What does it mean to be a champion? The definitions are varied, the emphasis is singular: to be victorious. Across different cultures and different ages, and different fields even, the world has seen many champions. The most revered of these however always come from sport.
There is something uniquely invigorating about watching a sports hero reach a milestone, break a record, or even just win. The idolatry that these demi-Gods inspire is the stuff that creates legends. In this milieu of sports fanaticism, every generation since before one can recall has had that one hero who stood out above all. That one man who defined the way his sport was viewed, who in fact, transcended the sport itself, and found a place amongst everyone's lives.
This kind of success, the stories of which are written in texts to be preserved for later generations, can even be thought of as a result of divine predisposition. The person then, that I write about, is one such man, one such success. Roger Federer, the name that is not only synonymous with tennis, but today equates to name recognizability for sport in general, is perhaps amongst the truest of true champions. And therein lies my biggest dilemma. What can one write about one of the most written about people, and not sound redundant? What contribution can I make to people's knowledge about Federer? The answer to both questions is an unequivocal 'nothing'. If someone wants a good read on the man's life, you're probably better off trolling bookshops for 'Quest for Perfection', by Rene Stauffer. And yet, here I am, scribbling furiously on my notepad.
Perhaps the only reason for that is that, for me, as I guess for many millions more, Federer represents more than just a player. With his amazing natural talent, and sheer brilliance on the tennis court, Federer is a standard of excellence that every self-serving individual could aspire to. Not just in tennis, but life in general, to want to be like Federer would be to do oneself a favor. And the most amazing thing about him is that even though, few, if any, will ever scale comparable heights, no one could ever resent him his success. In a game so furiously competitive and so unrelenting in its pressures, to be able to stand out and so clearly dominate the surroundings is unprecedented. To do that, and not acquire a God complex, is superhuman. And yet Federer retains an immense likeability. It is very rare that people root against the underdog, but when Federer walks on to that court, you can be sure that the loudest cheer will ALWAYS have his name on it.
They say that the greatest people, the most successful, are those that enjoy their job the most. Perhaps Federer is lucky then, that he enjoys the sport as much as he clearly does. His love for the sport, a love that tennis truly deserves, is evident in his meticulous understandings of the very miniscule details of the game, his unbelievable knowledge of its roots and history, and his precise ability to sum up the vastness of it. With a repertoire of shots unparalleled through the ages, Federer manages to make a game of tennis seem like an art form. For a student of tennis, to watch the perfect angles his arms move at when they strike the ball with his precision forehands, to notice his hands move instinctively to create the perfect passing shot that befuddles the best, even before you could think about it, is to really learn from a virtual text book. Most coaches would say that the Swiss can understand the rhythm, heart and soul, of all, the surface that he plays on, the ball that he strikes, and the racket that he strikes with, like no other. To be able to have that said about you is to know that you chose to do the right thing with your life.
Achievement is the only real measure of ability, it can be argued. For Federer, his illustrious career has proved, time and time again, that no achievement is too much. With a total of 14 Grand Slam Singles Titles, over 50 Singles titles, and even an Olympics Gold in doubles, Federer has broken, equaled, or come close to every major achievement there is to have. Often called the greatest champion of all time, always counted amongst the most revered, Federer has shown, in these records, that if the proof of the pudding is in the eating, then he's a plate well cleaned. The most admirable thing about Federer though, is his appreciation for all these achievements. Not many people enjoy the success that is commonplace for him, and his sheer gratitude for what he has, and his desire for more, both clear in his emotional outbursts at presentation ceremonies, are indicative of a truly deserving champion.
Amongst modern day sport, at least the sports most commonly watched the world over, tennis is undoubtedly the most grueling, both physically and mentally. To be able to walk day in and out, through airport terminal and stadium, one after the other, knowing that the entire world is watching for you to make a false move, is a burden one would wish on few. To do this for a season that lasts an exhausting ten months long is a burden few could fathom. And yet, for 237 weeks, Roger Federer shouldered this. Fearlessly, as challenger after challenger tried to make his impression, the Fed-ex, as he is nicknamed, continued to maintain a stranglehold on both the World No 1 position and the winner’s trophy in tournament after tournament. Today, when he is at what could be called, (only by his lofty standards of course) a low patch, Federer still continues to routinely reach the semi finals and finals of major events. That such accomplishments that most people only dream of, represent a loss of form for him truly shows the kind of class he has.
There is hardly another sportsman who could catch the fancy of the world in the manner that Federer has. In a unique non-tabloid style, Federer's life is as much about him as a great champion and person as it is about his sports. Recently married and soon to have a child with Mirka Vavrinek, a former tennis player herself, Federer has enjoyed attention for his proclivities off the court, including partaking in the design of his tennis gear with a respectful distance maintained. Having said that, of course, his fame, fortune and destiny all lie within that tennis court. And his mastery thereof is an inspiration to everyone who followed him into the international arena, and everyone who ever will.
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