Serving at 2-5 and down 2 sets to 0, Andy Murray netted an overhead smash from Roger Federer, there by handing the great man his fifth consecutive US Open title and his thirteenth major title overall. What followed next is something Federer fans all over the world have been desperately waiting to see for almost a year…Federer sank to his knees, threw away his racquet, covered his face with his palms and rolled on to his back. This is how he vents out all his emotion at the end of a big final.
This was the first major title Federer won this year and I was surprised that he did not break into tears as he often does after winning big tournaments. He’s now just one slam away from equaling Pete Sampras’ all time record of 14 major titles. He is the first man since Bill Tilden (1924) to win five US Open titles in a row. More importantly, with this victory, Federer becomes the first man in the history of tennis to have won two different Grand Slams five times in a row (he achieved this feat at Wimbledon last year). Awesome!!
There is something very special about Federer that endears him to the crowds, commentators and his opponents alike. It is his grace, his awesome style of play, his ability to make the most difficult shots in the book look so simple, his consistency in making those shots and the character he displays at critical moments…all make him probably the best player ever to play the sport. This is just one side of the coin. What is even more amazing is the way he carries himself on and off the court. Despite his awe inspiring stature as the undisputed world number one (in my view and in many others’, he is still the number one and continues to be so) he is such a cool customer, so very friendly with everyone and hardly shows any motion on the field. It is always very heart warming to see his opponents shaking hands with him and congratulating him heartily at the end of every match. That speaks volumes of his character. When Mats Wilander says that Federer’s parents must be very proud not just because of their son’s on-field heroics but also for the way he carries himself on and off the court, he is absolutely right.
Mats Wilader, a four time Grand Slam champion, who had earlier said that Federer would never win another Grand Slam in his life, made an interesting comment during the course of the US Open final, “I personally want to see Federer break Sampras’ record of 14 titles. Not that I have anything against Sampras, it is just that Federer deserves to be the all time great player”. He is very true.
It is really heart breaking to see Federer going down, more so against his nemesis, Nadal. When he lost to Nadal in that epic final of 
on…it is also my worst addiction J
Many consider Federer as the greatest player ever to grace the sport. He ended the worst season of his career on a high note winning the US Open title. Hope he continues his class and form and wins all the majors next year. The whole of tennis world (I dare say that :)) is eagerly waiting to see Federer reestablish his “Aura of Invincibility”.
Long Live King Roger!!!!!!!!!!
