Feb 03, 2006 03:36 PM
10635 Views
(Updated Feb 03, 2006 03:48 PM)
On 29th Jan, just a few days ago, Roger Federer won the Australian Open defeating Cypriot sensation Marcos Baghdatis in four sets, 5-7 7-5 6-0 6-2. I saw that match. After it ended, I saw Roger break down in front of the cameras, in front of the people in the stadium, in front of his idol Rod Laver (who had presented him the winners trophy). His tears kept flowing and he could not even make a proper speech. Here was man, possibly the greatest player of the game; overcome with emotion, with passion and humbled by his own achievement. Here was one of the toughest of men, one of the strongest of sportsmen whose convictions, resolve and determination poured out with the tears that he shed.
Federer lost the first set really badly. Bagdadis not only had the momentum going but the crowd support too. Surely it was not easy for Federer…but he did not even flinch. Calm, composed, giving it all hes got, he just hung in. Barely managing to hold serve and control the bundle of energy playing against him. Anybody would have reacted….but a look at his face and u saw….nothing. No signs of rejection, infact all you could see was grit and determination.. One thought the 2nd set would go the way the first went….but right in the end, Federer broke his opponents game and with that broke his opponent confidence.
What a champion! Ive seen him play and have often thought that he’s emotionless…hes perfect with technique…but what about passion? Oh - when I saw him break down like that I could understand the immense control this man had on his emotions, his passions and now at the end of 14 days of hardwork and finally a victory…he just could not control himself. He showed us all that he was human after all…with superhuman abilities.
As I wiped tears that surprisingly fell off my cheek…I realised that the spirit of achievement has the ability to stir all of us. I felt deeply not for this man whom I don’t even know.. but for what he achieved. For the emotions of struggle that finally end in success. Images of India winning the World Cup still don’t leave me untouched, of Lance Armstrong wining that first Tour de France…of Mohammad Ali, of all those men and women who are achievers.
Anyway, this review is a tribute to Roger Federer who in my way of seeing things is one of the greatest sportsmen of our times. Take a look at who all agree with me:
''He doesn't seem to have a weakness. ... He does have a chance to be one of the greatest players to ever live, no doubt.''
''He does everything great. He knows the game well. As good as it gets out there, really.''
''Roger's the greatest, most complete player I have ever seen.''
Roger Federer was born in Basel, Switzerland on August 8, 1981. His father, Robert met his mother Lynette when he travelled to South Africa for a Basel-based chemical company for which they both worked. His mother is South African and moved to Basel after her marriage. Roger has an elder sister Diana who works as a nurse in Basel. Currently Roger lives in Oberwil in Switzerland and is dating fellow Swiss and former WTA player, Miroslava Vavrinec, who retired from the game in 2002 due to a foot injury. He met her in the 2002 Sydney Olympics.
He started playing tennis at the age of eight, but he also loved football and it was when he was 12 years old that he decided to give up the latter sport for the former. At 14 he became the Swiss Junior Champion and relocated to the Swiss National Tennis Center for training. He won the Junior Wimbledon title in 1998 at joined the ATP tour and bacame the youngest player inside the ATP’s top 100 by 1999. In the 2000 Olympics, Federer lost the match for the bronze medal. It was in 2001 that he won his first ATP title and og boy has he ever looked back! The same year, he defeated the then reigning champion Pete Sampras in the fourth round of Wimbledon and now the world sat back took notice of him. Roger Federer had arrived on the international tennis scene as a player to look out for. He finished the year at a ranking of 13.
In 2002 he lost in the first rounds of both Wimbledon and the French Open; he also lost his long-time Australian coach Peter Carter in a car crash in August and subsequently performed poorly at the U.S. Open. However later in the year he earned 6th place in the ATP Race and qualified for the first time in the prestigious year-ending Tennis Masters Cup, where he lost in the semi-finals against the then-top tennis player Lleyton Hewitt in three sets. In 2003, he defeated Australia’s Mark Philippoussis and became the first Swiss to win Wimbledon. He also won four Davis Cup matches during the year to lead Switzerland to the semi-finals. He finished 2003 by winning the Tennis Masters Cup at Houston and ranking second in the ATP tour race. In December he parted ways with Peter Lundgren, his coach for four years. Throughout 2004 he did not have a coach.
He was by now one of the best players on the circuit and in that year he won 3 of the 4 Grand Slams and also his second Tennis Masters Cup. His win-loss record for the year was 74-6 with 11 tournament wins. Federer's remarkable year was recognised when he was named Laureus World Sportsman of the Year in early 2005, edging out the likes of Michael Schumacher, Valentino Rossi, Lance Armstrong and Michael Phelps. He also was named ''Player of The Year'' by Tennis Magazine.
In 2005, Federer arranged for former Australian tennis player Tony Roche to coach him on a limited basis. The Federer team consists of his parents, his girlfriend Mirka (also his manager), and a few friends. 2005 saw him defeating players like Andy Roddik ( Wimbledon), Agassi (US Open). He howevre lost to Marat Safin ( Australian Open Semis) and Rafeal Nadal (French Open).
2006 – and hes on his way to create more history……….
Already, Federer has become the first man in the Open Era to win Wimbledon and the US Open back-to-back in consecutive years (2004 and 2005). He also has won three straight Wimbledon titles (2003-05), an achievement also completed by Bjorn Borg (1976-80) and Pete Sampras (1993-95; 1997-2000) in the Open Era. He has won won 7 Grand Slam titles.
