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July 10, 2007
Victory loosens Roger's emotion
By Chip Le Grand, The Australian
IF vino is veritas for most people, winning does the trick for Roger Federer.
Where
Federer normally holds his feelings as tightly as a Swiss bank, it is
the moment of victory in which Federer's vulnerabilities, fears and
deepest passions are laid bare.
Two years ago at the Australian Open, Federer was handed the
winner's trophy by Rod Laver and broke down, a quivering mess. It was
only later we understood it was winning in Laver's presence, rather
than winning itself, that had set Federer off.
Two days ago at Wimbledon, Federer nearly started crying when he
still had a full game against Rafael Nadal to play. When he later met
Bjorn Borg beneath the honour board of the All England Club, the two
champions embraced like lost relatives.
Federer described it as "a Swedish hug". It may also be the
traditional greeting between men who have won five consecutive
Wimbledons. In the open era, only Federer and Borg would know.
As the young champion popped champagne corks and toasted his success
with friends and family on the lawn outside the players' lounge, his
mother Lynette gave a rare insight into what goes on beneath the
Federer facade.
"Maybe he doesn't express it as much as other players but when he
goes on to court for any final his whole heart is there because he has
got so much passion for the game," she said.
"I don't think records bother him very much, to be honest. He is not playing for the record books, he is playing for the game.
"Roger also enjoys the history of tennis and that maybe makes him a little more emotional."
"I do think he enjoys the legends, he enjoys having these people around because he knows what they gave to the sport."
Such are Federer's achievements in tennis that he sets a record of
some description nearly every time he walks out on court. But instead
of counting matches won and career titles like so many numbers in an
almanac, Federer is driven not by the facts but the figures; the
greatest figures in the game.
Having faltered with Laver a month ago at Roland Garros but matched
Borg at Wimbledon, the question is not what next for Federer but who?
The answer of course, is Pete Sampras. And the US Open cannot wait.
There are only two people who stand between Federer and his claim to be the greatest male player the world has seen.
The first is Laver, whose two calendar Grand Slams - including the
only one completed in the open era - set him apart from every other
player in the men's game. If Federer is fit and well next European
summer, he will again arrive at Roland Garros with Laver firmly in his
sights.
In the meantime, Federer at the age of 25, is already starting to
close in on the career slam tally of Sampras, who won his 14th and
final major shortly after his 31st birthday. Federer now has 11 slams
to his name.
This time last year, after beating Nadal in their first Wimbledon
final encounter, Federer said it was too early to talk about Sampras as
he was only halfway there. Now he admits 'Pistol' Pete is playing on
his mind.
"Pete Sampras is maybe the greatest player we've ever had, so to
come out and break his record, it is not the easiest thing, I know
that," Federer said.
"It takes me five Wimbledons and three Australian Opens and three US
Opens just to get close to him, so it shows you what a great player he
was. I don't know how much longer I can keep it up but I feel like I am
fit to go on for many more years. But that is not going to make you win
trophies. You've got to give yourself occasions and possibilities.
"I would love to equal his record, let's put it that way first. To
be on the same level as Pete Sampras, my former hero, in a way is
already very nice. But I am not there yet."
What this Wimbledon final showed is the pressure this places on
Federer whenever he has the opportunity to equal or better one of the
great players. There were times when the combination of history and
Borg, Nadal's relentless game and even technology threatened to get the
better of Federer. He admitted to losing his equilibrium for a while
after a questionable Hawk-Eye overrule helped give Nadal a second break
in the fourth set.
But it made the moment so much sweeter for Federer, when after four
hours, he lifted his fifth Wimbledon trophy after winning 7-6 (9-7) 4-6
7-6 (7-3) 2-6 6-2 and watched a beaming Borg stand and applaud in the
Royal Box.
"Being on Centre Court, this final, it was something unbelievable
having Bjorn Borg in the stands," Lynette Federer said. "For Roger it
was an unbelievable moment. There is a lot of pressure because he knows
just how good Rafa is and that he is getting better by the day. But I
do believe W imbledon just means so much to him. With all his heart he
was there today."
Nadal, like Borg, believes Federer will finish his career as the
greatest of all time. Borg says injury and loss of motivation are the
only threats to Federer.
Nadal now knows he can take the fight to Federer on the grass at
Wimbledon but still believes Federer could end up with 15 major titles
or more.
Whatever Federer does from here, he knows the greats of the game will be watching every step.
In New York he will be shadowed by Sampras. At Roland Garros, he
will be haunted by Laver. Back at Wimbledon, there is still Sampras's
magnificent seven to aim for. And a fourth title in Melbourne in
January would see Federer join Andre Agassi with the highest number of
Australian Open men's singles crowns in the open era.
On the outside, Federer is perfectly at ease in this company. On the
inside, these are the thoughts and fears that will test him as severely
as Nadal.
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