The Australian Open ended in tears yesterday as Roger Federer broke down while giving his runner-up speech.
For fans of the man Bud Collins calls "Lord of the Swings," it has been heartbreaking to watch him play Rafael Nadal, the Tim Tebow of tennis: a pumped-up superhero with a heart as big as his biceps who, as talented as he is, wills himself to victory.
Federer is cool and elegant, with a surprisingly thin non-hitting arm and, as shown yesterday, an incredibly fragile emotional state. Which makes his success over the years - 13 Grand Slam titles - all the more impressive when you consider the strength he's needed to keep his emotions in check while hitting precisely timed and perfectly placed shots at crucial moments in countless matches.
Nadal came along just as people were about to anoint Federer "the greatest ever" - a title difficult to confer now after he has been beaten by the same man on three different surfaces. But somehow I doubt that Nadal will win 13 Grand Slam titles. And I doubt that we'll ever see a player as graceful and seemingly effortless as Federer again. He makes everyone else - including the man he's chasing, Pete Sampras - look like galoots.
This is not to write him off. The year has just begun, he played an excellent tournament, and his tearful moment on the stage may inspire him to even greater brilliance.
