Roger Federer, Marcos Baghdatis, the great sport of tennis

The past two years, as I've gotten more into sports, one element that I've been confident in possessing was a different type of mental will. I felt that I could outperform, outlast and defeat opponents because of a mental will that would not let me down. This is what has brought me up 10 mountains, has made me (me?!? me!) join adventure races, and even make a fool of myself (just a little) on international cable tv.

so it's a joy to behold, someone, who is the epitome of a person who controls and disciplines his mind in such a superior fashion. This I saw in tonight's grand slam final between the great mental man in person, Roger Federer, against the refreshing presence of Marcos Bagdatis --- who in more ways than one, is a true twenty year old, but I'll get to that portion later.

The score doesn't tell you much, so if you hope to be able to analyze the match by looking at a 5-7 7-5 6-0 6-2, you won't even get a shadow of what really occured.

5-7 and 5-5, we had Marcos relentlessly testing Federer. Federer was struggling to hold serve at times, and I wondered what the hell was with the easy errors Fed was committing. Baghdatis played many brilliant points, and at a certain point could have even been up two breaks on that very set. But this is when the turning point came where Roger staves off a forceful attack on his serve and managed to hold to 6-5. He then wins the next 10 games.

Baghdatis goes off the boil, loses momentum in the 3rd set. That much is evident with the 6-0 score. It's a 6-2 score in the final set, but there was a lot of drama here. 3-0 we see Marcos falling from a cramp. Dang he's got a friggin cramp. I was hoping he'd come back.

The cramp doesn't visibly show in the next games, but it's obvious that Marcos doesn't move as well. His ability to return the impossible balls starts to wane. This is a spent Baghdatis, mentally and physically drained. There was valiant stand at 4-2 though. Very close he could have broken Fed, which would have put him on serve. Doesn't happen. The precocious kid from Cyprus, the most fun thing from the last 2 weeks, has run out of gas. Later, during the awarding ceremony, he recovers his usual persona: smiling, goofy, loving life. For now, it's the pain of impending defeat.

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Always always always watch the awarding ceremonies of Grand Slam Finals. This is where all the drama occurs, and where you fall in love (or in hate, e.g. Hingis' occasionally icky speeches) with your tennis players. Baghdatis comes up and is happy to be there. This is a big win for him, for his family, for friggin cyprus. His heart shines through. All through the two weeks he's wore his heart on his sleeve and he has been pounding his chest. Yeah, all heart. Like a typical young person, he forgets to say a few things. Only later, with the help of the commentator, does he make amends when the MC says that Marcos wants to insert that he also congratulates Federer for his win (he forgot that), and also that he much appreciates the presence of his girlfriend Camille, for the last two weeks. YOU FORGOT TO GREET YOUR GIRL YOU DORK!!!! Bwahahahaha. Ok, lang. Ha ha. He's 20! But man, did you see that beard? These Cypriots really. . .wait, I digress.

Back to the Drama. Oh, yes. Roger Federer. All the while, all these two weeks, he's been MR COOL. Tennis Australia head calls him a King, and I think, well, Federer is awfully used to all these compliments. I wonder what it means to him all now? Does the dam ever break? IT DOES. He's given his trophy by the great Rod Laver. Rod Laver, non-Tennis fans, is the ONLY person to have completed a grandslam (win Australian, French, Wimbledon and US), twice. This was 1962 and 1969. After receiving his trophy from Rod, he goes to the mic and is speechless. "I don't know what to say," Roger says. A few more seconds pass and he starts crying.

He finally let's his guard down, and it "all is coming out now", he admits to the entire crowd. He thanks Marcos, Marcos' team, his team, the audience, tennis australia, the sponsors, everybody who watches. And finally he thanks the great Rod Laver. Thanking Rod Laver brings him to tears again. He can't help but give Rod a hug after stepping down from the microphone.



Photo courtesy of Getty Images, taken from AustralianOpen.com website.
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I thought the glistening eyes of Mauresmo last night as she finally won her first grandslam was gonna be the most poignant image stuck for me from this year's Aussie Open. Turns out it's a far second to Roger Federer's emotionality. With three in a row now, he'll be gunning for the French. Baghdatis is the new fun face of Men's tennis. Tennis in 2006 looks promising.