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July 08, 2005
Swiss rolled me over
By John Casey, Fox Sports
JUMPING out of an airplane provides an experience far too elusive for words.
Sadly, even those involved are sometimes denied part of the
thrill because the human senses become so overloaded that the mind
temporarily shuts down.
This brief blackout is usually broken by the noise of the
parachute racing off your back up past your ears to leave you
(hopefully) suspended in your own little Utopia, alone except for the
wondrous views and the noise that nothing makes - and it is the most
beautiful sound.
Astonishingly, at this year's Wimbledon championships, I found
myself transported again to that sensual El Dorado, this time by the
performance of Roger Federer.
It was not so much by his near flawless execution of Andy
Roddick to claim his third Wimbledon crown, for that was shared by some
two billion viewers in 170 countries around the world and can be
quantified by a litany of statistics.
Losing just one point on serve in the first set is one example,
as is a three-year, 36-match unbeaten streak on grass and a 21st
consecutive final win.
No, it was hours after that virtuoso Centre Court display that
Federer rose to even greater heights, and for me it was a two-minute
personal joy flight that made parachuting feel like jumping off the
dunny roof on to broken cardboard boxes.
Somehow, the Swiss maestro checked the emotions which had
brought him to tears on match point and graced the world's media with
his presence - and there is an aura.
As he was shuffled from room to room, respectfully listening to
the same questions in English, Swiss, French and German, he calmly
responded with considered, genuine answers to people he had just met,
but who then left the room feeling as though they had walked on water.
At one point he politely requested a Coca-Cola. When it wasn't
immediately available he poured himself a plastic cup of water. Later,
when the soft drink materialised, a security guard begged his boss to
be able to pass it to him.
Whereas earlier in the day Federer had glided around the court
wielding his racquet like a conductor's baton over an unforgettable
symphony of stroke play, now he was serenely floating above the
post-match mayhem.
Dressed in designer jeans the man moved like a whisper, while
those around him fought like fish on a chopping board to be part of the
action.
Fox Sports was No.6 on the list of 20 individual television
networks, and the only Australian channel that would be given an
exclusive audience with Federer.
But I refused to move any further than one metre from the studio door, fearing that somehow I could lose my opportunity.
As my turn drew nearer, more than 20 years media experience was
leaking from my body in beads of perspiration, paranoid that the
interview would not go as well as planned.
Perhaps this is similar to the intimidation Federer's opponents
feel. After all, even the biggest names in tennis have been unable to
cope with his game.
He has defeated Lleyton Hewitt eight times in a row, Roddick nine out of 10.
Agassi has enjoyed success only three times in 10 starts and
Safin's Australian Open triumph back in January was only the second
occasion he had claimed victory in nine encounters.
Pete Sampras played Federer once and lost as well - at Wimbledon no less.
As our conversation unfolded, Federer told of his satisfaction
that his victory had been in partnership with coach, Tony Roche, who
was previously 0-6 in Wimbledon singles finals.
Roche lost as a player in 1968, and as coach for Pat Rafter in 2000-2001, Ivan Lendl in 1986-1987 and Chris Lewis in1983.
Earlier, in his general press conference, Federer corrected an
Australian journalist who had left the word "singles" out of a question
regarding Roche.
"He's won more grand slam titles here than me," the learned
Swiss replied, referring to the five doubles titles Roche had annexed
at the All England Club.
Federer also shared his future plans to be married and become a
father. But, like everything else in his life, that must be done to a
certain standard of excellence and at the moment his touring
commitments would "not be fair" as an environment to be bringing up
children.
Federer and his girlfriend Miroslava "Mirka" Vavrinec have been
together for five years now, meeting while both were representing
Switzerland at the Sydney Olympics. She reached number 76 in the world
before injury ended her career, so it is a deep gene pool for the
future descendants to draw from.
My two minutes with the champ were over seemingly before they
had started, but I'll look forward to renewing my acquaintance with
Federer at the last major of the year, the US Open in New York which
starts on Fox Sports in late August.
Maybe I'll ask him if he has ever contemplated jumping out of a
plane. But then, with the front row seats his senses enjoy on a daily
basis, why would he need to.
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