Champion in a true sense!

There is now no point gloating over who the "GOAT"(Greatest of all time) is after Roger Federer won the 20th Grand Slam, the Australian Open, at Melbourne. Even the great Rod Laver was seen taking pictures on his mobile camera just like any other fan. He came close to winning all of them. But, in the final reckoning, he is, after all, a human. Pundits can still keep speculating on what if he had won even half of those 10. He would have ended the greatest winner among both men and women champions. But age, to him, is just a number. The will to perform and win is still there. And that is what really matters. Indeed, after the knee surgery last year which led to a six month lay off, no one, by any stretch of imagination, could have thought of his staging a comeback. And, what a comeback it turned out to be when he beat Rafael Nadal in five sets in the final. He never thought he would win another major. He was not at all bothered about world rankings. And, then, he went on to win Wimbledon for a record eighth time. Even he had not taken anyone seriously when told that the 20th Grand Slam was awaiting him. He had laughed off the prospects. But, once on court, he is a man transformed. His passion comes to play. He turns very serious, changes tactics and strategy given the situation and, even after playing for three hours, looks good enough for another two. The emotions run very high too. How else can one explain his joy turning into tears after accepting the trophy and thanking his support staff. He is the quintessential champion and a role model for all youngsters the world over. There is so much they can learn from him. He cherishes family values, brings so much dedication, never throws tantrums and remains calm whatever the situation. Of course, he exemplifies sportsman spirit too. A former Wimbledon champion observed that Federer's athleticism and agility led him to believe that he could taken on a younger version of himself with greater confidence and emerge the victor. "He has gained so much experience over the years and he is putting that to good use." Indeed, he may or may not be the GOAT but remains a real champion in every sense of the term. That is how he is seen and that is how he would be remembered long after he hangs up his racket from competitive tennis for good.