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<\/a>Maria Esther Bueno<\/strong> gives her take on The Championships at Wimbledon on its conclusion, relishing in ‘fantastic Federer’s win.<\/p>\n\u201cI am so happy Roger [Federer] won his 8th singles title at Wimbledon,\u201d Maria Esther told her website.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m a huge fan, as you know, and I really admire how he plays and his demeanour off the court.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is a fantastic ambassador for our game and it will be a great loss when he eventually retires.<\/p>\n
\u201cLucky for us that he doesn\u2019t seem to have any wish to do so anytime soon because he is even talking about playing at the next Olympics in Tokyo in 2020.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe seems to have achieved the impossible, winning two Grand Slam titles after taking something like 6 months off.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think there is a lesson in there somewhere, because he has taken the time to get physically well, working on strengthening his knees, which were giving him trouble even after his surgery, and he has come back in great shape.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe also has been sensible about the tournaments he plays, opting not to play any clay court events because he knows it will put a strain on him.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>Roger Federer<\/p><\/div>\n
\u201cBy the time he got to Wimbledon he was playing well and growing in confidence, so much so he didn\u2019t drop a set over the two weeks and although he wasn\u2019t quite as sharp in the final, he did what he had to do and won in straights sets.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething was up with [Marin] Cilic [a blister] and he didn\u2019t play nearly as well in the final as he can do so, in a way, Roger was lucky there, because he could have been a real threat, but that is how the game goes – you need some luck as well as skill, determination and the right game plan!”<\/p>\n
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\n\u201cI think Andy Murray should take a good look at what Roger has done, and makes sure he sorts out that hip injury or it will be trouble for the rest of his career,” Maria Esther continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course, we don\u2019t know how serious it is and apparently it is something he has managed over the years, so maybe a good rest will help to sort it out.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a shame though, that he got to Wimbledon not 100 per cent fit. Had he beaten Sam Querrey in three sets, he just might have had a chance but it became a disaster when he was taken to five. I think he hurt himself again sometime at the end of the third and then couldn\u2019t move, but hats off to Querrey for taking the win.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>Rafael Nadal<\/p><\/div>\n
\u201cI was disappointed when Rafa [Nadal] lost but it was a fantastic match, full of drama over nearly five hours and I must say that Gilles Muller played incredible grass court tennis.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately for him, he met Cilic in the next round and ran out of ideas, losing in straight sets as often happens after these big wins.<\/p>\n
“[Novak] Djokovic was another of the ‘big four’ to drop out. He pulled out of his match against [Tomas] Berdych with an elbow injury and also looks set to be out of the game for a while, possibly needing surgery too.”<\/p>\n
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\n\u201cWimbledon was full of surprises, lots of retirements mid match, new names, good weather (mostly!), and by the time you get to the final weekend, it all fades very quickly!\u201d added Maria Esther.<\/p>\n
Roger Federer<\/strong> said he always believed he would win another Wimbledon title after making history with his straight-sets victory over Marin Cilic in Sunday’s final, beating a tearful Croat, 6-3 6-1 6-4, to become the first man to win eight Wimbledon titles and claim a 19th Grand Slam in total.<\/p>\n
It is Federer’s first win here since he beat Andy Murray in 2012 and he is now the oldest man to win the title at age 35.<\/p>\n
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\n“I truly believed,” Federer said afterwards .”For me, it was also important that my team believed it, as well.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you’re doubting yourself, they reassure you. If you’re feeling too good, they make sure you come back to planet earth and put you in your place. That’s where I think I have a wonderful team.<\/p>\n
“I’m incredibly surprised how well this year is going, how well I’m feeling, as well, how things are turning out to be on the courts, how I’m managing tougher situations, where my level of play is on a daily basis. I am surprised that it’s this good,” added Federer, who has now won five titles this year – more than any other player.<\/p>\n
“I don’t know how much longer it’s going to last,” he admitted.<\/p>\n
“I have no idea. But I just got to always remind myself that health comes first at this point. If I do that, maybe things are actually possible I didn’t think were.”
