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Monday, July 16, 2001
The Championships at Wimbledon began in 1877 on the grass courts of The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. The tournament has long been more than a sporting event reachable by the London tube. It is a tradition of prestige. Last week's men's and women's final matches were examples of Wimbledon's magic.
The men's tournament, pitting Goran Ivanisevic from Croatia against Patrick Rafter from Australia, was a fairy tale. After 14 years of professional competition -- including three finals at Wimbledon -- Ivanisevic finally achieved the Wimbledon title. Moreover, he entered the tournament as a wild card, courtesy of the club; his world ranking had dropped to 125th.
Venus Williams, the women's champion, seemed to be humbled by her decisive win, even though she is an old hand. Williams defeated the 19-year-old Belgian Justine Henin for her second consecutive Wimbledon title.
Due to rain delays, the men's final was postponed to last Monday. Thousands of tickets became available for the extra day and the stands filled with diehard Croatian and Australian fans. They witnessed (and helped to create) one of the most memorable and spirited matches in Wimbledon history, right up to heartstopping final set, which Ivanisevic took 9-7.
As sports fads come and go, it's reassuring to know that there will always be a Wimbledon.