Saturday, Sep 13, 2003
Saturday, Sep 13, 2003 |
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Sports
LONDON, July 10 (2000)-At three minutes to nine on Sunday evening, as night was licking its lips in anticipation before eating up what was left of the day for a sumptuous supper in silver grey rather than golden twilight, one of the truly extraordinary sportsmen of this or any era raised his arms skyward in a familiar gesture on the centrecourt at Wimbledon. Mark that moment — 8.57 p.m. to be exact, three minutes before 1-30 a.m. on Monday morning in India — for you'd find few like it in the entire history of organised sport. And, those of us privileged enough to have been a part of it on tennis' greatest stage, will perhaps find nothing to match it the rest of our lives. It was a historic moment when all arguments ceased, a moment that answered one big question and many small questions, a moment that put an end to all comparisons. Step forward, Mr. Pete Sampras, wet eyes notwithstanding ... the greatest of `em all! Argue if it pleases you, but the moment Pat Rafter failed to direct a Sampras serve back into the court in the men's singles final of the millennium championship in gathering gloom, arguments and comparisons became meaningless. A magnificent seven it was for Sampras at Wimbledon and it saw him leave Roy Emerson behind and move into an orbit of his own as the most successful Grand Slam singles champion in history with 13 titles in 11 years. — Nirmal Shekar
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