What's the story?
Former Indian batting legend, Sachin Tendulkar, was in London to cheer for Roger Federer during the Wimbledon finals as the latter lifted his 19th Grand Slam title. Speaking to The Telegraph, Sachin praised Federer for his incredible career and hailed him as the king of Tennis. “Federer makes Tennis look so easy that even a common person could take to the sport. His is an effortless game,” he stated.
Sachin also recalled an instance from the year 2002 when he was watching Federer and Andy Roddick play. He was accompanied by Yuvraj Singh who, unlike Sachin, was rooting for Roddick. Yuvraj insisted that Roddick will be the next big name in Tennis whereas Sachin's response was a simple comment.
“We will talk about greatness 10-12 years down the line,” Sachin had said back then. When asked if he and Yuvraj ever spoke on the same issue again, Sachin responded that he never had to as Federer's game spoke for him.
In case you didn't know...
Roger Federer defeated Marin Cilic in straight sets - 6-3, 6-4, 6-1 - to win his 8th Wimbledon title. He surpassed Pete Sampras’ record of seven titles and created history.
Sachin has been a fan of Federer for a very long time. The two are also familiar with each other on personal level. Sachin was present during the Wimbledon semi-finals to cheer for Federer as the latter conveniently made his way into the finals which he eventually won.
Details
Sachin Tendulkar believes that there is no replacement of Federer in Tennis. He said that Federer always plays with absolute composure and humility. He marked that Federer's angles are his biggest strength against his opponents. He also talked about other Tennis greats, Andy Murray, Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal and stated that their exits from the tournament was upsetting.
Sachin further added that Federer is a great player because of his longevity and ability to inspire others via his game which distinguishes him from the others. He then went on to discuss the Williams sisters and the experience of watching the game while being seated in the Royal Box.
What's next?
Having won two out of three Grand Slams this year, Roger Federer will now aim at claiming three out of four titles by winning the US open scheduled to begin on 28th August 2017.
Author's take
Both Tendulkar and Federer have dominated their respective sports. It is incredible to see one sportsperson passionately cheering for the other and celebrating each other's victories. Sachin seemed to recognise and acknowledge Federer back in the day when Federer had just begun his victory run. It is inspiring for the fans of both the sports and encourages the sportsman spirit in them. After all, it is always a treat to see two iconic sportpersons sharing a single frame.
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