Dear Roger,
I write this after you lost to Andy Murray, for the first time in a slam. The doom merchants would start with their "he is over" theories again, till you make them look stupid one more time but that's not the reason why I am writing this.
I am writing this to say "I am sorry" from the bottom of my heart for ever doubting you in the years from 2010 Australian Open till 2012 Wimbledon when you did not win a slam.
This stretch was difficult for us fans so I can't even think about how tough it must have been for you. From our standpoint, it was about fighting with the rest of the tennis fan world about why you should still keep playing and how you could still be the best and win slams again but it was difficult to make our case. Until I realized where I was wrong.
I forgot why I, like millions in the world, love you so much. It's not because you have won a lot, or because you dominated the game like no other but because you made tennis look beautiful to watch. Its because you did things with your racquet, appropriately called the "magic wand" a lot of times, that no one else could. Its because the way you carried yourself on court like a man who feels privileged to play a game that he, just like us, loves so much.
I guess in that phase of disappointment and waiting I should have listened to you more. I needed you to tell me, in one of your recent interviews, why you play the game.
This is what you said and I don't think anyone can phrase this better:
"Sometimes you're just happy playing. Some people, some media, unfortunately, don't understand that it's okay just to play tennis and enjoy it. They always think you have to win everything, it always needs to be a success story, and if it's not, obviously, what is the point? Maybe you have to go back and think, Why have I started playing tennis? Because I just like it. It's actually sort of a dream hobby that became somewhat of a job. Some people just don't get that, ever."
As a fan of the sport, largely due to you, I understand this. I no longer care about what the media, so-called experts, cynics and rest of the world has to say about you, the state of your game, when you should retire and so on. I am just privileged to watch you play this game you love so much. No person is bigger than the game and so, new guys will come forward to take your place at the top of charts but I will try to watch you play as much as possible, as long as you wish to do so. Reason? well, one of them is this link below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sihhsshBQ9U
I fear it might be decades before I see something like that again after you are gone. Its easy to know why legends like Rod Laver feel you remind them of the game as they played it, the game of touch and beauty, not a game of power and stamina that it has become today.
With the latest defeat, tongues will be wagging about your "fitness" and how Murray outlasted you. They will be saying how the young guns are catching up with you. What I saw in the last 2 weeks though is a 31 year old guy teaching the young guns of tennis some lessons, just like you did last year:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEn-jUY2TpU
What I saw in the quarterfinal and semifinal is even more impressive. I saw a guy who has achieved almost everything there is to achieve, still fighting with guys 5-6 years younger to him, who are playing in their prime and still managing to beat them or make it incredibly hard for them to win. Will these "stars" of today be as good as you are at 31-32? I highly doubt that. That I feel will be a BIG part of your outstanding legacy. We knew the Roger Federer who, in his prime, would blow apart the opposition. But we see a new Roger Federer now. The one who's past his prime and is still fighting with the younger generation and still beating them. The World No 1 ranking regained last year was a testament to the "new Federer" and that will speak volumes about the career of Roger Federer. I, like my fellow fans, am as proud of this Roger as I ever was.
So, dear Roger, just keep playing the game, as long as you want to. I have no doubt that no one can make a better decision than you about when to stop. As a fan, I respect your decision and every minute of watching you play will be a treasure for us.
Once again "I am sorry" for ever doubting you and forgetting the reason why I watch you play. I am at peace now. The media and experts can sell the "best era" argument as much as they want by telling us how the other guys are now better returners, how they are fitter, faster and stronger and what not. What they cannot sell is the unparalleled noise in the stadiums when you enter, the ATP fan favorite awards year after year and the magic you keep creating every day on court. The others will have to earn that.
To sign off, here's a video that is ample proof of speed, agility, athleticism and return quality against one of the top servers of your era. If the so called "better players" can do that today, I'll take my hat off.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z9MXo3Bq-I
I write this after you lost to Andy Murray, for the first time in a slam. The doom merchants would start with their "he is over" theories again, till you make them look stupid one more time but that's not the reason why I am writing this.
I am writing this to say "I am sorry" from the bottom of my heart for ever doubting you in the years from 2010 Australian Open till 2012 Wimbledon when you did not win a slam.
This stretch was difficult for us fans so I can't even think about how tough it must have been for you. From our standpoint, it was about fighting with the rest of the tennis fan world about why you should still keep playing and how you could still be the best and win slams again but it was difficult to make our case. Until I realized where I was wrong.
I forgot why I, like millions in the world, love you so much. It's not because you have won a lot, or because you dominated the game like no other but because you made tennis look beautiful to watch. Its because you did things with your racquet, appropriately called the "magic wand" a lot of times, that no one else could. Its because the way you carried yourself on court like a man who feels privileged to play a game that he, just like us, loves so much.
I guess in that phase of disappointment and waiting I should have listened to you more. I needed you to tell me, in one of your recent interviews, why you play the game.
This is what you said and I don't think anyone can phrase this better:
"Sometimes you're just happy playing. Some people, some media, unfortunately, don't understand that it's okay just to play tennis and enjoy it. They always think you have to win everything, it always needs to be a success story, and if it's not, obviously, what is the point? Maybe you have to go back and think, Why have I started playing tennis? Because I just like it. It's actually sort of a dream hobby that became somewhat of a job. Some people just don't get that, ever."
As a fan of the sport, largely due to you, I understand this. I no longer care about what the media, so-called experts, cynics and rest of the world has to say about you, the state of your game, when you should retire and so on. I am just privileged to watch you play this game you love so much. No person is bigger than the game and so, new guys will come forward to take your place at the top of charts but I will try to watch you play as much as possible, as long as you wish to do so. Reason? well, one of them is this link below:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sihhsshBQ9U
I fear it might be decades before I see something like that again after you are gone. Its easy to know why legends like Rod Laver feel you remind them of the game as they played it, the game of touch and beauty, not a game of power and stamina that it has become today.
With the latest defeat, tongues will be wagging about your "fitness" and how Murray outlasted you. They will be saying how the young guns are catching up with you. What I saw in the last 2 weeks though is a 31 year old guy teaching the young guns of tennis some lessons, just like you did last year:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEn-jUY2TpU
What I saw in the quarterfinal and semifinal is even more impressive. I saw a guy who has achieved almost everything there is to achieve, still fighting with guys 5-6 years younger to him, who are playing in their prime and still managing to beat them or make it incredibly hard for them to win. Will these "stars" of today be as good as you are at 31-32? I highly doubt that. That I feel will be a BIG part of your outstanding legacy. We knew the Roger Federer who, in his prime, would blow apart the opposition. But we see a new Roger Federer now. The one who's past his prime and is still fighting with the younger generation and still beating them. The World No 1 ranking regained last year was a testament to the "new Federer" and that will speak volumes about the career of Roger Federer. I, like my fellow fans, am as proud of this Roger as I ever was.
So, dear Roger, just keep playing the game, as long as you want to. I have no doubt that no one can make a better decision than you about when to stop. As a fan, I respect your decision and every minute of watching you play will be a treasure for us.
Once again "I am sorry" for ever doubting you and forgetting the reason why I watch you play. I am at peace now. The media and experts can sell the "best era" argument as much as they want by telling us how the other guys are now better returners, how they are fitter, faster and stronger and what not. What they cannot sell is the unparalleled noise in the stadiums when you enter, the ATP fan favorite awards year after year and the magic you keep creating every day on court. The others will have to earn that.
To sign off, here's a video that is ample proof of speed, agility, athleticism and return quality against one of the top servers of your era. If the so called "better players" can do that today, I'll take my hat off.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Z9MXo3Bq-I
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