Watching History Unfold

ALASTAIR GRANT/AP

LONDON

It's all about being lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time.

Since first coming to Wimbledon in 2003, it's remarkable how many firsts I've seen, particularly for a tournament that's been around since 1878.

Those include:

-- Roger Federer's first Grand Slam victory in '03.

-- Also in '03, Martina Navratilova became the oldest player to win a Wimbledon title when she and partner Leander Paes of India captured the mixed doubles.

-- The longest match in Wimbledon history, a six-hour, 9 minute affair doubles match stretched over two days featuring Daniel Nestor of Canada and his partner Mark Knowles of the Bahamas against Todd Perry and Simon Aspelin. The final set alone took three hours and went to 23-21 before Nestor and Knowles prevailed.

--What is believed by most tennis experts to have been the greatest match ever played, the men's final here last year between Federer and Rafael Nadal, won by Nadal.

-- Nestor's doubles win here last year with new partner Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia that made him the first Canadian to ever win a Wimbledon title.

-- The first indoors match at Wimbledon. Technically, it was a women's singles match yesterday between Dinara Safina of Russia and France's Amelie Mauresmo in which the roof over Centre Court was closed for the first time partway through the contest.

-- The latest match ever played at Wimbledon. It was because of the roof and new lights, of course, that Andy Murray of Scotland and Stanislaus Wawrinka of Switzerland were able to play until 10:39 London time last night. The previous record was 9:39 p.m. London time in a match that also featured Wawrinka. The hard-luck Swiss lost that one too against Mario Ancic of Croatia.

Not bad for seven trips across the pond, huh? And to think there's still a chance if Federer makes it to the final on Sunday and wins it will be his 15th Grand Slam title, a new record. Or, if Murray makes it and wins, he would be the first Brit to take the men's crown in 73 years.

Lucky to be in the right place, indeed, and to watch history unfold.