How World Number One Roger Federer has perfected the art of winning
At 36, for someone to return to the top of rankings in tennis is crazy.
If greatness needed a new dimension, please stand up and clap for the New No.1 in tennis, Roger Federer.
At this time of the year in Rotterdam, it's ice cold. Yet, inside the indoor arena which hosts one of the big ATP Tour events, the focus has been on Federer the magician. The hype had been building up for a while. After all, at 36, for someone to return to the top of rankings in tennis is crazy. This is a sport which kids in Europe, Asia and America start playing as young as eight.
By the time you are 18, if you have not made a mark for yourself on the tennis tour, it's painful. Long travel, lack of financial support, loneliness, failure and dejection, all these are stories heard often from a breed in tennis called journeymen.
But in the case of genial Federer, it has been so different.
Each sport has it's galaxy of champions. Sachin Tendulkar went on to play international cricket till the age of 40, while multiple Olympic medallist Usain Bolt had to retire at 30.
Comparing demands of fitness from one sport to the other can be quite inaccurate. Yet, in tennis, which as a sport tests every part of the body on a daily basis, to stay fit, fast and play furious tennis is something which Federer has excelled in.
Having watched the handsome man for close to 17 years, there is no denying Federer is very special. To be sure, each champion is special. From Muhammad Ali to Michael Schumacher and Usain Bolt to Pele, each person was special.
Yet, in a racquet sport like tennis, Federer becomes most special as he has gently added chapters without making it like a boring novel you want to chuck away.
For a man who won his 20th Grand Slam singles title with the roof rolled over at the Rod Laver arena on January 28 in melting Melbourne this year, Federer has shown he is now much more emotional.
Each champion has his or her own way of showing emotions. In Formula One, the maximum you can do after winning a Grand Prix is gently pump the air with one fist while controlling the wheel with the other hand.
In football, when a Neymar or Ronaldo scores a goal, the celebration is larger. And in cricket, if it's someone like Virat Kohli smashing his 35th ODI century against the South Africans, he takes off his helmet, raises his bat and you can see the fire in his eyes.
Numero uno Federer was not the type to indulge in histrionics. He belongs to the category of champions who preferred to stay close to mute mode. Yet, in the last year or so, Federer has become more expressive.
When he beat Marin Cilic in the Australian Open final for his 20th Grand Slam title, he shed tears copiously. The saline water kept rolling down the cheeks from his eyes. Compare this with the Federer who won his first Wimbledon in 2003, he simply smiled and then walked away with the trophy.
Just as each sport has its share of riveting rivalries, the one between Federer and Rafael Nadal has captured the imagination of the global audience in the most emphatic manner.
Last year, the two split the four Grand Slam titles. In 2018, Federer looks even more pumped up and the emotions are outward. Having undergone a knee surgery last year and missed the French Open, his comeback has been dramatic.
Even more captivating is the near-perfect brand of tennis he plays now, where he defeats opponents with aura and arrogance. Compare it with the previous oldest World No.1 in tennis, Andre Agassi, there is nothing ugly about it. Agassi was the typical Las Vegas showman.
And the man who will be officially dislodged as the No.1 when the ATP rankings come on Monday, Rafael Nadal, has always looked outwardly emotional. Win or lose.
At 36, when Federer plays top-flight tennis, it's like watching something out of the world. There are thousands of players engaged with tennis. This man defines perfection. It's like any artist at work, leaving the audience in a trance. Watching Federer on TV sets and watching him live is so different. There is grace and glide and nothing looks so tough. Of course, if you ask Federer's opponents, they may differ!
As one whose brand value exceeds LeBron James, Cristiano Ronaldo, Tiger Woods and Neymar, Federer has nothing left to achieve. He has money and trophies and above all immense goodwill and friends. And yes, he is a champion who is different as he does not gloat in his own glory. If you hear Federer's press conferences over the last year, he speaks of how he feels lucky to be staying in peak shape and be ready for the grind. Mind you, being a father of four, he is a family man to the core who enjoys his responsibility.
There is one big factor which separates Federer from other champions, and it's called humility. The Swiss Master is enjoying himself and all of a sudden age looks like a wrong number! At 36, top tennis players have walked into sunset.
Some get into coaching, and some work as commentators or columnists. Well, Federer is far from that stage. Art of winning?
He keeps perfecting it.