Alone at the Top

So let it be written, so let it be done.

Roger Federer has cemented himself as the greatest tennis player of all–time, winning his fifth Australian Open in the process. Federer now finds himself tied with Andre Agassi for most titles down under in the Open Era with four.

Federer’s record-extending sixteenth grand slam title came at the expense of UK hopeful Andy Murray. Murray failed in his bid to become the first British man to win a grand slam title since 1936. The Scottish-born Murray is viewed by many who follow tennis as a shoe-in to bring smiles upon millions of Britons with an eventual grand slam title. He came into the 2010 final against Federer confident, having beaten Roger in an exhibition match in January of this year.

Having the confidence to win is one thing, but turning confidence into success against a player such as Federer is something totally different.

As Jimmy Connors famously explained in 2009, “In an era of specialists, you're either a clay court specialist, a grass court specialist, or a hard court specialist...or you're Roger Federer."

Although Roger Federer grew up idolizing Boris Becker, it’s hard to compare his all-around game of flick backhands, precise drop shots, and a killer forehand dubbed the “greatest shot in the history of the sport” according to John McEnroe, to Becker or anyone else.

Sure, Pete Sampras was the dominant man of his era, winning an amazing eight titles at the All-England Club to go along with six other grand slam titles. Sampras, however, wasn’t even the most talented player of his generation. That title would belong to Andre Agassi. Agassi may have won six fewer grand slam titles than Sampras, captivated audiences in ways Sampras never could.

Federer, on the other hand, is universally recognized as the greatest player ever, both by fans and former tennis greats. He’s been able to come back from crushing loses to Rafael Nadal (see Wimbledon in 2008 and the 2009 Australian Open) to regain his place as the most feared man in tennis.

It’s amazing to think that Roger has now won at least four titles at each grand slam event, with only the French Open as a singular title.

Dominance in any one sport is always a beautiful thing to watch. Roger Federer has been able to take the beauty of such domination to an entirely different level over the past eight years. He’s won with style and grace, all the while not forgetting that all sports fans love flair and the heart of a lion. Federer’s career may be in its second act, but it is by no means on the down-slope.

Roger Federer may go down not only as the greatest tennis player ever, but perhaps the greatest athlete in history. He just needs a few more grand slam finals like the one this past Sunday to get into that conversation.

Lost in Translation

Police blotter has taken over the sports page as of late. Gilbert Arenas, University of Tennessee basketball players, and even the mythical Tiger Woods have found themselves to be in hot water in recent weeks. The altercations shed light upon the idea of athletic stars being out of touch with society at large.

The lives of modern athletes are vastly different than the lives of most Americans. Those lives develop within a sports culture that is revered when championships are bestowed upon a city, and reviled when athletes are found with illegal weapons, drugs, and the like. The problem with athletes today, however, has as much to do with the gladiators themselves as it does with a society that treats them with kid gloves from an early age.

There are few things in life over which individuals have absolute control. The power to make the right decisions is one of said things. In order for sports to continue to have deep meaning for fans across the globe, a dramatic culture shift must take place.

Former Bengals receiver Chris Henry may have met a tragic ending, but his transformation in recent months shows us that superstars can be steered in the right direction with discipline and respect.

Since emerging as an NFL prospect during his freshman season at West Virginia in 2003, Chris Henry was plagued by problems with the law. The Bengals released him in April of 2008 after his sixth arrest in just less than two years with the team. Few professions allow for such transgressions to go without immediate termination (rockstars perhaps?). It was at point that many NFL veterans, including Michael Irvin reached out to Henry.

Henry responded by dropping many of the hangers-on that had disastrous effects on his decision-making. When the charges against Henry were dropped in August 2008 he was promptly re-signed by the Bengals, who used team resources and manpower to nurse Henry’s life and financial status to a productive point.

Athletes surely shoulder the largest responsibility for any major change in the world of sports. Parents, teachers, coaches, and fans must also bear the burden of responsibility. Athletes need to learn at a young age that they will always be held to the same standards of conduct and basic decency as everyone else. That said, players are afforded the same right to due process, and they shouldn’t be stripped over that right due to celebrity status.