Rajat Subhra Chatterjee
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Announcement of retirements by few sports personalities in this vast universe offer extreme pain. Yet, exit of only a handful ones, desert our mind completely. Some sort of numbness starts in the left ventricular of our hearts. At that point of time, one fails to feel the real pain or the real loss. The announcement by Roger Federer Thursday night has been one such under the second category. The Tennis lovers, rather Roger lovers at this moment are in a fix what to say, what to do or how to react ! A kind of hysterical silence of loss looms large everywhere. Even the greats of tennis fraternity also can not accept this absence suddenly. We all are in awe at this exit of the brightest star from the Tennis sky.
At 41, Roger Federer while announcing his quitting the game was synonymous with the game Tennis itself. After another few days from now, the Laver Cup next week, Roger Federer will not pick up a tennis racket in GS or ATP though he promises that he would carry on playing lot of tennis even after this. The game of Tennis will remain. But the Artiste of Tennis – Pablo Picasso – will never sketch again on the canvas. Tennis will surely remain but as aptly said by Petra Kvitova “ after today, Tennis will not be the same .” Blatant truth.
Yours truly have been watching Tennis for more than 60 years now and have seen many greats. Amongst his main contemporaries, Nadal and Djokovic may be able to take the game to a higher octave, they might out wit each other to reach greater heights, both being almost equally great along with Federer yet Roger will remain Roger. He is one and exclusively different. Along with winning hundreds of matches and pocketing Twenty GS, Roger did one more important thing very silently in tennis. That was to convert and lift the game to an Artistic level and was dedicated and determined to keep this great game permanently to that pedestal of Art. The greatness of Messi and Ronaldo can not be measured by their wins of World Cup. Likewise, Roger Federer will never be judged by the trophies he has won in this career. No. Never. His greatness will be felt when no one will sketch a backhand passing shot or a backhand cross court like him holding a simple racket in hand. Or that deadly drop shot !
From a mere ball boy in Basil, Switzerland, to be crowned in the throne of tennis, Roger Federer has relentlessly worked for finesse in his tennis. Glamorous and handsome Federer became an instant hit with the crowd not only for his glorious tennis and super athleticism but also for the presence of his pretty wife Mirka and four splendid kids in the VIP stands everywhere throughout the globe. Mirka, once his hitting partner became his life partner and gifted him with two beautiful twins twice. Roger Federer will not play tennis anymore. But he will enjoy life with his family happily and merrily. That is the prayer going on from all his admirers.
Time is very cruel. It takes off many things from everyone. It has not waited for even Roger Federer. But the impact created by Roger Federer will not fade out that easily. Rather this impact will influence the next generations and will force them to run after that if that could be touched. That is the legacy created and being left by Roger Federer on the tennis courts. And somewhere, if one has to offer the crown of Olive Leaves of Tennis, I am sure the tennis lovers will offer that to Roger Federer. Because Roger Federer is not merely a name of a tennis player. It is the name of a small ball boy from Basel who dreamt to touch the sky. Roger Federer has been a name of unprecedented magnetism which kept the games’ lovers hooked in and held them to make love with the game – Tennis.
Roger’s exit from the GS circuit will take away the sheen of regality created by his presence. Very few, if at all, have done it in any sport of our time at least.
Fully agree with your views.