Whom the bell tolls
surly, in defeat. But he has had to deal with so little of it, especially here. Federer has won more matches at the Australian Open than any other tournament, even Wimbledon.
Surely no-one will love the game the way he does, the way others think they do, staying up all hours, watching, studying and talking it when not playing it. This is not just a monogamous relationship, it’s like albatross, one only for life (sorry, Mirka). Of course, it helps that the game loves him back like no other.
Who will keep men’s tennis on the dignified plane to which Federer and his peers have raised it? On exposed form, it won’t be an Australian. Who will be too perfect for some, which just shows you can’t please all 7 billion people all of the time?
He’ll do most of us. At the time of the one significant interruption to his career, after injuring his knee while running a bath for his kids, the New York Times’ Brian Phillips wrote: ‘‘And since he is Roger Federer, we have to assume he was running a gorgeous bath, possibly the greatest bath of all time, perfect temperature, immaculate bubbles, faint scent of lavender, business as usual.’’
Who could match Roger Federer? Well, in readying himself for Wednesday’s match against the tricky Evans and all his slices, Federer said he tried to imagine how he would play himself. Now, there’s a match.
It has been like this all century long. Some players have some of these qualities, some will emerge with more, but it will be a long time before anyone who has them all salutes.
How will it be without him? The question’s right there. After his dreamtime win over Rafael Nadal in Melbourne in 2017, Federer wasn’t even sure he would be back the next year. He was, and won again. But he is assuming nothing. To John McEnroe, on court after round one, he said: ‘‘My mindset is that it is possible [to win the tournament]. It will probably be someone else, but it is possible.’’
And still is. We don’t have to worry about a post-Federer vacuum yet.