Day 13: Don't Tug on Roger's Cape

So Federer/Nadal VIII wasn't exactly a repeat of their remarkable five-set final in Rome, but there was STILL a great deal on display that was thoroughly enjoyable.

We got one set of brilliance (6-0!! It was like Mike Tyson vs. Michael Spinks.) from Roger Federer, followed by a "great escape" by the world #1 when Rafael Nadal had a rare lapse and missed a huge opportunity when serving for the 2nd set at 5-4. A few double-faults there, then a couple loose points in the tie-break and King Roger was up two sets to love.

But it didn't end there, as Nadal refused to fold, grabbing the 3rd set in another tie-break (making one wonder what might have been had he been able to win the 2nd). Then, in the final Act of this play, Federer proved to be as unwilling to give up his Wimbledon throne in the 4th set as Nadal was not quite ready to take it from him... not yet, anyway. Federer is SW19 champion for a fourth straight year, but we saw enough at this tournament to think that Nadal could be ready to win this thing as early as next year.

Ah, now the U.S. Open is on the horizon, with Federer having re-established himself as the best in the world, as a player of his stature simply HAD to do today. Thing is, what happened at Centre Court on Day 13 will only give Nadal something more to inspire him to reach for. Remember, when he lost that two-set lead against Federer in Miami last year, all he followed it up with were five straight wins over him and a powerful two weeks at the All-England Club.

What will Nadal do with the memory of this near-miss? How will Federer react to finally getting the 20-year old out of his psyche, if only for one match? I know I can't wait to find out. Unlike "rivalries" such as the perpetually disappointing Venus vs. Serena, Federer/Nadal never lets us down. Even if the match ends in straight sets, the result immediately sets the conditions for the next match-up, then the one after that, and so on and so on and so on.

Federer was just kidding when he mentioned to Sue Barker that Bjorn Borg retired at age 25... the same age he'll turn in August. He's enjoying the challenge that Nadal has presented him with -- the opportunity to be the "best player who ever lived," but STILL having to strive to become even "more perfect" every year in order to maintain his lofty position (if only Steffi Graf had had such a long-term challenge). For a man who truly DOES want to be the best who ever lived, that's about as good as a career can get.

We can get REAL used to seeing this series play out for the rest of this decade... that IS as good as it gets.

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**FEDERER vs. NADAL**
[Nadal leads 6-2]
04 Miami 3rd - Nadal 6-3/6-3
05 Miami F - Federer 2-6/6-7/7-6/6-3/6-1
05 RG SF - Nadal 6-3/4-6/6-4/6-3
06 Dubai F - Nadal 2-6/6-4/6-4
06 Monte Carlo F - Nadal 6-2/6-7/6-3/7-6
06 Rome F - Nadal 6-7/7-6/6-4/2-6/7-6
06 RG F - Nadal 1-6/6-1/6-4/7-6
06 Wimbledon F - Federer 6-0/7-6/6-7/6-3

**MOST WIMBLEDON TITLES**
7...Pete Sampras
7...William Renshaw
5...Bjorn Borg
5...Lawrence Doherty
4...ROGER FEDERER
4...Rod Laver
4...Tony Wilding
4...Reggie Doherty

**MOST CONSECUTIVE WIMBLEDON TITLES**
6...William Renshaw, 1881-86
5...Bjorn Borg, 1976-80
5...Lawrence Doherty, 1902-06
4...Pete Sampras, 1997-00
4...ROGER FEDERER, 2003-CURRENT
4...Tony Wilding, 1910-13
4...Reggie Doherty, 1897-00

**MOST SLAM TITLES - CAREER**
14...Pete Sampras
12...Roy Emerson
11...Bjorn Borg
11...Rod Laver
10...Bill Tilden
8....ROGER FEDERER
8....Andre Agassi
8....Jimmy Connors
8....Ivan Lendl
8....Fred Perry
8....Ken Rosewall

**MEN'S SLAM WINNERS - 2004-06**
2004
A: Roger Federer
R: Gaston Gaudio
W: Roger Federer
U: Roger Federer
2005
A: Marat Safin
R: Rafael Nadal
W: Roger Federer
U: Roger Federer
2006
A: Roger Federer
R: Rafael Nadal
W: Roger Federer

**MOST SLAM FINALS - ACTIVE**
15...Andre Agassi (8-7)
9....ROGER FEDERER (8-1)
4....Lleyton Hewitt (2-2)
4....Marat Safin (2-2)

