What an exciting day it was, I've been a big fan of Ferreros at the time and he was playing some of his best tennis, beating Agassi along the way. Largely favored against (ironically) his compatriot Costa, he started well enough...holding his serve to love (i think)...they played i think 3 games before mother nature decided to make her presence known by reigning down showers...which triggered a rain delayed...the rest was well...history. After the rain delay, Fererro just wasn't the same...clearly playing with nerves...he surrounded the first two sets rather meekly, losing 6-1, 6-0. In the third, he mustered some nerve and was able to carve up a 6-4 win...but with the tag 'heavy favorite', and the thought of overcoming insurmountable odds weighing heavily on his shoulder...he lost the final set 6-3...the final dagger through my heart was watching him double faulting at match point...it was a sad end to a match with so much promise of victory for the young Spaniard (he did eventually win he lone grand slam the following year at the same event)...but the tears in his eyes told the story of a man of seething thoughts of what could have been...
Albert Costa kissing the Trophy (while Ferrero sits shell shocked on his bench)
One the other side of the world, Spain the overwhelming favorites were playing against the giant killing South Koreans (who took down Italy in a rather controversial match). I have to admit, I didn't care much for soccer then (not that I do now), but since Ferrero was Spanish, at least for the remainder of the Soccer tournament, I had temporary switch allegiance to Spain...I didn't know much about the Spanish team, but I did know they were quite prolific during their group stage matches, scoring 9 goals along the way...they had been at the time (prior to 2006) touted as their best team ever team assembled for the Spanish contingent...some players included Raul and Morientes...who were at the peak of their prowess and formed a particularly prolific strike force...Mandieta who recently won FIFAs player of the year award, Hierro and T.Nadal (uncle of now famous tennis star R.Nadal) and a young trio of Casillas, Puyol and Xavi who would go on to form the nucleus of the currently reigning world and European champion team...Needless to say, Spain dominated the match from beginning till end of extra time...unfortunately, they had 2 goals unfairly disallowed allowing the Koreans to hang on till the end of extra time...nerves finally got in the way and they exited the tournament via a penalty shootout.
However of late, the Spanish seem to be enjoying a huge sporting renaissance, cumulating in the victories of Rafael double grand slam (French and Wimbledon), The Lakers (featuring Pau Gasol) NBA championship team and the Spanish soccer teams World Championship triumph.
After enduring a miserable 2009 and pre-clay 2010 struggling with injury. Nadal suddenly turn it around during the Clay season after winning all 3 masters title on clay (Monte Carlo, Rome and Madrid), he came into the French full of confidence and claimed his 5th French title, before heading into grass of Wimbledon...collecting his 2nd Wimbledon title and bringing his overall tally of grand slam title to 8.
I've never really been a fan of his tennis...it's quite ugly on the eyes...chasing down every single shot and looping them back with his highly unorthodox ground strokes...But truth be told...the Spanish sport renaissance really started with him...prior to that...Spanish tennis has always consistently produce top level players...but neither truly soaring to the ranks of greatness, often becoming victims to their own fragile mental state...but this kid was different...playing with a kind of grit and determination seldom seen from today's elite players. His unwillingness to yield and finding every possible way to win a match has define him as a player. Strong, scrappy and stubborn merge with superhuman concentration, concentration and mental toughness...a perfected style of tennis started by Brad Gilbert who literally wrote the book on winning ugly...I don't like his style of tennis, but I do admire and appreciate what he brings to the court and the sport of tennis...although he really has to stop with the play acting...he's above that...he doesn't need to win with underhand tactics...before Nadal...the Spaniard struggled to performed at the highest level...Who knew a bandana, pirate pants wearing kid from Mallorca would show them the way to win when it counts...
Pau Gasol...the best basketball player ever to emerge from Spain...what a talent...tall, versatile and smooth...seldom do players of this caliber brace the basketball stage...Once, touted as the savior who would lead the Grizzlies to the land of milk and honey (that's the NBA championship)...he failed to live up to that reputation (albeit not entirely his fault)...always seen as the talented player who couldn't take his team beyond the 1st round of the playoffs (that distinction now is firmly at the hands of Mcgrady)...eventually traded to the Lakers (in one of the most lopsided trades in history)...he ended up being Kobe Bryant's "Pippen"...capable of supporting the franchise star...or carrying the team himself when Kobe struggles...He showed a different side of himself during the NBA finals...Unable to play with the kind of flair due to the punishing defense of Boston...decided to roll up his sleeve and get down and dirty...scrambling for rebounds, taking charges, bullying his way to the basket and being a general nuisance on the defensive end...he might never get the same recognition as Kobe for winning those couple of championship...but everybody knows...Kobe wouldn't want anybody but Pau as his wing man...Gasol, the bloke who help turn a perennial playoff team into a championship outfit...
