Nick Wright previews this weekend's clash between York City Knights and Hull FC
Alex Reid looks at whether the once ever-present appearance of English clubs in the later stages of the Champions League is set to become a thing of the past
Craig Dobson looks at QPR's decision to sack Neil Warnock and replace him with Mark Hughes
James Tompkinson reviews an excellent pre-season victory for the York City Knights against Yorkshire rivals Leeds Rhinos
The Australian Open threw up one of the games of the year, as Verdasco hit 80 winners and 192 points only for Rafael Nadal to hold on and to win the marathon semi-final in front of a highly satisfied crowd. With a Melbourne heatwave going on, Nadal rose the intensity for the final, playing his best tennis of the year to reduce Federer to tears.
The French Open saw one of the greatest upsets tennis has ever seen, as Rafael Nadal lost his first game ever, at Roland Garros, to unfavoured Robin Soderling. However, it wasn't plain sailing for Federer either, who at break point, 2 sets to 1 down produced an outrageous forehand that clipped the line to keep him in the game; another inch or two and his year may have all been so different.
Soderling became a fan favorite in Paris on his route to the final, but there it was all about Federer and him finally winning the trophy that had always eluded him. But after failing in the final at the Australian Open, Dinara Safina's wait for any sort of Grand Slam goes on, as fellow patriot Kuznetsova clinched her first French Open title.
And so to SW19. Wimbledon had a new roof which, in its first competitive match saw Andy Murray, the country's only hope, stage a fightback to defeat Stanislas Wawrinka in the best match of the tournament. The people and the press expected another men's champion, the first since 1936, but Murray came unstuck against an on-fire Roddick. The A-Rod went on to rattle the cage of Federer in the final by only losing a single service game, but it was enough to see Federer win a record-breaking 15 Grand Slam titles.
It was at the US Open that we saw the emergence when it mattered of Del Potro, beating an in-form Federer in the final, alongside the incredible story of Clijsters returning from a two-year retirement to beat both Williams sisters on her way to victory.
After reaching all four of the Grand Slam finals this year the key question is whether Federer can continue to keep the hordes of challengers at bay next year? Or can Nadal regain his fitness and come back to contest for the titles? Or will Del Potro maintain his bright form? Or can Djokovic and Davydenko some consistency and contest for the Majors?
Champions have always been judged on their Grand Slam success, so will 2010 be the year for Murray to win his first Major against opponents that make up one of tennis's golden era's?
I realise 'best match' is subjective, but surely you can't be suggesting the Murray-Wawrinka match was better than the final!?
Thank-you for your opinion. I subjectively chose Murray's win over Wawrinka, as it was a landmark match being it the first in the Championships to be played under a roof which let the match slip into the 7 pm prime time viewing, it also had the added significance of involving Murray himself who before and during the tournament was filling up column inches left right and centre, so the fervor from the crowd that was met after Murray won in 5 sets, for me was greater than the final as I think deep down everyone wanted Murray or even Nadal if he was fit, to give Federer his last resistance before he reached the 15 Grand Slams. In terms of tennis played though, I'd agree, the final was better. Just lacked (even as a final) that significance.
Lol, landmark indeed. Having watched both ON centre court, I can guarentee that the 'fervor from the crowd' was noticeably greater before, during and after the final. While you note that Murray fills column inches; you might be surprised by the extent of support his opposition always receive...his anti-english comments struck a chord with the Wimbledon crowd let me assure you!
comment deleted by the author First Wimbledon match with a roof or the longest final in history in which the world number one had to save four break points in a row and only managed to break Roddick once to win the most grand slams EVER. I wonder which will be better remembered?
You must log in to submit a comment.
Report