Sunday 7 June 2009

Roger Federer: The best there is, the best there was, the best there ever will be


The quote that was used in the title of this blog entry was attributed to the wrestler Bret "The Hitman" Heart, a man who's trade, while being brutal, at the core was fictitious and fantasy. Today, Roger Federer was in a fantasy world of his own, but there was certainly nothing fictional about the way he strode to his 14th Grand Slam title, and completed the career Grand Slam, becoming only the sixth man in history to do so.

In his 11th appearance at the French Open, Federer managed to brush aside the unheralded Robin Soderling, 6-1 7-6 6-4, to win the French Open for the first time, an achievement that had previously seemed so distant in his three previous finals, where the clay court maestro, Rafael Nadal, had previously stood in his way.

Today's victory, though, was more than just another Grand Slam win for Federer, as he finally achieved what so many in the game believed to be his destiny, the mantle of being the best player ever to pick up a racket, and by equalling Pete Sampras' collection of 14 majors and becoming the first man since Andre Agassi in 1999 to achieve the career Grand Slam, he certainly gained that honour with aplomb.

For me, all eyes are now fully focused on Wimbledon, as in two weeks time the newly crowned champion of clay will step onto the hallowed turf at SW19, as he begins his attempt to surpass the great Sampras' record of grand slam titles, and wouldn't it be apropos if Federer could achieve that at the venue where both Sampras and Federer have had the most Grand Slam success?

By Federer's high standards, the last two years have not been the best, losing matches that in previous years would have been unheard of for him to lose, but despite it all Federer has remained resolute and has still managed to achieve, year on year, things that the other 1913 players ranked below him could only dream about.

Andy Roddick is one player who is more than happy to speak up about what Federer has achieved in the game an when asked by some American journalist's about Federer's 'bad' season in 2008, Roddick replied "you guys are brutal. Absolutely brutal. The guy has only made two Grand Slam finals this year. I would love his bad season. I would love it." Such is the level that this man has set the rest of the world, that when Federer doesn't win a match or two, he is considered to be off his game or even past it.

Federer has achieved so much in the game already, and despite being 27, Federer himself has stated that, if fit and well, he could continue playing for another 10 years, something that must send shivers down the spines of many on the tour.

Now, Federer will have his sights firmly set, not on something that he has yet to achieve, but on regaining two things that he had previous held for so long, but has now let slip through his fingers. Firstly the Wimbledon title and secondly the title of being the World number one, two things that currently lie in the hands of the pretender to Federer's thrown, Nadal.

Before today's events, there were still some people out there who questioned whether Federer really was the best man ever to step onto a tennis court. After years of domination, Federer had let slip his immaculate reign at the top of the game, and seemed vulnerable like never before, but through the turmoil of losing, not one, not two, but five Grand Slam finals to Nadal, including his grasp on the Wimbledon crown and number one ranking, Federer has now come out the other side, and can once and for all be called the best there was and the best there is.

As for the best there ever will be, this remains to be seen, with Nadal currently perched on top of the ATP tree, with six grand slam titles already under his belt, and four years Federer's junior. Nadal may well surpass Sampras and Federer's record in years to come, but for now Federer can revel in the fact that he is, officially, the best player in the history of tennis and is the bar for the Nadal's of this world, an achievement that is fully deserved, not only for what he has achieved in the game, but for the way he has conducted himself on and off the court, and his graceful, elegant style of play, that all tennis players aspire to replicate.

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