Roger Federer's game, a thing of rare beauty, flows like a serene, mature river-- rather than raging like a young mountain torrent. Young mountain torrent, in fact, is Rafael Nadal, who must always be spoken of when Federer is talked about, for the two are joined in a sort of karmic union. The sum of two is unsurpassable; the absence of one could make the other possibly the"greatest".
But even with Nadal around, Federer has possibly become the greatest. His victory over Andy Roddick in the Wimbledon final, 16-14 in the fifth set, gave him his 15th Grand Slam title-- a record. In conjunction with his French Open victory, this provides the most compelling argument yet that Federer is the greatest tennis player of all time.
The numbers seem to suggest that, too. He's failed to reach only one of the past 17 Grand Slam finals.He's reached seven consecutive Wimbledon finals, winning six. He's won five US Open titles in a row.He's reached four French Open finals in a row, winning once. And he's got threeAustralian Open titles too. He's reached 21 consecutive Grand Slam semifinals in a row. Amazing, amazing, amazing-- all of it.
Yet, more amazing is his game, which flows smoothly and calmly and yet carries irresistible force. His groundstrokes are amazing, most amazing when he hits the sidelines on the two sides of hisopponent's court -- try to beat that. The subtle change in speed and angles that baffles most is amazing, too. As is his magical intuitive feel of hisopponent's movements. And most amazing is his mind, his honest belief that his talents are amazing.
"Amazing" was a word that escaped Federer's mouth in profusion after he beat Roddick, and he was absolutely right. Who could have said that Federer would serve 50 aces in the final, 23 more than Roddick? Who could have said that the Swiss, facing a barrage of attacking serves, volleys and groundstrokes by Roddick, and being outplayed for a large part of the match, would win?
But Federer simply hung on, waiting for Roddick to make a mistake; Roddick broke Federer twice in the first four sets and remained unbreakable himself. Federer could keep pace through only wins in tie-break. When he finally erred on serve, Federer pounced on him.
Roddick probably played the best match of his life on Sunday, yet lost. It can't get sadder than this-- you play like you've played never before and lose, because across the net is a manwho's probably the greatest. Roddick lost because he faced a man who, though finding it difficult to win, simply refused to lose.
Now, Nadal. Federer has lost five times in Grand Slam finals, each time to Nadal. Nadal took his Wimbledon crown last year; this year Nadal reduced Federer to tears in the Australian Open final. Thisyear's Slam wins for Federer, at Roland Garros and Wimbledon, have come when Nadal was not across the net. Who knows what Nadal-phobia may have done toFederer's mind if the Spaniard hadn't been knocked out earlier in Paris orhadn't pulled out of Wimbledon? There's no answering this question.
The beauty of Nadal's game lies in its unrelenting ferocity, and his mind, whichcan't be breached. His flesh, though strong, is also the weak link of Nadal's game. How much of the torture he puts his body through can flesh endure?
Look at photographs of Federer hitting a ball -- his arm in a smooth arc ahead of his body, his neck and face bent back, no trace of effort in his expression.Nadal's face, at the point of impact, is contorted in effort. Maybe that explains why Nadal is injured and out of tennis-- briefly, it's hoped -- at age 23, and why Federer has reached 21 Grand Slam semifinals in a row.
Federer says he's got no plans of slowing down, and he might win many more Slams; Nadal will win many more, too. Federer might be the greatest, buthe'll always have Nadal as an adjunct, and the five losses he has suffered (till date) to the Spaniard in Grand Slam finals.
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Nadal is always effusive in his praise of Federer. "Inside him, I don't think anything has changed-- he still thinks Federer is the best," Nadal's manager, Carlos Costa, told the New York Times a day before the French Open final. Federer may not think so, actually-- Nadal has sown doubt in his mind. Before he's through, and to clinch the "greatest"argument beyond debate, Federer must right his record against Nadal.
