In sport there is always speculation about those individuals who have
stood out even amongst the very best in their field. The competitive
nature of sport leads to broken records, titles, rankings and generally
sorting out the very “best” from the merely “one of the best”. Across
all sports there are those legends whose achievements have left
audiences awe bound and opponents broken, they break all the records and
kindle the question, are they really the best ever?
In tennis there have been many greats, each achieving amazing feats
and standing out as significantly better than the rest. Most tennis fans
would agree that a list comprising these greats would include Borg,
McEnroe, Sampras, Agassi, Laver and several other heroes of the game.
There is one man however, still playing today, who has raised the
question more than ever. This man of course is the Swiss maestro Roger
Federer. So, is Roger Federer really the best player of all time?
Here we comprise a list of 5 reasons that suggest he is indeed the
best of all time, considering achievement as well as personal qualities
as a tennis professional.
5. Grand Slam Success
Arguably, the measure of any tennis player is their success in the
major tournaments on the tennis circuit, the Grand Slams. Time and time
again the reputation of a player transcends exponentially when they
finally win a Grand Slam title. Often those without a slam at the top of
the rankings are criticised for failing to produce their form when it
matters most.
For Roger Federer this was never a problem, first winning a Grand
Slam back in 2003 on his beloved centre court at Wimbledon. Since then
he has gone on to break numerous records in the Grand Slams, winning an
astonishing 17 titles overall. Grand Slam statistics alone argue his
case as the greatest ever, not only has he won the most but also has
reached the most finals, 24 (at least 5 times at each slam). In his
prime Federer dominated at Wimbledon, the US open and to a slightly
lesser extent the Australian open, finally achieving the career slam in
2009 when he won the French open.
His Grand Slam success is clearly unrivalled; in one stretch Roger
only failed to reach the final once in 19 consecutive slams. For me and
many commentators and past players this is enough to prove that Federer
is the best ever, but stats alone do not make a great tennis player.
Read on to find out why Federer is the best for other reasons…
4. All Round Game
Roger Federer has been described as the most watchable tennis player.
This view is well deserved, and it culminates from a combination of
factors about his game that few if not no other player has displayed.
Firstly, he is technically flawless. Though at 32 his execution is
slipping, in his years as World No.1 the perfection of his hitting was
outstanding, conjuring fluid strokes with incredible plus 160 kph speed.
There has never been a forehand quite like Federer’s inside out ripping
baseline strike, and the one-handed backhand he uses was unusually varied and accurate.
Unlike other players, many of whom also have impressive baseline
hitting, Federer is a fantastic full court player, utilising every inch
of the court to dictate the game and play genius cat and mouse with his
helpless opponent. This full court play displays the volleying ability
of Roger, who angles and controls his net play to devastating effect. He
also uses the serve and volley, scarce in the modern game. This is
allowed by the Federer serve which is not only fast but very
uniquely pin-point accurate.
To round up his almost perfect game, is the most standout visual
aspect of the maestro’s masterpiece; his grace on court. Like no other,
his movement is effortless, making transitions between offence and
defence with ease. He reaches the ball as successfully, but far less
taxingly than other great ‘chasers’ such as David Ferrer, resulting in
the most ‘easy-on-the-eye’ style in tennis.
3. Mental Toughness
All great sports people must be mentally tough, as was forecast so
clearly in last year’s London Olympics. It isn’t just about having the
right attitude and confidence, but also about managing your thoughts
effectively.
In his youth Roger was loud and emotional on court, a completely
different image to the elegant and collected player of the last decade.
He learned to control the frustration, upset and anger, channelling the
emotion into determination and a steely confidence. This ability to
focus and remain calm is unparalleled, few have Roger’s knack of saving
championship point as if it’s the first point in a friendly knock about.
More recently the pure confidence has slipped, his expression less
fixed his resolve less certain. But none can deny that for the most part
Federer has been mentally stronger than any of his opponents, and
easily matching the raw determination of players such as Lendl for
example. Roger Federer has graced the tennis court with a deadly calm,
intimidating players with nothing more than a slight nod as he once
again out manoeuvres.
2. Genius
To be the best you cannot only possess the best execution or physical
prowess, but also the best game plan. The domination of Roger Federer
over the last decade can be summed up by watching just one rally; with
apparent ease he dictates the play, making his opponent chase the ball
with no option but to relentlessly defend the onslaught. This is born
out of a foresight into how a game will be played. Like chess Roger
reads the moves perfectly, countering with a winner.
Roger speaks 7 languages; similarly his tennis contains huge variety.
The ability to envision and then execute the right shot in each
circumstance is something all players have, but Federer’s decision
making is a step up. In his dominant reign 2003 -2007 the shot choices
were impeccable, consistently the perfect shot to triumph point by
point. Though his standard of play will decline from now on, his
intelligence can never be questioned.
1. Consistency and Longetivity
The final reason why Roger Federer is possibly the best tennis player
of all time is also perhaps the most important. Many incredible players
have come and gone, outstanding sportsmen who have won the top titles.
Roger though is unique, his time right at the top of men’s tennis has
spanned for over a decade, still challenging for slam titles at 32. The
longevity of his career is testament to his style of play and
determination, rarely becoming injured and never taking significant time
off. The long lasting nature of his influence in tennis has created a
true legend who has been the face of the sport for years.
Consistency is also needed though, and it is even more impressive to
consider just how long Roger has been producing world class tennis. With
a total of 302 weeks at number 1, 237 of which were consecutive from 2004 to 2008, Roger
Federer has been the best for the longest time ever. In the context of
the modern day nature of competitive sport this is a huge achievement.
Although Roger Federer may now be losing his brilliance, his time at
the top will forever be remembered by tennis fans as an era of quality
and dominance like never before. With the best record of achievement and
arguably the best overall game, Federer can strongly be considered as
the best tennis player of all time.
Date: 9th August 2013, Source: WhatCulture
