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2009-08-15 01:52:26
I was going to write today's blog about Richard Gasquet, but I find that the topic depresses me terribly so I'll leave it for now. All I'll say is that WADA (the World Anti-Doping Agency) and the ITF ought to be spending more time working out a way to catch blood doping and less appealing rulings about trace amounts of cocaine. They either know part of the story that we don't, or they're on a witch hunt.
Sigh. I'll let that go because it is quarterfinal day and I want to enjoy myself. Instead of hopping on my soapbox, I'll regale you with a story that you Federer fans ought to appreciate. I was eating dinner last night in a room connected to the pathway into the stadium. It was filled with perhaps 100 or more people enjoying the last bits of dinner before the evening session.
Suddenly, everyone got really quiet – unnaturally so considering the number of people there. I looked around for the cause of the interruption – Roger Federer was passing through inconspicuously (or at least he was trying to be inconspicuous). Other players had been seen doing the very same thing all evening - nobody gave them a passing glance. And why should they? Most of the diners were tournament people or journalists who are well-used to seeing players out and about.
Apparently the same rules don't apply to Federer. The moment of silence ended with smattering of enthusiastic and completely impromptu applause. He was not turning cartwheels or doing handstands. He didn't sing, take off his shirt or engage the room in any way. He WALKED through and they applauded him. Color me amazed.
Roger Federer is revered. There will be some of you out there who contend that he shouldn't be. That prowess or genius or artistry or whatever you want to call it on a tennis court should not be cause for worship or sainthood. I'm not here to argue that either way. At this point, the whys and hows are moot. Whether he's actually earned his accolades or not, he has them.
I've used Roger's self-proclaimed "beautiful game" as a punch line on this very blog numerous times. And yes, I still giggle a little when he says, "I just try to play beautiful tennis." But regardless of my amusement, the fact remains that it is nothing less than the truth. His game is just...beautiful. His is a brand of tennis that inspires crusty old sports writers to compose sonnets – and perhaps more impressively, to use words like "graceful" and "flowing" with the utmost sincerity.
Maybe you could argue that Andre Agassi was more popular, and he probably was. Andre was a rockstar whose popularity transcended the tennis world. But for all that he was an accomplished tennis player, fans went to tournaments and cheered raucously because he was Andre. The fact that he played tennis was nearly an afterthought. Roger redefines tennis in such a way that people feel like when they cheer for him, they're cheering for tennis itself. And yes, he really is that good.
Tell a friend »
Recordbreaks - He was just getting broken for the first time in the third set when I finished this up. LOL. I thought "c'mon Roger. Don't mess up now.." :D
cherylmurray , 8/15/09 2:48 AM
Oh dear, what bizarre timing. I have to say, he really let that match go. He has done something like this on a less dramatic scale before though but in general this was more surprising because he severed for the match.
Recordbreaks , 8/15/09 4:04 AM
LOL nice blog.Even his shanking looks beautiful to me these days.Or maybe I've just gotten used to it..I'm still laughing at what happened in the QF (But I love Tsonga so thats ok.Maybe next time :D)
janhavi , 8/15/09 6:34 AM
LOL nice blog.Even his shanking looks beautiful to me these days.Or maybe I've just gotten used to it..I'm still laughing at what happened in the QF (But I love Tsonga so thats ok.Maybe next time :D)
janhavi , 8/15/09 6:37 AM
Great article (as usual) Cheryl. Enjoyed reading that and it lifted my spirits a little after that disastrous Fed-Tsonga match. Wouldn't have thought he is still capable of choking in epic proportions. Guh.
jyannis , 8/15/09 6:40 AM
cheryl.
that was such a lovely write up about federer! it brought a warm glow to my heart! He is revered everywhere isn't he? My God!-to have such a presence? to make the room go quiet-it's unbelievable really. Just to walk through a room and to carry such an aura about you. am so envious of you though cheryl. you have actually seen the guy 'in the flesh'-tell me what does he REALLY look like?
maxi , 8/15/09 9:10 AM
Sorry for the double post.
LOL maxi..I for one can tell you he looks gorgeous... :D. He kinda looks at you directly in the eyes when you talk to him making you blush big time. And he has an intense gaze,I must say.
As clinical as he appears on court quite a few times,he has a sense of vulnerability about him.I dont know...I mean,people dont like to watch him struggle.Even when he dosent express a thing,when he starts to struggle with his game it feels weird-as a friend of mine says.
I remember reading one of Chris Evert's interviews before FO this year and she was like "There's something about him that just pulls at your heart strings".
He's probably the only guy after Borg for whom so many people root inspite of being so dominant.People generally like to root for the underdog-not with this guy.
IMO he's pretty much as popular as Agassi ( or even more in Europe and Asia.) without being a 'rockstar'.
janhavi , 8/15/09 3:17 PM
janhavi,before i die/before roger retires i WILL go and see him play. i am in two minds whether to go to USO-but a lot of money and so likelihood not. ah well.there is always next year. thank you for your post. loved what you said. loved what cheryl wrote. it must be so amazing to be Roger Federer! to be loved so much around the world!
maxi , 8/15/09 3:35 PM
I saw Roger at Kooyong this year - he's MUCH taller than I thought in real life, and definitely very slender and slight for a tennis player. Friendly and approachable (despite the massive security surrounding him!), he waved and smiled at fans when entering and exiting the stadium.
