WIMBY, DAY 14: FEDERER FEVERER FOREVERER

No. Beyond all that, we have Roger Federer versus Rafael Nadal. Let's keep this simple, shall we:

1) Federer has been No. 1 in the world for 231 weeks. Nadal has been No. 2 in the world for 153 weeks. Never in the history of the ATP Rankings (1973) have the same two men been 1-2, respectively, for that long.

2) In fact, the previous record for longest stay at No. 1 was Jimmy Connors, 160 weeks. So Federer has nearly halved that record again.

3) Federer and Nadal have been one another's Grand Slam final foes in the two European slams for the last three years now.

4) Nadal is the master on clay, having won the past four French Opens (the last three finals against Federer). Federer is the sovereign on grass, having won the past five Wimbledons, the last two versus Nadal.

5) Federer is bidding to win his sixth Wimbledon. The last time that happened, the only other time that happened, was between 1881-1886. That champ, William Renshaw, only had to win one match in order to defend his title the last five years. And, in 1882 and 1883 he only had to beat his twin brother. Oh, and just about everyone in the tournament was British.

        In other words, there's no comparison.

        Within the realm of sports, today's Wimbledon's Gentlemen's Singles final can be summed up in one word: History.

FEDERER FEVER(ER)

     I don't want to say my trusty researcher, Beret Remak, is crazed about this upcoming match, but yesterday, after every two games of the match we were watching, she called for a "changeover" of our seats. And after every seven games, she calls for "New pens, please". I mean, really.

      Actually, this part is true, Beret and one of our bestest, conscientiousest (?) runners, Lindsay Schanzer, had a dialogue yesterday about how before last year's Federer-Nadal final, neither of them slept the evening before. They were that anxious.

    Beret, who played collegiately for the renowned Camels of Connecticut College: "I cared more about that match than I did any of my own matches."

    Lindsay: (apocryphal) "I saw my life before my eyes in that last set. I kept saying to myself, 'This might be the end'. Thank God Roger won... unfortunately, that same winning spirit did not cross the pond over to South Bend for my freshman year last fall. Oooh, we beat Duke!"

(portions of that latter quote may have been crafted by yours truly and a close relative of Lindsay's who shall remain nameless...were you perhaps to give him a name, though, Peter would be a good name).

TOP JIMMY

Last night our television presenter, Jimmy Roberts, invited us out for dinner. I wouldn't say that he wined and dined us. More like Vodka and Dined us, as he spirited us away to a legendary/infamous restaurant in Chelsea for some Russian cuisine.

Nikita's is its name, and from the moment you step inside you feel as if you're part of the Bolshevik underground. Especially since the dining room is entirely underground. Jimmy secured us this cool little booth that was its own room and deep in the recesses of my mind strains of "Somewhere My Love" could be heard. Honestly, I was hoping that Berek or Jimmy would get nausea from some bad borscht just so I could proclaim, "Is there a Dr. Zhivago in the house?"

Anyway, the evening was a blast and I just want to give total props to our very own Mr. Roberts for being such an easy person to work with, not to mention being an impressive extemporizer and writer. If he ever left the studio for a studio closer to the action and then had his studio blown to bits by a kamikaze attack, I definitely would take our studio's palm tree and throw it overboard. I'm just saying.

Today's Person I Quite Fancy

NBC's own Ted Robinson, who is just an absolute sweetheart of a guy. Last night Ted, who's here with his wife, Mary, one of the original female Domer alums, shared a funny tale or two about his student days back at Notre Dame. Those were the days when he shared the sidewalks of the North and South quads with the likes of Charlie Weis and Joe Montana.

Another reason I like Ted. We have the same wallet, which looks just like this.

Another Brush With Greatness

Last night as Beret and I were waiting for Jimmy in the lobby of his hotel, the greatest women's tennis player sauntered by. Nearly close enough to touch. Martina Navratilova, speaking Czech to her friends and/or family. So, if you're scoring at home, during this fortnight we've been close enough to make a flying leap and tackle of the following:

Boris Becker

John McEnroe

Roger Federer (from whom I had to hold Beret back from leaping and tackling)

Serena Williams

Elena Dementieva (dreamy)

Mary Carillo

Billie Jean King

Martina

 So I've had a tennis fan's dream fortnight, and I'm more than lucky. All of them were amazing, but I think what I'll remember most is discussing Sconehenge architecture ("you need to use peanut butter") with King. She was totally cool.

Thing I Most Regret About This Fortnight

Well, where do you begin? But if I had to pick just one, it's that I've yet to loudly exclaim, "I wouldn't give a farthing for that!" There's still time, I guess.

UPDATE (Midway Thru First Set)

You know who you don't want to be today if you're a tennis fan? You don't want to be Henri Kontinen of Finland or Grigor Dimitrov of Bulgaria. Or their families. All of whom I would guess are tennis fans.

Kontinen and Dimitrov are playing right now on Court 1 in the Gentleboys Singles Final. So here you are, one of the better players on the planet under 16 years old, and my guess is you'd probably be pretty geeked up to watch the greatest Wimbledon's men's match of this generation--potentially ever-- even if just on TV.

  And you are reminded that Federer himself won that title when he was younger. What if young Messrs. Kontinen or Dimitrov wind up winning this title someday and are asked for their recollections of the historic '08 men's final, and they have to say, "Um, well I was busy that afternoon"?

Their Excellencies

My five favorite names of those ensconced in the Royal Box today. These are actual people:

5) Mr. Kenneth & Mr. Eric Fok (Meet The Foks)

4) Dame Maggie Smith & Mrs. Patricia Millbourn (I'm guessing it's the actress? Hogwart's own?)

3) His Excellency Mr. Carlos Miranda, Count of Casa Miranda & Mrs. Mercedes Cabrera (I leased a Mercedes Cabrera once...excellen mileage)

2) The Duchess of Gloucester & Mrs. Roger Wellesley-Smith (Wellesley-Smith? Talk about a woman who has an intense inner rivaly)

1) Air Chief Marshall Sir Jock & Lady Stirrup (that's right...dude's name is Jock Stirrup).

Why do I feel as if I've left Wimbledon and stepped knee-deep into a P.G. Wodehouse novel?