Roger Federer: Why All-Time Great Still Has a Shot at Winning Another Grand Slam

Roger Federer has suffered a lot of heartbreakers against Rafael Nadal through the years, but Thursday's crushing defeat in Melbourne may have been the most devastating.

Before Federer lost to Nadal in the semifinals on Thursday, he had burst through the first five rounds of the Australian Open, showing a form that had the tennis world recalling his glory years. He made the red-hot Juan Martin del Potro look helpless in the quarterfinals.

But when Thursday came around, it was more of the same, Nadal defeating the 30-year-old Swiss in four sets as Federer fell to 2-8 all-time against the Spaniard in Grand Slams.

But there is still hope.

When you've won a record 16 Grand Slam singles titles, you are always in the hunt. Lost in Federer's defeat to Nadal on Thursday was that he had actually been playing excellent tennis before that. Sure, Nadal will always be a roadblock for Fed-Ex, but that doesn't mean Nadal can't have off days.

There have been 10 different players in the 43 years of the Open era who have won a Grand Slam at 30 years of age or older. Most recently, we saw Andre Agassi do it twice and Pete Sampras join him.

The one thing Federer does have going for him is that his style of play and physical condition realistically allow him to play for another five years if he so chooses. He's never played a brutalizing style of tennis, preferring shot placement and grace over power. You look at how he still moves around the court at 30 years old and it's stunning.

Federer's backhand against Nadal will always be a source of discomfort, and the primary reason why he's lost so many matches to the 25-year-old in my mind. But tennis' history has proven that you aren't completely out of the picture when you hit 30 years of age. There's always a shot for the true greats, including the man who has affectionately been called "The GOAT."

Said Darren Cahill in August 2011, who coached Agassi to the world No. 1 ranking, via ESPN:

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"A guy that plays like Roger does is capable of stepping into the big occasion. It's not the same [level] day in and day out as it used to be. It just has to happen a few times at a Slam and he's got another title.

"If I have three windows -- one, two, three -- I'll take window No. 1. I really believe he'll get one more."

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I tend to agree.