And honestly, the true beauty of Roger's tennis can only be fully appreciated when you actually WATCH him on court. He's just amazing (when he doesn't mentally implode that is) to watch.
Am so going to Aussie Open 2010 :D
(off topic, Verdasco was like less than one foot away from me and my friend and we could only gape. Urghhh.)
jyannis , 8/15/09 4:08 PM
jyannis-now you are showing off! :-)
maxi , 8/15/09 4:45 PM
Hehe maxi...admittedly am stoked to have seen Roger, but just adding to Cheryl's post about how wonderful his play is when he doesn't go crazy with missed serves and forehands. :)
jyannis , 8/15/09 4:51 PM
maxi - one thing I notice about Roger is that he has really REALLY nice skin. Very brown, very smooth. Rafa does too for that matter. Roger is quite tall and rather thin.
cherylmurray , 8/15/09 8:56 PM
cheryl - i actually think that he has lost weight. He looks thinner - but i know fit - i read from between May to July, he lost 10 pounds? He needs to beef it up a bit! He's just lovely - swoon!
maxi , 8/15/09 9:38 PM
Yup.. I love him for his tennis more than anything.. That is why I have so many videos of his amazing shots.. Good article, cherry...
torres9 , 8/15/09 9:41 PM
thank you Cheryl! Cool article I would not have thought the FED would stop conversation to that degree. People giving Roger such "grand" respect is fantastic, just beautiful. I'm sure well deserved. Such an honour to the spirit of tennis, and the man himself. Hearing about it, adds more to his persona... I mean it's not as if he is looking for respect, people are drawn to give it. It is an honour given to a complete athlete and person on and off the tennis court. A GREAT... Tennis did not exist for me until he came around. Now it always will... :)
sky , 8/16/09 12:56 PM
lol,so he has good skin,he's tall,he's handsome,his voice is nice,his eyes are beautiful,his face is perfect etc.etc. He is really God,isn't he?
sisterofnight12 , 8/17/09 1:54 PM
Cheryl,thanks for the nice blog!!
about the silence when he enters a place: I've heard some players saying that other players in the locker room are in awe of him,they described the same silence when he enters a place,but at the same time there is a light enery around him and he doesn't try to be sb off the court,that's why other guys on the tour think he's very approachable .
niloofar , 8/17/09 4:31 PM
Cheryl, thanks for your article about Federer. (I haven't been on this site for a while, so I just saw it.) So many journalists seem jaded about Federer -- looking for something to criticize, looking for someone to take him down. It's nice to see your appreciation of one of the greatest -- if not THE greatest -- ever to hold a racquet. Fed is the complete player: he has a classic and classy game, a love of tennis, and a competitive intensity that can make him cry whether he wins or loses. He is steely on the court and can destroy an opponent (think DelPotro in Australia) but never tries to demean them the way some earlier champions did. He's friendly and approachable off the court. Above all, there is the beauty of his game. I've watched tennis for a long time -- over 50 years -- and I've never seen anyone like him. So, thank you for dropping journalistic cynicism and giving Fed a lovely tribute.
adin8 , 8/20/09 5:24 AM
adin8...what a lovely comment!! really enjoyed reading it...and yes,this was a nice blog!
niloofar , 8/20/09 6:13 PM
i read this article over the summer.......
I just officially love the man.........love him..........love him.......PLUS...there is not a lot going on with the fed threads now......so need to feel the federer love.....
cheryl...this is just T-H-E...B-E-ST article you have e-v-e-r written........
malteser , 10/4/09 11:56 AM
Could you all please say "SLIM" and NOT "Thin" you make him sound anerexic!!
fofe , 10/4/09 8:52 PM
adin8...i have just read your post properly this time....and you are right.....dropping the 'journalistic cynicism..' and complimenting an article about a truly fantastic champion...who spends time with fans that love him, media that court him....federer is loved and supported throughout the world....always will be....
fofe....have you actually met him? Roger Federer is just a brilliant athlete of 'slim' build......
c'mon! Allez Federer!
malteser , 10/5/09 9:46 PM
Wed 09/05 14:58
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Mon 19/03 13:56
And Roger Federer is BACK
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Adding insult to injury, Nalbandian fined
Tue 17/01 02:06
Nadal voices displeasure at Federer's inaction
Wed 11/01 14:41
Mardy Fish has gone off the rails
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Nadal bails on Paris Masters again
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The post-US Open blues
Sat 10/09 16:52
Wozniacki and Serena battle for bragging rights
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Where US Open rain stops, scheduling paranoia begins
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US Open scandal brewing
Wed 10/08 17:22
A less Maestro-like Federer gets ignored
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That was a nice article. I agree, find it a funny story though. The silence you mentioned made me expect something humorous was going to happen, but I prefer what actually did. Shame he lost, the article would have sounded a lot sweeter. Ah, well, you can't win them all. Got to admit, your right about Andre, it was because he was a rockstar, Fed...I'm sure what title would explain his draw of crowds.
Recordbreaks , 8/15/09 2:21 AM