Written by:
Matthew Campos, Year 12
They say all good things must come to an end. But do we really want this era to end? Not seeing his powerful forehand, graceful running shot, stunning slice and miraculous between the leg shot? Imagine tennis without him. His style, grace and versatility on the court are unmatched. Without him is like a jungle without a lion. The court is his kingdom and he’ll beat anybody who challenges him. He is the most decorated tennis player of all time, Roger Federer.
Federer, now 32, was destined for tennis greatness at an early age. Already at junior level, he was ranked world-number-one. He was highly regarded for winning both singles and doubles in the annual Wimbledon Championship and the prestigious Orange bowl. Federer was so highly rated that in the same year he started his junior career, he qualified for his first professional tournament, losing in the first round, however. Through experience and practice, he eventually began to breakthrough and silence the critics. At the age of 21, he was already the top 10 ranked worldwide.
Between 2003 and 2007, Roger Federer had won 11 Grand Slam titles and despite some impediments, he was quick to reestablish his dominance. Almost every year he was able to qualify in each Grand Slam while winning a few side tournaments. That is why these four years were considered the golden era for Federer, in which he triumphed competition after competition.
2008 was a less successful year for Federer, who lost to his great rival Nadal in two separate Grand Slam tournaments including Wimbledon and failed to qualify for the Australian Open finals. Most of his disappointment can be traced back to the discovery of his mononucleosis, also known as kissing disease. Despite his setbacks, he was still able to finish world-number-two.
Federer passed the great Pete Sampras in 2009 by winning 2 Grand Slam titles that raised his singles men trophy count to 15. By this time, Federer was already predicted to pass Andre Agassi for the most number of singles men titles. In 2010, he had broken Andre Agassi’s trophy count with 17 trophies by winning the Australian Open and Wimbledon, both against Andy Murray. As a result, Federer became the record holder for the most number of single Grand Slam titles.
2013 was a difficult year for Federer. He was unable to reach the finals of each of the four Grand Slams and shocked his supporters with his early exit in Wimbledon. His serves were softer and had less spin; his drop shots were reachable and his forehand was predictable. Roger Federer began to lose his touch.
Personally, I am a huge fan of Federer. I have supported him through his highs and his lows. I grew up aspiring to be like him. But could this really be the end of his colourful career? Only at the age of 32, each game is proving tough for him. With tennis players becoming ever more agile and the pace of the game quickening, it may be tough for Federer to meet the requirements. Only time can tell whether the Swiss magician will be able to work his magic again.
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