Very few athletes go beyond the boundaries of their sport to become a symbol of excellence that extends beyond that sport.
The tennis-loving public has been spoilt for decades by the presence of generational talent weaving a brilliant tapestry along the renowned courts with a variety of surfaces.
The current generation of tennis fans has been treated to an era of pure splendor, with players like Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal to name a few. However, it is impossible to talk about tennis without mentioning the elegant Roger Federer.
The Swiss master who made the decision to retire a few months ago epitomized grace and poise on the court for nearly two decades and motivated millions of people worldwide to pick up a tennis racket.
A tweener here, an ace there, and most importantly, those majestic single-hand backhand winners down the line will forever be carved into the cognition of the millions of lives Federer managed to touch during his glory days.
These masterful cross-court forehand winners, the overhand smash disguised enough to send the person across the net to the shops, and a tweener here, an ace there.
Federer was such a master of the game that anyone who saw him at work would be immediately transported to a world of perfection, as evidenced by his signature one-handed backhand, which caused jaws to drop in amusement from all over the world.
While having won more than 100 championships and 20 grand slam titles is enough to earn a place in history, Federer was perhaps best known for his capacity to touch lives with each shot, sending chills down the spines of those watching and sometimes even the opponents.
In 1998, Federer won his first junior title at Wimbledon
In 1998, Federer won his first junior title at Wimbledon, winning the boys’ singles and doubles titles. It was probably a sign of things to come because the Swiss genius would win eight historic titles at the prestigious event in England, surpassing every male player who had ever played on SW19 grass.
With his sixth victory in 2018 on the synthetic court in Melbourne, Federer broke yet another barrier by becoming the first man in the sport’s long and illustrious history to win 20 titles.
Up until they took a toll on the maestro, which was sufficient for the great to decide to hang up his boots, a return to competition appeared to be on the cards despite the multiple injury layoffs that plagued the genius.
Naturally, every fan and athlete wants the best way to say goodbye to their favorite sport—to exit in style and on top, with a victory to remember.
However, Federer’s retirement from tennis following his loss in the Laver Cup to Francis Tiafoe and Jack Sock demonstrated that the beauty of sport may also lie in the events that did not take place.
The image of Nadal and Federer sobbing like two kids on the playground before going their separate ways due to the course that life takes is certain to be etched in the memory of every tennis fan who was ever blessed to witness the personification of elegance in action.