We all know Roger Federer’s sporting skill is the stuff of legend – he proves the fact repeatedly with every new performance, and especially so in a 2017 season that began with him winning the year’s first Major.
Both on and off the court, the Swiss is the picture of perfection – and here’s why:
Is he human, or supernatural?
We, as humans, may worship god(s) – or not believe in them at all, but once in a while there are people who may assert our belief in them – or become supernatural beings themselves.
Roger Federer, until 2012, showed no proof that he was human, just divine.
We long for heroes with a hint of shortcomings; this was the divine ponytail who never failed unlike Baggio who won our hearts when he showed he was human by missing the penalty in the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
Aside from Sachin ‘God’ Tendulkar, with whom an entire nation – and perhaps most of the cricketing world - could find no fault, we have innumerable stories of great players who show that they are human – which often endeared them to fans.
Especially considering it is a human tendency to err, and knowing our idols are, in some way, perhaps, ‘just like us.’
Brian Lara, arguably one of the greatest who ever played the game of cricket, had a knack of scooping up a full length delivery past midwicket, which usually landed him in trouble.
Very rarely does the world sight upon an ‘Ubermensch’ as Nietzsche would say, a man such as Roger Federer.
The sheer lack of a flaw usually drives people to hate him. An inability to identify with a gifted human being.
Pete Sampras was flawed in the way he approached clay courts, as was Andre Agassi with the mental fragilities he struggled with for so long, or John McEnroe with his temper issues, as is Nick Kyrgios today – but Roger Federer is another being altogether.
No sad story, just strong all through
Fans often want heroes to be underdogs who fought against great odds to be where they are – Diego Maradonna, Carlos Tevez, Rivaldo – just a number of players who fought the odds to become what they became, heroes to a generation of children.
Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez came from similar means - that is to say, barely any. Helping his mother, who swept garbage and sold fish when he was a child, he has since gone on to build football grounds in his hometown in Chile.
Roger Federer, luckily for him, had no such issues. Growing up in a steady family allowed him the luxury of pursuing a sport. No horror stories of over indulgent parents or the need to find sponsors to afford playing the game – a problem that has lost us so many worthy athletes, no wars where he needed to practice in Swimming pools (we’re looking at you, Novak Djokovic!) or plagued by family issues a la Mary Pierce or Andre Agassi.
There was just nothing odd or out of the ordinary in the way Federer grew up, perhaps comparably ‘sheltered’, and so that ‘glory rags to riches story’ may be missing from his otherwise glittering trophy case.
Image? Flawless!
When was the last time Roger Federer was tabloid fodder, the subject of a lurid tale?
Possibly never.
When Nike and Rolex signed him, they certainly expected good results – but to have a player so flawless even off the court may have been unprecedented.
Look at Tiger Woods and Accenture: the firm had Woods as the face of their company for a long time, and it paid them dividends - right until Woods’ personal life came crashing down; Accenture, with the baggage of Arthur Anderson, were forced to disassociate with him.
Federer on the other hand, is perhaps the high-achieving student your parents always compared you to, better in every possible way with no airs around his achievement.
Juicy gossip? No. Temper tantrums? No. Political issues? No. A Devoted husband, a great father, and a gentleman on and off the court.
He’s also a repeat winner of the Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship award and the ATP Fan Favourites award – and that should tell you a lot.
It is perhaps that flawless image that makes it even more difficult for some fans to identify with him.
On Court Persona:
Federer is widely considered by opponents (who more often than not are his friends), as the most gentlemanly player on court.
He is universally admired by peers, rivals, seniors and juniors – among them his own idols, and fans would be hard-pressed to find multiple instances of Federer raging on court, or losing his temper, trash-talking his opponent, shouting at a line-judge.
Always even-tempered, Federer often shares a laugh with colleagues and umpires alike, even when fans’ nerves are at an all-time high.
“If you poll the top 500 tennis guys in the world, about 499 are going to say Roger. The only one who won’t is Roger himself because he’s too nice about it.” - James Blake
“I don’t think, that you can always – you can ever – get your game to perfection, you know. Only if you’re Federer.” – Novak Djokovic
"I can cry like Roger, it's just a shame I can't play like him." - Andy Murray, after losing to Federer in the Australian Open 2010's final.
"No way I would be a journalist. You guys have tried to kill Roger - often. But he's always come back and proved you wrong. So one thing I would not do is make the mistake of saying Roger is dead."- Rafael Nadal, when asked what he would write about Federer's decline if he were a journalist
“This is a guy who buys drinks for photographers and thanks reporters who show up for his press conferences.”—Sportswriter Rene Stauffer
“Roger is the best player in the world.”— Pete Sampras
“I wish I could play like Roger Federer.”—Serena WIlliams
From One GOAT to Another.
It is hard to find anyone with any semblance of a grudge against Roger Federer, who till today is in touch with the parents of his first ever coach, the late Peter Carter, and invites Mr and Mrs Carter to the VIP box at all his matches.
Perhaps it is that lack of any faults, so to speak, that may see fans find it difficult to identify with the ace on a personal level as they may with other players, ones ‘nearer to earth,’ as it were.
The Game
Roger Federer is the closest to what perfection would be on a tennis court.
A big serve? He has it. The pace? He has it. The accuracy? That too. A big forehand, an absolutely sublime single-handed backhand , one of the most beautiful serves? All of the above.
One of the few players that can effectively handle serve-and-volley and baseline play – and well, Federer tends to look inward to dig out what seem like superhuman shots – and ridiculously difficult tweeners that he makes look absolutely effortless.
There is an artist’s elegance about his game, so much so that if Federer were a ticket collector on a pan-European train – he would possibly have reams of coverage on social media on how beautifully he checks tickets.
For right now, though, I can tell you just how well he sells them.
But then he plays the beautiful game and he is the apex of what is beautiful in that game.
For a mortal, it is hard to fathom how elegant and clean Federer’s game is. The nonchalance in which he approaches and plays shots may come across to some as even arrogant – but it is not.
It is not Federer’s fault- if fault has to be attributed to someone – it will be the fault of the gods to give so much talent to one single being.
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