End of an era

Tennis, indeed, will never be the same after Roger Federer's retirement. This is not just an outpouring of saddened hearts of hardcore Federer fans but a grim reality. The tennis stalwart had been anchoring the sport as a firm interface between the old and the new. Between the era of Pete Sampras and that of Djokovic and Nadal, Federer epitomizes a sense of continuity. He, along with Serena Williams, held the bastion for a long time before calling it quits, finally. Tennis has become excessively competitive over the past decade, and it is reflected on the court. The stretches and strains are quite visible as players move across the rectangular premise. The beauty of Federer lay in the fact that he so seamlessly used to absorb this strain, and channeled it into something that can simply be called absolute grace. Federer's ability to sync effortlessness with excellence has been a rarity. In terms of numbers and results, Nadal and Djokovic — the other two of the greatest three — may have given Federer a stiff competition, but from where will they bring the elegance of Federer? It's a subjective thing Federer fans can feel but not articulate, what it was like to see him effortlessly take control of the court with extremely calculated strides and accurate strikes. Nadal and Djokovic came and flourished in the tennis world, but only as competitors to the older Federer. Among the greatest three in men's tennis, Roger Federer, again, has been the 'first' to depart from the sport. Rafael Nadal, crowned as GOAT with his 23 Grand Slam titles, tweeted his outpourings as such, "My friend and rival. I wish this day would have never come. It's a sad day for me personally and for sports around the world. It's been a pleasure but also an honor and privilege to share all these years with you, living so many amazing moments on and off the court." Roger's rivalry with Nadal and Djokovic will be remembered till eternity in the world of tennis. While Federer marked his arrival in 1998 with his ATP debut, he first faced Nadal in Miami in 2004 — where he lost to him. Tennis fraternity can never forget the epic Wimbledon final of 2008 where Nadal, after two failed prior attempts in previous seasons, finally managed to defeat Federer after a tough contest. This was no less than a feat for Nadal, as Federer had been claiming Wimbledon titles straight since 2003 itself. His first encounter with Djokovic would come only in 2006 — by the time Federer was dominating the tennis world like anything. Widely regarded as an all-court player, Federer prowess on grass was unmatched. Between 2003 and 2008, he had registered 65 straight wins. Also, between 2005 and 2006, the stalwart had registered 17 straight finals. Federer, all through his 24-year-long career, reigned as a champion. In the autumn of his career, his dominance may have been shared by other greats — comparatively younger and new — but what sets Federer apart is his sheer longevity. More often than not, greatness in sport is defined by consistency. And in that sense, Roger has been unmatched. Curtains had to fall someday, and hearts had to be broken, but the fact that Roger Federer squeezed it till the last moment he could — with his charisma remaining undiluted — is remarkable and adorable. Now that Serena Williams has also announced retirement, and Nadal is lingering on the verge of his career, an era is coming to a close, in most obvious terms. Legacy in sports, however, is known to continue even as stalwarts depart. Back in 2000, the tennis fraternity wondered if Pete Sampras' 13 Grand Slam record could be broken. Federer and others have shown it could. Federer sounds grateful as he says, "Tennis has treated me more generously than I ever would have dreamt, and now I must recognize when it is time to end my competitive career." In the same way, his huge fanbase is also grateful to him for his shining brilliance. Carlos Alcaraz and Iga Świątek have shown promise at the US open. Rest assured, Federer's legacy is here to stay, and even get stronger with a new batch of players. For fans, the dilemma still remains whether to congratulate him or lament on his retirement. One thing is for sure, an era gone by never returns.