Is Roger Federer the Greatest Tennis Player of All Time?

 

                                        

Is Roger Federer the Greatest Tennis Player of All Time?

Tennis legend Roger Federer has been playing professionally since 1998 and has won 17 Grand Slam singles titles so far, making him the only male player in the Open Era to have won at least five titles in each of the four Majors (Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, U.S. Open). So who is the No 1 ranked tennis player? Does Federer still hold the top spot, or do other players now pose a challenge? Or are we even asking the wrong question? Are there any different ways to rank players? Let's look into it further.

Introduction

Roger Federer is the No 1 ranked tennis player in the world. He is also the oldest player to hold this rank. In 2009, he was awarded a gold medal in men's singles at the Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. With his win against Rafael Nadal, he became one of only three male players to have all four Grand Slams: Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, and U.S. Open; and with his win against Novak Djokovic at Wimbledon 2012, he became the first man in history to reach ten consecutive finals at Grand Slam tournaments. What does this all mean for him being considered by many as the greatest tennis player of all time? Is he the best ever, or should other factors be considered? His dominance on the court can be explained by his dedication, commitment, and determination. For example, when playing on clay courts, he changes the strings in his racket more often than any other player on the ATP Tour because they wear down quicker due to slower speeds and greater amount of sliding. So what makes him so great that even after 12 years without winning a single Grand Slam title, people still consider him an elite champion? One explanation might lie that he has won 17 Grand Slam titles, been crowned the year-end World No.1 five times, won an Olympic Gold Medal, and achieved a career grand slam (winning all four majors). But it's not just these numbers that make him worthy of the discussion about who is the greatest tennis player ever. It's how he went about achieving them and the way he competed. You may notice from watching his matches over the past decade how hard Federer works on the court compared to other top players like Rafael Nadal or Novak Djokovic, who rely heavily on natural talent instead of training hours put into their game day in and day out. When the stakes are high, Federer trains harder. When faced with adversity during a match, he'll say look, if I'm going to lose, then I want to lose fighting. There is no question that this will lead to injury and fatigue, but it is worth it when you see your opponent break down mentally.

There are also small things, such as how, before each service, he crouches low while standing flat-footed on his back foot until just before contact, thus loading up his legs like springs before releasing them explosively through impact with the ball. And finally, in most rallies, he stays closer to the baseline than most pros do, leading some analysts to believe this helps him stay aggressive and go forward rather than using defensive tactics too often.

                                         

Roger Federer's Record

Roger Federer is a Swiss professional tennis player. He is widely regarded as the greatest tennis player in the game's history and by many as one of the greatest athletes ever.

Roger won his first major title at Wimbledon in 2003, and in 2005 became the only man to have won Grand Slam titles on three different surfaces (clay, grass, hard). He was also a gold medalist for his native Switzerland at the 2008 Olympic Games. At the time of his retirement from the professional tour in 2016, he had amassed more than 100 career singles titles and held the world No 1 spot for 302 weeks—the most of any male player. He is considered among the most dominant players in tennis history due to his speed across the court, which has enabled him to hit balls faster than anyone else; his accuracy, his shot-making, and the consistency with which he wins majors year after year. His skill and variety make him the most dangerous opponent in today's game because you never know what you'll get. The way he can come back from games that seem lost is unmatched. The same goes for playing styles: Against someone like Djokovic, it's all about hitting through the ball, while against Nadal, it requires patience and slice shots. With Federer, every game could be your last.

The best moment of my life happened when I saw Roger beat Rafa 6–3, 6–4, 6–7(5), 7–6(8) in the 2017 Australian Open final. I knew it was impossible not to appreciate how amazing he was, given how close the two were throughout the tournament and how they managed to battle back so often during their matches before this final set.

Federer's Dominance

Roger Federer is one of the most dominant tennis players in history. He has won 20 grand slams and an Olympic gold medal in singles, and he's the only man to have won eight Wimbledon singles titles. He also holds the record for the period between major wins at three years, when he defeated Novak Djokovic to win his 18th grand slam at Wimbledon in 2012. However, despite his dominance on the court, some believe that he is not the greatest player ever because they believe that Rafael Nadal had a higher ranking than him until 2017. If this were true, it would mean that Nadal was better and would be a more deserving candidate for the title of the best player ever. However, the rankings don't support this claim. As of February 12, 2017, Roger Federer is ranked No 1 worldwide, while Rafael Nadal is ranked No 2. So even if the rankings changed tomorrow, Federer would still be the number 1 player, with Nadal just behind him as number 2. But could Federer really be the GOAT or Greatest of All Time (all time)? Maybe, but only after considering other factors, such as consistency over many decades. The argument against Federer says that his career has declined since 2006, while Nadal's has grown stronger since 2005. The average rating points per tournament declined from 25 points to 18 points per year from 2006-2010.

The Rivalries

Roger Federer is the greatest tennis player of all time. He has won more Grand Slam tournaments than any other player, male or female. The No 1 ranked tennis player? It's not even close. In fact, he has won so many major tournaments that he doesn't always have a hard court available to play on! But who is the No 1 ranked tennis player? That honor belongs to Rafael Nadal. The Spanish native dominated Wimbledon in 2010 and 2011 and holds the most French Open titles in history. He also took home the gold medal for singles at the 2008 Beijing Olympics - though he was later disqualified due to drug charges - which made him only the second man in history (after Andre Agassi) to win a major singles title without losing a single set during his career. What about Serena Williams? Serena is probably the best woman tennis player ever when she's not pregnant. She dominates in women's doubles and mixed doubles with her sister Venus. Yet she has never taken down a men's champion in an official match and rarely plays at important tournaments like the U.S. Open or Wimbledon, but she does beat up on her sister a lot!

The Legacy

He has 17 Grand Slam singles titles, an Olympic gold medal, and is a record eight-time Wimbledon champion. He's been ranked No. 1 for 302 weeks and counting, more than any other player in history. He was named Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated in 2003, 2004, and 2005. He's one of only three players to win consecutive Australian Open titles on different surfaces (1998-1999). And he's won at least one major title each year since 2002, with his longest hiatus being just four months between 2008 and 2009 when Rafael Nadal won Roland Garros, while Federer took a long break from tennis after winning Wimbledon in July 2008. Yet not even these numbers can convey what makes Federer so great. You see it every time he plays: His movement around the court is effortless, yet his ball placement never seems off; every point seems within reach and well within his control; no opponent will ever seem entirely safe or out of reach as long as he's still playing. It's not just that Federer's tennis is beautiful, although it certainly is - it's also that we've seen him beat players who are better than him with far less apparent effort. His mastery over opponents may be unparalleled in sports. Maybe this would all make more sense if there were another legendary player on the ATP Tour right now to compare against, someone who had dominated their Era like Roger has dominated his. There isn't, though; this generation has nothing like a Borg or McEnroe. The comparisons we could make would look absurd - Ivan Lendl came closest but didn't win half as many majors and couldn't match Federer in speed and athleticism - because nobody comes close to matching Roger.