History meets Federer

Some people are lucky enough to meet history during their life time owing to their endeavours while most others don't get this chance. However there are still fewer people for whom history itself waits for a meeting. Finally after numerous failed trysts, History finally met Roger Federer last Sunday as the latter won his record-equalling 14th grand slam and more importantly his first French Open at Roland Garros to become only the sixth man in history to win all four grand slams.

In over a hundred years of tennis only five men have won all four grand slams. The big serving American Don Budge, England's Pride Fred Perry, The genial Aussies Rod Laver and Roy Emerson and the supreme shot maker Andre Agassi. Quite naturally any man with such a rare accomplishment can argue to be claimed the greatest of all time. Ironically some of the game's greatest player's have never achieved this rare feat. Pete Sampras for example was a legend in his own right but could not lay claim to being the greatest ever as he failed to win the French Open. Sampras realised that for him the words 'Great' and 'Greatest' were in the end separated by 5 millimeters of Parisian clay!

Federer seemed to be going Sampras's way until last Sunday when he exorcised years of frustrations and winning the one slam that eluded him. Yes, critics might argue that Nadal's absence helped him but they also forget that he has been consistent on clay by reaching the French Open final 4 years in a row. Also he had beaten Nadal couple of weeks earlier in Madrid on clay , in the final. In spite of a few cribs here and there the world over has rejoiced in Federer's success which proves his popularity which he has achieved through his entertaining game. In an age of baseline belters he has plays a blissfully magical brand of tennis and turns the game to what it is always supposed to be - a game of sublime skill.

Born in the German half of Switzerland, Roger Federer had no compatriot to look upto. For all time, the only thing Switzerland produced was cuckoo clocks and Chocolates not Grand Slam winners. Martina Hingis was the first to break ground but quickly faded away after being muscled out by the William's sisters. However, Federer quickly rose in the rankings and by the beginning of the century was among a handful of youngsters waiting to take the mantle over from Sampras and Agassi. The initial break through came at the 2001 Wimbledon when he beat Sampras to end his 4 year winning streak. But it was a false dawn as the weight of expectations broke him momentarily as he was reduced to a racket thrashing frustrated young man on court.

Wimbledon 2003 changed all that, as he won his maiden grand slam and finally met his destiny. That was his coronation and it was the start of a juggernaut as he rolled all his opponents to ground winning slams left, right and centre. In fact in three separate calender years he won three grand slams, a feat never achieved before him. But all through the French Open eluded him. With the emergence of Rafael Nadal who dominated the clay courts Federer found it increasingly difficult to win in Paris losing in three straight finals to his nemesis. What more, he was creepily acquiring all his possessions.First his beloved Wimbledon crown, then his number one ranking and then his Australian Open crown. The world was talking about the end of the Federer era. However the ploys of History are strange and in an amazing twist of fate handed Federer a chance to fulfill his destiny. To Federer's credit he made use of the chance and fulfilled a long made promise - a promise made to himself and to History.

As legend goes, when Alexander saw the breadth of his domain he wept for there were no more worlds to conquer. Probably Federer is feeling the same at the moment. Looks like a great moment to set eyes on slam number 20!