Novak Djokovic v Roger Federer - 2014 Wimbledon Final

I feel privileged to have just watched, albeit on television, the men's singles final between Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer. Another epic, absorbing and emotionally draining encounter to place alongside so many others which have marked this wonderful era of men's tennis. Like all genuinely great champions, Federer went down fighting, and it is perhaps a measure of his performance that the match extracted such a physical and emotional toll from Djokovic, who looked completely spent at the end, and barely had sufficient energy to lift the trophy!

When Federer won the first set, I thought to myself that this was great for the neutrals, because it would embolden Federer, and force Djokovic to dig deep. In the event, the match went its own wild and unpredictable way, with ebb and flow, and both men giving absolutely everything. Few other sports anywhere in the world have the capacity to deliver theatre like men's tennis currently does.

There was an interesting sub-plot, with Boris Becker and Stefan Edberg, who had a few titanic scraps at Wimbledon in their time, sitting in the stands, working on the respective coaching teams of Novak and Roger.

Matches between Djokovic and Federer do not, at first glance, have quite the allure of  Djokovic-Nadal or Nadal-Federer, because the contrast in styles and personalities does not appear to be there. Djokovic does not have the classical elegance of Federer, or the relentless intensity of Nadal, and I must admit that in the past I did not really warm to him as a player. He is one of those players whose style and qualities require closer scrutiny before they can be fully appreciated. Only then does one understand how his mental fortitude and all-round proficiency combine to form an almost deceptive brilliance.

As ever in matches of this rarefied level, it only took the merest lapse, or the slightest drop-off in form, for the pendulum to swing. This occurred towards the close of the third set, when Federer's level appeared to diminish slightly, and Djokovic got the bit between his teeth. Then in the fourth set the Serb went "walkabout" momentarily, and Federer took his chance.

It looked for a few horrible moments as though Djokovic might be hindered decisively by injury, after his fall near the baseline, but happily this proved not to be the case. It would have been a terrible anti-climax had this gripping contest fizzled out in such circumstances. The fifth set saw both players existing to a large extent on pure guts and adrenaline, playing almost from memory.

Both men greatly enhanced their reputations as tennis players and men today. What would other sports give to have such talented and noble participants in their arenas?

Uruguay 2 England 1

Before last night's World Cup group match in Sao Paulo, I was reasonably optimistic that England would be capable of building on their creditable performance against the Italians, and getting their tournament "back on track", to use an irritating modern phrase.

My cautious buoyancy gradually evaporated, however, as the match developed. The shortcomings in England's defence were manifest even in the early stages, and Uruguay's team changes and the return of Luis Suarez to the fold clearly made them a much tougher proposition than the one which had turned out in the match against Costa Rica. There was much more purpose and cohesion about their play.

The sense of foreboding which had developed within me during the first half was partially ameliorated by Wayne Rooney's equaliser, but it was a temporary respite, and Suarez's emphatic finish for the second goal brought England back to earth, and reality, with a bump.

Were there any positives for England?  Well, Wayne Rooney was clearly happier and more dangerous in his more central role, and could have scored one or two more goals in addition to his close-range leveller. One hopes that Rooney will continue to perform well in the final match, even though any such efforts may prove academic.

Daniel Sturridge may not have been quite as effective as he was against Italy, but he was quite industrious and energetic, and never afraid to try something a little different in order to carve out an opening.

It probably won't happen, but I would make some changes for England's final group match against Costa Rica. How about "resting" Steven Gerrard, who has been ineffectual and lacklustre, and playing a midfield of,say, Henderson, Barkley and Lallana?  The team would have added zest and freshness, and even if England are eliminated, you would be giving the England stars of the future valuable experience on the world stage.

I guess that England's fate depends to some extent on the attitude of Italy to their final game, assuming that they defeat Costa Rica later today. Would they rest one or two players against Uruguay under those circumstances, and seek to conserve their energy for the latter stages, knowing that a draw would see them through?

If we assume that Italy will win the group, I have to say that, even as an Englishman, part of me would rather see Luiz Suarez in the later stages of the World Cup than England.  Yes, Suarez has his faults, but he is also a magnificent player, who offers more in a purely footballing respect than anything which England have to offer.

2014 World Cup - so far

Well, we have now had three-and-a-bit days of World Cup action, so how are things going?

 

I remember that around this stage in the 2010 World Cup, the general consensus was that the tournament had been "boring", giving rise to anguished phone-ins on radio stations here in the UK, speculating on the reasons for the malaise. Happily, the 2014 edition of football's global spectacle has started quite brightly, although there is a tendency to get a little over-excited. World Cups have that effect on people....

