What is it like to win Wimbledon?

[britbox]

Pat Cash answered this on Quora.

What it's like to win Wimbledon is one of the common questions I get asked in interviews. Strangely, it's also one of the worst and most difficult to explain simply.

I think the feeling of achieving the dream you had as a child, the thing you want more than anything, what you've been working towards almost your entire life is near impossible to describe.

There are so many emotions involved that it's very difficult to put into words. However, I suppose the quick and easy way to explain the feeling for me is that it's a combination of tremendous pride and joy. Pride as I achieved the goal that I was aiming for when I was a young kid. Joy because I got to share that moment with my friends, family and coaching staff.

I also consider myself lucky, despite my many injuries, as I had the right attributes to be able to reach my goal. Many people have dreams, goals and ambitions that just don't go together. For instance, I love playing guitar, but I just don't have the talent or commitment to sound like Eddie Van Halen no matter what I do.

I think anyone can have a similar feeling to what I had when winning Wimbledon. It's about finding your true passion and combining that with your natural talents. Honestly listening to yourself and working towards and with something you love.

Also, here is my Wimbledon celebration climb which was quite controversial at the time. It starts around the 10.40 minute mark.

 

[brokenshoelace]

Interesting stuff.

From a fan's perspective, I watched my favorite player win 14 majors (yes, he was my favorite before he won his first. True story), but nothing came close to his Wimbledon 2008 win for me in terms of pure joy. Other than Italy winning the World Cup in 2006 (and nothing will come close to that), it is far and away my favorite sporting memory, and stupidly enough, one of the happiest moments of my life (it's amazing the effect sports have). It is something I think about even nowadays, and I remember the EXACT emotions I experienced at the time. Granted, there was more to that win than simply winning Wimbledon that made it so good (namely the stakes, the opponent, the nature of the match, the drama, and the previous year's heartbreaking loss), but I would say that even if you had all these exact same factors at another major, it wouldn't have felt quite as good. There's something about the Wimbledon grass and the all white outfits that makes it truly magical.

 

[britbox]

I know what you mean brother... I felt like that when Liverpool won the Champions League in 2005. I couldn't sit down and kept circling the room like a caged leopard... adrenaline running to the extreme throughout the second half, extra time and penalties. It took a while to come down. I was as high as kite.

I was pretty pumped at Wimbledon 2008, rooting for Federer.. the tension was unbelievable. I can't sit down on occasions like that and did the circling the room routine. I still remember roaring when he hit a crosscourt winner when facing Match Point. Incredible match... different emotions with the result, obviously!

Trip down memory lane... one for the ages.

 

[Federberg]

I've had so many of those sporting moments as well. Edberg's first Wimbledon title. McEnroe's as well. Federer's Roland Garros title, his US Open win against Agassi. Like @britbox I had a different feeling about 2008, particularly as I lived so close to the courts. It was so dark I really couldn't understand how it hadn't been stopped to be honest. I haven't even mentioned other sports, I could list a truck load of Spurs matches, Eubank - Watson (boxing) was unforgettable; Giants superbowl wins as wekk particularly the first against the Pats (2007?). Those cocky so and so's were already talking about the celebration they were going to have. I don't think I slept a wink, I was a wreck the next morning.

I would say though that some of the best sporting moments for me, were some of the ones I participated in. I can remember a 100m sprint I had when I was about 9 years old and also a table tennis tournament a few years later (I played a lot of sports!). Both are still so real in terms of the emotions, more intense now than anything I've ever watched because the adrenalin high was crazy and executing at your top level is just the best. I'll admit that since that Wimbledon 2008, I've found it a bit harder to enjoy the live experience watching top level sports. At a certain point the stress is so ridiculous you only really enjoy it properly watching the match again (and you only do that if your guy wins!). One of the worst for me was the match Federer played against Roddick in 2010 I think. That 2nd set tie break when he was 6 1 down and close to going 2 sets to love down. I couldn't sit down, I spent more time on my patio smoking a cigar and listening to the noise than actually watching. I didn't enjoy that match at all!

 

[britbox]

Federberg... Stefan's first Wimbledon sits well with me too mate. I was pumped up for it but was working in a book wholesaler and watched the first set via the security guy's TV. Rain delay set in and caught the remainder the next day. That was pretty huge for me too.

Eubank/Watson was huge (was rooting for Eubank) and nearly ended up coming to blows with a fella who questioned Watson's heart. We all know what happened after.

