A few years ago the pundits declared twilight was setting on maestro Roger Federer’s career. On Sunday, July 16, 2017, at Wimbledon, tennis’ hallowed greens, there was a new dawn: Federer was crowned King again — at age 35, a few weeks from his 36th birthday. He had won his eighth Wimbledon title. No man has ever achieved that feat. He had won his 19th grand slam. No man has ever won as many slams. So is he the GOAT — the Greatest Of All Time? There can be no doubt. If there was that sliver of doubt a few years ago when the warriors of the new game of power tennis; those hard-hitting baseliners with thunderous serves; were breaking the elegant monarch down, then like the patient benevolent despot, he has quashed all rebellion with a smile.
The story was different some years ago. The modern warriors had new weapons: a big racket head with fancy strings that could bludgeon tennis balls. They unleashed lethal two-handed backhands and retrieved balls like terriers on a mission. Federer played with the traditional small racket head and natural gut, a sublime single-handed backhand which the modern warriors tried to breakdown with relentless aggression, badgering him repeatedly on that one side. Federer started to crack. When his knee gave away, the pundits said Federer would never be king again.
But Federer is a clever man. He had adapted to a bigger racket head for more power. He took nearly six months off. He became leaner as he recovered from injury. Federer returned to the court in January and won a riveting Australian Open final, taming his arch-foe Rafael Nadal. He was playing even more aggressively, chipping and charging, rushing to serve and volley. On June 16 at Wimbledon, Federer proved that tennis needs Federer.
