Roger Federer is Lucky
This last weekend, Roger Federer wrote again the tennis history conquering his 20th Grand Slam title. You sometimes try to find adjectives that can define what he does, but I guess we'd have to invent a new dictionary solely to him. I got surprised reading hundreds of comments in articles and social media where there were people that claimed that the Swiss is lucky. Lucky because he had an easier draw or lucky because his semis opponent retired or lucky because they closed the roof for the final. Luck, luck and more luck. And hey, they're right. Roger Federer is very lucky.
He's lucky to be born with the biggest talent for tennis the world has ever seen. To be able to do things never seen with a racket and in the most aesthetic and perfect way ever seen. Sometimes, it seems to have a magical wand instead of a tennis racket and it's the only one able to leave snapshots in his matches.
He's lucky to possess unbelievable shots. To have volleys that should be cloned. To have a killer forehand. To have a beautiful backhand. To have one of the best serves on history in spite that each time he serves, he hurts a little more his already battered back, he doesn't stop doing it all over again, without considering the consequences when being older.
He's lucky to have an unconditional love to this sport. To be able to be active at his 36 years old and not thinking on his retirement. Others in the past left all by reaching 30, tired of travelling all over the world week by week and never spending time with their families at home. In spite of winning everything on his career, his love for tennis lets him continue sacrifying his personal life and keeps delighting all the world with his tennis, taking his family with him, but it's because he's so infatuated with this sport that keeps doing everything to continue and more.
He's lucky to be loved everywhere he goes. He's the only player on the tour that can play with a home player and make the crowd support him instead of his player. It gives goose bumps watching all the crowd standing at Rod Laver Arena congratulating him while the Swiss cried of emotion giving his winner's speech.
He's lucky to feel the same illusion as when a teenager. Despite winning 20 Grand Slams, he gets emotional and breaks down like the first time. This says a lot of how he's made for and to the sport. A clear example to the kids and can be used for several life aspects.
He's lucky to be a person with an immense sacrifying working spirit. Able to spend several hours per day training, squeezing his physical condition to the limit, doing work at the gym and getting up early to give it all and be ready for demanding matches under a sun of justice.
He's lucky to be so superior to his rivals for the most part of his career to even say that he hadn't had opponents worth of it, and it's because Roger is so good that has made look worse some rivals and shut up several people that wanted him to retire since three or four years ago telling him that he won't ever win anything again.
People complain about the luck which is something difficult to attain but nothing is a given. Life doesn't give you absolutely anything and you have to go out there and break your back to get what you want. Be lucky is to get the jackpot marking 6 numbers on a paper. What makes Federer admirable is that he works and trains everyday to keep lifting trophies. To get there is just for a very few chosen ones, and he's one of them.
And maybe we have to watch the other perspective and think that we're the lucky ones because of the thousands and thousands year that the human exists on Earth, we share the same precise time that we've been able to enjoy him playing. Nobody knows for how much he'll be playing, but each tournament, each match, each game, each point... is a gift for all of us.
And I do with that he never retires. At least, I can say to my children that I was very lucky to be able to watch Roger Federer.
José Morón
