Roger That!

Roger Federer. He was the man I wrote about for the first time when I started writing for my blog : TheSwiss Houdini.  More than 3 years down the line, after winning few more Grand Slams, and being written off by most as he moved in his 30s (while being the #3 in the ATP Men’s rankings) he still remains he was back in 2009 – The Gentleman.

This gentleman still remains the one for whom I will be stay awake at the wee hours of the morning  just so that I can watch him play. For some odd reason – I don’t care if he wins it or lose.  I can’t deny that I will be ecstatic if he beats a certain Nadal, but that is just about it. Watching Fed play is peace and enriching enough.

What is it about great sportsperson that makes them great? The skill? Or the passion? Or maybe the will power?  Sourav Ganguly, the Bengal southpaw and my idol has proved it time and again that it is ALL in the mind. If you believe you can do it, you definitely can. But you must believe it yourself.  Does Federer back himself to the core when he plays against Rafa? I hope he does.

As I write this post close to a year after my previous one - I chose the easy way out – Roger. There is no great pleasure to see your favourite champion win.  But it is all the more thrilling when a player fights his age and competes at the highest level of professional sports with 7-8 years younger than him.  Combine the humility, grace and charishma – you know why everyone loves Fed.  If he loses? We still love and adore him.

A loving husband and a doting father - being Roger Federer is much more than just playing tennis – it is about winning hearts with that flashing smile. I doubt whether his contemporaries can beat him at that!

Roger that!


P.S:
1. For all the Fed fans watch the  'Roger Federer : Spirit of a Champion' series in Youtube. Here is a link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApECbBeJXcs

2. For all the Nadal/Joker and whomsoever fans watch the same link. You might switch allegiance. :P :) 

The Swiss Houdini

It was in the year 2006 when I first started following Tennis seriously while at Kota, Rajasthan. One Monday, I picked up a Sportstar from the newspaper stands bearing the picture of a handsome looking tennis player wielding his racket. I had few things to do that particular evening and I got that edition of the magazine along with the newspaper. The cover story was quite an interesting one and I immediately developed a liking for the ‘Flawless Federer’ as the author hailed him. Previously I had heard about Pete Samprass and Andre Agassi, but never liked them to the extent which would compel me to follow the game of tennis. Reading about Roger Federer however urged me to know more about the world of tennis.

The first chance I got to watch the master at work was next year during the French Open. It was the final, and Federer lost to Rafael Nadal. I distinctly remember the bitter feeling it left just because Nadal had beaten Federer. Since then I have been an ardent supporter of the Swiss and hated Nadal every time he denied him the French Open.

A lot has been said about the greatness of Federer. He has now own a record 15 Grand Slams in the Open era, been at the top of the ATP Rankings for a record 237 weeks and probably many more. Oh! But he is peculiar from his contemporary players. He does not scream every time he serves, does not break a racquet every time he loses a point and most importantly enjoys the game of tennis in a calm n tranquil manner possible only for a player of his calibre. Interestingly, while watching theWimbledon final today, I came to know the quote written at the top of the entrance which leads to the Centre court. It is a few lines from the poem ‘If’ by Rudyard Kipling:

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same..

Probably this is where his greatness lies. Win or lose Federer’s modesty shows through. His magnanimity in defeat makes it impossible for anyone to cheer against him. Records are meant to be broken and someone will probably surpass Federer in years to come, but the grace and elegance with which he weaves his magic will always be fondly remembered.