The world revolves around RF

Its been a week since the historic final at Wimbledon and the dust of ecstasy and euphoria is settling down. I wasn't sure how to put down the feelings about that emotionally-draining match. The news, magazines, articles, forums and blogs have been rife with the analysis, conclusions and tortuous dissection of each and every aspect of the match. Statistics were excavated out of the record books and printed throughout. I would just add a small adjective to describe everything that media did - 'debauch'.

It was a great match. Everyone who watched the finale knows that even if he wasn't a tennis lover. To put it on rankings and argue for days whether it was greatest after Borg-McEnroe or Ivanisevic-Rafter is stupefying. By the time the match entered into a decider fifth set, audience knew they were witnessing something beyond an exceptional display of sport. I do not have an adjective and I dont think anyone needs a 'word' to describe what we saw. Slightly shorter than 5 hrs, this longest final at center court drained out everything from the two warriors battling for a place in history for 2 different records. Only one could be given the trophy and at the end, it was the Spaniard Rafael Nadal. This deserving gentleman can definitely give a lesson on humility and class to tennis fans and in particular, the journalists.

Then started the agonizing after-effects of the match or rather, the defeat of the champion standing on the other side of the net from Rafa. He is the man who has made the game of tennis so monotonous by reaching the semis of last 17 Grand Slams since Wimbledon 2004: unmatched. He is the man who has been the top of ATP rankings for 233 consecutive weeks: unmatched. He is the man who has amassed 12 Grand Slam trophies in 5 years: unmatched. He is the man who had 8370 ATP points at one time: highest ever. There are so many more records that the man holds by such convincing margins that his name has become an adjective for 'exceptional'. Indeed, that is so boring. So, when this man, who was raised to the status of 'infallible', did fail (btw the definition of failing here is being defeated 4-6, 4-6, 7-6, 7-6, 7-9 in The Final of The Wimbledon), that itself was a big news. It wouldn't be wrong to say that irrespective of who his opponent had been on 6th Of July(or earlier in Wimbledon), 2008 - the news would remain same - 'Roger Federer lost'. If it was Djokovic, the articles would have featured how the Serb got better of the Swiss twice this year. If it was veteran Safin, they would say Safin striked the Swiss again after 2005 Australian Open SF. Finally it was Nadal and the media had enough to link them after the rueful French Open final.

The way how close the Wimbledon finale got in the end, it was a matter of winning 3-4 points at a stretch. With the diminishing lights, it was Rafa who held a bit longer than the Swiss. The defending champion quoted it as his 'hardest loss'. Many from the anti-Roger fraternity found it offensive that the World No. 1 even mentioned the darkness being a diffculty in last few games. After battling for 4 hrs 48 min, coming back from 2 set down gap and 2 match points in 4th set tie-break, the Swiss was accused of 'no sportsmanship' if he let his disappointment show. Indeed. Sorry, he is human.

It is said, "The test of courage comes when we are in the minority. The test of tolerance comes when we are in the majority." For me, Nadal and Federer showed what the champions are/should be like. They have more respect for eachother than what the fans and media have shown towards these players. The extent to which Federer has been recently downplayed is enough to drive anyone nuts. If it was the hardest loss for him, media is one of the factor who doesn't fail to add a question mark 'Is Federer done?' after every defeat and 'Is Roger back?' after every victory. Back from where? Open your eyes and look at the Grand Slam statistics this year. See the SF at Aus Open, F at French Open and Wimbledon (thats already 2 finals out of 3 this year) - thats where he is!

If the media claims/verdicts and predictions are to be believed, we shall have a record-book like this-
1. Media: "Nadal has now 5 Grand Slam titles and he is just 22, imagine how many would he have by the time he is 30"
Hmmm, if that is true, Serena Williams had 6 titles at 22 but damn, only 8 as of now(27)!
2. Media: "Federer is having a bad year since he hasn't won any Grand Slam till now. Is his time over?"
Lets see, 1998-2000, Pete Sampras won only the Wimbledon title every year. He was devoid of any trophy in 2001 and yet, came back to win 2002 US Open. Sampras has the highest number of Grand Slam titles - 14.
Jimmy Connors did not win anything in 1979-1981. He later won 3 titles in 1982,83.

If everything was as projectable as media likes to make it, once a player starts winning, he should never lose and if he loses, his career is over. Can we be fair please?

The sight of the media charging upon Federer after every match is as distasteful as a pack of jackals pouncing upon a wounded lion. (Cheesy analogy? - sorry am reading too much of ESPN and CNN these days). In the end, all it boils down to is being pro-Federer or anti-Federer. The subgroups from anti-Federer go on to become pro-Nadal or pro-Djokovic as and when the situation looks suitable. And that is such a terrific achievement on its own. I am sure Federer just needs to get out of the state where these thing affects him. He has been pampered badly by the media till last year, so it might take some tough time to get over it. That happens or not, I dont care but I am fed up of tennis in general right now!

Lets not mar this beautiful finale and top-of-its-generation rivalry by trying to act smart. Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer know how to keep their games professional, can the media be professional too? Probably not! B*******