The Hindu : Sport : Federer — immune to the laws of sport

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Thursday, Feb 01, 2007
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Federer — immune to the laws of sport

Federer's uniqueness lies in his completeness, writes Rohit Brijnath

Part of the pleasure of the Federer experience comes from watching people watch him. On Sunday, a spectator, beer slopping, is propelled by awe out of his seat when confronted by a short cross-court forehand that lands and runs almost parallel to the net. Later, a fellow simply bows in Federer's direction, as if applause is an unsatisfactory response.

Some sigh, exhale, cry "Oh my God". It is an opera of exclamation. Cynics who believe they have seen everything need to watch Federer. Every day he brings newness.

Opponents turn props

No one leaves. Not even during the Roddick dismemberment, for even winning easily a thrill is found. Often rivals cease to be opponents, they become props in the Federer theatre, almost there to feed him balls so that he can display his virtuosity.

Everyone cheers him. They may celebrate Gonzalez, urge Roddick, but few are cool to Federer. As if it is unseemly to pick a fight with a man so pleasant. If you challenge chair umpires in Australia, they tend to slow hand-clap, or jeer. In the final, Federer has a small argument with Sandra de Jenken but not a sound is heard.

Later, Federer does not merely praise Gonzalez as is the norm, but congratulates his rival's camp! When it is announced he is the first since Ken Rosewall to win the Open without dropping a set, he hails the wrinkled champion.

All across sport, aggressive attitudes are acclaimed, machismo saluted and athletes turn precious and pretentious. In the shadow of an unaffected Federer, such men look petty. When asked about the adulation he receives, wonderfully he responded, "what means adulation". Fans usually find it difficult to relate to invincible athletes, but Federer's genuineness, his easy manner, makes some connection possible.

Roddick's career has hiccuped, Safin's form surges and recedes, Nadal has stagnated since Wimbledon. This happens, it is natural. Yet how rarely Federer's game swings away from the astonishing, and when it does he still finds victory. He seems immune, presently, to the laws of sport.

It gets worse. Roddick, and Gonzalez have reprogrammed their games, yet by the only measure that matters in tennis, which is Federer, it appears they have not improved. But of course they have. Which only suggests the gap between the Swiss and the rest is bigger than we believed. Or Federer is getting better! Federer's uniqueness lies in his completeness. People have won as much, as easily, but none have wrought victory as elegantly, been so replete with ideas, so divorced from weakness. There is a Sampras to him, and yet a Borg.

His genius is of imagination, and timing, and there is little margin for error in shot execution for his racquet head at 88 square inches is the smallest among the top players (Roddick's is 100). It has the sweet-spot of a pea said a stringer.

Another dimension

It is why people shake their heads. How, how, we ask, as if mind is still disputing what the eyes have seen. With other players, even in other sports, we see their shots as beautiful, we wish we could play like that. With Federer we accept almost that we can never play like that, his shots arrive from another dimension, it is too much to wish for.

Yet although a former Australian star called him "the best player forever", one day someone will outshine him. To not believe so is to put a finish line to human achievement. Men run faster and leap further. It is what they do.

Pleasant coincidence

Pele went and Maradona came. Jesse Owens won four golds and then so did Carl Lewis. Only Bradman is untouchable, but cricket has altered too greatly perhaps for him to ever be matched.

It is a pleasant coincidence, for spectators, that the three greatest players of the modern era, Borg, Sampras, Federer have followed each other, each a finer model than the next. But so evolved is the Swiss that perhaps a longer wait is now due. Like a few generations.

Then, perhaps when we have gone to the Gods, a player will come, at a time when tennis is bereft (as it was in many ways when Federer came), with a serve a few pounds heavier, a volley a fraction more sure, a backhand a trifle more versatile. And our children, maybe grandchildren, will shake their heads in disbelief.

We will not envy them. One Federer in a lifetime is enough.

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