A decade earlier, one of the longest and gruelling matches was played between the tennis legend Roger Federer and Andy Roddick at the All England Club Wimbledon Finals. It was a memorable clash for the Swiss because he overtook the all-time legend Pete Sampras’s record by winning 15 grand slams. But Roddick remembers it as the match where he came to know what an actual gentleman and kind-hearted person the champion player is!
Federer had a gruelling 5-7 7-6 7-6 3-6 16-14 victory which became one of the longest ever men’s singles final at Wimbledon ever in 2009. The decider went with serve all the way until the 30th game as the fifth set was a marathon. Roddick began to flag and eventually succumbed to loss after more than four and quarter hours of the match.
Roddick met his third defeat to Federer after losing to him in 2004 and 2005. The match had its own ups and downs as both had control during every alternate set in the match, but as the match extended up to the fifth set, which had lasted more than an hour, Roddick had lost his strength and lost on his serve and Federer won the match.
Roddick had mentioned in an interview recently, that he was devastated after the loss as the match of 2009 was the best chance he had to defeat Federer after the loss in 2004 and 2005. After the victory as both Federer and Roddick entered the shared locker room, Federer refused to celebrate the victory with his support staff and coach.
Roddick mentions that as it was a whole life’s work for Federer to have surpassed Pete Sampras record, so it was justified enough to be celebrated. But Federer ensured that there were no celebrations inside the dressing room. Roddick was astounded by this small gesture of Federer, the tennis legend, who is a remarkably humble person from inside.
FEDERER AND RODDICK AFTER WIMBLEDON 2009 FINAL
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| Embed from Getty Images |
