Ageless legend trying to climb another rung on ladder of fame

Class is class whatever the age of the contestant and it was richly evident in the performances of Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Serena Williams as an absorbing Wimbledon reached its climax.

The men’s final was a repeat of last year and the outcome was the same, with Djokovic, 28, defeating Federer, 33, in four sets as opposed to five a year ago.

But there was no sense of déjà vu as the two players constructed rallies of often breathtaking skill and imagination.

Only in the fourth set did Federer seem to wilt as Djokovic moved in for the kill to claim his third Wimbledon title, 7-6 6-7 6-4 6-3 and nibble the Centre Court’s grass again.

Both finalists were at their peak in the two opening sets which were a captivating collision between two of the game’s supreme craftsmen playing at their peak. End to end rallies, adventurous changes of pace and direction, above all a hunger to gain the initiative were all on view for a captivated audience who responded with roars of delight.

Federer, understandably, was the crowd’s favourite. Here he was bidding to become the first man to win eight Wimbledon singles titles, an ageless legend trying to climb another rung in the ladder of fame. His name echoed around the arena as he used every weapon in his armoury to keep Djokovic at bay, attacking at the earliest opportunity.

Great stuff. Federer squandered a couple of set points in losing the first set but rebounded to claim the second amid a deafening roar. The third set was interrupted by rain and the Swiss seemed to slip down a gear after the resumption.whereas his Serbian opponent increased the pressure to emerge a worthy winner.

A fine match probably deserved a decider, but it was not to be and there were no complaints from Federer.

“I still think I had a great tournament,” he said. “ You can have good tournaments without winning at the end. I would have loved to win. But I can be happy with the way I played. Even today it was fine.”

His Centre Court admirers clearly agreed and are already looking forward to seeing him next year. Some talent is timeless,

Serena Williams, at the venerable age of 33, claimed her 21st grand slam title and her fourth in a row by beating Spain’s Garbine Muguruza, 21, 6-4 6-4 in a women’s final which revealed the frailties as well as the strengths of her thunderous game.

She was 4-2 down in the first set and wobbled ominously when squandering a 5-2 lead in the second. But she reacted magnificently to prove that the flame still burns.

It all added up to an entertaining struggle, and the hugely promising Muguruza deserved the ovation she received from a captivated audience.

More will be heard of the girl from Barcelona now she has reached the upper echelons of the game. At the same time we must not forget the merit of Heather Watson’s performance when she stood within two points of beating Serena in the third round.

Williams remains a yardstick by which to measure her opponents and shows no indication of retiring from the field of combat – with the 
US Open and a coveted calendar grand slam of titles now in her sights. Life remains good for a frequently volcanic player who hates losing but has come to accept that setbacks can be a learning process. Even at 33.

Overall, it was a marvellous fortnight in terms of quality and drama with the idyllic weather providing a perfect backdrop.

Memorable moments: Richard Gasquet’s flamboyant topspin backhand; Roger Federer’s cunning angles at the net; Dustin Brown’s outrageous drop shots.

Memorable matches: Brown’s defeat of Rafael Nadal; Heather Watson’s near miss against Serena Williams; Federer’s magisterial conquest of Andy Murray. Wimbledon continues to weave its magic in a myriad ways.