This might seem like a bit of a controversial opinion, especially if you follow other sports. Heck, you might not even think he’s the best tennis player of all time. But to me, there’s something special about Roger Federer – a sort of timeless quality that sort of sets him apart.
He’s infinitely modest, incredibly versatile on the court, and has been at the peak of tennis for literally decades.
Here’s the case for why Roger Federer could be considered the greatest athlete of all time.
Versatility
Few, if any athletes are as versatile as Roger Federer is.
To stay at the very top of a sport for more than two decades requires incredible agility – the sport has changed an awful lot since 1998.
Balls have become lighter, players hit harder, and net play has become a smaller part of the game.
Did any of this faze Federer?
Not one bit.
In fact, the 38-year old has constantly improved on what’s perhaps one of the hardest, but also one of the most important, things to master in tennis – the backhand.
As Federer went pro, he was never a huge fan of the backhand. He relied on shuffling into position to use his explosive forehand. When he was forced onto his wrong side, he preferred to slice his backhands, rather than playing top-spin.
But now, the one-handed backhand is one of the most impressive shots in Federer’s arsenal. These days, he uses it to hit winners on a consistent basis, despite having never previously favored his backhand side.
Also, Federer’s net play is probably the best in the world. As the game has evolved beyond two classes of player: attackers and baseliners, Federer has taken this in his stride – adopting an incredibly well-rounded playing style that is very hard to plan strategies to deal with.
The beauty of what Federer has done is how he’s taken what he was good at and repurposed it for the modern game, rather than sticking in his old ways. For example, the backhand slice that served Federer so well in his early playing days is now used as the trick up his sleeve – slicing the ball full when the opponent is least expecting it.
Longevity
In elite-level sport, it’s extremely difficult to maintain not just your physical fitness, but also your competitive drive to be the very best. As athletes grow older, dealing with injuries becomes a major challenge – as does adapting to the changing nature of the sport you play.
Because of these challenges, most pros are at the very top of their game for five or maybe ten years, at the most.
By comparison, Federer ranked in the top 10 in the ATP rankings for fourteen consecutive years. Even then, only injuries kept him from going further.
At this point, critics might argue that yes, Federer is pretty good at tennis – but he got lucky with injuries. If he had been more prone to getting hurt, there is no way he would have maintained that run of success. This might be true to an extent. However, avoiding injuries is one of the things that makes a great athlete. You’ve got to know what your limits are, and what steps you can take to maximize the amount of training that you’re able to put in.
But this is only part of the reason Federer has experienced such longevity as a professional athlete. He’s about as humble as they come, meaning he knows when he’s been outplayed, and how he can improve. He’s smart, and understands the importance of a good game plan. And, perhaps most importantly, he’s 100% dedicated to the sport of tennis. Unlike many elite-level athletes, Federer hasn’t ever been involved in something you could consider a “scandal.” He’s prepared to put in the hard yards, and knows the importance of training smart, not hard – for the sake of both fitness and technique.
All pro athletes are dedicated. But very few, if any at all, have all of these qualities – the commitment, humility, and intelligence necessary to achieve this level of greatness.
Charm
We all know Federer has a certain kind of charm to him. He’s rarely ever not smiling off the court – it’s quite hard to hate him, even for diehard Nadal, Murray, or Djokovic fan.
But what does this have to do with him being a great athlete?
The best of the best athletes actively encourage people to love the sport they play. They inspire the next generation to compete – acting as true role models. They attract eyeballs to the sport, in a way that very few people are able to do.
Without Federer, it could be argued that a fair chunk of the rise in the mass appeal of tennis over the last decade would not have occurred. Very few athletes are able to become as synonymous with the sport they play as Federer has.
Perhaps Federer benefits from the fact that tennis is not really a team sport. Although doubles is still a well-loved format, the emphasis is still on the profiles of the individual athletes – not the teams.
If there are no inter-team rivalries that immediately cause a large proportion of a sport’s fanbase to downplay your abilities, it’s a lot easier to become incredibly well-liked. This factor has probably helped, to an extent. But the fact is, once they reach a certain level, all athletes develop a following that is independent of the team they play for.
Even if tennis was (god forbid) a four-a-side team sport, Federer would still be the one attracting crowds, and inspiring kids to pick up a racquet.
What’s next for Federer?
Ultimately, at 38 years old now, Federer will probably be forced to retire sometime in the next five years, ending his career as one of the most decorated athletes in any sport ever.
It will be a loss not just for tennis, but for the world of sport more broadly.
In both his on-court achievements and off-court behavior, Roger Federer has set a real example – acting as someone that not only kids can strive to emulate, but creating a template that professional athletes should use on their struggle for greatness.
Main Photo from Getty.
