Federer’s Grace
On Wedenesday, on Wimbledon’s Centre Court, I witnessed the grace of a true sporting Champion.
16-time Grand Slam Winner Roger Federer, played his first two sets of tennis with a rare level of breathtaking strokeplay, and mixed it with a balletic grace, as he moved across the court, and in towards the net like a panther. Observing the standard, and style, of Federer’s play is one of the joys of modern sport.
Sadly for Federer, his French opponent Jo-Winifried Tsonga countered this, producing a career-best performance which meant that the Swiss legend lost a two set lead for the first time in an exceptional career. A Champion had been beaten on court. However, the true Champion in Roger Federer was about to emerge.
As Tsonga experienced the surpries and joy of the winning point moment to secure his Semi-Final berth, he became delirium personified. Then, he shook hands at the net with the darling of Centre Court, and proceeded to jump around the court in celebration like a jack-in-the-box. Federer, meanwhile, had to face up to the fact that he would not be appearing in a Wimbledon Men’s Final (let alone a Semi-Final) for the second year in a row.
He now faces the prospect of not winning a single Grand Slam event in a season for the first time in 9 years unless he wins the final one, the US Open. He faces the increasing possibility that he may never add to his record number of 16 Grand Slams. However, in the moment of disappointment, and likely despair at his defeat to Tsonga, he showed the grace and outstanding human qualities which help set him apart from the majority of participants in top sport.
Federer waited patiently for his opponent to celebrate his victory and ensured that the two players left the court together, as the tradition and etiquette defines. Many fail to observe this courtesy, and leave the stage to lick their wounds in the safer confines of the dressing rooms as quickly as possible. Such emotional control and grace in the face of adversity highlights why Roger Federer is a true ‘sporting’ great.
The golfing great Jack Nicklaus, himself a winner of 18 Majors, looked on from The Royal Box and I imagine, marvelled at the quality of Federer’s personal example. True ‘Champions of Sport’ leave a legacy which goes beyond their skill as a player.