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<\/a>Asked to explain his remarkable success and longevity, Federer named a number of factors: “At this stage it’s really consistency. I’m not shying away from the big stage. I’ve always been a big-stage player.<\/p>\n“I struggled on Court 18 \u2013 I just didn’t feel I hit the ball as good there than on Centre Court.<\/p>\n
“I trained really hard and really well and very clever over all the years. I go back to my first coach, to my coaches today, and the same thing with fitness all the way to today: I think every step of the way I always had the right people.<\/p>\n
“Then I had a wonderful, amazing people around me in my wife today, my parents, who always kept me very grounded, kept me the person I am still today.<\/p>\n
“Then in the game, I guess I was blessed with a lot of talent, but I also had to work for it. Talent only gets you that far really.\u2019<\/p>\n
![\"Maria](\"http:\/\/www.mariabueno.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/03\/servic14.jpg\")
<\/a>Maria Bueno serves on Centre Court<\/p><\/div>\n
Some of his comments strike a chord with Maria Esther, who says: \u201cI know exactly what he means about performing on the big stage. I was the same. If I was out on a field court with a man and his dog watching, I couldn\u2019t play but as soon as I was on a big show court, everything fell into place!<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn\u2019t have the benefit of clever training though and definitely played way too much but in my day you had to – singles, doubles and mixed every week – and you had to keep winning to get invited to the next tournament. Things have really changed these days!<\/p>\n
\u201cI wish we had had the help players get today – physios, trainers, coaches\u2026 but Roger is right, you have to be blessed with talent to succeed, and you also need to work hard.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nMagnificent Muguruza<\/b><\/h2>\n
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<\/a>Garbi\u00f1e Muguruza<\/strong> won her first Wimbledon title and shattered Venus Williams’ history bid with a 7-5 6-0 victory in Saturday’s final.<\/p>\nIt was Muguruza’s current, albeit temporary coach, Conchita Martinez, who was the first woman to raise the Spanish flag at Wimbledon in 1994 when she defeated Martina Navratilova in her last final.<\/p>\n
“The first set was tough. We both had a lot of chances. I’m glad I took mine,” Muguruza said.<\/p>\n
“Two years ago I lost in the final against Serena and she told me I would win one day. Here I am. Finally.<\/p>\n
“I never knew how it was going to go because I was very nervous. I wanted it to go my way,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
“I was doing everything I could to be prepared. Once you step on the court, you see the crowd, you see the final, you see I’m here playing another Wimbledon final. I am very satisfied the way I handled it.”<\/p>\n
Maria Esther<\/strong> was sitting in the Royal Box for the ladies final and had an excellent view of the match.<\/p>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\n\u201cIt was a really a good first set and Venus had her chance to win it at 5-4 and had two or three break points, but Garbi\u00f1e defended incredibly well and held. I couldn\u2019t believe how quick she was.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat seemed to be the turning point because, after that, Venus seemed to lose the plot as Garbi\u00f1e won the first set and the next six games to win the title.<\/p>\n
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<\/a>\u201cI felt sorry for Venus because she is a great champion and it would\u2019ve been nice to see her win a sixth title but then it is also good for the game to have a new champion.<\/p>\n\u201cMuguruza won in Paris last year and then her form slumped until now, really, so it is good to see her playing so well again.<\/p>\n
\u201cOf course, everyone was talking about Johanna Konta, who was the bookies\u2019 favourite to win but she then lost to Venus in the semis.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe women\u2019s draw was up for grabs as soon as Serena [Williams] was out of the picture [pregnant] and there were no real front runners.<\/p>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\n\u201cIt really was full of surprises and, I suppose, Venus reaching the final was the biggest, although she had made it through to the Australian final in January.<\/p>\n
\u201cMuguruza came through the draw very quietly until she beat [Angelique] Kerber, the World No 1, and then suddenly became a real contender.<\/p>\n
\u201cVenus had the way tougher path, having to recover from dropped sets all the way against the likes of [Jelena] Ostapenko and [Simona] Halep.<\/p>\n
\u201cTo win Wimbledon you have to stay focused and pace yourself, and, as Roger says, believe you will win.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think Garbi\u00f1e believed rather more than Venus on Saturday.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nOff court<\/h2>\n
Maria Esther provided features for TV Globo SporTV throughout the fortnight and met up with friends as well as enjoying her days in the Royal Box.<\/p>\n
On Ladies Finals Day, she met Mary Berry, a British food writer and television presenter famous for her baking skills and longevity.<\/p>\n
“We had lunch together and she is delightful,” said Maria Esther. “A very interesting woman, who was so happy to be at the finals.<\/p>\n
“She was so hoping it would be Jo Konta in the final but enjoyed herself anyway. They share a baking passion apparently!”<\/p>\n
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- \n\t\t\t\tHRH The Duke of Cambridge and The Duchess of Cambridge\n\t\t\t\t<\/dd><\/dl>
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