| Sometimes you have to simply admire the | | | | won the point, racing to pick up a deliciously executed |
| determination of the top sportspeople and after | | | | drop-shot from Clement but the Frenchman showed all |
| following five hours and 12 minutes of play on Court | | | | the dogged determination which has been a mainstay |
| One over two rain-delayed days at Wimbledon, hats | | | | throughout his career to hunt down the angled return, |
| should be doft to Reiner Scheuttler and Arnaud | | | | flicking the ball back across court to which Scheuttler |
| Clement especially as they knew the victor would | | | | replied with a perfectly hit cross-court pass yet |
| have to return the following day to face the unenviable | | | | somehow the 30-year-old stretched out a backhand |
| task of taking on the fully-rested Rafael Nadal on | | | | to volley back down court and end an enthralling |
| centre court. | | | | passage of play. It is no wonder the match lasted so |
| The veterans - both in their thirties - began their match | | | | long with rallies like this! It is hard to imagine how the |
| on Wednesday afternoon on a fine Summers | | | | bandanna sporting Clement managed to reach the |
| afternoon in South West London but soon after the | | | | winning volley but it surely has something to do with his |
| rain began to, well, rain down on SW19 with the | | | | remarkable doubles talent, after all he and Michael |
| players returning to the dressing room after managing | | | | Llodra are the reigning men's doubles Champions at |
| just one set of tennis, which Scheuttler won 6-3. The | | | | Wimbledon. |
| heavens eased and the players returned to the court | | | | The fourth set went to a tie-break which rather |
| in an attempt to complete their match but were forced | | | | predictably Clement won - after all this match had to |
| off due to bad light and returned to action at 1pm the | | | | go the distance - and just to follow suit the breaker |
| following day tied at one set all. | | | | finished 7-9. |
| Scheuttler appeared the better player on Thursday | | | | Early on in the fifth it appeared that it was going to be |
| afternoon and really took the game to his French | | | | the Frenchman's day, breaking Scheuttler's serve but |
| counterpart, Clement hung in and forced a tie break | | | | on cue the unseeded Scheuttler broke back, saving a |
| but was soon behind once again in the set decider, | | | | match point with the set at 5-4. |
| falling to a 6-0 deficit almost in the blink of an eye and | | | | The precipitation perplexed players and audience once |
| it looked certain that the German was going to take | | | | more as the final set was halted at 6-6 40-40 on |
| the third set. Betting on tennis however can sometimes | | | | Clement's serve and after the delay, Scheuttler |
| lead to many heart in mouth's situations where the | | | | wasted no time, breaking his opponents serve before |
| seemingly impossible becomes a reality and as | | | | holding on to his own, taking this epic match 6-3 5-7 |
| Scheuttler took is foot off the gas Clement clawed the | | | | 7-6 (8-6) 6-7 (7-9) 8-6. |
| breaker back to 6-6. The 32-year-old regained his | | | | We can only hope - for the sake of a match rather |
| composure though, claiming the next two points to | | | | than walk-over - that Scheuttler can recover from this |
| take the set 7-6 (8-6). | | | | testing encounter to take on Nadal, a man more than |
| By this point you would have thought that both men | | | | 10 years his junior on Friday afternoon otherwise |
| would have been exhausted from their earlier | | | | although already crowned King of clay the betting |
| exchanges but if that was the case it did not show, | | | | would point to Rafa being given yet another shot at |
| fighting their way through the fourth set with one point | | | | dethroning Federer on the lawns of the All England |
| standing alone as the finest of the match. | | | | Club come Sunday evening. |
| After a super rally Scheuttler looked as though he had | | | | |