The Personification Of Grandeur -By Isaac Amede

Beethoven with his First, Third, Fifth Symphonies and Andrea Bocelli’s Sacred Arias, you behold an exquisite, sheer beauty of a sublime composition of classical music. You conclude that God in his Infinite Majesty had a dear-to-heart personal bias in their making and genius. Forget the former’s deafness or the latter’s blindness. God’s mystery-judgment and ways are incomprehensible for mere mortals like us. Added to this mix is Yanni’s consonance, or harmonious chaotic compositions. All these and more like the inexcusable salt mine you find in Roger Federer.

Roger Federer is like a “flawless god” whose stumbles can be explained away as mere integral character trait of his flawlessness: rare alluring grace and humility, possessing schooled modesty of emotions, unhurried priestly strides, dignified but mesmerizing calm like god amongst men – you never ever get tired of beholding him – Roger Federer!

On court Roger Federer redefines genius, making or exuding it like a priced goldsmith in his forge, so effortlessly spontaneous in his art like a fish in its habitat. He is that tennis player you want to watch over and over again. He is made of Rafa Nadal’s aggressiveness, Novak Djokovic’s mental strength wrapped into what l call “sublime classical music.” In his dominance or struggle on court with valued points gained, he doesn’t betray Nadal’s spattering emotions of punching the air in overt satisfaction nor Djokovic’s taunting by stirring the crowd for a riotous ululation, chants, cheers and whistling, commanding them to stand up in support like a conductor gesturing his orchestra to rise for a performance – not Roger Federer! In his godlike mortality, everything is done with refined moderation. He wins a dear-to-heart point, he looks downwards and punches the air midriff like a praying mantis. When an embarrassing point is gained, making his opponent look unfortunately ridiculous, he waves his racket towards him in honest apology. No doubt, he’s been seen to betray some beautiful smile at the expense of a point gained, but never as a glee or smugness, neither does he strut before his opponents like they are Lilliputians – Roger Federer! In his wins and losses, he was so dignified with the mentality of you win some, you lose some, never betraying the extremes of Kyrgios, Nadal or Djokovic in their wins and losses.

Roger Federer is going to be greatly missed. I remember a female fan of Justin Bieber savagely attacked on Twitter for boasting being his best fan; l won’t dare that! I know there are millions out there whose fanship and love for Roger Federer can never be matched in their own right – l too fall in that category. We are going to miss him so much that we will be looking for players with not just sheer genius, but the Roger Federer character through and through. Today, Sinner, Alcaraz, Ruud and Tsitsipas may play with some likeable genius, but they fall short of that Federer’s complete essence. The Roger Federer’s graceful class and tender sophistication come with a rarity we his millions of fans should not expect to see in another so soon – Roger Federer!

In his tribute to Roger Federer, Rafa Nadal humbly asserted that the former was his rival; it was obvious. I don’t expect Novak Djokovic to claim same ( Rafa Nadal may be Novak Djokovic’s rival) or that he ever saw any as his rival. I know the “drama king”. Nonetheless, Federer’s sterling success was one many players overtly dreamt of, not the least his godlike personality. So he will not only be missed by his teeming fans, tennis players alike will miss him so much, not to mention young tennis players dreaming to be on the same court with him some day – he will be sorely missed – Roger Federer!

He is such an honest gentleman. For almost five years now, he’s undergone multiple surgeries on his leg, determined to be in his a game for himself, the love for the fans and sport. His comeback had always seen him going back to the doctors. Having been the all time Grand Slam winner for years and later outstripped by Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic, you would think he would be agitated to come back and nudge out the competing duo from that pinnacle of laurels. No. True to himself seeing his frail muscles and age, conversant that nobody wins it all, with forthright dignity, he threw in the towel – Roger Federer!

When CNN broke the news for the first time in the midst of the live programme of Queen Elizabeth ll’s lying-in-state, my head spun in bewilderment. You don’t say! What? I was expecting a comeback though I knew at 41 years he can only give little. Like Serena Williams, l expected him to still be actively competing, perhaps calling it quits after one or two Grand Slams in his wrap, or perhaps when they become unreachable. I looked forward to seeing him competitively on court again, but he had to be true to himself irrespective of the outpouring of love from the fans and the hype and glamour of the sport. You will be greatly and sorely missed – Roger Federer!

It’s pleasing that Rafa Nadal and Novak Djokovic are still very active, though the former battles knee injuries every now and then. These two are a great delight to watch. Also, there are many talented young players to watch out for. However, none seems to be in the mode of the big three – the big two. Maybe Carlos Alcaraz, maybe Kyrgios, maybe Sinner, maybe Zverev, Medvedev or Tiafoe, etc. It’s yet to be seen who is really cut out in the mode of those greats.

We will miss you Roger Federer. However, may this next chapter of your life be as fruitful as the one you are about dropping off from.