For millions of fans Roger Federer is simply the greatest tennis player in history. But while this can be a subject that offers a slim scope for examination – the generational debate, for example – there can be no doubt about one thing: he is the easily the most loved man who has ever picked up a tennis racquet.
Admittedly, love and admiration cannot be calculated by any device known to mankind, but if social media can be trusted as a reliable tool to gauge public mood and perceptions, Federer is perhaps miles ahead of his rivals in this department.
The outpouring of praise that one witnessed on Facebook and Twitter following Federer’s win over Rafael Nadal in the final of the Australian Open was so spontaneous and overpowering that it must have brought the Swiss maestro to tears.
All the hard work and sacrifice he has put in over almost two decades as a professional player in a mentally and physically demanding sport was worth it, he must have felt, as cutting across generations, sport, race, colour, nationality or creed, tennis fans across the world united in their awestruck admiration for the 18-time Grand Slam winner.
That the Australian Open title came almost five years after his last Grand Slam victory – at Wimbledon in 2012 – and that too after six months on the sidelines following surgery after he injured a knee while helping bathe his twin daughters in 2016, only added an extra dimension of invulnerability to his already secure legacy.
But even Federer was not immune to self-doubt when he was recovering from his injury, wondering if he would ever get back to full fitness. What kept him going was the thought that maybe he is still good enough for yet another Grand Slam title.
“There’s never a guarantee but I was always positive,” the 35-year-old said after beating his great rival Nadal in five sets in Melbourne on Sunday.
“It was about staying calm and believing the work’s paying off and that the variety I have in my game maybe allows me to maybe sneak in one or a couple.”
Global stars in other sports were also blown away by Federer’s achievements. Sprint great Usain Bolt, golf legend Jack Nicklaus, footballers including Germany’s World Cup winning captain Philipp Lahm were among those hailing Federer.
“Congrats Roger Federer,” the eight-time Olympic sprint champ Bolt tweeted while the 77-year-old Nicklaus, himself an 18-time winner of golf majors, tweeted a picture of himself and Federer and pleading: “As a huge fan of tennis and you, don’t stop there.”
Ordinary people, ranging from teenagers to housewives also couldn’t hide their emotions, with many even changing their surname to Federer to mark the occasion. If the world seemed united and somewhat sane on a day of chaos and misery caused by the travel ban imposed by US President Donald Trump on people from several Muslim countries, Federer’s success must have had something to do with it.
Viewpoint
