjorn Borg-style, lifted both arms to the heavens and then filled the Centre Court with tears of emotion.

And at last, after the soulless women’s final of Saturday, Wimbledon had a showpiece of real passion as Federer defeated Mark Philippoussis 7-6 (7-5), 6-2, 7-6(7-3)to become the first Swiss man to win the most prestigious trophy in tennis.

"It’s just incredible, I don’t know how I did it," said Federer, before losing his poker-faced composure to proclaim in a second flood of tears: "It’s great."

"Great" is exactly what it was, because while Federer chose Borg’s famous victory pose after Philippoussis had struck the final weary backhand into the net in the third-set tie-break this was a match which confirmed Federer’s right to the Centre Court throne of Pete Sampras.

Not a classic, it’s true, because Philippoussis - the man who was in a wheelchair two years ago after three operations on his troublesome knee and contemplating whether he would ever play the game again - failed to produce the serving onslaught which defeated Andre Agassi, nor the fighting spirit which saw him come back from two sets down against Alexander Popp.

Even if, at one hour and 56 minutes, this final was seven minutes shorter than the all-Williams affair it was at least a genuine contest. Not one point was surrendered without a battle.

Federer, however, did not just out-ace the big-serving Philippoussis by 21 to 14. He out-thought, and finally out-played the unseeded Aussie in the sort of clinical Centre Court demolition for which "Pistol Pete" was famed.

At 21 there is no limit to what Federer, whose potential was clear when he ended Sampras’ 31-match unbeaten run here in the fourth round in 2001, could go on to achieve. Certainly he has the all-court game to win on all surfaces. He has the calmest of outward demeanours, belying the simmering emotion which brimmed over in his moment of victory. And now he has his first Grand Slam trophy, in a grass-court season in which he has not lost a single match.

Yesterday afternoon he did not allow Philippoussis, many experts’ idea of the world’s most fearsome server, a single break point.

Indeed, if Britain’s Tim Henman really wants to know what he has to do to win Wimbledon, he should study a video of this final. On second thoughts, why induce a bout of depression in the only home player to keep the flag flying into the second week?

It was no surprise when the first set went to the inevitable tie-break - both men thundering down unreturnable serves almost at will.

All such shoot-outs, when chances are few and margins fine, have a defining moment - and this tie-break had two.

The first came with the best rally of the match - a see-sawing explosion of 15 groundstrokes, finished off by a huge Federer forehand which drew a line in the sandy-coloured bare patch on the Centre Court baseline.

It said the foot was going down on the Federer accelerator and the step up in class induced tightness in the Philippoussis arm, so much so that an Aussie double-fault gave the Swiss star the advantage and the set was eventually his courtesy of a wild forehand.

"That tie-break was huge," was Philippoussis’ verdict. "Whoever won that first set could get on a roll and get the momentum flowing. That’s what happened. It was disappointing."

Great champions, however, invariably possess the ability to lead from the front and the way Federer began the second set was pure Sampras in his prime.

Not even the seven-times Wimbledon champion improvised the sort of impudent backhand volley from a foot inside the baseline which Federer produced while racing to a 4-0 lead in the second set.

Federer’s ability to turn defence into spectacular offence is the key to his game - that, allied with racket-head speed of which Andre Agassi would be proud.

There is fine touch and imagination, too, and the set was his with the minimum of fuss.

The Centre Court crowd, not to mention the Aussies packed onto the famous Wimbledon hill - nicknamed Mount Philippoussis for the day - wanted a five-setter. They yearned for the 26-year-old to dig in.

And he did, albeit shakily, in the third set, saving a break point in the third game and two more in the 11th as Federer applied more pressure.

The final tie-break, however, saw the Swiss on a roll, cruising into a 6-1 lead with one explosive ace and a handful of sparkling returns, his game suffused with confidence and swashbuckling style. "He can do everything on court," admitted Philippoussis. "When you have a great day everything looks perfect and he definitely played great today. But I’ll be back. This is just the beginning, the start of many things to come."

When the final Philippoussis backhand billowed the net Federer adopted that famous winning pose, the Centre Court rose to a new and worthy champion and the flashguns popped all over Centre Court. It is a picture to which tennis fans should become accustomed.

AUSTRALIAN Todd Woodbridge picked up a record-equalling eighth Wimbledon men’s doubles title when he and Sweden’s Jonas Bjorkman beat Mahesh Bhupathi and Max Mirnyi yesterday.

The winning pair, seeded fourth, fought back from the loss of the first set to beat the top seeds 3-6, 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3.

Woodbridge, who won six titles with Mark Woodforde and one with Bjorkman matched the record set by brothers Hugh and Reggie Doherty between 1897 and 1905.