Federer’s art of survival in the top bracket
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In Sports, as in everything else, being consistent is the most rewarding and targeted aspect by players. It is the secret of success to stay in the Top 10 of the world and, earn well. Never was this easy to achieve, with strong challenges popping up from all four corners of the world, all the time, especially in the last few decades.
At present, the WTA for Women and the ATP for Men world rankings are the two markers we have to judge a players performing ability throughout the year and over time. After proving to be an exceptional player and to be remembered as a legend, in 2017, at the age of five months short of 36, Roger Federer has shown the world again with two big, good title wins in the first three months of the year. It can be named Federer’s-Art
In his career, every time Federer went down in form and performance, he left no stone unturned to figure out a way to regain his form. Last year, his ranking went down close to 20. He had to keep away from events with physical breakdown. His win of the first Grand Slam (GS) of this year, the Australian-Open, and now winning the Charles Passerell’s Indiana-Wells in the US, a ATP 500 event, has put him back at six in the ranking, and earnings to US$ three million. The secret is, his ability to target and work on the aspect that is failing him. This time he has mastered the art of regaining physical shape which he lost in the last two years. It sets an example as to how to be performing this well, even at his age. He is winning at an age when many good players have left the scene.
Many of the Top 10 players at present, have passed their 30-year mark in age. This performance of Federer is certainly going to postpone their retirement date by at least 5-7 years.
Variety in tactics
From Round 1 of the Indiana-Wells, all of Federer’s opponents had different strengths. Federer adapted to each, sometimes, from ‘underdog’ position. The game he played to beat Nadal surprised many. In so many instances, Federer became a risk taker and caught Nadal completely by surprise. In the match against Wawrinka, who has beaten Federer before, Federer withstood the pace and accuracy with great athleticism. That match being the final, it was Federer who commanded the pace in the final stages of each set. Federer had one advantage in this match. Nick Krygios withdrew from the match in the semi finals, for medical reasons. This gave Federer an extra day’s rest, which Wawrinka did not have.
Federer’s brand of Tennis is so appealing, the world is happy that he is still there. The last man to have similar traits was Pete Sampras. Unfortunately, Sampras’s effective game style did not have sufficient emotional mix to move the spectators. He had a reputation of being cold. He also did not have sufficient opposition at that time and, at times, literally steamrolled to victory at every event.
Indiana-Wells 2017
This northern hemispheres Spring event was started decades ago by US Davis Cup player, Puerto-Rican Charles Passerell, and now recognised to be only 2nd to the 4 GSs. It is also the known curtain raiser of the main Tennis calendar in USA leading into the ATP Tour. Passerell played the longest match in Wimbledon history against Pancho Gonzales, well known celebrity American veteran, before the tiebreak era.
The Men’s draw had world’s No.1 Andy Murray and a good many from the Top 20 in the world. There was no such thing as an easy match in this event. To all, this event was a ‘tester’, as to how they have used the recess after the 2016 season, and one after Australian season.
World No.3 Wawrinka, the Runner up, has been very consistent, although considered an outsider to reach No.1 position. If he could hang on, he will get the Top spot. Consistency has been a strong feature in Wawrinka, in the last few years. Federer’s win over him in the finals was by a thin margin. Only a such as Federer could have used the thin margin Wawrinka permitted, to beat him. Andy Murray, Djokovic and a few others have not found the form they should have. It could question their ‘homework’ during the recess.
The Women’s game is based on power and massive endurance. Russia’s Elena Vesnina won the title, beating Kuznetzova also from Russia. The finals was 4-hours long in the Spring heat of the Californian desert. Up to the final rounds, the top players such as Angelique Kerber, France’s Mladenovic, Garbine Mugurusa, top seed Karolina Pliskova, Carolina Wozniaki and Venus Williams, fared well. The Women’s event got lot of exposure and had many interesting matches, as the players were well matched. Serena Williams was missing in the draw. She too is being selective to play, to prevent injury from over straining. Yet, it was Federer who stole the show.
–George Paldano, Former intl. player; Accredited Coach of Germany; National, Davis-Cup, Federation Cup captain/coach– georgepaldano@yahoo.com