Once his nemesis Rafael Nadal – who beat him in three consecutive French Open finals – was ousted by Sweden’s Robin Soderling in the third round, the writing was on the wall—Federer was destined to make history. And on Sunday, he did exactly that by beating the Swede in straight sets. Besides the French Open title, the 27-year-old Federer has won five Wimbledon, five US Open and three Australian Open titles. The fact that he has now reached the semi-finals of the past 20 Grand Slams also speak volumes about his consistency, fitness, remarkable ability to handle pressure and give his best at the highest level.
Is Federer the greatest tennis player ever? Many pundits of the game say that with the French Open win, the debate is now over – he is the greatest player of all times, they claim. However, it goes without saying that this debate will continue for a long time to come. Now that he has achieved what mere mortals can only dream of, the bar has risen for him. Will he be able to do a Federer Slam? Will he be able to achieve a Grand Slam? Will he be able to prove his authority on clay by winning yet another French Open title? Will he be able to improve his record against Nadal?
These are questions that will be asked for many years to come while the debate about his greatness will continue even longer. There will also be critics who will claim that he played in an era when Federer did not have a fitting rival to give him a run for his money, apart from Nadal in recent times. Fair enough. But no argument can take away from him the fact that he is already a legend of the game.
What sets Federer apart from his contemporaries is not only his on-court brilliance but also his off-court persona. Perhaps, no one in recent times has been a better ambassador of the game than the great champion. The dignity and humbleness with which he conducts himself on and off the court is exemplary. If there is something that we must learn from Federer, it’s how to handle success with grace. His French Open win is also a lesson to all that the fruit of patience and perseverance is sweet – besides three consecutive losses to Nadal in the finals between 2006-2008, he was beaten by the Mallorcan in the 2005 semis.
With age on his side, Federer certainly is destined for more glory. We wish him success and hope he keeps on entertaining us for many more years to come.
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