Roger Federer: Winning French Open Would Be Fed's Greatest Single Accomplishment
Roger Federer is one of the most accomplished players in tennis history, but if he captures the 2012 French Open, nothing he's done previously would be more impressive. Don't get me wrong, I don't expect him to win at Roland Garros, but that is part of the reason why it would be such an amazing feat.
Nobody expects him to win, and with good reason.
We must put into perspective what a win for Federer at Roland Garros would mean. If we take into account all of the factors, it becomes more clear.
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His Age
Federer is 30 years old. That is young in life, but the tennis world readies your rocking chair at that point. Jimmy Connors and Pete Sampras were only able to capture one major championship after their 30th birthdays.
If Federer were to win the French Open three months before he turns 31, it would not be crazy to suspect that he'd have at least one more major win in him outside of Roland Garros.
A grand slam title after the age of 30 is a rare feat in tennis, and it would speak to Federer's longstanding brilliance.
The Surface
It's not just age that makes this an improbable feat, it's also about the surface. Federer has won 16 grand slam titles, but only one has come at the French Open (2009).
It has long been the thorn in his side, as his game just doesn't lend itself to the clay surface. This would only compound the feat of winning a major so late in his career; to win a grand slam at 30 is one thing, but to do it on his least favorite surface takes the accomplishment to the next level.
The Competition
Right now, both Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are ranked ahead of Federer. Fed has fared well against Djokovic, owning a 13-10 record over him head-to-head. But Djokovic is the No. 1 player in the world, and going through him, if necessary, would be huge.
Though Djokovic is the world's top player, he doesn't represent the biggest impediment for Federer in France. Rafael Nadal is Fed's personal nemesis, and one of the best clay-court players in history.
Federer has never beaten Rafa at the French Open, and overall he is 10-18 in head-to-head matches. If he could win the 2012 French Open and go through Nadal, it would put the cherry on the sundae.
It will take great health, sharp play and some luck to pull this off, but if it happens, Federer will have put the exclamation point on an amazing career.
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