**GRASS COURT WINNING STREAKS**
48...ROGER FEDERER, 2003-CURRENT
41...Bjorn Borg, 1976-81
23...John McEnroe, 1980-82
23...Pete Sampras, 1994-96
23...Pete Sampras, 1998-00

**MOST WEEKS AT #1**
286...Pete Sampras
270...Ivan Lendl
268...Jimmy Connors
170...John McEnroe
127...ROGER FEDERER (CURRENT)
109...Bjorn Borg
101...Andre Agassi

**MEN'S DOUBLES CAREER SLAM**
[Open Era]
Jacco Eltingh & Paul Haarhuis
Todd Woodbridge & Mark Woodforde
Bob Bryan & Mike Bryan


Love/Love...

**LATE-ROUND WOMEN'S AWARDS**
TOP PLAYER: Amelie Mauresmo, of course
RISERS: Zi Yan/Jie Zheng & Vera Zvonareva
SURPRISE: Urszula Radwanska
VETERANS: Virginia Ruano-Pascual/Paola Suarez
FRESH FACE: Caroline Wozniacki
DOWN: Maria Sharapova & Kim Clijsters

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Love/15... Americans rule the men's doubles!! (For what it's worth, it IS a fact at Wimbledon.) The Bryan twins became the third team in the Open Era to complete a Men's Doubles career Grand Slam, and today the all-American duo of Kellen Damico & Nathaniel Schnugg (the Boys Doubles RU in Melbourne) won the SW19 Boys Doubles title. Wonder if that'll get them a couple of rooms at the Evert Academy in the USTA's new let's-right-this-sinking-ship setup there?
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15/15... Virginia Ruano-Pascual & Paola Suarez failed in their bid to get THEIR career Doubles slam, losing to Zi Yan & Jie Zheng, who picked up a second slam title for China to go along with their Australian Open Doubles title.

**MOST 2006 WTA DOUBLES TITLES - TEAMS**
6...Lisa Raymond/Samantha Stosur
5...ZI YAN/JIE ZHENG
2...Ting Li/Tiantian Sun
2...Daniela Hantuchova/Ai Sugiyama

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15/30... meanwhile, Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is three quarters of the way to a junior doubles grand slam for 2006. After winning in Melbourne and Paris with Sharon Fichman, who won the Wimbledon Girls Doubles with fellow Hordette Alisa Kleybanova today.
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15/40...


...yay, Jana! (That's her on the right, looking as bright-eyed as ever, I'd say.) Backspin's all-time fave, Hall of Famer, and 1998 Wimbledon champion Jana Novotna claimed her third straight crown in the Wimbledon 35-and-over competition, winning with Rosalyn Fairbank-Nideffer over Tracy Austin (who Novotna won with a year ago) and Nathalie Tauziat (the woman Jana beat in the '98 singles final). "The Woodies" -- Todd Woodbridge and Mark Woodforde, a five-time Wimbledon Doubles champion team -- won the men's 35-and-over.
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30/40...

**2006 WIMBLEDON CHAMPIONS**
MS: Roger Federer
WS: Amelie Mauresmo
MD: Bob Bryan & Mike Bryan
WD: Zi Yan & Jie Zheng
MX: Vera Zvonareva & Andy Ram
BS: Theimo de Bakker
WS: Caroline Wozniacki
BD: Kellen Damico & Nathaniel Schnuff
GD: Alisa Kleybanova & Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova
35's-M: Todd Woodbridge & Mark Woodforde
35's-W: Jana Novotna & Rosalyn Fairbank-Nideffer
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Game, "A LITTLE TASTE."

The full Grass Court Awards will be coming soon, but here's Backspin's lists for Top Player:

[WOMEN]
1.Amelie Mauresmo
2.Justine Henin-Hardenne
3.Zi Yan & Jie Zheng
4.Kim Clijsters
5.Maria Sharapova
HM-Vera Zvonareva and Michaella Krajicek

[MEN]
1.Roger Federer
2.Rafael Nadal
3.Bob & Mike Bryan
4.Lleyton Hewitt
5.Jonas Bjorkman
HM-Mario Ancic, Marcos Baghdatis, Andy Ram & Richard Gasquet
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All for Day 13. WTA Grass Court Awards tomorrow.

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COMING: ATP Grass Court Awards, 2Q Backspin Quiz (Federer/Nadal), and "The Blessed and the Cursed, 2Q Edition"