Roger Federer Video:

		List Price: $24.99		Label: STANDING ROOM ONLY Salesrank: 5504 Released: August 19, 2008
		Our Price: $13.88
		Used Price: $14.23
		MPAA Rating: NR (Not Rated) Media: DVD

Editorial Review:
On July 6 2008, one dream ended, and a new one began on the Centre Court in Wimbledon. In the latest, magnificent chapter of their storied rivalry, Rafael Nadal dethroned five-time champion Roger Federer by winning the longest-ever Wimbledon men's final.

The consistently heart stopping 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5-7), 6-7 (8-10), 9-7 classic began at 2.35 pm and, thanks to a couple of breaks for rain it ended at 9.15 pm with the 22-year-old from Mallorca dropping to the ground with his arms outstretched in celebration. With the win, Nadal matched Bjorn Borg's fantastic feat of winning the Grand Slams at the French Open and Wimbledon back-to-back and also prevented Federer from surpassing the five titles in a row Borg collected between 1976 and 1980.

Conditions for the latest duel between tennis's two finest players could not have been more demanding. The rain, which delayed the start for 27 minutes, eventually cleared but the chill, gusting wind which accompanied it persisted throughout the match, blowing winning shots off course and making life even more difficult for the two competitors. That they coped so well spoke volumes for their skill and adaptability.

The match is being proclaimed as the greatest Grand Slam finals of all time.

The Spaniard, who had squandered two match points in a nerve-shredding fourth set tie-break, added a first All England Club title to his four French Opens, shattering Federer's dreams of an historic sixth successive Wimbledon trophy.

'It's impossible to explain what I felt when I won. I'm just very happy to win this title. I never thought I could win but to do so is a dream'; said Nadal who had lost the last two finals to Federer.

It was late, very late, but not too late to crown a new champion.

Wimbledon - The 2008 Finals: Nadal vs. Federer / Widescreen Reviews:
Yep, greatest match ever played
2009-11-05 - I kept hearing this was the greatest match ever played. Now I agree. So fun to see this classic match, though I was disappointed it wasn't U.S. sportscasters commentating and the camera angles shortened the court. They also don't do instant replays I'm accustomed to with matches I watch on ESPN or the Tennis Channel. Still, fabulous to see this match between 2 tennis greats.

Great match, terrible transfer
2009-08-09 - Before I talk about the match, I'd like to talk about the transfer quality of the DVDs. First the DVDs are Region 1, and on the back of the case it says Region 1 NTSC, obviously intended for North American distribution. But when I insert it into my DVD player, it says "PAL disc not supported." Apparently the DVD jacket lied. The discs are PAL and not NTSC. What the hell are Region 1 DVDs releasing in PAL format for? I had to play this on my PC.

The picture quality itself is quite poor and blurry. Artifacts are everywhere. You can see the rainbow effects that you'd normally see through cable or DVD via composite video connection (the poorest connection available). Whoever captured the film and transferred it to disc was using cheap hardware. At first glance it's hard to blame them since you are getting 6 hours of footage on 2 DVDs, the majority of which are condensed onto disc 1 (Disc 1 contains an Intro and sets 1-4 while disc 2 just includes set 5 and an interview with Nadal). The quality is of course going to degrade. However, the second disc is only single layer. They could have made the second dual layer and transferred set 4 onto disc 2, allowing a greater bitrate on both discs. It's such a shame that one of the greatest matches ever played is relegated to such poor picture quality that doesn't do an ounce of justice to the match.

Onto the match itself. This is a contest of the two biggest titans in the game, and as John McEnroe claimed, it is one of the greatest matches ever played. This remains the longest Wimbledon final ever played, even longer than the Roddick-Federer epic of 2009 which ended at 16-14 in the 5th set. Whereas that match was decided with big serves and short points, the Nadal-Federer match was a pure contest of athleticism and shotmaking. Rarely were points short. We were treated to some thrilling rallies and unbelievable winners from both players. Some of these points you will remember forever.

The match itself was filled with drama. Nadal having opportunities to win in a 3rd set tiebreaker was unsteady and unable to get the job done. In the 4th set tiebreaker he did better, this time owning two championship points, but buckling under pressure while the unflappable Federer displays the resolve to stay in the match and force a 5th set. The 5th set too is full of drama and suspense. The entire match can be summed this way. The 2008 final is nothing less than a thrill ride.

Perhaps most memorable is that this match is the only loss inflicted upon Federer in seven straight Wimbledons. Nadal finally achieved his dream of winning Wimbledon (back to back with the French Open -- a feat not done since Borg), and did so in the twilight as the sun set on Federer's reign as the world #1. It will be one to remember always.

Another gripe I had was the commentary. The commentary provided by the BBC was just not very interesting. The commentators failed to enthrall the viewer with insight. Most of the time they merely stated the obvious. They should have included John McEnroe's commentary instead.

All in all, great match but lacklustre presentation.

I'm biased.
2009-06-29 - I don't like Nadal. I'm a Federer fan. So, this is my 1 star review.
And, yeah, I expect you to think it's not helpful.

Sorry if the DVD Quality is Iffy, But Greatest Match Ever
2009-06-23 - For any tennis fan, you will never see another match like this in your life. Most people compare it to the Borg/McEnroe match of 1980. Well, I went back and rented that after this thriller and seriously, it's not even close.

I had the good fortune of recording this from the third set on; I had errands to run and at this point Federer was down two sets and looked like he was gonna be swept. Thank GOD I set the recorder to long play because two hours later I was back and RIVETED to the TV, watching the most insanely played back-and-forth I've seen. The entire match is like a highlight reel. Incredible shots, winners, rallies, saves, misses... it has it all. And on and on it goes... you don't want it to end. And it almost didn't, becoming the longest match in Wimbledon history.

When it's finally over, in the darkness, you can't believe what you've just seen. I've watched it at least 15 times since that day. Unfortunately when you buy these on DVD, you get the BBC feed with the much more staid play-by-play; on the American side John McEnroe and his team were providing awesome commentary and insight which made it even more classic. Alas, I believe the BBC owns the rights to all Wimbledon products.

That said, commentary or not, the match will thrill you to no end. The crowd by the third set can barely contain itself and erupts frequently for the rest of the match, especially at the end. Own it. It's the best match ever.

Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer 2008 Wimbledon Final - Triumph at Twilight
2009-04-27 - Rafael Nadal vs. Roger Federer 2008 Wimbledon Final - Triumph at Twilight

The Greatest Tennis Match Ever Played ON THE PLANET Bar None! Rafael sends clear message... "The Federer Era is OVER! The Rafa Era is ALIVE AND KICKING. VAMOS RAFA! ENOUGH SAID