Written by Continued from Part 1
Wimbledon – Venue: King Federer’s Lawn
The clay season was over, it was time to hit the pristine English lawns, it was time for Wimbledon. The oldest and the most coveted tennis tournament in the world where Champions are crowned. Roger Federer was looking to equal Pete Sampras’s record seventh Wimbledon Championship win, while Novak Djokovic was looking to defend the title he snatched from Rafael Nadal in 2011. Andy Murray was in pursuit to become the first British in Open Era to win the Grand Slam’s Gentlemen Singles Title. Wimbledon’s grass is a tricky surface to play on. There are a lot of upsets here unlike clay and this time the two time champion Rafa Nadal found himself in one of them, when he was beaten in five sets in the second round match by unseeded Lukas Rosol. After his defeat Nadal suffered from knee injury and was not able to participate in the subsequent London Olympics and the U.S. Open 2012. With Nadal off Djokovic, Federer and Murray closed in towards the championship. In the Quarter Finals Djokovic and Federer where on their targets wasting no time defeating their opponents and setting up a clash between themselves for a place in the finals. From the other side of the draw it was Andy Murray and Jo-Wilfred Tsonga who came through to the semi finals defeating David Ferrer and Philip Kholschreiber respectively. In Djokovic, Federer face off Federer started off with a bang winning the first set 6-3 in just 24 minutes. Djokovic showed why he is the champion by winning the third with the same margin in 30 minutes. Before the match there was a short rain delay and the roof had to come on. Federer is outstanding in indoor conditions and perhaps it was just what he needed to win, a some what competitive third set, against the defending champion. Nole was blown off I the fourth set by Fedex as he won the match in 2hrs 19 minutes. Next up on center court was Andy Murray against Jo-Wilfred Tsonga. Murray started strong and he was two sets to love up when out of no where Tsonga started serving rockets on the court winning the set 6-3. But Murray came back strong and literally choked Tsonga as Tsonga made a flurry of unforced errors losing the match to Andy.
It was No.3 seed vs the No.4, all of England were looking for history to be made at Wimbledon. Murray knew he had to serve well and he was up to the task, wins the first set in almost an hour with a break more than Federer. In the second, Federer loosened up and went on with his shots, he did make more errors but with pin point accuracy and game play of Federer there were lots of winners too, Federer makes a comeback winning the set 7-5. Rain started to pour down and the roof was again on. This was an ominous sign for Murray, it was indoor conditions again and Federer was unstoppable after that. Federer’s serve improved and made Murray defensive to add to the misery Federer was serving ahead and he went all out finishing the game in next hour and a half to win the Wimbledon Championship for a record seventh time. The King was Back and on top of the World with World No.1 ranking. Murray on the other hand was emotional but the crowd knew he gave it his best shot.
London Olympics 2012: Murray’s Second Chance
Being hosted in London the Olympic Tennis Event was being played at the Wimbedon, nothing greater than that. There was no defending champion here as Nadal didn’t participate. Federer was the No.1 seed and Djokovic, who the bronze medalist in 2008 Olympics, was looking for Gold this time. Murray made Djokovic’s dream of gold a nightmare when he defeated the Serb in straight sets to reach the final. In the second of the two Semi Finals it was Roger Federer again and he was against 6’5” Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro. Del Porto won the first set with ease, but the King was on his lawn and he came back strong winning the second set in the tie breaker and pushing into the deciding set. The decider was a tough set, with absolutely no room for error Del Potro and Federer fought in what looked like a never ending duel as the set went on for more than 2 hours and ended at 19-17 with Federer as the victor. It was once again Andy Murray and Roger Federer, same court, but this time for the Nation and for the Gold Medal. Murray was on fire in this match, he was not in a mood to wait he gunned with all his heart firing each serve of his and forcing Federer to make errors. Federer did succumb and was packed off in straight sets by Murray to win the Gold Medal. Something that Murray must have really wanted to give me confidence to win on the big stages. There was a big relief in Murray camp.
Murray was feeling good, Djokovic was licking his wounds, everyone knew that Federer is always in the game and Nadal was out of action for a considerable time. With all this we went into the final Grand Slam of the season straight to the Flushing Meadows for The U.S. Open 2012.
U.S Open 2012: The Rise of Big Four at the Big Apple.
The U.S. Open 2012 was a huge event, with a lot happening around. It was an emotional Grand Slam where hearts where broken of many and there were even more smiles and things to cheer for. Federer seeded No.1 and Djokovic seeded No.2 were the favorites, especially after Nadal withdrew from the Slam. Former Champion Juan Martin Del Potro was looking to win again where as the in form Andy Murray was chasing his dream of maiden Slam. The whole of world was stunned when 2003 Champion and Former World No.1 Andy Roddick announced his retirement after the Open during the post match interview of his second round match. He lost to Juan Martin Del Potro in the fourth round in four sets. Roddick will be dearly missed by tennis fans across the world. Few days before this, three time Women’s champion Kim Clijsters announced her retirement from competitive tennis after her second round defeat against Laura Robson. But along with this there was some serious hard court tennis going around at the Big Apple.
Roger Federer was shown the door when the tall Czech Tomas Berdych out rallied Federer to win the QF in four sets. Novak Djokovic defeated Juan Martin Del Potro avenging the Olympic Bronze Medal in straight sets, the match was much tougher than the score line of 6-2 7-6 6-4 suggests. David Ferrer meanwhile defeated the No.2 Serbian Janko Tipsarevic in a grueling five setter. Andy Murray silently went into the SF by defeating Marin Cilic in four sets, the last set had a bagel. Murray faced Federer’s conquerer in Berdych. Berdych started strong winning the first set but Murray came back winning the next two with relative ease. The final set ended in Murray’s favour with a close tie breaker. The same story was there in Djokovic’s vs Ferrer match. Ferrer was brutal in the first set and Djokovic was not even able to return. But the roles changed in the next set and Ferrer was playing the catching game as Djokovic turned vicious and won the match going into the final for third straight year and for the fourth time.
Murray was perhaps the more desperate one and he wanted a win at all cost. Murray won the first two sets. The first set went into a tie breaker and took nearly one and half hours to finish. Djokovic is perhaps the king of come backs and he came back strong from two sets deficit to level it at two sets all. Murray was serving better than ever before, the lapse which he made in the third and the fourth set were nowhere to be seen now. Djokovic was not playing well as he struggled while returning. Murray wins the final set and his first Grand Slam in a thrilling five setter and makes history by becoming the first British in 76 years to win a Grand Slam Men’s Singles Title. It was an emotional night in the Murray camp a defeat would indeed have shattered him. Djokovic just could not pull this one off.
The top four players in the world won the four grand slams
Novak Djokovic – Australian Open
Rafael Nadal – French Open
Roger Federer – Wimbledon
Andy Murray – U.S. Open
The Big Four
