Roger Federer still at the top of his game age 30
Rarely has a tennis player’s birthday been quite so anticipated. Roger Federer, the mighty Fed, the Greatest Player of All Time, and other assorted terms of endearment, joined the 30 club yesterday.
So firstly, congratulations Roger. I’m sure the Swiss don’t do 30th birthday paraphernalia quite like they do in Hallmark, but doubtless there is some sort of equivalent. Even if it does come written in Mont Blanc pen.
But there is a wider fascination with the 16-time Grand Slam champion’s age beyond just what Mirka gave him. And whether he had a cake.
For the Fedophiles, it is yet another reason to laud and applaud their hero. He has everything. Wife, children, fortune, records, and now milestone birthday. The ‘how great is Federer’ parties will be taking place on message boards around the world.
For the naysayers, those who make it their business to pore and predicate on how someone is not as good as they used to be, it’s an equal opportunity. They have been chipping away at Federer’s image almost ever since he went through that unfortunate bout of glandular fever in early 2008. The time of Novak Djokovic’s first Grand Slam title, of course.
Defeat to Rafael Nadal on Centre Court at Wimbledon was another chunk. And then of course to Juan Martin Del Potro at Flushing Meadows, and Nadal again, this time in Melbourne. They were bigger chunks. In fact, to the doubters, Federer’s three most recent Grand Slam titles – the French Open and Wimbledon in 2009, and Australian Open in 2010 – were the exception rather than the rule. His various losses since, despite the Annacone-fuelled run late last year, have all been more wood for the fire.
So turning 30 is like detonating a breeze block. It provides yet another reason to count Federer out. To talk about his career being over. To say he’ll never be as good as he was.
Even Ryan Harrison, viewed by many, especially himself, as America’s next big thing, has had a pop at the GOAT.
“To be honest with you,” Harrison said, “Federer, personally, if he had a little more fire, it would help him get back to the top.”
Unfortunately for arguably one of the best men ever to skip and glide around a tennis court, the numbers agree that it could be all prams and rattles rather than trophies and titles for the great man from here on in.
The list of men who have won Grand Slam titles aged 30 or older is not a long one. Andre Agassi won the Australian Open at 32 in 2003, Pete Sampras the US Open at 31 in 2002, as did Jimmy Connors in 1983. Andres Gomez was 30 when he won the French Open in 1990.
Rewind a few more years to 1972, and you’ll discover that Andres Gimeno won the French Open at 34 and Ken Rosewall won the Australian open at the quite frankly grandfatherly age of 37. And of course, Rod Laver, who completed the second of his calendar Grand Slams at the age of 30 in 1969.
But Federer, being Federer, is not thinking about such things. At least he is telling himself not to. Much like his justifications for making Grand Slam semi-finals and quarter-finals rather than winning the things, and being ranked No 3 and No 2 rather than No 1, the mighty Swiss is very good at being positive about himself.
“I’m aware that Novak had to do something extremely special to get past me,” he said recently. “Same thing for Rafa. I think we all had to do something very special to get past each other in the rankings. I think that’s a good thing.”
Not the ‘I’m not very good any more’ line, by any means. Rather the ‘I’m still very good, so good that they had to somehow be better.’ That’s a confidence one can only head-shake at and admire.
It is the same with the big Three-Oh. “Birthdays happen,” he said in a US Open Series conference call last week. “They’re part of life. I’m happy I’m getting older. I’d rather be 30 than 20, to be honest.”
“To me it’s a nice time. In the preparation (for tournaments) nothing changes. Do you listen to your body more? Yes, you do. Are you more wise? Yes, you are. Are you more experienced? Yes. Do you have a thousand matches in your body? Yes, you do. You just go with what you have.”
So does Roger Federer turning 30 make much of a difference, other than causing the average Joe or Joanna to exclaim ‘oh is that all?’ Maybe, maybe not.
Can he become the oldest male Grand Slam champ since Andre and Pistol Pete? Maybe, maybe not.
There may be subtle changes. He may wear different colours now that he’s 30. He may have a few more injuries. He may play a few less tournaments. He will probably win less. He might win some more.
But the most important thing is that Roger Federer is 30 and still playing tennis. Rather than not.
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