Is Roger Federer the greatest tennis player of all time?
It seems like he can already be considered as worthy of ranking among the top ten male players in history. However, to rate him as number one , is premature for several reasons.
First, his career has at least several good years ahead. His future performance will likely determine how far up the all-time list he will go. He has some current challenges to deal with. Foremost being, his difficulty in winning against Nadal. He has also lost to others, lower rated, in tournaments during the past year or two. So Roger is not impregnable, but nobody is.
His accomplishments need to be evaluated against those of the greats in the past, all the way from Tilden to Sampras. By doing so, we might conclude that Federer is not above the giants of tennis history. At least, not yet.
Most of the legendary players were versatile. They could play on all kinds of surfaces, grass, clay, hard courts, composition surfaces. They had a variety of shots, all types of spin, lobs, drop shots, different serves. They could do as well at the net as from the baseline. Some were just as proficient at doubles as at singles. They were able to lift their game in international competition, such as Davis Cup. I think the jury is still out un Roger’s versatility.
While Roger’s ultimate place in the pantheon of greats is still to be determined, he can be given great credit for one thing. That is his sportsmanship. He is a credit to the game, both on and off the court. Kids need icons like him.
Dick Brooks