So much for last year’s Wimbledon men’s final being unmatched. Sunday’s Federer – Roddick final was pretty damn epic as well. The 16-14 fifth set was one for the ages and the perfect ending to a fantastic match.
Yet, I kept thinking it didn’t quite match the drama of a year ago. Last year had the rain and the race to beat darkness. This year had perfect weather and an open roof. Last year had Nadal finally taking out Federer on grass, and knocking him from the top spot in the rankings, after several years of slowly closing in on him. This year it was Andy Roddick, playing the best tennis of his career, but not exactly bringing the same kind of drama to Centre Court that Nadal brought. To be honest, I expected the match to last about 90 minutes, figuring Roddick had played the match of his life on Friday and would have nothing left. Shows how much I know about tennis.
I wonder, too, if the lack of any back-and-forth in the match reduced its drama. Last year, Federer and Nadal would seize the momentum, only to see the other grab it right back moments later. There was a breathless, roller coaster feel to that match. Sunday, Federer and Roddick largely held serve, both literally and figuratively. So it was compelling, but not edge-of-your-seat stuff like last year.
But a great match nonetheless.
I’ve been watching Wimbledon for almost 30 years now. I love the tradition and pageantry that come along with it. So I had to chuckle a bit when each commercial break brought ads for the iPhone, Palm Pre, or Blackberry. The Queen was probably rolling over in her grave that the hallowed grounds of Wimbledon were sullied with such high-tech nonsense.
”God save the Queen.
She ain’t no human being.
There is no future
In England’s dreaming.”
Hey, speaking of those smartphone ads, that <a href=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XA8SM_ivqpY”>U2/Blackberry commercial</a> seemed kind of familiar. Which is weird, because it is brand new. Oh, wait. It’s a lot like <a href=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDFkRMNeZo4″>Coldplay’s iPod/iTunes ad</a> from last year. So now they’re not only sounding like Coldplay, but they’re mimicking their advertising pushes? And wasn’t U2 making commercials for Apple just a couple years ago? They had their own iPod and everything. Rumor has it they think they know more about design than <a href=”http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Ive”>Jonathan Ive</a>, thus the jump to Blackberry. Good luck with all of that, lads.