I never got the same goosebumps watching the 2010 final Federer v Roddick. I never felt Federer would lose.

But, even though they aren't my club... one of the best matches I ever watched was Spurs v Anderlect in the 84 UEFA cup final. I think the whole country was behind Spurs that night (apart from Arsenal fans).

 

[Federberg]

Federberg... Stefan's first Wimbledon sits well with me too mate. I was pumped up for it but was working in a book wholesaler and watched the first set via the security guy's TV. Rain delay set in and caught the remainder the next day. That was pretty huge for me too.

Eubank/Watson was huge (was rooting for Eubank) and nearly ended up coming to blows with a fella who questioned Watson's heart. We all know what happened after.

I never got the same goosebumps watching the 2010 final Federer v Roddick. I never felt Federer would lose.

But, even though they aren't my club... one of the best matches I ever watched was Spurs v Anderlect in the 84 UEFA cup final. I think the whole country was behind Spurs that night (apart from Arsenal fans).

Ha! I remember that UEFA match too. Re the boxing, I was also supporting Eubank, but good grief, Watson schooled him until the knock out. One of the greatest fights I've ever seen. I didn't even mention Hagler - Hearns, which I watched live on tv. I'm not sure I've ever watched any thing where my heart was beating quite as fast as that. As a Hearns supporter I was a bit gutted, but my goodness, I'm not sure I will ever see anything quite like that for the rest of my life.

Re: the Roddick match, I wasn't pumped up at the start. I was expecting Roger to get his number 15 no problem. But after the first set and his shambolic play, that tie breaker was sickening. There was no way he was coming back from 2 sets down the way he was playing. I mentioned it because that was as unpleasant a sporting experience as I can remember. I didn't enjoy it and I wasn't even that happy when it was over. I was just relieved and a bit sick

 

[britbox]

^ Marvin's my favourite boxer of all time... that was just extreme.

I was also live at the Benn/McLellan fight at London Docklands... that's the best "live" sporting experience I've ever had. Travelled down with a bunch of mates, only a couple of real hardcore boxing fans... the rest - casual fans who I'd persuaded to come along. I sold them the fight in Don King fashion.

Big all day piss up in the big smoke, everyone laying bets on... big pressure on me that this fight was going to deliver
Arrive at the Docklands in the evening, well oiled on the piss... huge expectations, amazing atmosphere... like a bear pit - it seemed everyone had been out on the ale.

First round .... Benn gets knocked out of the ring in about 30 seconds. The atmosphere just nosedives.... until he claws his way back in between the ropes... hangs on... and the rest is history. The fight is hardly ever shown due to what happened to McLellan... but is was an absolute classic.

 

[Federberg]

I remember that fight. That was a great great era for British middle weight in particular.

 

[Mary]

So many great matches it's hard to pick one but I think the one I was happiest about was Ivanisovic v Rafter in 2001. It was a fabulous match and wonderful to see Goran win after so many years trying.

A wonderful non tennis memory is Mill Reef winning the Derby. I was very into horses then and had seen him as a two year old. He impressed me so much I put everything I could scrape up on his races for the next year and bless him he won everything. His Derby win, 1971 I think, gave me over £1000 which was masses back then but when he stormed round Tattenham corner and won so easily I forgot the money, he was my horse for those few minutes. My mother in law couldn't understand why I was almost in tears!

PS just went back and looked at the race on YouTube, still gives me a lump in the throat!

 

[britbox]

So many great matches it's hard to pick one but I think the one I was happiest about was Ivanisovic v Rafter in 2001. It was a fabulous match and wonderful to see Goran win after so many years trying.

A wonderful non tennis memory is Mill Reef winning the Derby. I was very into horses then and had seen him as a two year old. He impressed me so much I put everything I could scrape up on his races for the next year and bless him he won everything. His Derby win, 1971 I think, gave me over £1000 which was masses back then but when he stormed round Tattenham corner and won so easily I forgot the money, he was my horse for those few minutes. My mother in law couldn't understand why I was almost in tears!

PS just went back and looked at the race on YouTube, still gives me a lump in the throat!

I wasn't a Goran fan but I don't think anybody begrudged him that title after so many misses and you could see how much it meant to him, great story.

Nice anecdote on Mill Reef!

 

[Moxie]

Interesting stuff.

