Tennis pro Roger Federer awed crowds at this year's Wimbledon to win his fifth men's finals, casting a ray of sunshine into a stadium nestled beneath gray and cloudy skies. The 2007 Championship matches saw invigorating and exciting plays made by names who have become household words across the globe, among them Rafael Nadal, his rival for the win. Nadal, originally from Mallorca, gave Federer quite a handful in the final as their volleys matched power and technique that kept fans riveted.



Federer, the 26-year-old from Switzerland, turned professional in 1998 and is currently ranked number one in singles play. He holds the second position for the ATP Championship year. Federer seems to play better alone, for in doubles competition he holds the 24th position. As a singles player, Federer shines with 48 titles. Since he began his gifted career he has won over 500 matches and has earned over 30 million in U.S. dollars.

The man who's given him a run for his money this year, rival Rafael Nadal, was born in Manacor, Mallorca, in 1986, and is five years younger than Federer. Nadal, a left handed palyer, currently ranks number two in singles play. He holds the number one spot for the ATP Championship position and has over 200 match wins under his belt since he turned professional in 2001.

The breathtaking final between the two took almost four hours, with Federer finally winning 7-6; 4-6; 7-6; 2-6; 6-2. The match pitting two such gifted players against each other proved one of the best matches crowds at Wimbledon have seen in a while. The match drew a standing ovation upon its completion, and both Federer and Nadal can be congratulated on outstanding play as crowd favorites for 2007.

Federer with this win earned his fifth title championship, and the opportunity to compete with tennis great Bjorn Borg, who also won five straight tennis championships. This was a lifetime achievement for Federer, who all but collapsed due to the physical and emotional conclusion to his awe-inspiring play at the end of the match. Borg, watching from the Royal Box, was among those who stood to congratulate the exhausted player after completion of the final.

Once it was over, Federer honored his rival with the words, "It was such a close match. I told him at the net that he deserved it as well. I'm the lucky one today."

Luck may have a little something to do with his win, but skill and determination takes precedence over Federer's excellent play. It was a very tough match for him, but his refusal to crumple and his determination to excel kept the crowd on the edge of their seats for the duration of the match.

The competitive rivalry between Federer and Nadal will more than likely continue to draw crowds, as this Wimbledon match has gone down in history. Two extremely gifted and dedicated players; both Federer and Nadal honor their home countries with their skills, competitive spirit and sheer joy of the sport.