 

The football has generally been enterprising and positive, with a decent goals-per-game ratio, which is often employed (somewhat simplistically, I feel) as the barometer of a tournament's quality. One or two pundits have remarked cynically (or level-headedly) that we are also witnessing the further demise of defending as an art. Having said that, you can attribute the high level of goals scored in the World Cups of the 1950s to the prevailing lack of tactical acumen and defensive solidity in those times.

 

The conditions, at least in some parts of Brazil, should promote high-scoring games, as defenders tire towards the end of matches, and become more prone to committing errors. Substitutions could become key in deciding the outcome of many games as the World Cup progresses.

 

Of the teams which we have seen so far, Brazil clearly have abundant talent, even if they were deemed to be slightly fortunate in their opener against Croatia. Holland have potent attacking resources, although the overall level of quality and flair in their line-up is perhaps not as sparkling as some Dutch outfits of the past.

 

Before the tournament, I thought to myself that France might do well. Nobody was talking about them, the discord and disunity of the last World Cup was gone, and a quite confidence was being exuded. In their game against Honduras they played some constructive football, with a few of the younger, more hungry players really catching the eye. Deschamps has achieved some real cohesion, it would appear.

 

A mantra before every World Cup is "never write off the Italians", and in their game against England they proved the wisdom of this maxim. Playing in their compact and economical style, they gave England, and other teams, plenty of food for thought, Andrea Pirlo strolling imperiously around the pitch as if he was in the local park on a Sunday afternoon.

 

Although the football has been entertaining, the undoubted highlight of the World Cup thus far has been the employment of "vanishing spray" by referees, to discourage encroachment by defenders at free-kicks. This has to be the most important innovation in football in decades, and a significant boost to the level of entertainment!

 

 

 

 

 

 

2014 Australian Grand Prix

After much fanfare and uncertainty, the opening Grand Prix of the season is behind us, with many talking points.

The spectacle seemed ever so slightly subdued, and it may take some time to become accustomed to the dull drone of the turbos again, after twenty-five years of screaming normally-aspirated engines of various descriptions. Similarly, people will have to re-calibrate their minds to accommodate the modus operandi and vagaries of the new cars. On the plus side, there were encouraging signs of competitiveness, despite the impression that Mercedes enjoy a significant advantage out of the blocks. Also, the cars look much less ugly in motion than they do when stationary!

Mercedes do look impressive, and their whole package looks compact and efficient. Nico Rosberg seemed to have plenty in hand, and the onboard footage from his car suggested a user-friendly and sympathetic vehicle, whereas some of the other teams have yet to fully tame and harness their new creations.

The race in Melbourne also represented a renaissance of sorts for McLaren, and it was great to see Ron Dennis much in evidence in the pits, and even on the pitwall. It must have been very satisfying for the team to witness Kevin Magnussen achieve a podium finish on his debut. The young Dane has taken to Formula 1 like a duck to water, impressing in testing as well as during his first taste of "the real thing". His pass of Lewis Hamilton early on exhibited real confidence and flair, and had the mark of real class about it.

After enduring a miserable series of tests, and having an ultimately disappointing race weekend, Red Bull cannot be discounted. Daniel Ricciardo's race display, although ending in disqualification, is a persuasive sign that the reigning champions will be a force to be reckoned with before very long.

Williams might have been hoping for slightly better than what they got from Australia, but it is great to see them back as a major player. Although Felipe Massa was taken out at the start, Valtteri Bottas' comeback drive had real swagger and vigour, and confirmed the promise of both car and driver. As an added bonus, Williams have reintroduced to F1 one of the coolest liveries in racing!

I probably sound like a broken record in my effusive praise of Nico Hulkenberg, but the German once again showed his class at Albert Park, driving consistently and unobtrusively to a solid finish in the points. Any lingering disappointment at not landing a "top" seat will hopefully be assuaged by the knowledge that Force India have adapted to the new era better than most.

It is hard to know what to make of Ferrari at the moment. Their testing form was a touch inconclusive, but they hardly inspired in Melbourne. Fernando Alonso did his formidable best in the race, maybe even flattering the machinery, but there are signs that Kimi Raikkonen is struggling to get to grips with the new technology. The "superteam" may take a while to unleash its full potential.

In a way, the better than expected reliability which was seen in Australia was a disappointment, because it meant that the shake-up in the running order was less pronounced than might have been hoped for. Mercedes might have the edge, but as demonstrated by the gremlins which afflicted Lewis Hamilton, they are as yet far from infallible. I think that we can expect further surprises in the races to come, with interlopers popping up in unexpected positions.