The French Open 2016 began on May 22 with a notable omission. > Roger Federer , for the first time this millennium, withdrew from the main draw in singles in a Grand Slam, ending his streak of 65 consecutive appearances at the majors. With the sentimental favourite gone, the attention will quickly shift to the remaining contenders. But let’s stop for a moment and think about what a major without Federer means to tennis, and to his supporters.
A closing chapter
Desh Gaurav Sekhri > His greatness has transcended his records or his revenues, categories in which he is peerless as it is. Federer is the presumptive GOAT because he exemplifies continuity and transcends divisiveness. He has his critics — in fact, quite a significant segment of the younger generation probably doesn’t appreciate Federer as much as it empathises with the more physical and gritty Nadal or the aggressive and efficient Djokovic. But Federer’s uniqueness is of a different variety. His aura, his personality, and his playing style are vintage and pedigree. One could imagine him as a fixture on the circuit from the 1960s onwards, as much at home as he astonishingly is in the 2000s. They say once-in-a-generation sportspersons are those who are born to play the sport blessed with skill and strength, and more importantly, a natural understanding and feel of the game. Federer is that transcendent athlete who has played with the greatest tennis players of the last 25 years, including Pete Sampras, Andre Agassi, Nadal, Djokovic, and a bevy of others. The generation shifted, and Federer shifted with it. With a game that would have won him aesthetics awards from purists across genres and generations, Federer alone has played the beautiful game in an era where he could have easily become extinct.
Towards No.18 Federer won’t be that player who plays into his forties like Jimmy Connors. So unaccustomed to injury or the mortality levellers of elite players, Federer is likely to suddenly phase out the minute he feels he cannot compete at the level of his peers. And that, sadly, could be sooner than we think. It gets harder to recover from injuries and perform at one’s best after having played professionally for almost 20 years. The game is also changing, and the fitness levels are so far advanced that an absence or niggle could set the return to the top back irreversibly.
> Is Federer done? No, at least not until the end of 2017. He sits comfortably at world number 3, and for the foreseeable future will be seeded to go far in majors. Can he win another major? Yes, but with difficulty. He, in all likelihood, will have four decent shots at a major — Wimbledon and the U.S. Open in 2016 and 2017. A student and expert of the game as he is, he will understand that he needs to fit his schedule to ensure he is seeded high enough to go far, and he is fit enough to make a deep run towards number 18. He will need luck, and overwhelming support. The latter is a sure thing, the former a lottery. The French Open without Roger Federer today feels like an exception. In a few years it will be the norm. And that by itself is extremely sad.
Desh Gaurav Sekhri is a sports lawyer and the author of the book Not Out!
The Incredible Story of the Indian Premier League.
