Once a fan, always a fan - A tribute to Roger Federer

Roger Federer – An end of an era

I rubbed my eyes in disbelief as I saw the scoreline. This was the 2nd round of Wimbledon and the defending champion Roger Federer looked down and out. I kept reassuring myself – it’s the 2nd round of Wimbledon – a place which is second home to the Swiss maestro, a place where he has stamped his authority on seven occasions, a place where he is loved and practically revered; but as shot after shot was played in front of my eyes, the reassurances seemed vapid and I felt a weird empty sensation, something I had last felt when Roger lost the Wimbledon 2008 final.

I hated that feeling then, I hate that feeling now. Credit should be given to Sergiy Stakhovsky who played the match of his life, but history has proven that more often than not these are one-off miracles. What history also proves is that more and more players are now having these moments against Roger Federer and that is why it is so much more important to not lose faith and most importantly, perspective.

Though Federer lost the match, it was not because of a lack of effort; it was because the player on the other side of the net was better, at least on that day. But all of Federer’s experience, skill and natural talent could not rescue him and the one question everyone seems to be thinking, if not asking, is “Should Federer hang up his boots now?”. Those beautiful customized boots that have won him 17 Grand Slam singles titles (more than any other man in the history of the game) and enabled him to be World No.1 in the rankings for a record 302 weeks. I am not sure. No one can be. After all, who are we but mere mortals in front of Roger Federer’s almost God-like capabilities and inhuman talent.

He is 31 years old, soon to be 32, which does not seem that old especially when you see players like Tommy Haas, aged 35, playing and competing so well. Haas is not winning Grand Slams, but he is giving people a fight and isn’t that what sport is all about? But simply playing well is not enough for Roger. It never has been and I doubt that people will come to terms with that fact.

Federer, for the record, stated after his loss yesterday, “It’s normal that after all of a sudden losing early, having being in Grand Slam quarter-finals 36 [straight] times, people feel it’s different. But I still have plans to play for many more years to come”.

Federer loves the sport. It has given him everything – fame, money and success. It has also given him joy and happiness and that is why despite all the heartbreaking losses and sometimes irrelevant comparisons, he has continued to play on. Sometimes you play to win, sometimes you play because you like playing. In no way am I suggesting that Federer is not as competitive now as he was say an year ago, but, perhaps competition is not what drives him any more.

He has conquered every challenge possible on the tennis court and beyond. His astonishing collection of trophies apart, his consistency on the tour; reaching the finals of all the Grand Slams at least five times, winning 256 Grand Slam matches – more than anyone else ever, ten consecutive Australian Open semifinals, six ATP world tour final wins and an exhaustive list of other accomplishments prove that his love for the game supersedes everything else. This train of thought is important to understand why Federer is important to the game even when he is not lifting those trophies.

Federer redefined the game for an entire generation of tennis lovers. That is a massive achievement given the illustrious history of tennis that has seen several sporting legends. In the early 2000s when Sampras and Agassi were the torchbearers of men’s tennis, the former more so than the latter, tennis was a widely followed sport but not one that sparked passion and intense debate like it does today. For all his on-court exploits, Sampras was not exactly the most entertaining man in the room. It was a bit of a snoozefest to be honest.

The single handed backhand, swift movement, an effective but often under-noticed serve and a forehand that could devastate the opponent – Roger Federer had arrived

And then came along Roger Federer. The single handed backhand, swift movement, an effective but often under-noticed serve and a forehand that could devastate the opponent; they all made people sit up and take notice. His on-court performances were complimented by his off-court charm and grace. He was every pressman’s delight. He was well spoken, funny and intelligent. Between 2004 and 2008, he notched up victories by the dozen, impressing all and sundry with this incredible talent and mental fortitude. He won the “Laureus World Sportsman of the Year” award four years in a row from 2004-2007.

Then came along Rafael Nadal who started challenging the great man. First on clay and then on other surfaces. It was a rivalry for the ages, something that brought more people into the sport and increased the popularity of the game. This was followed by Djokovic and Murray who became the new contenders for the throne. Federer fought them off as well as he could, for as long as he could. But, given how physical a sport tennis is, Federer’s age and the toll the gruelling time on the tour takes on a player’s body, started to show. Despite that, he was still making it to the finals, giving himself a chance to win and that is not easy, especially when you are six years older than your main competitors.

Federer is no longer the best player in the world. He has not been for some time now. There are those days and matches when he becomes the best again, albeit in shorter spells. Is it worth it, seeing him play just to witness those moments? Or should he stop playing merely because he is not winning? As a fan I am torn. It is delightful to see him play in all his glory even if it’s for a brief period of time, like he did against Victor Hanescu in the first round of Wimbledon. It is equally painful to see him lose like he did yesterday.

I was in high school when Federer won his first Grand Slam. Over the years as he has added more feathers to his cap, I finished college, got my first job, started my post graduation and even got married. I have literally grown up seeing his greatness and believe me you, it was a spectacle like no other. His elegance, quality of strokes and aggressive game play made me a fan for life and nothing, not even defeats in gloomy days like these, will ever change that. And for that reason alone, I think he should let the world see his game for as long as he desires.

There can be another Nadal – a determined fighter with great physical prowess, there can also be another Djokovic – a smart player with great agility and cracker of a forehand, but there can never be another Roger Federer.