Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
England flopped to leave Wales to fly the flag of the Home Nations at the European Championship but otherwise the ‘Super Sunday of Sport’ was a stunning success for the British.
Not only did Chris Froome claim the yellow jersey with an audacious downhill breakaway but fellow Briton Adam Yates claimed second and the young riders’ white jersey while super sprinter, Mark Cavendish, claimed the sprinters’ green jersey while climbing to second overall on the all-time list of Tour de France stage winners, despite high temperatures closely followed by hail.
Meanwhile, Lewis Hamilton was claiming the British Grand Prix at Silverstone to equal Nigel Mansell’s feat of four (although one of these was at Brands Hatch), simultaneously matching Jim Clark’s hat-trick of the 1960s. His celebration crowd-surfing, featured on the page opposite, further endeared him to the 139,000 British crowd who later voted him as the best British racer of all time.
Fans who didn’t have the benefit of being fortunate enough to watch any of the action live were channel-hopping between the racing and the tennis. Andy Murray was playing in his 11th Grand Slam final, having won only two of these previously. On every other occasion he had faced either Novak Djokovic or Roger Federer yet now he went in as favourite against the Canadian making his debut at this stage of a tournament, Raonic.
To add spice to the occasion the two finalists were coached by two players who ‘enjoyed’ a rivalry throughout their own careers. While Ivan Lendl is a clear leader in their head-to-head battle both overall and in Grand Slam matches, it was John McEnroe who won their own match at Wimbledon. The semi-final in 1983 was an easy victory for the American who famously suggested that he had ‘more talent in his little pinkie than Lendl had in his whole body’. It was this grass-court expertise that the 25-year-old Canadian had turned to.
Heading into the final Raonic had slammed 138 aces, 25 more than the next best, his serve being the weapon with which he was meant to be able to hurt Murray. However, returning serve is one of Murray’s greatest assets and his defence easily blunted his rival’s hammer.
This was exemplified best when Raonic served at a Championship-best 147mph only to watch Murray slam is back past him with an outstanding pass, one of 29 he hit over the course of his three sets.
In addition to Murray’s heroics that took him to his third Grand Slam and second at Wimbledon, Heather Watson kept the home crowd happy by claiming the mixed doubles title having teamed up with Finnish Henri Kontinen for this tournament. Earlier Gordon Reid and Jordanne Whiley claimed wheelchair titles to keep the home crowd singing on Henman Hill / Murray Mound! The last time two Brits won a double from the five traditional titles was way back in 1937.
Across the Channel the home side were unable to replicate the British success. After 30 days and 50 games bringing 107 goals the final at the Stade de France was supposed to provide rehabilitation for a French nation still recovering from terror attacks. That the player of the tournament, Antoine Griezmann, was personally affected (his sister, Maud, was a survivor of the Bataclan attacks), only added to the sense of intrigue and inevitability.
It was not to be. Many had questioned Portugal’s right to be in the final, their progress having been tenacious rather than thrilling, winning only one match in normal time, that being the semi-final against Wales, and not winning at all in escaping their group.
The sub-plot to the final was also an opportunity for Cristiano Ronaldo to showcase his talents while also prove his doubters wrong who claim that he fails to perform on the highest stage. Lionel Messi, who vies for the accolade as greatest player, has lost four finals at international level while the Portuguese had only played as a 19-year-old at Euro 2004 when they entered as favourites only to lose to Greece in a tournament that they hosted.
Portugal were supposed to be a one-man team yet, with their talisman forced to retire through injury in the first-half, their collective resolve was more liberté, egalité and fraternité than the hosts could muster.
The 31 year-old captain was still able to hobble up the steps to claim the trophy yet it was the defensive solidity of Pepe and Fonte ahead of the impeccable Rui Patricio in goal that built the foundations before allowing Eder, once considered not good enough by Swansea City, to power in the thunderbolt of a winner.
And what irony to cap it all off? Fernando Santos, the victorious manager, is now being tipped to come and lead England!
