Okay, guys, I'm hard core political. I'm hard core liberal. I'm a progressie lawyer in NYC, but what I witnessed this morning takes the ever lovin' cake. Roger Federer is the greatest tennis player of all time.
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I've not written many diaries. I prefer to comment and read the news a few days early on this site, but I have to write this diary.
I became a tennis fan in the mid to late 80s when Stefan Edberg and Boris Becker played Wimbledon. Since 1990, I've been going to a Masters Series tournament from first ball to last. I watched basically all of Pete Sampras' career, but Pete doesn't hold a candle. Roger's stats speak for themselves:
* 20 straight Grand Slam semi-finals. The next best is 10!
* 15 of the last 16 Grand Slam finals
* 15 Masters Series titles
* Beat Sampras the one time they played on the men's tour AT Wimbledon
* And now, the career Grand Slam, all four titles under his belt;
Pete never got past the semis at Roland Garros, and then, only to
the semis ONCE
* Played the last four Roland Garros finals and only losing to
Rafa Nadal
I've never seen a more beautiful athelete in my life. I've sat in very small courts, about 200 people capacity, in the front row at the end of the court, and couldn't hear Roger move. Grace, power, beauty. It's amazing. The Baryshnikov of the sport. Of, perhaps, all sports. Tiger is the only person I think comes close, and Tiger has five years on him.
To me, Pete doesn't hold a candle. Having spent a lot of time watching both of these men live, at that Masters Series as well as the US Open, there is no contest. Pete made for boring tennis. Serve, serve, serve and try to break one game a set. Roger plays every point, trying to break throughout every match, even the losses, that I've personally seen.
My favorites over the years, Roger (of course), Stefan Edberg, and Pat Rafter, I loved their games before I realized they were the most gracious, kind atheletes. Pete, on the other hand, did one of the dirtiest things I've ever seen a tennis player do. One Saturday morning when Pete was warming up for the semi-final at the Masters Series tournament I've gone to for so long, a friend of mine's kid was a ball kid. Dressed in full ball boy regalia, after Pete was done practicing and going to the player's shute, the ball boy and a woman in her twenties went up to Pete to ask for his autograph. The kid asked, "Mr. Sampras, could I have your autograph?" Pete looked at the kid, said no, and then turned to the woman and gave her an autograph and walked away. I'll never forgive him for it. He doesn't deserve it.
Grace, aplomb, beauty, and style. Roger has it all and, without a doubt, no question to me, he's the greatest tennis player of all time. He deserves everything that has and will come his way. I will love him for what he has shown me forever.
I hope somebody cares about this diary. I know it's not politics, but if you look at my comments and few previous diaries, you'll know why I'm here. I LOVE this website. It keeps me sane and has for the last three years, but I just had to honor Roger. He deserves the tribute.