Roger Federer's 22-Straight Semis Streak: Open Discussion on Its Ranking

As I’ve watched this year’s U.S. Open, I’ve come closer than ever to understanding what Lewis H. Lapham was saying in Money and Class in America when he wrote:

“[sports is]…not the game or the match or the bout, but the ritual portrayal of a world in which time stops and all hope remains plausible, in which everybody present can recover the blameless expectations of a child, where the forces of light always triumph over the power of darkness.”

For while none of the players themselves represent light or darkness, the battles they wage represent the struggles we all have with the good and evil inherent in our own souls.

Sports, and tennis in particular, seem easily able to let us glimpse what it takes to overcome those inner demons and triumph in our own lives, just as these sports heroes we marvel at triumph over the adversities they face on the court (or the hardwood, or the field).

Tennis seems singularly able to do this, though, because, as Billie Jean King once said, it’s “a perfect combination of violent action taking place in an atmosphere of total tranquility.”

Such a combination is apparently the perfect place for contemplation of the battles we face as human beings.

Don’t get me wrong, all sports in one way or another, grant us this opportunity of self-examination and reflection. I just feel tennis is perfect for it, and it’s one of the reasons I love the sport so dearly, even though I was never all that great at it (the majority of my sports passions are sports I played, and played well).

That being said, I’ve watched this U.S. Open with special interest, wondering and marveling at all the great stories that have unfolded, from the emergence of the young Melanie Oudin as a possible heir to the throne, to the tale of Serena Williams' total dominance of the sport, to the return of a great maven to the court in Kim Clijsters.

I’ve thrilled to the action on the men’s side of the draw as well, as we’ve seen the storylines of the great upset of Andy Murray, and early ouster of the Americans, to the ongoing sagas of Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer, the latter trying to win his sixth straight title in New York.

One of the stories highlighted today on Yahoo Sports was a story about Federer’s streak of advancing to 22 consecutive Grand Slam semifinals, which you can read here. The story was intriguing, and fairly well-written, but I felt it did some disservice to the other streaks it compared Roger’s to, and many others it failed to mention.

I won’t contend that Roger’s streak isn’t impressive; it’s damn impressive. As the legendary college basketball coach, John Wooden, once said, “Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there.”

Federer’s streak is ample testimony to his character and an incredible feat of consistency. He’s been on top far longer than any other player in tennis history, and that’s something to say.

To borrow from another legend from an even more disparate sport (hockey), Paul Coffey is quoted as saying, “Nobody’s a natural. You work hard to get good and then work to get better. It’s hard to stay on top.”

This quote is incredibly apt when applied to Roger, who has been described by many as someone who is an absolute “natural” tennis player. As Coffey points out, no one’s a natural; it takes hard work, and Roger has put in his fair share to get where he is.

Again, that being said, is reaching the semifinals 22 consecutive times comparable to some of the other great streaks in sports history? The five streaks writer Chris Chase mentions in his piece are only a small fraction of the really great streaks in the history of sports, and although they’re great streaks, as is Federer’s, even they pale in comparison to a few others not mentioned.

One not mentioned is the longest winning streak in professional sports history held by Jahangir Khan. He amazingly recorded 555 consecutive wins in professional squash between 1981 and 1986. That consistency is beyond belief in a way. I’ve never watched a professional squash match, but I’d have to say that guy was dominant.

Another lesser-known streak, which is ongoing, and could possibly challenge Khan’s record, is the 360-match winning streak being enjoyed at the moment by Esther Vergeer in wheelchair tennis which began on Jan. 30, 2003 and included a streak of 250 consecutive sets won. Talk about impressive.

And, of course, there are the incredible team streaks, such as the Los Angeles Lakers 33-game win streak between 1971 and 1972, the New England Patriots 21-game win streak between 2006 and 2008, the Pittsburgh Penguins 17-game win streak between March and April of 1993, or even the New York Giants MLB-record 26-game win streak in 1916.

Some even better streaks aren’t the ones that just involve games, but championships, such as the UCLA Bruins Men’s Basketball team's impressive seven consecutive tournament titles between 1967 and 1973 (oh, and they also hold the record for most consecutive games won between 1971 and 1974 at 88), and the Boston Celtics' eight straight NBA titles between 1959 and 1966.

I could go on to list dozens of other impressive streaks (there literally are dozens of great ones), but my point is not to make a listing of all these great accomplishments, but to open a debate on whether simply reaching the semifinals of tournaments should actually be compared to such things as winning titles?

I know that the criteria that the writer of the article used wasn’t just that, for he compared Federer’s streak to streaks such as Joe DiMaggio’s (which is considered by many to be the greatest streak ever along with Cal Ripken Jr.’s streak of consecutive games played), that have nothing to do with winning or losing, or even reaching a certain point in playoffs or tournaments.

However, I would like some input on this. So, I’ve written this article mainly to spur discussion on the topic.

Feel free to bring up your favorite streaks. Tell me how you feel Roger’s streak compares to the great ones in history. Hell, just bark and rant and rave at me about how I’m disrespecting Roger by even mentioning this.

To me, any and all of that will give me the opportunity, just as the great games of tennis I’m watching in the U.S. Open right now are, of better understanding myself.

Arthur Ashe once said, “The ideal attitude is to be physically loose and mentally tight.” Hopefully Roger Federer will take those words to heart and will win his sixth straight U.S. Open title. I’m rooting for it.

Help me with your comments to tighten myself up mentally.