(Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
Statistics tell stories, and Roger Federer now owns the finest set of statistics the world of tennis has ever seen.
His sixth Wimbledon title gives him a total of 15 Grand Slam titles. By surpassing Pete Sampras’ total haul, Federer has now won more Grand Slam titles than any man ever. He is a champion among champions.
To be the best, you’ve got to want it more than your opponents. Federer never shows a great deal of emotion whilst playing, but the outpouring of joy when he is victorious is a testament to just how much he wants to win.
He strives to break records, to win major competitions, and to become the greatest there ever was. This drive and hunger has engulfed others, but Federer has an amazing ability to stay focused on achieving more accolades.
He is a grounded individual. Many sporting greats are troubled and tragic figures and there is a view that genius can taint people. It makes some complacent whereas others simply crumble under the weight of expectation.
Federer has succumbed to neither of these issues, and his mentality has helped him realise his potential.
When on court, there is something beautifully natural about his game. Sports are full of individuals who have been manufactured to become brutish athletes who are simply faster and stronger.
With Federer, it’s although he was born to play tennis, blessed with a gift which he has nurtured. He moves around the court with grace and poise and often leaves crowds awestruck.
Federer is also mentally sharper than his rivals. In his mammoth final set against Andy Roddick, whoever’s nerve broke first was always more likely to lose. Despite not playing his greatest tennis, you never believed it was going to be Federer who would wilt.
To continually perform at such a high level, tournament after tournament, is the sign of a truly special individual. His knack of winning tie-breaks has been a feature of his Wimbledon campaign this year. He won six and lost only one.
Pundits have regularly harped on about the need to play your best tennis at the crucial points in games, and there is no finer example of this than Federer. Champions produce their best when it really matters.
He is a champion off the court too. He exudes class in everything he does. When Federer first stepped onto centre court in his new military jacket marked with his own initials and logo, it was not seen as egotistical but as the sign of a true great. There are not many people who could get away with a gold bag, but Federer is one of them.
Not being old enough to see Pele, Don Bradman or Jack Nicklaus in their prime is regrettable. Thankfully though, I have witnessed the era of the finest tennis player to ever play the game.
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