He was down love to three in the third set. He sat down pondering and the watching world wondered whether this would be the first time in 766 career matches that he would retire from a match. His back seemed to be killing him. But he decided, he would play on. He would give it his all to win this one no matter what.
He fought, he fought and he fought. He refused to let his fans down, let the sport down, let himself down. He saved one match point after the other, but alas, eight was all he could manage.
He almost pulled off the miracle he wanted to, but the bottom line—he had lost. To the subdued applause of the crowd, his opponent got his first wish - Send Roger Federer packing from the tournament. And the Swiss left the court after playing his final match of the year, a year in which the great man had to sit through much nonsense, to the loud and clear standing ovation of the Chinese.
So much about "A True Champion" who had lost.
But now onto the new 'Master of Masters.'
He was the clear No. 1 player in the world for the first quarter of the year. And soon, he became the forgotten of the Top Four as the season approached its end. Another was already being touted The No. 3 man.
While a certain Spanish sensation hogged all the limelight, while the focus turned to a Swiss Star's 'fall' and a Serbian Gun started to flounder, a new face appeared—Andy Murray.
The Scot had an impressive second half to the season which saw his rise to the fourth spot in the rankings. With the culmination of the 'slams fever', the talk was about Federer's return, Murray's rise and Nadal's conquests. Novak Djokovic seemed the lost of the 'Big four'.
And the young Serb had a point to prove. And That he did - the reigning King of Melbourne stunned a lot of people by becoming only the second man in the current Top 10 to claim the prestigious YEC.
The Year end Rankings do not lie.
Rafael Nadal has been the undoubted Tennis Star of the year. With the beginning of the 'Nadal' season (read 'Clay'), The Majorcan started murdering opponents left and right, and this time around, not just on his favourite surface. Winning a whooping eight titles this year, including Two Grand Slams and an Olympic Gold, the Spaniard sits pretty on top of the mountain as the World's best Tennis player.
On his way to glory, Nadal dethroned a certain Swiss gentleman who had so far seemed naturally affixed to the Title of Numero Uno.
And so we had it, after nearly four years and a half, Roger Federer was to play the unfamiliar role - one he clearly does not like -of the World No. 2. But for how long?
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