Awestruck...

I have been an ardent tennis follower since the days of aging volley maestro Stefan Edberg, boom-boom Becker and returning of a certain United States of America as a tennis power. This dawn was brought about when 4 youngsters turned pro within a span of 4 years namely Michael Chang, Jim Courier, flamboyant Andre Agassi and a tall thin teenager from Wahington D.C., Pete Sampras. Little did the tennis fans knew that this team from U.S. would bring their own country to the peaks it conquered during the days of Connors, Mcenroe and others.

The speed of Chang, solid consistency of Jim, the hard baseline grilling of Agassi and hard serve with soft volley technique of Sampras awed the entire world. The entire world appreciated the fact that all these players hitting the top of men’s tennis were young and fit and moved the focus towards physical stamina along with the tennis skills. Chang and Courier won over fans with their ability to withstand long tough matches with their high fitness levels. Agassi had a nagging habit of preempting the opponent’s shot and so had the advantage of being early in position for the next shot. Of the four, Sampras stood out with a different characteristic. His game depended more on skill, power and his ability to hit winners from almost anywhere in the court. He had a powerful serve and was able to hit aces even on his second serve. Many pundits still believe that his second serve is the best ever in the game. Sampras had a serve and volley style of play and used his deft touches to win points in a hurry. This allowed him to win over matches in quick time.

His style of play along with the charm and humbleness he brought upon the court won me over as his staunch supporter. He never brought emotions on court and simply played the game with a calm cool composed attitude that was admired even his opponents. He was destined for greatness in all aspects on which legends are measured. By the time he said goodbye to tennis in 2002, Pistol Pete was the greatest legend of all time and held numerous records, including the highest number of grand slams won (14). Meanwhile his good friend and opponent, Agassi, had ensured his name in history books by completing a remarkable comeback and winning the French Open. By doing so he completed a career grand slam. His fitness and the number of years he played high quality professional tennis formed a benchmark for aspiring youngsters.

Talking about records, it took 35 years for someone like Sampras to emerge and break Roy Emerson’s record of highest number of Grand Slams. In 2002 I was assured that at least another 20 years for another legend to emerge and break my idol’s record. Till that time I could relax and enjoy the glory days of Sampras-Agassi rivalry. My assumptions were holding true as years from 2000 to 2003 saw different winners at each of the grand slams. There was no clear dominance and it was all about peak in form during the Grand Slams. I and almost the entire tennis fraternity failed to notice a teenager from Basel who had ended Sampras’s winning streak at Wimbeldon. As 2003 proved, this win was not by chance or due to Sampras’s form and he went on to win Wimbledon for his 1^st grand slam title.

This young energetic lad by the name of Roger Federer decided that world tennis needed a champion and started working towards it. His style, finesse and class matched, and at times exceeded, that of Sampras. Never before had the world seen a player dominate any sport as Federer did in mid-2000s. His game was based on the flawlessness which he brought upon court. Emphasis had increased more on power from baseline than deft touches near the net. He had an all round game which complimented the change of style in men’s tennis. He increased the levels of tennis to never before heights and was quickly setting newer records, surpassing my favourite in every aspect. There was no competition in terms of temperament and handling pressure. The Roddicks, Hewitts and Safins of the world were completely helpless and waited for a rare lapse of concentration from ‘FedEx’.

As Federer created his own legacy and dynasty of followers, somewhere in the large islands of Mallorca, a warrior was getting ready for conquering the all-mighty ruler. Rafael Nadal was introduced to the tennis world at the age of 18, when he defeated the then world no. 2, Andy Roddick in Davis Cup finals and helped Spain lift the title. A year later his rise gained trajectory when he won the French Open title. His aggressive behind-the-baseline game founded on heavy topspin ground strokes, consistency, speedy footwork, and tenacious court coverage is widely admired. His athleticism, stamina and speed around the court are the abilities envied by many, which help him to constructs winning plays from seemingly defensive positions.

Rafa was considered a clay court specialist in his earlier pro years and was regularly a thorn in Federer’s claim to capture the Grand Slam in Paris. As Roger became a perennial no.1, Rafa became a perennial no.2 in tennis rankings. Their rivalry was defined by the exquisite contrast in styles and temperaments, Federer the cool gentleman from Switzerland and Nadal the muscular matador from Spain. Soon Nadal was the testing Federer’s seemingly flawless game like never before and forced Federer to search his arsenal for newer weapons. Nadal had the answer to every question raised by Federer. At times he not only replied back, he also posed a question of his own.

I used to enjoy this rivalry as it was fresh and much needed. Also Federer’s quest for Pete’s record was getting slowed, much to my joy. Unbeatable on clay, Nadal was still learning the game on other surfaces, the only problem for Federer was, he was learning too fast. Very soon Nadal began challenging Federer on the grass courts of SW19, and slowly raised his game.

Then came the year 2008. Nadal continued his dominance on clay and headed to Wimbledon finals against world no. 1 Roger Federer. At a much needed time he shifted gears and forced Federer to move his. But this was not to be and the test put up by the Spaniard was too much for the Swiss maestro. After ending the Swiss dominance in Wimbledon, Nadal very soon ended his reign as the no.1 player in the world. While doing so Nadal dispelled demons in the head of the once un-derail able Fedex.

Despite all the factors, I still had reasons to believe that we have not witnessed the down slope of Federer and that he would be back soon. All my thoughts were proven wrong yesterday, after I witnessed another chapter in perhaps the greatest tennis rivalry ever. After one of the most grueling matches in his short career, where he defeated Fernando Verdasco in more than 5hrs, Nadal was back on court in the finals against Federer. Nadal was facing the possibility of going down the books as Federer’s 14^th victim in a grand slam final. But all this hype didn’t faze him as he defeated the king on the hard courts of Melbourne. With the win he dented Federer’s confidence and also became the only man to beat the Swiss in all three surfaces, a feat so far considered impossible. It is this hard truth which utterly and pitifully led Federer’s mind giveaway control to his heart and break down to tears.

Nadal, apart from his mental strength and physical stamina, possesses a brilliant tactical brain. The way he exposes Federer’s weakness on the backhand and forces Federer to go for low-percentage shots, is worth admiring even from his staunchest critics. I, like most other fans, was left awestruck by his level of stamina, grit and his ‘never say die’ attitude. Nadal forces his opponents to go for extra winners and in doing so mercilessly tests their fitness levels. When he finds them tired or restless he steps up his level and creates magic for the entire world to applaud. Nadal needs to be ranked alongside greats like Michael Phelps or Lance Armstrong who have exceeded excellence in sport by means of their physical ability. I do not doubt Nadal’s tennis skills, but it’s his indefatigable body that allows him to accomplish the feats. The way he has nurtured his game and improved his arsenal over the span of 5 years is a benchmark for many.

I don’t reason that Pistol Pete’s (my favorite) reign at the top of grand slam ladder is short lived and Federer will pass him soon to create his own legacy. But in his way stands a gladiatorial shadow posing a string of searching questions. The extent of Federer’s immortality depends on the manner he handles his greatest challenge ever. Nadal on the other, just 22, has the entire world before him to conquer and setup on a journey of legends.

I am happy till the time Federer’s conquest is delayed. For now I can simply admire the brilliance of human physique and leave with one daunting question which excites me the most –

“Once Federer is on top, how long will his reign last against the youthful conquistador?”