The greatest game ever played?

That Nadal beat Federer was only part of the story. Even the final score, that looked to the layman more like an algebra equation than a sports result, could only hint at what really took place. This was athletic competition on the highest level. Two of the greatest tennis players ever, not to mention athletes, competed for nearly five hours and the story was as much what didn8217;t happen as what did.

Nadal, who gave Spain their first Wimbledon men8217;s title since 1966, tweaked a knee early on, shrugged it off and kept whacking shots at Federer. Nobody wimped out, backed down, made excuses, took potty breaks, tried gamesmanship, yelled at the umpire, blamed the camera that calls the lines or whimpered about the three rain delays. They just played, hitting shots like we may never see again, under pressure neither may ever feel again, with stakes the highest they play for in this sport.

Change of guard

And when it was over, when the greatest forehand in the history of the game let Federer down on match point and settled into the net, the five-time king praised the new kid on the throne as a worthy champion and the new kid was properly deferential to the replaced royalty. Which is not only refreshing, in this era of me-only sports stars, but it is how it ought to be. Try to remember when you saw this great a competition in sports and this much great sportsmanship. The former antithesis of such things, John McEnroe, led us through the match with his appreciation of the greatness he was witnessing. He used the word 8220;unbelievable8221; at least a dozen times, and for once, that did not seem to be hyperbole.

He should know. He was on the short end in the 1980 Wimbledon final, when Bjorn Borg beat him, 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7, 8-6. Now, after Nadal-Federer, that match seems to have acquired status as 8220;the second-greatest tennis match ever played.8221;

Even those with both a great knowledge of the sport and a stake in the outcome could not resist the exclamation points. Pete Sampras watched from his home in Beverly Hills and called the match, 8220;Absolutely terrific. One of the best tennis matches I8217;ve ever seen.. The Federer-Nadal rivalry has transcended the sport,8221; he said. 8220;It8217;s amazing how they have done it. With the match today, they separated themselves even further from the rest of the players. With this match, they have brought so much more to the sport.8221;