Finally, the Spanish football team. For so long, they have been known as one of the prettiest footballing team to have never won the Cup...After struggling to even get to the Finals...they made their break through at this year's championship...what made this win more special in a way was after wowing the world with their football during the 2006 European championships...they showed us that they can win with shear grit, determination and patience as evident by their four 1-0 wins startling from the round of 16...stopping an impressive free scoring German side and a rough Dutch side in the Finals who were determine to kick their opponents out of the park...a win is a win...and that's what counts...
After years of struggling...the Spanish have finally learn how to win...it doesn't matter how pretty you play...just how hard...here's to more great years to the nation's sporting side...
Side note...Fernando Alonso is struggling in the F1 championships and Spain just lost 5-0 during the davis cup tie...well...you win some you lose some...
After enduring a miserable 2009 and pre-clay 2010 struggling with injury. Nadal suddenly turn it around during the Clay season after winning all 3 masters title on clay (Monte Carlo, Rome and Madrid), he came into the French full of confidence and claimed his 5th French title, before heading into grass of Wimbledon...collecting his 2nd Wimbledon title and bringing his overall tally of grand slam title to 8.
I've never really been a fan of his tennis...it's quite ugly on the eyes...chasing down every single shot and looping them back with his highly unorthodox ground strokes...But truth be told...the Spanish sport renaissance really started with him...prior to that...Spanish tennis has always consistently produce top level players...but neither truly soaring to the ranks of greatness, often becoming victims to their own fragile mental state...but this kid was different...playing with a kind of grit and determination seldom seen from today's elite players. His unwillingness to yield and finding every possible way to win a match has define him as a player. Strong, scrappy and stubborn merge with superhuman concentration, concentration and mental toughness...a perfected style of tennis started by Brad Gilbert who literally wrote the book on winning ugly...I don't like his style of tennis, but I do admire and appreciate what he brings to the court and the sport of tennis...although he really has to stop with the play acting...he's above that...he doesn't need to win with underhand tactics...before Nadal...the Spaniard struggled to performed at the highest level...Who knew a bandana, pirate pants wearing kid from Mallorca would show them the way to win when it counts...
Pau Gasol...the best basketball player ever to emerge from Spain...what a talent...tall, versatile and smooth...seldom do players of this caliber brace the basketball stage...Once, touted as the savior who would lead the Grizzlies to the land of milk and honey (that's the NBA championship)...he failed to live up to that reputation (albeit not entirely his fault)...always seen as the talented player who couldn't take his team beyond the 1st round of the playoffs (that distinction now is firmly at the hands of Mcgrady)...eventually traded to the Lakers (in one of the most lopsided trades in history)...he ended up being Kobe Bryant's "Pippen"...capable of supporting the franchise star...or carrying the team himself when Kobe struggles...He showed a different side of himself during the NBA finals...Unable to play with the kind of flair due to the punishing defense of Boston...decided to roll up his sleeve and get down and dirty...scrambling for rebounds, taking charges, bullying his way to the basket and being a general nuisance on the defensive end...he might never get the same recognition as Kobe for winning those couple of championship...but everybody knows...Kobe wouldn't want anybody but Pau as his wing man...Gasol, the bloke who help turn a perennial playoff team into a championship outfit...
Finally, the Spanish football team. For so long, they have been known as one of the prettiest footballing team to have never won the Cup...After struggling to even get to the Finals...they made their break through at this year's championship...what made this win more special in a way was after wowing the world with their football during the 2006 European championships...they showed us that they can win with shear grit, determination and patience as evident by their four 1-0 wins startling from the round of 16...stopping an impressive free scoring German side and a rough Dutch side in the Finals who were determine to kick their opponents out of the park...a win is a win...and that's what counts...
After years of struggling...the Spanish have finally learn how to win...it doesn't matter how pretty you play...just how hard...here's to more great years to the nation's sporting side...
Side note...Fernando Alonso is struggling in the F1 championships and Spain just lost 5-0 during the davis cup tie...well...you win some you lose some...
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