By Randy Walker
@TennisPublisher
“Lord of the Swings”
This was the nick-name that the one and only tennis historian and Hall of Fame tennis journalist Bud Collins bestowed on the great Roger Federer, who announced his retirement from the pro tennis tour on Thursday.
The following is how Collins, in his unique prose, wrote of Federer in his famous tome “The Bud Collins History of Tennis” book.
Roger Federer
Switzerland (1981—)
As Lord of the Swings, Federer was top of the list in men’s tennis as the all-time leader in major singles titles—winning his record-breaking 15th major singles title in dramatic fashion with a 5-7, 7-6 (6), 7-6 (5), 3-6, 16-14 final-round victory over Andy Roddick at Wimbledon in 2009 in the longest Wimbledon final in games and the longest final set in the history of major championship finals. The Wimbledon title moved him past Pete Sampras, a spectator from the Royal Box who held the previous record with 14 majors. The previous month, Federer completed the “Career Grand Slam”—winning the French Open title, defeating Sweden’s Robin Soderling in the final 6-1, 7-6 (1), 6-4—joining Fred Perry, Don Budge, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson and Andre Agassi as only men in tennis history to win all four majors in their career. He won a 16th major at the 2010 Australian Open, defeating Andy Murray 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (13-11).
Federer took over No. 1 in 2004, from Andy Roddick, and held the top spot for a record 237 consecutive weeks. Performing in a smooth, seemingly effortless, style, a right-hander using one-handed backhand, he occupies his status as arguably the greatest player ever in men’s tennis with rare grace and competitive verve, always in the right place to deliver the right shot from his peerless all-court arsenal of angles, spins, volleys, pinpoint serves. Is there a weakness, a flaw? Doubtful. Perhaps only one man has found it: that would be Rafael Nadal of Spain, whose high-rolling topspin and speed afoot has stymied Federer on Parisian clay four straight years—semifinals in 2005, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3; finals in 2006, 1-6, 6-1, 6-4, 7-6 (7-4), finals in 2007, 6-3, 4-6, 6-3, 6-4, and finals in 2008 6-1, 6-3, 6-0. Rafa would then end Roger’s five-year reign at Wimbledon, beating Federer 6-4, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 6-7 (8), 9-7 in the epic 2008 final. Rafa would also snare Roger in an epic Australian Open final in 2009, winning 7–5, 3–6, 7–6(3), 3–6, 6–2.
Other than Nadal, Roger has been mistreating his colleagues regularly at the major occasions. He has three major triples (Australian, Wimbledon, U.S.), 2004, 06, 07. Merely eight men in history have previously tripled:Rod Laver (AUS) twice with Grand Slams in 1962 and 1969; Don Budge (USA) with the original Grand Slam, 1938; Jack Crawford (AUS), 1933; Fred Perry (GBR), 1934, Tony Trabert (USA), 1955; Lew Hoad (AUS), 1956; Ashley Cooper (AUS), 1958; Roy Emerson (AUS), 1964; Mats Wilander (SWE), 1988. But nobody but Roger thrice. After a 2005 French semifinal loss to Nadal, he made itto 10 successive major finals, winning eight. Colossal. Big Bill Tilden (USA) reached 11 straight major finals, winning eight between 1918 and 1927, but there were gaps in his appearances. Federer’s triple triples amount to nine of his 16 singles majors as of July of 2010. By reaching the final of Wimbledon in 2009, he reached his 20th major final, breaking Ivan Lendl’s record of 19.
Roger, who turned pro in 1998, showed an aptitude for Wimbledon’s Centre Court greensward as a 19-year-old in 2001, severing Sampras’s streak of 31 Wimbledon match wins, 7-6 (9-7), 5-7, 6-4, 6-7 (2-7), 7-5, in the fourth round. He then lost the quarterfinal to Tim Henman (GBR), 7-5, 7-6 (8-6), 2-6, 7-6 (8-6), and, seeded No. 7, was stunned in the 2002 opening round by No. 154 Mario Ancic (CRO), 6-3, 7-6 (7-2), 6-3. A two-match losing streak at the Big W—but he wouldn’t lose there again. Near the end of 2007, he lost consecutively to David Nalbandian (ARG) in Paris and Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) in the round robin of the Masters at Shanghai, his longest losing streak four-and-a-half years. Federer says his 2003 first-round loss at the French to No. 88 Luis Horna (PER), 7-6 (8-6), 6-2, 7-6 (7-3), shook him up, made him question his motivation. Bearing down, he was a changed man, won his first major title, Wimbledon seeded No. 4, 7-6 (7-5), 6-2, 7-6 (7-3), over No. 48 Mark Philippoussis (AUS).
Nadal was the first to push him to five sets in the majors since Roger’s defeat of Sampras in 2001. Theirs was a magnificent battle in the 2007 Wimbledon title bout, Roger denying Rafa four break points in the fifth set (two each at 1-2 and 2-3) which could have cost him the championship. His grit showed as he won, 7-6(9-7), 4-6, 7-6(7-3), 2-6, 6-2, and again two months later at the U.S. There Djokovic held five set points on serve (6-5, 40-0, 2 ads) in the first set, and two more set points in the second (5-6, 15-40), but Roger wouldn’t budge, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-2), 6-4. Federer fought back from two-sets down to nearly hold on and win a record sixth straight Wimbledon crown in 2008, falling to Nadal 9-7 in the fifth set.
Born Aug. 8, 1981, Basel, Switzerland, where he grew up. Turned pro, 1998, 6 ft. 1, 177 lbs. At the end of 2007, he suffered a case of mononucleosis which hampered his 2008 start. He has a charitable foundation, and is a UNICEF Good Will Ambassador. From 2004 Wimbledon to 2010 Australian Open, reached 23 straight semifinals at major events, snapped by Robin Soderling in the quarterfinals of the 2010 French Open. Played Davis Cup, 1999–2009, he has played 18 ties; 27-6 singles, 10-5 doubles. Fulfilled lifelong dream of winning Olympic gold in Beijing in 2008, pairing with Stan Wawrinka to win doubles gold, defeating Simon Aspelin and Tom Johansson (SWE) 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (4), 6-3 in the gold medal match. Lost to James Blake of the U.S. in the singles quarterfinals, 6-4, 7-6 (2).
