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BJORN BELIEF (kentucky.com)
Bjorn Borg had called Roger Federer "an orchestra," a man playing his tennis symphonies with an entire, versatile string section at the ready. And Federer required all his music and composition yesterday on Centre Court against Rafael Nadal, a human topspin machine who can hum a few shots himself.
Federer would win this final, 7-6 (7), 4-6, 7-6 (3), 2-6, 6-2, equaling Borg's modern-day record of five straight Wimbledon titles in plain view of the Swedish superstar, who was sitting approvingly above in the royal box. It was his 11th major championship overall, closing in again on the record of one of Federer's few remaining critics, Pete Sampras, who has 14.
Federer smacked the winning overhead and sank to his knees, then hung his head in exhaustion as he sat in a chair. "I was almost crying already when I was up 5-2," Federer would say. He looked like Ali after 15 rounds with Frazier. He made a gracious speech in a fresh, five-piece white ensemble. |
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