I am so glad I was at our tournament again this year. It’s one of the 13 most important on the planet, and many of the folk there are not from our area. And – Roger Federer was at his very very best. What I said to friends later was that during the middle of the match, Roger played like an outstanding human tennis player. The rest of the time, he played way above that terrific level. And, as usual – he made it all look effortless.
Paul Daugherty did some great writing about it: “When Roger Federer play like this, the rest of men’s tennis wonders what’s the use. It’s like competing with Brad Pitt for the same woman or Barbra Streisand for the same note. No wonder Federer is tight with Tiger Woods. They’re two destroyers in the same navy. When skill and will collide, the alchemy is greatness.”
And Novak Djokovic, who had resoundingly beaten the fantastic Rafael Nadal the night before, said: “The closest I was about to get to the first place trophy was now.”, as he stood near the table where the trophies were placed during the presentation.
This was Roger at his sublime and awesome best. And, also as usual, he was comfortable, friendly, humble. A role model for the ages.
What a treat to be able to be watching and breathing the same air.