At the start of 2012, he was ranked 3rd in the world and some had already determined that he was past his prime. Obituaries were written lamenting the demise of his career. No Grand Slam titles in more than two years. A younger generation of players had emerged onto the scene and they slowly but surely developed the skill and maturity to handle the pressure of playing big games. Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic were setting the pace for the chasing pack and the Swiss Maestro looked like he would slowly fade away as age took its toll. After all he already was a senior member on the ATP tour. Though still a crowd favourite, a tournament favourite? The punters favoured the above mentioned duo and possibly the lone British hope, Andy Murray.
But Roger Federer isn’t just any other tennis player. He clearly had not been reading the news. His wealth of experience and successes on the tour meant that he kept his head down and concentrated on doing what he does best, playing tennis. Slowly but steadily, he compiled an impressive record over the last six months and went into Wimbledon, quietly believing in his chances.
Federer made his way through the draw, with a few hiccups but took his rightful place in the semis at Wimbledon for the first time in three years. Djokovic failed to bring his A-game to the semi-finals and Federer took his chances to reach yet another Wimbledon final. Andy Murray too took his opportunities and made full use of Nadal’s early loss to become the first Brit to reach the finals in 74 years. Though Murray played well and made Britain proud with his valiant attempt, there could be no denying Federer who clinched the trophy in four sets. His triumph at Wimbledon was his record 17th Grand Slam victory and 7th on the grass of the All England Club equalling the legendary American, Pete Sampras. In doing so he reclaimed the number one ranking and broke the record held by Pete Sampras who spent a total of 286 weeks atop the list.
He reminds us that a game of tennis is not all about brute force and speed, but having the grace and mastery to play the most exquisite of shots
Federer fans rejoice and hail the coming of possibly another long reign at the top. So should we join in and expect the return of Federer of yore? Not necessarily. At the age of 30, Roger Federer does not have that much time left to play at the highest level. In an era of sliding on the court surface and brutal sprints, the wear and tear from this physical modern version of the game has already affected many players much younger than Federer. Federer has been quite lucky thus far to avoid major injuries. Although the Olympic Games in London will allow him to mount a challenge for the individual gold medal to add to the doubles medal he won in Beijing 4 years ago on one of his favoured surfaces, the field will prove competitive and the timing of the Olympic games so close after the Wimbledon final may leave many a player exhausted. Am I joining in the very rants that I earlier condemned?
No. All I’m saying is that a Swiss renaissance may prove too much to ask of the man. But on his day, he reminds us that a game of tennis is not all about brute force and speed, but also having the grace and mastery to play the most exquisite of shots. He will still win many trophies, but value is in his elegance and exquisite shot-making, the delicate strokes creating the magnificent paintings that his matches resemble. Just enjoy the work of this genius and let him decide when he wants to hang up his rackets. Cherish this incredible multi-faceted champion who has helped take the sport to the next level and charms the world with his radiant smile and classy sweaters.