US Open Tennis: Ultimate Heartbreak for Roger Federer Fans

I am compelled to write this article after checking the score for the Roger Federer vs. Novak Djokovic match. Yes, he lost—that's one part of the story, but the manner in which he lost is what hurts most as a fan. Federer fans love seeing him beat Djokovic, because we all know he can. Federer fears no right handed player in this world and to see him lose after two match points is the most heart breaking thing of all. It could have easily been done.

One interesting thing Federer said after he lost was that "maybe sometimes you win so much, that it sort of evens out." Maybe something in that Federer brain has told him that the chips are now stacked against him. The mathematical laws of the universe are no longer working in his favour. The tennis Gods perhaps have a plan of their own. Perhaps they want Djokovic to stop Rafael Nadal. Who knows? What we as fans perceive is the most painful thing of all. Federer, with all his talent, now fears winning.

Maybe somewhere lurking in his subconscious is the threat of Nadal in the final. Maybe he fears that he will value something more important than his beloved family. All we see as fans now is a teaser of a Federer triumph only to be let down in cruel circumstances. The circumstances being him relinquishing a two set lead and then two match points. 

However, I do have a theory that the tennis Gods are protecting Federer's legacy. Perhaps if he wins and then faces Nadal, then loses, it would mean that Nadal would have beaten him in the finals of all four slams. If however, Djokovic goes on to beat Nadal, he would show a dominance over him not unlike the dominance Nadal had over Federer. The Tennis Gods create a champion and then create another one to conquer him. The show must goes on. That is theory that may be of comfort to the Federer fans.

Can we expect more of these types of losses? Perhaps this more than anything will drive someone to retirement. Not the fact that he will stop reaching semis because he will probably will until he is 40 but the fact that he may loose more and more in this type of fashion when the stakes are high.

Then again, this is Roger Federer we are talking about. He, more than anyone knows what he did, how he practiced to get to where he is. Only he knows the causes of his success. We can trust he knows that. Will anyone ever figure out the causes of these type of losses? Could it be dumb luck or is there something else operating here, is some evil Tennis grim reaper coming to collect the losses for Federer.

Let's hope not.