Sky Sports.com - Wimbledon 2008

As I drove to Wimbledon on this ladies' singles final day, I was preoccupied by the momentous possibilities of the men's singles final on Sunday.

I better explain, but I mustn't get ahead of myself and first for some reflections on yesterday's semi-finals.

Roger Federer against Marat Safin was shaped, it seems to me, by the first ten minutes or so. The Russian is a bit of a loose cannon and Federer knew he had to disarm him before Safin pulled the trigger - this is precisely what happened.

Federer, at him most imperious, held his first two service games to love and in between he broke Safin's serve, 'just like that!', as Tommy Cooper used to say.

There was another moment just a little bit later at the outset of a second set tie break when Federer's instinct told him to put the threatening Safin in his place again. So suddenly in overdrive he swept through that tie break 7-3 and when soon after Safin smashed a racket in frustration - he's quite outstanding at this art by the way - he knew the game was over.

It was Federer's 64th victory on grass and from then on it was a Rolls Royce against a 4x4.

Tennis needs it's cavaliers like Safin and its rounded players too, as well as all shades in between. But for three years he knows he has been wasteful of his god given talents, so he can't complain and he didn't.

Golden era

Rafael Nadal against Rainer Schuttler was likewise more or less a foregone conclusion. Schuttler was running on empty after the marathon quarter-final which lasted two days against Arnaud Clement. But the German has made the most of his talent and he can head towards retirement now thinking of the pleasure of this memory.

Knowing he had nothing to lose Schuttler went at the Spaniard with his typical best effort and offered some interesting insights, I thought, in to how Federer could open up Nadal's defences on Sunday if rain permits.

So let's look at Sunday and this generation of tennis buffs are privileged indeed. Federer and Nadal have brought us into a golden era with their rivalry and their obvious respect for each other.

They are the perfect contrast as well. Federer, a princely classical text book genius and the left-handed Nadal, who is more homemade with a booming art for drives, fierce topspin and a slice which carves defences open. What they share is unquenchable ambition.

Predictions

On Wimbledon's immaculate lawn I still think Federer may have the edge again, though I wonder if Nadal's destruction of him on clay at the French Open just recently may have left a mental scar.

At tiffin time on Friday I thought I would canvas the predictions of the people who really know and popped into the last eight club as it is known. That's where distinguished past champions from all over the world meet and talk about what used to be.

Here's my hot and exclusive news; they can't agree on who's going to win either!

Sister act

Today's last thought is on today's ladies single final and it is this. Fellow journo's, who think and more, that when the Williams sisters play each other that there is some sort of family conspiracy over the outcome are close to committing slander I believe.

It's quite impossible for two loving sisters to inject a match with the fire and rivalry that you would expect to see in a normal Grand Slam encounter and we should take that on trust.

If you want a pick it seems to me that Serena of the two has been moving and hitting the ball better so I expect her to beat the reigning champion just as she has done on the two previous occasions that they have met at a Wimbledon final.

Their conspicuous father is already 'outta here' as the American's would say. The emotion of it all he acknowledged would be unbearable so he hopped of to Heathrow - the brave man - and probably won't even watch the match on American television.

All I hope is that his cameras weren't mislaid in transit.