Pity Federer

This is the story of two men who play tennis: One enjoying the most exalted status of his career where winning a match can be taken for granted. And the other is the numero uno going through the most wretched time of his career.

Alas, of what use is an ATP No.1 ranking when you slip on clay like a novice; where even a nobody called Filippo Volandri becomes a somebody just because he is kicking the backside of Roger Federer.

This is, perhaps, the craziest way the two gun-slingers could be heading into French Open in less than a fortnight’s time at Roland Garros. I remember these two men playing the final the last time, but so pathetic is Federer’s mental state at this time, he is bound to feel pressure like a wild card being told to play on the show court.

Tennis players are a volatile lot. Manifestations of temper and fury can be very different, from smashing a beautiful racquet to sacking a coach. I guess, Federer won’t break his racquet as yet, but sacking Tony Roche did come to me as a surprise.

I have seen Roche at work in my city – New Delhi – and overseas. He has moulded the careers of superstars and was perhaps unlucky he could never make a Wimbledon champion out of Ivan Lendl. Lendl never held that against Roche, an Oz who even at this age works like a beaver.

But the fact is, if Federer, who has so many ranking points, can stay No.1 for a long time, he has lost it in his mind. I remember, for Pistol Pete, the clay-court season had almost become an obsession in the twilight of his career. And each time the media wrote about “Who is the greatest” with a reference to Pete not having won French, it became clear the debate would never end.

Watching Federer struggle today, it is clear the weaker side of him has now come to the fore, where he has lost faith in not just his own abilities, but also coach Roche. I am no shrink or psychoanalyst, but I am convinced Federer will take some time to come out of this rut.

The thing is, when you keep winning, deficiencies, chinks and minor glitches are forgotten. I am not suggesting that Federer had a host of problems to deal with as in an erratic serve, wrong timing in backhand or some footwork delay. Just that, he has become vulnerable, which should not be the case when the chips are down.

I know, even if I ask Federer to SMS Roche and ask him to come back, it will not happen. But given the gap between French and Big W and the time it takes to settle down with a new coach, Federer has made a mistake.

Look at Nadal, his career seemed almost over last year with that foot injury. He has come out well, even though he had a shaky start to 2007 in Chennai. I guess, this is the kind of turnaround Nadal needed.

And for the tennis world, the human side of Federer has come to the fore: Fire coaches!!