A Finale Worth Watching

Well the matchups have been set . And the finalists in the men’s and women’s singles finals have been revealed. In the men’s singles finals it’ll be number one seed and world # 2 Roger Federer facing off against American, Andy Roddick.

Roger Federer serves in his semi-final match against Germany's Tommy Haas at Wimbledon. Federer won the match and will be making his seventh appearance in the men's singles finals at Wimbledon. He'll be chasing his sixth singles title and fifteenth Grand Slam singles title overall. picture appears courtesy of afp/getty images/ Adrian Dennis .....

On the women’s side it’ll be the Williams sisters Venus and Serena facing off against each other in another Grand Slam tennis final. And it will be a women’s final that will have the tennis world eagerly affixed to their every move. Venus Williams will be seeking to win her sixth women’s singles finals championship at Wimbledon and her third straight title. Having last won the title in ‘07 and ‘08. Should she prevail then she’ll become the first woman to do so since Steffi Graf achieved the feat in 1991 then in ‘92 and ‘93. Whereas Serena Williams will be seeking her third Wimbledone singles title. This will be the fourth time that the sisters have met in the women’s singles final at Wimbledon.

Andy Roddick here makes his double fisted backhand a part of his repertoire of strokes used in defeating Andy Murray. Roddick won the match in a thrilling and exhilerating four set victory 6-4, 4-6, 7-6(9-7), 7-6(7-5). Roddick now meets Federer in the men's singles final on Sunday afternoon at Wimbledon. It will the third meeting of the duo in a men's singles final at Wimbledon. In each of their previous meeting Federer prevailed. And it is viewed that he will prevail again. picture appears courtesy of afp/getty images/ Glyn Kirk .........

And whilst Venus may well be viewed as the prohibitive favorite to win the tournament. Serena will surely go out and try to derail her big sister’s ambitions of winning her sixth title. The two have also have also made it to the women’s doubles finals. There they’ll meet the Australian pairing of Samantha Stosur and Rennae Stubbs. And in all likelihood it’ll be plain sailing for the sisters against the Antipodean pairing. When their doubles’ game takes shape they’re virtually unstoppable. And it would be viewed as a major surprise should the pairing of Stosur and Stubbs prevail.

Venus Williams (left) and her younger sibling Serena consult each other on strategy during their semi-final match in the women's doubles at Wimbledon. The pair won their match with a lopsided 6-1,6-2 victory over Lisel Huber and Cara Black. picture appears courtesy of afp/getty images/ Carl de Souza ...........

Experience counts for everything they say. And in this case with the pairing of the two sisters in this final. We ought to see a thoroughly entertaining and physically demanding match. However that’ll be predicated upon the mindset of both sisters. Venus combines a game of power in terms of her serving and a great deal of finesse when it come to her groundstrokes. Serena on the other hand is no stranger to either. But her game is built around her physical attributes. And that comes from her amazing speed around the court. And in the backcourt she tends to prevail with her powerful forehand strokes. Enough cannot be said as to the game of both players. But this is one thing that you can be sure of. In no way will this be a boring or mundane women’s singles final. Whenever the two tend to meet in a Grand Slam final , it has to be said they’ve never failed to disappoint the fans in attendance or those watching on television.

Serena Williams makes a return backhand to her sem-final opponent Elena Dementieva of Russia. Serena would go on to win the match in three sets 6-7(7-4),7-5,8-6 . picture appears courtesy of ap/ photo/ Anja Niedringhaus ...........

And as an avowed fan of the game. I for one am very much looking forward to this women’s singles final. It ought to to provide us with some thoroughly thrilling entertainment one way or another. As to predicting a winner. Prognostication has never been a forte’ for me. I’m a fan first and foremost. And that for me is what sports is essentially about if I’m not a participant in a particular recreational endeavor.

Dinara Safina (left) congratulates Venus Williams after their semi-final match. Williams would obliterate Safina in two scintillating sets of power tennis wining the match 6-1,6-0 in convincing fashion. picture appears courtesy of ap/photo/ Anja Niedringhaus ...........

On the men’s side we’ll be seeing history made by Roger Federer. He’ll be making his twentieth appearance in a Grand Slam singles final. A record he shares with Ivan Lendl. At it will be his sixteenth consecutive appearance in a Slam singles final. For Roddick this can’t be something that he’ll relishing. And that’s despite a wonderful display of tennis in defeating Andy Murray in a thorougly riveting four set match 6-4,4-6,7-6(9-7),7-6(7-5). Thereby denying the young Scottish player a chance of becoming the first British player to make an appearance in the men’s singles final since the late Fred Perry won the last of his three straight singles titles in the late thirties.

Whilst no one might covet the task now said to be facing Roddick. If he’s able to produce a semblance of the form used in defeating Murray. Then he may well be in with a chance. Even slight as it might be on appearance. Roddick knows that in his two previous meetings against Federer. It has been the Swiss player that has proven to be victorious.

And for Federer while his name has already been etched in tennis folklore and immortality. He can now rewrite the record books and dispel any thought as to who is the best player of his generation. Or for that fact the best player male player ever to play the game professionally. These are now the analogies that are and can be used to descibe Federer’s complete mastery of the game. And that’s with due respect to world number one Rafael Nadal. For Nadal who has proven to be Federer’s nemesis as of late. His none appearance here at Wimbledon and being unable to defend his title due to a recurring knee injury has left us somewhat wondering what might have been.

But the game isn’t played on the premis of supposition. It’s all about the intangibles being displayed at the time and the events as they unfold. If nothing else we can watch and appreciate what in effect will be history as it manifests itself in front of us all. This will be the culmination of a finale well worth watching and then some ! And no matter who proves to be victorious we can be enamored with it all.

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