The Ageless Roger Federer Is the People's Choice

NEW YORK — He was finished with Stan Wawrinka, but the fans were not finished with Roger Federer. They never are. It doesn’t matter. In Australia. At Wimbledon. Or Friday night, at the U.S. Open.

Federer is the people’s choice in tennis. That was loudly obvious in the plaza at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. He had shown up in the ESPN booth for a post-match interview, where on a set with a transparent backing he was clearly visible—while the crowd was clearly audible.

“Let’s go, Roger!” they chanted, as Federer was talking to Brad Gilbert, the onetime player and current analyst. “Let’s go, Roger!” Roger is always going, from tournament to tournament, even though he turned 34 a few weeks ago, and up toward the top of the rankings—to second below Novak Djokovic.

Time and effort—and success—have worked to his advantage and to the advantage of tennis, a sport that, like golf, has no team loyalty and therefore requires stars who have lasting power, like Andre Agassi, who played into his 30s before retiring, and like Roger Federer, who may never retire.

“I enjoy the sport,” he said after the 6-4, 6-3, 6-1 semifinal victory over Wawrinka that took just one hour and 32 minutes. “I’m playing great, and I like to see my old friends.” Whether in New York or London or Indian Wells, everyone is Federer’s old friend. The world is his home court.

A few days ago, he played John Isner in the Open. Isner was the last American male in the championship. Federer is from Switzerland.

Despite the wish for an American man to make noise at the Open, the crowd still cheered more for Federer, who heard a big ovation after losing a point when he chased all the way to the back of the court.

“If I played against anyone else, the crowd would have been more behind me,” Isner said. It's tough when in your home country, the other guy gets the support. But legends are deserving.

Federer has earned the adulation. He has the men’s record of 17 Grand Slam tournament victories, five of those in the Open. He’s always been a sportsman, rarely complaining about a lineman’s call. He just plays tennis, wins tennis, and he’s done it for years.

We love our sporting heroes. We really love our ageless sporting heroes, the athletes who are familiar. Commercial sponsors know. That’s the reason Peyton Manning is on TV so much. That’s the reason Federer has a connection with Mercedes Benz. Federer is admirable. Federer is reliable.

In Sunday's final he’ll be facing Djokovic, who steamrolled last year’s winner, Marin Cilic, in the other semifinal 6-0, 6-1, 6-2. Djokovic is No. 1 in the rankings and Federer No. 2, but when it comes to support from the people at Arthur Ashe Stadium, the numbers will be reversed.

The Wimbledon final in July pitting the rivals was the prime example. The Brits are provincial, backing Andy Murray, naturally. But with Murray not around, all of Centre Court seemed to be backing Federer, applauding his points as if he were English. “We love you, Roger,” was one of the signs briefly displayed.

Federer has won Wimbledon seven times. He became as much a part of the place as the grass courts and strawberries and cream. Yet, there’s no court or country where he’s not welcome. He’s always been a gentleman, and his graceful style is as much an attraction as anything.

The first few matches at this Open were well-spaced for Federer, who travels with his wife and two sets of twins (and a nanny, naturally). So he did some sightseeing, knowing wherever he went he would be treated with respect even by gawkers.

“I hope the crowd is going to be happy to see me in the finals,” he said Friday night, knowing, of course it would be delighted. “There is never a guarantee who the crowd is going to be cheering for.”

There is when Federer is on the court—or in the interview area.

“I used to be famous for being not consistent,” said Federer of an earlier time. “So for me, I never thought I could bring it.

“I knew I could be surprising. I felt like I could beat anybody at any day. I learned from Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Pete [Sampras] and Andre. I didn’t understand how they could do it. I tried to learn from them. I’m happy I figured it out at some stage.”

He is no less happy than the fans, in New York, London or wherever he plays.

 

Art Spander, an award-winning columnist, has covered more than 50 Grand Slams in his career. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained firsthand.