What can you say? When a man is down four break points in the fifth set of the 2007 Wimbledon final, and he unleashes aces and barrages of forehand slingshots? You say he’s a Swiss magician.
When a man is facing immense pressure in trying to win No.5, and he looks up at the front row and there, with flowing white hair, sits the last man to win a High Five… Bjorn Borg? You say he’s as cool as the Swiss Alps.
When a man is fronting the Hercules of Tennis, the left-hander who leads their record, 8-4, the same Raging Bull who trampled on his red Swiss flag four weeks ago in Paris? You say he’s part of the Swiss Army.
You know what I want to say to Roger Federer? BRAVO!
Is there a word more fitting? Here are two more: “Wimbledon Champion.” Yes, Wimbledon champion. Again. And again. And again. And again. That’s five straight times. Will it ever stop? Will he know the meaning of “end?” No it won’t. Only 25 years of age, his effortless strokes will make him win, in my estimate, one, two, four, five more Wimbledon titles.
I made a mistake. I apologize. Last week, I picked an “R” to win Wimbledon. Not “R” who’s won six of the last nine Grand Slam singles crowns. And not the other “R” who’s won the last three French Open trophies. I predicted another R to be the King of Grass: Roddick.
The other night past 11 p.m. and over two bottles of Coke Light at Badgers Resto Bar in Banilad, my buddy Dr. Ronnie Medalle and I talked about Rafael Nadal. We analyzed his French Open victory. We exchanged pointers on how Roger Federer could have beaten him the past two Roland Garros finals they’ve met. We marveled at the 21-year-old Spaniard’s intensity. Then Ronnie asked, “Why are you more of a Nadal than Federer fan?” I paused. Good question. Dr. Medalle is right. When the world’s no.1 and no.2 tennis players face each other across the tennis net, I favor the lefty. Why?
RANDY DEL VALLE is Cebuano. He speaks Bisaya, lives in one of the plush subdivisions in Talamban, and works as a top manager at Shell Philippines. But Randy, at this very moment, is not at his office or at home—he’s in London. For years, Randy—a big, big tennis fan—had longed to watch a Grand Slam event. This week, together with his wife Christine, is that moment. This week, he’ll be sitting on one of the green chairs at the All-England Club and watching the green lawns of Wimbledon. Here’s what Randy e-mailed to me today…
If you a) play badminton, b) want to watch the world’s best shuttlers, c) don’t want to spend P18,750 to fly to Singapore, d) can make a quick trip to Manila, then e) I suggest, on your calendar, you encircle “July 18.”