Ivo Karlovic and Marin Cilic were too much to handle for James Blake and Mardy Fish.  One has to believe that had the injured Andy Roddick been there things would have been different.

The Brian Brothers came up with a doubles win to bring the US in winning range, but the two losses by James Blake left the US a deficit unable to be recovered from.

Overall it seemed as the atmosphere had some impact on the outcome.  This was an indoor clay tournament on the opponent’s home turf and it did not suit the Americans well at all. 

Oh well, there’s always next year!

Blake’s loss to Ivo Karlovic 6 – 7 (5), 4 – 6, 6 – 3, 7 – 6 (3), 7 – 5 came mostly because of Ivo’s huge serve.  He smacked 47 aces and came back from a two set deficit to beat James in Porec, Croatia Friday July 10th , 2009.

Mardy Fish also fought a battle against Marin Cilic.  After 4 hours and 23 minutes Cilic was able to claim victory 4 – 6, 6 – 3, 6 – 7  (3), 6 – 1, 8 – 6.

If only Andy Roddick was there the score would mostlikely be different from Croatia’s 2 – 0 lead over the US.  A hip injury prevented Roddick from being able to play.  One would think that the injury is much more mental than physical after his loss in the Wimbledon finals to Roger Federer.

It was 4 hours and 16 minutes of grueling, lay it all on the table tennis that was fueled by one person’s lust for a second grand slam title and another’s lust for tennis immortality.

Andy Roddick had an opportunity in the second set tie breaker to get up 2 sets and he couldn’t pull it off.  Federer came back and won 5 points in a row to win the set.  That was Andy’s chance and he blew it.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the guy, but he had one chance against Roger and he couldn’t come up with it.

Roger also won the third set in a tiebreak and Roddick could feel his chances slipping away.  The fourth set was Andy’s as he broke Roger’s serve early on and blasted his record breaking serve past Roger Federer.

Now comes the 30 game fifth set.  Back and forth both men held their serves and it was just a matter of who would fold first.  Andy Roddick was playing the match of his life, flawless, fit and tough.  He believed he could win.  He probably deserved to win, but Roger found a way to win breaking Andy’s serve in the 30th game of the set and taking the 2009 Wimbledon Men’s Championship.

A great champion will find a way to win.  Roger is and did.  He waited for Andy to make a mistake and just stayed the course.  Sure enough Andy Roddick slipped and Roger didn’t.  He was there to capitalize on it and win the 15th major of his career.  The most in the history of the game.  He is back at #1 in the standings and is the undisputed greatest tennis player to ever play the game.

What a surprise that 28 year old Lleyton was able to play at the level he has throughout the championship this year. Many have claimed the former world #1 and 2-time grand slam champ to be over the hill and not able to play at the level of years past. He made a believer out of me and convinced his critics that he can still compete with the best of them.

Andy Roddick, also a former #1 and former US Open champion, has had much more success than Hewitt recent years and was clearly the favorite. Since losing some weight and increasing his fitness to the highest level of his career Andy has proved he can battle the best in the game.

I don’t think anyone had expected a five setter out of this match. I had thought maybe Andy in four, but Lleyton played at a really high level. I was convinced at times that it could have been an upset with Hewitt showing much confidence in his game. Andy in the end was the victor.

I fully expect Hewitt to capture a title this summer in the US Open series after looking to be in prime form.