From a fan's perspective, I watched my favorite player win 14 majors (yes, he was my favorite before he won his first. True story), but nothing came close to his Wimbledon 2008 win for me in terms of pure joy. Other than Italy winning the World Cup in 2006 (and nothing will come close to that), it is far and away my favorite sporting memory, and stupidly enough, one of the happiest moments of my life (it's amazing the effect sports have). It is something I think about even nowadays, and I remember the EXACT emotions I experienced at the time. Granted, there was more to that win than simply winning Wimbledon that made it so good (namely the stakes, the opponent, the nature of the match, the drama, and the previous year's heartbreaking loss), but I would say that even if you had all these exact same factors at another major, it wouldn't have felt quite as good. There's something about the Wimbledon grass and the all white outfits that makes it truly magical.

The only way for us mostly to get to "What it's like to win Wimbledon" is to recount the wins by our favorites, so my two are Borg in 1980 and Nadal in 2008. Those were thrilling matches. I have to ask, @brokenshoelace, how you'd managed to have Rafa as a favorite before the win at RG in 2005? Not doubting you, but you must have been watching a lot of his early tennis.

....I was pretty pumped at Wimbledon 2008, rooting for Federer.. the tension was unbelievable. I can't sit down on occasions like that and did the circling the room routine. I still remember roaring when he hit a crosscourt winner when facing Match Point. Incredible match... different emotions with the result, obviously!

Trip down memory lane... one for the ages.

I couldn't sit at all for the 5th set, either. (Well, maybe at the rain delay, but not sure, even then.) That's why I have to question when some try to say it wasn't a great match. When we didn't know who was going to win, it was surely a nail-biter for both sides.

I had a different feeling about 2008, particularly as I lived so close to the courts. It was so dark I really couldn't understand how it hadn't been stopped to be honest.

I'll admit that since that Wimbledon 2008, I've found it a bit harder to enjoy the live experience watching top level sports. At a certain point the stress is so ridiculous you only really enjoy it properly watching the match again (and you only do that if your guy wins!). One of the worst for me was the match Federer played against Roddick in 2010 I think. That 2nd set tie break when he was 6 1 down and close to going 2 sets to love down. I couldn't sit down, I spent more time on my patio smoking a cigar and listening to the noise than actually watching. I didn't enjoy that match at all!

Much has been made out of how dark it was at the end of the 2008 final. But they couldn't stop it before they did, unless they had stopped it at 7-7. The tournament decided that there was enough light for 2 more games. Absolutely everyone was interested in seeing the match finish that day. Had it not, it would have gone from a classic to a footnote, and a huge anti-climax. And because Nadal did break, they HAD to let him have his service game, since he was serving 2nd in the set, and had the momentum of the break. So many things, including the impending darkness, added to the drama of that match.

I'm in the camp that believes that was probably the greatest tennis match ever. And it may have worn us all thin for taking that much sustained stress again, so I'm with you on that, @Federberg. As to the 2010 final, and as a dispassionate viewer, it was pretty exciting, but not really great. I felt sort of sad for Roddick, who'd suffered so much at the hands of Roger. But surely that's not a match that anyone would watch twice. Long, but far from Epic.

 

[brokenshoelace]

The only way for us mostly to get to "What it's like to win Wimbledon" is to recount the wins by our favorites, so my two are Borg in 1980 and Nadal in 2008. Those were thrilling matches. I have to ask, @brokenshoelace, how you'd managed to have Rafa as a favorite before the win at RG in 2005? Not doubting you, but you must have been watching a lot of his early tennis.

In 03-04 my two favorites were Nalbandian and Roddick, but I took notice of Nadal when he beat Federer in Miami 2004. I fully turned into a Nadal fan after his 2005 Monte Carlo final win over Coria, and after the epic Rome final a couple of weeks later (also against Coria), he just became my favorite player.

 

[Moxie]

In 03-04 my two favorites were Nalbandian and Roddick, but I took notice of Nadal when he beat Federer in Miami 2004. I fully turned into a Nadal fan after his 2005 Monte Carlo final win over Coria, and after the epic Rome final a couple of weeks later (also against Coria), he just became my favorite player.

Nalbandian and Roddick...who knew that about you? Roddick I never could get my arms around, except in the press conference, where he does remain my favorite. And I was slow to come to Nalbandian, ironically via Cali. I was aware of Rafa from the 2004 Davis Cup final, when I was in Spain, and he was a controversial addition. But then I didn't watch much tennis that wasn't on regular TV until the French, when he turned up again, fully-formed.