I'm very late to this magnificent party because I kept on watching re-runs of this match yesterday, as I couldn't believe it was actually REAL!
I should merely post something like "no words" "speechless" and the like, but I'll give it a try anyways.
Up to about a week ago, there wasn't any brain cell in my head that actually believed this could happen... the both having had a bad 2016, injuries, "old" age, millenium-mileage, etc...
I really thought the GS-ship had already sailed off to Valinor for the both of them, and quite some years ago already, too.
The match in itself: it truly lived up to all of the hype, expectations, and, for the Fed-fans:
hopes.
A fantastic display of tennis and sportmanship, both giving it all of their (near to) best.
Fed was very right in saying during his post-match interview that while a tennis match can't end in a draw, it wouldn't have been wrong for this particular match to have had it as the ultimate outcome.
As I don't want to spoil this thread with my endless
'Exultate, Jubilate!' about this match, just a few things I noticed:
Rafa: yes, he's surely BACK, and if he keeps up this level of play, surely back into contention for the upcoming slams.
His serving, especially, was briljant - for his standards for sure - I wonder, may Moyà have advised him to use that body serve so often as he did during this match?
A welcome addition to his game.
Here's me hoping he'll finally lay his hands on La Decima come June in Paris!
As for Rog... man man.
- no more lame-ass slice serve returns: CHECK!
- no more breaking-down OHBH: CHECK!
- no more starting off with the right attacking tactics, but changing to losing, pushing tactics after a few failing balls: CHECK!
...
Brilliant offensive tennis, taking the balls as early as possible, with a blistering speed - Davydenko-like, at times.
Those fantastic CC backhands, where did they come from. all of a sudden?
I get the feeling Ivan Ljubicic deserves a bit of the credits for this victory... and perhaps even more than just a bit.
Truly jewels to the sport, These Two. Whether this will be their (or even one of them's) Swansong, or that they will be able to build up on it (again) remains to be seen, but this was a true classic and a match to remember.
There, I'm done.